I knew there was something in the glass, and I still switched it. It was self-defense. Elena, you didn’t know what was in that glass. You just reacted to a threat. Anyone would have done the same. I wasn’t entirely sure it was that simple, but I nodded. Now what? Should I go to the police? Yes, she said decisively. The sooner the better.
Miguel won’t stop looking for you, and when he finds you, I don’t know what he’s capable of. He’s desperate, and desperate people do terrible things. I gathered the documents and put them back in the folder. Thank you for everything. He smiled sadly. Don’t thank me.
I’m just doing the right thing, even though it hurts to see what my son has become. We left the library together, but through different exits. He gave me the lawyer’s contact information and insisted once again that I go to the police as soon as possible. I promised him I would. On the way to Pilar’s house, I tried to organize my thoughts.
What I had just discovered was too much, too painful. My husband, the father of my daughter, the man with whom I had shared 20 years of my life, wanted to kill me for money, for another woman, to start a new life without me. Pilar opened the door as soon as I rang the bell. Just by looking at my face, she knew the news wasn’t good. “What happened? What did your father-in-law say?” I went into the living room.
I sat down on the sofa and told her everything I had found out. Pilar listened without interrupting, nodding or shaking her head occasionally. “My God,” Elena said when I finished. “This is terrible. I can’t believe Miguel is capable of something like this.” I didn’t believe it either, but the documents, the photos, what his father said—it all fits together. “And what are you going to do now?” “What my father-in-law recommended.”
I’ll go to the police, tell them everything, show them the documents, and we’ll see what happens. And Carmen, are you going to tell her? I remained silent. Carmen adored her father. She had always been Daddy’s little girl. How could I tell her that her father had tried to kill her mother? That he had used her? That he had manipulated her into signing a power of attorney? I don’t know, I answered honestly. Not yet.
First, I want to talk to the police, hand over the paperwork, and make sure she’s safe. Then we’ll talk. When are you going to the station? Tomorrow morning. My father-in-law told me there’s an investigator I can trust. Captain Garcia. I need to ask for him. Perfect, Pilar agreed. I’ll go with you.
And don’t argue with me, she added when she saw I was about to protest. You don’t have to go through this alone. I squeezed her hand gratefully. Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you. We went to bed early, but again I couldn’t fall asleep. My thoughts kept racing.
I remembered my marriage to Miguel, the good times, the happy days. I searched my memory for signs, clues that he had changed, that he was becoming capable of such a betrayal, but I found nothing. Or perhaps I didn’t want to see it. In the morning we had breakfast, got ready, and left for the police station. I carried the folder with the documents my father-in-law had given me.
We were just about to leave when my phone rang. Carmen’s name appeared on the screen. “It’s my daughter,” I told Pilar. “I have to answer.” Pilar nodded and stepped aside to let me talk privately. “Hi, sweetheart,” I said, trying to sound calm. “How are you, Mom?” Her voice sounded tense, frightening. “Mom, where are you?” “I’m with a friend, I told you.”
“What’s wrong?” “Mom, you have to come now.” Aunt Lucia woke up. She’s conscious and talking. She’s saying strange things about you, about Dad. I felt my heart stop for a moment. What is she saying? She says she saw you switch the glasses, that you tried to poison her, but she’s also saying strange things about Dad, as if he wanted to. Mom, what’s going on? The police are already here.
They’re taking your statement. They asked for you. Mom, please come. I looked at Pilar, who turned around when she noticed the change in my voice. Carmen, listen to me carefully. Don’t tell anyone where I am, not the police, not your father. I’m coming, but first I have to do something important. And please, be careful. Don’t be alone with your father.
What? Mom, you’re scaring me. Why should I be afraid of Dad? Just do what I say. Trust me. I’ll explain everything when I get there, but right now I need you to be safe. I hung up and looked at Pilar. Lucía’s awake. She saw me switch the glasses and told the police. Pilar murmured. That changes everything.
