Killing the Blues - Michael Brandman [43]
The body was burned beyond recognition. Jesse thought it strange that it was lying on the seat. He looked more closely and saw that the head was tilted at an odd angle. He called to Captain Kurtz.
“Mick,” he said. “Have a look at something, will you?”
Kurtz joined him beside the car.
“Look at the angle of the head,” Jesse said.
“Odd,” Kurtz said. “Almost as if . . .”
“. . . Yeah,” Jesse said.
“I better have forensics take a closer look,” Kurtz said.
“Good idea,” Jesse said.
46
The Lesnick funeral was attended by seemingly everyone in Paradise. The crowd overflowed the church. Many of the attendees listened to the service over a loudspeaker that had been placed on the sidewalk.
It wasn’t the first time that a Paradise police officer had been killed in the line of duty. But it was the first time Jesse had worn his uniform.
“Steve would have loved that you attended in uniform,” Molly said.
“Especially my discomfort,” Jesse said.
He and Molly were outside the church, looking around.
Jesse spotted Alexis Richardson standing with Carter Hansen. He and Alexis hadn’t spoken since the night of Steve’s death. Which was also the night they’d fought.
After the service, following a brief moment spent with the Lesnick family, Jesse joined the crowd as it made its way out of the church. He caught up with Alexis. She looked at him but said nothing.
“Sad day,” he said.
“He was your friend,” she said.
“He was,” Jesse said.
“Uncle Carter says he was a good cop.”
“He was.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
They walked together for a ways.
“Don’t think you can make up with me, Jesse,” she said.
“You’re not still angry, are you,” Jesse said.
“Of course I’m still angry.”
“Surely you’re not going to hold me responsible for a matter which is essentially out of my hands,” Jesse said.
“That’s not what my uncle thinks.”
“Hansen told you it would be all right to play amplified music for as long as you like?”
“Something like that, yes.”
“Then he’s misstating the law.”
“Or interpreting it differently than you,” Alexis said.
“There’s no interpretation required. The town rules are eminently clear.”
“Apparently not to Selectman Hansen.”
“Does that mean you plan on defying the law?”
“This country was built upon people defying the law,” Alexis said.
“So you are planning to defy it.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“Don’t get in my way, Jesse.”
“I don’t particularly appreciate that remark.”
“There’s no appreciation required,” she said.
“That’s what you think,” Jesse said.
He glared at her for a few minutes.
Then he walked away.
47
You came to see me for information,” Dix said.
“Yes,” Jesse said.
“Not for treatment.”
“Yes.”
“What kind of information?”
“I’m not certain.”
“You came to me for information, but you’re not certain what information you came for?”
“Yes.”
“Again with the one-word answers.”
“You used to be a cop, right?”
“Right.”
“Did you ever experience serial behavior,” Jesse said.
“You mean like the behavior behind the killings and the fires?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“No you didn’t experience this kind of behavior,” Jesse said.
“Yes,” Dix said.
Jesse didn’t say anything.
“Serial behavior comes in all sizes,” Dix said. “What you’re dealing with seems to be coming in all sizes at once.”
“Which means?”
“It takes many shapes, but it seems to have one objective.”
“Which is?”
“My guess is that it’s aimed at you personally,” Dix said.
“At me?”
“Exactly.”
“Because?”
“You tell me.”
Jesse didn’t say anything.
Dix didn’t say anything.
Jesse suddenly blurted the name: “Rollo Nurse.”
“Bingo,” Dix said.
“You knew it was Rollo Nurse?”
“I wasn’t certain.”
“I kept circling, but I couldn’t pin it down,” Jesse said.
“It became clear the instant you blurted it out,” Dix said.
Jesse didn’t say anything.
“It makes sense,” Dix said.
“It does,” Jesse said. “I couldn’t make the connection.”
“Now you have.”
“He killed Steve Lesnick.”
“Killed?”
“Broke his neck