Chapter 12 - DANIEL'S CHOICE
Daniel asked to see me.
I said no.
Then I changed my mind.
Not because I missed him.
Because I wanted to hear him say it.
We met in a courthouse interview room.
No glass.
One table.
Two chairs.
He looked awful.
I sat.
He said, “You look tired.”
“Don't.”
“Right.”
Silence.
Then I asked, “Why did you give Rafael my laptop?”
Daniel stared at his hands.
“He said he needed to send an email.”
“You knew he was alive.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Five years.”
Five.
I almost stood.
I forced myself to stay.
“Five years.”
“Your mother asked me not to tell you.”
“My mother knew?”
He shook his head.
“Not your mother. Mine.”
Of course.
“Why listen to Carmen?”
“Because Rafael had proof my dad committed customs fraud.”
“And?”
“And I didn't want my father arrested.”
“So you let him use me.”
“I thought it was one email.”
“You thought wrong.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
That was somehow worse.
He told me the first forged invoice came months later.
He noticed.
He said nothing.
Then Rafael asked for money.
Daniel paid.
Then more.
Then Valeria got involved.
Then Carmen.
A family built around hiding one bad choice with another.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because by then I'd already lied too much.”
I laughed.
“That's your defense?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He rubbed his face.
“The affair with Sofía started because I was angry.”
“At me?”
“At everyone.”
“So you cheated.”
“Yes.”
“You sound almost proud of finally answering.”
“I'm not.”
I stood.
He looked up.
“Mariana.”
“What?”
“I love Camila.”
“I know.”
“And I love you.”
I stared at him.
“No.”
His face changed.
“You don't get to use that word like bleach.”
He looked down.
I left.
Outside, Carmen was waiting.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
She approached me slowly.
“I need to tell you where Ignacio is.”
“Tell police.”
“I did.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because police don't know what he wants.”
“And you do?”
She nodded.
“He wants Rafael.”
“That's obvious.”
“No.”
She leaned closer.
“He wants Rafael alive.”
“Why?”
“Because Rafael isn't the one who stole the original ledger.”
I frowned.
“Then who did?”
Carmen looked toward the courthouse doors.
“Ernesto.”
My father-in-law.
The sick, quiet man.
The one everyone treated like a frightened old accomplice.
Carmen whispered, “My husband has been lying to all of us for fifteen years.”
Across the street, Ernesto stepped into a taxi.
He looked directly at us.
May you like
Then smiled.
