Split Image

51

LAFAYETTE STREET IN SALEM was lined with substantial clapboard homes and an occasional brick building that had the look of the 1930s. One of them, located on the left-hand side of the street, a little north of the college, was the new home of Ray Mulligan. Jesse was driving his own car, and neither he nor Simpson wore a uniform. They parked across the street.

"Okay," Jesse said. "Mulligan is on the fourth floor, apartment four-B. I'll go in. You wait outside, and make sure no one else enters the apartment."

"What if they insist?"

"Insist back," Jesse said.

"I'm not sure we got any jurisdiction in Salem, do we?"

"If it comes up," Jesse said, "tell 'em we do. I want to talk with Mulligan alone."

"What if there's trouble inside?" Suit said.

"If I scream," Jesse said, "come running. Otherwise, I just want to keep the parole jerk away from us."

Suit saluted.

"Okay, boss," he said.

There was no elevator. They walked up. On the fourth floor they paused to breathe. Then Suit leaned on the wall at the head of the stairs and Jesse walked down the short corridor and knocked on 4B.

Mulligan was big. He was wearing a white tank top and gray sweatpants. He was bald, with a round, red face. He was developing a potbelly, Jesse noticed. His arms were pale and muscular, with some dark prison tattoos. Jesse held up his badge. Mulligan looked at it and smiled.

"I woulda known anyway," he said.

"How?"

"You look like a cop," he said.

"Damn," Jesse said.

Mulligan stepped away from the door, and Jesse went into the apartment. It was very small: a bedroom/sitting room, a kitchenette, and a bath. And it was neat. The bed was made. No clothes lying around. A copy of The Boston Globe and one of the Salem Evening News were folded on the bed.

"I'm making breakfast," Mulligan said. "Mind if I cook while we talk?"

"Fine," Jesse said. "What are you having?"

"Eggs and spinach," Mulligan said, and went to the stove. He was wearing brown leather sandals. "What kinda cop are you? I didn't even read the badge."

"My name's Jesse Stone. I'm chief in Paradise."

"Oh, yeah," Mulligan said. "About Knocko getting bopped?"

"Yep."

"Had nothing to do with it," Mulligan said.

"Can you prove it?" Jesse said.

Mulligan stirred the spinach in his fry pan a little with a spatula.

"Don't have to," he said.

"True, but it would save me wasting time if you had an alibi," Jesse said.

"Don't even know exactly when he got bopped," Mulligan said.

Jesse told him.

"Can't remember at the moment," Mulligan said. "But if I need one, I'll bet I can come up with one."

"I'll bet," Jesse said. "You knew Knocko most of your life?"

"Yep, since the first grade, with the nuns, at Saint Anthony's."

"And you were his bodyguard a long time," Jesse said.

"Knocko and me looked out for each other most of our lives."

"Long time."

"He was getting a little soft, last few years." Mulligan patted his belly. "Like most of us. But he was a tough cookie."

"So I've heard."

"He hadn't fired me, maybe I coulda prevented it," Mulligan said.

"Too bad," Jesse said. "Why'd he fire you?"

Mulligan broke two eggs into the fry pan and put the cover on. He looked at the clock on the stove.

"The wife," Mulligan said.

"She fired you?"

Mulligan was timing his eggs.

"Knocko calls me in one morning, and he says, right outta the blue, he says, 'Ray, I gotta let you go.' And I say, 'You're firing me?' And Knocko says, 'Yes. I want you gone today.' And I say, 'Why?' And he says, 'Because I don't want to kill you. I known you too long.' "

Mulligan took the cover off his fry pan and looked at his eggs. He nodded to himself and shut off the stove. With the spatula he carefully slipped the eggs and spinach onto a plate. He put the plate on his little counter and looked at Jesse.

"I say, 'Why would you kill me?' And Knocko says, 'Robbie told me about you. She told me what you were trying on her.' And I say, 'I don't know what you're talking about. I never touched her.' And Knocko says, 'She told me herself. You saying my wife's a liar?' And I say, 'Knocko, on my mother, I never came near her.' And he stands up and he's got a piece and he says, 'Get outta here now, or I swear to God I'll kill you where you stand.' And I know he means it, so I leave. And I ain't never seen him again."

"You mess with the wife?" Jesse said.

"I did not," Mulligan said.

He sat at his counter.

"You mind if I eat?" he said.

"No," Jesse said. "Go ahead, eat."

Mulligan shook salt and pepper onto his eggs.

"The wife mess with you?" Jesse said.

Mulligan had a mouthful of eggs and spinach. He raised his head and nodded approval.

When he had chewed and swallowed, he said, "You're pretty good. Yeah, her and her hot-pants sister, they both came on to me."

"Together or separately?" Jesse said.

"Both," Mulligan said. "You want some coffee?"

"No," Jesse said. "Thanks. But you didn't take the offer?"

"No."

"Because of Knocko?"

"Yeah," Mulligan said. "A'course."

Jesse nodded.

"You think they got you fired so somebody could kill Knocko?"

Mulligan swallowed again and patted his mouth with a paper towel.

"Yeah," he said.

"You know who killed him?" Jesse said.

"Nope, but I know it's got something to do with them two sisters. They'd fuck a haddock if they could get it to hold still."

"Think they messed with Petrov Ognowski?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't know it. But Bob Davis told me they tried him."

"Reggie's bodyguard?"

"Yeah. Don't let Bobby fool you," Mulligan said. "He's not big and mean-looking like me, but…"

"I picked that up," Jesse said.

"Yeah, there's something about Bobby," Mulligan said. "You got it, too."

"That's 'cause I'm the chief of police," Jesse said.

Mulligan grinned.

"No," he said. "It ain't."

Jesse nodded.

"Know why anyone would kill Ognowski?" he said.

"No."

"Knocko?" Jesse said.

"Aside from what I told you about the sisters? No."

"Knocko love his wife?" Jesse said.

"Yeah. Always said he couldn't get over that she married him."

"He get along with Reggie?" Jesse said.

"Far as I know, they was thick as thieves, you pardon the expression."

"You ever think of revenge?"

"On the twin bitches? You're a cop," Mulligan said. "I tell you yes, and something happens to them, who you gonna come see?"

Jesse smiled.

"Come see you anyway," he said.

Mulligan shrugged.

"My parole geek know you're here?" he said.

"Yes."

"He know why?" Mulligan said.

"Just that I wanted to ask you some questions. He wanted to come with me."

"What'd you say?"

"I told him if he showed up here I'd throw him into the middle of Lafayette Street and step on his face."

"Excellent," Mulligan said.

"Anything you haven't told me?"

"Pretty much all I know," Mulligan said.

He ate some toast. Jesse stood and took a card out of his shirt pocket and put it on the counter beside Mulligan.

"Think of anything," Jesse said, "call me."

"Sure," Mulligan said.

"I won't tell your parole officer what we discussed."

"Thanks," Mulligan said.

"But you try to even things up, and something happens to anybody in the case, I'll be back and I'll bring trouble."

Mulligan nodded again.

"You know," he said, "guy like me ain't got much else but trying to keep things even."

"It's trouble you don't need," Jesse said. "I'll even it up."

Mulligan nodded slowly.

"Knew Knocko all my life," he said.