Chapter 21

“Yeah, I know. But damn it, Armand. We’re talking about kids who have nowhere to go and few defenses against the predators. At least the adults—”

“Are in just as perilous a position,” Kingston said. “Believe me when I say, they get attacked too. And some of them have families they have to protect. Get more of them off the streets and into safe, affordable housing and then we can think about where and how to do the same for the kids.”

“Isn’t that always the way,” Tino muttered. “Shove them aside. Throw them away. Do the best you can to ignore them. They might make you feel something, if you admit they exist and have a right to be helped.”

“Tino,” Armand cautioned. “Calm down. One step at a time. We know we can put our money to use to house adults and families and help them gain some hope and self-respect. That way they can begin to deal with the problems that made them end up on the streets to begin with.”