Now they have a witness. You’re in danger, Elena. Not just me, I said, my voice trembling. Carmen too. If Miguel finds out Lucía has told the truth, if he realizes his plans have been discovered, he’ll be desperate, and a desperate man will do anything. So, we have to act now, Pilar said decisively. Let’s go straight to the police.
We looked for this García guy, showed them the documents, told them everything. They have to protect you and Carmen. I nodded, trying to stay calm. Yes, you’re right. There’s no other option. We left the house and got into Pilar’s car. I was too upset to drive.
On the way to the police station, I tried calling my father-in-law, but he didn’t answer. Perhaps he was also at the hospital, by his daughter’s bedside. Oh, even worse, Miguel had already discovered his betrayal. The station greeted us with its usual bustle. The officer on duty, behind the counter, looked at us with a mixture of weariness and indifference.
How can I help you? I need to speak with Captain Garcia, I said. It’s very important. The captain is busy. If you want to file a complaint, you can do it with me. It doesn’t have to be him. It’s about the poisoning of Lucia Martinez. I’m sure he knows what I’m talking about. Upon hearing the victim’s name, the officer’s expression changed. Wait here.
He picked up the intercom, said something in a low voice, and then nodded. “Come in. Second floor, office 206.” We went up the stairs and found the door. I knocked, feeling my heart pound in my throat. “Come in,” said a voice from inside. Captain Garcia turned out to be a robust, middle-aged man with sharp eyes and early gray hairs at his temples.
He was sitting behind a desk piled high with papers, typing rapidly on the computer. “Please, have a seat,” he said without looking up from the monitor. “How can I help you?” My name is Elena Ferrer. I began, trying hard to keep my voice steady. I am the wife of Miguel Martínez and the sister-in-law of Lucía Martínez, the woman who was poisoned three days ago in a restaurant.
The captain looked up from his computer and stared at me intently. “Elena Ferrer, we’re actually looking for you. Where have you been these past few days?” “At a friend’s house.” I nodded, pointing to Pilar. “After what happened at the restaurant, I was in a state of shock, and then I found out something that made me fear for my life.” García leaned forward. His gaze became even more piercing. “Go on.”
I took out the folder my father-in-law had given me and placed it on the table. “Here are the documents: financial reports from my husband’s business, insurance policies, photographs. Everything that proves my husband, Miguel Martínez, was planning to murder me.” The captain raised his eyebrows in surprise, but said nothing. He opened the folder and began reviewing the documents.
That night at the restaurant, I continued. I saw Miguel put something in my glass when he thought I wasn’t looking. I decided to switch glasses with his sister Lucía’s. I didn’t know what it was or how dangerous it could be. I was just trying to protect myself. García looked up. “You switched glasses knowing there was something in yours.” “Yes,” I said, looking down. “I know it was wrong.”
I should have refused to drink or said so out loud, but I was paralyzed with fear. I wasn’t thinking straight. Lucía Martínez regained consciousness this morning, García said. He claims he saw her switch the glasses, but she also said something else. She said her husband was planning to kill you and that she knew it. I looked at him in shock. She confessed.
But why? Perhaps out of guilt or fear. The poisoning was severe. She was on the verge of death. That kind of experience sometimes changes people. The captain continued reviewing the documents. This is very serious, Elena. Attempted murder, conspiracy, financial fraud.
I need to take your official statement, and we must ensure your safety. And my daughter Carmen is in the hospital with Lucía and Miguel. I’m worried about her. García immediately picked up the phone. Connect me with the Child Protection Department. Urgent. She’s 19. I interrupted. She’s of legal age. The captain nodded and adjusted the order.
Then, with the operational group, send a unit to the central hospital, to Lucía Martínez’s room. It’s a potentially dangerous situation. He hung up and looked at me again. Don’t worry. Your daughter will be protected. Now let’s start from the beginning. I want to know all the details. For the next two hours, I told Captain García everything. I told him about my marriage to Miguel, about his sister Lucía, about how our relationship had changed in recent years.
about what I saw at the restaurant, my decision to change the glasses, the people visiting my house, my father-in-law’s warning, my escape, and what I discovered yesterday in the library. García listened attentively, taking notes and asking a few questions to clarify details.
