Again, a pause.
Then Jesse said, “Yeah, you probably do.”
26.
“I can’t hold them for long,” Jesse said.
He and Crow were in his office. The Francisco women, mother and daughter, were in the squad room with Molly and Suitcase Simpson.
“Part of a criminal conspiracy?” Crow said.
“I don’t think that statute covers the intended victims,” Jesse said.
“At least you could put a cop with them,” Crow said.
“Yeah,” Jesse said. “I can. And I will. But if either or both decides to run off, my cop can’t stop them.”
“You got them now,” Crow said.
“For questioning. They can leave when they want to.”
Crow didn’t say anything.
“Why do you care about any of this?” Jesse said.
“Why not?” Crow said.
“Why’d you take the job in the first place? You need the money?”
“Hell, no,” Crow said. “I came into a lot of money, ’bout ten years ago.”
“So…?”
“Being rich can get boring,” Crow said. “I like to work. Francisco leads me to think there might be some push and shove when I found the women. He led me to believe that somebody might be with them that would need to be…” Crow made a small rolling gesture with his right hand. “Removed.”
“And that would be your kind of work.”
“It would,” Crow said. “I’m very good at it.”
“So you took the job because you wanted to get into it with somebody?” Jesse said.
Crow shrugged.
“No point being a warrior if you can’t find a war,” he said.
Jesse stared at him.
“Warrior?” Jesse said.
“I am a full-blooded Apache warrior,” Crow said.
Jesse looked at him for a sign that he was joking. There was no sign.
“And warriors don’t go to war against women and girls,” Jesse said.
“No,” Crow said, “they don’t.”
“That’s why you let those women hostages go, ten years ago,” Jesse said, “off the boat.”
“I like women,” Crow said.
“If the money had been on shore
