“And the panty patrol is supposed to prevent that?”
“Of course it won’t,” Holly said. “But Mrs. Ingersoll is, after all, an educator.”
Jesse nodded.
“I never liked school,” he said. “But in fact this may not be a problem with schools. This may be a problem with Mrs. Ingersoll.”
“It may,” Holly said.
“She shouldn’t get away with it,” Jesse said.
“Shouldn’t?” Holly said. “You and I don’t live in a world of should and shouldn’t, Jesse.”
Jesse grinned at her.
“I know,” he said. “But we should.”
6
MOLLY BROUGHT Missy Clark into Jesse’s office. Missy was wearing running shorts and a cropped T-shirt and cowboy boots. There was dark makeup around her eyes, and a big gold hoop in her right ear. She was thirteen. Jesse gestured her to a chair. Molly lingered in the doorway.
“What can I do for you?” Jesse said.
Missy sat and looked at Jesse, then looked at Molly, and back at Jesse.
“I gotta talk to you alone,” Missy said finally.
Jesse nodded.
“Officer Crane normally stays when there’s a woman alone with me in the office. Prevents misunderstandings.”
“Misunder?? Oh,” Missy said. “No. You’re not like that.”
Jesse smiled.
“That’s right,” he said. “I’m not.”
He nodded at Molly and she went away. Missy looked at the open door.
“You may close the door if you’d like,” Jesse said.
Missy got up and looked out into the corridor to see that Molly wasn’t lurking there. Then she closed the door and went back to her chair. Jesse clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair.
“So,” he said. “What’s up.”
“I saw you at school the other day,” she said.
“Yes,” Jesse said. “I saw you, too. Second row, at the far end to my right. Wearing a yellow sundress with small blue flowers on it. You didn’t seem to be with your parents.”
“Mrs. Ingersoll won’t let us wear jeans or anything,” Missy said. “How come you noticed me.”
“I’m the chief of police,” Jesse said. “I notice everything.”
“You were nice to us,” Missy said. “You were nice to Bobbie Sorrentino, when she talked.”
“Why shouldn’t I be nice to you?”
“’Cause we’re kids and she’s the principal.”
Jesse nodded.
“You came along to that meeting even though your parents weren’t with you,” Jesse said.
“I didn’t like that she made me pull my dress up,” Missy said.
“Don’t blame you,” Jesse said.
Missy looked around the office. Jesse waited. Missy studied the picture of Jenn that sat on top of the file cabinet to Jesse’s left.
“That your wife?” she said.
“Ex-wife,” Jesse said.
“How come you got divorced?” Missy said.
Jesse smiled at her.
“None of your business,” he said.
Missy nodded.
“She fool around?” Missy said.
“Answer stands,” Jesse said.
“I was just wondering,” Missy said.
Jesse nodded. He smiled at her again.
He said, “The way this usually works, Missy, is the cop asks the questions.”
Missy nodded. Neither of them spoke for a time. Missy looked again at Jenn’s picture.
“Is she that reporter on Channel Three?” Missy said.