When I finished, he leaned back in his chair and looked at me thoughtfully. It’s a complex situation, but we have evidence. The documents your father-in-law handed over, Lucía Martínez’s statement, and the restaurant’s security camera footage, which we’ve already received. It clearly shows your husband adding something to his glass and then later switching the glasses.
It matches your version. So what will happen now? I asked. We’ll arrest your husband for questioning. Given the seriousness of the accusations and the evidence gathered, the judge will most likely order pretrial detention while the investigation continues. You and your daughter will be under protection. And as for Lucía Martínez, considering her confession and her involvement, she’ll also have to answer to the justice system when she recovers. And they’re going to arrest me for switching the glasses.
García paused thoughtfully. Technically, you acted in self-defense. You were protecting yourself from a direct threat to your life, but it will be the prosecutor and the judge who make the decision. Frankly, given the circumstances, I doubt you’ll face serious charges, but we must follow the proper procedure.
At that moment, an officer poked his head through the office door. “Captain, the team is already at the hospital, but Miguel Martínez isn’t there, nor is his daughter.” My blood ran cold. “What? Where are they?” “We’re looking into it,” the officer replied. Lucía Martínez is still in her room under guard. The doctor said Miguel left an hour ago, right after his sister gave her testimony. He took his daughter with him.
She said they were going home. “We have to find them immediately,” García ordered. “Alert all posts. Check her house, the airport, the stations. She might try to flee.” I clenched my hands until my knuckles turned white. My daughter took my daughter. We will find her, García said confidently.
He wouldn’t get very far. But I couldn’t calm down. Miguel was cornered, desperate. What could he do? Where would he take Carmen? And why? How did he think he had another plan? Then it hit me. The power of attorney. He has the power of attorney Carmen signed to manage her assets, including what she would inherit if something happened to me.
If I die, my share of the house goes to Carmen, and he could use it however he wants. But now that his plans have been discovered, that doesn’t make sense. Pilar, who had remained silent the whole time, chimed in. “He won’t be able to kill you without getting caught. Unless he’s planning something else,” García said quietly. “Something we haven’t foreseen.”
At that moment, my phone rang. Miguel’s name appeared on the screen. I showed the captain my phone. “Answer it,” he ordered. “Put it on speakerphone. Try to find out where he is and what he plans to do, but don’t tell him you’re at the station.” I nodded and answered, turning on speakerphone. “Miguel, Elena,” his voice sounded strangely calm. “You finally answered.”
I was worried. Where’s Carmen? Is she with you? Yes, she’s with me. She’s fine. Don’t worry. I want to talk to her later. First, we need to talk, just you and me. Alone. Talk about what? My voice was trembling, but I tried not to let it show. About our future, about what happened at the restaurant, about what we’re going to do now. Lucía woke up.
She’s told me a lot of things. I know. Carmen called me. So you know we have to meet now. I’ll be waiting for you at our lake house in Toledo. Come alone. No police, no friends, just you and me. If you’re not here in an hour, or if I see any police activity—she paused—let’s just say there will be consequences. Are you threatening Carmen? My voice broke.
“I’m just saying we need to talk privately. This is a family matter, Elena. And family problems are resolved within the family. Okay,” I said. “I’ll be there in an hour.” “I’ll wait for you,” he said and hung up. I looked at García. They heard him. He’s at our lake house with Carmen and wants me to go alone. “It’s a trap,” the captain said. “He’s desperate.”
He has nothing to lose. It could be very dangerous. I know. But I have to go. He’s with my daughter. We’ll go with you discreetly. We’ll surround the house, we’ll be ready. But you won’t go in alone. It’s too risky. If he sees the police, he could hurt Carmen. We’ll proceed with caution, García assured me. My men know how to move undetected, but I can’t let you risk your life. I knew the captain was right. Miguel was cornered.
