Benny Stango

Detective Benny Stango is a police officer from New York City who has been assigned to investigating the disappearance of Cindy Meltzer. He seems to be well-meaning for the most part and appears to have the best interests of Cindy at heart. However, he is very suspicious of Mark Meltzer and believes him to be the most likely suspect behind his daughter's disappearance, suggesting on multiple occasions that he thinks Meltzer murdered her. Amanda Meltzer warned Mark that Stango seems to be out to get him.

Stango seems to keep close tabs on Meltzer, perhaps having his activities closely monitored. On one occasion Stango arrested Mark for trespassing after he broke into one of Orrin Oscar Lutwidge's old labs. Another time he left a message questioning what Mark was doing after he came out of the crumbling remains of Lutwidge's Scarlet Sovereign building with a jewelry box and a nearly blank map.

Mark eventually used this suspicion to his advantage when he convinced Stango that he was having a mental breakdown in order to get committed to Tollevue Mental Hospital and get closer to RØd Killian Quain. Stango seemed genuinely concerned for Mark's well-being when he called him during Mark's supposed mental breakdown but when he learned that Mark was quickly released, he seemed more angry than ever.

Answering Machine Messages
Message 1 Hey Meltzer, remember me? Dectective Benny Stango. Y’know, the guy who's looking for ya daughter? Heard you got yourself banged up pretty good, crawling around the docks at 3 in the morning. Hey, I’m sure you’ve got some perfectly reasonable explanation-creature from the black lagoon swimming in the Hudson. Well, gimme a call and let me know what happened. Who knows, I might even believe ya. Friggin’ nutbag.

Message 2 Hey Meltzer old buddy, it’s Benny Stango. I’m startin’ to get worried about ya. Neighbours are telling me they saw some kind of red light flashing around your place the other night. Ya don’t know anything about that, do ya? Gimme a call. At the station. TODAY.

Message 3 Yo Meltzer. Detective Stango here. So I’ve been hearing about weird goings on at all hours of the night. I gotta admit Meltzer, which struck me a little funny. Guy’s studying the disappearance of little girls all over the place, and then his own kid gets kidnapped. Still trying to connect the dots on that one. Hey you know, it just could be the coincidence of the friggin’ century, or it could be you know something you ain’t tellin’. Let’s just say maybe I’m ready to believe you Meltzer. Maybe we oughta have a little conversation. Frankly I’d rather do this easy. But if I don’t get my druthers as you know, we could always do it right. You think about that Meltzer.

Message 4 Meltzer, ol' buddy! Detective Benny Stango. Saw the boys over in Battery Park, tell me they caught you pokin' around some derelict warehouse. I guess you found a pretty little jewellery box, and some kind of crazy map, that was totally blank except for a bunch of arrows. I don't know Meltzer - if I gidn't get inside that screwy head of yours, maybe I'd have this case solved by now. All I know is, I'm gonna check that warehouse. And you better just hope I don't find your little girl - or whatever is left of her.

Message 5 Meltzer! It's detective Benny Stango, hey, I got your message, buddy! You sounded pretty frantic. But there ain't nothing to worry about. Just stay put, some fellas I know down in Long Island, they're coming right quick and I'll be there as fast as a squad car can go. So just take a deep breath, relax and don't do nothing crazy. You don't do nothing silly, you hear? I'm watching out for you buddy.

Message 6 Detective Benny Stango. So I guess you pulled a fast one. The puzzle factory already bounced you out because you was threatening legal action if they tired to hold you without cause. I got this lurking suspicion that your whole little break down was pitched strictly for my benefit. You actually had me worried for a second you son of a bitch. I don't know what you're up to, but you are playing head games with the wrong guy. Watch your step, Meltzer.