I saw my daughter-in-law throw a leather suitcase into the lake and drive away. I ran over and heard a muffled sound coming from inside. «Please, please don’t let it be what I think it is,» I whispered, my hands trembling over the wet zipper. I dragged the suitcase out, forced the zipper open, and my heart stopped. What I saw inside made me shake in a way I had never felt in my 62 years of life.
But let me explain how I got to that moment. How a quiet October afternoon turned into the most terrifying scene I have ever witnessed. It was 5:15 in the afternoon.
I know because I had just poured my tea and glanced at the kitchen clock, that old clock that belonged to my mother. I was standing on the porch of my house, the house where I raised Louis, my only son. The house that now felt too big, too quiet, too full of ghosts since I buried him six months ago.
Meridian Lake shimmered in front of me, still as a mirror. It was hot. The kind of sticky heat that makes you sweat under your blouse, even when you are standing still.
Then I saw her. Cynthia’s silver car appeared on the dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dust. My daughter-in-law. My son’s widow.
She was driving like a madwoman. The engine roared in an unnatural way. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
I knew that road. Louis and I used to walk it when he was a boy. No one drove like that on it unless they were running from something.
She slammed on the brakes right by the lake’s edge. The tires skidded. The dust made me cough. I dropped my teacup. It shattered against the porch floor, but I didn’t care.
My eyes were glued to her. Cynthia jumped out of the car as if propelled by a spring. She was wearing a grey dress, the one Louis gave her for their anniversary. Her hair was a mess. Her face was red. She looked like she had been crying or screaming, or both.
She opened the trunk with so much force I thought she would rip the door off. And then I saw it. The suitcase. That damned brown leather suitcase I gave her myself when she married my son.
«So you can carry your dreams everywhere,» I told her that day. How stupid I was. How naive.
Cynthia pulled it out of the trunk. It was heavy. I could tell by how her body stooped, by how her arms trembled. She glanced around. Nervous. Scared. Guilty.
I will never forget that look. Then she walked toward the water’s edge. Every step seemed to be a struggle, as if she were carrying the weight of the world. Or something worse.
«Cynthia!» I shouted from the porch. But I was too far away. Or maybe she didn’t want to hear me.
She swung the suitcase. Once. Twice. And on the third swing, she threw it into the lake. The sound of the impact cut through the air. Birds took flight. The water splashed.
And she just stood there watching as the suitcase floated for a moment before it began to sink.
Then she ran. Ran back to the car as if the devil himself was chasing her. She started the engine. The tires screeched. She was gone. She disappeared down the same road, leaving only dust and silence.
I was paralyzed. Ten seconds. Twenty. Thirty. My brain was trying to process what I had just seen. Cynthia. The suitcase. The lake. The desperation in her movements.
Something was terribly wrong. I felt a chill run down my spine despite the heat. My legs started moving before my mind could stop them.
I ran. I ran like I hadn’t run in years. My knees protested. My chest burned. But I didn’t stop.
I ran down the porch steps. Across the yard. On to the dirt road. My sandals kicked up dust.
The lake was about a hundred yards away. Maybe less. Maybe more. I don’t know. I just know that every second felt like an eternity.
When I reached the shore, I was out of breath. My heart was pounding against my ribs. The suitcase was still there. Floating. Sinking slowly. The leather was soaked. Dark. Heavy.
I waded into the water without a second thought. The lake was cold. Much colder than I expected. It came up to my knees. Then my waist. The mud at the bottom sucked at my feet. I almost lost a sandal.
I stretched out my arms. I grabbed one of the suitcase straps. I pulled. It was incredibly heavy. As if it were filled with rocks. Or worse.
I didn’t want to think about what could be worse. I pulled harder. My arms were shaking. The water splashed my face. Finally, the suitcase gave way. I started dragging it toward the shore.
And then I heard it. A sound. Faint. Muffled. Coming from inside the suitcase. My blood ran cold. No. It couldn’t be. «Please, God. Don’t let it be what I’m thinking.»
I pulled faster. More desperately. I dragged the suitcase onto the wet sand of the shore.
I fell to my knees beside it. My hands fumbled for the zipper. It was stuck. Wet. Rusted. My fingers kept slipping. «Come on. Come on. Come on,» I repeated through clenched teeth. Tears started to blur my vision.
I forced the zipper. Once. Twice. It burst open. I lifted the lid. And what I saw inside made the entire world stop.
My heart stopped beating. The air caught in my throat. My hands flew to my mouth to stifle a scream. There, wrapped in a soaked light blue blanket, was a baby. A newborn. So small. So fragile. So still.
His lips were purple. His skin was pale as wax. His eyes were closed. He wasn’t moving. «Oh my God. Oh my God. No. No.» My hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold him.
I lifted him out of the suitcase with a gentleness I didn’t know I still had. He was cold. So cold. He weighed less than a bag of sand. His little head fit in the palm of my hand.
His umbilical cord was still tied with a piece of string. String. Not a medical clamp. Plain string. As if someone had done this at home in secret without any help.
«No, no, no,» I whispered over and over. I pressed my ear to his chest. Silence. Nothing. I pressed my cheek against his nose. And then I felt it.
A puff of air. So faint I thought I’d imagined it. But it was there. He was breathing. Barely. But he was breathing.
I stood up, clutching the baby to my chest. My legs nearly gave out. I ran toward the house faster than I had ever run in my life. Water dripped from my clothes.
My bare feet bled from the stones on the path. But I felt no pain. Only terror. Only urgency. Only the desperate need to save this tiny life trembling against me.
I burst into the house screaming. I don’t know what I was screaming. Maybe help. Maybe God. Maybe nothing coherent.
I grabbed the kitchen phone with one hand while holding the baby with the other. I dialed 911. My fingers slipped on the buttons. The phone almost fell twice.
«911, what’s your emergency?» a female voice said.
«A baby,» I sobbed. «I found a baby in the lake. He’s not responding. He’s cold. He’s purple. Please. Please send help.»
«Ma’am, I need you to calm down. Tell me your address.»
I gave her my address. The words tumbled out. The operator told me to put the baby on a flat surface.
I swept everything off the kitchen table with one arm. Everything crashed to the floor. Plates. Papers. Nothing mattered. I laid the baby on the table. So small. So fragile. So still.
«Is he breathing?» I asked the operator. My voice was a high-pitched shriek I didn’t recognize.
«You tell me. Look at his chest. Is it moving? Look.»
Barely. Very barely. A movement so subtle I had to lean in to see it. «Yes. I think so. Very little.»
«Okay. Listen to me carefully. I’m going to guide you. I need you to get a clean towel and dry the baby very carefully. Then wrap him up to keep him warm. The ambulance is on its way.»
