Finally she said, “You’re up to something.”
“I am.”
“And I’m sure you’ll tell me about it,” Sunny said. “Sometime.”
“Of course,” Jesse said.
Sunny said, “I’ll make some calls.”
54
AS JESSE expected, the letter from the Night Hawk came only days after the news stories about Betsy Ingersoll’s ordeal.
Dear Jesse,
Who is kidding whom? I did not invade that woman’s home, or hit her, or make her undress, or tie her up on the couch. I have never had anything to do with her. And you know I have never touched one of my conquests. That’s not what I’m about. I didn’t take a picture of her. If someone sent you a picture of her, it was not I. You know I do not lie to you, Jesse. I have told you what I did after I did it, and I have been open and straightforward with you, even when it was embarrassing (like running away that time). So believe me when I tell you that I had nothing to do with anything that happened to Betsy Ingersoll. Somebody else did it.
Somebody else took the picture. Somebody else sent it to you. I admit I’d really like to see the picture (my obsession kicks in). Seeing a school principal naked, if she’s even halfway presentable, is particularly appealing. Authority exposed. But I didn’t do it, and I don’t like getting blamed for something I didn’t do. And I resent some copycat pretending to be me. I’m sorry for you, in a way. It increases your problems, now that you have two of us to look for.
On the other hand, maybe he’s stupid and you’ll catch him and it’ll make you look good for a little while, until I make my move again. Or maybe you won’t catch either of us. You don’t have much of a track record.
The Original Night Hawk
(accept no substitute)
Jesse showed the letter to Molly, in his office. She read it through slowly, and read it again.
“That’s interesting about ‘authority exposed,’ ” Molly said.
“Yes.”
“You knew he’d do this,” Molly said.
“I was hopeful,” Jesse said.
“Which is why you were so forthcoming to the press,” Molly said.
“Free flow of information is vital to a thriving democracy,” Jesse said.
“Which is why,” Molly said, “ever since I’ve known you the only thing you’ve ever said to the press is ‘No comment.’ ”
“But it is said in a free-flowing kind of way.”
“You believe him?” Molly said.
“He has no reason to lie, and her story has a lot of soft spots in it.”
“So you believe him,” Molly said.
“Yes.”
“I do, too,” Molly said.
“Which leaves us with another question,” Jesse said.
“Did somebody else do it, pretending to be the Night Hawk? Or did she do it herself?”
“Which one do you like?” Jesse said.
Molly sat quietly for longer than Jesse had thought she would.
But finally she said, “I think she did it herself.”
“Me too,” Jesse said.
“So that’s our theory of the case,” Molly said.
“It is,” Jesse said.
“Her story is suspicious.”
“Yes,” Jesse said.
“If she was on the stand, a good lawyer would make her look bad.”
“Yes,” Jesse said.
“But we’ll never get her on the stand,” Molly said.
“Nope.”
“We don’t have enough for an indictment.”
“Unless she fesses up,” Jesse said.
“You still think she did it because of her husband?” Molly said.
“There’s tension between them,” Jesse said.
“Yes.”