Her plans were falling apart. He was capable of anything, but this was about my daughter, and I couldn’t just sit around waiting for the police to sort everything out for me. Okay, I agreed. But let me talk to him. Maybe I can convince him to surrender peacefully. Garcia nodded.
We’ll give him that chance, but at the slightest sign of danger, we’ll intervene. No discussion. Over the next 20 minutes, a plan was drawn up. I would drive to the lake house in my own car, just as Miguel had demanded. The police would follow me at a distance, unseen, and surround the house, remaining hidden.
I would wear a hidden microphone so they could listen to what was happening inside. If the situation became dangerous, they would intervene immediately. Before leaving, García warned me once again: “Don’t take any risks. Don’t try to be a hero. Your only mission is to buy time and, if possible, get him to release his daughter. The rest is up to us.”
I nodded, fully understanding the gravity of the situation. Pilar hugged me tightly before I got into the car. “Take care of yourself and remember, you’re stronger than you think.” The drive home took about 40 minutes. All that time I was thinking about what I would say to Miguel, how I could look him in the eye after having loved him for 20 years, knowing now that he had tried to kill me. How to explain to my daughter that the father she had admired so much wasn’t the man she thought he was.
The lake house greeted me with an unsettling silence. The large, three-story chalet, built of light stone, stood beside the water, surrounded by tall pine trees. That place, which had once seemed welcoming and beautiful, now felt dark and threatening. Miguel’s car was parked in front of the house, so they were definitely there.
I parked, checked that the microphone attached to the inside of my neck was working, and got out of the car. I took a deep breath of the cool forest air and went to the door. My hand trembled as I rang the doorbell. The door opened almost immediately. Miguel was there. He looked tired, his face gaunt, like someone who hadn’t slept in days, but his eyes were clear and determined.
Elena stepped aside to let me pass. “I’m glad you came. Where’s Carmen?” I asked, looking around as I entered. “She’s upstairs in her room resting. She’s exhausted from this whole circus. I want to see her.” “Of course, but let’s talk first. Come into the living room.” I crossed the spacious foyer and entered the living room. The large windows overlooked the lake, which at that moment was as still as a mirror, reflecting the gray autumn sky. Miguel gestured for me to sit in an armchair, but he remained standing. So he began with a
In an almost casual tone. Lucía told the police that she saw you switching the glasses and that I put something in yours. Yes, she said so. And it’s true. I saw you put something in my glass when you thought I wasn’t looking. What was it, Miguel? Poison. A sleeping pill. He smiled, but that smile didn’t reach his eyes. A tranquilizer, strong, but not lethal, at least not for a healthy person.
Although with alcohol the effect could be unpredictable. Did you want to kill me? It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. Miguel shrugged. Rather, he wanted you to fall into a deep sleep in public, with witnesses. It would have been embarrassing, but not fatal. And then, perhaps another time, under more suitable conditions, something safer, more definitive.
I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing. He spoke of murdering me with the same calmness as someone discussing the dinner menu. Why, Miguel? For money? For the insurance, for her—I meant his lover, the woman in the photos in his father’s folder, all together. Money, freedom, a new life.
Do you know our marriage was dead a long time ago, Elena? We lived like strangers. Divorce would have been expensive and complicated. I needed a quick and clean solution. A clean solution. Killing your wife is a clean solution. In certain circumstances, yes. Business is bad, creditors are pressing. Some won’t accept excuses. I needed money, and I needed it now.
Your insurance, your share of the house, your personal savings—all of that would have gone to Carmen, and with the power of attorney she signed, it would have been mine in practice. And Lucía knew it. Did she help you? Of course. We were always closer to each other than to anyone else. She always supported me and never liked you, you know that very well. And did your father know something? Miguel’s face twisted with rage.
