As we left, Sean Binchy stepped out of the detectives’ room and hailed us. He’s red-headed and freckled, in his late twenties, as tall as Milo, many pounds lighter. Sean favors four-button suits, bright blue shirts, somber ties, and Doc Martens. Old tattoos are hidden by long sleeves. Short, neat hair replaces the dreads of his music days.

“Hi, Dr. Delaware,” he said cheerfully. “Looks like you’re involved in this one.”

Milo said, “Sean, Dr. Delaware’s scheduled to fly to New York tomorrow morning. I don’t see any reason that should change.”

“Sure, no prob— uh, Loot, I finally got through to the folks Duchay was staying with and they had no idea he’d gone into the city to meet with Dr. Delaware. He told them he was going looking for a job.”

“Where?”

“Construction site,” said Binchy. “There’s an apartment development going up not far from where they live and Duchay went to speak with the supervisor.”

“On Saturday?”

“Guess the site’s open.”

“Verify that, Sean.”

“You bet.”

“What time did he leave for this alleged meeting?” said Milo.

“Five p.m.”

“Guy takes a short walk at five, doesn’t come home all night, and they’re not concerned?”

“They were concerned,” said Binchy. “At seven p.m., they called Van Nuys Division to report him missing, but since he was an adult and not enough time had passed, it wasn’t filed as an official M.P.”

“A convicted murderer wandering around didn’t bother anyone?”

“I don’t know if they mentioned that to Van Nuys.”

“Find out if they did, Sean.”

“Yes, sir.”

I said, “Who was he living with?”

“Some people who take in troubled kids,” said Binchy.

“Duchay was an adult,” said Milo.

“Then it’s troubled people, Loot. They’re ministers, or something.”

“The Daneys?” I said.

“You know them?”

“They were involved with Rand’s case years ago.”

“Back when he killed that little girl,” said Binchy. No rancor in his voice. Every time I’d seen him, his demeanor had been exactly the same: pleasant, unruffled, uncluttered with self-doubt. Maybe still waters did run deep. Or God on your side was the ultimate soul balm.

“Involved how?” said Milo.

“Spiritual advisers,” I said. “They were seminary students.”

Binchy said, “Everyone could use some of that.”

“Didn’t seem to help Duchay,” said Milo.

“Not in this world.” Binchy smiled briefly.

I said, “Both of them were murdered.”

“Both of who, Doc?”

“Rand and Troy Turner.”

“Didn’t know about Turner,” said Milo. “When did that happen?”

“A month after he was in custody.”

“So we’re talking eight years in between. What happened to him?”

I described Troy’s ambush of a Vato Loco, the gang-vengeance theory, the way he’d been hung in the utility closet. “Don’t know if it was ever solved.”