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wouldn't mind playing footsie with that Mr。 Hooper。〃
〃Is he in there？〃
Janet nodded。
〃I wonder when he was elected selectman。〃
〃I don't know；〃 she said。 〃But he sure is cute。〃
〃Sorry； Jan； he's spoken for。〃 〃By who？〃
〃Daisy Wicker。〃
Janet laughed。
〃What's funny？ I just broke your heart。〃
〃You don't know about Daisy Wicker？〃
〃I guess I don't。〃
Again Janet lowered her voice。 〃She's queer。 She's got a lady roommate and everything。 She's not even AC…DC。 She's just plain old DC。〃
〃I'll be damned；〃 said Brody。 〃You sure do have an interesting job； Jan。〃 As he entered the office； Brody said to himself： Okay； so where the hell was Hooper yesterday？ As soon as he was inside the office； Brody knew he would be fighting alone。 The only selectmen present were longtime friends and allies of Vaughan's： Tony Catsoulis； a builder who looked like a fire hydrant； Ned Thatcher； a frail old man whose family had owned the Abelard Arms Inn for three generations； Paul Conover； owner of Amity Liquors； and Rare Lopez （pronounced loaps）； a dark…skinned Portuguese elected to the board by； and a vocal defender of； the town's black munity。
The four selectmen sat around a coffee table at one end of the immense room。
Vaughan sat at his desk at the other end of the room。 Hooper stood at a southerly window； staring out at the sea。
〃Where's Albert Morris？〃 Brody said to Vaughan after perfunctorily greeting the others。
〃He couldn't make it；〃 said Vaughan。 〃I don't think he felt well。〃
〃And Fred Potter？〃
〃Same thing。 There must be a bug going around。〃 Vaughan stood up。 〃Well； I guess we're all here。 Grab a chair and pull it over by the coffee table。〃
God； he looks awful； Brody thought as he watched Vanghan drag a straight…back chair across the room。 Vaughan's eyes were sunken and dark。 His skin looked like mayonnaise。 Either he's got some fierce hangover； Brody decided； or else he hasn't slept in a month。
When everyone was seated； Vaughan said； 〃You all know why we're here。 And I guess it's safe to say that there's only one of us that needs convincing about what we should do。〃
〃You mean me；〃 said Brody。
Vaughan nodded。 〃Look at it from our point of view； Martin。 The town is dying。
People are out of work。 Stores that were going to open aren't。 People aren't renting houses； let alone buying them。 And every day we keep the beaches closed； we drive another nail into our own coffin。 We're saying； officially； this town is unsafe： stay away from here。 And people are listening。〃
〃Suppose you do open the beaches for the Fourth； Larry；〃 said Brody。 〃And suppose someone gets killed。〃
〃It's a calculated risk； but I think … we think … it's worth taking。〃
〃Why？〃
Vaughan said； 〃Mr。 Hooper？〃
〃Several reasons；〃 said Hooper。 〃First of all； nobody's seen the fish in a week。〃
〃Nobody's been in the water； either。〃
〃That's true。 But I've been on the boat looking for him every day … every day but one。〃
〃I meant to ask you about that。 Where were you yesterday？〃
〃It rained；〃 said Hooper。 〃Remember？〃
〃So what did you do？〃
〃I just。。。〃 He paused momentarily； then said； 〃I studied some water samples。 And read。〃
〃Where？ In your hotel room？〃
〃Part of the time； yeah。 What are you driving at？〃
〃I called your hotel。 They said you were out all afternoon。〃
〃So I was out！〃 Hooper said angrily。 〃I don't have to report in every five minutes； do I？〃
〃No。 But you're here to do a job； not go galavanting around all those country clubs you used to belong to。〃
〃Listen； mister； you're not paying me。 I can do whatever the fuck I want！〃
Vaughan broke in。 〃e on。 This isn't getting anybody anywhere。〃
〃Anyway；〃 said Hooper； 〃I haven't seen a trace of that fish。 Not a sign。 Then there's the water。 It's getting warmer every day。 It's almost seventy now。 As a rule … I know； rules are made to be broken … great whites prefer cooler water。〃
〃So you think he's gone farther north？〃
〃Or out deeper； into colder water。 He could even have gone south。 You can't predict what these things are going to do。〃
〃That's my point；〃 said Brody。 〃You can't predict it。 So all you're doing is guessing。〃
Vaughan said； 〃You can't ask for a guarantee； Martin。〃
〃Tell that to Christine Watkins。 Or the Kintner boy's mother。〃
〃I know； I know；〃 Vaughan said impatiently。 〃But we have to do something。 We can't sit around waiting for divine revelation。 God isn't going to scribble across the sky； 'The shark is gone。' We have to weigh the evidence and make a decision。〃
Brody nodded。 〃I guess。 So what else has the boy genius e up with？〃
〃What's the matter with you？〃 said Hooper。 〃I was asked for my opinion。〃
〃Sure；〃 said Brody。 〃Okay。 What else？〃
〃What we've known all along。 That there's no reason for that fish to hang around here。 I haven't seen him。 The Coast Guard hasn't seen him。 No new reef has popped up from the bottom。 No garbage scows are dumping stuff into the water。 No extraordinary fish life is around。 There's just no reason for him to be here。〃
〃But there never has been； has there？ And he was here。〃
〃That's true。 I can't explain it。 I doubt if anyone can。〃
〃An act of God； then？〃
〃If you like。〃
〃And there's no insurance against acts of God； is there； Larry？〃
〃I don't know what you're getting at； Martin；〃 said Vaughan。 〃But we've got to make a decision。 As far as I'm concerned； there's only one way to go。〃
〃The decision's been made；〃 said Brody。
〃You could say that； yes。〃
〃And when someone else gets killed？ Who's taking the blame this time？ Who's going to talk to the husband or the mother or the wife and tell them； 'We were just playing the odds； and we lost'？〃
〃Don't be so negative； Martin。 When the time es … if the time es； and I'm betting it won't … we'll work that out then。〃
〃Now； goddammit！ I'm sick of taking all the shit for your mistakes。〃
〃Wait a minute； Martin。〃
〃I'm serious。 If you want the authority for opening the beaches； then you take the responsibility； too。〃
〃What are you saying？〃
〃I'm saying that as long as I'm chief of police in this town； as long as I'm supposed to be responsible for public safety； those beaches will not be open。〃
〃I'll tell you this； Martin；〃 said Vaughan。 〃If those beaches stay closed over the Fourth of July weekend； you won't have your job very long。 And I'm not threatening。 I'm telling you。 We can still have a summer。 But we have to tell people it's safe to e here。
Twenty minutes after they hear you won't open the beaches； the people of this town will impeach you； or find a rail and run you out on it。 Do you agree； gentlemen？〃
〃Fuckin' A；〃 said Catsoulis。 〃I'll give 'em the rail myself。〃
〃My people got no work；〃 said Lopez。 〃You don't let them work； you're not gonna work。〃
Brody said flatly； 〃You can have my job anytime you want it。〃