Trouble in Paradise

Fifty-Seven

When Jesse walked into the station with Simpson, DeAngelo, and Perkins, Molly was working the switchboard and covering the front desk.

“There’s a guy from the Coast Guard on his way, Jesse,” Molly said as he walked in, “and a State Police SWAT guy in your office.”

Jesse said, “Thank you, Molly. Anthony, go find Doc Lane and bring him here.”

“The bartender at the Gull?”

“Yep. If he’s not working, ask the restaurant for his address. Peter, go find me a wet suit, medium. And some kind of waterproof equipment flotation. If you can’t find anything closer, there’s a place in Belmont on Trapelo Road.”

“Flotation?”

“Yes. Go. Get it. Bring it back. Now.”

Perkins and DeAngelo left the station. Suitcase stayed with Jesse waiting to be told what to do. Jesse nodded toward his office, and they went in.

The SWAT team commander was a lean guy with round glasses and a crew cut. He put out a hand.

“Ray Danforth,” he said.

“Jesse Stone. The big kid here is Suitcase Simpson.”

“Lighter color than I remember you,” Danforth said.

Suitcase looked blank. Danforth turned to Jesse.

“I got my men standing by at the explosion site,” Danforth said. “We got a mobile operations van on the way. What can you tell me?”

“What I know is that somebody blew the bridge to Stiles Island. Somebody also blew the landing dock at the yacht club on Stiles. No one has heard from the Stiles Island Security patrol since last night, and all the phones on Stiles give a busy signal when you call them.”

“What do you guess?”

“A guy named Wilson Cromartie and a guy named James Macklin and probably some others are on the island. I assume the motive is robbery.”

“How they going to get off the island?”

“Don’t know. ”

“People on the island?”

“Far as I know, about a hundred.”

“I’ll get a hostage negotiator up here,” Danforth said.

“Good. Let’s not get any civilians killed,” Jesse said.

“We got a traffic helicopter should be here anytime,” Danforth said. “And a transport chopper if we need one. That’ll take a little longer. We got to fly it in from Hanscomb Field.”

“Better call it up. We don’t want to have to wait for it when we need it.”

“Will do,” Danforth said. “What’s your plan?”

“I might go ashore.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah. Might be a good idea to have someone on the ground.”

“Police chiefs don’t usually do that kind of work,” Danforth said.

“This is a small-town department,” Jesse said. “It’s sort of informal here. We all pitch in.”

“You don’t have anyone else you’d trust?” Danforth said. “Or you don’t want to ask anyone else?”

Jesse shrugged.

“Whatever,” he said.

“Who’s going to run the department?”

“Molly,” Jesse said, “and Suit.” He nodded at Simpson.

“I ought to come with you, Jesse,” Suitcase said.

“You stay here. Molly shouldn’t have to run it alone.”

“You remember what that cop said in Tucson,” Suitcase said.

“I’m not going up against anyone,” Jesse said. “I’m just reconnaissance, you know? I’m just going to scoot around in the bushes and see what I can see and radio it back.”

“I could cover your back,” Suit said.

“You’re too big to scoot around in the bushes,” Jesse said. “You go with Lieutenant Danforth. Molly will stand by in the station, and I will have a look-see on the island.”

“How you going to get there?” Suitcase said.

“I’m working on that.”

“Doc?”

“He’s been around this harbor all his life,” Jesse said.

“You going to have him put you in the water?”

“Probably,” Jesse said.

“And?” Suit said.

“And we’ll see,” Jesse said.