Dallas tasted her tears on her lips. She missed her father. She felt her heart, and the back of her throat, and the pain in the arch of her back as she struggled to keep her body away from the man holding the gun.

—Don’t mess with me, Hush said, threatening the sweaty man who was still laughing, grabbing at Dallas’s breast, squeezing her breast with his hand, licking her neck as he pulled her chain with his teeth. The same necklace she had been wearing since the day she was born.

—Shut up, Dallas said, knowing that Hush’s threats were making it worse.

—Help! Help! Police! Police! screamed the old German lady with the hairy upper lip.

Bobby, Arnold, and Lalo heard the scream.

—It’s your sister, Lalo said as they approached the scene. He pulled a gun from his pants.

—What the fuck? Bobby didn’t recognize Lalo for a minute.

Bobby had Arnold’s gun in his hand. He followed Lalo’s lead and between both of them, they surrounded the mugger holding Dallas with one arm and the gun with the other.

—Bobby! Dallas cried. The sight of him made her lose the feeling in her knees. She slipped from under the mugger’s arms and ran toward Hush. —Bobby! They screamed in unison. The mugger pointed the gun at Bobby.

—Help! Help! Police! Police! continued the old German lady.

—Shut the fuck up, Bobby shouted, waving the gun at the old lady.

When they heard the sirens approaching, Lalo ran away and was chased, caught down the street, and thrown on the ground. The driver of the van pulled away, the mugger tried to escape toward the van’s opened door, dropping the gun. There was a bang. The mugger, on the ground, held his leg. When Bobby opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded; the colorful lights from the cop cars danced about over his face.

—Where’s my son? Esperanza charged into the precinct. She had watched L.A. Law for too many years and knew that they couldn’t lock up her Bobby for no good reason.

—What do you mean, juvenile delinquent? Assault? Drugs? Possession of a deadly weapon? My Bobby?

The city was under new management and there was “zero tolerance” for juvenile offenders. Between Bobby’s association with Lalo, who was on probation for drugs, the possession of a deadly weapon, and the gun wound inflicted on the mugger by Bobby, his case didn’t look good.

—He saved my life, Dallas said as his corroborating witness. —We were getting mugged. That man was ready to kill me.

—But why did Bobby shoot after the mugger had already dropped the gun? Did Bobby have a history with the alleged mugger? the police officer asked.

—No. Of course not, Dallas said.

—It says here he threatened to shoot Ms. Schoberth, when she called out for the police.

—She’s a liar. He told her to be quiet. That’s all.

—Officer, can’t you let my Bobby come home? Esperanza pleaded.

—What do you know about Lalo Martinez, Mrs. Esperanza?