For JoAnn--Gatchman

Junie said that they were two halves of the same coin, and she was right except that it was a coin with two heads, one that smiled and one that scowled, and it was just chance to figure out which half would end up looking out on the world. Junie thought that they were different, but Joe knew that they were the same coin, made of the same things. Same material, when you got right down to it, same hearts although Ken had managed to cover up the violence a little bit better.

But Joe knew the truth, knew that the only reason Ken smiled was because he was there to slouch, boneless and over-the-line insubordinate, and scowl.

Yeah, he needed Ken to pull him back off the fine line between doing the job and enjoying the death.

But Joe knew.

Ken needed him too.