Death in Paradise

"I understand," Jesse said.

"No. I don't think you do," Sandy said. "But whether you do or don't, all we ask is that you leave us alone. We have nothing else to say."

Jesse looked at Hank Bishop. Hank was still looking at the carpet. Jesse closed his notebook and stood. He tucked the notebook and the Bic ballpoint into his jacket pocket.

"Thank you for your time," Jesse said.

Neither of the Bishops said anything. Jesse walked through the color-coordinated pastel living room to the front hall and opened the front door and went out and closed the door behind him.

Outside it was a bright summer day flavored with the faint smell of ocean drifting up from a beach he couldn't see.

The female of the species, Jesse thought.

Chapter Thirty

Vivian Snyder came into Jesse's office with Molly. Her left arm was in a cast. She had two black eyes and Jesse could tell that there was packing in her nose. Jesse got to his feet.

"Sit down, Mrs. Snyder," he said.

When she had eased into a chair, Vivian Snyder looked at Molly.

"I don't want her here," Vivian said.

Jesse nodded to Molly. She went out, leaving the door open. Jesse was quiet Vivian looked uncomfortable in her chair. She looked around the office. File cabinets, coffeemaker, computer, window overlooking the parking area in front of the fire station.

"You married?" Vivian said.

"No."

"Ever been married?"

"Yes."

Vivian nodded as if what he had said were significant. Jesse waited.

"The bastard has been hitting me for years," Vivian said.

"Why do you stay?" Jesse said.

"I'm Catholic. I'm not supposed to get divorced."

"Have you talked with your priest?"

"No. I didn't want nobody to know."

"But you're talking with me?"

"You know anyway."

Jesse nodded. Outside Jesse's window some firemen were polishing one of the trucks. Their voices sounded happy.

"I don't want a divorce," Vivian said.

She was looking at her right hand, as if she were checking the polish on her fingernails.

"We been together a long time," she said. "We went to high school together."

"Hard to walk away from that," Jesse said.

"He didn't used to hit me."

"Is it booze?" Jesse said.

"Mostly. He usually won't hit me unless he's drinking."

"Any kids in the house?"

"No. We never had kids."

Outside the window one of the firemen whooped with laughter.

"You want to bring charges against your husband?" Jesse said.

"I don't know what to do," Vivian said.

Jesse was still. She'd get to it.

"I'm fifty-three years old, and I drunk too much for twenty years, and I'm fat and stupid and I look like shit."

Jesse made a neutral gesture with one hand.

"I got no kids," Vivian said.

Jesse nodded.

"I got no money. I got no education."

Jesse nodded.

"Last job I had was waitressing at a pancake house in Lakeville."

Jesse stayed still and waited.

"I lose Jerry, what the fuck have I got?" she said, and began to cry.

"A rock and a hard place," Jesse said.

Molly appeared at the open door and looked in. Jesse shook his head slightly and Molly went away. Vivian sat with her head down and cried aloud. After a time she got her breathing under control and raised her face.

"Maybe you could talk to him," she said.

"I could do that," Jesse said.

"I don't know what else to do," Vivian said.

"You and your husband ever been in counseling?"

"You mean a shrink?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not talking to nobody," she said.

"Except me," Jesse said. "Shrinks are all crazy anyway," she said. She was crying again. Jesse sighed and nodded slowly.

"Okay," he said. "I'll talk to him."

Chapter Thirty-one

"This is Molly Crane," Jesse said. "Lilly Summers."

"Nice to meet you," Molly said.

"And you," Lilly said.

She nodded at Jesse.

"How is he to work for?"

"Needs a lot of attention," Molly said.

"He does," Lilly said, "doesn't he."

They walked past the desk and into the corridor. To the left was Jesse's office. Straight ahead was the squad room. To the right was the line of four holding cells.

"I don't think I've ever seen a jail cell," Lilly said. "They don't look very tempting."

"They're not supposed to be," Jesse said.

The squad room had a long pine table in the center.

It was yellow with shellac. There was an empty pizza box on it, some empty cardboard coffee cups, and a carton half full of donuts.

There were two cubicles on the back wall. There was a computer set up in each.

"Looks like the faculty lounge," Lilly said. "This where you gather the men to solve crimes?"

"When they're not eating," Jesse said.

"Where do you keep guns and things?"

"There's an equipment closet off the squad room."

He held the door to his office open as Lilly went in.

"So this is where you rule," she said.

"And read the paper," Jesse said.

Lilly walked around the small office. She picked up Je

"This her?"

"Yes."

"She looks familiar."

"She's the weather girl on Cha

"I think you're supposed to say 'Weather Woman.' "

"I think so," Jesse said.

Lilly looked at the picture another long moment before she put it back on Jesse's desk.

"I wish she weren't so damned good-looking," she said.

"Me, too," Jesse said. "Want some coffee?"

"Sure."

Jesse poured two cups and gave her one. She sat across from his desk and sipped it.

"Have you found out about Billie Bishop?" Lilly said.

"The dead girl is Billie Bishop," Jesse said.

"Oh dear," Lilly said. "You're sure."

"I am."

Lilly had on a dark blue warm-up suit. Her hair was caught back with a blue headband.

"Have you told the parents?"

"Yes."

Jesse had on jeans and a corduroy jacket.

"How were they?"

"Very unusual," Jesse said.

"Grief?"

"I'm not sure. The father, I think so. The mother? Maybe not."

"Are you serious?"

"The mother was maybe relieved," Jesse said.

"My God."

"Whatever else is going on in that family," Jesse said, "it's the mother that controls it."

"I don't think I ever met her," Lilly said.

"I've had to tell a number of people that someone has died," Jesse said. "She's not like anyone else."

"What are you going to do?"

"We have a name in Boston. I have Suit going through the Internet, see if he can find anything that this name would have in common with Billie, or Paradise, or Swampscott."

"Suit?"

"Officer Simpson. We call him Suitcase."

"After the ballplayer," Lilly said.

"Very good."

Lilly nodded. She stood and walked to the file cabinet and picked up a baseball glove.

"Is this your glove?"

"Yes."

She read the label on the wrist strap.

"Rawlings," she said. "Is it a good one?"

"Yes."

"Have you always had it?"

"Since the Dodgers signed me."

"Do you still use it when you play softball?"

"Sure. That's why the pocket is so big."

Lilly nodded, looking at the glove.

"I'd love to see you play some night."

Jesse looked at the calendar on his desk next to Je

"We play Thursday night," he said. "Game starts at six."

Lilly nodded. She put the glove back on top of the file cabinet.

"How about Molly?" she said.

"How about her?"

"You and she? Anything?"

"No. Molly's married, got kids in school."

"That doesn't always prevent things," Lilly said.

"It does in this case."

"What's her husband do?"