Chapter 2 - THE PERSON SHE TRUSTED
Vanessa stared at Sofía. “Honey, I never said that.”
“You did.”
The child’s voice was small, but certain.
Roberto crouched in front of his daughter. “Come here.”
Sofía stepped toward his voice. Her hand found his shoulder, then his face, checking that it was really him. He held her against him.
“You’re not in trouble,” he said.
Vanessa crossed her arms. “Roberto, you walked in halfway through a difficult moment.”
“I heard enough.”
“You heard me lose my patience. I’m sorry for that.” She turned to María. “Tell him. I didn’t touch anyone.”
María glanced at Sofía.
Roberto knew that look. María was calculating what the truth might cost the child.
“You can speak freely,” he said.
María shook her head once. “May I take Sofía upstairs first?”
“Yes,” Sofía whispered. “Please.”
Roberto wanted her away from Vanessa. He nodded, and María led her out, one hand resting lightly on the little girl’s shoulder.
When their footsteps faded, Vanessa’s face changed.
“I have spent two years trying to make this work,” she said. “You have no idea what it’s like when you’re gone.”
“You could have called me.”
“And said what? That your daughter spilled another drink? That she wakes up screaming and I can’t sleep? You would have accused me of failing her.”
“I’d have come home.”
Vanessa looked away.
Roberto took out his phone and called the head of security. “Daniel, come to the living room. Bring the camera footage from this afternoon.”
Vanessa’s head snapped back. “You’re checking the cameras?”
“I want to know what happened.”
“Your cameras don’t cover this room.”
“They cover the hall.”
Daniel arrived three minutes later. He had worked for Roberto for nine years and seldom looked uncomfortable. Tonight he did.
“The hallway recording isn’t available,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“The system went offline at six fifteen.”
Vanessa let out a breath. “See? Even the equipment in this house is temperamental.”
Roberto kept his eyes on Daniel. “Why wasn’t I told?”
“I sent a message to your personal phone.”
Roberto checked. There was no message.
Daniel’s jaw tightened. “Sir, I watched it send.”
Vanessa took a step back toward the doorway. Roberto noticed the movement.
“Don’t leave yet,” he said.
Then Daniel held up his tablet. On its screen was the delivery receipt for the security alert.
May you like
The message had been opened at 6:17 p.m.
From Roberto’s phone.
