PART 3
"The Wrong Floor"
Daniel stared at the dead phone in his hand.
"You've opened the wrong floor."
The words echoed in his head.
"What is it?" Mariana asked.
Daniel slipped the phone into his pocket.
"Nothing... not yet."
Another hard knock rattled the front door.
"Sir? Police. Please open the door."
Daniel took one last look at Patricia before walking across the living room.
She hadn't moved.
She was still staring at the hole in the floor as if something inside it terrified her more than the police ever could.
Daniel unlocked the door.
Two officers stood outside.
Behind them sat a patrol car with its lights flashing silently across the quiet neighborhood.
The older officer offered a polite smile.
"We received a call about yelling and possible property damage."
Daniel glanced back toward the living room.
"I can explain."
Before he could continue, the younger officer looked past him.
"What happened to the floor?"
Daniel stepped aside.
"I think you should see for yourselves."
Minutes later, both officers were standing over the opening.
The older one crouched down and examined the hidden compartment.
"Interesting," he muttered.
He carefully picked up the little red toy car with a gloved hand.
"You said this belonged to your missing son?"
Daniel nodded.
"I'd recognize it anywhere."
The officer looked at Patricia.
"Ma'am... when was this floor installed?"
Patricia swallowed.
"About... seven months ago."
Daniel frowned.
"That's not what you told us."
She blinked.
"What?"
"You said you replaced every floorboard shortly after moving in."
"I... I meant..."
She couldn't finish the sentence.
The younger officer noticed it too.
"Your timeline doesn't match."
Patricia wrapped her arms around herself.
"I've been under a lot of stress."
Nobody answered.
The older officer shined his flashlight deeper into the cavity.
"There are fresh tool marks."
Daniel looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
"It means someone opened this recently."
The room fell silent.
Recently.
Not months ago.
Not years ago.
Recently.
Mariana instinctively pulled Inés closer.
"Someone's been under our feet," she whispered.
The officer nodded slowly.
"It appears so."
Daniel felt anger rising in his chest.
He turned toward Patricia.
"Who has been in this house?"
"No one."
"Patricia."
"I said no one!"
Her voice cracked.
Then she covered her mouth, as though she'd revealed too much.
The younger officer carefully reached farther into the hidden space.
"There might be something else."
Everyone watched.
His arm disappeared almost to the shoulder.
For a second...
Nothing.
Then his fingers caught something.
He slowly pulled out a small plastic bag wrapped in duct tape.
The officer laid it on the floor.
Inside...
A child's blue hoodie.
Mariana gasped.
"No..."
Daniel already knew.
He recognized the tiny dinosaur stitched onto the pocket.
It had been Leo's favorite sweatshirt.
He remembered teasing him because he wore it even during warm weather.
Mariana collapsed against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.
Daniel couldn't breathe.
His son had been here.
Maybe not alive...
But here.
The older officer immediately called for detectives and a forensic team.
"No one leaves this house," he ordered.
Patricia suddenly spoke.
"I didn't know those things were there."
Daniel looked at her.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Tears streamed down her face.
"I know how this looks."
"It looks like my missing son's belongings were hidden beneath your living room."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
Then she whispered something so quietly that only Daniel heard it.
"I was trying to protect you."
Daniel stared at her.
"What?"
Before Patricia could explain...
A detective hurried through the front door.
He wasn't looking at the floor.
He wasn't looking at the evidence.
He was looking directly at Daniel.
"Mr. Rivas..."
His expression was grave.
"We just received a call from Guadalajara."
Daniel's heart pounded.
"What happened?"
The detective took a slow breath.
"A security camera from the day Leo disappeared has finally been recovered."
Daniel felt hope surge through him.
"Does it show who took him?"
The detective nodded.
"Yes."
Daniel grabbed his arm.
"Who?"
The detective hesitated.
Then he answered.
May you like
"The person walking away with your son..."
"...looks exactly like your sister."
