Chapter 6 — The Woman on the Phone
Chapter 6 — The Woman on the Phone
The photograph arrived at 11:47 p.m.
It showed Isabella asleep.
My daughter was curled beneath a white hotel blanket, her face turned toward the window.
The photograph had been taken from inside our room.
That was the part I couldn't stop thinking about.
Not who had taken it.
Not why.
But how.
I stood in the middle of the room and listened.
The air conditioner hummed.
Cars moved somewhere below.
A door closed in the corridor.
Isabella breathed quietly.
Everything looked normal.
That was what frightened me.
I picked up my phone.
The unknown number was already gone.
No profile.
No history.
No trace.
I called the hotel manager.
“Lock this floor.”
He sounded confused.
“Sir?”
“Now.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“Someone has entered my room.”
There was a pause.
“I'll send security.”
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't know who I can trust.”
That sentence sounded absurd.
Until I remembered everything that had happened.
My own security adviser had betrayed me.
My wife's father had been involved.
My brother's name had appeared beside the shell company.
My company's financial officer had been meeting my wife secretly.
And now someone was watching my daughter from inside a supposedly secure hotel.
Trust had become a luxury I could no longer afford.
I woke Isabella.
“Daddy?”
“We're leaving.”
She rubbed her eyes.
“Where?”
“Somewhere safer.”
“Is someone coming?”
“Yes.”
She immediately became frightened.
I knelt beside her.
“Listen to me.”
She looked at me.
“No one is going to hurt you.”
“But you said someone was watching.”
“I said we were leaving.”
“Is it Mommy?”
“No.”
“Grandpa?”
I froze.
“Why would you ask that?”
She looked down.
“Because he came to the house.”
“Eduardo?”
She nodded.
“When?”
“Before you came home.”
“What did he do?”
“He talked to Mommy.”
“About me?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
“I don't know.”
“Did he ever come into your room?”
She nodded.
My stomach tightened.
“When?”
“Once.”
“What did he ask?”
She pulled the blanket around herself.
“He asked where you kept the blue box.”
I stared at her.
“What blue box?”
“I don't know.”
“Did he show you one?”
“No.”
“Then why did he ask?”
“He said you knew what it meant.”
I had no idea what she was talking about.
But someone did.
We left through the underground garage.
I used a different car.
No driver.
No security.
Just me and Isabella.
I kept checking the mirrors.
Nothing.
We changed direction three times.
Still nothing.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
A woman's voice.
“Daniel.”
I stopped breathing.
The voice was calm.
Low.
Almost familiar.
“Who is this?”
“You don't remember me.”
“I don't?”
“You've heard my voice before.”
“When?”
“On the recordings.”
My grip tightened around the steering wheel.
“The woman talking to Beatriz.”
“Yes.”
“Who are you?”
“You're asking the wrong question.”
“What should I ask?”
“Why did she choose your daughter?”
I looked at Isabella.
She was watching the road.
“Who are you?”
“You need to understand something.”
“What?”
“I never wanted Isabella hurt.”
“Then why did you participate?”
“I didn't know what Beatriz intended to do.”
“You helped her.”
“I helped with the plan.”
“What plan?”
“To control your assets.”
I felt anger rise.
“You used my daughter.”
“I warned them not to.”
“Who are 'they'?”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“No.”
“Then why call me?”
“Because you're running out of time.”
I slowed the car.
“What does that mean?”
“You have forty-eight hours.”
“For what?”
“To find the blue box.”
I stared ahead.
“What is in it?”
“Proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“Everything.”
“Where is it?”
“I don't know.”
“You just told me to find it.”
“Because someone else knows.”
“Who?”
“The man who is trying to kill you.”
My blood turned cold.
“Who is he?”
The line went silent.
Then the woman whispered:
“Don't trust your brother.”
The call ended.
I pulled over.
Isabella looked at me.
“Daddy?”
“It's okay.”
“Who was it?”
“A woman.”
“Mommy?”
“No.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
I thought about her voice.
Something about it was familiar.
Not personally.
Professionally.
I had heard it somewhere.
Maybe at a meeting.
Maybe during a phone call.
Maybe in Dubai.
I couldn't place it.
But she knew the recordings.
She knew the plan.
She knew about the blue box.
And she had warned me about my brother.
At six in the morning, I called my brother.
He answered on the third ring.
“Daniel?”
“Where are you?”
“Madrid.”
“Alone?”
Silence.
“What kind of question is that?”
“Answer it.”
“I'm alone.”
“Are you sure?”
“What is this about?”
“Beatriz.”
He exhaled.
“What has she done now?”
“You know.”
“Know what?”
“You've been involved with the shell company.”
Silence.
I knew immediately.
“You knew.”
“Daniel…”
“You lied to me.”
“It's not what you think.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can't over the phone.”
