Irene, still under the bed, listens to Junior yelling on the phone that “[e]l pinche güero’s pissed” and “the Egyptian is getting in the way” (221). He says that if they get shut down, they “lose everything we’ve put into this” (221). When a woman asks Junior what is going on, he complains that the man on the phone, “the son of the high and mighty Cruz Benavídez, president of the Maquiladora Alliance,” sits in an air-conditioned penthouse while Junior has to “deal with that fucking gringo” (221).

The woman says a bus arrived holding “[s]ix pennies and the other half of your nickel” (221) and that, as usual, they look “[c]razed with fear” (222). She asks if they are “doing them tonight,” and Junior confirms that they are doing “[a]ll of them,” including “the girl from the fair” (222). He instructs her to take a picture of Irene to put online and “[m]ake her look cute” with her “[l]egs wide open” (222).

Pete McCuts visits Lydia’s house with a pair of pants believed to be Irene’s. He hopes so because it would be evidence of foul play, meaning his investigation could begin.