"Hey," Sunny said.

"I mean they're not very elder-ish."

"Okay," Sunny said.

"Rest of them are mostly kids," Jesse said. "All of whom, far as I can tell, are old enough to do what they want."

"What do they do?"

"They preach, they hand out flyers, they go door-to-door, raising money."

"They got some kind of special belief?"

"They're in favor of renewal," Jesse said.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Jesse grinned.

"Renewing the original intent of Christianity," Jesse said. "At least as they understand it. Love, peace, that kind of thing."

"Wow," Sunny said. "Subversive."

"You bet," Jesse said. "Town hates them, want me to chase them out of town."

"Which you haven't done."

"They haven't committed a crime," Jesse said.

"So, what's the complaint?"

"They're not one of us," Jesse said. "And they're kind of r atty-looking."

"They preach on the streets?" Sunny said.

"Yes."

"That can be annoying," Sunny said.

"It is," Jesse said. "It's annoying as hell, but it's not illegal."

"And you're hung up on the Constitution?" Sunny said.

"Old school," Jesse said.

"And the town council understands?"

"I don't believe so," Jesse said.

"And you care what the town council understands," Sunny said.

"Not very much," Jesse said.

They were quiet for a moment. The silence was comfortable.

"You want to know why I'm asking?" Sunny said, after a time.

"Yep."

"But not enough to ask," Sunny said.

"I knew you'd tell me."

2

SUITCASE SIMPSON DROVE the Paradise police car across the causeway to Paradise Neck, with the sun bouncing brightly off the open ocean to his right and the sheltered harbor to his left. He always thought the ocean reflected the sun more brightly than the harbor, but Jesse always laughed at him when he said it, so he didn't say it anymore. Still thought so, though.