Chapter 6

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For as long as she could remember, Antonio had only gone to one shop for his supplies. Sosata’s was tucked over a bar in the Castro, with no sign to announce its presence to the public. Visitors entered by going around to the back and climbing a rickety metal staircase to a steel door on the second floor. It didn’t have a handle or a knob. You had to ring the buzzer next to it and hope someone was inside to let you in. If the door wasn’t released, you walked away and tried again another time.

On the occasions Claire had gone with Antonio, he had always gained entry. He joked that he just had impeccable timing, but more than once the buzzer had gone off while they were inside and Sosata had completely ignored it. Either Antonio called ahead to let Sosata know he was coming, or he was such a preferred customer, she ignored everyone else to honor his patronage. Either way, Claire knew she was bucking her odds by trying Sosata’s first.