My father is a traitor. No, I didn’t know. At least not everything. I knew I was having problems with the business, but not my plans with you. Until recently. After the restaurant incident, he started to get suspicious, to ask questions, and then, I’m sure, he contacted you. Where is he now? I have no idea. I suppose he’s at home.
I don’t think she’d dare confront me openly. After all, I’m her son. So what do you plan to do now? After Lucía told the police everything, Miguel went to the window, looking out at the lake. The plan changed, but the objective remains the same. I need the money to start a new life, and I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Carmen, I said quietly, are you using our daughter as a bargaining chip? Not exactly, more like a partner.
She’s of age now, she can make her own decisions, and she’s on my side, Elena. She always has been. What did you tell her? What lie did you plant in her head? Miguel turned to me with a smile that almost seemed genuine. I told her the truth: that her mother tried to poison my sister, that you switched the glasses knowing there was something in yours, that you ran away instead of helping Lucía, that you always envied my family, our position, our money, and that now you’re trying to blame me to save yourself. And she believed you.
Do you really think I’m capable of something like that? At first, no. But when Lucía confirmed she saw you switch the glasses, when the police started asking questions, when you disappeared without explanation—yes, she started to believe. I want to talk to her right now. Miguel nodded. Of course. She’s upstairs in her room.
Go on, I’ll wait for you here. I went upstairs, my heart pounding. What was I going to say to my daughter? How could I explain all this to her? And would she believe me after everything her father had told her? Carmen’s room was at the end of the hall. I knocked, but there was no answer. I knocked again, louder.
Silence. I carefully opened the door and peeked inside. Carmen wasn’t there. The bed was neatly made, and on it lay a backpack, as if someone were preparing for a trip. On the nightstand, a glass of water and a bottle of pills. I picked it up and read the label: a powerful sleeping pill. I looked at the glass. There was a white residue at the bottom.
I felt a chill run down my spine. I searched the rest of the rooms in the apartment; they were all empty. Carmen had disappeared. Oh. A terrible thought crossed my mind. I ran downstairs to the living room. Miguel still had his back to me, staring at the lake. Hearing my footsteps, he turned around calmly. “Where’s Carmen?” I asked, feeling panic creeping in. “She’s not upstairs.”
“Where is she?” “She’s where she should be,” she replied calmly. “What did you do to her?” “If you hurt her, I hurt my own daughter. What kind of monster do you think I am, Elena? I love Carmen. She’s my blood. I would never hurt her.” “Then where is she? And why were there sleeping pills in her room?” “Oh,” she said with a nonchalant gesture.
It was just a tranquilizer. She was very upset about all this. I gave her a pill so she could rest. Then I took her somewhere quieter. Where? Where did you take her? To a safe place where she’s well cared for, where she can wait out this storm. Stop playing with me, Miguel. Where’s our daughter? He looked at me with a faint smile, as if he were enjoying my distress. She’s on the yacht.
On my yacht, which is currently about 10 miles offshore. With her are people I trust completely. They have clear instructions. If anything happens to me, or if I don’t communicate at the agreed time, they will take Carmen far away to a place where neither you nor the police will find her. You kidnapped your own daughter. You’re completely insane. No, I’m just adjusting. Plan A failed. Let’s move on to Plan B.
And in this plan, Carmen is a key player. What do you want? The same old thing. Money, freedom, a new life. And you’re going to help me. How? Very easy. You’re going to sign documents to transfer all your assets to Carmen’s name. Bank accounts, properties, stocks, everything.
And since I have his power of attorney, I can manage it as I wish. And if I refuse, then you’ll never see our daughter again. She’ll disappear forever. I looked at the man I once loved and I no longer recognized him. How could he have become this monster? How could he use his own daughter in his dirty game? “Are you bluffing?” I said, trying to stay calm. “You won’t hurt Carmen.”
You said yourself that you love her. Yes, I love her, but I also love myself and my freedom. And if I have to choose between prison and a new life, even without my daughter, I choose the latter. You won’t be able to hide for long. The police will find you, wherever you are, perhaps.
