Chapter 8 - REBECA’S CONFESSION
Mateo entered the interrogation room shortly after noon.
Rebeca sat behind a metal table wearing gray detention clothes.
Without makeup, jewelry, or her carefully arranged hair, she looked almost unrecognizable.
Mateo remained standing.
“You have five minutes.”
Rebeca’s eyes filled.
“Is Emiliano okay?”
“You don’t get to ask that.”
She lowered her gaze.
“Sebastián is going to kill him.”
“He already tried.”
Rebeca looked up sharply.
Mateo threw the note onto the table.
Her face drained.
“He knows the ledger still exists.”
Mateo leaned forward.
“Start at the beginning.”
Rebeca wiped her cheeks.
“I met Sebastián three years ago.”
“He knew who you were?”
“Not at first.”
“You believe that?”
“I did then.”
She explained that Sebastián had presented himself as a property developer.
Charming.
Educated.
Patient.
He listened when she spoke about growing up poor after Ignacio died.
He encouraged her resentment.
Her father had left secrets behind.
Debts.
Shame.
Nothing else.
Then Sebastián told her Ignacio’s death had not been an accident.
Mateo went still.
“He told me his father arranged it.”
Rebeca whispered the words.
“Because Dad was going to testify.”
Mateo stared at her.
“And you continued sleeping with him?”
“I wanted proof.”
“You built a house with him.”
“I was already trapped by then.”
Rebeca described the first time Sebastián asked about the blue ledger.
She claimed she did not know what he meant.
Then, at Christmas, Sebastián attended briefly as her “business friend.”
From across the room, he saw Emiliano carrying the model house.
He saw the blue corner of a book inside it.
Later, Rebeca searched for the ledger.
It was gone.
Sebastián became convinced Emiliano had hidden it.
“So you kidnapped him.”
Rebeca closed her eyes.
“I opened the side gate.”
Mateo’s breathing changed.
“Say it.”
“I told Emiliano I had a surprise in my car.”
Mateo stepped back as though struck.
“He trusted you.”
“I know.”
“He loved you.”
“I know.”
“You put him in a car.”
“Sebastián said we would question him and return him before anyone noticed.”
Mateo slammed both palms onto the table.
“He was seven.”
Rebeca sobbed.
“I panicked.”
“No.”
Mateo leaned across the table.
“You made choices.”
Rebeca could not look at him.
“He wouldn’t tell us where the book was.”
“So you buried him beneath your house.”
“Sebastián threatened Jimena.”
Mateo stopped.
“What?”
“He said if I released Emiliano, he would take Jimena too.”
Mateo’s voice dropped dangerously.
“You should have gone to the police.”
“He had photographs of her preschool.”
Mateo turned away.
Every answer created a new horror.
Then Rebeca said something unexpected.
“Sebastián still doesn’t know the truth.”
Mateo looked back.
“What truth?”
“Emiliano never hid the ledger.”
“Then who did?”
May you like
Rebeca stared at him.
“Jimena.”
