Sea Change

“I’ll need the address, Courtney.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, honey,” Kelly Cruz said, “you do.”

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31

I can’t watch those tapes with Molly,” Suitcase Simpson said.

“I’m all right with it, Suit,” Molly said.

“I’m not,” Suit said. “I’d be too embarrassed.”

“Okay,” Jesse said. “No need. If you have to see them you can watch later on your own.”

Molly and Jesse watched the tapes. They were predictably repetitive: sex, showers, changing clothes. One tape was of Cathleen Holton doing a drunken clumsy embarrassing strip on the deck. The tape continued with her having sex with Darnell, during which she was clearly willing, in fact eager, and clearly inept.

R O B E R T B . P A R K E R

“Oh God,” Molly said, watching Cathleen. “The poor thing.”

Jesse nodded. The tapes ground on. Many women. Several no older than Cathleen Holton. Jesse counted five other men besides Darnell. Two of them Jesse had seen aboard the Lady Jane. He wondered if the men knew they’d been videotaped.

“There’s no bathroom stuff,” Jesse said.

“Just the showers,” Molly said.

“Doesn’t fit the fantasy,” Jesse said.

“I guess not,” Molly said.

On the screen another young girl was climbing into bed with Darnell.

“Jesus Christ,” Molly said.

Jesse froze the frame.

“I know her,” Molly said.

“Local girl,” Jesse said.

“Katie, Kate DeWolfe. She’s in school with my oldest.”

“Which would make her how old?” Jesse said.

“Fifteen.”

“Under age.”

Molly nodded. They both stared at the frozen image of the girl.

“Which gives us another handhold on Darnell,” she said.

“Doesn’t prove he killed Florence Horvath,” Jesse said.

“Proves he’s a bad man,” Molly said.

“We knew that.”

“What in God’s name will I tell her mother?” Molly said.

Jesse didn’t say anything. They both looked at Katie De-1 5 0

S E A C H A N G E

Wolfe for another moment. Then Jesse pressed play, and the videotape unspooled relentlessly. The tapes seemed infinite.

Blondie Martin took her turn. They watched all day and when it was over had not seen Florence Horvath.

They sat silently when the last scene had played and the last tape had rewound. There was nothing to say. They didn’t look at each other.

“I may never have sex again,” Molly said after a time.

“I know,” Jesse said.

“You’ve probably seen worse,” Molly said.

“Yes.”

“But . . .”

“It’s the quantity,” Jesse said.

“Yes,” Molly said. “That’s what it is. The women become interchangeable. They are just parts. Nipples and pubic hair.

There’s no . . . there’s no . . .”

Molly stopped and shook her head.

“Humanity,” Jesse said.

“Yes. Nothing human is happening. Do men find this exciting?”