Американские боги

           ‘Oh,Soapy,Soapy,’hesays,‘thesearethefinestthatyou’vemadeyet!You’reacraftsman,thatyouare!’

           "Aself-satisfiedsmilespreadsacrossthebishop’sface.‘Youcan’tprovenothing,’saysthebishop.‘Andthebanksaidthattheywereonthelevel.It’stherealgreenstuff.’‘I’msuretheydid,’agreesthecoponthebeat,‘butIdoubtthatthebankhadbeenwarnedthatSoapySylvesterwasintown,norofthequalityofthehundred-dollarbillshe’dbeenpassinginDenverandinSt.Louis.’Andwiththathereachesintothebishop’spocketandpullsoutthenecklace."Twelvehundreddollars’worthofdiamondsandpearlsinexchangeforfiftycents’worthofpaperandink,’saysthepoliceman,whoisobviouslyaphilosopheratheart.‘Andpassingyourselfoffasamanofthechurch.Youshouldbeashamed,’hesays,asheclapsthehandcuffsonthebishop,whoisobviouslynobishop,andhemarcheshimaway,butnotbeforehegivesthejewelerareceiptforboththenecklaceandthetwelvehundredcounterfeitdollars.It’sevidence,afterall."

           "Wasitreallycounterfeit?"askedShadow.

           "Ofcoursenot!Freshbanknotes,straightfromthebank,onlywithathumbprintandasmudgeofgreeninkonacoupleofthemtomakethemalittlemoreinteresting."

           Shadowsippedhiscoffee.Itwasworsethanprisoncoffee."Sothecopwasobviouslynocop.Andthenecklace?"

           "Evidence,"saidWednesday.