Then Missy said, “Well, I just wanted to thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said.
She stood and went to the door and stopped and looked at him. Jesse waited.
“I’m a little scared,” she said. “I mean, my dad’s gone. My mom says she’s gonna be different. My little brother is weird. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“I’m here,” Jesse said. “Come see me anytime.”
She nodded and looked as if she wanted to say more. But she didn’t. She just smiled at him and left.
67
Jesse, you nosy bastard!
Proud of yourself? Because you think you know who I am? Nobody really knows who I am. Maybe not even I know who I am. Am I me? Or am I Mr. O? Or am I two people at the same time? Can you figure that one out, Jesse? You may have to. You had no business telling my wife about me. She told me you showed her my letter. She said she never wanted to speak with me again. I guess it can get lonely at the top, huh, Jesse? Or the people in the swingers’ group. They’ll gossip among themselves. They’ll compare notes. They’ll figure out who I am, and then it will be all over town. And my life is ruined. I’ll get fired from my job. I won’t be able to get another one anywhere. Academia is a closed club. The Mr. O rap will follow me everywhere I go. What I have to do, I know, is leave town and take Mr. O with me, and start over. I’ll change my name. Maybe I’ll be a professional hunter, or take people into the Grand Canyon on muleback. You know who I am, but you can’t find me and I’m about to disappear. Better move fast. I’ll give you a little help. Before I go I’m going to uncover one more secret, photograph it, and send you a copy. My farewell card, so to speak. You might be surprised when you find out who it is. Here’s a hint. She’s someone you’re close to!!! So stay alert, my friend. It’s your last chance. . . . And like they used to say in the movies, I WON’T BE
TAKEN ALIVE!
The Night Hawk
68
JESSE SAT in his office with Molly and Suit. The door was closed.
“We got anything on where Seth Ralston is?” Jesse said.
“Haven’t found him. Haven’t located his car. Moll says he used an ATM in the Bay State Mall to withdraw five hundred dollars, and another one in a hotel lobby in Cambridge, to take out another five hundred dollars.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” Suit said.
“A mall on the highway, and a hotel lobby in Cambridge,” Jesse said.
“That tell you anything?” Suit said.
“Only that he’s got a car.”
“Which we already knew,” Suit said.
“You got his plate numbers on the wire,” Jesse said.
“You bet,” Suit said.
“Moll?” Jesse said. “Anything to add?”
“Nope. No credit-card activity. No bank activity except the two ATMs. No other withdraw-als, no checks written,” Molly said.
“I thought he’d be easier to find,” Jesse said.
“He seems to have given it some thought,” Molly said.
“Smart guy,” Suit said.
“For a professor,” Jesse said.
He handed out photocopies of the last letter from the Night Hawk.
“God,” Suit said. “The poor sonovabitch is crazy, isn’t he.”
“You figured out who this person close to you is?” Molly said. “Does he know about Jenn?”
“I don’t know how he would,” Jesse said. “And even if he did, how would he know where she is. Hell, I don’t know where she is.”
“You been seeing Sunny Randall again,” Suit said.
“Couple of times,” Jesse said, “at the Gray Gull. He’d have to have seen us there, ID’ed her, find out where she lives. Seems like a long shot to me.”
“Yes,” Molly said. “To me, too.”
“How about Mrs. Ingersoll?” Suit said. “He’s probably mad at her, anyway, for saying he did something he didn’t do.”
“Possible,” Jesse said.
“Marcy Campbell is an even longer shot than Sunny Randall,” Molly said.
“Yes,” Jesse said.
“You have a thought?” Molly said.
“I have a theory,” Jesse said. “If you were Seth the Night Hawk, and you didn’t know anything much about me except that I was chief of police, and you began to sort of watch me, ask around about me, that sort of thing. What woman would be most frequently and closely asso-ciated with me?”
“It can’t be Rita Fiore,” Suit said.
