Robert B. Parker - Sea Change

The sky was dark. The wind had gotten hard, and a thin rain slanted in front of the wind. They had drunk all the wine and talked most of the talk and now it was time to get home. The person at the tiller said, It feels as if theres something fouling the centerboard, could you check it? Florence stood and leaned over and raised the centerboard. It felt free to her. The boat slid slightly sideways.

She let the board down. The boat stabilized, and came hard about, and the boom swung over the small cockpit and hit her a numbing blow in the chest and knocked the wind out of her. She pitched over the side into the black water. It was painfully cold. She went under, gasping for breath, inhaling some of the water, choking on it. She struggled toward the surface.

When she broke water she could see the sailboat turning and coming back for her. She struggled to breathe, to stay afloat, to focus. In the far distance where Paradise rose up from the harbor she could see, on the top of the highest hill, the steeple of the oldest church in town. The sailboat was coming. She treaded water desperately. Hang on. Hang on. Hang on.

Through the gray rain, she could see the little white bone of spray at the prow, the brass turnbuckle of the mast stay, the dark protective paint on the belly of the boat, as it leaned hard to the side, straining against the wind. In a moment it would head up into the wind and sit, its sail luffing while she got hold of the rail. She was treading water. She was afloat. She was getting her breath. The boat didnt head into the wind.

It came straight on and the bow hit her in the chest and forced her under as the boat passed and sailed on. Barely conscious, she struggled to the surface. The boat was past her, sailing away. She tried to scream but she choked on the seawater. And then she went under and choked some more and lost consciousness.

Suitcase Simpson was with him. Simpson was in uniform. Jesse was wearing jeans and a white short-sleeved oxford shirt. His gun was on his right hip and his badge was tucked in his shirt pocket so that the shield showed. You usually win these, Fran, Jesse said to the bouncer. The bouncer shrugged.

His right eye was nearly closed. Too big for me, Jesse. You guys may have to shoot him. Well see, Jesse said. Jesse pushed into the crowded bar. There was no noise.

A big man was standing on the bar drinking from a bottle of Wild Turkey. The bottle had a pour spout on it and he would hold it away from his open mouth and pour the whiskey in. The bartender, whose name was Judy, had ducked out from behind the bar and was standing near the door. She had blonde hair in a ponytail and wore sneakers, shorts and a tank top. You call us? Jesse said to her. She nodded.

He was drunk when he came in, she said. Jesse nodded. He made some remarks, Judy said. I told him I wouldnt serve him. He made some more remarks, Fran tried to help She shrugged. You know who that is? Simpson murmured in Jesses ear.

Carl Radborn, Jesse said. All-Pro tackle. Shall we get his autograph? Just letting you know, Simpson said. Jesse slid through the quiet crowd with Simpson behind him. Hey, Radborn yelled. Run for your fucking life, its the Paradise cops.

Radborn was 6'5" and weighed more than 300 pounds. Standing on the bar he seemed too big for the room. Jesse smiled at him. Should have brought an elephant gun, Jesse said. Shit, Radborn said and jumped down off the bar, still holding the whiskey bottle. You know who I am? I always love that question, Jesse said.

Yeah, I know who you are. Jonathan Ogden knocked you down and stomped on your face when you played the Ravens last year. Fuck you, Radborn said. Oh, Jesse said, I hadnt thought of it that way. A few people snickered. I dont give a fuck.

You a cop or what, Radborn said. Ill kick your ass and Fat Boys right here and now. Simpson reddened. A lot of that is muscle, Jesse said. I play football, Radborn said. You play football, youll go with anybody.

You ready to go? Be better if you walked outside with us, Jesse said. Fuck you. Ill take that as a no, Jesse said. Suit, gimme your stick. Simpson took the nightstick from the loop on his belt and handed it to Jesse. You think that fucking toothpick gonna matter? Radborn said.

He was six inches taller than Jesse and more than 125 pounds heavier. Jesse took the stick from Simpson and with one motion hit Radborn in the testicles with it. Radborn gasped and doubled over. Jesse stepped around him quickly and hit him behind each knee with the stick. The legs collapsed. Radborn went to his knees.