PART 7
I turned the laptop volume down.
Monica knocked again.
Harder.
“Victor.”
“We are late.”
I stared at the screen.
Sofia’s video had ended.
The last frame showed the corner of our kitchen.
A chair overturned.
One of Sofia’s hands visible near the floor.
Then black.
I looked at Lucas.
“Champ.”
“Yes?”
“Did Mommy get hurt badly?”
He nodded.
“She cried.”
“Did Grandma Monica hit her?”
He corrected me immediately.
“She’s not Grandma.”
That sentence landed harder than expected.
I nodded.
“You’re right.”
“Monica.”
Lucas whispered.
“She pushed Mommy.”
“Then Mommy fell.”
My stomach tightened.
“Did you see that?”
“Yes.”
PART 8
I forced myself to think.
Wedding.
Guests.
Monica outside.
Sofia somewhere with Rosa.
USB.
Evidence.
I picked up my phone.
Called Rosa.
She answered on the first ring.
“Victor?”
“Where is Sofia?”
Silence.
Then.
“With me.”
“Is she awake?”
Another silence.
“Barely.”
My chest tightened.
“What happened?”
Rosa exhaled shakily.
“You need to come.”
“No.”
“Tell me now.”
She whispered.
“I found her this morning.”
“She was dizzy.”
“She had bruising near her temple.”
“Her blood pressure was low.”
“I wanted to take her to the hospital.”
“She begged me not to until after I got Lucas to you.”
My eyes closed.
“Why?”
“Because she said Monica was watching everything.”
