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Это был уже второй арест за угон. Стокса отправили в силморскую детскую колонию на шесть месяцев.

By the time his period of rehabilitation was completed he was returned by a judge to his parents. Though the Blaylocks heard from him on occasion and even saw him during his infrequent visits to the neighborhood, they had other children still in their care and soon drifted from contact with the boy.

When Blaylock went to make the coffee Bosch settled into what he thought would be an uncomfortable silence with Audrey. But then she spoke to him.

"Twelve of our children graduated from college," she said. "Two have military careers. One followed Don into the fire service. He works in the Valley." She nodded at Bosch and he nodded back.

"We've never considered ourselves to be one hundred percent successful with our children," she continued. "We did our best with each one. Sometimes the circumstances or the courts or the youth authorities prevented us from helping a child. John was one of those cases. He made a mistake and it was as if we were to blame. He was taken from us ... before we could help him." All Bosch could do was nod.

"You seemed to know of him already," she said. "Have you already spoken to him?"

"Yes. Briefly."

"Is he in jail now?"

"No he's not "_

По отбытии срока суд вернул его к родителям. Хотя он звонил Блейлокам и даже изредка наведывался к ним в Лорел-каньон, вскоре они потеряли контакт с этим мальчиком.

Когда Блейлок вышел из комнаты, Босх пригото-вился к неловкому молчанию с Одри.

Но она заговорила с ним.

- Из наших детей двенадцать окончили колледж, -сказала она. - Двое поступили на военную службу. Один пошел по стопам Дона в пожарную охрану. Работает в Долине. -

Одри кивнула Босху и продолжила: - Мы никогда не считали себя совершенно удачливыми с детьми. Заботились мы о них как могли. Иногда обстоятельства, суды или органы по делам несовершеннолетних не давали нам помочь ребенку. Случай с Джонни - один из таких. Он допустил ошибку, и получилось так, будто виноваты мы. Его забрали от нас... до того, как мы смогли ему помочь. Вы как будто уже знаете о нем. Разговаривали с ним?

- Да. Недолго.

- Он сейчас в тюрьме?

- Нет, на свободе.

- Какую жизнь вел Джонни после того... как мы его знали?

Bosch spread his hands apart.

"He hasn't done well. Drugs, a lot of arrests, prison."

She nodded sadly.

"Do you think he killed that boy in our neighborhood? While he was living with us?" Bosch could tell by her face that if he were to answer truthfully he would knock down everything she had built out of what was good in what they had done. The whole wall of pictures, the graduation gowns and the good jobs would mean nothing next to this.

"I don't really know. But we do know he was a friend of the boy who was killed."