Chapter 4 - THE CORPSE THAT SIGNED THE PAPERSHook: The Dead Man’s SignatureThree days after her discharge from the hospital, Renata sat in the leather-backed executive chair of her downtown law firm office. To the outside world, and especially to the high-priced criminal defense attorneys representing Mauricio and Elvira, Renata Solís was still recovering in seclusion, frail, traumatized, and confined to her bed.
The police report had been temporarily sealed under a classified judicial gag order requested by Lucía, who was working behind the scenes with a sympathetic federal magistrate.
The front door of Renata’s office clicked open. Commander Garza walked in, holding a thick manila folder and a steaming cup of black coffee. He dropped the folder onto the mahogany desk with a sharp thump.
"They're sweating bullets down at the holding facility," Garza said, taking a seat opposite Renata. "Mauricio has already started crying like a toddler, trying to blame the entire operation on his mother. He claims Elvira forced him to take out the insurance policy and spiked the food behind his back."
"And Elvira?" Renata asked calmly, spinning a silver fountain pen between her fingers.
"The old woman is a stone wall. She’s demanding a lawyer, quoting constitutional articles, and claiming you fabricated the voice recordings using artificial intelligence. She thinks she's untouchable because her brother is a retired magistrate in Puebla."
Renata opened the folder. Inside were certified copies of Mauricio’s bank records, loan shark promissory notes, and property deeds.
"They thought they could ruin me, strip me of my savings, and leave me gasping for air on a kitchen floor," Renata said, her voice completely devoid of warmth. "They wanted me legally dead so they could cash out and flee to Argentina before the debt collectors seized their assets."
"They're facing thirty years for attempted aggravated homicide and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud," Garza noted. "It's an open-and-shut case. Once the prosecutor files the formal charges tomorrow morning, they'll be transferred to the North Prison facility to await trial."
Renata stopped spinning the pen. She looked up at the detective, her eyes flashing with a predatory brilliance that made even the hardened veteran hesitate.
"Thirty years is too kind," Renata murmured. "Prison is a place where they get three meals a day, a roof over their heads, and legal visits. I don't want them in prison, Commander."
Garza raised an eyebrow. "Counselor, what are you suggesting? We have a rock-solid case."
"I am suggesting," Renata said softly, sliding a single sheet of paper across the desk, "that before the prosecutor files those charges tomorrow morning... Mauricio needs to sign over every single asset he owns—including his shares in the family real estate company, his cars, and his personal bank accounts—directly to me, as part of a private, out-of-court civil divorce and asset forfeiture settlement."
Garza picked up the paper, his eyes scanning the legal clauses. "And if he refuses? He's looking at decades behind bars. Why would he sign away his entire livelihood?"
Renata smiled, a cold, humorless curve of her lips.
"Because," she whispered, "his mother’s trial won't just include attempted murder. I’ve instructed my corporate associates to audit the family business records from the last ten years. Elvira embezzled over twelve million pesos from her previous employer using Mauricio as a corporate proxy. If Mauricio signs, his mother takes the full, unmitigated fall alone, and he walks away with a clean slate—or so he will believe."
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Garza let out a low whistle. "You're feeding the son to the wolves, and then locking the mother in the cage alone."
"I'm just balancing the books," Renata replied. "Set up the meeting for midnight in the precinct interrogation room. Tell Mauricio I'm giving him exactly five minutes to choose between a lifetime behind bars as a penniless inmate, or freedom as a pauper."
