And it had worked for him for years, because often enough it is true — often enough the fear does its job and the woman disappears and the man moves on.

He said it to me like a fact of nature.

He had no idea he was about to watch it fail in real time.

The door to the adjoining room opened again.

Chapter 9 — People Like You

Catalina came in with her advocate and a court-certified interpreter beside her, though she did not, in the end, need the interpreter for the sentence that mattered.