Split Image

59

THIS TIME IT WAS Normie who brought Jesse in to see Reggie. He didn't say anything, but Jesse could feel Normie's attitude like an aura.

Reggie was sitting in the backyard under an awning with a glass of iced coffee. Both the Bang Bang Twins were with him, dressed alike in yellow sundresses. If they had any memory of appearing naked before him, Jesse couldn't detect it. They were as charming and composed as they were before the incident.

"Can I get you some iced coffee, Chief Stone?" one of the twins said.

"Yes," Jesse said. "Thank you."

She went to get it. Jesse looked at the remaining twin.

"Robbie?" he said.

She laughed.

"You had a fifty-fifty chance," she said. "Actually, I'm Rebecca."

"Mrs. Galen," Jesse said.

"Got that right," Reggie said. "I think."

Everybody laughed. Robbie came back with the iced coffee. Jesse added sugar and milk.

"Why I stopped by," Jesse said, "is to inquire after Bob Davis."

"Bobby," Reggie said.

Jesse nodded.

"Damn, I miss him," Reggie said.

"Where is he?" Jesse said.

"Don't know."

"Why isn't he here?" Jesse said.

"He quit," Reggie said. "Told me he wanted to kick back a little. Go to the track, play golf, look at the ocean."

"Golf," Jesse said.

"What he said."

"You have a replacement?" Jesse said.

"Normie Salerno," Reggie said. "For the moment."

"Seems to me that he's no Bob Davis," Jesse said.

"No," Reggie said. "He's not. But he's here until I get somebody else."

"You know where Bob is?"

"Nope."

"No forwarding address?" Jesse said.

"Nope. Told me he wanted a clean break. Shook my hand and"-Reggie shrugged-"went."

"We all miss him," one of the twins said.

"He was sweet," the other twin said.

"Knocko's guy goes," Jesse said. "Then yours."

"Yeah."

"Then Knocko went," Jesse said.

Reggie looked at Jesse in silence for a long time.

Finally he said, "Meaning?"

Jesse made an airy motion with his hand.

"Just reviewing the facts of the situation," he said.

Reggie nodded.

"Well," he said. "If there's nothing else…"

"No," Jesse said. "Nothing else. I'll find my way out."

All three of them watched him leave. As he reached the corner of the house, Jesse turned and looked back.

"Watch your back, Reggie," he said.

None of them spoke.