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“Stop,” my father cries out “Stop, please! I’ll tell you”

“Where?” Stefanov demands

“In the bathroo”

“Go,” Stefanov says to Pavlov even as the latter hurries froht you could blackmail me?”

“No,”to hand it over once I knehom I could trust”

“Not very clever” Stefanov shakes his head “I own the police force”

“Not everyone,” my father says bravely

Pavlov returns with a plastic bag dangling fro with his superior and docu we pay him”

Stefanov nods “You did the right thing, Viktor Now you and your family will live I’ll even reward you handsoive me? For every other piece of information you hand over, I’ll double the price”

My father’s head drops “No”

“I think he’s telling the truth,” Pavlov says

Stefanov’s voice is clear, his coas”

My aze to the stove “No” The whispered word is filled with dread

Pavlov turns on the gas

Stefanov takes a lighter frohts the fat white candle that stands on the table, the one my mom used to save electricity

“No,” my mother cries

“You said you’d let us go,”from his mouth onto his vest

“The boy is almost fifteen,” Pavlov says “He’ll be a problem for us later”