“I mentioned the young girls hanging out with the Pakistanis on the Strip. The local police don’t seem to know much about it, or think much of it. Does it go on? Have you noticed anything like that?”

“I’m afraid not. I don’t have any reason to go there. I don’t live around here. Soon as it’s time to go home, I’m gone.”

“Very sensible,” said Gerry. “But it’s a divided area, I hear. There’s a large Muslim community, mostly people of Pakistani descent.”

“True,” said O’Byrne. “But we don’t have a lot to do with them.”

“Why’s that?”

“They don’t want us putting our noses in their business. They take care of their own families in their own way, according to their own customs, traditions and laws. I mean, some of our staff are from the community, and they have special ties, of course. They’ve occasionally been involved in certain domestic issues, but as a rule, by far most of our work comes from the largely white estates.”

“I see,” said Gerry. “And you find it easiest not to help?”

“Not to interfere. Yes. Best for everyone, all round.”

“So you leave them to their own vigilante brand of justice?”

“I’d say justice is your job, not mine. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“No matter what they do?”

O’Byrne managed a weak laugh. “Do? They don’t do anything that anyone else doesn’t do. Besides, we’re not the police. I’ll bet your police up here have far less trouble with them than with the local white population. Binge-drinking, vandalism, shoplifting, drugs, graffiti and the like. Some of those kids are just out of control, and their parents aren’t much better.” He paused. “Believe me, we try to be sensitive to issues of race and cultural differences, and we try to be color-blind. It’s an awkward balance, and I’d be the first to admit that it doesn’t really work and we don’t always get it right. We’re only human, after all.”

“Have you talked to members of the community, people from the mosque, the imams?”

“No. But I know what their answer would be.”

“What?”

“If they do these things, they can’t be true Muslims, therefore, they’re not our problem.”

“That’s a bit shortsighted, isn’t it?”

“Tell that to the imam.”