Robert Parker - Split Image

"I have," Jesse said.

"You want to share?" Sunny said.

Jesse nodded.

"Yes," he said. "But I need to take some time with it."

"Later?"

"When I've got my murder case cleared," Jesse said.

"I look forward," Sunny said.

He finished his beer and put the bottle down. They sat for a while and listened to the silence.

"I gotta ask you something," Jesse said.

"Of course," Sunny said.

She put her empty wineglass on the table beside his empty beer bottle.

"Your psychological breakthrough," Jesse said. "Do you suppose it will affect our relationship?"

"Why, Jesse," Sunny said. "I didn't know you cared."

"I do," Jesse said.

"I'm teasing," Sunny said. "I know you do."

"So?" Jesse said. "Effect?"

"I should think it would have a good effect," Sunny said. "But it always takes two to tango."

"I know," Jesse said.

"What effect do you think it will have?" Sunny said.

"Don't know yet," Jesse said. "But I'm hopeful. If it helps you move on from Richie…"

"It will," Sunny said. "How about you. Have you really moved on from Jenn?"

"I think so, don't you?"

"I think so, but I'd still like to know what Dix thinks about you and the Bang Bang Twins."

"I need to get it organized in my own head," Jesse said. "Is sexual intercourse acceptable in the meantime?"

"It is," Sunny said.

"Oh, good," Jesse said.

Sunny stood up and smiled at him.

"Enough with the love talk," she said. "Off with the clothes."

DRIVING BACK TO BOSTON, Sunny thought about Jesse and herself. He was certainly someone she liked, maybe more than liked. He was funny and kind and a very good cop. And in the privacy of her car she admitted to herself that his flaws were probably an asset. He had a drinking problem. He'd been fired in Los Angeles. His marriage had failed. She was pretty sure he could control the drinking; she'd seen him do it. The rest was really water under the bridge, but it made her feel less endangered-she smiled at her own word-less likely to be overpowered… If he could control the drinking… and not her… Did he want to control her? Not exactly… It was more that she was supposed to be a certain way… look a certain way… something like that… and with her new insight, she could probably prevent herself from being controlled, anyway… or whatever it was.

She had crossed the General Edwards Bridge and was approaching Wonderland when her cell phone rang.

"Sunny, it's Spike. You need to come to the Gray Gull, now."

"Why?"

"Cheryl is here," Spike said. "There's something a little wrong at the Bond of the Renewal."

"I'm in Revere," Sunny said.

"Turn around," Spike said.

"Cheryl all right?"

"She's with me," Spike said. "She's starting to calm down."

"So, what is it?" Sunny said.

"Sex," Spike said. "I think. She's a little incoherent."

"Okay," Sunny said. "I'm on my way."

She had reached Bell Circle, and turned back.

THE GRAY GULL didn't open until noon, and when Sunny went in there was only Spike and Cheryl sitting at the bar. There was a plate of scrambled eggs and toast on the bar beside Cheryl. She appeared not to have touched them. There was a mug of coffee, from which she drank. Spike had coffee, too. When Sunny came in, Spike pointed at his coffee and raised his eyebrows. Sunny shook her head. She sat on a bar stool on the other side of Cheryl.

"What's up," Sunny said.

Cheryl started to cry.

"Perhaps I should rephrase," Sunny said.

Cheryl shook her head and kept crying.

"What's going to happen to me," she said. "Where can I go?"

"You don't have to go anywhere," Spike said. "You can stay right here."

"I can't…" Cheryl paused and cried harder, and got it a little under control and tried again. "I can't go home. I can't stay in the Renewal House."

"Why?" Sunny said.

"They want me to fuck a bunch of old guys," Cheryl said.

"All at once?" Sunny said.

"No."

"When you say they want you to," Sunny said, "how insistent are they."

"They say I have to."

"And 'they' are who?" Sunny said.

"The Patriarch and the Seniors."

"Seniors?"

"The, like, discipline board, you know?" Cheryl said. "Like, the oldest people in the Bond."

"And why do they want you to fuck a bunch of old guys?" Sunny said.

"It's, like, a reward," Cheryl said. "They have a big party and the old guys give money to the Bond, and the Bond gives them a girl."

"A goddamned fund-raiser?" Sunny said.

Spike nodded.

"Did you know about this when I brought you back?" Sunny said.

"I knew that sometimes they had these parties and some of the girls went with some of the men," Cheryl said. "But I thought it was because they wanted to."

"But it was forced?" Sunny said.

"They said if I didn't, I'd be booted out of the Bond."

"Are other girls in the same boat?" Sunny said.

"Yes," Cheryl said.

"Probably used the ones who had no other options," Spike said.

Sunny nodded.

"So, did you do it?" Sunny said.

"Yes," Cheryl said. "I mean, it's not like I'm a virgin, but an old fat guy I never even met before?"

"You had sex with this guy at the Renewal House?" Sunny said.

Cheryl nodded.

"And as soon as it was over," she said, "I just put my clothes on and ran out of the house and ran here."

"You did the right thing," Sunny said.

"But where can I go?" Cheryl said.

"Here," Spike said. "You can stay with me while we work things out."

"You?" Cheryl said.

"I won't molest you," Spike said. "I'm gayer than a French polka."

"I guess so," Cheryl said.

"We'll figure something out," Sunny said. "Let me look into it all a little more."

"You won't tell them where I am," Cheryl said.

"No, but even if I did, Spike won't let anyone bother you," Sunny said.

"Even if there was a lot of them?"

"Even if the whole board of Seniors came," Spike said.

"You may recall Spike in action," Sunny said, "when we got you out of the Rackley center."

Cheryl looked at Spike.

"I think you beat up about three or four people," she said. "It's kind of hard to remember."

"Three," Spike said. "Piece of cake."

Sunny stood.

"What are you going to do?" Cheryl said.

"I'm not sure yet," Sunny said. "I may consult with the local chief of police."

"Weren't you consulting with him last night?" Spike said.

"I was," Sunny said.

"Probably good I didn't call till this morning," Spike said.

"It was," Sunny said. "I think my cell phone was turned off."

"Unlike yourself," Spike said.

"Bite your tongue," Sunny said.

She looked at Cheryl.

"You okay?" Sunny said. "You need a bath, a doctor, anything?"

"I took a shower," Cheryl said. "And Spike put my clothes through his washer/dryer. But I don't have any of my other stuff."

"Okay," Sunny said. "I'll get your stuff."

"What if they won't give it to you," Cheryl said.

Sunny smiled.

"I'll get your stuff," she said.

MOLLY BROUGHT Natalya Ognowski into Jesse's office and held a chair for her to sit. Jesse could smell her perfume as she came in the door. Lotta perfume. She sat with her feet in their high pink wedges flat on the floor and her knees pressed together modestly. She was wearing a skirt that barely reached her thighs and a very tight cropped pink T-shirt that showed a lot of waistline. Her waist looked a little soft to Jesse, but he had recently been looking at Sunny Randall, whose waistline was not soft. Natalya was carrying a large straw bag that matched her T-shirt. She looked up timidly at Jesse.

"Chief Stone?" she said.

"Jesse," he said. "It's Natalya, isn't it?"