Robert Parker: Death in Paradise

"Chills run up and down my spine," Jesse said. "You'll have to move some cars." He turned to Angstrom. "You got the names of the complainants?"

"Yep."

"Will they point out the culprits?"

"They say so."

"Move cars?" Shaw said. "You expect me to go from person to person asking if they own the fucking blue Mercedes or the black Saab?"

"Yes."

"And take all the juice right out of the party?"

"That's not a bad thing," Jesse said.

"Well, I'm not doing it."

Jesse shrugged. "Call Frankie's Tow," he said to Arthur. "Have them start hooking up."

"Tow?"

"Yep."

"You can't tow all these cars."

Jesse ignored him. "Then get John Maguire out here, and Peter Perkins. They're on shift. Have John supervise the towing. You and Peter get the complainants over here and start arresting the guests."

"For what?"

"Noise," Jesse said. "Obstructing access. Drunk and disorderly. Public lewdness. Littering. Urinating on a private lawn."

"You are going to get yourself in serious trouble," Shaw said.

His face was flushed under the tan, and he was breathing harshly. "You have no idea what kind of guest list is here."

"Gee, maybe we'll make the papers," Jesse said.

A woman in tight calf-length pants and a glistening silvery tank top came down the lawn carrying a cocktail.

Martini , Jesse thought.

The woman stopped beside Shaw and stood so that she was touching him.

"What's going on, Normy?"

She was taller than Shaw, with straight blond hair worn long. Her breasts pushed hard against the silvery tank top, and the pants fit tight over her thighs. Her features were elegantly proportional. And her teeth were even and perfectly white. Everyone had teeth like that in L.A.

Bonded , Jesse thought.

"These… policemen feel that we are entirely lawless," Shaw said.

He took the martini from her and drank some and handed her back the glass.

"Oh, pooh," the woman said and smiled at Jesse. "Have a drink. Lighten up."

"No drinks, ma'am."

"Oh my," she said, "so solemn. I'm Joni Shaw."

She put out her hand to Jesse. She was quick. She had already figured out who was in charge. Jesse didn't shake hands.

"Jesse Stone," he said.

She smiled. The smile was very strong. Jesse could feel it.

"And do you really want to ruin our party? It's Normy's annual publication party."

"We don't want to ruin your party," Jesse said. "But cars need to be moved. Behavior needs to be modified."

"Every year when his new novel comes out, we throw this huge bash. Normy's agent is here. There are film people. Publishing people. Politicians. The Lieutenant Governor is here."

"Mr. Shaw mentioned the Lieutenant Governor," Jesse said. "Get on the radio, Arthur. Call the tow company."

Angstrom slid into his car and started his call.

"We'll move the cars," Joni Shaw said.

"And keep people from wandering into the neighbors' yards?"

"I'll do my best."

"I'm going to have your job," Shaw said.

"Probably not," Jesse said.

He smiled at Joni Shaw. She smiled back at him.

"They moved the cars," Angstrom said as he came into Jesse's office. "And she went around and told people to cool it."

"You leave Perkins there?"

"Him and John," Angstrom said. "I'm sorry I had to drag you out there."

"It's why I get the big bucks, Arthur."

"My wife wore pants as tight as Mrs. Shaw I wouldn't let her out in public," Angstrom said. "How the fuck she get them on?"

"She's probably a strong-willed woman," Jesse said.

"What's casuistry mean?" Arthur said.

"I have no idea," Jesse said.

Suitcase came into the office with Doc Lane. He was carrying a big evidence bag, which he held up as if he'd caught a record-breaking fish. Doc had a cinder block in each hand, which he set on the floor by Jesse's desk.

"Doc found it," Simpson said.

"Rope and shoe?"

"Tied to a couple of cinder blocks," Doc said.

He was a rangy, weathered guy who fished, and tended bar at night, and did the diving for the police when there was any to do.

"Any gun?"

"None that I could find," Doc said. "The bottom is muck, Jesse. Gun could be under ten feet of it, if it's in there at all."

Jesse looked at the rope. It was the kind that you buy in fifty-foot lengths at lumber yards, about the size of clothesline, but made of nylon. When you cut it, you needed to burn the ends, so the rope wouldn't unravel.

"The ends are frayed," Jesse said.

"Two of them are mine," Doc said. "I had to cut it loose from the cinder blocks."

"I see that. The other ends are starting to unravel. Means he probably cut it at the time he used it, and didn't have time to melt the cut end."

"Or he was in the water," Simpson said, "and the matches were wet."

There was one small shoe tangled in the rope.

"Looks like the one she was wearing," Jesse said. "We'll get a size match."

It was the first time either Simpson or Angstrom had seen one of the shoes. Neither had looked at her when she came out of the water.

"Penny loafer," Angstrom said. "I got three daughters and none of them had any penny loafers."

"A retro girl," Jesse said.

"You need me anymore, Jesse?" Doc said.

"No. Thank you. Send me a bill, and I'll buck it over to the town clerk."

Doc left. Jesse stood and went around his desk and squatted on his heels and looked at the cinder blocks. They were still damp.

"New," Jesse said. "Arthur, now that you've brought law and order to Paradise Neck, go around to hardware stores and lumber yards and see if anyone bought two cinder blocks and some nylon rope in the last month or so."

"In what area?"

"North shore," Jesse said. "To start."

" Lot of people buy rope and cinder block."

"Yeah, but how many buy two cinder blocks and some rope at the same time?"

"You think the guy was that stupid?" Simpson said.

"Maybe. And maybe he used a credit card," Jesse said.

"That would be amazingly stupid," Simpson said.

"We can hope," Jesse said.

Jesse wasn't in uniform when he walked into Swampscott High School. He wore jeans and a blue blazer and a white shirt with the collar open. Summer school was in session and kids with bad grades, or bad attitudes, or overzealous parents, were in their classrooms. Jesse felt the old feeling as he walked along the empty corridor. He had always disliked school. Had always thought it full of cant and nonsense. And in his adulthood, he was sometimes startled at how early in life he'd been right.

In the outer office, at her desk, behind her computer, guarding the principal's gate, was a portly woman with a tight gray perm and a long blue dress. She looked at Jesse as if he'd just been loitering in the hall.

"Jesse Stone?" he said. "For Lilly Summers?"

"Do you have an appointment with Doctor Summers?" the guardian said. She underscored the "Doctor."

"I do."

"Regarding what?"

Jesse took out his badge holder and flipped it open. The guardian craned her neck at it as if it were too small to see.

"Are you with the police?" she said.

"I am."

"Well, why didn't you say so?"

"I don't know."

"Wait here."

Jesse smiled as the guardian lumbered into the principal's office. She'll keep me waiting longer than she needs to , he thought. Make sure I know that Dr. Summers is important . It took almost five minutes for the guardian to deliver the fact of Jesse's presence and for Dr . Summers to agree that, in fact, Stone had an appointment. Finally the guardian came out and left Dr. Summers's door open and frowned at Jesse and stood aside. Given her heft, she had to stand a good distance aside for Jesse to get by.