“Mr. Castillo, we appreciate you activating the protocol,” Teresa said. “We’ve already checked his background. The suspect, Ramiro Acosta, has two prior assault complaints, both of which were withdrawn. A neighbor reported hearing screams three months ago. And the most concerning detail…”
He opened the folder.
He took out a sheet of paper.
—The patient, Mariana Torres, left the hospital five days ago against medical advice. But she didn’t sign. The signature doesn’t match.
Alejandro stared at her.
—Did anyone take her out?
—It seems so.
Lucía, who was listening from her chair, whispered:
—He said they weren’t going to charge us anymore… that if we stayed, they were going to take our babies away.
Teresa turned towards her immediately.
Her voice softened.
—Lucía, did you hear that from him?
The girl nodded.
—And he said that Mom couldn’t talk to anyone because then they would ask her questions… and if she talked… he would take my little brothers away.
The prosecutor slowly closed the folder.
It no longer seemed like just another case.
Now it smelled of confinement, coercion, and terror.
And one piece was still missing.
By mid-morning, Mariana had come out of surgery.
He was still in serious condition.
But alive.
They left her in intensive care.
He couldn’t talk much.
Barely opening his eyes for short periods.
Lucia went in first.
When the girl took her hand, Mariana cried without tears, too weak to produce them.
Then he looked at Alejandro.
It took him a few seconds to focus on it.
And when she recognized him as the man who had brought her daughter, she tried to sit up, alarmed.
—No… no… he… the children…
“They’re fine,” said Alejandro. “Everyone is fine.”
Mariana closed her eyes, overcome by a relief that almost hurt.
The prosecutor asked for a few minutes alone with her.
Then he came out with a hardened expression.
“He’s going to file a complaint,” he said.
Alejandro didn’t ask anything.
Wait.
—Ramiro didn’t just beat her. He kept her isolated after she gave birth. He sold medicine. He kept money that an organization gave him. And there’s something worse.
Teresa lowered her voice a little.
—Last night he went back to that house because he was looking for some papers. According to Mariana, papers that prove the twins are not Ramiro’s biological children.
Alejandro frowned.
