“Bring me the girl,” the warden ordered.
Chapter 2: The Meeting
Three hours later, the prison gates opened, and a white SUV pulled up in front of the facility. The air outside was heavy, thick with humidity and the fading light of late afternoon. A social worker stepped out of the vehicle, holding the hand of a small girl, no older than eight. She had blonde hair, serious eyes, and an air of maturity far beyond her years.
Salomé Fuentes stepped out onto the cold, unforgiving ground, her feet steady as she walked toward the prison doors. She didn’t cry, she didn’t seem afraid. She walked with the kind of confidence that only comes from the pure innocence of a child who has yet to be tainted by the cruelty of the world.
The inmates watched her as she passed, their voices quieting and their eyes following her every step. There was something about her that commanded respect, even from men who had lived a lifetime behind bars.
