Milo said, “So he went missing on Friday.”
“He was supposed to be back by three. I arrived at four, usually it’s seven but Marcella had to get ready for her trip so I helped her out. Marcella was super concerned, she said she’d drive around looking for him but couldn’t do it for very long because she had to get ready for her trip. I told her not to worry, I’d take care of it. Which is when I began making calls. When I didn’t hear anything Friday or Saturday and then today, I was really scared. But hopeful, you know? Benny’s Level One, maybe he could take care of himself for a bit.”
She looked at us, doubtful. “I always try to be hopeful even though it’s stupid!”
Her hands began to shake and her eyes glazed.
I said, “You go to school during the day and work all night? Tough schedule.”
“It’s actually not that bad. When I’m here I mostly get to sleep unless a resident has an issue and when they do it’s almost always short-term—bad dreams, someone wants water or a snack. Also, I only have classes twice a week—graduate seminars, both in the afternoon, so I can catch up on the other days.”
“How did the other residents react to Benny not coming home?”
“A couple asked, I told them Benny had an appointment, he’d be back. No one argued. They’re like that. Docile—does that sound patronizing? They’recooperative,very gentle people. And Saturday was a field trip, Descanso Gardens, they came home exhausted. It’ll be like that today ’cause of the zoo. We try to keep them occupied.”
“Where did Benny go on Friday?”
“To his job. An art gallery, sweeping up,” said Justine Merck. “Obviously I phoned them first, they said he’d been there until two, two thirty, as usual, seemed fine when he left. It’s not a strict schedule, they basically let him hang around.”
I said, “He likes the zoo but chose not to go.”
“He liked having a job. It made him feel…meaningful—this is a nightmare!”
The first tissue was soaked and compressed. Milo gave her another and she blew her nose noisily.
“I even looked for him right here. In his room, every other room, the backyard. Even though I knew that was irrational. Wanting to dosomething,you know?”
I said, “Of course. How many doors are there?”
“The front where you came in and in back, from the laundry area to the backyard.”
“So if no one was at the rear of the house, someone could come and go without being noticed.”
“I guess so.” Justine Merck wrung her hands. “We don’t lock them up, it’s not a jail, the whole point is fostering independence. Benny loved his job. Loved art, loved to draw.”
Milo said, “Was he talented?”
She slumped. “He drew me stick figures. I told him they were fantastic.”
“What’s the name of the gallery where he worked?”
“Verlang Contemporary, it’s on Hart Street, not far.”
“Benny walked.”
“It’s less than a mile, and he always went during daylight. When he started, a student volunteer accompanied him. After a week, he insisted on doing it himself. That’s consistent with our approach.”
“How long had he been working there?”
“Months,” she said.
Milo said, “What’s Marcella’s full name and number?”
“Marcella McGann. Hold on.” Justine Merck stood, took a moment to steady herself, hurried out and returned scrolling a cellphone. She read off the number. “But like I said, she’s on vacation.”
“Where?”
“Mexico—Cabo, I think. With her boyfriend, they’d been planning it for a while.”
