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62

MOLLY AND STEVE FRIEDMAN took Russell to his office to make his list. Jesse and Su

"You played him like a mackerel," Su

"I know."

"I felt kind of sorry for him," Su

"I did, too, but that wasn't the time to show it."

"No," Su

"Thank you."

"There is one thing that bothers me a little," Su

"Which is?"

"You never quite said what crime we got him on."

Jesse smiled and put his finger to his lips.

"Shhh," he said.

"You didn't actually arrest him, did you?" Su

Jesse shook his head.

"Are you going to?" Su

"I'll consult with the DA's office," Jesse said. "But something wrong went on there. I'm sure we can come up with a charge if we want to."

"None of the girls wanted to have sex with any of the men," Su

"If they are telling the truth," Jesse said.

"I think they are," Su

"There was an implicit agreement to trade sex for money," Jesse said.

"Which would be prostitution," Su

"There was coercion," Jesse said.

"Which is rarely admirable," Su

"And at some level, pretty common," Jesse said.

"Oh, God," Su

"I never used any of those on you," Jesse said.

"You never had to," Su

"It is my impression that most women are willing these days," Jesse said.

"I think that's true," Su

"I doubt that there were many virgins working for the donors' dollars," Jesse said.

"I think that's probably true also," Su

Jesse nodded.

"If you don't want to, you shouldn't have to," he said.

"Whether you're a virgin or a whore," Su

Jesse nodded.

"On the other hand," he said, "didn't I buy you di

"Oh, oink," Su

"I'll buy you di

"I meant with Russell and the Renewal and all that."

"I'm hoping you and Molly will talk to the people on Russell's list and see what you get," Jesse said. "Molly will provide police authority. It's your case more than mine."

"Molly's smart," Su

"She is," Jesse said. "Best cop I got."

Su

"Don't tell Suit," she said.

"Suit's got potential," Jesse said.

"And what do we do about Cheryl?" Su

"She's eighteen?" Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Can she stay with Spike?" Jesse said.

"For a while," Su

"Sink or swim?" Jesse said.

"Sooner or later," Su

"Some people are at eighteen," Jesse said.

"Some eighteen-year-olds are better trained," Su

"So, what do we do with her until she's trained?" Jesse said.

"Well, her parents continue to send her money," Su

"Under the threat of blackmail, I believe."

"Exactly," Su

"Fear is good," Jesse said.

"And what makes it so satisfying is that they did the wrong thing because they were so status-conscious," Su

"And you're now able to use that to make them do the right thing," Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Plus the fear of criminal prosecution," Jesse said.

"Plus that."

"But she can't simply live with Spike and subsist on her allowance," Su

"No."

"So, what do we do with her?" Su

" 'We'?" Jesse said.

"Of course 'we,' " Su

"A heavy burden," Jesse said.

"And my special friend," Su

"Not so heavy a burden," Jesse said.

"So, what do we do?"

Jesse was quiet for a time.

Then he said, "I don't know."

"Me, either," Su

63

NEITHER HEALY NOR LIQUORI knew where Bob Davis was.

"He ain't even in the system," Healy said on the phone. "I know he's been with Reggie for a long time. But we got no record he's ever been arrested."

Jesse hung up and put his feet on his desk. A drink would be good. He was pleased with helping Su

Jesse took his feet down and let his chair tip forward. He looked at his desk calendar. Among the many things scribbled on there was Ray Mulligan's phone number. He found it and dialed.

When Mulligan answered he said, "Jesse Stone."

"Yeah?"

"You know where Bob Davis is?" Jesse said.

"Man, you don't fuck around," Mulligan said. "No 'Hey, how ya doin', Ray'? No 'How's it going'?"

"Do you?" Jesse said.

"Why would I know where Bob Davis is," Mulligan said.

"You're the same kind of guy, do the same kind of work," Jesse said. "And you were living next to each other for years."

There was silence for a time on Mulligan's end of the line. Then he said, "If I knew where Bobby was, whaddya want?"

"I want to see him."

"Why?"

"I'm trying to nail down what happened to Knocko."

"Maybe I could come up with a phone number," Mulligan said.

"Works better in person," Jesse said.

"Yeah," Mulligan said.

"I got no hidden agenda here," Jesse said. "I'm not after him. To my knowledge, he's committed no crime."

Mulligan gave a short laugh.

"To my knowledge," Jesse said.

"Sure," Mulligan said.

Mulligan was silent for another moment.

"You're a stand-up guy," Mulligan said. "Your word: If I knew where he was and got him to meet you, he walks away from this meeting as free as he came."

"My word," Jesse said.

More silence.

Then Mulligan said, "I'll call you back."