Mingo huffed, sounding a little offended. “They’re beautiful,” he said, as if it were obvious. “Most of the time they’re the color of sand, but when they’re agitated they produce blue rings the size of eraser heads all over their bodies. The rings circle black spots, and the blue is this amazing luminous neon color. These rings, they pulsate with color. Children love them.” He paused. “Those are the casualties you usually see—some kid on vacation in Australia sees a blue-ringed octopus in a tide pool and picks it up.” His mouth turned down with exaggerated disdain. “Tourists,” he explained. “The locals know better. Most cephalopod enthusiasts resist the urge to own one, though. They’re hard to take care of, don’t live long, and there’s always the chance that your grandkid is going to reach in the tank and go home in a box.” He gave Archie a jab with his elbow and winked. “You know what they say about mushrooms and women. The more beautiful they are, the more dangerous.”

Archie felt something hit his cheek and looked up at the concrete sky. The rain was getting worse. It quickened from a drizzle to a constant patter. The others turned their heads up to the sky, too.

“It was too good to last,” Heil said, turning up his hood.

Robbins and the EMTs hurried to load the body onto a gurney and get him in the ambulance.

Mingo adjusted his cap against the drizzle and Susan took shelter under the bridge a few steps away.

“You think they went to the Mission?” Archie asked Heil.

“I called last night. They all made it.”

“You’re kind of a softie,” Archie said.

“I know,” Heil said. His phone rang, and he stepped away to take the call.

At least they knew where to find the street kids, Archie thought. Maybe their friends had seen something. Maybe they hadn’t. But either way, the task force needed to know.

Robbins came jogging back down from the ambulance with something in his hand. He held it out to Archie. In an evidence bag.

“What’s that?” Archie said.

“You know what it is,” Robbins said. “It was in his pocket.”

Archie took the bag. Inside it, lying on its side, was a Star Wars Darth Vader action figure.

Heil returned. “That was the crime lab,” he said. “Fingerprints on the key you found under the boy’s hospital bed are a match to Patrick Lifton.”

Archie closed his eyes for a moment. When he did, the sound of the river blotted out everything.