Chapter 5 - CARMEN RUNS
Carmen made it to the parking garage.
Barely.
The building security guard stopped her at the gate because the court officer had already asked that no one leave with Camila's documents.
She wasn't carrying Camila.
She was carrying the prepaid phone's charger and a small envelope of photographs.
When I reached the garage, Carmen was shouting at everyone.
“This is kidnapping!”
The security guard looked exhausted.
“You are alone, señora.”
“You cannot hold me here.”
He looked at me.
“I didn't touch her.”
“I know.”
Carmen saw me and went quiet.
I held up the prepaid phone.
“Who sent the message?”
“I don't know.”
“Who wants Camila out of the country?”
“Nobody.”
“The message says otherwise.”
She stared at me.
Then at Elena.
Then at the officer.
Her anger disappeared.
What replaced it was fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“Mariana,” she said, “you need to stop.”
“No.”
“You think this is about Daniel cheating and Valeria taking money.”
“Isn't it?”
“No.”
Daniel came into the garage.
“Mom, shut up.”
Carmen turned on him.
“You shut up. You made this worse.”
“I made it worse?”
“You couldn't keep your pants on for one year.”
Sofía, behind us, muttered, “Charming.”
Carmen pointed at her.
“And you.”
Sofía folded her arms.
“Yes?”
Carmen had nothing.
She turned back to me.
“I was trying to protect Camila.”
“By taking her to Spain without me?”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
She looked at Daniel.
He shook his head.
Carmen made a decision.
I saw it happen.
She reached into her coat and handed me the envelope.
Inside were old photographs.
Not of Daniel.
Not of Camila.
Of me.
At age twenty-two.
Leaving a hospital.
Standing beside a man I had not seen in twelve years.
My older brother, Rafael.
I stopped breathing.
Rafael had died in a motorcycle accident before I married Daniel.
At least that was what my parents told everyone.
“What is this?”
Carmen whispered, “Your brother didn't die in an accident.”
Daniel said, “Mom.”
She ignored him.
“He owed people money.”
“What people?”
“I don't know their names.”
“You're lying.”
“Yes.”
That shocked me.
She rubbed her forehead.
“Yes, I'm lying because I do know one name.”
She looked at Sofía.
Sofía's expression changed.
Carmen said, “Navarro.”
Sofía went still.
“My last name?”
“Your father's last name.”
Sofía laughed once.
“My father is an accountant.”
“No,” Carmen said.
“He used to be.”
Sofía stepped forward.
“What are you saying?”
Carmen pointed at the prepaid phone.
“The person sending those messages is your father.”
Sofía stared at her.
Then her own phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
DAD.
Nobody spoke.
She answered.
“Papá?”
A man's voice came through loudly enough for us to hear.
“Sofía, leave that apartment now.”
Her face drained.
“How do you know where I am?”
The line went quiet.
May you like
Then he said, “Because Mariana's brother is alive.”
