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As, and exited the vehicle I got out and eyed the place Where were the kids? The place looked deserted How rew up? Or the ones where I’d spent ti case I’d handled only last fall

We negotiated the buckled concrete ay to the front door As Strange thy wait, the door creaked open A short, brownfaded jeans and a white wife-beater shirt, stood in the doorway He leaned on a set of crutches, his right foot encased in plaster

“Can you tell him who I am?” I asked Amber

Amber leaned toward me “I know I’ll make the introductions, tell him who you represent, then ask him if he’s ever heard of Maria Benitez Okay?”

That seeh, so I nodded

Aed him in conversation in Spanish He nodded I heard herBut then he shook his head

“Gracias,” Amber said She turned tohere has mentioned the name Maria Benitez on occasion However, he doesn’t know anything else about her”

“Okay Could you ask him, who lives here and where are they? Who is the woman who mentioned Maria and where is she?”

Amber relayed my questions to him in Spanish He responded

“They’re all working right now,” she said “Luisa works as a crab picker You’ll find her at the processing plant about half a mile from here”

“Is Luisa his wife?”

“No, she’s his cousin” Amber turned to face me directly “He says five families live here That’s pretty typical And I’ve seen much worse”

When A plant, she said, “Why don’t I go in and see if I can find Luisa and sn

eak her out here? Sheasked questions in the presence of her coworkers”

“Sure,” I said