But by then I’ll be gone with a new identity and money in the bank. Do you know how much a new identity costs on the black market? With real documents, a history, credit, not so much, and I have contacts in the right circles. Believe me, I know what I’m doing. I was trying to buy time, hoping the police were listening to everything through the microphone and were already taking action. I had to keep talking, keep getting information out.
And how do you expect all this to work? I sign, and you just release Carmen? Not exactly. First, I have to verify that all the funds have been transferred and are available to me. That might take a day or two. Then, when I’m sure everything is in order, I’ll tell you where to find her.
Or maybe I’ll bring her to you myself. It depends on the circumstances. And you expect me to trust you? After everything you’ve done, you have no choice, Elena. Either you trust me, or you risk never seeing our daughter again. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down and think clearly.
Miguel was cornered, but he was still dangerous, and he held in his hands the most valuable thing he had: Carmen. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll finally sign. But first, I want to talk to Carmen. I want to know she’s okay.” Miguel nodded. A reasonable request. He took out his phone, dialed a number, and put it on speakerphone. “Raúl, how are our guests?” “Everything’s fine, boss,” a male voice replied.
She’s still asleep. I’ll say something to her when she wakes up. No, just stick to the plan. I’ll be in touch. She hung up and looked at me. See? It’s okay, she’s just asleep. The sleeping pill will wear off soon and she’ll wake up. That’s not proof. I want to talk to her, hear her voice. Later, when she wakes up. Now we need to take care of the documents. Everything’s ready. We just need your signature.
He walked over to the table, opened the briefcase there, and took out a folder of documents. “It’s very simple. Transfer of funds from all your accounts to Carmen’s name, transfer of your share of the house, and some other papers related to your assets.” I approached, took the documents, and began to review them.
Just as he said, forms for bank transfers, a donation agreement, a share transfer agreement, all in Carmen’s name. And Lucía, I asked, trying to buy more time. She told the police everything. She betrayed you. Miguel’s expression twisted with rage. Yes, she betrayed me. I didn’t expect it. I always thought she’d be on my side, no matter what, but apparently the fear of death changes people.
She got scared and decided to save her own skin by turning me in. And what do you plan to do with her? Nothing. Let her live with her betrayal. Let her remember every day that she almost killed her own brother by handing him over to the police. For someone like her, that’s worse than dying. At that moment, I heard a noise outside. Miguel heard it too.
She tensed up, went to the window, and looked outside. “You didn’t come alone,” she said. Her voice turned cold and threatening. “Who’s with you?” “The police.” “Not alone. Like you asked, don’t lie to me.” She grabbed my arm tightly, it hurt. “I see them there in the trees. They’re surrounding the house. You brought the police.” She dragged me to the window and forced me to look.
And yes, shadows could be seen moving among the tree trunks. The agents were taking up positions, believing no one noticed them, but they underestimated Miguel’s vigilance. “How stupid you are,” she muttered through gritted teeth. “Did you think they would help you? That they would save Carmen? Now you’ll never see her again.”
He pushed me aside and pulled out his phone. “Raúl, execute plan B. I’ll be in touch when I can.” “No!” I yelled, trying to snatch the phone back. “Don’t hurt him, please.” But it was too late. Miguel had already hung up. He glared at me with icy fury. “You ruined everything. I gave you the chance to resolve this peacefully, and you brought the police.”
Now face the consequences. What are they going to do with her? Where are they taking her? Somewhere neither you nor your buddies in the police will be able to find her. Maybe to South America or Africa, somewhere where the laws are flexible and everything can be negotiated for the right price. She’s your daughter, Miguel, how could you do this to her? I didn’t do anything to her. It was you.
Your decisions sealed their fate. Only you. At that moment, Captain Garcia’s voice boomed from a loudspeaker outside the house. “Miguel Martinez, the house is surrounded. Come out with your hands up. Surrender and no one will get hurt.” Miguel burst out laughing. “See? They don’t even realize they’ve lost their best card. They think Carmen is still here, that they can pressure me with her security.”
