Childhood Innocence

Elvis Cole associates childhood with innocence and good. This idea drives his personality, his view of people and more specifically how he approaches the case with the Warrens and the missing Hagakure. It takes unraveling this case for Cole to realize that childhood innocence can be tainted.

As Elvis Cole is introduced in the novel he is happily surrounded by Walt Disney figurines and images that help decorate his office. In fact, his private detective license shares its space with a Pinocchio animation. Cole doesn't care that the presence of the cartoon items turn off potential "serious" clients like Bradley Warren. In fact Cole muses at Bradley's reaction as he takes in Cole's surroundings.

Later after Cole's meeting with Malcolm Denning at the Sun Tree Gallery, Cole goes home thinking about the fact that Denning is a family man. He is disturbed that Denning is actually a...