“Why?”
“Because we're being monitored.”
I looked at Isabella.
“What?”
“I'll meet you.”
“Where?”
“Not Madrid.”
“Then where?”
He gave me an address.
A small café outside the city.
“Come alone.”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
“I'm not leaving my daughter.”
“Then bring her.”
I hesitated.
“Fine.”
“Don't tell anyone.”
The line went dead.
The café was almost empty.
My brother arrived ten minutes late.
He looked exhausted.
His shirt was wrinkled.
His eyes were red.
He sat opposite me.
“Where is Isabella?”
“With me.”
“Good.”
“What did you do?”
He looked down.
“I made a mistake.”
“What kind?”
“I thought I was helping.”
“Helping who?”
“Beatriz.”
I felt my blood boil.
“Why?”
“She said you were neglecting your family.”
“So you helped her?”
“She told me you were planning to abandon her.”
“You believed that?”
“At first.”
“And later?”
“I realized something was wrong.”
“What?”
“She started asking about your shares.”
I stared at him.
“When?”
“Months ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because she threatened me.”
“With what?”
“She knew about my debts.”
I went silent.
My brother had always struggled financially.
I had helped him more than once.
He had never told me how bad it was.
“How much?”
“Almost three million euros.”
I stared at him.
“How?”
“Investments.”
“Bad investments?”
“Yes.”
“And Beatriz knew?”
“Yes.”
“So she bought you.”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
I leaned back.
“What did you give her?”
“Information.”
“What information?”
“Your travel schedule.”
My chest tightened.
“What else?”
“Corporate meetings.”
“Anything else?”
He hesitated.
“Your security arrangements.”
I felt sick.
“You gave her my security information?”
“I didn't know she would use it against Isabella.”
“You should have known.”
“I know.”
“You helped them.”
“I know.”
“People came into my daughter's room because of information you gave them.”
His face collapsed.
“I didn't know.”
“You knew enough.”
He looked at me.
“Daniel…”
I stood.
“Don't.”
“I want to fix this.”
“You can't.”
“I can tell you who the man is.”
I froze.
“What man?”
“The one behind Beatriz.”
“Who?”
My brother looked around the café.
Then whispered:
“Eduardo.”
I stared at him.
“My father-in-law?”
“Yes.”
“I already know he's involved.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“Eduardo isn't the person controlling the plan.”
“Then who is?”
My brother looked terrified.
“He works for someone else.”
“Who?”
He opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
His phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face went white.
“Don't answer it.”
He answered.
“Hello?”
No one spoke.
Then my brother's expression changed.
He stood abruptly.
“We have to leave.”
“Why?”
He looked at me.
“Because they found us.”
We left through the back entrance.
My brother ran toward his car.
I took Isabella in the opposite direction.
A black SUV turned the corner.
Too fast.
It stopped near the café.
Two men stepped out.
I grabbed Isabella's hand.
“Run.”
We moved between the buildings.
My daughter struggled to keep up.
“Daddy!”
“Keep going.”
We reached a narrow alley.
I looked behind us.
Nobody.
Then my brother appeared.
He was running.
“Daniel!”
I turned.
A loud crack echoed through the alley.
My brother stumbled.
I caught him.
Blood appeared on his shirt.
“Dad!”
Isabella screamed.
I pulled my brother behind a parked van.
“Stay down.”
He looked at me.
“They know.”
“Who?”
He coughed.
“The woman.”
“What woman?”
“The one who called you.”
My blood turned cold.
“How do you know her?”
He smiled weakly.
“Because I introduced her to Beatriz.”
I stared at him.
“You knew her?”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
“I don't know her real name.”
“Then what do you know?”
“She called herself Elena.”
“Where did you meet her?”
“Six months ago.”
“Why?”
“She said she could help me with my debts.”
I felt sick.
“She's the one who connected you to Beatriz.”
“Yes.”
“And Eduardo?”
“Yes.”
“And Javier?”
“Yes.”
I stared at him.
“All of them?”
“They're not the top.”
“Who is?”
He looked toward Isabella.
Then whispered:
“The man who owns the shell company.”
“Who?”
“I never saw his face.”
“Then how do you know he exists?”
“Because Elena spoke to him.”
My phone rang.
The same unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
The woman's voice returned.
“You shouldn't have gone to the café.”
“You shot my brother.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“Someone protecting me.”
“You're lying.”
“Maybe.”
“What do you want?”
“The blue box.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you still don't understand.”
“Tell me where it is.”
“I can't.”
“Then tell me what it contains.”
She sighed.
“Your father's last instructions.”
My heart stopped.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“He died six years ago.”
“I know.”
“What does he have to do with this?”
“Everything.”
I looked at Isabella.
“Why my daughter?”
“Because your father left something to her.”
My blood went cold.
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don't care what you believe.”
