'We are convinced. Boots couldn't do this alone. And the Afghans don't trust members of another tribe, let alone some American of Ukrainian descent ten thousand miles away.'
'So there's somebody.'
'There has to be.'
'So the Ukrainians are muscle.'
'Yes.'
'And there's an Afghani supervisor.'
'Has to be,' Epstein said.
'But we don't know who or where.'
'Exactly,' Epstein said.
I was quiet for a minute, watching Epstein enjoy his lunch.
'With that kind of setup,' I said, 'why is Boots trying to move into other turf?'
'We wondered about that, too,' Epstein said. 'Now that I know about the Marcus family involvement, I'd say there are two probable reasons. One is: The opportunity presented itself when Tony wanted to help his son-in- law.'
'And number two,' I said. 'Boots is stupider than a ballpeen hammer.'
'Indeed,' Epstein said.
'So what about the supervisor?'
'Maybe he's not so smart, either?' Epstein said.
'Or maybe,' I said, 'since the fix was in with Tony, they figured it was free money.'
'Everyone likes free money,' Epstein said.
'So,' I said. 'I see your interest. What's up with Ives?'
'We talk to one another more since nine-eleven.'
'Wise,' I said. 'But I was asking what Ives's interest is.'
'You'll probably need to ask him,' Epstein said.
'I probably will.'
Epstein drank the last of his coffee, looked sadly at the empty pudding dish, and pushed his chair back.
'Thanks for lunch,' he said.
'I gather I'm paying?'
'How nice of you to offer,' he said.
'I'm very patriotic,' I said.
37
WE HAD A little meeting to discuss plans. Five of us. Tony wanted one of his people on the scene, so he gave us Leonard. I wanted somebody to watch my back while I was watching Hawk's back, so I invited Vinnie Morris, who could shoot the smell off a skunk at one hundred yards. And we needed a Ukrainian speaker, so Rugar, whose name was now something else, but he wouldn't tell us what, had agreed to be there.
Hawk arrived at my office before anyone else. I had not talked with him yet about my discussion with Epstein. I wanted first to discuss it with Ives. But I had a sense that the Gray Man might be more, or less, than he seemed to be.
'There's not a lot of time before the others get here,' I said to Hawk. 'But don't say any more than you have to in front of the Gray Man.'
'Like I usually say more than I have to in front of anybody?' Hawk said.
'Gray Man's interests may not fully coincide with ours,' I said.
'I'm shocked,' Hawk said.
Vinnie came in with Leonard.
'You got coffee?' Vinnie said.
'I'm making it,' I said.
And began to.
'Sinkers?' Vinnie said.
I reached behind my desk and plonked a box of Dunkin' Donuts on my blotter. Vinnie opened the top and looked in and nodded as if I had vindicated myself again.
'Nice working with you,' Vinnie said.
He sat beside Leonard on the couch across the far wall and waited for the coffee to brew. My office door opened again and the Gray Man came in carefully, wearing his showy trademark outfit of gray suit, tie, shirt, hair, and eyes. There was nothing special about my office. I knew the Gray Man entered everywhere carefully. He sat on
