“I can’t believe it.” Duke took a moment to process and then said, “Make sure you talk to Pops. He has Roland on tape, admitting he did it, and that he knew I was innocent And Pops also has threatening letters from that nutbag Regina. The extortionist even signed her name.”

Kinley snorted. “Of course she did. No one has ever accused Roland of being a genius, but Regina may just be a rung below him.”

“I think Roland was a coward, and I can’t forgive him for killing Mark,” Duke said darkly, “but what Regina’s been doing … it’s crazy. She’s sick. How did we not see it?”

“I know. She wasn’t always nice, but I had no idea she was straight-up evil.” Kinley brought her phone out, set it in her lap. “Regina probably can’t pay back what she’s stolen, but it’s her life behind bars that I want, anyway. I want to know that her beautiful body is going to wither, that she’ll get fat and her tits will sag, sitting on an uncomfortable bunk reading old Redbook magazines, and that the prisoners treat the stuck-up bitch like they do the pedophiles and baby killers.”

“But what about Roland?” said Duke. “He’s gonna go to prison, too.”

“And don’t you think he should? He might have shot Mark on accident, but when he ran away, he started a chain of events and he did nothing to stop it, even when it hurt you.”

“Remind me not to piss you off, Kinley. That’s your husband you’re talking about.”

“It was time to upgrade, anyway.” She held up her phone. “So, who gets to tell Regina the police are on their way. You? Or me?”

Angel kissed Jose on the forehead. He was clammy but his vitals were stable. The doctors had just left, telling Gabriela and Angel he was the same and they’d check back in another hour.

Carefully, she withdrew her arm from under the seven-year-old and slid off the hospital bed. Gabriela, halfheartedly clicking through Facebook, glanced up. “Can I get you something?”

Her friend’s worried face comforted the mother to a small degree. To know she wasn’t alone helped keep her from breaking down into a worthless puddle. She thought Duke was still probably around, too, but he hadn’t been in the room in a while.

“I’m going to go find the doctor. I’ll be back before the doctors make their next rounds. I trust you to watch over him, Gabriela. Call me if something happens.” She left before Gabriela could argue further. She had to do this.

On her way out, Angel locked eyes with the head of pediatrics, who stood behind the desk, on her phone.