Jesse stood and handed the rifle to Simpson.
“Thanks,” Jesse said.
“We’ll get it back to you
promptly.”
“That’ll be fine, Jesse,” Tony
said.
He and Brianna were both on their feet.
“Thanks for the coffee,” Jesse said.
“We enjoyed the company,” Brianna said.
“Good luck with the
dreadful murders.”
“Yes,” Tony said. “And if you
come up with a case of
conjunctivitis, give me a call. You too, Suitcase.”
They shook hands and Tony walked them to the elevator.
“I hope you get the sonovabitch,” he said.
“Sooner or later,” Jesse said.
The elevator door opened, Jesse and Suit got in. Jesse punched one and the door glided shut.
43
As they drove back along Atlantic Avenue, Suitcase Simpson said
to Jesse, “We are cops, are we not?”
“We are.”
“And there’s a donut shop down here on the right past the
Catholic church, is there not?”
“And you feel that in order to certify our cop-ness we have to
go in there and scarf some down?”
“Yes,” Simpson said. “I
do.”
“You’re right,” Jesse said.
“It’s been too long.”
Suit swung the car into the Dunkin‘ Donuts parking lot. Simpson
kept the car idling, while Jesse got out and went in and bought a dozen donuts and two large coffees.
“A dozen?” Suit said.
“We’re not going to eat a dozen
donuts.”
“Sooner or later,” Jesse said.
Suit put the cruiser in gear.
“Care to dine with an ocean view?” Suit said.
“Sure,” Jesse said. “The wharf
would do but make it quick. Don’t
want the donuts to spoil.”
“Donuts don’t spoil,” Suit said
and drove them to the
wharf.
They left the motor on against the chill as they ate donuts and
drank coffee and looked at the boat traffic, even on a cold day, moving about on the harbor.
“Seem like a nice couple,” Suit said.
“The Lincolns?”
“Who’d you think I meant,” Suit
said. “Us?”
“Wise guys don’t make sergeant,”