I did what she said. I grabbed towels from the bathroom. I dried his tiny body with clumsy, desperate movements. Every second felt like an eternity.
I wrapped the baby in clean towels. I picked him up again, cradled him against my chest. I started rocking him without realizing it. An ancient instinct I thought I’d forgotten.
«Hang on,» I whispered to him. «Please hang on. They’re coming. They’re coming to help you.»
The minutes it took for the ambulance to arrive were the longest of my life. I sat on the kitchen floor with the baby against my chest. I sang. I don’t know what I sang. Maybe the same song I used to sing to Louis when he was little. Maybe just meaningless sounds. I just needed him to know he wasn’t alone, that someone was holding him, that someone wanted him to live.
The sirens broke the silence. Red and white lights flashed through the windows. I ran to the door. Two paramedics rushed out of the ambulance. An older man with a gray beard and a young woman with dark hair tied back in a ponytail.
She took the baby from my arms with an efficiency that broke my heart. She checked him quickly, pulled out a stethoscope, listened. Her face showed no emotion, but I saw her shoulders tense.
«Severe hypothermia. Possible water aspiration. We need to move now,» she said to her partner.
They placed him on a tiny gurney, put an oxygen mask on him. Their hands worked fast, connecting wires, monitors, things I didn’t understand.
The man looked at me. «You’re coming with us.» It wasn’t a question.
I got into the ambulance, sat on the small side seat. I couldn’t stop staring at the baby, so small among all that equipment. The ambulance took off. The sirens wailed. The world blurred past the windows.
«How did you find him?» the paramedic asked as she continued to work.
«In a suitcase. In the lake. I saw someone throw it in.»
She looked up. She stared at me. Then she looked at her partner. I saw something in her eyes. Worry. Maybe suspicion. Maybe pity.
«Did you see who it was?»
I opened my mouth. I closed it. Cynthia, my daughter-in-law. My son’s widow. The woman who cried at Louis’ funeral as if her world had ended. The same woman who had just tried to drown a baby. How could I say that? How could I even believe it myself?
«Yes,» I finally said. «I saw who it was.»
We got to the general hospital in less than 15 minutes. The emergency room doors flew open. A dozen people in white and green scrubs surrounded the gurney. They were shouting numbers, medical terms, orders. They rushed the baby through a set of double doors.
I tried to follow, but a nurse stopped me. «Ma’am, you need to stay here. The doctors are working. We need some information.»
She led me to a waiting room. Cream-colored walls, plastic chairs, the smell of disinfectant. I sat down. I was shivering from head to toe. I didn’t know if it was from the cold of my wet clothes or from shock. Probably both.
The nurse sat across from me. She was older than the paramedic. Maybe my age. She had kind wrinkles around her eyes. Her name tag said Eloise. «I’m going to need you to tell me everything that happened,» she said in a soft voice.
And I told her. Every detail. From the moment I saw Cynthia’s car until I opened the suitcase. Eloise took notes on a tablet. She nodded. She didn’t interrupt.
When I finished, she sighed deeply. «The police will want to talk to you,» she said. «This is attempted murder. Maybe worse.»
Attempted murder. The words hung in the air like black birds. My daughter-in-law. My son’s wife. A murderer. I couldn’t process it. I couldn’t understand it.
Eloise put her hand on mine. «You did the right thing. You saved a life today.»
But it didn’t feel like that. It felt like I had uncovered something terrible. Something I couldn’t push back into the darkness. Something that would change everything forever.
Two hours passed before a doctor came out to talk to me. He was young. Maybe 35. He had deep, dark circles under his eyes and hands that smelled like antibacterial soap.
«The baby is stable,» he said. «For now. He’s in the neonatal intensive care unit. He suffered severe hypothermia and aspirated water. His lungs are compromised. The next 48 hours are critical.»
«Is he going to live?» I asked. My voice sounded broken.
«I don’t know,» he said with brutal honesty. «We’re going to do everything we can.»
The police arrived half an hour later. Two officers, a woman in her 40s with her hair in a tight bun and a younger man who took notes. The woman introduced herself as Detective Fatima Salazar. She had dark eyes that seemed to see right through lies.
They asked me the same questions over and over from different angles. I described the car, the exact time, Cynthia’s movements, the suitcase, everything.
Fatima stared at me with an intensity that made me feel guilty even though I’d done nothing wrong. «And you’re sure it was your daughter-in-law?»
«Completely sure.»
«Why would she do something like that?»
«I don’t know.»
«Where is she now?»
«I don’t know.»
«When was the last time you spoke to her before today?»
«Three weeks ago. On the anniversary of my son’s death.»
Fatima wrote something down. She exchanged a look with her partner. «We’re going to need you to come to the station to make a formal statement tomorrow. And you cannot contact Cynthia under any circumstances. Do you understand?»
I nodded. What was I going to say to her anyway? Why did you try to kill a baby? Why did you throw him in the lake like trash? Why? Why? Why?
The officers left. Eloise came back with a blanket and a cup of hot tea. «You should go home. Get some rest. Change your clothes.»
But I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t leave that baby alone in the hospital. That baby I had held against my chest. Who had breathed his last gasp of hope in my arms.
I stayed in the waiting room. Eloise brought me dry clothes from the hospital storage. Nurses’ pants and a T-shirt that was way too big. I changed in the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like I had aged ten years in one afternoon.
I didn’t sleep that night. I sat in that plastic chair watching the clock. Every hour I got up and asked about the baby. The nurses gave me the same answer. Stable. Critical. Fighting.
At three in the morning, Father Anthony showed up. The priest from my church. Someone must have called him. He sat next to me in silence.
He didn’t say anything for a long time. He was just there. Sometimes that’s all you need. A presence. Proof that you’re not completely alone in hell.
«God tests us in many ways,» he finally said.
«This doesn’t feel like a test,» I replied. «It feels like a curse.»
He nodded. He didn’t try to convince me otherwise. And I appreciated that more than any sermon.
When the sun began to rise, I knew that nothing would ever be the same. I had crossed a line. I had seen something I couldn’t unsee. And whatever came next, I would have to face it.
Because that baby, that tiny being fighting for every breath in the next room, had become my responsibility. I hadn’t chosen it. But I couldn’t abandon him either. Not after pulling him from the water. Not after feeling his heart beat against mine.
The sunrise came without me even noticing. Light streamed through the waiting room windows, painting everything a pale orange. I had spent the entire night in that plastic chair. My back was aching. My eyes burned.
But I couldn’t leave. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the suitcase sinking. I saw that still little body. I saw the purple lips.
Eloise appeared at seven in the morning with coffee and a sandwich wrapped in foil. «You need to eat something,» she said, putting it in my hands.
