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24
IT'S FUNNY," Su
Dr. Silverman nodded almost imperceptibly. It was one of her nondirective "let's talk about that" signs.
"I mean, I'm hoping to get well," Su
Dr. Silverman nodded and waited.
"But besides all of those kinds of conflicting emotions," Su
Dr. Silverman tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. It was her "tell me about that" sign.
"You are beautiful, of course," Su
" 'Pulled together,' " Dr. Silverman said.
Well, Su
"I mean, everything fits, and everything matches, and everything is appropriate," Su
Dr. Silverman nodded and waited again.
"Or is all of that just transference?" Su
Dr. Silverman smiled.
"I hope not," she said.
Su
"It's not like I run around gushing to women friends about how complete they seem."
" 'Complete,' " Dr. Silverman said.
"You know, everything works. Competent. Contained. In control. The way you look is like a… like a symbol of how you are."
Dr. Silverman nodded. Su
After a time, Dr. Silverman said, "Of course, you have no way of knowing how I am."
Su
"Well," Su
"And what do we always talk about?" Dr. Silverman said.
Su
"Me," Su
Dr. Silverman nodded.
"So why have I constructed this whole portrait of you based basically on how you look."
"It might be interesting to know," Dr. Silverman said.
They sat quietly.
"Well, you are attractive," Su
Dr. Silverman didn't answer.
"Of course," Su
Dr. Silverman made a faint assenting movement with her head. Su
"So why do I need you to be the woman I described?"
More silence. Then Dr. Silverman broke it.
"Do you know any women like the one you've described?" Dr. Silverman said.
"No," Su
"Do you know anyone like that?" Dr. Silverman said. "Male or female?"
"My father," Su
There was more quiet.
"My father," Su
Dr. Silverman nodded without exactly agreeing. Su
"Are you that woman?" Dr. Silverman said.
"Me?"
Dr. Silverman nodded.
"God, no," Su
"Would you like to be that woman?" Dr. Silverman said.
Su
"Aha!" she said.
25
I TALKED to the cab company," Molly told Jesse. "They said the cabbie picked up Mr. Ognowski and his daughter-in-law in front of the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, took them here, then back to the Four Seasons."
Jesse nodded.
"I called the hotel, and Ognowski's not registered there."
"Call around," Jesse said.
"Could be there under another name," Molly said.
Jesse nodded.
"Or he could be elsewhere and picked up a cab there because it was handy, or to confuse us."
Jesse nodded.
"I'll call around," Molly said.
"Good idea," Jesse said.
Molly started to leave. Then she stopped and closed the door and turned back to Jesse.
"How are you?" she said.
"That's not entirely clear," Jesse said.
"You talk to that shrink?"
"Dix," Jesse said. "Yes."
"What does he say?"
"He nods and says, 'Um-hm.' "
"Which means?" Molly said.
Jesse smiled.
"I think it means, 'We'll talk about it some more,' " Jesse said.
"You believe in that stuff?" Molly said.
"Shrinkage?" Jesse said. "I'm hopeful."
"You think it's helped you?"
"I'm better than I was," Jesse said.
Molly nodded.
"Ever hear from your ex?" Molly said.
"No."
Molly was silent for a moment. Jesse waited.
"How about you and Su
"We're fine," Jesse said.
"What's 'fine' mean?" Molly said.
"Means I don't want to talk about it."
Molly nodded.
"That's what I thought it meant," she said. "Su
"So are you," Jesse said.
Molly smiled.
"True," she said. "But I'm married."
"And Su
"Exactly."
"She's divorced," Jesse said. "But she's not out of it yet."
"And you are?"
"Yes."
"Which," Molly said, "is why you drank yourself into a coma last week?"
"That was regret," Jesse said. "I am done with Je
Molly nodded.
"I appreciate what you did to cover for me while I was in the coma," Jesse said.
"Suit, too," Molly said.
"I know," Jesse said. "You went further out on a limb for me than you had any good reason to."
"You're a good cop, Jesse. We didn't want one excess to end your career."
"There's been more than one," Jesse said. "But I thank you. Being a cop is what I've got right now."
"You have us," Molly said.
" 'Us'? "
"The Paradise police department, all of us, like your family."
"Some family," Jesse said.
"Just remember that we love you, Jesse," Molly said. "All of us."
"You, too?" Jesse said.
"Me especially," Molly said.
"Does that mean that you and I could…?"
"No," Molly said. "It doesn't."
She gri
"But you could maybe promote me to sergeant instead," Molly said. "You know, as a gesture of gratitude?"
"Absolutely not," Jesse said.
Molly sighed loudly and spoke.
"Maybe I should have said yes."
26
THEY WERE on the Southeast Expressway, with Suit driving. "Why are we going to Hempstead?" Suit said.
"See what we can find out about Rebecca and Roberta Bangston," Jesse said.
"They're from Hempstead?"
"Yep."
"Who we go
"Start with the Hempstead chief of police."
"Wow," Suit said. "Two in the same room. What am I doing there?"
Jesse gri
"We may need coffee," he said.
Suit nodded.
"It's good to be useful," he said.
Hempstead was the most affluent town in the southern commuter suburbs. The police station was white clapboard with green shutters.
"Slick," Suit said, as he got out of the car.
"What's wrong with red brick?" Jesse said.
"You see an awful lot of it," Suit said.
"I suppose," Jesse said.
The chief's office was big. It had a big desk, and a big American flag, and big windows, which overlooked a golf course. The chief was dark-haired and overweight, but his uniform was tailored to fit.
"Howard Parrott," he said, when Jesse came in.
"Jesse Stone," Jesse said. "And Luther Simpson."
They all shook hands.
"We're down here looking into a couple of former residents," Jesse said. "Twins, who, when they lived here, were Roberta and Rebecca Bangston."