In NYC there are the Lambs, the Friars, and the Players. Maurice Jenkins-Lloyd, a member of one of the organizations and known to Matt Scudder through their shared fate of alcoholism, died of a ruptured esophagus. At this stage Scudder attends AA and has handed in his police badge and functions as an unlicensed PI. He is looking for Paula Hoeldtke. Paula is from Muncie, Indiana. She attended Ball State, majoring in theater. The theater was an excuse for her to go to NYC. Unfortunately she has been missing for more than two months and her father has contacted Scudder to try to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Joe Durkin, Scudder's police contact, calls the hospitals for him. It is discovered that Paula moved out of her residence without telling the landlady. It seems that Paula had not held membership in any of the unions or clubs for actors, but by fine-combing the two theater programs featuring her, Scudder develops some leads to pursue in the search. Paula's last place of employment had been the Druid's Castle, an English-style pub. When a man from AA, Eddie dies, Matt Scudder arranges to meet one of the local tough guys, Mick Ballou. He finds out that Eddie had been friends with Mick's brother Dennis, a victim of the War in Vietnam.