I wasn’t hungry, but I ate anyway because she just stood there waiting. The coffee was too hot and burned my tongue. The sandwich tasted like cardboard. But I swallowed. I chewed. I pretended I was a normal person doing normal things on a normal morning.
«The baby is still stable,» Eloise said, sitting next to me. «His body temperature is rising. His lungs are responding to treatment. It’s a good sign.»
«Can I see him?»
She shook her head. «Not yet. Only immediate family. And we don’t even know who the family is.»
Family. The word hit me like a stone. That baby had to have a family. A mother. Cynthia.
But she had tried to kill him. So who was the father? Where was he? Why hadn’t anyone reported him missing? The questions piled up in my head with no answers.
At nine, Detective Fatima came again. She was alone this time. She sat across from me with a folder in her hands. Her expression was hard. Inquisitive. She looked at me as if I were the suspect.
«Betty, I need to ask you a few more questions,» she said, opening the folder.
«I already told you everything I know.»
«I know. But some inconsistencies have come up.»
Inconsistencies. The word floated between us like an accusation. I felt my stomach tighten. «What kind of inconsistencies?»
Fatima pulled out a photograph. She placed it on the small table between us. It was Cynthia’s car. But it was in a parking lot. Not by the lake.
«This photo was taken by a security camera at a supermarket 30 miles from here yesterday at 5:20 in the afternoon.»
5:20. 10 minutes after I saw her by the lake. Impossible.
I looked at the photo more closely. It was her car. License plate and all. «But it can’t be. There must be a mistake,» I said. «I saw her. I was there. I saw her throw the suitcase.»
«Are you completely sure it was Cynthia? How close were you?»
I swallowed hard. «A hundred yards. Maybe more. I saw her from behind most of the time. The gray dress. The dark hair. The silver car.»
«I was sure,» I said, but my voice sounded less convincing now.
Fatima leaned forward. «Betty, I need you to be honest with me. What is your relationship with Cynthia? Do you get along?»
And there it was. The real question. The one I had been waiting for since the police showed up. Because we didn’t get along.
We had never gotten along. From the day Louis introduced me to her, I knew something was wrong with her. She was too perfect. Too calculating. Too interested in the money Louis made as an engineer.
«We’re not close,» I admitted.
«Do you blame her for your son’s death?»
«What?» My voice was too loud. Too defensive.
«It’s a simple question. Do you blame Cynthia for Louis’ death?»
The accident. That’s what everyone called it. Louis was driving home after dinner with Cynthia. It was raining. The car skidded. He crashed into a tree.
Louis died on impact. Cynthia walked away with minor scratches. It always seemed strange to me. It always seemed convenient. But I never had proof. Just a heartbroken mother looking for someone to blame.
«I don’t see what that has to do with the baby.»
«It has everything to do with it,» Fatima said, closing the folder. «Because we haven’t been able to locate Cynthia. She’s vanished. Her house is empty. Her phone is off. And you are the only person who claims to have seen her yesterday.»
Her words fell on me like ice water. She was accusing me. Not directly. But the insinuation was there, clear as day. She thought I had made it all up. That I had found the baby some other way and was blaming Cynthia out of revenge.
«I didn’t lie,» I said through clenched teeth. «I saw what I saw.»
«Then we need to find Cynthia. And fast. Because if she’s that baby’s mother, he’s in serious danger. And if she’s not, then we have an even bigger mystery on our hands.»
Fatima stood up. She handed me a card with her number. «If you remember anything else, any detail, call me.»
She left, leaving me with more questions than answers. I sat there with the card in my hand, wondering if I was losing my mind. I had seen Cynthia. I was sure of it.
But now doubt was seeping in like poison. What if I had been wrong? What if it was someone else? What if my grief and resentment had made me see what I wanted to see?
Father Anthony returned at noon. He held a rosary in his hands. «Shall we pray?» he asked.
I’m not very religious. I never was. But at that moment, I needed something bigger than myself. Something to tell me I wasn’t alone in this. I nodded.
We prayed together in low voices. The familiar words calmed me, even if I didn’t understand how they worked. When we finished, I felt a little less broken.
«The police think I’m lying,» I told him.
«The truth always comes to light,» he replied, «even if it takes time.»
But we didn’t have time. That baby was fighting for his life. And somewhere Cynthia was hiding, or running, or planning her next move.
At three in the afternoon, a different doctor came to see me. A woman this time, older, with thick glasses and a serious expression. «We need your consent to run some tests on the baby,» she said.
«I’m not family.»
«We know, but you’re the only responsible person right now. Social services is on the way, but in the meantime, we need to act. The baby needs blood tests. We need to know if he has any medical conditions. If he was exposed to drugs. If he has injuries we haven’t detected.»
I signed the papers. I didn’t even read them completely. I just wanted them to do whatever was necessary to save him.
Two hours later, the social worker showed up. Aline. She was young. Too young for that job, I thought. Maybe 25. Short hair, grey suit, a professional smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
«Mrs. Betty,» she said, sitting next to me. «I need to ask you some questions about your situation. I understand you found the baby.»
The story again. The questions again. But Aline was different. She didn’t look at me with suspicion. She looked at me with pity, which was worse somehow.
«Do you live alone?» she asked.
«Yes.»
«Do you have a stable income?»
«I have my late husband’s pension. And some savings.»
«Criminal record?»
«No.»
«Mental health issues. Depression. Anxiety.» I hesitated.
After Louis died, I took antidepressants for three months. My doctor said it was normal, that grief sometimes needs chemical help. I stopped when I started to feel better.
«I had depression after my son’s death,» I admitted. «But it’s over now.»
Aline wrote something down. I couldn’t see what. «The baby will need a temporary home when he’s released from the hospital,» she said. «If he’s released. Social services will look for certified foster families. In the meantime, he will remain in state custody.»
State custody. Those words broke something inside me. That baby I had held against my chest, who had breathed his first breath of life in my arms, was going to be handed over to strangers, to a system, to people who would see him as just another case file, just another number.
«What if I wanted to…» The words came out before I could stop them. «What if I wanted to take care of him?»
Aline looked at me, surprised, then skeptical. «Mrs. Betty, you’re 62 years old. You’re not a certified foster parent. You have no legal relationship to the baby. And you are involved in an active criminal investigation.»
«I didn’t do anything wrong. I saved his life.»
«I know. But the system has protocols.»
«The child’s best interest comes first. And frankly, your age and your recent emotional situation are factors we have to consider.»
I felt like I had been slapped. Too old. Too unstable. Too broken. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was crazy to even think about it.
But when I closed my eyes, all I saw was that fragile little body. And I knew that no one else in the world would love him like I could.
