“I didn’t know you did government
work, Gino.”
“I was in jail,” Fish said.
Jo Jo felt hot. He hated to look stupid in front of Vinnie.
“I knew that, Gino,” he said.
“I was kidding you.”
“Well, don’t,” Fish
said. “Vifinie, do you know what kind of weapons order you’d need to outfit a regiment?”
“Yeah.”
“Do we know anyone who could supply that amount?”
“Sure.”
Fish looked at Jo Jo.
“There,” he said. “Now
what?”
“Can you get me a
price‘?.”
“Supplier will set the price,”
Fish said. I’ll add my commission.“
“Sure, Gino, of course. These are just, ah, whaddycallit, preliminary talks, you know.”
“So tell your principals it’ll be
a few days, and I’ll be intouch with you. Before we go too much further, though,
I will want to meet the principals.“
“They won’t like that,
Gino.”
“I don’t care, Jo Jo.
That’s the way it will have to be. I don’t do this kind of business with people I don’t know.”
He smiled his joyless smile again. “I have had all the government service I care for.”
Jo Jo flushed again, feeling foolish about misunderstanding government service. He glanced sideways at Vinnie.
Vinnie seemed oblivious.
“I’ll talk to them,” Jo
Jo said.
“Fine. Now if you’ll excuse
us…”
Jo Jo stood up, too quickly. He wished he had reacted slower.
“I’ll wait to hear from
you,” he said to Fish.
He made a little punching gesture at Vinnie with his clenched fist, and went out of the office. When he was gone, Fish turned to Vinnie Morris.
“What do you think,” he said.
“Some homemade patriot group,”
Morris said.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because the only contact they got is a jerk like Jo Jo.”
Fish nodded.
“And the only contact he has is
us,” Fish said. “Do you have any idea how to arm a regiment?”
“Not a clue,” Morris said.
“Do you have any contact with international arms dealers.‘?”
“Piece I’m carrying I bought from
a guy named Ralph.”
