Chapter Thirty-five

When Jerry Snyder came out of the car dealership where he worked, Jesse, in jeans and a gray tee shirt, was leaning on the fender of the aging Ford Explorer in which he had driven east when he left L.A.

"Whaddya want?" Snyder said. "You ain't even a cop in this town."

"We need to talk," Jesse said.

"I don't want to talk with you, pal."

"Why would you?" Jesse said, and opened the door on the passenger side of the Explorer. "Get in."

Jesse's tee shirt was not tucked in. It hung down over his belt, partially hiding the gun on his right hip.

"Are you arresting me?"

"Hell no," Jesse said.

"Then I don't have to go."

He held the door open. Another salesman walked by with a customer. Both of them looked uneasily at Jesse and Snyder.

"Sure you don't," Jesse said. "We can talk about domestic violence right here."

The salesman and the customer looked again and quickly away, trying to act as if they hadn't heard.

"Jesus Christ," Snyder said.

Jesse still held the car door open. Snyder looked around, and then at Jesse, and got into the car. Jesse closed the door and went around and got in and started the car.

"You wanna get me fired?" Snyder said.

Jesse didn't answer.

"Where we going?"

"Someplace where we can talk, and you won't get fired," Jesse said.

"I ain't done nothing wrong," Snyder said.

They drove south on Route 1, and crossed the Paradise town line. Jesse pulled the car off onto the little cul-de-sac near the lake where Billie Bishop had been found. He turned off the engine and took out his gun. Snyder's eyes widened.

"Open your mouth," Jesse said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Snyder said.

Jesse tapped him on the upper lip with the muzzle of the handgun.

"Open," Jesse said.

Snyder opened his mouth and Jesse put the gun barrel into it. Jesse didn't say anything. Snyder tried to swallow. Behind them the traffic went routinely by on Route 1. The hot damp smell of the lake came in through the open windows of the Explorer. Jesse looked at Snyder without expression.

"This is the only chance I'm going to give you," Jesse said after a time.

Snyder was breathing in small gasps.

"You hit your wife again and I'm going to kill you," Jesse said.

Again Snyder tried to swallow and failed. He raised both hands in front of his chest, palms toward Jesse. Jesse held the gun steady. His face was expressionless. Below them, down the hill toward the lake, a group of insects made a keening hum.

"You understand that?" Jesse said.

Snyder nodded his head maybe an inch.

"You believe me?"

Snyder nodded slightly as if it hurt to move his head.

Jesse took the gun from Snyder's mouth and put it back in its holster.

"Get out of the car," Jesse said.

Snyder got out.

"Close the door," Jesse said.

Snyder closed the door. Jesse started his engine, put the car in gear and drove away.

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