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clouded again. “I’ll never forget whenwe carried the wounded to the hospital tents or where the hospital was supposed to be, at least. The wounded men had lost their packs, and the doctors cut off their bloody clothes to bandage them up, and then they didn’t have so much as a shirt to put on them. The wounded were just laying in a field, right on the ground, buck naked most of them. If it hadn’t been for that lady, Clara Barton . . .”
    â€œI read about her in the newspapers.”
    â€œShe sent her people out to buy bolts of fabric, and they cut it up to make sheets so the men didn’t have to lay on the bare ground. And the nurses she brought with her, well, I don’t know how many more men would’ve died if they hadn’t been there.” He stared off again, lost in the dark place Frank couldn’t see.
    â€œHave you talked to the chief?” Frank asked, trying to draw him back. “I’m sure he’ll give you your old job back if you want it.”
    â€œThat’s just it. I’m not sure I do want it.”
    Frank didn’t want to point out that job opportunities for the son of Italian immigrants weren’t too plentiful in the city. “You don’t have to decide today, you know. You can take some time to get used to being home again. I’m sure things will look different to you in a few weeks.”
    â€œThings look different to me now, Mr. Malloy. I saw men die, men even younger than I am. They never got a chance to do anything with their lives. I feel like I owe them something because I lived and they didn’t.”
    â€œWhat do you think you owe them?”
    â€œI . . . I don’t know exactly, but I remember when I first joined the police, I thought I’d help make the city a better place.”
    â€œYou thought you’d get rid of the criminals,” Frank guessed. “Lock them up and throw away the key.”
    â€œYeah. It sounds stupid now, doesn’t it?”
    â€œNo, it doesn’t,” Frank said gently. “We both know it isn’t going to happen, but that doesn’t mean we should quit trying.”
    â€œAre you still trying?”
    Frank sighed, suddenly realizing that he was. “As a matter of fact, I just took a new case yesterday.”
    For the first time since he’d walked in the door, Gino’s eyes lit with interest. “A case? You’re not back on the force, are you?”
    â€œNo, of course not. One of Mr. Decker’s friends asked me to investigate his son’s death, though. We think he was poisoned.”
    â€œYou’re a private detective, then,” Gino said. “Just like when we found those missing girls.”
    â€œI guess I am, at least right now.”
    â€œAnd you think he was poisoned?” Gino leaned forward, his eyes alive now in a way they hadn’t been just a minute ago. “Who do you think did it?”
    Frank leaned back in his own chair and studied the young man for a few seconds. “I’m not sure I should discuss the case with you.”
    Gino stiffened, obviously offended. “Why not?”
    â€œBecause if you’re with the police—”
    â€œI’m not with the police!”
    Frank rubbed his chin, pretending to consider the matter. “On the other hand, if you worked for me, I could tell you.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, if I worked for you?”
    â€œWell, I’m probably going to need some help with this case, and you’re not doing anything right now . . .”
    Now he was really offended. “Wait, I didn’t come here looking for a handout or anything.”
    â€œI haven’t offered you a handout. I’ll pay you if you want to help me work on the case. This friend of Mr. Decker’s is going to pay me, after all. What do you think?”
    Plainly, Gino didn’t know what to think. “I . . . Are you sure?”
    â€œAm I