FALLS CHURCH, Virginia — Near the intersection of Summerfield Road and Route 29, in this mostly residential suburban neighborhood near my house, you’ll find two taco places, a classic Italian eatery, a beloved bakery, and by all appearances, a whorehouse.

Officially, it is a massage parlor — the name has changed from Rose Spa to L Health and back to Rose Spa — but everyone understands that massages aren’t on offer there, but sex. The neighbors say so, the police call it “a bawdy place,” and the county councilwoman who lives a few blocks away seems to believe it. But the brothel is still operating, and the cops say they can’t do anything about it.