Chapter 7 - the house behind the photograph
Daniel studied the photograph in the underground security room.
“The image is real,” he said. “The newspaper date matches today. I don’t see obvious editing.”
Camila stood beside him while Mariela remained near the stairs.
“Can you identify the room?”
“The crest is painted directly on stone. That narrows it down.”
“The estate has the crest everywhere,” Mariela said.
“Not like this.”
Daniel enlarged the image. Beneath the crest were faint black numbers.
O-17.
Octavio entered before Daniel could continue.
“What is she doing here?”
“Helping us find Rafael,” Camila said.
Octavio’s expression darkened.
“Rafael stole money from the company and ran.”
“No,” Mariela replied. “That is what someone wanted us to believe.”
She placed the photograph in front of him.
Octavio stared at it.
His grip tightened around his walking stick.
“You recognize the wall,” Daniel said.
Octavio did not deny it.
“There is an abandoned olive processing house beyond the eastern orchard.”
Camila remembered it from childhood. The building had been closed after a fire damaged the roof.
“What does O-17 mean?” she asked.
“Olive storage room 17.”
Mariela moved toward the stairs.
“We have to go now.”
Daniel blocked her.
“That could be exactly what they want.”
“My husband is there.”
“Or someone wants you to enter an isolated building without security.”
“I don’t care.”
“Iker does.”
Mariela stared at him.
Daniel continued calmly.
“We’ll check it. But not without preparation.”
Octavio called the estate’s chief security officer, Bruno Sanz. Daniel watched his reaction as the photograph was explained.
Bruno appeared surprised, but not confused.
“You knew the building still had power,” Daniel said.
“I oversee the entire property.”
“Does anyone use it?”
“No.”
“Who has keys?”
“Mr. Valdés, Mrs. Valdés, and me.”
Octavio looked toward him.
“My key was lost years ago.”
Teresa’s voice came from the stairs.
“Mine was not.”
She descended holding a ring of old brass keys.
“Why did you never tell me Rafael was missing?” she asked Mariela.
“You believed he ran away.”
“I believed what the police report said.”
“The report your lawyer arranged.”
Teresa turned toward Octavio.
“Esteban handled that investigation.”
Esteban Rivas had served as the Valdés family attorney for almost 20 years. He managed the trust, attended every board meeting, and controlled the final vote if Camila was absent during the transfer.
Daniel looked at Octavio.
“Where is Esteban now?”
“He arrived this morning.”
No one had seen him enter.
Bruno checked the gate records. Esteban’s car had passed through at 6:22, but the camera showed only the driver. The rear windows were dark.
Daniel requested the complete vehicle scan.
The security officer hesitated.
“Our system does not retain those records.”
“It did yesterday.”
Bruno looked toward him.
Daniel pointed to the panel.
“Someone disabled passenger imaging at 6:18. Four minutes before Esteban arrived.”
Bruno’s hand moved slowly toward the radio on his belt.
Octavio stepped closer.
“Do not call anyone.”
“I was going to request a patrol.”
“No,” Daniel said. “You were going to warn someone.”
Bruno’s eyes changed.
He pushed past Octavio and ran up the stairs.
Daniel followed.
By the time they reached the entrance hall, Bruno was racing toward the front doors.
A woman in a gray housekeeper’s uniform stepped from a side corridor and extended her foot.
Bruno stumbled.
Daniel caught him before he reached the door.
The woman removed a security access card from Bruno’s pocket.
Camila recognized her.
Rosa.
The quiet housekeeper who had been caring for Sofia and Iker.
Rosa handed the card to Daniel.
“I have waited 11 years for him to make that mistake,” she said.
Octavio stared at her.
“Who are you?”
Rosa removed the silver pins from her hair.
A thin scar crossed the side of her neck.
Camila had seen that scar before in an old photograph beside her mother.
“You worked for Elena,” she whispered.
May you like
Rosa nodded.
“And the hidden camera still answers to me.”
