“We have an, ah, financial arrangement with her father,” Jesse said.
“Which is no more kosher than this freaking shoot-out on the causeway,” Healy said.
“Probably not,” Jesse said.
“So I’m better off not knowing about that, too,” Healy said.
“We all are,” Jesse said.
“You think the old man will let her be?”
“I don’t think he gives a rat’s ass about her in any emotional way. I think we got a little legal pressure on him. I think it’ll be in his best interest to give all this a good leaving alone, for the time being.”
“But?”
“But we’ll keep a car around Daisy Dyke’s as much as we can,” Jesse said. “And I’ll take her places she needs to go.”
“Think she’ll stay?” Healy said.
“I don’t know. If she stays, she’s got financial security. If she runs away, she doesn’t. Her mother’s dead. Esteban’s dead. So she hasn’t got any place to run away to, that I know about.”
“Talk to any shrinks about her?” Healy said.
“My own,” Jesse said.
“And what does he say?”
“He’s not optimistic,” Jesse said.
Healy nodded. He drank some scotch and sat back in his chair.
“Gotta try,” he said.
73.
It was the first snow of the winter. The snowfall was deeper inland than it was along the coast, but in Paradise there was enough to make watching it fall worth doing. Jenn stood with Jesse at the French doors. It was late afternoon but not quite yet dark. Over the harbor the snow whirled in the conflicting air currents and disappeared into the asphalt-colored water. Most of the moorings were empty for the winter, but a few fishing boats still stood in the harbor and the snow collected on their decks. The snowfall was thick enough so that Paradise Neck on the other side of the harbor was invisible.
“What’s in the bag?” Jesse said.
“A care package from Daisy, for supper,” Jenn said. “Amber brought it.”
Behind them, disinterested in snowfall on the water, Amber sat sideways in an armchair with her legs dangling over an arm and watched MTV.
“What did you bring?” Jesse said to Amber.
“A bunch of stuff,” Amber said. “I don’t know.”
“Gee,” Jesse said. “That sounds delicious.”
“Whatever,” Amber said.
Jenn went to the bar and made two drinks and brought them back to the window. She handed one to Jesse.
“Oh, God,” Amber said. “You two booze bags at it again?”
