“A lot of good that will do if some kid gets shot because of you,” Warren said. “What was this white trash after you for? I mean, these boys were serious bringing in Kalashnikov assault rifles. Shit! If they’d started spraying those around, a lot of people could have been hurt.”

“Those were Kalashnikovs?” Jack asked.

“What do you think, I’m making this up?”

“Where were the Kalashnikovs made?”

“What kind of question is that, man? What difference does it make?”

“It might make a difference if they’re Bulgarian,” Jack said.

Warren glared at Jack for a beat before walking over to where Spit had put the Kalashnikov he’d taken from Carl. Warren picked the weapon up and carried it back to Jack. “Well, you’re right,” he said grudgingly. “They are Bulgarian. What does that mean?”

“I can’t be positive,” Jack said. “But I think it might have something to do with Laurie’s new boyfriend.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Warren said. “Did you and Laurie split up?”

“Not exactly,” Jack said. “And I think the new boyfriend is on his way out, but let me explain.”

Jack told Warren about Paul Sutherland, and how Jack had probably humiliated the man that afternoon. He mentioned that Paul had threatened him indirectly. He also said that Laurie was concerned the man was dealing with the Bulgarian Kalashnikovs.

Warren’s anger mellowed to a degree as he listened to the story. “I suppose there’s no way you could have anticipated that these guys would have come over here.”

“Of course not,” Jack said. “I don’t even know how they knew where I lived.”

“That kind of white trash scares me,” Warren admitted.

“They scare me, too,” Jack agreed. “The blond guy in the fireman’s uniform talked briefly about a militia called the People’s Aryan Army. I’d heard that name on Monday from an FBI agent who’s trying to learn about them. Have you ever heard the name?”

“Never,” Warren said.

“Which leads me to ask why you let them go? I would have turned them over to the police in a heartbeat. The police and maybe even the FBI would have loved to get their hands on them.”

“You’re shocked because you really live in a different world, despite occupying this apartment,” Warren said. “You don’t understand about gangs. When I let them go, I was thinking of the neighborhood, not the police department’s or the FBI’s agenda. It’s the same way I didn’t want any of them to get hurt. It’s not because I care about them! Shit, no! It’s because it would start something. They’d be back. It’s been my experience that this way they won’t. Sorta live and let live.”

“I’ll have to kowtow to your experience on this one,” Jack said.