Chapter 4 - THE BLUE BAG WITH THE BIRD
Lucía had never felt so afraid.
One moment, Vega had been standing beside her near the kitchen entrance.
The next, a man in a dark suit had approached them.
He wore a security badge.
At least, that was what Lucía thought it was.
"Mrs. Romero?"
"Yes?"
"Management needs to speak with you."
"About what?"
"The disturbance."
Lucía pulled Vega closer.
"I'm happy to apologize, but I can't leave my daughter alone."
"She can come with us."
Something about his voice bothered her.
He didn't look angry.
He looked impatient.
"And who sent you?"
"Mr. Salinas."
Lucía glanced toward the staircase.
Eduardo was upstairs.
"I'd rather wait here."
The man's smile disappeared.
"You're making this unnecessarily difficult."
Vega tugged at Lucía's skirt.
"Mommy, I don't like him."
Lucía took one step backward.
"Then we're not going anywhere."
The man reached for her elbow.
She pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
Several guests turned.
He immediately lowered his hand.
"Ma'am, please."
Lucía lifted Vega into her arms.
"I said no."
At that moment, a female server named Pilar hurried toward them.
Pilar was forty-eight and had worked catering events throughout Valencia for more than two decades.
She was outspoken, sharp-eyed, and impossible to intimidate.
"Lucía?"
Lucía nearly cried with relief.
"This man says management needs me."
Pilar looked at his badge.
"Funny."
The man frowned.
"What?"
"Our company's security badges are orange."
His badge was blue.
Pilar folded her arms.
"Who are you?"
The man turned and walked away.
Not quickly enough to look suspicious.
But quickly enough that both women noticed.
Pilar watched him disappear behind the columns.
"You're coming with me."
She led Lucía and Vega through the service entrance into the kitchen.
The head chef looked up as they passed.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone's trying to remove a witness," Pilar said.
Lucía stared at her.
"A witness?"
Pilar stopped.
She looked directly at Lucía.
"You haven't figured it out yet?"
"Figured out what?"
Pilar lowered her voice.
"That little girl saw something somebody would do anything to keep quiet."
Lucía felt her stomach tighten.
Vega rested her head on her mother's shoulder.
"Mommy, I'm sleepy."
"I know, baby."
"We can go home?"
Lucía kissed her curls.
"Soon."
But Pilar was already reaching for her phone.
"Who are you calling?" Lucía asked.
"The police."
Lucía caught her wrist.
"Wait."
Pilar stared.
"Lucía."
"If we accuse these people of something and we're wrong, I'll never work in this city again."
Pilar's expression softened.
"Sweetheart, if we're wrong, we'll apologize."
She looked toward the ballroom.
"If we're right, that child may have saved somebody's life."
Upstairs, Tomás was examining the blue garment bag.
Rafael had found it in a wardrobe inside the old nursery.
The bag had a small embroidered bird near the zipper.
Exactly as Vega had described.
Carlota stood in the doorway, surrounded by three members of the household staff.
Her makeup was beginning to streak.
"Don't touch my things," she demanded.
Tomás ignored her.
He unzipped the bag.
Inside lay a carefully shaped silicone pregnancy prosthetic.
It was flesh-colored, soft, and designed to fit beneath clothing.
Adjustable straps ran across the back.
There was also a matching maternity support garment.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Tomás stared at the object.
He had held Carlota's hand during what she claimed were painful contractions.
He had rubbed her lower back when she complained of swelling.
He had decorated a nursery.
Bought a crib.
Chosen a name.
He had knelt beside her bed and spoken to the child he thought was growing inside her.
Now he was looking at the thing she had worn beneath her dresses.
Carlota whispered:
"I can explain."
Tomás lifted the prosthetic.
"Then explain this."
She began shaking.
"I wanted to tell you."
"When?"
"I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Of losing you."
He stared at her.
Carlota pressed both hands over her face.
"I lost the baby."
Tomás went still.
"What?"
She lowered her hands.
"I miscarried."
Marina made a strangled sound from the adjoining room.
Carlota rushed on.
"I couldn't tell you."
Her voice cracked.
"You were so happy."
Tomás looked at the prosthetic.
"When?"
"In June."
Four months earlier.
He remembered June.
Carlota had refused to let him accompany her to a medical appointment, claiming she wanted to surprise him with the ultrasound photographs.
She had returned with pictures.
Tiny images.
A name.
A due date.
He had framed one and placed it beside their wedding photograph.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Carlota began sobbing.
"Because I knew what losing another child would do to you."
Tomás felt something twist inside him.
It was the cruelest possible explanation.
Because it used the deepest wound of his life.
Rafael quietly stepped closer.
"Sir, we should preserve everything in the bag."
Tomás looked at him.
Then back at Carlota.
"Where did the ultrasound pictures come from?"
Carlota stared.
"What?"
"If you miscarried in June, where did the September ultrasound pictures come from?"
"I..."
"Who was the doctor?"
"Tomás, please."
"Tell me his name."
She began crying again.
But this time, the tears had no effect.
Marina appeared in the doorway, supported by a housekeeper.
She looked exhausted.
But her voice was steady.
"She took me to a private clinic."
Everyone turned.
Marina looked at Carlota.
"They scanned my baby."
Tomás slowly lowered the bag.
Marina continued.
"Then she told the doctor to put her name on the paperwork."
Carlota shouted:
"That's a lie!"
Marina shook her head.
"You were there."
Then she said something that made Rafael reach for his phone.
"Your husband doesn't know about the other girls, does he?"
Tomás stared.
"What other girls?"
Marina looked down.
Her shoulders began trembling.
"I'm not the first."
May you like
Carlota closed her eyes.
And from the downstairs kitchen, Pilar's emergency call finally connected.
