Chapter 4 - Laura Finally Admitted She Had Been Paid to Help Kidnap Camila, but She Revealed the One Thing Alejandro Was Afraid I Would DiscoverLaura asked to see me.
I almost refused.
But Camila wanted the truth.
So I went.
Laura sat behind glass.
She looked smaller than I remembered.
For years, we had been parents together.
Then divorced.
Then distant.
I had never imagined seeing her in prison.
She picked up the phone.
“Rafael.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to know I didn't plan the beating.”
“But you helped.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Héctor?”
“Yes.”
“Of Alejandro?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He threatened Camila's life.”
I stared.
“He told me if I didn't cooperate, he would kill her.”
“You could have called me.”
“I thought you would kill us.”
I laughed bitterly.
“I might have.”
She cried.
“I made the wrong choice.”
“You made many.”
“I know.”
Then she whispered:
“Alejandro didn't want the money.”
“I know.”
“He wanted the archive.”
I leaned forward.
“What archive?”
“The one your father kept.”
She told me more.
Alejandro believed the archive contained evidence of his own involvement in crimes.
He wanted to destroy it.
But the archive was protected by a biometric lock.
Camila's DNA.
I stared.
“How did he know?”
“Your father told him.”
“My father trusted him.”
“Yes.”
“Then why betray him?”
“Greed.”
I knew.
The oldest reason.
Laura continued:
“Héctor was paid because he knew Camila wouldn't voluntarily sign anything.”
“And you?”
“I was supposed to convince her.”
“But she refused.”
“Yes.”
“So you drugged her.”
Laura closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
I felt disgust.
Then I asked:
“Why did you stay?”
She looked at me.
“Because I was terrified.”
I understood.
Fear doesn't excuse betrayal.
But sometimes it explains it.
I stood.
“You're going to testify.”
She nodded.
“Against Alejandro.”
“Yes.”
“And Héctor.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
I left.
Outside, Javier waited.
“The archive is real.”
“Where?”
“Guadalajara.”
“Then we move tonight.”
He hesitated.
“Boss, there's something else.”
“What?”
“Someone has been following Camila in the hospital.”
I stopped.
“Who?”
“Someone inside the medical staff.”
My blood went cold.
“Alejandro has someone in the hospital.”
“Yes.”
We returned immediately.
Camila was gone.
The room was empty.
My heart stopped.
Then I heard an alarm.
A nurse shouted.
“Security!”
We found Camila at the end of the hallway.
She was standing beside a man.
The man held a gun.
Camila looked at me.
“Dad.”
I raised my hands.
“Let her go.”
The man smiled.
“Give us the archive.”
I knew the voice.
Alejandro.
But he was on the phone.
The man holding my daughter was only a messenger.
May you like
And Alejandro had finally made the mistake I needed.
He had shown me where he was calling from.
Related Stories
