Chapter 3 - THE HUSBAND’S ALIBIEsteban strode into the study, his tailored suit jacket unbuttoned, his face flushed with adrenaline and absolute rage. He towered over Officer Ramírez, his eyes darting from the ransacked safe to the open laptop, and finally, landing on me.
"Mariana? What the hell are you doing in my house? Have you lost your mind?" Esteban shouted, stepping forward. "Where is my wife? Where is Sofía?"
"Your wife is currently detained at the hospital awaiting formal transfer to the precinct," Ramírez said calmly, stepping between Esteban and me, resting his hand casually on the grip of his holstered service weapon. "And I suggest you watch your tone, Mr. Hernández, because you are currently standing in the middle of a federal crime scene."
Esteban scoffed, though a micro-expression of panic rippled across his jawline. "Crime scene? You broke into my private residence without a warrant based on the hysterical ramblings of a bitter sister-in-law! I am a senior vice president of logistics for Bajío Freight. I have political immunity and legal representation that will tear your badge off your chest by morning!"
"Immunity doesn't cover international drug trafficking and illegal pharmaceutical distribution to minors, Mr. Hernández," Ramírez countered, spinning the laptop around so the glowing spreadsheet faced him. "Recognize this file? Patient_Log_Qro_2025. And how about the customs manifest from three weeks ago listing ten kilos of unrefined benzodiazepine analogues imported under the guise of industrial cleaning solvents?"
Esteban’s face drained of color. The bluster vanished in a single heartbeat, replaced by the hollow, trapped look of a man whose empire of cards had just collapsed.
"That... that's business," Esteban stammered, backing up a step until his back hit the bookshelf. "That data was encrypted. How did you—?"
"Your wife left the safe unlocked when she rushed out to dump Mateo's sedative bottle at the park," I spat, stepping out from the shadows of the desk. I couldn't hold back the venom anymore. "You both thought you were untouchable. You thought because you had money, because you ran in high circles, you could drug children like troublesome pets just to keep your social calendar quiet!"
Esteban glared at me, his eyes narrowing into slits of pure hatred. "You stupid, melodramatic bitch. You have no idea what you've ruined. Adriana was just... she was managing a problem. Kids these days are out of control. We provided a service."
"A service?" I screamed, lunging forward before Ramírez caught my shoulder. "You poisoned my son! You almost killed Mateo!"
"He's a brat!" Esteban yelled back, losing his composure completely. "Just like his mother! Always needing attention, always crying, always ruining everything! Adriana just gave him a little adjustment so we could have a peaceful Saturday afternoon! If you hadn't poked your nose where it didn't belong, none of this would have happened!"
"Mr. Hernández, you have the right to remain silent," Ramírez interrupted coldly, snapping a pair of steel handcuffs onto Esteban's wrists with practiced efficiency. "Everything you just said will be used against you in a court of law."
As Esteban was shoved against the wall and read his rights, my phone rang.
It was the hospital.
May you like
I answered with trembling fingers, putting it on speaker.
"Mrs. Mariana?" a breathless nurse's voice crackled through the speaker. "You need to get back to the hospital immediately. Mateo just woke up... and he's saying something about a basement."
