Robert B. Parker’s Buried Secrets

Fifty-Seven

And miles to go before I sleep, Jesse thought. That was the only line of a poem he could remember by heart. Probably because it was the only one that ever really applied to his life.

But he still had one last thing to do. The most important thing, really.

On his way back to the station, Jesse walked to the front door of Daisy’s café. He stopped at the threshold, however.

Daisy was busy wiping down the counter. She spared him a glance, but finished her job. She put the towel and cleanser away and washed her hands before turning back to him.

Everyone in the café pretended to pay serious attention to whatever was on their plates. But Jesse could feel them listening. This was going to be good gossip in Paradise, no matter what happened, and they were all in the front row.

Daisy stood before him. Her eye was swollen and black, just like Dr. Lowenthal had said, but she stared at him clearly.

“So are you coming in or what?” Daisy asked.

Jesse shook his head. “I’m sorry, Daisy,” he said. “I should have listened. I should have paid attention. I should have been a better friend, and a better cop. And I will do my best to make sure what happened to you never happens again. To you or anyone else in Paradise.”

Daisy nodded. “That it?”

“Yeah,” Jesse said. For him, that was the equivalent of a filibuster in the U.S. Senate.

Daisy didn’t say anything, though. She only kept looking at him, as if trying to figure something out.

Jesse had said what he came to say. He’d owned his mistakes, just like he always did. He turned to go. He needed to call Cole and tell him he got shot again.

“Wait,” Daisy said.

Jesse could almost feel the people straining not to look at them. He turned back.

Daisy crossed the café and stood right in front of Jesse, looking up at him.

He decided if she took a swing at him, he’d let her. He probably had it coming.

Instead, Daisy threw her arms around him and pulled him close. And held him.

“I know it’s not easy being our hero all the time,” she said. “You big idiot.”

Surprised at the sudden catch in his throat, Jesse put his arms around her, too, and patted her on the back.

They stood like that for a long moment.

Then Daisy broke the hold, pushing him away, using the sleeve of her shirt to wipe her eyes.

“Now get your ass in here. You look like you’ve lost ten pounds. Can’t you even feed yourself without me.”

Jesse went to his usual table. No one was seated there. He wondered if that was a coincidence.

“You really were an asshole, though,” Daisy said, clearing her throat.

“I was,” Jesse said.

“Don’t do it again,” she said, retreating to the kitchen. “We depend on you to be the good guy around here. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t,” Jesse said. “I promise.”

Daisy stopped at the kitchen door. “Jesse. Do me another favor?”

“Sure.”

“Take that goddamn sign out of the front window and chuck it in the trash.”

Jesse smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”