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44

TALKED TO Mike Mayo in Hempstead," Suit said to Jesse. "Mother saves the credit-card bills for one of the girls to pick up."

"She hasn't got any?" Jesse said.

"She has. She gave them to Mayo. There's no charges on them."

"None?"

"Nope."

"Must have used that card only for sex," Jesse said.

Suit nodded.

Molly called Jesse on the intercom.

"Mr. Ognowski is here waiting to see you."

Jesse waved Suit out of the room.

"Waiting?"

"Yes, sir."

"Send him in," Jesse said. "Try not to get trampled."

In a moment Nicolas Ognowski rumbled into Jesse's office and sat down.

"More patient today," Jesse said.

"I can be patient," Ognowski said.

Jesse nodded.

"I ask around about you," Ognowski said.

Jesse nodded.

"I see myself you are not afraid, you do not back down," Ognowski said. "Other people tell me you keep your word."

Jesse nodded again.

"They also say you good cop."

"I am," Jesse said.

"And you care, about being good cop."

"I do," Jesse said.

"And you sometimes drink too much," Ognowski said.

"I do," Jesse said.

"Reggie Galen is a criminal," Ognowski said. "The dead one, Knocko, him, too."

"I know," Jesse said.

"I know a lot about criminal," Ognowski said.

"I guessed that," Jesse said.

"My Petey work for Galen. So when he die, I ask around. I learn that Galen and Knocko in business together. I learn about a man named Bangston they in business with, and that they marry Bangston's daughters."

"Pretty good," Jesse said.

"People say Bangston daughters will fuck anybody."

"The Bang Bang Twins," Jesse said.

"What is Bang Bang?" Ognowski said.

"Slang for fucking," Jesse said.

Ognowski nodded.

"Somebody like Bang Bang," Ognowski said, "my Petey is ready."

"You think Petey was having sex with them?"

"Both?" Ognowski said. "I had not thought both. You think both?"

"Maybe," Jesse said. "That was their style. One or the other. You can't tell them apart, went to motels often."

"So she, they, Bang Bang their husband, no reason for motel."

"None," Jesse said.

"Bang Bang somebody else."

"Seems likely," Jesse said.

"You know all this I tell you?"

"Yes," Jesse said.

"And you do nothing?"

"Who killed Petey?" Jesse said.

Ognowski stared at Jesse for a moment. Then he nodded slowly.

"We do not know yet," Ognowski said.

"True," Jesse said.

"You have to know," Ognowski said.

"I do," Jesse said.

"But I do not. Maybe make them all…"

He put his fist out and opened it as if releasing a butterfly.

"Maybe none of them did it," Jesse said.

Ognowski shrugged.

"Maybe Knocko did it."

Ognowski shrugged again.

"Maybe Galen snuffed Knocko for killing Petey."

Ognowski sat silently for a moment, looking past Jesse at nothing.

Then he said, "I love my son. I get revenge, it won't bring him back, but I feel better."

Jesse nodded.

"He was my only son. When he learn what he need to learn working for other people, doing what he did, he will someday replace me."

"And now he won't," Jesse said.

"No," Ognowski said.

He paused and looked up at the ceiling, as if composing his next sentence.

Then he said, "Many places in this world, people know Nicolas Ognowski, and they do what he says because they fear him."

"And it's bad for business," Jesse said, "for anyone to kill Nicolas Ognowski's son and get away with it."

Ognowski nodded.

"That is the truth of it," he said.

"If anything happens to Galen or the two women," Jesse said, "I'll come looking for you."

"You will not find me," Ognowski said.

"How about they didn't do it and I catch the real killer later? How's that for business?"

"Could be better, but not so bad," Ognowski said. "At least there is blood for blood."

"Even if it's the wrong blood?" Jesse said.

"I can always return," Ognowski said.

"Next time would be harder," Jesse said.

"Might be," Ognowski said. "Does not mean it wouldn't happen."

"It might make more sense to give it a little time. Maybe between us we can come up with something."

"What?"

"No idea," Jesse said. "But the two of us ought to be able to come up with something."

Ognowski looked at Jesse for a time in silence.

"Give it a little while," Jesse said.

Ognowski kept looking at Jesse. Finally he stood and walked out of the office without saying anything else.