“Power isn’t shown by how hard you crush someone, but by knowing when to let them walk away,” I said.

Samuel took a slow breath, drew a red pen from his breast pocket, and neatly crossed out the forty-eight-hour eviction order.

“I’ll have Oscar Garza deliver the revised settlement terms to the house in Zapopan tonight.”

“Tell him I need a signed acknowledgment before midnight,” I said.

At half past eight, the desk phone in the library chimed twice.

Samuel tapped the speaker button, and Oscar Garza’s voice filled the high-ceilinged room, thin and hollow over the cell connection.

“I’m standing on the front porch of the house in Zapopan,” Oscar said.