“Yeah, you know, peeled the apples and made the crust and added the cinnamon and put in the sugar and folded it up and put it in the oven.”
“You know, turnovers are like donuts. They just seem to be. You don’t think of anyone making them.”
“I made them,” Molly said.
“Wow,” Jesse said. “Wife, mother, cop, baker.”
“Department sex symbol,” Molly said.
Jesse finished the turnover.
“Molly, I mean in no way to downgrade that, but you are the only woman in the department.”
“So unless some of the guys are gay,” Molly said. Jesse nodded.
“Which I don’t think they are,” Molly said.
Jesse nodded again.
“Well, it may be a meaningless distinction,” Molly said,
“but it is a distinction, and I’m claiming it.”
2 6 0
H I G H P R O F I L E
“Can I eat the other turnover?” Jesse said.
“Sure.”
“Did you make them specifically for me?” Jesse said.
“No. I made them for my husband and children. But I saved two for you.”
“Well, you’re right, one takes the distinctions one can get,” Jesse said.
“Besides, maybe a couple of the guys are secretly gay, and you actually are a department sex symbol.”
“I’d prefer not to go there,” Jesse said.
2 6 1
59
Jesse rang the bell at the front door of Timothy Lloyd’s condo in the Prudential Center, and held up his badge in front of the peephole. After a minute the door opened.
“I’m Jesse Stone, the chief of police in Paradise. We need to talk.”
“Paradise, Mass?”
“Yes, may I come in?”
“Yeah, sure, what’s up?” Lloyd said and stepped away from the door. Jesse went in and closed the door behind him. He tucked the badge away in his shirt pocket.
H I G H P R O F I L E
“I am also Jenn Stone’s former husband,” he said. Lloyd’s face sagged a little, and Jesse hit him hard with a straight left. Lloyd took two steps back and then lunged at Jesse. Jesse hit him with a left hook and then a right hook, and Lloyd stumbled backward and sat on the floor.
