Американские боги

           "

           "So,"saidChiefofPoliceChadMulligan,wipingthehotchocolatefoamfromaroundhislips."IfigurewestopoffnextatHenning’sFarmandHomeSupplies,getyouarealwinterwardrobe,swingbyDave’sFinestFood,soyoucanfillyourlarder,thenI’lldropyouupbyLakesideRealty.Ifyoucanputdownathousandupfrontforthecarthey’llbehappy,otherwisefivehundredamonthforfourmonthsshouldseethemokay.It’sanuglycar,likeIsaid,butifthekidhadn’tpainteditpurpleit’dbeaten-thousand-dollarcar,andreliable,andyou’llneedsomethinglikethattogetaroundthiswinter,youaskme."

           "Thisisverygoodofyou,"saidShadow."Butshouldn’tyoubeoutcatchingcriminals,nothelpingnewcomers?NotthatI’mcomplaining,youunderstand."

           Mabelchuckled."Wealltellhimthat,"shesaid.

           Mulliganshrugged."It’sagoodtown,"hesaid,simply."Notmuchtrouble.You’llalwaysgetsomeonespeedingwithincitylimits—whichisagoodthing,astrafficticketspaymywages.Friday,Saturdaynightsyougetsomejerkwhogetsdrunkandbeatsonaspouse—andthatonecangobothways,believeme.Menandwomen.AndIlearnedwhenIwasontheforceinGreenBay,I’dratherattendabankrobberythanadomesticinabigcity.Butoutherethingsarequiet.Theycallmeoutwhensomeone’slockedtheirkeysintheirvehicle.Barkingdogs.