'And I can't believe his keeper would approve.'
'The Afghan supervisor,' the Gray Man said, 'could not be so stupid.'
I scanned the plaza. At the moment, we were the only living things in sight. When they built the new city hall, some architect had doubtless conceived of this naked brick desert teeming with community. In the center of the desert was the slab-sided monolithic city hall that nestled into what had once been Scolly Square like a rhinoceros at a cotillion.
'Ain't a matter of smart,' Hawk said. 'Be pride.'
'Boots?'
'Boots can't stand being told what to do by some West Asian wog,' Hawk said.
'I don't think we call them wogs anymore,' I said.
'Too Kiplingesque,' Hawk said.
The Gray Man was staring at Hawk.
'Before the Afghani connection kicked in,' I said, 'he was the boss.'
'Now the Afghani supervisor the boss,' Hawk said.
'So along came this little deal that makes no sense, and Boots does it anyway.'
'To prove that he could,' the Gray Man said softly.
Hawk glanced at him.
'So,' I said. 'You think the supervisor knows?'
'My guess, he don't,' Hawk said.
'Because if he did he'd shut down the heroin flow?'
'Yep.'
'Which is why Boots doesn't have one of the Ukrainians cap him.'
'If the Ukes all actually his,' Hawk said.
'But he has his passive-aggressive drama,' I said. 'I don't have to ask this guy for permission to do everything. This isn't even heroin business. It's mostly making book.'
'Passive-aggressive,' Hawk said.
'I'm sleeping with a shrink,' I said.
'I don't want to hear about it,' Hawk said.
'You're quite sure about this,' the Gray Man said.
Hawk nodded. The Gray Man looked at me. I nodded.
'All the more reason to find the supervisor,' the Gray Man said.
'That sounds like a job for the Kodiak Kid,' I said.
The Gray Man's smile was very faint.
'I know you find yourself amusing,' he said. 'But occasionally I would prefer to amuse myself.'
'Hard to imagine,' I said. 'But your choice.'
The Gray Man nodded.
'I will see what I can do,' he said, and stood and walked away across the open empty plaza toward Tremont Street.
'Trust him?' Hawk said.
'No.'
Hawk nodded.
'Trust Ives?' he said.
'No.'
'How about Epstein?'
'He tells you he'll do something, I think he'll do it,' I said.
'Would he lie to us?' Hawk said.
'Of course,' I said.
'Don't trust Tony,' Hawk said.
'And Leonard works for him.'
'Obviously can't trust Boots,' Hawk said, 'or Brock Rimbaud.'
'Obviously.'
' 'Cept for Vinnie,' Hawk said, 'it ain't a good assortment of trusty coconspirators.'