That night, I went home for the first time in 36 hours. Eloise convinced me. She said I needed to shower, to sleep in a real bed, that the baby would be fine, that they would call me if anything changed.
I drove home as the sun was setting. The lake shimmered to my right. I stopped at the same spot where I had seen Cynthia, where I had pulled out the suitcase.
I got out of the car. I walked to the shore. The suitcase was gone. The police had taken it as evidence. But I could see exactly where it had been. I could see my own footprints in the dried mud.
I stood there as darkness fell, wondering if I would ever know the truth, wondering if Cynthia was watching from somewhere, wondering what the hell had really happened.
And then my phone rang. It was the hospital. My heart stopped. «Mrs. Betty,» Eloise’s voice said, «you need to come back now.»
I drove back to the hospital, breaking every speed limit. My hands trembled on the steering wheel. My heart was beating so loud I could hear it over the engine. Eloise hadn’t given any details on the phone. She just said to come back. Now.
Those two words were enough to fill my head with the worst case scenarios. The baby had died. It had to be that. Why else would they call me so urgently?
He had fought for two days and finally, his little body had given up. It hadn’t been enough. I hadn’t been enough. I had been too late.
I parked crookedly, taking up two spots. I ran toward the emergency room doors. Eloise was waiting for me at the entrance. Her expression was serious, but there was something else, something I couldn’t decipher.
«He’s alive,» she said immediately, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. «The baby’s alive. But you need to come with me.»
She led me down hallways I didn’t know. We went up to the third floor. We passed the neonatal intensive care unit. We kept walking.
Finally, we reached a small conference room. Inside were Detective Fatima, Aline, the social worker, and a man I didn’t know. He was older, maybe 60. He wore a dark suit and glasses. He had the face of a lawyer.
«Please sit down,» Fatima said, pointing to a chair.
I sat. My legs felt like jelly. Everyone was looking at me with an intensity that made me want to run.
«We received the results of the baby’s DNA test,» Fatima said. Her words fell like stones in still water.
DNA. I didn’t understand why they had done that. What were they looking for? «And…» I asked when the silence became unbearable.
Fatima exchanged a look with the man in the suit. He nodded. She opened a folder and took out several papers. She placed them in front of me.
«The baby is a boy. He was born approximately three days ago according to medical tests.» Fatima paused. «And Betty? He’s your grandson.»
The world stopped. The words didn’t make sense. I heard them, but my brain refused to process them. My grandson. Impossible.
Louis died six months ago. He didn’t leave any children. No pregnancy. Nothing. «That’s impossible,» I whispered.
«The results are conclusive,» said the man in the suit. «I’m Dr. Alan Mendez, a specialist in forensic genetics. We ran the tests twice to be sure. The baby shares approximately 25% of his DNA with you. He is definitively your biological grandson. Son of your son, Louis.»
Son of Louis. My Louis. I felt as if someone had hit me in the chest with a hammer. Louis had a son. A son he never knew. A son someone had tried to drown in a lake.
«But how…» My voice sounded distant. «Louis died six months ago. Cynthia never said anything about a pregnancy.»
«Exactly,» Fatima said, leaning forward. «Cynthia was pregnant during the accident. According to our calculations, she became pregnant about a month before Louis’ death, which means she knew.»
The room was spinning. Cynthia knew she was pregnant when Louis died. Why didn’t she say anything? Why did she hide the pregnancy for nine months? Why did she give birth in secret and then try to kill her own son?
«I don’t understand,» I said. Tears started to blur my vision. «Why would she do something like that? He’s her son. Louis’ son.»
«That’s what we need to find out,» Fatima said. «But there’s more. Betty, I need you to listen very carefully to what I’m about to tell you.»
I braced myself. I didn’t know for what, but I knew what was coming would be worse.
«We’ve been investigating your son’s accident. And there are inconsistencies, big inconsistencies.»
«What kind of inconsistencies?»
«Louis’ car was examined after the accident. The official report said it was a skid due to rain, but we asked for it to be checked again. They found evidence of tampering with the brakes. Someone sabotaged them.»
The word landed like a bomb. Sabotage. Murder. My son hadn’t died in an accident. He had been murdered.
«Cynthia,» I said. It wasn’t a question.
«She is our prime suspect,» Fatima admitted. «But we need proof, and we need to find her.»
«She has completely disappeared. She hasn’t used her phone. She hasn’t touched her bank accounts. It’s like she vanished into thin air.»
I got up from the chair. I needed to move. I needed air. I walked to the window. Outside, the city glittered with millions of lights. Normal life, normal people, while I was trapped in this nightmare.
«My son,» I whispered against the glass. «My baby. She killed him.»
No one answered. There was nothing to say. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Aline.
«There’s something else you need to know,» she said softly. «About the baby. About his future.»
I turned around. Her eyes were kind, but sad.
«Given that the baby is your biological grandson, you have legal rights. You can petition for custody. But,» she raised a hand before I could speak, «it will be a long process. There will be evaluations. Home visits, psychological interviews, and in the meantime, the baby will remain in state care.»
«No.» The word came out like a roar. «You’re not taking him from me. He’s all I have left of Louis. He’s my grandson. My blood.»
«I understand,» Aline said. «Believe me, I do. But the system has protocols. And after everything that’s happened, we need to ensure the baby is safe.»
«He’ll be safer with me than with any stranger.»
«Maybe, but that decision isn’t up to me. It’s up to a judge, and the well-being of the child.»
Dr. Mendez spoke for the first time since his initial revelation. «There’s another factor we must consider. The baby suffered severe trauma, hypothermia. Near drowning. The next few weeks will be critical for his development. He will need specialized care. Therapy. Constant medical follow-up.»
«I’ll do whatever it takes,» I said. «Anything.»
Fatima stood up. «Betty, I need you to understand something. You are not a suspect. We believe your story. But you also can’t just keep the baby because he’s your grandson. There’s a legal process. And in the meantime, our priority is finding Cynthia. We need your help.»
«How?»
«Think. Did Cynthia ever mention a special place? Any property? Any friend or relative she might be hiding with?»
I closed my eyes. I thought about all the conversations I’d had with Cynthia during the three years she was married to Louis. They were few. Superficial.
She never talked about her family. She never mentioned her past. It was as if she had appeared out of nowhere the day she met Louis.
«She has an aunt,» I said suddenly. «Up north, near the border. Louis mentioned her once. He said Cynthia grew up with her.»
Fatima wrote it down quickly. «Name?»
«I don’t know. Louis never said.»
«It’s a start,» Fatima said. «We’ll look into it.»
They all left, except Eloise. She stayed with me in that cold, empty conference room. «Do you want to see your grandson?» she asked.
