Robert B. Parker’s the Hangman’s Sonnet

31

Jesse could hear their voices as he walked through the restaurant-sized kitchen and toward the cavernous great room. Bella’s assessment was spot on. Though Jesse couldn’t hear what was being said, Bascom and White were definitely not pleased with each other. He hadn’t thought much of White when they’d met, but given how he was getting under the usually unflappable Roger Bascom’s skin, Jesse thought he might have to reconsider. Anybody who could get Bascom to react this way deserved a second chance. Bascom’s back was to Jesse, White looking over the security man’s shoulder. Unlike with the sunbathing Bella, Jesse didn’t need to clear his throat to be noticed. White’s eyes got big with something that looked like a cross between panic and anger.

“Chief Stone!” White said too loudly, as if to cue Bascom to shut up. “Come in. Come in.”

Jesse wondered what it was White didn’t want him to hear. Maybe it was what Bella Lawton had already confessed to him, that this gala for Terry Jester wasn’t coming together as expected and that the big party was going to be a big bust instead. Maybe it was something else. When Bascom turned to face Jesse, there was no confusing the meaning of his expression. He was pissed.

“Stone! How the hell did you get in here?”

“Through the kitchen.”

Stan White grinned at Bascom’s annoyance, but Bascom was unamused.

“That’s not what I’m asking and you know it.”

“Maybe you better check with the guys manning the video monitors. I guess they think I’m still looking under the hood of my Explorer.”

The grin was gone from Stan White’s face, as he realized he wasn’t sure how much of the argument Jesse had heard.

“Never mind how you got in here, Chief,” White said.

“Jesse. Call me Jesse, Stan.”

He liked to discombobulate people with that line. There were times, in their confusion, that they’d say things they hadn’t meant to. This wasn’t one of those times. White composed himself before he spoke again.

“Yes, Jesse, I’ll remember that. Like I was saying, never mind how you got in here. No one likes having their private conversations overheard, even when that someone is the chief of police.”

Jesse said, “Maybe especially not by the police chief.”

White shook his head. “Don’t be silly, Jesse.”

“Was it a conversation? Sounded more like an argument to me.”

“No disrespect, Jesse, but my conversations or arguments with Mr. Bascom about security on the grounds of this estate are our business and not your concern.”

“True.”

Bascom had had enough of the polite banter.

“What are you doing here in the first place, Stone?”

“I’m on a mission for the mayor.”

“A mission.” White was curious. “What mission?”

“She has big plans for your big party. She seems to believe this will reflect well on her. She wants to bask in the glow of all the celebrity star power. Thinks it will give a boost to her career.”

Bascom didn’t like it. “What does that have to do with you?”

“Ask Nita Thompson,” Jesse said. “But I suppose they want to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. The mayor isn’t fond of egg on her face.”

The security man bristled. “I’ve got it handled. All I need your cops to do is manage the traffic... if there is any.”

That got White’s attention. “What are you talking about? There’ll be lots of traffic. There’ll be traffic jams of TV news vans alone.”

Jesse caught Bascom rolling his eyes. Bascom had even less patience for dolts than Jesse did, but Jesse was still curious about what the two men were arguing about.

“So what were you guys arguing about?”

Bascom opened his mouth to answer, but Stan White cut him off.

“Arguing, sure we were arguing. Some of the big names, they have their own security people and they aren’t fond of dealing with Mr. Personality over here.” He nodded at Bascom. “Look, Roger is good at his job, but he isn’t used to dealing with artists. I know what they’re like. I’ve dealt with them for fifty years already. The rich have their quirks, but rock stars and actors... oy!”

Jesse didn’t know whether to buy it or not. He knew White was bullshitting about the big names because of what Bella had told him about scrounging for C-listers, but he knew from his time in L.A. that actors and rock stars could be difficult to deal with.

“If that’s all, then I guess I’ll leave you to it. Just remember that the mayor wants me to be part of things.” Then in a deadly serious voice, with his best cop face, Jesse said, “No surprises, gentlemen. Do we understand each other?”

White was quick to answer. “Sure, sure, Chief — Jesse. No surprises.”

Bascom nodded and turned his back. Jesse took that as his cue to leave but decided to head out through the front door. He didn’t feel like going another round with the birthday-suited Bella Lawton, nor did his right shoulder much feel like doing any more wall climbing.