“Then why call?”
“Because I want her alive.”
Silence.
Then she said:
“Unlike them.”
The line went dead.
My brother survived.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder.
At the hospital, I waited outside the emergency room.
Isabella sat beside me.
She held my hand.
“Is Uncle going to die?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he's stubborn.”
She smiled faintly.
Then her expression changed.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“The woman.”
“What about her?”
“She was in Mommy's room.”
“When?”
“Sometimes.”
“What did she look like?”
Isabella thought.
“Long brown hair.”
“Anything else?”
“She had a scar.”
“Where?”
“Here.”
She touched the left side of her neck.
My heart stopped.
I remembered something.
A woman I had seen in Dubai.
A consultant at the hotel project.
A woman who had introduced herself as Elena Vargas.
She had a small scar on the left side of her neck.
I had spoken to her twice.
She had asked unusual questions about my family.
I had forgotten about her.
Until now.
I searched my old emails.
There she was.
Elena Vargas — International Asset Consultant.
Her company appeared legitimate.
Her credentials were impressive.
Her references were excellent.
But one thing caught my attention.
Her employment history had gaps.
Large ones.
Five years missing.
Then another discovery.
She had worked for my father.
Twenty years earlier.
I stared at the screen.
My father had known Elena.
Which meant the woman calling me wasn't simply part of Beatriz's plan.
She had history with my family.
I called my father's old attorney.
He answered reluctantly.
“Daniel?”
“I need information about Elena Vargas.”
Silence.
“Where did you get that name?”
“Answer me.”
“She was involved with your father.”
“How?”
“I can't discuss it.”
“He's dead.”
“That doesn't change confidentiality.”
“My daughter is in danger.”
Another pause.
Then his voice softened.
“Your father left instructions.”
“What instructions?”
“If you ever asked about Elena, I was supposed to give you something.”
“What?”
“An address.”
My pulse quickened.
“Give it to me.”
He did.
Then added:
“Daniel, your father was afraid of her.”
That night, I drove to the address.
A small house near the coast.
The lights were off.
I entered carefully.
Inside, dust covered everything.
The house looked abandoned.
But the furniture was still there.
Photographs lined the walls.
My father.
A younger Elena.
And another person.
A woman.
I stepped closer.
I recognized her.
My mother.
I stared at the photograph.
My father stood between them.
Elena on one side.
My mother on the other.
They looked young.
Happy.
But why?
I turned the photograph over.
Three words were written on the back.
The first betrayal.
My heart pounded.
Then I heard footsteps upstairs.
I reached for the weapon beneath my jacket.
“Who's there?”
No answer.
I moved toward the staircase.
A woman's voice came from the darkness.
“You finally found it.”
I froze.
“Elena?”
She stepped into the light.
It was her.
Long brown hair.
Scar on her neck.
Calm expression.
She looked at me.
Then at the photograph.
“You look just like your father.”
I raised my weapon.
“Don't move.”
She smiled.
“I knew you would come.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“I've spent twenty years waiting.”
“For what?”
“For you to discover the truth.”
“What truth?”
She looked at the photograph.
“Your father wasn't killed by an accident.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“He was murdered.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“Who killed him?”
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Your father-in-law.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Eduardo?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father discovered what they were doing.”
“What were they doing?”
Elena took a step closer.
“Building an empire.”
She paused.
“Your empire.”
I lowered the weapon slightly.
“And my mother?”
Elena's eyes became cold.
“She knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That your father was in danger.”
“Did she help him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she betrayed him.”
I stared at her.
“And Beatriz?”
Elena smiled without humor.
“Beatriz is only the latest woman in the family to make the same mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“Choosing money over blood.”
I heard a car outside.
Elena turned toward the window.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
She looked at me.
“The people who have been watching Isabella.”
Then she reached into her coat.
I raised the weapon again.
But instead of a gun, she pulled out a small blue metal box.
My heart stopped.
“The box,” I whispered.
She nodded.
“Your father left this for you.”
“Why did you have it?”
“Because I was the one he trusted.”
I stepped closer.
“What's inside?”
Elena looked toward the door.
“Everything.”
A car door slammed outside.
She placed the box in my hand.
Then whispered:
“Open it only when you are ready to learn what your family has done.”
The lights outside suddenly went out.
Elena's expression changed.
“They're here.”
I looked toward the window.
A black SUV had stopped outside.
Three men stepped out.
Elena grabbed my arm.
“There's a back door.”
“What about you?”
“I'll distract them.”
“No.”
She smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
“Understand what?”
She looked at me.
“I was never trying to destroy your family.”
She glanced toward the blue box.
“I was trying to save the last person your father loved.”
“Who?”
Elena's eyes moved toward me.
“Your daughter.”
May you like
Then the front door exploded inward.
And the house went dark.
