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

He held up Lucia’s phone. “I believe what I saw. I believe what I heard from under that bed. I believe the neighbor you told me was crazy. I believe my daughter.”

Lucia covered her mouth and cried harder.

Thomas put one arm around her, careful, afraid she might flinch.