think of.”
“Peter doesn’t know the case,” Molly said. “He doesn’t even know their names.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“We don’t get them a lawyer when they ask, any case we bring into court gets tossed.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jesse said. “We’re not bringing a case against them.”
“We’re just stalling,” Crow said, “until we figure out what to do.”
Molly turned and looked straight at Crow.
“We?” Molly said.
Crow smiled at her.
“So to speak,” he said.
Molly smiled back, and turned and left. Crow watched her go. Jesse was pretty sure she was swinging her hips more than she normally did.
Jesse said, “What do you want out of all this, Crow?”
“I want these two broads to be okay, and have that be my doing.”
“Because?”
“I told you,” Crow said, “I like women.”
“Or you don’t,” Jesse said.
“Don’t?”
“Because they aren’t worthy opponents,” Jesse said.
Crow shrugged.
“What do you think of the men in their lives?” Jesse said.
“Don’t like them. Don’t like Francisco. Don’t like the gangbanger.”
“Because?”
“Because the gangbanger’s a punk,” Crow said. “And Francisco is a liar.”
“You ever wonder why he hired somebody like you to find his daughter?”
“I figured he might want somebody killed along the way.”
“And you were willing.”
“I was willing to take his money and see what developed,” Crow said. “I’m not willing to kill a couple women.”
“For the moment,” Jesse said.
Crow shrugged.
“’Course, the daughter could turn out to be some sort of hole card for you,” Jesse said.
“Could,” Crow said.
“You think the mother would abandon her daughter?” Jesse said.
“They do sometimes,” Crow said.
“I know,” Jesse said. “But often they don’t. Maybe we let them go, what happens. Kid isn’t going to leave the boyfriend. Mother
