Chapter 6 - THE POLICE STATION
I went voluntarily.
Sofia came with me.
I brought copies of Isabella’s medical report, photographs of her hands, the notebook, and video footage.
Inspector Elena Márquez listened without interrupting.
She was in her forties.
Calm.
Sharp.
Not easily impressed by wealth.
That helped.
When I finished, she said, “Your wife contacted us before you did.”
“I was protecting my daughter.”
“I understand.”
“But?”
“But courts care about process.”
Sofia leaned forward.
“We are filing emergency custody this morning.”
Elena nodded.
“Good.”
I showed her the recovered footage.
Her expression hardened.
“Do you have originals?”
“Yes.”
“Give us copies.”
Then she pointed at Alejandro.
“I know him.”
That surprised me.
“How?”
“He was questioned in a financial fraud case two years ago.”
“Charged?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Witness disappeared.”
The room became colder.
“What witness?”
“A former business partner.”
“What happened to him?”
“Officially?”
She paused.
“He moved to Argentina.”
“And unofficially?”
“We don’t know.”
Sofia looked at me.
“This is bigger than a divorce.”
I nodded.
Inspector Márquez closed the laptop.
“Where is Isabella now?”
“With Sofia’s sister.”
“Good.”
She looked directly at me.
“Do not return to the villa alone.”
“Why?”
“Because if your wife is desperate, predictability becomes dangerous.”
My phone rang before we left.
Isabella’s school.
I answered.
“Mr. Navarro?”
“Yes.”
“This is the principal.”
My stomach tightened.
“Isabella isn’t at school.”
“I know. She’s with family.”
“No.”
The woman sounded confused.
“I’m calling about yesterday.”
“What about yesterday?”
“Mrs. Navarro came in requesting Isabella’s school records.”
“When?”
“Yesterday morning.”
I looked at Sofia.
“What records?”
“Transcripts, identification documents, vaccination records.”
“Why?”
“She said you were relocating.”
My blood went cold.
“Where?”
The principal hesitated.
“Argentina.”
I stared across the police station at Inspector Márquez.
Alejandro’s missing witness had supposedly fled to Argentina.
Now Beatriz had been preparing to take Isabella there.
“When was this request made?”
“Yesterday.”
Before I came home.
Which meant Beatriz had been planning to remove my daughter before she knew I would discover anything.
“Did you give her the records?”
“Some.”
“Not all?”
“She requested a certified birth certificate copy, but we don’t hold that.”
I hung up.
Sofia whispered, “She was going to take Isabella.”
I stood.
Inspector Márquez immediately understood.
“Sit down.”
“I’m getting my daughter.”
“She’s safe.”
“For now.”
My phone buzzed.
A message from Sofia’s sister.
GABRIEL, CALL ME. ISABELLA IS GONE.
The entire room tilted.
I called.
She answered crying.
“I only turned around for a minute.”
“What happened?”
“A car came.”
“What car?”
“Black SUV.”
My hands went numb.
“Who took her?”
“I don’t know.”
Then a second message appeared.
May you like
From Beatriz.
Now you know what it feels like to lose control.
