“I did.”
“Are you an alcoholic?”
“I don’t know,” Jesse said. “At the moment, I’m not drinking.”
The waitress brought their drinks, and took their order for lunch.
“So what do you want with me, Chief Yokel?” Blondie said. “You been watching me in the video?”
“I’ve worn it out,” Jesse said. “But today I’d like to talk about Darnell.”
“Harrison? Why talk about Harrison when we can talk about me?”
“This is a working lunch,” Jesse said. “What is Harrison’s attraction for women?”
“Money,” Blondie said.
“That what appeals to you?” Jesse said.
“Sure,” Blondie said.
“Anything else?”
“Well, I mean money can only buy you so much. Some of these freakos are scary. Harrison isn’t. He’s kinky, yes. But if you aren’t kinky in the same way, he doesn’t insist.”
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“Is he jealous?”
“Of what?” Blondie said.
“Any of his women being with other men?”
“Oh God, no,” Blondie said. “This is recreational, Jesse.
Nobody gets jealous or possessive or anything.”
She grinned at him and finished her first Lillet.
“We just all like to fuck,” she said.
Jesse smiled.
“Doesn’t make you a bad person,” Jesse said.
Blondie didn’t laugh.
“Actually, I am sort of a bad person,” she said. “I’m shallow and careless, pretty selfish. But I try to be honest.”
“That why you told me that Darnell was lying about the two crewmen in the video with Florence?”
“Oh hell, I don’t know,” Blondie said. “You looked pretty good on the boat. I thought it might be fun to see how good you were in bed.”
“So it was a seduction ploy,” Jesse said.
“Yeah,” Blondie said. “See what I mean? I ratted out Harrison, just because you looked like you might be hot.”
Jesse nodded. The waitress delivered lunch. A tongue sandwich on light rye for Jesse. Something called a California Salad for Blondie. Blondie ordered a bottle of Char-donnay.
“Was Florence Darnell’s favorite?”
“I don’t think so,” Blondie said.
“I was told she was and that he ditched her for you.”
Blondie Martin looked at Jesse with blank astonishment.
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“Ditched her? For me?”
Jesse nodded. Blondie stared.
“Harrison’s favorite,” Blondie said, “was whoever gave him his most recent BJ.”
“Well,” Jesse said. “It’s a standard.”
“The only way this whole deal works on the boat is that absolutely nobody aboard cares about anything but their own orgasm,” Blondie said.
“Including the high-school girls he recruits locally?” Jesse said.
“Sure. You think they’re out there looking for love?”
“Maybe,” Jesse said.
“Oh, fuck the shrink shit,” Blondie said. “They are out there to get laid.”
“Like you,” Jesse said.
“Like me,” Blondie said, “and have some laughs and a good time and maybe come away with a little jing.”
“So why did Florence send him the videotape?”