I nodded, unable to speak. She took me through security doors to the neonatal intensive care unit. She had me wash my hands, put on a sterile gown.
Then she led me to an incubator in the corner. And there he was. My grandson. My Louis’ son. So small. So fragile. Hooked up to tubes and wires. But alive. Breathing. Fighting.
He had Louis’ dark hair. Louis’ nose. Louis’ long fingers. «Can I touch him?» I whispered.
«Yes. Just be gentle.»
I reached my hand through the opening in the incubator. I touched his tiny hand. It was so soft. So warm. His little fingers closed around my index finger. A reflex. But it felt like a promise.
«Hello, little one,» I whispered. «I’m your grandma. And I promise I’m going to protect you. No one is ever going to hurt you again. I swear it on your father’s memory.»
Eloise put her hand on my shoulder. «He needs a name,» she said softly, «for the hospital records. Until we find the mother, or until a judge decides.»
A name. Louis had wanted to name his first son Hector after my father. He had told me once during a Christmas dinner. «If I ever have a son, I’ll name him Hector.»
«Hector,» I said. «His name is Hector.»
I stayed there all night, sitting by the incubator, holding his hand, singing him the songs I used to sing to Louis. Promising him a future I didn’t know if I could give him. But promising it anyway.
Because now I knew the truth. This baby wasn’t a stranger I had found by chance. He was my blood. My family. All that was left of my murdered son.
And I wasn’t going to let anyone take him from me. Not the system. Not Cynthia. Not anyone.
The following days were a bureaucratic hell. I woke up every morning at five. I showered. I got dressed. I drove to the hospital. I spent the day by Hector’s incubator.
And in the afternoons, the visits came. Lawyers, social workers, police officers. All with folders. All with questions. All deciding if I was good enough to raise my own grandson.
Aline showed up on the third day with a list of requirements. She read it in a monotone voice, as if she were reciting an appliance instruction manual.
«You’ll need a criminal background check. A full psychological evaluation. A medical exam. Verification of income. An inspection of your home. Personal references from at least three non-family members. And you need to complete a 40-hour child care course.»
Forty hours. As if I hadn’t raised a son myself. As if I didn’t know how to change a diaper or prepare a bottle. But I said nothing. I just nodded and took the papers she handed me.
«How long will all this take?» I asked.
«If you’re lucky, six weeks. If not, three months.»
Three months. Hector would be in foster homes for three months while I jumped through bureaucratic hoops to prove I deserved to raise him.
«And what about him in the meantime? When he’s discharged from the hospital, he will go to a certified temporary foster family. He will receive proper care. You can visit him twice a week under supervision.»
Twice a week. Under supervision. As if I were a threat. As if I wasn’t the one who saved him from drowning.
That night I called Father Anthony. I needed references. I needed people who would say I wasn’t crazy. That I was fit. That I could do this.
He came to my house the next day. He sat in my kitchen drinking the same tea I used to make for Louis when he was a boy. «Of course I’ll help you,» he said. «You’re one of the strongest women I know. That child is lucky to have you.»
But I didn’t feel strong. I felt old. Tired. Scared. I was 62 years old.
How was I going to chase a 2-year-old when I was 64? How was I going to help him with his homework when I was 70? How was I going to be there for his graduation if I made it to 80?
«I’m too old for this,» I said out loud for the first time.
Father Anthony looked at me over his cup. «Sarah was 90 years old when she gave birth to Isaac. Age is just a number when there’s love involved.»
I wanted to believe him. I really did.
On the fourth day, Eloise taught me how to care for Hector. How to support his little head. How to change his tiny diapers. How to prepare formula to the exact temperature.
My hands trembled at first. I had forgotten how fragile newborns were. How dependent. How terrifyingly delicate.
«You’re doing great,» Eloise would say every time I panicked.
But it didn’t feel great. It felt like walking on thin ice. One wrong move and everything would shatter.
On the fifth day, Detective Fatima returned with news. «We found Cynthia’s aunt,» she said. «She lives in a small town a hundred miles from the border. We went to question her.»
«And?»
«She hasn’t seen Cynthia in two years. Says they had a fight. That Cynthia owed her money. $3,000. Never paid her back.»
Money. It always came back to money with Cynthia. Louis earned a good salary as an engineer. $70,000 a year. He had savings. A $200,000 life insurance policy. Cynthia was the beneficiary.
«Did she collect the insurance?» I asked.
Fatima nodded. «Four months ago, $200,000 deposited into her account. Two weeks later, she transferred it all to an offshore account in the Cayman Islands. We’re trying to track it, but it’s complicated.»
$200,000. The value of my son’s life. And she had hidden it in some tax haven while planning to kill her baby.
«Why?» I said. The question that tormented me every night. «Why kill the baby? She could have given him up for adoption. She could have left him at a hospital. Why try to drown him?»
Fatima was quiet for a long moment. «There’s a theory,» she finally said. «We’ve been investigating Louis’s finances. We found something interesting. Two weeks before he died, he changed his will.»
«He left everything to his future children. Not to Cynthia. To his children.»
The air left my lungs. Louis knew. Somehow he knew Cynthia was pregnant. And he changed his will to protect his son.
«She killed him for money,» I whispered.
«We believe so. And then she found out the money would go to the baby if he was born alive. So she decided to eliminate him too.»
The sheer evil of it left me speechless. She had killed my son. She had carried the pregnancy to term. She had given birth alone. And then she had tried to drown her own baby. All for money.
«Do you have enough to arrest her?»
«When we find her, yes. But she’s still missing. She’s smart. She knows we’re looking for her.»
The days turned into weeks. Hector grew stronger. The doctors removed the tubes one by one. He started breathing on his own. Feeding on his own. Crying with strong, healthy lungs.
He was a medical miracle, according to the doctors. No baby who had been through what he had should be doing so well. But I knew it was more than medicine. It was willpower. It was Louis’ spirit living in that little body. Fighting. Surviving. Refusing to give up.
I completed all the requirements. The background check came back clean. The medical exam showed I was healthy for my age. The psychological evaluation was tougher.
A young woman with glasses asked me questions for three hours. «How did you handle your son’s death? How do you feel about Cynthia? Are you trying to replace Louis with this baby?»
That last question angered me. «I’m not replacing anyone. I’m saving my grandson. It’s different.»
She wrote something down. I didn’t know if it was good or bad.
The home inspection was humiliating. Two women checked every corner. They opened closets, checked the refrigerator, measured the windows to see if they were safe, counted the smoke detectors, asked about my emergency plan in case of a fire.
«You’ll need a certified crib, a changing table, safety gates on all stairs, locks on the cabinets, outlet covers.»
