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62

MOLLY AND STEVE FRIEDMAN took Russell to his office to make his list. Jesse and Sunny sat in Jesse's office.

"You played him like a mackerel," Sunny said.

"I know."

"I felt kind of sorry for him," Sunny said.

"I did, too, but that wasn't the time to show it."

"No," Sunny said. "It was a pleasure to watch you work."

"Thank you."

"There is one thing that bothers me a little," Sunny said.

"Which is?"

"You never quite said what crime we got him on."

Jesse smiled and put his finger to his lips.

"Shhh," he said.

"You didn't actually arrest him, did you?" Sunny said.

Jesse shook his head.

"Are you going to?" Sunny said.

"I'll consult with the DA's office," Jesse said. "But something wrong went on there. I'm sure we can come up with a charge if we want to."

"None of the girls wanted to have sex with any of the men," Sunny said.

"If they are telling the truth," Jesse said.

"I think they are," Sunny said. "But I'm not sure the men who had sex with them knew it was involuntary."

"There was an implicit agreement to trade sex for money," Jesse said.

"Which would be prostitution," Sunny said.

"There was coercion," Jesse said.

"Which is rarely admirable," Sunny said. "But not always illegal."

"And at some level, pretty common," Jesse said.

"Oh, God," Sunny said. "Most women have experienced some… 'What are you, frigid?'… 'What am I supposed to do with these feelings?' And my personal favorite, 'Hey, I bought you dinner…' Like I'm supposed to bop you for a lobster roll?"

"I never used any of those on you," Jesse said.

"You never had to," Sunny said.

"It is my impression that most women are willing these days," Jesse said.

"I think that's true," Sunny said.

"I doubt that there were many virgins working for the donors' dollars," Jesse said.

"I think that's probably true also," Sunny said. "But…"

Jesse nodded.

"If you don't want to, you shouldn't have to," he said.

"Whether you're a virgin or a whore," Sunny said.

Jesse nodded.

"On the other hand," he said, "didn't I buy you dinner the other night?"

"Oh, oink," Sunny said. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'll buy you dinner again," Jesse said. "I'm not a quitter."

"I meant with Russell and the Renewal and all that."

"I'm hoping you and Molly will talk to the people on Russell's list and see what you get," Jesse said. "Molly will provide police authority. It's your case more than mine."

"Molly's smart," Sunny said.

"She is," Jesse said. "Best cop I got."

Sunny smiled.

"Don't tell Suit," she said.

"Suit's got potential," Jesse said.

"And what do we do about Cheryl?" Sunny said. "Now that her career at the Bond of the Renewal appears finished?"

"She's eighteen?" Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Can she stay with Spike?" Jesse said.

"For a while," Sunny said. "But then what?"

"Sink or swim?" Jesse said.

"Sooner or later," Sunny said. "But she's not ready for that yet."

"Some people are at eighteen," Jesse said.

"Some eighteen-year-olds are better trained," Sunny said.

"So, what do we do with her until she's trained?" Jesse said.

"Well, her parents continue to send her money," Sunny said.

"Under the threat of blackmail, I believe."

"Exactly," Sunny said. "So we know we can count on it."

"Fear is good," Jesse said.

"And what makes it so satisfying is that they did the wrong thing because they were so status-conscious," Sunny said.

"And you're now able to use that to make them do the right thing," Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Plus the fear of criminal prosecution," Jesse said.

"Plus that."

"But she can't simply live with Spike and subsist on her allowance," Sunny said.

"No."

"So, what do we do with her?" Sunny said.

" 'We'?" Jesse said.

"Of course 'we,' " Sunny said. "You're the chief of police."

"A heavy burden," Jesse said.

"And my special friend," Sunny said.

"Not so heavy a burden," Jesse said.

"So, what do we do?"

Jesse was quiet for a time.

Then he said, "I don't know."

"Me, either," Sunny said.