"So?"
"So I know that type. I'd met him, once before. I said no. Bruce got mad when I wouldn't even interview this Guido character."
Kintyre smiled. "I know what you mean. It's a side of him that not many people saw. He seldom lost his temper, but when it happened, it was awesome. I hope you kept yours."
"It wasn't easy," said Clayton. "Actually, this was not the first time we'd talked about the brother. There was once, some months ago—but I don't recall the details."
"I believe I remember. It came up à propos des bottes in my office, when you and he and I were discussing the Book of Witches, didn't it? He mentioned having this brother who spoke Italian. You doubted Guido would be qualified for any very responsible position. Yes, it comes back to me now, you got almost obnoxiously smug about how you had started from zero and so could anyone else."
"Less than zero in my case," said Clayton. His mouth twitched downward, ever so faintly.
"It riled Bruce," said Kintyre. "But he got over his mad fast enough. He was almost too reasonable for his own good."
"That sounds contradictory. I shouldn't think a really reasonable man would ever get angry."
"I beg to differ. Some things, it's unreasonable not to get furious about. Atrocities, including some governments whose existence is an atrocity. Or getting back to Bruce, there was the Point Perro incident several months ago."
"What was that?"