Robert Parker - Split Image

"Who?"

"You know what they do to snitches in jail," Normie said.

"You want to take the jump on this one yourself?" Jesse said.

"I just done what I was told," Normie said.

"Juries love that, killing two people because someone told you to. I'm guessing life, no parole."

Normie shook his head.

In a small voice, he said, "I want a lawyer."

Jesse glanced at Nicolas. Then looked back at Normie. "You don't need one," Jesse said. "You're free to go."

"Huh?"

"You're free to go," Jesse said. "Beat it."

"You're not arresting me?"

"Nope," Jesse said. "Take a walk."

Normie stood up carefully, as if he'd been ill and was just recovering. In the corner, Nicolas Ognowski stood up. Normie glanced at him.

"What's he doing," Normie said.

"I guess he's leaving, too."

Normie took a step toward the door, and Nicolas moved to follow. Normie stopped. He looked at Ognowski, then at Jesse.

"You're letting me and him go out together?"

"Sure," Jesse said.

"I… You can't do that."

"Sure I can," Jesse said.

"He… he's… For God's sake, man, I don't even have a piece."

"I'm not interested in fucking around with this," Jesse said. "You roll over on Reggie and the girls, in which case I keep you here. Or you refuse and stroll off into the sunset with Mr. Ognowski."

Ognowski was standing next to Normie now. He seemed to take up most of the room. Jesse could smell his sweat and whatever strong he'd had for lunch. Normie didn't look at him. Jesse wasn't sure, it might just have been breathing, but it sounded like a low growl might have come from deep in Ognowski's chest.

Normie turned away and came back to Jesse's desk and sat back down in the chair.

"Whaddya want to know," he said.

JESSE LAY against the propped pillows in Sunny's big canopied bed. Sunny lay beside him. Jesse had a scotch and soda. Sunny had a gimlet. Both of them were naked.

"We got Reggie cold, and Normie," Jesse said. "But the ADA tells me she doesn't think she can make a case on the Bang Bang Twins."

"Really?" Sunny said. "Accessories before or after?"

"They deny everything. And Reggie says they weren't involved."

"Normie?" Sunny said.

"Everything he knows about their involvement is hearsay."

"How about their sex lives?"

"Adultery is rarely prosecuted these days," Jesse said.

"You call what they do adultery?" Sunny said. "That's like calling the Second World War assault."

"Reggie says they are innocent of all wrongdoing. He says Rebecca was a model wife, and Roberta a lovely sister-in-law."

"The ADA offer him any incentive to roll on them?" Sunny said.

"Yep," Jesse said. "But he won't."

"So, the Bang Bang Twins are free to, ah, ply their wares where they will," Sunny said.

"They are."

"Yet they very probably caused it all," Sunny said.

"Very probably," Jesse said.

"And they get off free," Sunny said.

"Well, Petrov Ognowski's father and widow know about them," Jesse said.

Sunny sipped her gimlet and looked at him over the rim.

"You told them," she said.

"I did," Jesse said.

"My God," she said.

"There's justice and maybe there's justice," Jesse said.

Sunny stared at him, then put the glass down and rolled over on top of him.

"You are absolutely frightening," she said. "Sometimes."

"And sometimes not," Jesse said.

He put his drink on the bedside table and put his arms around her.

Sunny kissed him.

When she stopped, Jesse said, "Didn't we just do this?"

"We did," Sunny said. "But I think you're man enough to do it again."

"Why do you think so?" Jesse said.

"I believe I have evidence," Sunny said.

"Maybe you should tamper with it," Jesse said.

They made love.

When they were done they lay, with Sunny's head on his chest, as their breathing settled.

After a while Sunny said, "That was a nice little interlude."

"It was," Jesse said. "Though I might object to the word little."

Sunny rubbed her face against his chest and giggled.

"Did you just giggle?" Jesse said.

"I did."

"You never giggle," he said.

"Now I do," Sunny said.

Jesse got up and made them two more drinks.

"You made any progress on what to do with Cheryl DeMarco?" he said, when he was back on the bed.

Sunny smiled.

"Spike says he's had sex with the dean of admissions at Hampton College," Sunny said.

"And feels that Cheryl could gain admission there?" Jesse said.

"He does."

"Well, that's some sort of solution," Jesse said.

"She'll live at the college, Spike says, and can visit on holidays or weekends or whatever."

"Is this a done deal?" Jesse said.

"No, but Spike has a date with this guy on Friday night, and he says he'll wrap it up then."

"Must be an interesting experience," Jesse said. "Dating Spike."

"Something neither you nor I will ever know," Sunny said.

She drank from her new gimlet.

"I have, I believe, boffed your socks off twice this evening," Sunny said. "And I want to know what you and Dix talked about."

"In regard to the Bang Bang Twins?"

"Yes."

Jesse took a deep breath and let it out, and told her.

"Wow," Sunny said, when he was through. "Aren't we a pair?"

"You need to avoid control; I need to control."

"Something of a mismatch," Sunny said.

Jesse nodded.

"Still, we seem to get along," Sunny said.

"And maybe we can change our needs," Jesse said.

"Maybe," Sunny said.

"Maybe we love each other," Jesse said.

"Maybe," Sunny said.

"Maybe we should proceed on the assumption that we do," Jesse said, "and see what develops."

"I agree," Sunny said.

Jesse put his hand up. Sunny gave him a high five.

"What's the next step?" Jesse said.

"I think we should order in some Chinese food," Sunny said.

"What an auspicious start," Jesse said.