Gone, Baby, Gone
Dennis Lehane
 Boston based lovers and private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are hired by a woman to look into the case of her niece, Amanda McCready, whose disappearance has become an important local news story. They take the case despite the seeming reluctance off the girl's uncle Lionel. During the investigation they quickly come to the conclusion that Amanda's mother, Helene, who has been prominently featured in the news stories about the case, is a degenerate and neglectful parent. At the time of Amanda's disappearance, Helene had left her alone for several hours while she partied at a local dive bar. In another incident, Helene had left her daughter unsupervised on the beach for several hours, resulting in the girl getting a terrible sunburn. While Helene has been pleading with the public for her daughter's return, in private she often seems more concerned about her own life and the possible benefit the publicity might have on it. In perhaps the most irresponsible act of parenting, Patrick and Angie discover that Helene had taken Amanda along while she and her then boyfriend Skinny Ray stole several thousand dollars from men working for the imprisoned drug dealer Cheese. Patrick and Angie quickly begin working with police officers Remy Broussard and Nick "Poole" Raftopoulous. The police receive an apparent ransom demand calling for a meetup at the Quincy Quarries. Under cover of Darkness, Angie, Patrick, Poole and Remy arrive at the quarry, but before they can meet the kidnappers a confused gun battle breaks out, resulting in the death of a couple of gangsters working for Cheese and the disappearance of the ransom money. Angie finds Amanda's favorite doll, which had been taken along with her, in the water of the quarry and they conclude that the little girl was likely thrown in and drowned. Later on, Patrick learns that Remy had previously worked in the unit responsible for investigating crimes against children and that he had known Lionel, Helene's brother. Questioning Lionel, he discovers that the whole kidnapping had been orchestrated at Lionel's behest in order to get Amanda away from Helene's neglectful care. Remy and Poole, disguised as burglars, stage a hold up of the bar where Patrick, Angie, and Lionel are meeting and kill Lionel. Patrick gives chase to Remy and mortally wounds him. Remy confesses that he is part of a small ring of cops who take children from abusive and neglectful homes and place them with caring competent parents. The first child had been his own daughter, who he had found as an infant malnourished and abused in a crack house, her birth parents were so disinterested in her welfare that they didn't even file a missing persons report after Remy took her. He, Poole, and their Captain, had taken Amanda after Remy learned of Helene's neglectful parenting from Lionel. Patrick and Angie go to the captain's beach home where they discover Amanda McCready, apparently happy and well care for. The Captain begs Patrick and Angie not to reveal Amanda's whereabouts, insisting that she will be placed with a loving family. Angie and Patrick argue about the proper course with Patrick finally informing the authorities about the kidnapping. Angie, disappointed, leaves Patrick. it:La casa buia sv:Gone, Baby, Gone