"Would you like to come with us too, young lady?" says the cop.
"I happen to be older than you. And besides, it's him that you want", she says, pointing to Doug.
"Huh?" says the cop, looking and sounding very stupid right now.
"That's Francois, the victim. I already told you their names on the phone, three times", says Melissa. "Remember?"
"You didn't tell me that he was black."
"And what difference is that supposed to make?"
"You're name's Francois?" says the cop. "That happens to be my father's name. What's a black guy doing with a French name?"
"I was born and raised in Montreal", Francois says coolly.
"Can you show me some id?"
"Chad, just cool it, eh?" says the senior cop. "We already got our man", he says looking at Doug.
Chad doesn't appear ready to move.
"Chad", the older cop says, "Do you want that promotion?"
Slowly and grudgingly, Chad disengages from Francois. The eldest of the three women hands Doug a duffel bag that she has packed for him. She gives him a warm embrace, kisses him on the cheek and now he is led away by the police with the two social workers, where he will within seconds be gone from this place forever. The woman in the orange blouse collapses onto the chair, and covers her face, weeping inconsolably...
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