Quotes from Robert B. Parker

The fact that one thing precedes another doesn't mean one thing causes another." "Oh," she said. "I know all that. But do I want to risk getting killed for some fucking formal logic rule?" "No," I said. "You don't.

Some easy-listening Muzak came onto the phone. I held it away from my ear. If you listened close for long, it gave you cavities.

It's as natural as anyone else.

I can't put the profession ahead of the people it's supposed to serve," Susan said. "It would be like teachers who care more about education than students.

Heavens," I said. "Integrity?" "One finds it in the most unlikely places," Frampton said. "Even, now and then, in law firms." "I'm heartened," I said.

peeked under the covers. Susan was naked except for a pair of thick white athletic socks. This was another good sign. Susan

I could speak to her, but she'd continue to do what she wants, and I'd look ineffectual. My approach is to endorse everything she does.

went to see Quirk in his new high-tech office in the new high-tech police headquarters. "Wow," I said. "You must be catching a lot more crooks now." "We got so many," Quirk said, "they're asking us to slow down a little.

Being tough means looking straight at something ugly, and saying, That's ugly; I'll have to find a way to deal with it. And doing so.

It's just that myth about your equipment," I said. "Ain't no myth, man.

I watched the kids walking past us on the sidewalk. They looked pretty much like any other kids. They were dressed for each other. Oversized clothes, sneakers, hats on backwards, or sideways. Most of them tried to look confident. Most of them were full of pretense. All of them were a little overmatched by the speed at which the world came at them. But these kids weren't like other kids, and I knew it. These kids were doomed. And they knew it.

Freedom of the press is a flaming sword. Use it wisely, hold it high, guard it well.

Wouldn't you think," Marcy said, "with all that money and all that time on their hands, nobody works, that these women could manage to look better than they do?" "Well it's not like they all married Tom Selleck," Jesse said.

She radiated a kind of excitement, the possibility of infinite promise. It wasn't just me. Most people seemed to feel that spending time with Susan would be an adventure.

Life is mostly metaphor.

I sometimes think I know you entirely," I said. "You know me better than anyone ever has," Susan said. "And yet you're quite secretive," I said. "You surprise me often.

Somebody's helping you and you have to take time off to listen to them and pretend you think their ideas are great and come up with an answer that makes them feel good

He do that with me, too," Susan said. "It drives me fucking crazy." "Gee," I said, "I was liking it better when we were talking about Hawk's problems." Susan smiled.

One of the things that made Susan so interesting was the fact that she looked like a Jewish princess and worked like a Bulgarian peasant.

No olive?" I said. "Only a fucking beast would have an olive in his martini

Her arms and shoulders and neck were strong. Her makeup was perfect. Her face was dominated by her eyes. Her face hinted strongly at intelligence and heat. Excellent combination.

SUSAN AND I made love at her house, we had to shut Pearl the wonder dog out of the bedroom, because if we didn't, Pearl would attempt tirelessly to insinuate herself between us. Neither

The sedan went too and I stood alone in the woods and watched my ear burn.

It's like I need to love you to come back whole from where I sometimes go.