Chapter 3 - THE SECRET OF THE LEATHER BRIEFCASE
The hot liquid splashed across Officer Morales’s chest as he tackled Arturo to the ground before he could reach the bed.
"Get him down! Down!" Morales roared, pinning Arturo’s face against the cold tile floor.
Arturo thrashed like a wild animal, cursing at the top of his lungs, his boots kicking against the medical equipment. "I fed you! I gave you a roof! You ungrateful little rat! I’ll break your fucking neck!"
Elena began screaming frantically, pulling at Officer Morales’s uniform. "Leave him alone! He didn't do anything! She’s lying! She edited those videos!"
"Ma'am, back off or you will be arrested for obstruction of justice!" the female officer yelled, twisting Elena’s arms behind her back and snapping handcuffs onto her wrists.
Within seconds, both Arturo and Elena were hauled out into the brightly lit hospital hallway, surrounded by gaping patients and horrified nurses.
Camila sat on the edge of the bed, her breathing ragged, watching her mother get dragged away. Elena didn't look back at her daughter once—she only stared at Arturo, her eyes filled with terror, pleading for his forgiveness for failing him.
The social worker, whose badge read Lic. Valeria Mendez, pulled up a chair and took Camila’s uninjured hand. "You were incredibly brave, Camila. But it’s not over. We need to secure that phone."
Officer Morales walked back into the room, wiping coffee off his tactical vest. He held Camila’s phone carefully. He entered the PIN: 0-8-1-2.
The screen illuminated. He tapped on the 'STAIRS' folder.
There were dozens of files, meticulously organized by date and time.
He clicked on Video_14_Tonight.mp4.
The small speaker played the audio clearly. Arturo’s booming voice filled the room: "Look at me when I walk into my house!" Then came the horrific sound of a sharp slap, followed by Camila’s stifled gasp. Then, Arturo’s chilling laugh: "So... you're still standing, huh?"
Then came the sound that made Officer Morales flinch—the loud, sickening snap of bone, followed by Camila’s blood-curdling scream.
Officer Morales closed his eyes for a second, inhaling deeply to suppress his anger. "This is open-and-shut. Aggravated assault, child abuse, attempted murder. He’s never walking out of a prison cell."
"He will," Valeria said grimly, her face pale. "You don't know who Arturo works for."
Morales paused, turning to the social worker. "What are you talking about? He’s a independent construction supervisor."
Valeria opened her leather briefcase and pulled out a thick yellow dossier. She placed it on the tray table in front of Camila.
"Arturo isn't just a builder, Officer," Valeria said, her voice barely a whisper. "For the past three years, his construction company has been laundering money for the Jalisco New Generation Syndicate. He builds safe houses across the state. He has high-ranking police captains on his payroll. And..."
Valeria turned a page in the file, revealing a grainy photograph of Arturo standing next to a high-ranking judge in Mexico City.
"...he has judges in his pocket. If this case goes to the standard municipal court tomorrow morning, the charges will be downgraded to 'domestic disturbance.' He will be out on bail by noon."
Camila felt a cold wave of horror wash over her. "No... no, please. If he gets out... he told me he would break my other arm. He’ll kill me!"
"He won't get the chance," Valeria said firmly. "Because we are not taking him to municipal court. We are taking this straight to the Federal Attorney General's Office (FGR). But to do that, Camila, we need one more thing."
"What?" Camila asked, her body shaking from the pain and exhaustion.
Valeria leaned in close. "Your mother. Elena isn't just his victim or his enabler. Three years ago, your real father didn't die of a heart attack, did he?"
Camila froze. The air sucked right out of her lungs.
"My... my dad?" Camila stammered, tears suddenly spilling from her eyes. "My dad had a heart attack in his sleep. That’s what Mom told me."
Valeria pulled out a certified autopsy report from her briefcase and slid it toward Camila.
"Your father’s life insurance policy paid out three million pesos straight to Elena three weeks before she married Arturo," Valeria whispered. "And the poison found in his toxicology report... was cement additive. Sodium nitrate. The exact chemical Arturo uses on his job sites every single day."
Camila stared at the paper, the world spinning out of control.
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Her mother hadn't just stood by while Arturo beat her.
Her mother had helped him murder her father.
