“And you examined them, of course.”
“Of course. And in the next weeks sometime I’ll be operating on one of them.”
“For . . .”
“That’s not information I can share, Mezzanotte.”
Back to last names; some progress was being made. “Well then,” he said. “Tell me about some other surgery, something you’ve done recently.”
She gave him a frankly suspicious glance. “You’re not interested in the fine points of suturing internal incisions.”
“But I am. Really, I’m curious.”
She started slowly. As she went on and saw that he was paying attention, that his curiosity was sincere, she spoke more freely. Jack listened closely, because he had the idea that later there might be a quiz. It was one he wanted to pass.
? ? ?
UNLIKE THE DEEP quiet at the Catholic orphan asylum that had made such an impression on Anna, the offices of the Society for the Protection of Endangered Children were chaotic. The society occupied most of an older building on Thirty-first Street, three floors of offices and children. Anna’s first impression was that the place was cramped and overextended, but then that had been true of most of the agencies she had seen thus far. There was no lack of orphaned and homeless children, but funding was always sparse.
They passed a large room where a group of a dozen boys had presented themselves for some kind of meeting, all of them subdued. Anna paused to scan the faces she saw there. Two of the boys were of the right age, but neither of them was Tonino Russo. She knew it was na?ve to hope that this search would end so quickly and easily, but then she realized that Jack Mezzanotte was studying the boys as well. It seemed that the detective sergeant was less cynical than she would have expected.
They found the door they were looking for, and Jack opened it for Anna.
? ? ?
ANNA STARTED BY relating the short history of the Russo children in as far as she knew it. Jack had added some details, watching the superintendent and not liking what he saw. Mr. Johnson swiveled his chair away to look over the street as Anna finished, running a hand over his scalp. He had long, thin fingers that tapered like candlesticks.
“Let me understand this correctly,” he said when he turned back to them. “These boys you’re looking for are not any blood relation?”
“They are not,” Anna said. “But my family has taken in the girls, and we would do the same for the boys if we can find them.”
“And why, may I ask, would an unmarried lady with such an advanced education want to take on the trouble of four Italian orphans?”
Jack didn’t like the man’s tone or the implications. Anna seemed not to notice or care, because she answered him.
“I myself was orphaned very young,” she said. “My cousin—who is also a physician—was orphaned at ten. We were fortunate to be taken in by a loving aunt who is agreed on this course of action. I am very aware of the responsibilities, and our finances are in good order.”
It didn’t answer the question he had asked, but it told him what she wanted him to know.
“The whole idea is very irregular,” said Mr. Johnson.
“We’re not asking for your permission,” Jack said flatly. “Consider this a police matter, if that suits you better. Two little boys have gone missing from St. Patrick’s Orphan Asylum. We want to know if one or both of them might have come through here, and where they would be if they had. Now, can you help us?”
Mr. Johnson was taking great pains not to look intimidated, but Jack saw the flutter of an errant muscle at the corner of his eye. A man who was easily insulted and slow to forget. His inclination was to deny them help, but he also had a solid understanding of what trouble the law could be if he made an enemy of a detective.
“We wouldn’t have taken the baby,” he said. “But it’s possible that the older boy went out with one of the groups that left last week. Before we go any further, Dr. Savard, you do realize that there are thousands of destitute and homeless children in this city.”
“Tens of thousands,” Anna said, her tone much cooler.
“And I hope you’ve already submitted queries to the Catholic Church?”
When she assured him that they had, he got up to leave. “I may be a half hour or more,” he said, and closed the door behind himself.
? ? ?
THE OFFICE WAS small and overheated, and Anna felt perspiration gathering beneath the weight of her hair and along her spine. She stood abruptly, but Jack was already at the door and holding it open for her.