Chapter 98 - Picking Up - Feds
Simón
I had no idea how we managed to save her. But the doctor was right, it was time to admit her.
"Thanks, Rata. How did you know..."
"The tracker and the sensor," I said. Cebolla looked pale. "Thanks, man. If you hadn't reacted, there would be two dead."
"I have no fucking idea how I ran so fast."
"I need to talk to old Fausto to make the change. This can't happen again."
"Sounds good," I replied.
"Rata." He looked at me, gave me a hug and a couple of pats on the back. "Never let her take off the rings."
He closed the door as he left. Cebolla and I looked at the lady; she was very thin and had dark circles under her eyes.
"She's a shadow of what she was a couple of weeks ago." His words were accurate. She wasn't even a shadow of the strong woman who used to confront us.
"Good thing Inés wasn't here," I commented.
She was a demon, but I believe in you, God. Thank you for having the right people to snatch this soul from the devil. I sent a mental prayer.
"I have the transfer authorization. They recommended this clinic. Dr. Mendoza says it's the best. We just need to talk to them and make the transfer."
"I'll take care of it. Don't leave her alone."
"Thanks, Rata."
"Stay here, Cebolla."
"You don't have to tell me," I smiled.
"Wow, wherever my sister goes, she finds angels." We looked at him. "You'd be fallen angels, but angels nonetheless. She was born with her own light, and even though she's going through a tough time now, I'm one of those who believe we have a determined fate, and Vero will face hers now. God has something in store for her."
"Is that attitude normal?" The brother shook his head.
"She takes deaths hard, but she loves and defends life more than anything. I don't know what's going through her head right now. I just hope her sadness passes quickly. I miss my sister."
"I'll take a while," I commented.
I arrived at the psychiatric center on the outskirts of the city, which was close to the house. I talked to the manager, explained the situation, and paid for two rooms with internal communication. I also got permission to make several modifications. In the lady's room, they allowed me to install cameras in all angles except the bathroom.
However, I had the ventilation window replaced with cement grilles, removed the mirror and the curtain. The important thing was not to leave anything she could use to harm herself. Around six in the evening, I arrived at the clinic for her. She was awake but somewhat dazed.
"Everything's ready. They're waiting for us at the rest clinic."
"You took your time," Cebolla said.
"Setting everything up."
Santiago carried his sister and took her to the car. Cebolla left in his car. Raúl, who had arrived in the afternoon for his daily visit, took Santiago's car while I drove. I watched the Vásquez siblings. Life takes unexpected turns; nothing was certain.
The medical staff was waiting for us, along with the two specialists hired to support the treatment starting tomorrow. My second-in-command handed over the medical records. They insisted there were too many people for the patient, to which I made it very clear they had to make an exception for us.
"I want to stay with her tonight," Raúl had notified his desire to stay.
"The adjoining room was for us to rest and keep watch."
I showed them the door. The manager was surprised at how quickly the renovations were done. When I showed them, they saw there were five screens on a large TV displaying the lady's room. Everyone saw her asleep.
"Thanks, Rata."
Santiago also showed the strain of his sister's situation; he had dark circles under his eyes.
"Raúl," I handed him a cell phone. "Only call me from this number. I don't want anyone to know where we have the lady. We don't know if we've been intercepted. Tomorrow, I'll bring my things to work from here. I'll sleep here every night, or he will." I took Cebolla's wrist, removed his watch, and put one identical to mine on him.
"This is..."
"A small promotion. After what happened this morning, I won't risk you not knowing the lady's condition. I swore to take care of her. If I was strict with Roland, I'll be obsessive with her." Santiago headed to the bathroom.
"Thanks, Rata."
"Well, two people can stay if they want. Not Cebolla. As long as the boyfriend stays, he won't be the partner."
Despite the tension, my comment made Raúl smile, though Cebolla didn't much. I frowned. Were Inés's prayers working? The lady's brother came out of the bathroom, and it seemed Miguel didn't like my comment.
"I'll stay," Santiago said.
"Alright, see you tomorrow. Cebolla, we have a lot of work." We left.
"Rata, my sexual orientation is not public knowledge," he said through gritted teeth.
