Most people were intimidated by him.
She wasn’t.
He gestured toward the kitchen.
“The housekeeper before you left yesterday.”
“Why?”
“She said she couldn’t work here.”
Luía nodded.
“Where should I start?”
Ricardo pointed down the hallway.
“The kitchen.”
“All right.”
She picked up her backpack.
And walked away.
Ricardo watched her go.
Neither of them noticed Mariana watching from behind the staircase.
The twelve-year-old whispered to her sisters:
“She’s different.”
Bianca frowned.
“How?”
Mariana’s eyes narrowed.
“She isn’t scared.”
PAGE 3
Luía started with the kitchen.
She didn’t knock on doors.
She didn’t call for the children.
She didn’t try to impress anyone.
She simply worked.
She cleaned the counters.
Washed dishes.
Organized the pantry.
Wiped fingerprints from the refrigerator.
Opened windows.
Collected toys.
And all the while, she could feel six pairs of eyes watching her.
The first attack came forty minutes later.
A bucket of water tipped over above the kitchen doorway.
