Dix sighed.
“I think that’s a paper tiger,” Dix said. “I think you’ve clung to it as a way of keeping the responsibility. If you are ever-alert, and don’t sexualize the relationship, then you won’t lose her.”
“So why we been talking about it?”
2 4 0
S E A C H A N G E
“I think you will be able to better integrate her past sexual indiscretions into your life,” Dix said, “if you spend less time thinking about her in exclusively sexual terms. It might bring you some peace. But I doubt that it was the cause of the breakup, or would cause one now. What you describe is mostly a healthy libido.”
“It is?”
“Sure,” Dix said, “and your fears have been exacerbated by the case you’re working on in which control and loveless sexual objectification is rampant.”
“And that’s why the case matters so much.”
“Probably,” Dix said.
“So how do we fix this?”
“You stop being the way you are,” Dix said.
“Like that?”
“Sure, like that. You think this is voodoo? If you’re doing something self-destructive, sooner or later you have to decide to stop.”
“So what the hell do you do?” Jesse said.
“I help get you to where you can stop.”
“And you think I’m there?”
“Hell, yes,” Dix said. “You are a tough guy. You can do what you decide you have to do. You’ll either trust Jenn, or accept that you don’t, and see what that brings.”
Jesse nodded.
“So all you’ve done is get me ready,” he said.
Dix smiled at him.
“Readiness is all,” he said.
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51
T wo uniformed state troopers, one of them female, brought the Plum sisters into
Jesse’s office. Molly followed them in.
“Captain says we should wait for instructions from you,”
the male trooper said.
“What’s your name?” Jesse said to the female trooper.
“Maura Quinlin.”
“Maura, stick around here. Your partner can go.”
“I’ll be in the cruiser,” the male trooper said.
He left.
“Sit,” Jesse said, “please.”
S E A C H A N G E
The sisters sat. Molly closed the office door and took a chair behind them. Trooper Quinlin sat beside her.
“Thanks for coming in,” Jesse said.
“It was kind of cool,” Corliss said.
“Riding in the police car and everything,” Claudia said.
Jesse nodded.
“And the state police guy is a real skunk,” Corliss said.
“That like being a real fox?” Jesse said.
“Sure,” Claudia said.
“People your age would probably call him a hunk,”
Corliss said.
Jesse nodded, looking at them. Corliss, it seemed to him, was usually the lead speaker. She’d say something and Claudia would follow up. He pointed at Corliss.
“Maura,” he said to the female trooper, “take Corliss into the squad room and sit with her.”
“What?” Corliss said.
“I have some heavy things to discuss,” Jesse said. “With your sister.”
