Chapter 11: A Father Taken Twice

Chapter 11: A Father Taken Twice

The bullet had struck Valez in the shoulder.

He survived.

Rafael, however, had been dragged through a service corridor during the blackout.

Security footage showed two men forcing him into a delivery van.

Jorge insisted he had nothing to do with it.

The police arrested him anyway based on the recordings and obstruction charges, but his lawyers secured a rapid temporary release pending formal indictment.

Money had purchased him time.

Again.

My phone rang that night from an unknown number.

Rafael’s voice came through weakly.

“Daniel.”

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know.”

A second voice interrupted.

Jorge.

“You have something that belongs to my family.”

“The land was never yours.”

“I’m not talking about the land.”

I looked at the silver medal in my hand.

The key to the safe-deposit box.

“You want the recording.”

“Bring the key to the old Mendoza construction yard at midnight.”

“How do I know Rafael is alive?”

A sharp sound came through the phone, followed by Rafael’s strained breathing.

“Come alone,” Jorge said. “Or you’ll lose both your fathers.”

The call ended.

Marisol told me it was a trap.

Of course it was.

But she also knew I would go.

We created a false key and fitted my jacket with a transmitter. Officers would remain several blocks away to avoid detection.

Before leaving, I visited my mother.

She took my hand.

“Rodrigo made the same mistake.”

“What mistake?”

“He believed evidence could protect him from men who didn’t fear the law.”

“I’m not going alone.”

She looked at me carefully.

“You’re lying.”

I kissed her forehead.

At midnight, I entered the abandoned construction yard carrying the false key.

Rafael was tied to a chair beneath a hanging work light.

Jorge stood behind him.

Karina stood beside Jorge.

For one devastating second, I believed she had betrayed me again.

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