Chapter 18 - CARMEN'S LAST LESSON
Carmen took Camila to the apartment.
My apartment.
The place where all of this started.
She did not run.
She did not hide.
She sat at the same dining table.
No lobster this time.
Two bowls of chicken soup.
Camila sat across from her.
Police waited downstairs while I went up with Elena.
Carmen had asked for me alone.
I ignored that part.
When I entered, Camila smiled.
“Mommy!”
I crossed the room.
Carmen said, “Don't.”
I stopped.
Not because she had a weapon.
She didn't.
Because Camila looked calm.
I needed to keep her that way.
“Why did you take her?”
Carmen folded her hands.
“Because nobody listens until I do something terrible.”
“That is not a defense.”
“I know.”
She looked exhausted.
Older.
“I spent my whole life cleaning up after men.”
“Then you taught your daughter to steal from another woman.”
Her face tightened.
“Yes.”
“You taught Daniel to hide.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to take my child out of the country.”
“Yes.”
Each answer was quieter.
I didn't know what to do with honesty arriving this late.
She looked at Camila.
“I thought discipline made children strong.”
I said nothing.
“My father locked us outside when we cried.”
There it was.
An explanation.
Not an excuse.
Carmen seemed to know the difference.
“I became him anyway.”
Camila dipped bread into soup.
My stomach twisted at the sight.
Carmen noticed.
She pushed the bread basket away.
“I didn't bring her here to hurt her.”
“Why then?”
“To tell you where Ernesto is.”
I stared.
“He contacted me.”
“Where?”
“He wants to surrender.”
“Then why not call police?”
“He says one officer is still on Ignacio's payroll.”
“Name?”
“He doesn't know.”
Carmen slid a piece of paper across the table.
A church address.
“Midnight.”
I looked at the clock.
11:18.
Elena said, “This could be a trap.”
Carmen nodded.
“It probably is.”
I picked up Camila.
She wrapped her arms around my neck.
Carmen watched.
“Will you let me see her again?”
I looked at her.
“I don't know.”
She nodded.
For once, she accepted an answer she didn't like.
Police arrested her for violating the temporary custody order.
Camila cried when they took Grandma away.
I let her cry.
I did not tell her Carmen was evil.
I did not tell her everything was fine.
I just held her.
At 11:57, we reached the church.
Ernesto was kneeling alone near the altar.
He raised both hands when police entered.
Then a shot rang out.
Ernesto fell.
People screamed.
The shooter ran through a side door.
An officer chased him.
I dropped beside Ernesto.
Blood spread across his shirt.
He grabbed my sleeve.
“Not police.”
“What?”
“The leak.”
He coughed.
“Not police.”
“Who?”
His eyes moved toward Elena.
My attorney.
My friend.
The woman who had been beside me since the morning after the balcony.
Ernesto whispered:
May you like
“Her.”
