THE BIG AMERICAN AGENT led Irina into a small office, sat her behind the desk in a comfy leather chair, and gestured to a telephone. Irina felt a tightness in her chest as the agent dialed her parents’ number and the phone began to ring in her ear. Anxiety. She wondered how she would tell her parents what had happened, how she would explain that she had lost them their youngest daughter. She wondered how she could dare to speak to them at all, and she reached to hang up the phone as her guilt overwhelmed her.
Before she could hang up, though, her father answered. She hesitated, closed her eyes, and began, haltingly, to explain. She was afraid of his anger when he found out how she’d failed him.
But her father already knew about Catalina. Her father, she realized, was crying.
“They came to the house,” her father told her through his tears. “Someone, in the night. They left a picture of Catalina, a warning for us. For the whole town.”
Irina felt sickness in her stomach. Felt like she was going to throw up.
“They slaughtered Sasha-dog,” her father said, and Irina pictured Catalina’s little mutt and felt a dam burst inside of her, began to cry as her father choked back his own sobs. “They warned us that if we contact the authorities, they will do the same to Catalina.”
“I’m sorry,” Irina told. “I’m so sorry, Papa.”
Over the phone line, her father wept bitter, helpless tears that scared Irina almost more than anything she had endured. If the devil-faced man could turn her father into this kind of terrified mess, what would he do to Catalina?
Then her father regained control. She could hear him blowing his nose, and when he came back his voice was clear again. “These people are evil, Irina,” he told her. “There is nothing you can do to stop them. Come home and help us pray, for Catalina’s sake.”
> > >
IRINA PUT DOWN THE PHONE. Felt suddenly claustrophobic in the tiny office, suffocated by fear. Her sister was in danger. Irina was in danger, too, imprisoned here with these men.
She would not go home, she decided. Going home would accomplish nothing. But staying here, sitting and doing nothing, would be just as stupid. Every minute she waited was another minute of Catalina’s life wasted. Catalina didn’t have much more time to waste. And it wasn’t like the police were finding her anyway.
Maria was watching her. So was the young FBI agent. Irina swallowed. Welled up her courage and looked at the translator. “I want to leave this place,” she said. “Please. I will find my sister myself.”