But she couldn't worry about Sam, not now, and she turned her attention to the man in front of her.

This guy Glitsky was in some kind of trouble, Christina thought. He appeared, even at a casual first glance, to be under incredible pressure, in the grip of some strong emotion he was struggling to keep under control. She noticed his fingers clenching and unclenching before he reached out and shook her hand. A surprise, it was a gentle handshake, his touch softer than she would have imagined.

The half-smile he gave her didn't soften his looks any, though. 'I'm investigating the murder of Tania Willows, and Sam was telling me you had talked to her?'

Christina nodded.

Tentative, embarrassed and unsure, Tania Willows had been their most recent tragedy. Nineteen years old, just out to San Francisco from Fargo, North Dakota, she had come to the Center three times. She was being raped, she thought. She meant she thought it was technically rape. She didn't have a relationship with the guy, who was older. She was confused because she knew her assailant – he didn't jump out and attack her from behind some bush. So she wasn't sure if it was really rape.

He'd started coming by her apartment, gradually getting more aggressive, and then he'd force himself on her – she was sure of that – but she also seemed almost certain that it wasn't like he was going to hurt her or anything like that.

He never even hit her, though there was this sense of fear, that if she didn't… Maybe she had somehow been at fault, leading him on – did Christina know what she meant? How it could be? Sending the wrong signals.

But she definitely felt forced, was forced – she had kept telling him no and he wouldn't stop – but otherwise Tania didn't think the person was like a criminal or anything, and really all she wanted was for him to leave her alone now. She didn't want to get him in trouble, maybe she shouldn't even be here…