SUNNY HAD LUNCH with Jesse at Daisy's Cafe.
"Did you tell me she originally wanted to name this place Daisy Dyke's?" Sunny said.
"Yeah," Jesse said. "But the town went bonkers. One civil liberties group started picketing the place, contended it was demeaning to dykes."
"But Daisy is a dyke," Sunny said. "Isn't she?"
"Yep, and none of the picketers were."
"I notice you always call it Daisy Dyke's?" Sunny said.
"Yep," Jesse said.
"Are you just being recalcitrant?" Sunny said.
"Probably," Jesse said. "But she calls herself Daisy Dyke. I think I'm respecting her wishes."
The waitress arrived with menus.
"Special today is strawberry pie. Bread is anadama. We got a lobster, tomato, and lettuce sandwich that's not on the menu," she said. "And the iced tea is mango. You want a minute?"
"Nope," Sunny said. "I can do it."
They ordered.
"I'm buying," Sunny said.
"Good."
"I want to talk about something, sort of off the record," Sunny said.
"What record?" Jesse said.
"Never mind," Sunny said. "What I really want, probably, is advice."
"You, too?" Jesse said.
"What do you mean, me, too?"
"I'll tell you about it later," Jesse said. "Whaddya got?"
"There's something nasty going on at the Bond of the Renewal," Sunny said.
"What?" Jesse said.
Sunny told him about it. During the telling the waitress came and poured them iced tea from a large round pitcher. Jesse drank some as he listened.
"The kid's with Spike," Jesse said.
"Yes."
"She should be safe there," Jesse said.
"Unless someone has an elephant gun," Sunny said.
"It is possible to acquire an elephant gun," Jesse said.
"But unlikely at the Renewal House," Sunny said.
"Anyway, you need any help looking out for her, let me know."
"Thank you," Sunny said. "Now, what are we going to do about the Bond of the Renewal?"
The waitress brought lunch. Jesse had the lobster sandwich. Sunny had a salad. Jesse's iced tea was gone. The waitress refilled his glass.
"Seems to me they're conducting a criminal enterprise," Jesse said.
"Prostitution?"
"Yep, sexual coercion, maybe rape, maybe kidnapping," Jesse said. "I'd say they are in trouble."
"If she testifies," Sunny said.
"And you think testifying would be hard on her," Jesse said.
"Yes."
"Probably some other folks we could get to testify instead," Jesse said. "How would you like to handle this?"
"There are a couple of ways," Sunny said. "One would be I go up there with Spike and admonish them."
"I fear felonious assault," Jesse said.
"Yes, that is a danger," Sunny said. "The other way is that I go talk to them, and I keep the Paradise police informed, and we see what develops."
"With an eye to protecting the kid as much as we can," Jesse said.
"Cheryl," Sunny said. "Yes. Okay with you?"
"The Paradise Police Department has a pretty full plate at the moment," Jesse said. "I'm grateful for the help. I'll tell Molly about it, and ask her to be, ah, liaison with you."
The waitress cleared their lunch dishes, poured Jesse more iced tea, and said, "Dessert?"
"I need that strawberry pie," Jesse said.
"Sure, Jesse," the waitress said. "You, ma'am?"
"No, thank you," Sunny said.
"Two forks?" the waitress said.
"No," Jesse said.