that you know that.”
Jesse nodded.
“Give Dix the credit.”
Jenn smiled.
“I already did,” she said. “Is there anything off the record that you can tell me.”
“Aha,” Jesse said. “Putting it to the test already.”
Jenn smiled again, and inclined her head.
“Well,” she said. “Is there?”
“A lot,” Jesse said.
Jenn took out a notebook, as Jesse started to talk.
When he was through she said, “So what’s the connection between Crow and the Francisco family, and the Crowne estate?’
“I don’t know,” Jesse said.
“But you think there is one?”
“Give me something to investigate,” Jesse said.
“What if it’s a false lead?” Jenn said.
“Maybe I’ll come across the real one in the process,” Jesse said.
“Better than doing nothing?”
“The daughter, Amber, has a boyfriend who’s a Hispanic gangster in Marshport,” Jesse said. “The Crowne estate is a place where small Hispanic children are bused in from Marshport, despite local opposition. Amber’s mother’s body is found on the front lawn of the Crowne estate.”
“Could be coincidence,” Jenn said.
“Could be,” Jesse said.
“But if I were on the story,” Jenn said, “and I didn’t follow up on the possible connection, they’d fire me.”
Jesse nodded.
“What I don’t get,” Jenn said, “is Crow.”
“Nobody entirely gets Crow,” Jesse said.
“But if he doesn’t want to kill the woman and return the girl, why doesn’t he just go away?” Jenn said. “It’s not like he hasn’t done worse.”
“Says he likes women.”
Jenn nodded.
“You believe him?”
“He let those hostages off the boat ten years ago,” Jesse said.
“And kept the money,” Jenn said.
“Which he didn’t have to split with anybody,” Jesse said.
“So maybe it’s just something he tells you,” Jenn said. “That he likes women.”
“Or tells himself,” Jesse said.
“Or maybe it’s
