High Profile

The governor stopped to talk with a gaggle of television reporters. Jesse couldn’t hear what he said. Probably something forceful and positive. Then he and his cluster moved into the station and came to Jesse’s office. The governor stuck out his hand.

“Chief Stone?” he said. “I’m Cabot Forbes.”

Jesse shook his hand. The governor looked around.

Kennfield said, “The governor would like his staff with him. Is there a bigger room?”

“Sure,” Jesse said.

They went down to the conference room. Jesse moved an empty pizza box off the table and gestured for the group to sit down. He sat at one end of the table. The governor stood at the other. He was tall with close-cut gray hair and a thin face.

“We’re here to help,” the governor said. “Not to criticize.”

Jesse nodded.

“But this case has dragged on long enough to become an embarrassment to the Commonwealth, and the people of the Commonwealth need to know that there’s an end in sight.”

Jesse nodded. The governor paused, and when Jesse didn’t say anything, he looked a little annoyed.

“This is made more embarrassing because I count both Walton and Lorrie as personal friends,” the governor said.

Jesse nodded.

“Is there progress?” the governor said.

“Yes.”

“Do you have a suspect?”

“Many,” Jesse said.

“Is an arrest imminent?”

“No.”

“What do you need to bring this case to a close?”

“Clues,” Jesse said.

“Are you being deliberately uncooperative, Chief Stone?”

“No, sir. I’m listening attentively.”

“I am especially concerned that Mrs. Weeks be treated with every consideration,” the governor said. “This has been a nightmare for her and she deserves closure.”

Jesse nodded.

“For God’s sake, Stone, I was at their wedding.”

“Really,” Jesse said. “When did they get married?”

The governor looked at Kennfield.

“Nineteen ninety,” Kennfield said.

“Where?”

“Baltimore, wasn’t it,” the governor said to Kennfield.

Kennfield nodded.

“At the Harbor Court,” he said.

“How’d they meet?” Jesse said.

Again, the governor looked at Kennfield.

“Oddly enough, through Walton’s bodyguard,” Kennfield said. “He introduced them.”

“Lutz?” Jesse said.

“Yes,” Kennfield said, “Conrad Lutz.”

“How did he know Lorrie,” Jesse said.

Both the governor and Kennfield shook their heads.

“Let me remind you,” the governor said, “that I am the chief executive of this state. I’m not going to be sidetracked. I came here in good faith to offer the complete resources of the Commonwealth to expedite this investigation.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jesse said.

“Stone,” Forbes said, “can you cut out the ‘Yes sir no sir thank you sir’ crap for one minute. Are you getting anywhere on this goddamned case or not.”

“I’m doing what I can, Governor,” Jesse said. “And I’m pretty good at it. As soon as there’s an arrest, I’ll be in touch.”

The governor reddened slightly and looked at Kennfield again.

Then he said, “We’ll hold you to that,” and wheeled and walked out of the room. The staff hustled to pick up their notebooks and briefcases and followed him out.

48

“Lutz checked out,” Suit said when he came into Jesse’s office.

“When?”

“Day after you last talked with him,” Suit said. “I tried his New York address. He doesn’t answer the phone. I talked to the building manager, and he talked to the doorman, and they haven’t seen Lutz.”

“Well, something started moving,” Jesse said.

“Except we don’t know where, or why,” Suit said.

“Yet,” Jesse said. “Any movement is good.”

“I guess,” Suit said. “We gonna find him?”

“Yes.”

“We going down to New York again?”

“Maybe,” Jesse said.

Jesse looked at the ceiling, as if there were something up there. Suit waited. Jesse didn’t speak.

“You see the guv on TV this morning?” Suit said.

“No.”

“He says he’s taking a more active part in the investigation,” Suit said. “Says he’s bringing the full resources of his office to bear. Probably solve it by this evening.”

“Maybe not,” Jesse said. “See what you can find out about Lorrie Weeks, before she became Lorrie Weeks. What was her name? Where was she from? How did she know Lutz? Anything you can come up with. Probably be useful if you got a blowup of her driver’s license photo from New York DMV.”

“If I track her down,” Suit said, “will it go in my personnel file?”

“You’ll be a lock for detective,” Jesse said.

“If we ever have detectives,” Suit said.

“Absolutely,” Jesse said. “You’ll be one of them.”

“What I like,” Suit said, “is the guv comes up here to let the press look at him and blows a lot of smoke about how he wants the case solved, and the only thing he did helpful he doesn’t even know it.”

“He was annoyed that I asked about it,” Jesse said.

“Just another empty shirt and tie,” Suit said. “Why the hell are they all like that.”

Jesse shrugged and shook his head.

“It’s the kind of guy the job attracts.”

“No good guys?”

“Few,” Jesse said. “Would you want to be governor?”

“No.”

“President?”

“Christ, no,” Suit said.

“Why not?”

“Too much bullshit,” Suit said.

“So who would want that kind of a job?” Jesse said.

“A bullshitter,” Suit said.

Jesse smiled at him.

“If you’re good with a hammer,” Jesse said, “you look for a nail.”