HIS NEIGHBOR WOULDN’T STOP REPORTING THE SOUND OF A GIRL CRYING INSIDE HIS HOUSE—THEN HE HID BENEATH HIS DAUGHTER’S BED AND HEARD HER PLEAD FOR SOMEONE TO SPARE HER

Thomas kept his promise.

He listened.

When Lucia said she did not want to visit certain relatives because they still spoke kindly of Veronica, he did not argue. When she said she wanted to testify at a school board hearing about bullying policies, he drove her there and sat in the back row. When she said she was afraid her story would define her, he reminded her that a chapter can be important without being the title.

Veronica tried to contact them twice.