Split Image

52

YOU GOT that kid back to the Renewal folks?" Jesse said. "Yes," Sunny said.

"She okay?"

"I think so," Sunny said. "Physically, she's fine. I got my doctor to examine her."

"She's happy to be back with the Renewals?"

"Seems so," Sunny said.

"Nice work," Jesse said.

"I hope," Sunny said. "You know what's sweet? I stopped by to check on her, and she told me that Spike comes by once or twice a week to see that she's okay."

"Should make her feel secure," Jesse said.

Sunny nodded. She sat with Jesse on his little balcony in the dark velvet evening, with a glass of white wine. He was nursing a beer. Below them the harbor was dark except for the bob of an occasional light where someone was living on their boat.

"Thing 'bout a view," Jesse said, "is you buy a place for the view and you love it for a couple of days, and then you don't much notice anymore."

"You're noticing now," Sunny said.

"I'm with you," Jesse said.

"And that makes a difference?"

"Yes."

They were quiet. There was remote ambient sound: from the harbor, the faint sound of rigging slapping against mast; from Front Street, an occasional car going by; from the condominium complex, the muffled sound of a television set.

"Thank you," Sunny said.

"You're welcome."

They were sitting side by side. Jesse felt her beside him more insistently than he could remember feeling. The silence of the harbor-front night seemed right. It was as if something exciting might be teetering on the edge. Jesse didn't want to interrupt it.

"I want to tell you about my talk with Dr. Silverman yesterday," Sunny said.

"Okay," Jesse said.

She told him. He listened without a word until she was done.

Then he said, "That's what killed the marriage with Richie. He was too good?"

"Like my father," Sunny said. "And I was afraid I'd turn into a dependent mess, like my mother and my sister."

Jesse nodded.

"Well, for what it's worth," he said. "You didn't."

"I feared it," Sunny said. "I fought him every day, his goodness. I competed with him every day. I was fighting for my life."

"Not to be your mother."

"Yes."

"His flaw was he was so good?" Jesse said.

"In a manner of speaking," Sunny said, "yes."

"No wonder you like me," Jesse said.

"I do like you," Sunny said.

"Good," Jesse said. "I'll try not to improve."

"Stop fishing for compliments," Sunny said. "I think much more highly of you than you think of yourself."

"A divorced small-town cop with a drinking problem," Jesse said. "And no future."

"Take that up with Dix," Sunny said. "I've sort of broken out, and I'm thrilled, and I'm not going to be shanghaied into your pathologies."

"Oh," Jesse said.

"I am freed of a burden I've carried all my life," Sunny said.

"I know," Jesse said. "Good for you."

"She's a good shrink," Sunny said.

"Gotta have both," Jesse said. "Good shrink, good patient."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"How are you doing with the double murder," Sunny said.

"Good news/bad news," Jesse said. "I'm pretty sure how most of it went down, and I can't prove any of it."

"Knowing is good," Sunny said.

"Proving is better."

He told her what he knew.

"And not a fact to take to the DA," Sunny said.

"No," Jesse said. "But I do have two dangerous men circling the scene, looking for revenge."

"You think they're serious."

"Absolutely," Jesse said. "And worse than that, they're probably pretty good at it."

"You're pretty good, too," Sunny said.

Jesse shrugged.

"I misjudged those two women completely," he said. "They were beautiful, poised, completely devoted to their husbands. Hell, I was half in love with them myself."

"Things are not always what they seem," Sunny said.

"God, you sound like Dix," Jesse said.

"That was shrinky," Sunny said. "Wasn't it."

"It was."

"Have you talked with Dix," Sunny said, "about why you were so taken?"

"I have," Jesse said.

"You want to share?" Sunny said.

Jesse nodded.

"Yes," he said. "But I need to take some time with it."

"Later?"

"When I've got my murder case cleared," Jesse said.

"I look forward," Sunny said.

He finished his beer and put the bottle down. They sat for a while and listened to the silence.

"I gotta ask you something," Jesse said.

"Of course," Sunny said.

She put her empty wineglass on the table beside his empty beer bottle.

"Your psychological breakthrough," Jesse said. "Do you suppose it will affect our relationship?"

"Why, Jesse," Sunny said. "I didn't know you cared."

"I do," Jesse said.

"I'm teasing," Sunny said. "I know you do."

"So?" Jesse said. "Effect?"

"I should think it would have a good effect," Sunny said. "But it always takes two to tango."

"I know," Jesse said.

"What effect do you think it will have?" Sunny said.

"Don't know yet," Jesse said. "But I'm hopeful. If it helps you move on from Richie…"

"It will," Sunny said. "How about you. Have you really moved on from Jenn?"

"I think so, don't you?"

"I think so, but I'd still like to know what Dix thinks about you and the Bang Bang Twins."

"I need to get it organized in my own head," Jesse said. "Is sexual intercourse acceptable in the meantime?"

"It is," Sunny said.

"Oh, good," Jesse said.

Sunny stood up and smiled at him.

"Enough with the love talk," she said. "Off with the clothes."