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"And you were his bodyguard a long time," Jesse said.

"Knocko and me looked out for each other most of our lives."

"Long time."

"He was getting a little soft, last few years." Mulligan patted his belly. "Like most of us. But he was a tough cookie."

"So I've heard."

"He hadn't fired me, maybe I coulda prevented it," Mulligan said.

"Too bad," Jesse said. "Why'd he fire you?"

Mulligan broke two eggs into the fry pan and put the cover on. He looked at the clock on the stove.

"The wife," Mulligan said.

"She fired you?"

Mulligan was timing his eggs.

"Knocko calls me in one morning, and he says, right outta the blue, he says, 'Ray, I gotta let you go.' And I say, 'You're firing me?' And Knocko says, 'Yes. I want you gone today.' And I say, 'Why?' And he says, 'Because I don't want to kill you. I known you too long.' "

Mulligan took the cover off his fry pan and looked at his eggs. He nodded to himself and shut off the stove. With the spatula he carefully slipped the eggs and spinach onto a plate. He put the plate on his little counter and looked at Jesse.

"I say, 'Why would you kill me?' And Knocko says, 'Robbie told me about you. She told me what you were trying on her.' And I say, 'I don't know what you're talking about. I never touched her.' And Knocko says, 'She told me herself. You saying my wife's a liar?' And I say, 'Knocko, on my mother, I never came near her.' And he stands up and he's got a piece and he says, 'Get outta here now, or I swear to God I'll kill you where you stand.' And I know he means it, so I leave. And I ain't never seen him again."

"You mess with the wife?" Jesse said.

"I did not," Mulligan said.

He sat at his counter.

"You mind if I eat?" he said.

"No," Jesse said. "Go ahead, eat."

Mulligan shook salt and pepper onto his eggs.

"The wife mess with you?" Jesse said.

Mulligan had a mouthful of eggs and spinach. He raised his head and nodded approval.

When he had chewed and swallowed, he said, "You're pretty good. Yeah, her and her hot-pants sister, they both came on to me."

"Together or separately?" Jesse said.

"Both," Mulligan said. "You want some coffee?"

"No," Jesse said. "Thanks. But you didn't take the offer?"

"No."

"Because of Knocko?"

"Yeah," Mulligan said. "A'course."

Jesse nodded.

"You think they got you fired so somebody could kill Knocko?"

Mulligan swallowed again and patted his mouth with a paper towel.

"Yeah," he said.

"You know who killed him?" Jesse said.

"Nope, but I know it's got something to do with them two sisters. They'd fuck a haddock if they could get it to hold still."

"Think they messed with Petrov Ognowski?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't know it. But Bob Davis told me they tried him."

"Reggie's bodyguard?"

"Yeah. Don't let Bobby fool you," Mulligan said. "He's not big and mean-looking like me, but…"

"I picked that up," Jesse said.

"Yeah, there's something about Bobby," Mulligan said. "You got it, too."

"That's 'cause I'm the chief of police," Jesse said.

Mulligan gri

"No," he said. "It ain't."

Jesse nodded.

"Know why anyone would kill Ognowski?" he said.

"No."

"Knocko?" Jesse said.

"Aside from what I told you about the sisters? No."

"Knocko love his wife?" Jesse said.

"Yeah. Always said he couldn't get over that she married him."

"He get along with Reggie?" Jesse said.

"Far as I know, they was thick as thieves, you pardon the expression."

"You ever think of revenge?"

"On the twin bitches? You're a cop," Mulligan said. "I tell you yes, and something happens to them, who you go

Jesse smiled.

"Come see you anyway," he said.

Mulligan shrugged.

"My parole geek know you're here?" he said.

"Yes."

"He know why?" Mulligan said.

"Just that I wanted to ask you some questions. He wanted to come with me."

"What'd you say?"

"I told him if he showed up here I'd throw him into the middle of Lafayette Street and step on his face."

"Excellent," Mulligan said.

"Anything you haven't told me?"

"Pretty much all I know," Mulligan said.

He ate some toast. Jesse stood and took a card out of his shirt pocket and put it on the counter beside Mulligan.

"Think of anything," Jesse said, "call me."

"Sure," Mulligan said.

"I won't tell your parole officer what we discussed."

"Thanks," Mulligan said.

"But you try to even things up, and something happens to anybody in the case, I'll be back and I'll bring trouble."

Mulligan nodded again.

"You know," he said, "guy like me ain't got much else but trying to keep things even."

"It's trouble you don't need," Jesse said. "I'll even it up."

Mulligan nodded slowly.

"Knew Knocko all my life," he said.

52

YOU GOT that kid back to the Renewal folks?" Jesse said. "Yes," Su

"She okay?"

"I think so," Su

"She's happy to be back with the Renewals?"

"Seems so," Su

"Nice work," Jesse said.

"I hope," Su

"Should make her feel secure," Jesse said.

Su

"Thing 'bout a view," Jesse said, "is you buy a place for the view and you love it for a couple of days, and then you don't much notice anymore."

"You're noticing now," Su

"I'm with you," Jesse said.

"And that makes a difference?"

"Yes."

They were quiet. There was remote ambient sound: from the harbor, the faint sound of rigging slapping against mast; from Front Street, an occasional car going by; from the condominium complex, the muffled sound of a television set.

"Thank you," Su

"You're welcome."

They were sitting side by side. Jesse felt her beside him more insistently than he could remember feeling. The silence of the harbor-front night seemed right. It was as if something exciting might be teetering on the edge. Jesse didn't want to interrupt it.

"I want to tell you about my talk with Dr. Silverman yesterday," Su

"Okay," Jesse said.

She told him. He listened without a word until she was done.

Then he said, "That's what killed the marriage with Richie. He was too good?"

"Like my father," Su

Jesse nodded.

"Well, for what it's worth," he said. "You didn't."

"I feared it," Su

"Not to be your mother."

"Yes."

"His flaw was he was so good?" Jesse said.

"In a ma

"No wonder you like me," Jesse said.

"I do like you," Su

"Good," Jesse said. "I'll try not to improve."

"Stop fishing for compliments," Su

"A divorced small-town cop with a drinking problem," Jesse said. "And no future."

"Take that up with Dix," Su

"Oh," Jesse said.

"I am freed of a burden I've carried all my life," Su