I spent $1,200 on baby gear. My pension barely covered my basic expenses. I had to use my savings. But I didn’t care. Hector was worth it.
The childcare course was the worst. Fifteen young mothers and me. They all looked at me like I was the confused grandmother who had walked into the wrong class.
The instructor was 25. She explained things I already knew with insulting slowness. «Babies need to eat every three hours. Babies cry when they are hungry or wet. Never shake a baby.»
I nodded and took notes, even though I wanted to scream that I had raised a son to adulthood. That I knew exactly what I was doing. But I needed that certificate. So I swallowed my pride and pretended to learn.
Six weeks after finding Hector in the lake, Aline appeared at the hospital with a small smile. «You’ve completed all the requirements,» she said. «The judge will review your case next week. If all goes well, you could have temporary custody in two weeks.»
Two weeks. After 42 days of bureaucratic hell, I could finally take my grandson home.
But that same night when everything seemed to be getting better, my phone rang. It was Fatima. Her voice was tense. «Betty, I need you to come to the station. Now. We found something. Something about Louis you need to see.»
I arrived at the police station with my stomach in knots. Fatima was waiting for me at the entrance. Her face was more serious than usual.
She led me through narrow hallways to an interrogation room. On the table was a cardboard box. Inside, I recognized Louis’ belongings. His wallet, his watch, his broken phone. The things they returned to me after the accident.
«What is this?» I asked.
«We finally managed to unlock his phone,» Fatima said. «Our technician worked on it for weeks. And we found something.»
She pulled out a manila envelope. She opened it and spread several printed sheets on the table. They were screenshots of text messages between Louis and Cynthia dated two weeks before his death.
I read the first one. It was from Louis to Cynthia. «We need to talk. I know about the baby.»
Cynthia’s reply: «I don’t know what you’re talking about.»
Louis again: «I found the pregnancy test in the bathroom. Why didn’t you tell me?»
A three-hour silence. Then Cynthia: «I wasn’t ready to tell you. I was scared.»
«Scared of what? I’m your husband. We’re going to be parents. This is wonderful.»
Another silence. Then: «I don’t want to have it.»
I felt like I’d been punched. I kept reading. My hands were shaking.
Louis: «What do you mean you don’t want to have it?»
Cynthia: «I’m not ready. I don’t want to be a mother. I want to travel. To live. Not be tied down to a baby.»
«He’s our child.»
«He’s a mistake.»
«Don’t say that. Please, we can make it work. I’ll help you. My mom will help us.»
«I don’t want help. I want my life back.»
The messages grew more intense. Louis pleading. Cynthia resisting. Until I reached the last exchange. The day before the accident.
Louis: «I spoke to a lawyer. If you decide not to have the baby, I’m divorcing you. And if you have him and don’t want to raise him, I will fight for full custody. I’m not going to let you hurt my child.»
Cynthia: «You’re going to regret this.»
Louis: «Is that a threat?»
There was no reply. The next day Louis was dead.
I dropped the papers. Tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably. «She killed him,» I said. «She killed him because he was going to protect the baby.»
«That’s what we believe,» Fatima said. «And there’s more. We checked Cynthia’s phone records from that week. She made three calls to a freelance mechanic. Carlos Medina. We brought him in for questioning.»
«And what did he say?»
«Nothing at first. But when we showed him evidence of the bank transfers Cynthia made to him, $2,000 the day before the accident, he started talking. He admitted she paid him to sabotage the brakes on Louis’s car.»
I felt sick. I had to sit down. Cynthia had planned everything. She had hired someone to kill my son. And she had made it look like an accident.
«Why would Carlos do something like that?»
«Debts. He gambled. He owed $15,000 to dangerous people. Cynthia offered him $2,000 immediately and $3,000 more later. He accepted. He’s now under arrest as an accomplice to murder.»
«And Cynthia?»
«We have a warrant for her arrest. For first-degree murder and attempted murder. But we still haven’t found her. She’s like a ghost.»
I sat in that cold room processing everything. My son had died trying to protect his baby. And that baby was now in the hospital fighting for his life because his own mother had tried to kill him too. The cruelty of it all was unbearable.
«What happens now?» I asked.
«We keep looking. We have her picture in every airport. At every border. Alerts in hospitals in case she tries to change her appearance. Someone will recognize her eventually. No one disappears forever.»
But I wasn’t so sure. Cynthia had proven to be smarter and colder than I ever imagined. If she had planned Louis’ murder in such detail, she probably had an equally elaborate escape plan.
I went back to the hospital that night. I sat by Hector’s incubator. I watched him sleep. So innocent. So oblivious to the horror surrounding him.
His very existence had cost his father his life. His mother had tried to kill him. And I was all that stood between him and a system that would see him as just another file.
«Your dad loved you,» I whispered to him. «He died protecting you. And I’m going to finish what he started. I promise you.»
Eloise showed up with coffee. She sat next to me in silence for a while. «I heard about the messages,» she finally said. «I’m so sorry.»
«I didn’t know Louis could be so strong,» I said. «He was always gentle. Kind. But in those messages, he was a warrior. Willing to fight for his son.»
«Love does that. It makes you stronger than you ever thought possible.»
She was right. I was feeling it myself. I had never considered myself particularly strong. But now I was fighting the system. Fighting time. Fighting a fugitive murderer. All for this baby.
The next few days were about preparation. I turned Louis’ room into a room for Hector. I took down the rock band posters. The soccer trophies. The college photos.
I painted the walls a soft yellow. I set up the new crib. The changing table. The musical mobile that played lullabies.
It was painful to dismantle my son’s sanctuary. But it was necessary. Louis was gone. Hector was alive. And he needed a space to grow.
Father Anthony came to bless the room. He sprinkled holy water in the corners. Prayed for Hector’s protection. For my strength. For justice for Louis.
«God has a plan,» he said. «Even if we don’t always understand it.»
«What kind of plan involves killing a good man and nearly drowning a baby?» I asked bitterly.
«The kind of plan that turns evil into redemption. Cynthia wanted to destroy this family. But look. Louis left a legacy. You found a new purpose. That baby survived against all odds. Evil didn’t win. Love won.»
I wanted to believe him. Some days I could. Other days, all I saw was darkness.
The court hearing was scheduled for a Tuesday. I wore my best suit. The same one I wore to Louis’ funeral. Aline accompanied me.
We entered a small courtroom. The judge was a woman in her fifties. Gray hair pulled back. A stern but not unkind expression.
She reviewed all my papers. The certificates. The references. The evaluations. The home inspection report. She read every page with painstaking attention.
Finally, she looked up. «Mrs. Betty,» she said. «I have reviewed your case carefully. It is highly unusual. A 62-year-old woman petitioning for custody of a newborn. But it is also unusual for a grandmother to save her grandson from drowning.»
