Vialoux said, ‘I heard … man, I heard all kinds of stories.’

Marshall didn’t answer.

‘I mean … I heard your op went pretty bad. Everyone heard about your shootout, up by the park. And then you just seemed to disappear and … yeah. People said maybe witness protection, maybe you’d left the country or something.’

‘I was in New Mexico a few years, but I’ve been back up here since 2016.’

‘And no one’s murdered you.’ Vialoux managing a smile.

‘Yeah. Knock on wood. I do a fair bit of looking over my shoulder.’

Marshall slid his can aside, like it might open up the conversation, get them to the heart of the matter. He’d had to wait ten minutes for the dew line to draw down below the rim, giving him space to get a thumb on there without disrupting the moisture pattern. He didn’t know why he had to do it that way but he did. Situations came at him with information, parameters for action. He didn’t know why. Some part of his head gave him rules and he followed them.

He said, ‘All right. Lay it out for me.’

Vialoux’s shirt was open two buttons. He jutted his chin and tugged some more slack out of his tie. Marshall saw his Adam’s apple dip and come back.

Vialoux said, ‘I got in sorta deep with guys I shouldn’t have.’

‘All right.’

He waited, but Vialoux was taking his time, rolling his wine-glass stem between his thumb and forefinger, giving that small motion a lot of focus. Back in 2010, he’d been a narc detective at Brooklyn South, and always seemed sure of himself, the way people do when they’re on a path that means something to them. Right now, sitting hunched and thirty pounds lighter, missing that magic weight of a gold shield and a gun, he looked as if everything central to his happiness was being slowly crossed off a list.

Marshall said, ‘I’m not going to see it any different, whether you say it fast or say it slow.’

Vialoux looked up. ‘You probably figured this isn’t something I can take to the front desk of the precinct.’

‘There are other people you can call. Even if you’re not completely spotless on this. But I don’t even know what we’re talking about yet. There’s no point saying it in riddles. Just lay it out plain for me.’

Vialoux didn’t seem to hear him. He said, ‘I just want to let you know before we get into it. So you know what kind of circus you’re showing up for.’