Killing the Blues - Michael Brandman [3]
Although Hansen was forced to admit that Chief Stone turned out to be an effective lawman, there was no love lost between them.
He gaveled the meeting to order.
“Citizens of Paradise,” he said, pleased with the sound of his voice. “This meeting will now come to order. The summer season is once again upon us, and there is much to be done.”
His gaze settled on Jesse.
“Chief Stone, have you anything you want to tell us regarding your plans for the summer?”
Jesse remained seated and silent, creating a moment of discomfort for Hansen. Finally, he stood and spoke.
“We’re ready,” he said.
Then he sat back down.
“That’s it,” Hansen said. “That’s all you have to say?”
Jesse nodded.
On the dais, Selectman Morris Comden leaned over to snicker in Hansen’s ear.
“Not too much of a talker, is he?”
Hansen ignored the remark.
“For the record, Chief Stone, let it be known that the board of selectmen has approved funding for the hiring of additional law enforcement personnel for the summer season. This will give us a greater capability in the service of tourism, which is Paradise’s principal source of income. I assume this meets with your approval.”
“It does,” Jesse said.
“I assume that the force has been properly instructed as to the acceptable rules of behavior for a long and arduous summer season.”
“It has.”
Jesse noticed that Molly was staring at him with a look of exasperation on her face.
He turned to her and grinned.
Carter Hansen sat silently.
Jesse sat silently.
Finally, Hansen spoke.
“All right, then,” he said. “Now that we’ve heard from Chief Stone, I’d like to introduce Alexis Richardson, who has been hired to head the public-relations and event-planning campaign for the upcoming season. It will be up to Alexis to spread the word that Paradise is the hot new location for summer tourism.”
Jesse watched as a young woman in the front row stood and, amid a scattering of applause, made her way to the lectern.
He listened attentively as she discussed her plans to create a summer music festival. She looked to be in her late twenties, exceptionally pretty and fashionably slender. She wore a black Donna Karan summer suit with a very short skirt and a white open-collared blouse. A simple gold chain adorned her neck. Her pale skin was complemented by expertly styled shoulderlength jet-black hair, which she constantly brushed from her forehead with a swipe of her hand.
As she spoke, her eyes scanned the audience, stopping occasionally on Jesse. Her talk was short, and afterward she returned to her seat.
Carter Hansen took to the lectern and talked briefly before calling on a handful of prominent business leaders, the CEO of Paradise Memorial Hospital, the fire captain, and the head of the Sanitation Department.
As was the case with Ms. Richardson, each of the speakers devoted their remarks to their own summer initiatives and their varying degrees of readiness.
Jesse’s attention waned.
His thoughts turned to Sunny Randall. Although they had decided to take the next step in their somewhat quixotic relationship, things had suddenly changed when she accepted a job that took her to Europe for the summer.
Once she had gone, he began to feel the weight of his commitment easing. He began to have doubts. He was haunted by remembrances of his marriage to Jenn. He felt his psychic defenses reestablishing themselves. He found himself becoming more and more reclusive and increasingly secure in his solitude.
He was suddenly wrenched from his reverie.
“Jesse,” Molly said, “wake up. The meeting’s over.”
3
When Jesse and Molly left the Town Hall, they found clusters of people milling about on the sidewalk, talk-W ing in small groups.
Alexis Richardson stood alone, her eyes searching the crowd.
“Chief Stone,” she said, when