isn’t going to do you any good.”
“Why not?” Simpson said.
Jesse smiled.
“Vinnie doesn’t fuck with kids,” Kelly said.
“A shooter with standards?” Simpson said.
“Whatever,” Kelly said.
“So there’s you and me,” Jesse said to Kelly.
“When I’m not wasting my time working, or sleeping, or trying to get laid,” Kelly said.
“And Suit is three,” Jesse said.
“How many we need?” Simpson said.
“We could get by with three more,” Jesse said. “Five more would be perfect.”
“Why so many?” Simpson said.
“Two cars so we can bracket Gino. Two for the receptionist.”
“So that’s four,” Simpson said.
“What happens if one of them gets out of the car and starts walking?” Jesse said.
Simpson nodded.
“Can you spare anybody else?” Kelly said to Jesse.
“I only got ten cops left,” Jesse said.
“Maybe I can get Bobby Doyle interested,” Kelly said. “Otherwise we’re it, and part of the time it’s just you.”
“Part of the time it’s probably not any of us,” Jesse said. “Once in a while we need to lead our lives.”
Kelly looked surprised.
“You do?” he said.
Chapter Forty-three
“You drink more when you’re sad?” Dix said.
“No,” Jesse said. “I think it’s more when I’m happy.”
“You drink more when you’re with her?” Dix said.
“I did this time,” Jesse said.
“Because you were happy?”
“No,” Jesse said. “I wasn’t happy.”
“Scared?”
“No.”
“What?”
“I don’t know exactly,” Jesse said. “We were talking about being with other people.”
“You talk about this before?”
“Yes.”
“You always get drunk?”
“I don’t remember,” Jesse said.
“How do you feel when you think of her with another man?”
Jesse shook his head.
“Exciting?” Dix said.
“Jesus Christ!” Jesse said.
Dix waited.
“I’m not that sick,” Jesse said.
Dix remained blank. Jesse was silent for a time.
“I don’t know why,” he said.
Dix almost smiled.
“What?” Jesse said.
Dix didn’t answer.
