Chapter 10 - THE FAMILY TRAITOR
Uncle Ernesto had stood beside Mateo at every search.
He had organized volunteers.
He had paid for thousands of missing-person posters.
He had even appeared on television asking anyone with information to come forward.
Now his name filled page after page of Ignacio’s ledger.
Payments.
Fake invoices.
Property transfers.
Construction contracts.
Salgado studied the entries.
“Your uncle was laundering money through your father’s company.”
Mateo shook his head.
“My father would never agree to that.”
“He didn’t.”
Salgado turned several pages.
“These notes look like evidence Ignacio was collecting after discovering it.”
Mateo remembered Ernesto after Ignacio’s funeral.
His uncle had taken control of the company temporarily.
Six months later, it collapsed.
Perhaps not from bad luck.
Perhaps because Ernesto needed it dead.
Mateo called his mother.
“Where is Uncle Ernesto?”
Elena hesitated.
“He called me this morning.”
“What did he want?”
“He asked whether you had found anything at the old house.”
Mateo looked at Salgado.
“When?”
“About an hour ago.”
Salgado immediately began giving orders.
Police were sent to Ernesto’s apartment.
It was empty.
His car was gone.
His phone had been turned off.
Then Laura called from the hospital.
Her voice was shaking.
“Mateo.”
“What?”
“Jimena is missing.”
Everything inside him stopped.
“What do you mean missing?”
“I went to get coffee.”
“Laura.”
“There was an officer outside.”
“Where is he?”
“Unconscious.”
Mateo dropped the ledger.
Salgado grabbed his phone.
The hospital security footage showed a janitorial cart entering the children’s floor.
Six minutes later, a man in maintenance clothing pushed the same cart toward a service elevator.
A child’s pink shoe was visible beneath a sheet.
Mateo stared at the screen.
Then a second camera captured the man’s face.
Ernesto Rivas.
Mateo’s uncle had taken Jimena.
Salgado’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He placed it on speaker.
Ernesto’s voice filled the room.
“Mateo.”
Mateo stepped toward the phone.
“If you hurt her—”
“Bring me Ignacio’s ledger.”
“Where?”
“You’ll receive instructions.”
“Let me hear my daughter.”
A few seconds passed.
Then Jimena cried.
“Daddy.”
Mateo closed his eyes.
“I’m coming, sweetheart.”
Ernesto returned.
“Come alone.”
Salgado shook his head.
Mateo ignored him.
Ernesto continued.
“And Mateo.”
May you like
“Yes?”
“If I see police, this time your family loses a child for good.”
