Chapter 12 - THE TRAP
Mariana nearly collapsed when she saw the photo.
“He knows his school.”
Julian called the school immediately.
Dieguito was safe.
Police placed officers there.
But Mateo’s message had done what it was supposed to do.
Julian was scared.
More scared than he had been facing bullets.
Torres wanted to move the family into protective custody.
Julian agreed.
Then he asked to make a deal.
Use the ledgers as bait.
Torres refused.
“Absolutely not.”
“He wants me.”
“That’s exactly why you don’t go.”
“He won’t stop.”
“We arrest him.”
“You haven’t even found him.”
Torres said nothing.
Julian continued.
“Give him what he thinks he wants.”
“Then let him talk.”
Torres stared at him for a long time.
Finally, police built a plan.
A fake set of ledgers.
A tracker.
Recording devices.
Backup teams.
Julian sent Mateo a message.
I’ll trade.
Mateo replied with a location.
An unfinished luxury development outside Puebla.
Midnight.
Come alone.
Mariana hated it.
“No.”
“Mariana.”
“No.”
“I just got you back.”
Julian held her face.
“You didn’t lose me.”
“You don’t know that.”
He looked toward Dieguito sleeping in the next room.
“I spent five years thinking money was how I protected you.”
“I was wrong.”
“I should’ve been here.”
Mariana’s eyes filled.
“You were trying to build us a future.”
“And almost lost my family doing it.”
He kissed her forehead.
“I’m ending this.”
At midnight, Julian entered the unfinished building alone.
Concrete columns.
Open windows.
Wind.
No lights.
“Mateo!”
A voice echoed from above.
“Fourth floor.”
Julian climbed.
Mateo Vélez waited near the edge.
Tall.
Gray at the temples.
Calm.
Arturo stood beside him.
Julian looked at Arturo.
“So you picked your brother.”
Arturo shrugged.
“I picked survival.”
Mateo held out a hand.
“The ledgers.”
Julian lifted the bag.
“First I want answers.”
Mateo smiled.
“You sound like your father.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No.”
“Did César?”
Mateo paused.
“My father ordered it.”
Julian’s throat tightened.
“Did my mother know?”
“She knew César was going to scare him.”
“Not kill him.”
“Depends how generous you feel.”
Julian clenched his jaw.
“What about me?”
Mateo smiled.
“You were insurance.”
“What does that mean?”
“If the house transfer failed, your death solved the paperwork problem.”
Julian stared.
“And Saudi Arabia?”
“I paid a man to watch you.”
“Did you plan an accident?”
Mateo didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Julian’s hand curled.
Mateo pointed at the bag.
“Ledgers.”
Julian tossed it.
Arturo caught it.
Opened it.
His face changed.
“These are copies.”
Mateo’s smile disappeared.
Then a tiny red light blinked on Julian’s shirt.
Mateo saw it.
“Recording device.”
Julian ran.
Mateo pulled a gun.
The first shot missed.
The second hit concrete beside Julian’s head.
Police rushed from the stairwell.
“DROP THE WEAPON!”
Arturo raised his hands.
Mateo grabbed Julian from behind.
Gun against his neck.
“Back up!”
Torres froze.
Mateo dragged Julian toward the open edge.
“You should’ve stayed in Saudi Arabia.”
Julian whispered, “You should’ve checked the bag better.”
Mateo frowned.
Then the tracker inside the bag began screaming.
A high-pitched alarm.
Mateo flinched.
Julian drove his elbow backward.
The gun fired.
May you like
Both men crashed through a temporary railing.
And Julian disappeared over the edge.
