The Protector

3

"Good God, what happened to this car?" the automobile paint shop's owner said.

The question was rhetorical. Red and green Day-Glo paint had been sprayed over most of the Taurus.

"Damned kids," Cavanaugh said, although he himself had done the spraying.' "I leave it on the street for a half hour, and this is what I find when I get back."

"The whole thing'll have to be repainted."

"Don't I know it, and the dealership says vandalism isn't covered under the warranty. They want a fortune to repaint it."

The owner got interested. "How much?"

Cavanaugh named so high a figure that the guy would make out like a bandit even if he gave a discount.

"How does a hundred and fifty cheaper sound?" the owner asked.

"Better than I was going to have to pay. But I need the job done in a hurry."

"Sure, sure. What color do you want? The original dark blue?"

"From the day I chose that color, my wife hated it. She says I she wants gray."