The Bitterest Pill

Forty-five

Jesse sat with Suit and Gabe at a booth at Daisy’s. Cole waited on their table. Suit, who had discussed his jealousy with Elena earlier that morning, stuck out his big hand to Jesse’s son.

“Congratulations on getting into the academy. I know we haven’t gotten on so well, but I’m happy for you.”

Cole smiled and shook Suit’s hand. “I didn’t exactly make it easy for you or anybody else to like me. I’m sorry about that.”

Jesse smiled but said nothing.

Gabe was confused. “What am I missing here?”

Suit said, “Jesse’s son is going to be a Statie.”

Gabe scowled. “A Statie! Watch out, kid, us local cops hate the Staties.”

There was a second of hesitation and confusion on Cole’s part. When the three cops at the table saw it on his face, they burst out laughing.

“Get used to it, Cole,” Suit said. “These guys give you any trouble, come to me.”

“Thanks, Suit. Now, what do you want for breakfast.”

Once Cole had walked away from the table, Jesse thanked Suit for his gesture.

“That was a nice thing to do, Suit.”

Suit deflected Jesse’s praise and asked about what the plans were for the high school.

Jesse said, “I’ve been playing it low-key. I didn’t want to cause a big stir after Heather Mackey died. The kids needed time to mourn and reflect. I also didn’t want to send people running for cover. But since now I’m certain Chris Grimm was the connection and he’s already split or dead, we’re going to serve notice today and make people nervous.”

Gabe, a former Boston cop, understood perfectly. “We’re going to put on a show.”

“Uh-huh.”

Suit asked, “What kind of show?”

Not revealing his source, Jesse explained about locker 113 and how it was used as a transfer point for orders and deliveries.

“Between classes, while the kids are outside their rooms and going to their lockers, we’re going to make a show of cutting the locker open.”

“But you have the combination,” Suit said.

Gabe answered, “That’s part of the show, Suit.”

“We want to make a lot of noise for as many people as we can, students, teachers, secretaries, administrators, and maintenance people,” Jesse said.

This time it was Gabe who didn’t understand. “Teachers? Janitors?”

Jesse nodded. “I was thinking about it last night. Who would have access to Chris Grimm? Who would approach the kid? How would Chris get a spare locker? I’m thinking that maybe the person next up the ladder from the kid works in the school.”

Both Suit and Gabe were nodding now, too.

Suit said, “Do you think we’re going to find anything in the locker?”

Jesse shook his head, taking a sip of coffee. “Unlikely, but it tells us something either way.”

Gabe smiled. “If there’s still drugs and unfilled orders in the locker when we open it, it means they haven’t replaced the kid as the supplier and his customers are going to be in pretty bad shape.”

“And if it’s empty,” Suit said, “then it means they have moved on and that there’s either a new locker or a different system already being used. Also means that your theory about it being someone at the school who was the kid’s connection makes sense.”

Before they could discuss it any further, Cole arrived with their breakfasts.

Gabe said, “You sure you want to give up all this glory to be a Statie?”

Cole laughed. “Tough choice.”

When his cops went outside and after Jesse paid the bill, he cornered Daisy. It bugged Jesse that Daisy, who had always been simpatico with him, had seemed to avoid him that morning. And he couldn’t get past Cole’s comment about how Daisy had seemed jealous of his relationship with Maryglenn. Jesse was a man who liked things to make sense. That’s what being a homicide detective had been about, bringing order to or making sense of circumstances and events that, at first glance, seemed disconnected. Of course, there were and would always be cases that defied sense and reason, but most of the time it was simply a matter of doing the work.

“Are you going to give me a hard time about covering for your son?” she said. “Because if you are, mister, you can just forget it. I’m—”

“Not that. I’m glad you two trusted each other so much and that you gave him the space to go for what he wanted.”

“You got quite a boy there. His mother did a good job raising him. Don’t screw your part up.”

“She did and I won’t. But what’s the deal with you and Maryglenn? And don’t tell me to go ask her. I’m asking you.”

“You know Swingline Sue’s?”

“No.”

“Then educate yourself.” She pushed past Jesse, about-faced, “And congratulations. You have a party for him, I better be there.”

She didn’t give Jesse a chance to say another word before she disappeared into the back of the restaurant.