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“We made sure my father-in-law was able to leave to get the police since someone slashed his tires. What are you doing?”
Bella, Rita’s youngest sister, ran over. “Someone’s slashing people’s tires now?”
“Not all of them,” Ariana reassured her. “My dad took our car.”
“Someone’s trying to trap us here.” Bella shook.
Ariana felt bad for the girl. She looked like she could still be in high school. “Do you want me to take you up to your room?”
“Butabuelita…”
“Somebody can let you know when she’s found. Come on, you need some rest.”
Bella nodded, relenting. “If you promise.”
“You have my word.”
She and Damon headed into the hall with Bella, who continued to shudder.
“How can all of this be happening?”
“I’m not sure,” Ari said, “but the police will be here soon, and they’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“That guy who pretended to drown is really dead?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Who would’ve done that?”
“We don’t know,” Damon said. “That’s why it’s important you lock yourself in your room when we get there. Push something against the door if you have to.”
“Dad said something bad would happen this weekend.” Bella sighed deeply.
Ariana and Damon exchanged a confused glance.
“Why did he say that?” Ari asked.
“He’s mad that Rita’s making decisions without his permission.”
“But she’s an adult.”
Bella frowned. “In our church, women and girls don’t have authority over themselves. According to the rules, Rita never should’ve divorced Boone. She was supposed to stay faithful, waiting for him to be released from prison.”
“He’s never getting out,” Ariana said. “Your dad really expects her to wait for him? Never to have kids or a real marriage?”
“Right. Marriage is until death, in good times and bad.”
Ari’s stomach churned acid. “That hardly seems fair.”
Bella shrugged. “That’s the way it is. After her divorce, she should’ve returned to our dad so he could be her authority until he picked out her next husband, if that’s what he believed was best for her.”
“But Rita doesn’t go to that church anymore, and she makes her own decisions. She isn’t under those oppressive rules.”
The girl’s eyes widened. “Oppressive?”
Damon started to say something, but then someone round the corner. The sight of him made them all stop in their tracks.
It was Alonzo.
