"...sadly, miss, in these situations, there is little we can do." The officer said to Angela. "Has he hurt you? Your children? Anything violent? Anything illegal? You said to the dispatcher that he was screaming. You sounded scared, the dispatch said. Are you scared?"

A million thoughts flew through Angela, one of which not wanting to accuse her love, the man with whom she'd been for years.

"No. Like I said," Angela said. "he has not hurt me yet. He promised he would. He swore it. Then," She lowered her voice. "When you showed up, a flip switched, like a lever. One hundred to zero. He's pretending."

Officer Royce believed her. All the worse for his conscience.

"Ma'am, do you have any family you could stay with, just for a few days until this calms down?"

She, of course, did not, having moved across the country for her man.

"No."

"Well, ma'am. Again, the dispatcher sounded concerned. Is there anything else you'd like to add? Anything that he has already done, not just thought about or talked about?"

Angela's gaze found the floor.

"No." She croaked.

Her body was found decaying several weeks later, following a wellness check from her father.