Split Image

"You think Normie is lying?"

"He might be," Jesse said.

"To impress me?"

"Maybe," Jesse said.

"So maybe I find out who did it and I am wrong?" she said.

"Usually that kind of work for Reggie Galen would be done by a man named Bob Davis."

"So I have failed?"

"No," Jesse said. "You've done a great job. That tape gives me enough leverage on Normie to flip him."

" 'Flip'?"

"Get him to testify for our side, make him a deal."

"So he get away with it?" Natalya said.

"No, he'll do time," Jesse said.

"Not enough," Natalya said.

"We flip him and we can probably roll up everybody involved. He's a blow. Once I've got him, he'll talk to me about everything."

"My father-in-law can do that," Natalya said.

"I'm sure he can," Jesse said. "But with somebody's foot on his neck, how do you know he's telling the truth?"

"How will you?"

"We'll gather evidence."

Natalya leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs and tapped her fingertips together in front of her face.

"Who is this man, Bob Davis."

"Reggie Galen's bodyguard, last I knew," Jesse said. "He's not Normie."

"No?"

"No," Jesse said. "I'm pretty sure he's the real deal."

"You think he kill my husband?"

"I don't know, but let me find out. Otherwise, you could end up killing the wrong man."

"My father-in-law does not care if he kills somebody wrong," she said.

"But you both care," Jesse said, "about killing the right guy."

"Yes."

"If you kill Normie, you may eliminate our only chance to be sure who the right guy is," Jesse said.

"You don't think Normie is the right guy?"

"He might be. He might not be. The point is, even if he is the right guy, he isn't the only right guy. Somebody told him to do it."

Natalya nodded.

"Who?" Jesse said. "Why?"

She nodded again.

"I will discuss with my father-in-law," she said, and stood.

Jesse unplugged the little recorder and took the tape and handed the recorder to Natalya.

"I'll need the tape," he said.

Natalya nodded.

"It is a copy," she said.

"One other thing," Jesse said. "Before you go."

Natalya paused in the doorway.

"It is very brave," Jesse said, "and very smart, what you did."

"I loved my husband," she said.

Jesse nodded.

"And somebody killed him," she said.

Jesse nodded again.

"There has to be payment."

"Yes," Jesse said. "And there will be. Just give me enough time to make sure it's payment in full."

"I will discuss it with my father-in-law," she said.

56

SUNNY HAD LUNCH with Jesse at Daisy's Cafe.

"Did you tell me she originally wanted to name this place Daisy Dyke's?" Su

"Yeah," Jesse said. "But the town went bonkers. One civil liberties group started picketing the place, contended it was demeaning to dykes."

"But Daisy is a dyke," Su

"Yep, and none of the picketers were."

"I notice you always call it Daisy Dyke's?" Su

"Yep," Jesse said.

"Are you just being recalcitrant?" Su

"Probably," Jesse said. "But she calls herself Daisy Dyke. I think I'm respecting her wishes."

The waitress arrived with menus.

"Special today is strawberry pie. Bread is anadama. We got a lobster, tomato, and lettuce sandwich that's not on the menu," she said. "And the iced tea is mango. You want a minute?"

"Nope," Su

They ordered.

"I'm buying," Su

"Good."

"I want to talk about something, sort of off the record," Su

"What record?" Jesse said.

"Never mind," Su

"You, too?" Jesse said.

"What do you mean, me, too?"

"I'll tell you about it later," Jesse said. "Whaddya got?"

"There's something nasty going on at the Bond of the Renewal," Su

"What?" Jesse said.

Su

"The kid's with Spike," Jesse said.

"Yes."

"She should be safe there," Jesse said.

"Unless someone has an elephant gun," Su

"It is possible to acquire an elephant gun," Jesse said.

"But unlikely at the Renewal House," Su

"Anyway, you need any help looking out for her, let me know."

"Thank you," Su

The waitress brought lunch. Jesse had the lobster sandwich. Su

"Seems to me they're conducting a criminal enterprise," Jesse said.

"Prostitution?"

"Yep, sexual coercion, maybe rape, maybe kidnapping," Jesse said. "I'd say they are in trouble."

"If she testifies," Su

"And you think testifying would be hard on her," Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Probably some other folks we could get to testify instead," Jesse said. "How would you like to handle this?"

"There are a couple of ways," Su

"I fear felonious assault," Jesse said.

"Yes, that is a danger," Su

"With an eye to protecting the kid as much as we can," Jesse said.

"Cheryl," Su

"The Paradise Police Department has a pretty full plate at the moment," Jesse said. "I'm grateful for the help. I'll tell Molly about it, and ask her to be, ah, liaison with you."

The waitress cleared their lunch dishes, poured Jesse more iced tea, and said, "Dessert?"

"I need that strawberry pie," Jesse said.

"Sure, Jesse," the waitress said. "You, ma'am?"

"No, thank you," Su

"Two forks?" the waitress said.

"No," Jesse said.

57

AFTER LUNCH they walked back to the station, where Su

"You never told me who else was asking advice," Su

Jesse told her. By the time he finished they had reached the police station and were leaning on Su

"Wow," Su

"You'd be even more impressed with her fortitude," Jesse said, "if you knew Normie."

"Have you listened to the tape?"

"The one she left, and five more she sent over," Jesse said.

"How was that?"

"Awful," Jesse said. "A lot of Normie talking about what a stud he was. A lot of sound effects from them having carnal knowledge."

"Ugh," Su

"Think how it was for her," Jesse said. "But she never let on."

"You think she might kill him?" Su

"She might," Jesse said. "Ognowski's father might. Ray Mulligan might, if he knew."

"You do have a full plate," Su

"I do."

"Do you have a plan?" she said.

"I'll talk to the DA," Jesse said. "But I'd say I have enough to arrest Normie. Even if I don't, I can bring him in and play the tapes for him."

"And if you're lucky, he'll die of embarrassment," Su

"And of course there's still the Bang Bang Twins," Jesse said.

"You say Normie was a bodybuilder?" Su

"Big-time," Jesse said.

"My knowledge of them is secondhand," Su