Minta

"Up until 1940, when you started taking legitimate clients, about how many professional criminals did you help evade the law?"

"I have no idea."

"More than a hundred?"

Smile. "Oh, yes. Far more."

"Aren't you afraid of the retribution of justice?"

"At this late date? Hardly."

"You will never be punished by the law."

"Never. I'm sure of it."

"And you obviously haven't lost your money or your social standing. Do you have ulcers, or anything like that?"

"No. I'm perfectly healthy. My doctor says I'll live past ninety. Do you have a point to make?"

"Yes. To my brother here, not to you. He needs an education. He still believes in good guys and bad guys. That they're born that way and stay that way. And that good guys always win and bad guys always lose."

Smile. "A great number of people believe that. It's comforting to them."

I said, "Until the guns come out."