When Butler saw Stony he grabbed him. "We'll get those motherfuckers! Me, you, Chili Mac, we'll tear down that whole fuckin' school."

A cop nudged Stony. "Who're you?"

"I'm his friend. What happened?"

"I'll kill every fuckin' nigger on this block!" Butler screamed. Four of the cops were black, tried to ignore him. Stony seized Butler in an embrace and pushed him back a step. "Ssh, ssh, easy, baby, easy," he whispered in his ear. Butler windmilled his arms around Stony, but Stony wouldn't let up. He patted Butler's back, caressed his neck, whispering all the time until Butler calmed down. Cautiously Stony let him go, but not completely, holding him around the waist. Frank twisted in his chair to look at his nephew. Stony winked.

Butler tried to catch his breath. "Three niggers from the high school," he exhaled, "come in here, right? Frank's behind the counter ... Pull a fuckin' shiv long as my dick ... I'm in the back. I come runnin' out ... they go..." Butler grabbed Stony's hair, yanking his head back, laid his thumb against Stony's neck. " 'We'll kill him, honky.' I'm fuckin' standin' there like a fuckin' statue. They go through the register, drag him to the door and run like the yellow cunts they are."

"You say you know these guys?" asked a cop.

"I seen 'em around, yeah."

"Can you describe them?"

"No ... no." Butler swung his head emphatically. "You guys take care a Frank, I'll take care a them. Me, him an' some friends." He nodded to Stony.

"Look, is it O.K. I talk to him private?" Stony asked the two cops. Putting his arm around Butler's neck he ushered him behind the curtain. Stony busied himself adjusting the curtain for a second, then abruptly swung around, punching Butler in the gut as hard as he could. Butler gasped, slid down the wall onto the floor, a pained why in his eyes. Stony lifted him under the armpits and slammed his shoulders into the wall. He held Butler's jaw in a vicelike grip. "Now you lissen to me, you stupid bastard! I ain't runnin' down no vigilante shit. Chili Mac's not runnin' down no vigilante shit, an' you, you dumb cunt, ain't runnin' down no vigilante shit, you got that?" He shook Butler's jaw, Butler held his stomach. "I don't wanna find your ass inna cardboard box behind some soul palace—you got that? Your fuckin' uncle's out there, halfway to a heart attack, an' you're jumpin' around like a fuckin' wild man. So just cool out, you dig? And another thing, stupid! You're runnin' aroun' jumpin' bad about killin' the niggers an' you got four coons out there wit' thirty-eights. If they don't put a fuckin' bullet in your small brain right now, I guarantee you ... I guarantee you, the next time you need a fuckin' cop in here your ass is cream cheese. Can you understand that? Hah? Hah?" Stony viciously rattled Butler's head until Butler nodded. "Good, now first thing, you go out there an' you apologize to them for being such an asshole, then you fuckin' cooperate. You know these guys? Fine, then they'll get 'em then, O.K.?" Stony released Butler's jaw. Butler slumped over, trying to catch his breath. Stony kneaded his shoulders. "I'm sorry I hit you, babe, I just had to get your attention." Stony hugged him, then kissed him on the side of the head. "You know I love you, I just don't wanna go to your funeral yet, you dig?"