was killed?” Jesse said.
“Huh?” ·
Jo Jo stopped smiling.
“You got an alibi for the time the cat was killed, you must know when the cat was killed. How do you know that?”
“Hey, don’t be an asshole,
Stone.‘t just meant whenever it happened, I didn’t do it, so I’d have an alibi.”
“Turn around,” Jesse said.
His voice was flat.
“What?”
“Turn around. Put your hands flat against the wall.”
“Wait a freaking minute, Stone.”
“You disobeying the lawful order of a
policeman?”
Jesse said. I
He unbuttoned his blazer jacket.
“What are you gonna do? Shoot
me?” Jo Jo said.
“Hands on the wall,” Jesse said
in the same flat voice.
Abby had taken a couple of steps away from Jesse, moving closer to the passersby who paused and stared, or walked by as if nothing were happening, depending on their temperament.
“Oh for crissake,” Jo Jo said.
He placed his hands flat against the building.
“Step away from the building, leaving your hands in place,” Jesse said. “Spread your legs.”
Jo Jo did as he was told. His face was flushed, and his breath was coming shorter. Jesse tapped his ankles with the edge of one foot, moving Jo Jo’s feet farther apart. Then he patted him down. When he was through, he stepped back away from Jo Jo and stared at him without speaking.,
“How long am I supposed to stand
here?” Jo Jo said.
“Until I tell you .to stop,”
Jesse said.
He continued to look silently at Jo Jo for another full minute.
Then he said, “Okay.”
Jo Jo straightened and turned from the wall. He glared at Jesse without speaking. Jesse stared back at him.
Then Jesse spoke very softly. “We both know something, don’t we, pal.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“We both know,” Jesse said again.
“Aw,” Jo Jo said and made a
push-away motion with his left hand, and stepped past Jesse and walked down the street away from them, trying to swagger.
Jesse stepped over beside Abby.
“Want to eat at the Rosewood?”
Jesse said.
“Jesus Christ,” Abby said.
along Tremont Street.
“Gino says it’s this way or no
way,” Jo Jo said. “He likes to see who
he’s doing business with.”
“Why does someone like him care?”
Hasty said.
Jo Jo shrugged.
“Gino’s a strange guy,”
Jo Jo said.
