PART 9 — The Witness Protection File
Clara's fingers tightened around the phone.
The wind swept across the abandoned chapel, carrying the scent of rain and old pine trees.
For a moment, she couldn't answer.
Finally, she whispered,
"...Yes."
The voice on the other end became immediately more urgent.
"Listen carefully."
"Do not return to the Navarro house."
"Do not contact anyone except the number I'm about to give you."
"How many people know you have the ledger?"
Clara glanced at Rosa.
"Only three."
"Myself."
"Rosa."
"And Victor Salazar."
Silence filled the line.
Then the official asked quietly,
"Is Victor still at the house?"
"Yes."
Another pause.
"Mrs. Mendoza..."
"If Arturo Salgado is there..."
"...Mr. Salazar is buying you time."
Clara's heart sank.
"No..."
She looked toward the distant hills, where the Navarro house lay hidden beyond the trees.
Victor had stayed behind knowing exactly what would happen.
The official continued.
"My name is Deputy Director Isabel Torres."
"I've spent twelve years trying to locate that ledger."
"Twelve years?"
"Yes."
"It is the final missing piece in the largest property theft investigation in this region."
Clara looked down at the worn leather notebook in her hands.
To her, it had been an old book hidden inside a painting.
To the government...
It was evidence.
"Mrs. Mendoza," Isabel continued, "inside the back cover, there should be a stitched leather pocket."
Clara frowned.
She hadn't noticed one.
Carefully, she opened the ledger again.
Victor had been right.
The back cover was unusually thick.
Running her fingers along the stitching, she felt something hidden beneath the leather.
"There is."
"Cut it open."
Rosa handed her a small pocketknife.
With trembling hands, Clara carefully sliced the old thread.
Something thin slid into her palm.
Not paper.
A memory card.
Smaller than her thumbnail.
Clara blinked.
"What is this?"
Rosa looked equally confused.
Isabel's voice became almost emotional.
"My God..."
"Miguel actually did it."
"What is it?"
"The digital archive."
Clara frowned.
"Digital?"
"He scanned every document before he died."
"Every bank transfer."
"Every forged deed."
"Every bribe."
"We believed the files had been destroyed."
"They weren't."
"They've been hidden inside that ledger all along."
Clara looked at the tiny card in disbelief.
Fifteen years ago, Miguel had anticipated that paper could burn.
That ledgers could disappear.
So he created a second copy.
Hidden where no one would think to look.
Rosa whispered,
"He planned for everything."
Suddenly...
Another phone rang.
Not Clara's.
Rosa reached into her pocket.
Her old flip phone vibrated violently.
The screen displayed one word.
Victor.
She answered immediately.
"Victor?"
Heavy breathing came through the speaker.
Then his weak voice.
"They found..."
A painful cough interrupted him.
"They found the treasure."
"But not..."
Another cough.
"...not the ledger."
Rosa closed her eyes.
"Are you hurt?"
Victor laughed weakly.
"I've had worse."
Clara knew he was lying.
Victor continued.
"They're leaving."
"But Arturo knows someone escaped."
"He'll come after you."
"Victor..."
Clara whispered.
"I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for."
His breathing became slower.
"Listen carefully."
"In Miguel's workshop..."
"...there's one final secret."
The call crackled.
"What secret?"
"The watch..."
"...repair bench..."
Then...
The line went dead.
Rosa stared at the silent phone.
"No..."
She called back.
No answer.
Again.
Straight to voicemail.
Clara felt tears welling in her eyes.
"He stayed behind for us."
Rosa nodded silently.
Deputy Director Isabel spoke again through Clara's phone.
"I heard enough."
"Our agents are already on their way."
"It will take them approximately ninety minutes."
"Ninety minutes?"
"Can you remain hidden?"
Clara looked around the abandoned chapel.
Broken windows.
Cracked walls.
An isolated cemetery behind the building.
"We'll try."
"No."
Isabel corrected gently.
"You'll survive."
"Because if the Salgados recover that memory card..."
"...every witness we've protected for fifteen years dies."
Clara suddenly understood.
This wasn't just about Miguel.
Or Elena.
Or the treasure.
Dozens of innocent families.
Former employees.
Bank clerks.
Police officers who had secretly cooperated with investigators.
Their names were probably stored on that tiny memory card.
Protected all these years by a dead man's careful planning.
Rosa suddenly looked toward the gravel road.
A cloud of dust was rising in the distance.
Another vehicle approached.
Fast.
Too fast.
Clara's pulse quickened.
"Are those government agents?"
Rosa squinted.
Then slowly shook her head.
"No."
She recognized the black SUV immediately.
"It's Arturo."
"He found the tunnel."
The vehicle accelerated toward the chapel.
Clara instinctively slipped the memory card into the pocket sewn inside her maternity dress.
Then she closed the ledger.
If Arturo captured her...
He might find the notebook.
But he would never think to search the hem of a pregnant woman's clothing.
As the SUV skidded to a stop outside the chapel, Arturo stepped out alone.
No guards.
No weapons visible.
Only a calm smile.
He looked directly at Clara.
Then spoke the one sentence that made Rosa go pale.
"You look exactly like your mother."
Clara frowned.
"My... mother?"
Arturo smiled wider.
"I wasn't talking to you."
May you like
He was looking at Rosa.
End of Part 9