But she’s so far away, and every minute she gets farther. I looked at him, and a wave of rage rose inside me. That man I once loved—a monster. He was willing to sacrifice his own daughter for money and freedom. He tried to kill me, he used his sister, and now he was threatening to make Carmen disappear.
“You won’t escape this,” I whispered. “Even if you run from the police, even if you hide on the other side of the world, I will find you and bring our daughter back, no matter what it takes.” He smiled contemptuously. “Strong words. But you were always weak, Elena. Always dependent on me, on my family. What can you do without us? You’re nobody. You’re wrong.”
You were always wrong about me, and that will be your biggest mistake. The voice over the loudspeaker boomed again, more firmly. This is your last chance, Miguel Martínez. Come out with your hands up, or we’ll come in. Miguel looked at me, then at the door, and then fixed his eyes on mine again. For the first time since we started talking, I saw fear in his eyes.
I knew I was cornered, that there was no way out. “They won’t take me alive,” he said, his voice trembling. “I won’t spend the rest of my life in prison. Surrender, Miguel. It’s the only way out.” “No, there’s still another way.” He walked quickly to the table, opened a drawer, and took out a pistol. I froze when I saw him point it at me. “What are you doing?” “What I should have done a long time ago. End our story.”
I heard the crash of shattering glass. The police had begun the assault. Miguel heard it too. He glanced nervously behind him, then focused on me again. “Goodbye, Elena,” he said, raising his gun. Time stood still. I saw his finger squeeze the trigger, the barrel pointed straight at my chest.
In a second, my entire life flashed before my eyes. My childhood, my youth, the moment I met Miguel, Carmen’s birth, our 20 years together. And I knew I didn’t want to die. Not now, not while my daughter was in danger, not at the hands of the man who betrayed everything I believed in. I threw myself to the side just as he pulled the trigger.
The gunshot deafened me. The bullet whistled past me and lodged in the wall. I fell to the floor, rolling until I was hidden behind the sofa. Miguel aimed again, but at that moment the door burst open and the police burst into the room. “Drop the weapon. Right now!” they shouted.
Miguel stood motionless, staring at the officers, then at me, then back at the officers. His face contorted with rage and despair. And then, to my horror, I saw him turn the gun toward his own 100. I didn’t scream, but it was too late. The shot crackled like thunder. Miguel’s body fell heavily to the floor. Blood spread across the light-colored carpet, forming a horrible red halo around his head.
I stared at him, unable to believe what had just happened. The man with whom I had shared 20 years of my life had just taken his own life before my eyes. The father of my daughter, my husband. The police rushed to him, checked for a pulse, but it was clear he was dead. Others came to me and helped me to my feet.
“Is she alright?” they asked me, but I couldn’t answer. I could only stare at Miguel’s motionless body and think of one thing. Carmen, where is my Carmen? Captain García entered the room, assessed the scene at a glance, and approached me. “Elena is hurt.” I shook my head. “No, but Carmen sent her away on a yacht. We have to find her now.”
García nodded firmly. We heard the whole conversation. An operation has already been launched. The coast guard and helicopters are searching for the vessel. We’ll find it. Don’t worry. You don’t understand. He gave the order to execute Plan B. I don’t know what it means, but it sounded threatening. They can take it anywhere. We have to act quickly, and we are. But we need more information.
What do you know about the yacht? Name, description. I tried to concentrate, to remember everything I knew about Miguel’s yacht. It’s called Estrella del Mar. It’s white, about 25 meters long. He kept it at the Viento Yacht Club, on the east coast. Perfect, García agreed. We have something now. We’ll pass this information on to the coast guard. Now he has to leave here.
The forensic experts needed to examine the scene. He walked me to the street, where several patrol cars, ambulances, and even a press van had already gathered. Journalists were trying to get closer, but the police cordon kept them at bay. I got into García’s car and we drove away from the house. I felt empty, scared. Miguel was dead.
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