"I can. I would personally have thought that disclosure would cause most opponents to think twice, but how this city functions is still beyond me."

He casually cleaned off his knife, which had seen heavy work that night. "You have found substitutes, I would assume, and that takes will. Effort. Those are good things. But I was not even aware you had much of a history with the Major, other than being targeted owing to being a police officer."

He reached into a top pocket, pulling out a battered package of cigarettes.

"At any rate, I am a fellow officer, am I not?"