Chapter 6 - THE MAN WHO CAME BACK
By the time Paloma reached the hospital, Rafael was under police protection.
She saw him through the glass before he saw her.
He looked older.
Not three months older.
Years.
His shoulders had narrowed.
His face was hollow.
A bandage wrapped one hand.
Paloma stopped outside the door.
For months, she had imagined this moment.
Sometimes she slapped him.
Sometimes she screamed.
Sometimes she fell into his arms.
Now she did none of those things.
Rafael looked up.
Their eyes met.
He stood.
"Paloma."
She walked inside.
Rafael started toward her.
"Don't."
He stopped.
Paloma stared at him.
"Are you hurt?"
"Not badly."
"Good."
Rafael swallowed.
"The babies?"
"Alive."
He closed his eyes.
"Healthy?"
"Mostly."
"Paloma—"
"No."
Her voice remained calm.
"You don't get to cry first."
Rafael looked at her.
"I walked."
"What?"
"I walked down roads carrying your four children because I didn't have bus money."
His face crumpled.
"I sold my wedding ring."
"I'm sorry."
"I slept in shelters."
"I'm sorry."
"I begged strangers for hot water to make bottles."
Rafael covered his face.
"I'm sorry."
Paloma's voice finally broke.
"And every night I told them their father loved them because I couldn't bear the idea of them growing up believing you didn't."
Rafael cried openly.
Paloma did too.
But she didn't touch him.
Not yet.
Gustavo remained outside.
Some reunions didn't need witnesses.
Finally, Paloma asked.
"Why?"
Rafael sat down.
"I found the invoices."
"Victor?"
"And Eduardo."
"Eduardo says he didn't understand everything."
"He didn't."
Paloma frowned.
"Then who else?"
Rafael looked toward the door.
"Gustavo needs to hear this."
Gustavo entered.
Rafael stared at him.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I should have gone directly to you."
"You tried."
"I should have tried harder."
"Who else is involved?"
Rafael hesitated.
"Victor's been stealing for years."
"How much?"
"More than two million."
"How much?"
"Almost fourteen."
Gustavo went still.
Rafael continued.
"He used subcontractors."
"Shell companies?"
"Some."
"Others were real businesses."
"Who signed approvals?"
Rafael looked directly at him.
"Your father."
Gustavo felt the room tilt.
"My father died eighteen months ago."
"I know."
"You're saying my father was involved?"
"No."
Rafael shook his head.
"I'm saying Victor forged his signatures after he died."
Silence.
"He made it look like the fraud started with your father."
Gustavo understood.
If investigators discovered the theft, Victor intended to blame a dead man.
A man who couldn't defend himself.
"Where's the evidence?"
"I copied everything."
"Where?"
Rafael looked at Paloma.
"In our old house."
Paloma stared at him.
"The house we lost?"
Rafael nodded.
"Behind the wall in the babies' room."
Gustavo immediately called Daniel.
But Paloma suddenly remembered something.
"The landlord renovated."
Rafael's face changed.
"When?"
"After he evicted us."
"Did they tear out the nursery wall?"
"I don't know."
They drove there that night with police.
The house had new paint.
New flooring.
A new family hadn't moved in yet.
They entered the nursery.
Rafael pointed toward the wall.
"There."
A contractor removed the panel.
Nothing.
The compartment was empty.
Rafael stared in disbelief.
"No."
He reached inside.
"It's gone."
Paloma's hope disappeared.
Then Gustavo noticed something on the floor.
A tiny piece of paper.
He picked it up.
It was part of a receipt.
One name remained visible.
May you like
Salazar Storage.
Victor's last name.
