He always regretted that he hadn't. He wasn't sure he could have.
He had shot people and maybe he would again. But just walk up and shoot him? Had he done so, he would never be lying here in the mid-morning sunshine, with Jenn naked beside him. He had been right not to... but he knew, and he smiled secretly in the still room at the knowledge, that there would always be, in one small compartment of his soul, the regret that he hadn't. The seagulls were loud. The harbor smell was assertive. The French doors were still open.
Without opening her eyes, Jenn said, "Don't make too much of this."
"Okay," Jesse said.
"It doesn't mean we should move in together or start dating each other exclusively or get married or any of those things."
"Right," Jesse said.
"It just means we are fond of each other and maybe love each other and probably want to date each other again, and we're grown-ups."
"Correct," Jesse said.
Jenn gave him the look. The same look he knew she'd had when she spoke of the other weather woman being on weekends.
"And," Jenn said, "grown-ups fuck."
"Do they ever," Jesse said.
They lay together for a while, her head on his chest, his arm around her shoulder, then Jenn swung her feet off the bed and stood up.
Her hair was messy, and her makeup was smeared. Naked, she walked from the bedroom, following the trail of discarded clothing to the deck.
"Gee," she said.
"What possibly could have gone on here?"
"Nothing bad," Jesse said.
"No," Jenn said, "nothing bad."
THIRTY-ONE.
"Harry Smith," Macklin said when he| came into Jesse's office.
"Thanks for taking the time."
"Happy to," Jesse said.
He stood while they shook hands.) Macklin's grip was stronger than Jesse had expected from a guy who looked like ant amateur golfer. Macklin took a chair!
across the desk from him.
"Here's the deal, chief. I'm thinking about buying property on Stiles Island. I don't need to tell you that I'm looking at a good-sized investment if I do."
"Good-sized," Jesse said.
"So I'm trying to size up the whole town, not just the island."
"Uh-huh."
"You don't mind, do you, me talking to you?"
"I don't mind," Jesse said.
"How's the crime situation?"
"Good," Jesse said.
"You mean, there isn't much " Macklin said.
"A lot of the time, there isn't any."
Macklin smiled.
"So what do you guys do?"
"Write traffic tickets. Keep the kids from loitering. Had a case of arson a while ago."
"Really?" Macklin said.
"Jewish lightning?"
"No, teenage kids with a grudge."
"You catch them?"
"Yeah."
"Cops one, teenagers nothing," Macklin said.
"Heard you had some trouble year or so ago."
"Yeah, couple of murders."
"Crimes of passion?"
"You could say that."
"You catch the guy?"
"Yeah."
Macklin smiled again.
"Cops two," he said.
Jesse was quiet.
"You got a big force?" Macklin said.
"No. Twelve officers and me."
"Four per shift," Macklin said.
"That's how the math works."
"You been chief long?"
"Long enough," Jesse said.
"Work your way up from the ranks?"
"No."
"Came from another department."
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Elsewhere."
Macklin leaned back a little and studied Jesse.
"You're a pretty quiet guy," Macklin said.
"True."
"Probably the right way to be," Macklin said.
"Me, I'm a talker.
My wife's always telling me to quiet down."
Jesse didn't say anything. He seemed attentive. Macklin sensed no hostility in him. He was just quiet. There was no way to know what went on behind his eyes.
"How's the security on Stiles?" Macklin said.
"Secure," Jesse said.
"They got their own security force, I see."
"Um-hmm."
"They tied in with you guys?"
"You need to talk to them."
Macklin nodded slowly, as if confirming a long-held assumption. He stood with a wide smile and put out his hand. Jesse shook it.
"I'm encouraged, chief" Macklin said.
"You can usually count on a man who doesn't say more than he has to."
Jesse smiled. Macklin smiled back and left.
In the car with Faye, Macklin was silent.
"How'd it go?" Faye said as she drove up Summer Street.
"You find out what you wanted to know?"
"I got a read on the chief," Macklin said.