My heart was beating so loud I was sure everyone could hear it.
«I have spoken with the hospital. With the social workers. With your references. And they all say the same thing. That you are dedicated. Loving. Capable. That that baby was lucky you were there that day.»
I felt tears welling up but held them back.
«I have also read about the criminal case. About the suspicion that the baby’s mother murdered his father and then tried to kill the baby. It is horrible. Unthinkable. That child needs stability. He needs love. He needs someone to protect him.»
A pause. Long. Endless.
«Therefore, I am granting temporary custody to Betty for a period of six months. During that time there will be monthly visits from social services. Progress evaluations. And at the end of the six months, we will review whether custody becomes permanent. Congratulations, Grandma.»
The gavel struck. And suddenly I could breathe again. I cried. Right there in the courtroom. I cried with relief. With gratitude. With fear. With everything.
Aline hugged me. «You did it,» she whispered. «You’re going to be able to take him home.»
Three days later, six weeks after pulling him from the lake, I took Hector home. Eloise helped me buckle him into the car seat. She explained everything again. How to hold him. How to feed him. How to spot signs of trouble.
«You’re going to be fine,» she said. «And I’m just a phone call away if you need me.»
I drove home at 20 miles per hour. Every bump terrified me. Every approaching car seemed like a threat. But we made it. Safe and sound.
I walked into the house with Hector in my arms. I took him to his room. I laid him in his crib. He looked so small in that space. So vulnerable. But he was breathing. He was alive. He was safe. For now.
The first few weeks with Hector at home were the hardest of my life. I had forgotten how exhausting it is to care for a newborn. The sleepless nights. The unexplained crying. The constant panic that I was doing something wrong.
At 30, I had raised Louis with youthful energy. At 62, every sleepless night left me shattered.
But there were also moments of pure magic. When Hector would grab my finger with his tiny hand. When he would stop crying at the sound of my voice. When he would open those dark little eyes that were identical to Louis’ and look at me as if I were his entire world.
In those moments, I knew every second of exhaustion was worth it.
Eloise came three times a week. She taught me tricks I had forgotten. How to burp him more easily. How to swaddle him tightly so he would sleep better. How to read his different cries. She became more than a nurse. She became a friend. A lifesaver.
«You’re doing an amazing job,» she would tell me every time.
But I didn’t feel amazing. I felt terrified. Every strange noise in the night made me jump. Every car that drove slowly past my house made me nervous.
Cynthia was still out there. Somewhere. And even though the police said she had probably fled the country, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was close. Watching. Waiting.
I installed new locks on all the doors. Security cameras on the porch. An alarm connected directly to the police. I spent another $800 I didn’t have, but Hector’s safety was priceless.
One night, three weeks after bringing him home, I found something. I was organizing Louis’s things that I had stored in boxes. His clothes. His books. His papers.
At the bottom of a box, I found a journal. Brown leather. Worn. I didn’t know Louis kept a journal.
I opened it with trembling hands. The first few pages were from years ago. Thoughts about his job. About his friends. Nothing important.
But then I got to the entries from the last year. From the year he knew Cynthia.
«Met someone today,» an entry from four years ago read. «Her name is Cynthia. She’s beautiful. Smart. Mysterious. There’s something about her I can’t figure out. She intrigues me.»
I kept reading. The entries about Cynthia became more and more frequent. Louis was in love. Completely captivated. But there were also doubts.
«Sometimes I feel like I don’t really know her. She never talks about her family. When I ask, she changes the subject. It’s like her life started the day we met.»
Another entry. «I found Cynthia going through my bank statements. She said she was just curious. But something felt wrong. Why would she look at that without asking first?»
And then the one that chilled my blood, dated a month before his death.
«Cynthia is pregnant. I found the test. But when I confronted her, she got furious. She said she doesn’t want it. That it will ruin her life. How can she say that? It’s our child.»
«I changed my will today. Everything will go to the baby. I don’t trust Cynthia with money. Not after seeing how she spends. The $500 shoes. The $1000 purses. She always wants more. But a baby isn’t an accessory. It’s a life. And I’m going to protect it no matter the cost.»
Tears fell on the pages, smudging the ink. Lewis knew. He knew something was wrong with Cynthia. He knew that money was the only thing she cared about. And he had taken steps to protect his son. Steps that cost him his life.
The last entry was from the day he died.
«Cynthia threatened me today. She said I would regret pressuring her about the baby. I don’t know what that means, but it scares me. I’m going to talk to mom tomorrow. Tell her everything. Maybe she can help me figure out what to do. I just know I can’t let Cynthia hurt our child. I will protect him. Always.»
He never got the chance to talk to me. He died that night. And I never knew he needed help. That he was scared. That he had seen the danger coming, but not fast enough.
«I’m sorry,» I whispered to the journal. «I’m so sorry, my love. I should have noticed. I should have seen something was wrong.»
But I couldn’t change the past. I could only protect the future.
I took the journal to Fatima the next day. She read the whole thing. Her jaw tightened with every page.
«This is crucial evidence,» she said. «It shows premeditation. It shows motive. When we find Cynthia, this will bury her.»
«When will you find her?» I asked. «It’s been almost two months.»
Fatima sighed. «We’re doing everything we can. But she’s smart. She probably used fake documents to leave the country. She could be anywhere.»
But three days later, everything changed. I was feeding Hector when my phone rang. It was an unknown number. I usually didn’t answer, but something made me pick up.
«Hello?» I said.
Silence. Breathing. Then a voice I recognized immediately. «Betty.»
Cynthia. My blood ran cold. I almost dropped Hector. I looked around the room as if she could be hiding in the shadows.
«Where are you?» I managed to say.
«It doesn’t matter where I am. What matters is, I have something you want. And you have something I want.»
«You have nothing I want.»
«I have the truth. About what really happened to Louis. About why I did what I did. I bet you want to know.»
«I already know the truth. I read Louis’ journal. I know you killed him for money. I know you’re a monster.»
A cold laugh. Humorless. «A monster? How dramatic. You don’t know anything, Betty. Louis wasn’t the saint you think he was.»
«Don’t you dare,» I roared. «Don’t you dare speak ill of my son.»
«Okay. You’re going to call the police. Go ahead. By the time they trace this call, I’ll be long gone. I use burner phones. I’m not stupid.»
My mind was racing. I had to keep her talking. I had to record this somehow. I put the phone on speaker. I fumbled for my cell phone with my free hand. I started recording.
«What do you want, Cynthia?»
«I want my son.»
«Your son? You tried to drown him.»
«It was a mistake. A moment of insanity. I was scared. Confused. I had just given birth alone. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I’m better now. I want my baby back.»
