“Don’t talk shit about your dad,” Donatti said.

“It isn’t shit! It’s the way I feel. And I can feel however I want!” She burst into tears. “I hate everything! Except Mommy.”

“Mommy is worth loving.”

Juleen continued to wail. Donatti shook his head. Gabe had been a pain in the ass, but never like this.

“Stop crying. You’re giving me a headache and I’m already in a bad mood.”

The little girl clamped her hands over her mouth to soften the sobs.

“Listen to me.” Donatti rolled his eyes. “Are you listening?”

“Yes.”

“Juleen, your father is a good man. He’s a doctor. He heals people.” Donatti paused. “I’m not a good man. I used to shoot people dead. And I’ve been shot before—several times. I don’t want to die, but I’ve come close to death, so maybe it isn’t as scary for me.”

She didn’t respond.

“Like if I was in an operating room,” Donatti said, “I’d be scared. Everyone has different things that scare them, okay?”

“But you think he’s a coward. You told him to man up.”

“I was giving him a pep talk, that’s all.”

“Will Sanjay be okay?”

“I sure as hell hope so.”

“The bad men want money, right?”

“Right.”

“And you’re paying them, right?”

“Right. But you can’t tell your mother that.”

“Why don’t you just pay them and they’ll release Sanjay?”

“That’s really none of your business.” When she didn’t talk, Donatti said, “Juleen, people like these men … you just don’t do what they say right away. They won’t respect you. And if they don’t respect you, they won’t listen to you. I don’t know everything, but I know how bad people think.”

“And what you’re doing will help Sanjay?”

“I hope so. But nothing is certain.” He went over to her and knelt down. He put his hands on her small, bony shoulders. “What I need you to do is to be a very good actress. Because Mommy is going to ask you questions. You need to pretend that you don’t know what she’s talking about. Can you do that?”

She nodded.

“Good girl.” Donatti stood up.

“You love Mommy, don’t you?”

He paused. No sense lying. She was going to find out eventually. “Yes.”

“Are you going to marry her?”

“She’s already married to your father.”

“They’re divorcing.”

“I know.”

“Will you marry her after she and Father are divorced?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you divorce Mommy?”

“None of your business.”

But she persisted. “Did you divorce Mommy because of Father?”

Donatti looked at her. She was bright and she was curious. Traits both good and bad for survival. “There were lots of reasons for our divorce. Your father was just one of them.”

“Was it because you beat her?”