CHAPTER 20
A MEETING
Carlos paid the taxi driver as he got out in the favelas, gripping a large envelope. He walked through the dirt and debris surrounding the dilapidated buildings and the deserted streets. The rough, uneven ground could make anyone trip and hit their head against loose rocks and rubble.
A few steps away to Juliana’s home, a boy of about four years walked alone in the street. He was barefoot and bare-chested and wore only loose shorts. His curly hair was long, and he carried a stick.
Carlos approached. “Hello there. Where’s your mummy?”
The boy pointed to a building a few metres away. Carlos took his hand and led him back to his brick and cement house. A teenage woman with a cigarette in her mouth and tattered clothing reached for the boy. She was barefoot with a mis
