Robert Parker - Split Image

"I think that's true," Sunny said.

"I doubt that there were many virgins working for the donors' dollars," Jesse said.

"I think that's probably true also," Sunny said. "But…"

Jesse nodded.

"If you don't want to, you shouldn't have to," he said.

"Whether you're a virgin or a whore," Sunny said.

Jesse nodded.

"On the other hand," he said, "didn't I buy you dinner the other night?"

"Oh, oink," Sunny said. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'll buy you dinner again," Jesse said. "I'm not a quitter."

"I meant with Russell and the Renewal and all that."

"I'm hoping you and Molly will talk to the people on Russell's list and see what you get," Jesse said. "Molly will provide police authority. It's your case more than mine."

"Molly's smart," Sunny said.

"She is," Jesse said. "Best cop I got."

Sunny smiled.

"Don't tell Suit," she said.

"Suit's got potential," Jesse said.

"And what do we do about Cheryl?" Sunny said. "Now that her career at the Bond of the Renewal appears finished?"

"She's eighteen?" Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Can she stay with Spike?" Jesse said.

"For a while," Sunny said. "But then what?"

"Sink or swim?" Jesse said.

"Sooner or later," Sunny said. "But she's not ready for that yet."

"Some people are at eighteen," Jesse said.

"Some eighteen-year-olds are better trained," Sunny said.

"So, what do we do with her until she's trained?" Jesse said.

"Well, her parents continue to send her money," Sunny said.

"Under the threat of blackmail, I believe."

"Exactly," Sunny said. "So we know we can count on it."

"Fear is good," Jesse said.

"And what makes it so satisfying is that they did the wrong thing because they were so status-conscious," Sunny said.

"And you're now able to use that to make them do the right thing," Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Plus the fear of criminal prosecution," Jesse said.

"Plus that."

"But she can't simply live with Spike and subsist on her allowance," Sunny said.

"No."

"So, what do we do with her?" Sunny said.

" 'We'?" Jesse said.

"Of course 'we,' " Sunny said. "You're the chief of police."

"A heavy burden," Jesse said.

"And my special friend," Sunny said.

"Not so heavy a burden," Jesse said.

"So, what do we do?"

Jesse was quiet for a time.

Then he said, "I don't know."

"Me, either," Sunny said.

NEITHER HEALY NOR LIQUORI knew where Bob Davis was.

"He ain't even in the system," Healy said on the phone. "I know he's been with Reggie for a long time. But we got no record he's ever been arrested."

Jesse hung up and put his feet on his desk. A drink would be good. He was pleased with helping Sunny with the Bond of the Renewal. Whatever the disposition, the Bond was gone. The selectmen would be happy. Funny how he often felt more like drinking when he was happy than when he was sad. Maybe Sunny was right. Maybe he wasn't an alcoholic; maybe he just enjoyed drinking. Except for the bender I went on over the Bang Bang Twins. Maybe he was an alcoholic only when he was unhappy. He smiled at himself and shook his head. I only drink under two circumstances: when I'm happy and when I'm not. Bob Davis had been with Reggie a long time. He was a bad guy, but he was a loyal guy. Ray Mulligan was the same way. And he'd been close enough to Davis for Davis to tell him about the twins' assault on his chastity.

Jesse took his feet down and let his chair tip forward. He looked at his desk calendar. Among the many things scribbled on there was Ray Mulligan's phone number. He found it and dialed.

When Mulligan answered he said, "Jesse Stone."

"Yeah?"

"You know where Bob Davis is?" Jesse said.

"Man, you don't fuck around," Mulligan said. "No 'Hey, how ya doin', Ray'? No 'How's it going'?"

"Do you?" Jesse said.

"Why would I know where Bob Davis is," Mulligan said.

"You're the same kind of guy, do the same kind of work," Jesse said. "And you were living next to each other for years."

There was silence for a time on Mulligan's end of the line. Then he said, "If I knew where Bobby was, whaddya want?"

"I want to see him."

"Why?"

"I'm trying to nail down what happened to Knocko."

"Maybe I could come up with a phone number," Mulligan said.

"Works better in person," Jesse said.

"Yeah," Mulligan said.

"I got no hidden agenda here," Jesse said. "I'm not after him. To my knowledge, he's committed no crime."

Mulligan gave a short laugh.

"To my knowledge," Jesse said.

"Sure," Mulligan said.

Mulligan was silent for another moment.

"You're a stand-up guy," Mulligan said. "Your word: If I knew where he was and got him to meet you, he walks away from this meeting as free as he came."

"My word," Jesse said.

More silence.

Then Mulligan said, "I'll call you back."

SUITCASE SIMPSON WAS in the squad room with his feet up on the conference table, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, when Jesse came in.

"Suit," Jesse said. "I want you to pick up Normie Salerno and bring him in and hold him for questioning."

"Guy that works for Reggie Galen?" Suit said.

"Yep."

"Big guy," Suit said. "Weight lifter."

"Take some guys," Jesse said. "Normie may not come peacefully."

"Where will you be?" Suit said.

"I'm the chief of police," Jesse said. "I try to remain above the fray."

Suit nodded.

"Especially when the fray is with an ape who may not come peacefully," he said.

"Don't be disrespectful to your chief," Jesse said.

"How long you think we can hold him?" Suit said. "Working for Reggie, he'll be lawyered up by the time we get him in here."

"Not if Reggie doesn't know we've got him," Jesse said.

"We follow him around until we get him alone?"

"He'll be spending the afternoon with a woman," Jesse said.

"How do you know that?" Suit said.

"Years of experience," Jesse said, "fighting crime."

"And," Suit said, "you're the chief of police."

"And," Jesse said, "she told me."

"Who's the woman?" Suit said.

"Name's Natalya," Jesse said.

"I don't know any Natalya," Suit said.

"That's right," Jesse said.

Jesse handed him a scrap of paper.

"Here's her address," Jesse said.

"We bring the woman in?"

"No," Jesse said.

"She know we're coming?" Suit said.

"Yes," Jesse said. "I talked with her this morning."

"There's stuff going on that I don't get," Suit said.

"There is," Jesse said. "Just go get him and hold him till I get back."

"Where you going?"

"Gotta talk to a guy," Jesse said.

"What guy?"

"Guy who might tell me things," Jesse said.

"I could go talk to the guy," Suit said. "And you could bring in the weight lifter. Be sure the job's done right."

Jesse smiled.

"I have every confidence in you, Suit," he said. "Just keep Normie here until I come back. No one sees him. No one knows he's here."

"What happens if somehow someone finds out and a lawyer shows up?" Suit said.

"Deceive him," Jesse said.

"Or her," Suit said.

"Or both," Jesse said.

JESSE MET BOB DAVIS sitting on a bench in a pavilion on Revere Beach. It was gray weather, overcast and spitting rain. The tide was high, and the dark waves foamed in close to the pavilion. The wind off the water was unseasonable, and the long beach was nearly empty except for a woman and a dog. The woman threw a ball. The dog chased it.

"Thanks for seeing me," Jesse said, when he sat down.

Davis nodded. He was wearing a tan raincoat with the collar up.