He turned and squeezed past his bodyguard and walked back down the hall. The bodyguard followed, completely screening Tony from view. Hawk and I watched him go for a moment and then went toward the front door. The skinny shooter held his ground as we came to the door.
''Shappenin', Ty-Bop?' Hawk said
Ty-Bop was no more than twenty. He had light skin and small, nearly oval, black eyes. The eyes were depthless, like a snake's. He put his left fist out and Hawk bumped it with his left. Ty-Bop stepped aside and we went out into the South End.
'Good you know the language,' I said to Hawk.
'Surely is,' he said. 'Got to take special care with the children.'
We were driving up Tremont Street, past Bay Village, toward Charles Street.
'What do you think Ty-Bop's life expectancy is?' I said.
'If he don't mess with me? Tony will use him up in maybe five years.'
'And I suspect he knows that,' I said.
'I imagine he do,' Hawk said. 'Right now he gets respect.'
'Because he's willing to shoot anybody at all.'
'Ty-Bop ain't got much other way to get respect,' Hawk said.
'I know.'
We drove through Park Square and stopped for the light at Boylston. The Common sloped up to our right. The Public Garden lay flat to our left.
'Kids like Ty-Bop bother you?' I said.
'Yeah.'
'Me too,' I said. 'You got any idea what to do about them?'
'No.'
'Me either.'
chapter forty
HAWK CAME INTO my office on Wednesday morning with a young Asian woman.
'This is Velvet,' Hawk said. 'Tony arranged for us to talk with her.'
'See,' I said, 'another triumph for charm and civility.'
'Tony says you take Haskell out he knows ahead of everyone.'
'Sure,' I said. 'Hello, Velvet.'
'Hello.'
Velvet looked maybe eighteen. She was wearing faded blue jeans and a loose white tee-shirt. Her only makeup appeared to be lipstick. She stood quietly in front of my desk.
'Sit down, Velvet,' I said.
She sat.
'Would like coffee?'
'Yes, please.'
'Cream and sugar?'
'Yes, please. Two sugar.'
Hawk got her some from the Mr. Coffee pot. Then he sat beside her.
'Haskell got a regular contract with Velvet,' Hawk said.
'Is Velvet your real name?' I said.
'No.'
'What is your real name?'
'Kim Pak Soong.'
'You're Korean.'
'Yes.'
'You're a prostitute?' I said to Velvet.
'Yes.'
'Do you know who Tony Marcus is?'
'No.'
I smiled. She was at the far other end of the chain of command.