"I'll keep that in mind. Talk to Raúl. I thought..."
"He already knows. He doesn't approve, but I don't care what he thinks about that. I have nothing with him."
I signaled for silence. I saw he was annoyed and uncomfortable; I would bring it up later.
"We have work to do."
He affirmed with the seriousness the situation required. It was time to start searching. I already had the clinic videos showing the faces of the people there at the time of my friend's death. There was no danger… it was just a hunch, plus one of the women’s faces in the waiting room seemed familiar, and it intrigued me that I couldn't remember where I had seen her. I rarely forgot a face.
...¨...
A month had passed, I slept most of the time in the rest clinic, accompanied by Cebolla. The guys rarely relieved us during the day. According to the medical report, Mrs. Veronica continued to improve, although she spoke little, sometimes she did converse with some patients. "The first days were chaotic, the crises only calmed down if Miguel or I held her hand."
That was something. I had already set the information cross-checking in motion and had my second-in-command working on it with the guys. There was just over a month left until Roland's will was read, and the bosses were on edge. I needed to step up if I wanted to catch the bastard who killed my friend by that day.
I hadn't found anything unusual so far. I had downloaded the information from the three cell phones to see if I had missed anything. Miguel was still investigating the people who were in the waiting room that day. Most of his reports had been dismissed; a small group remained to be verified. I felt at ease knowing the guys were looking after Inés at home.
In the morning, I gave him photos of two women who had witnessed the entire scene. They stayed at the place until we left. Since morning, Miguel had gone with Arnold and Gustavo to investigate them, while Cereza accompanied Inés. I worked with Aníbal in the afternoon, and he should be arriving at the house by now.
I looked at the monitors and didn't see the lady in her room. When did this woman disappear? My pulse watch hadn't gone off. I checked and saw she was calm. The tracker placed her in the garden. I peeked out and saw her sitting on one of the benches, hugging her legs, dressed in comfortable clothes as if she were about to exercise.
"Good afternoon."
She was playing with her wedding ring, a habit she had acquired, spinning the band on her finger.
"Have you forgotten?"
Her sad gaze could break any soul; the sorrow in her eyes disarmed anyone before her.
"No, I never will, but I keep breathing and must continue."
"I'm not crazy." She began spinning the ring faster. "I feel like he isn't dead. I know I saw him on that stretcher, but I feel him alive here." She touched her chest. "I feel like he's calling me, sometimes I hear his voice." She started to cry.
"Acceptance is the hardest part. Once you do, you can move on with your life. I hope you don't take too long to come to terms with Roland's loss. I will find who killed him. I've already downloaded the information from the three cell phones." She furrowed her brow. "We are investigating everyone in the waiting room. Don't ask me why, it's a hunch. And you're not crazy. You just haven't accepted your loss. It's hard to accept the facts, but I saw him dead. Ma'am, death is something you overcome with time, believe me."
"Who else have you lost?"
"I know firsthand what you feel, losing the one you love. My wife and child died in an accident." Her compassionate look was enough for me to know she sympathized.
"I don't want to be drugged anymore."
"Stop behaving like a lunatic. You love life. You brought back some faith and hope to our rotten existence. Show off the woman Roland fought for."
"I don't feel ready. Not until you bring the bastard who killed my husband!" Her moods changed quickly.
"I will. Now go back to your room, it's very cold."
"Fine. I got what I was looking for."
"And what was that?"
"To know I'm not crazy." She let out a laugh, then hugged me. "I haven't told you, but thank you, thank you for coming that afternoon, for being loyal to your friend."
"Get some sleep."
I accompanied her, left her at her room's door, and went to the next room. I called Cebolla.
"Report." I heard him sigh.
"I'm on my way, I'll be there in about forty minutes, but I'll give you a heads-up. That address is from twenty years ago. The faces you gave me belong to a mother and daughter who don't live in Colombia. They were visiting a patient and have already returned to the country where they've lived for eighteen years."
"We need to keep searching."
I looked at the monitor; the lady was still in bed. See you in a bit. I hung up the call and my other phone rang.
"What's up, González?" The will reading is soon.
"The Gutiérrez were killed." I stood up from the chair.
"What the hell did you say?"