«Never. I’d die first.»
«That can be arranged,» she said with chilling calmness. «Listen carefully. I want Hector. And I want the money from Louis’ will. The $200,000 from the insurance plus everything Louis left in a trust for the baby. That’s another $300,000.»
$500,000. Everything Louis had worked for. Everything he had saved. All meant for his son.
«And if I refuse?»
«Then I’ll come for him. I’m his biological mother. Legally, I have more rights than you. And when they finally catch me, I’m going to say you stole my baby. That you threatened me. That you made up the whole story about the lake to keep him. My word against yours. And I’m much younger. More believable. More sympathetic.»
I felt sick. But I kept recording. «How do I know you won’t kill us both and take everything anyway?»
«You don’t. But it’s your only choice. Bring the baby and the money to the old warehouse by the lake. You know the one. Where you and Louis used to fish. Tomorrow at midnight. Alone. If I see any cops, I disappear. And you’ll never see me again. And eventually, I’ll find a way to take Hector from you anyway.»
«Cynthia, wait.»
But the line was already dead.
I stood there trembling with Hector in one arm and the phone in the other. I had the recording. I had evidence that Cynthia was alive. That she had threatened me.
I called Fatima immediately. I sent her the audio.
«Perfect,» she said. «This is exactly what we needed. Now we’re going to set a trap. You’re going to go to that meeting. But we’ll be there. Hidden. Waiting. And when she shows up, we’ll get her.»
«What if something goes wrong? What if she sees me with police and runs again?»
«She won’t see us. I promise you. I’ll have snipers in position. Teams in the shadows. She’s not getting away this time.»
«And Hector?»
«Hector stays with Eloise. In a safe place. You’re not taking him. You’re just going to pretend you brought him.»
I nodded, though she couldn’t see me. One more day. I just had to survive one more day. And then Cynthia would finally face justice. For Louis. For Hector. For all the pain she had caused.
I didn’t sleep that night. I stayed awake watching Hector sleep. Memorizing every detail of his face. Just in case. In case something went wrong. In case I never saw him again.
«Your daddy loved you,» I whispered to him. «And I love you. And tomorrow, we’re going to make sure you’re safe. Forever.»
The next day passed in slow motion. Every minute felt like an hour. Every hour, like an eternity.
At nine in the morning, Eloise came for Hector. I packed his bag as if he were going away for a week. Though I hoped to have him back in hours. Diapers. Formula. Extra clothes. His favorite blanket.
My hands trembled as I put each item in the bag.
«He’ll be perfectly fine with me,» Eloise said, taking Hector in her arms. «I have your number. The police have my address. No one is going to touch him. I promise.»
I kissed her on the forehead. Then I kissed Hector. His soft skin smelled of baby lotion and hope. «I love you, little one,» I whispered. «Grandma will be back soon.»
I watched them leave. Eloise’s car disappeared down the street and I felt like a piece of my soul was being torn away. But it was necessary. Hector had to be far away. Safe. Just in case things went wrong.
Fatima arrived at two in the afternoon with three other officers. Two men and a woman. All in plain clothes. All armed.
They turned my living room into a command center. Laptops. Radios. Maps of the area around the warehouse.
«Let’s go over the plan again,» Fatima said, spreading a map on my dining table. «The warehouse is here. Abandoned for five years. It has three entrances. Main, side, and rear. We’ll have teams covering all three.»
«You enter through the main entrance at midnight exactly.» She pointed to spots on the map with a red marker. «Snipers here and here. On the roofs of the adjacent buildings. They’ll have a clear view of the interior through the broken windows. Assault teams here in the back. Ready to move in the moment we have visual confirmation of Cynthia.»
«And what exactly do I do?» I asked. My voice sounded calmer than I felt.
«You go in. You talk to her. You keep her talking. We need her to confess. To admit she killed Louis. That she tried to kill Hector. You’ll be wearing a wire. We’ll record everything.»
One of the officers, a tall man in his thirties, pulled out a small device the size of a button. «This goes on your clothes. Right here.» He pointed just below my collar.
«It transmits everything in real time. It also has a panic button. If you press this three times in a row, we move in immediately, no matter what.»
He showed me how it worked. I practiced pressing it. Three quick taps. My life would depend on remembering that.
«What if she asks to see the baby?»
«You tell her he’s in the car. That you want to talk first. That you want to understand why she did what she did. Appeal to her ego. People like Cynthia love to talk about themselves. Let her brag about how smart she was.»
We spent the next few hours going over every detail. Every possible scenario. What to do if Cynthia was armed. What to do if she wasn’t alone. What to do if something went wrong. My head was spinning with information.
At eight, they made me eat. A ham sandwich that tasted like cardboard. But I swallowed every bite. I needed energy. I needed to be alert.
At ten, they put the wire on me. They tested the audio over and over. They had me say phrases. Count to ten. Yell. Whisper. Making sure everything worked perfectly.
«Remember,» Fatima said, looking me straight in the eye. «You are not alone in there. I’ll be listening to every word. The team will be yards away. At the slightest sign of real danger, we’re coming in. I won’t let anything happen to you.»
I nodded. I wanted to believe her. But fear was a cold snake coiled in my stomach.
At eleven-fifteen, we moved out. I drove my own car. Fatima was in the passenger seat, ducked down so she couldn’t be seen from outside.
«The other teams are already in position,» she informed me over the radio. «Snipers in position. Rear team ready. Perimeter secured.»
We arrived at the warehouse at eleven-forty. It was exactly as I remembered it. Old, decrepit, broken windows, graffiti-covered walls.
Louie and I used to come here when he was a boy. We would fish off the pier behind it. Simpler times. Happier times.
Fatima got out of the car in a blind spot from Cynthia’s imaginary cameras. She disappeared into the shadows. I was alone.
I looked at the clock. Eleven-fifty-five. Five minutes.
I closed my eyes. I thought of Louis. Of his smile. Of how he called me «mom» in that affectionate tone. Of what it would have been like to see him as a father.
I thought of Hector. Of his future. Of all the things he deserved to have. A life without fear. Without threats. Without shadows.
Midnight. My phone vibrated. A text from an unknown number. «Come in. Alone. Now.»
I got out of the car. The night air was cold. I could see my breath. I walked toward the main door of the warehouse. Every step sounded too loud in the silence.
The door was ajar. I pushed it. It creaked. The sound echoed off the empty walls.
Inside it was dark. Almost completely black. Only a little moonlight came through the broken windows, creating strange shadows.
«Cynthia,» I called out. My voice sounded small. Scared.
«Close the door,» a voice said from the shadows. Cynthia’s voice.
I closed the door. My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. And then I saw her. Standing in the center of the warehouse.
