“I’ll find out if she’s working at home or someplace else,” Molly said. “Or both.”
“Even if she’s working someplace else,” Jesse said, “it’s voluntary. She might stay home any day, or come home early any day. You can’t count on it like a scheduled class.”
“So he has to practice his obsession when he has the opportunity, which may not be pre-dictable.”
“We can’t stay on him twenty-four-seven,” Jesse said.
“We?”
“You and Suit,” Jesse said. “But I’ve been with you in spirit.”
“That’s been great,” Molly said. “But you’re right. There’s no point to the Wednesday-night stakeouts anymore.”
“Best we, or you and Suit, can do is make random checks at unexpected times,” Jesse said.
“Boy, those are great odds,” Molly said.
“You got a better plan,” Jesse said.
“I don’t have one as good,” Molly said.
Jesse smiled.
“You and Suit could watch Hannah for a week or so,” Jesse said. “See if there’s any pattern in what she does and where she goes.”
Molly nodded.
“If he’s as driven as you think he is,” Molly said, “this must be pressuring him something fierce.”
“Yes,” Jesse said.
“What do you think he’ll do?” Molly said.
“What I know is, he can’t do nothing. The pressure will build. He’ll have to find a way.”
“You sound so sure,” Molly said.
“Obsession can be tough,” Jesse said.
57
HANNAH WECHSLER came into Jesse’s office wearing a flowered skirt and a white T-shirt.
She had on big hoop earrings and some sort of low suede boot. Her upscale intellectual uniform, Jesse thought.
“I need to talk to you,” she said.
“Okay,” Jesse said.
Molly stood in the doorway. Hannah looked at her.
“I would prefer that our conversation be private,” she said.
“Okay,” Jesse said.
Molly went back to the desk.
“What was she going to do?” Hannah said. “Listen in?”
“We usually ask her to be present when there’s a woman alone in the office with me,”
Jesse said.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Hannah said.
“Coffee?” Jesse said.
“No.”
Jesse nodded and leaned back a little in his chair. Hannah looked around the office.
Jesse’s gun lay holstered on top of the file cabinet.
“There it is,” Hannah said, “the inevitable gun.”
“Yep,” Jesse said.
“I don’t like the police,” she said.
“I sensed that,” Jesse said.
“The visible representation of a repressive state,” Hannah said.
“Me?” Jesse said.
“All of you,” Hannah said.
Jesse nodded.
“Well,” he said, “thanks for stopping by.”
She shook her head.
“No,” she said. “I . . . my husband has disappeared.”
“Tell me about that,” Jesse said.
