Killing the Blues - Michael Brandman [22]
Jesse didn’t say anything.
She leaned back and looked at him. She traced his cheek with her finger. She kissed him.
After a while they went back upstairs.
23
When Jesse arrived at his office, Molly was already on her feet.
“Coffee,” Jesse said.
“Dogs,” Molly said.
“Excuse me?”
“Two of’em. Necks broken. Different parts of town. Owners phoned this morning.”
“Coffee,” Jesse said.
“I’ll walk with you,” Molly said.
With Molly at his side, Jesse headed for the coffeemaker. As he poured himself a cup, he noticed a box of donuts sitting on the sideboard. He grabbed one.
She watched him. He took a bite.
“Yum,” he said.
She stared at him, disapprovingly.
“Those’ll kill you,” she said.
“Yeah,” he said. “But what a way to go.”
“Death by lard,” she said. “How pleasant for you.”
He looked at her. Then he went back to his office. She followed.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Jesse said.
“What,” Molly said.
“We do have intercom capability on our phone system, don’t we,” he said.
She looked at him.
“Why have we stopped using it,” he said.
“Why have we stopped using the intercom?”
“Yes.”
Molly didn’t say anything.
“You answer most of the calls that come in to the station, correct?”
“Yes.”
“You always ask who’s calling, right?”
“Where is this leading, Jesse?”
“Every time there’s an incoming call, you answer it and then you shout out the name of who’s calling. And who it’s for. Do you think it’s possible that shouting might not be the most effective way of alerting our personnel to incoming calls?”
“Do I need an Internal Affairs representative present for this conversation?”
“Would you ever consider placing an incoming call on hold and then notifying the recipient by use of the intercom?”
“Would I get paid more?”
“Do you think it’s possible we could attempt an experiment involving the intercom?”
“Are you instructing me to use it,” Molly said.
“I wouldn’t put it that way.”
“What way would you put it?”
“I’d like you to try using the intercom.”
“I don’t like the intercom.”
Jesse didn’t say anything.
“Are you instructing me to use the intercom,” Molly said.
“No. I’m asking.”
“You’re not instructing.”
“No.”
“I’ll take it under advisement,” she said, and stood up.
As she was leaving, she looked back over her shoulder and shouted, “Rich Bauer phoned.”
Jesse stared at her.
Then he returned Bauer’s call.
“The dogs, Jesse,” he said. “It’s awful.”
“How awful?”
“Awful. Whoever killed them really meant to do it.”
“Similarities?”
“Broken necks. How could anyone do that to a dog?”
“Takes all kinds, Rich.”
“What are we gonna do?”
“We’re gonna find who did it is what we’re gonna do,” Jesse said.
24
You’re here because you’re feeling overwhelmed,” Dix said.
“I didn’t say that.”
“What did you say?”
“I said things had heated up somewhat.”
“So you don’t feel overwhelmed?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Why does this have to be so hard,” Dix said.
“I’m feeling stressed,” Jesse said.
“How are you handling the stress?”
“I’m talking to you.”
“You may be talking, but you’re not saying anything,” Dix said.
Jesse didn’t say anything.
“This car business. How are you handling it?”
“Unconventionally.”
Dix didn’t say anything.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Jesse said.
“Tell me again why you came here.”
“To talk.”
“Perhaps I’m missing something.”
“Let’s put it this way. Let’s say that I’m baiting a trap.”
“Will this trap place you in harm’s way?”
“It might.”
“So you feel vulnerable,” Dix said.
“I didn’t say that.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“How do I feel?”
Dix didn’t say anything.
“Anxious,” Jesse said.
“You feel anxious?”
“Yes.”
“How do you handle it?”
“The anxiety?”
“Yes.”
“I handle it,” Jesse said.
“But you’re experiencing a great deal of it,” Dix said.
“Only on occasion.”
After a pause, Dix said, “Are you drinking?”
“Not really.”
“Are you sticking to your rule?”
“What rule?”
“The two-drinks-a-night rule. This is brutal.”
“Mostly I’m only having one a night.”
“So you’re not drinking?”
“I overstepped my limit the one time.”
“After