><><><><
— Good evening, we'd like to speak with Mr. Polanco for a moment — says a police officer as he enters the room.
Tadeus pulls his lips away from Alexander's face. — That would be me.
— The hospital reported a shooting incident to us. I'm here to question you about what happened.
— Of course.
— I'm sorry to have to ask for a moment alone— the officer says, looking at Alexander.
— He's staying with me.
— Sir, I can't find the other patient — says another officer from the doorway.
— You can question both of us here, right? — Tadeus clings to his arm.
— We shouldn't waste their time — says Alexander, stretching his lips into a smile.
The officer responds to this gesture with a nod — It'll just be a couple of questions.
He steps out into the hallway, where he confirms his identity to the other officer before answering — I didn't see anyone who looked suspicious to me…
— We were on the side of the road on a very busy street near the central square. It could have been anyone, I mean… it was in a matter of seconds. It may be related to the lawsuit I filed, it's under investigation right now — Tadeus replies.
— Was anyone else with you?
— Yes, my fiancé's sister.
— My sister. If you need to talk to her, you'll have to wait a few minutes. She left almost an hour ago to buy something to eat.
— Would you mind if I took some photos of the wounds?
Tadeus nods, pulls back the sheet, and lifts up his hospital gown.
Alexander unties his robe to reveal his abdomen — Is that all?
— Thank you for your cooperation — replies the man in the hallway as he enters the room with his partner — All set.
— All right, give me a second — he says, holding a small camera in his hands.
— I've been through worse — says Tadeus with a smile, as if saying so could change the look on Alexander's face.
— They didn't have any carrot soup, so I brought you some… Good night.
— Good night — say the officers.
— Yen, the police are here to talk about what happened — says Alexander.
><><> A couple of days later <><><
— Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, Tadeus… happy birthday! — they sing in unison. Yenedith places the cake on the sliding tray and lights the candle while Alexander puts a party hat on him — Now make a wish!
He closes his eyes and blows out the candle — Thank you so much for this. To be honest, I didn't feel like celebrating anything, but I'm dying to eat something sweet.
— I wanted to wait until you got out of here, but your sister insisted.
— What was your wish last year? — she asks as she cuts the cake into slices.
— I can't say until it comes true.
— Oh, don't be so superstitious, the time for the wish to come true has already passed.
— Getting closer to forty, I've got to cling to something.
— Thanks — Alexander places the gifts on Tadeus' lap to receive his slice of cake — Open them.
— Just in time to replace the one that got ruined, I like it — he says. He puts the garment away and opens the next gift, where he finds a pair of dress shoes — How elegant, they're beautiful. Thank you so much for your gifts.
— I hope you can wear them soon.
— What else has the doctor told you? — She sits down on the other side of the stretcher.
— Everything's fine; I might be discharged by the end of the week.
— I'm being discharged today, so I'll only be able to come during visiting hours.
— Well, I'm going to visit Grandma. She was really angry the last time I saw her, but with everything that's happened, it'll be even worse if I don't let her know everything is okay.
— I'd like to go see her. Do you think she'd welcome my visit?
— I don't know. I'll let you know — Yenedith smiles slightly before leaving.
Alexander pushes Tadeus' hand away to stop him from eating — Does Mrs. Daisy know everything about me, too?
— No, she just knows you're my partner.
— I'm curious to know what she'd think about our engagement.
— I don't plan on telling her… not yet.
— As you wish — Alexander says with a sigh, as if holding back an ironic laugh — I need to take a shower before the nurse comes to my room to change the bandage.
Tadeus gives him a kiss before he gets up. After watching a movie, he falls asleep until evening, when he's woken up for dinner — There's an officer who needs to speak with you; I told him he can come in after you've eaten.
Tadeus glances at the clock on the wall, it's seven fourteen — Did he tell you his name?
— I don't remember; let me ask him aga…
— No, just let him in. I don't want him to waste time waiting for me — he says as she heads toward the door — Could you stay with me while he's in here?
— Good evening, Mr. Polanco. I'm sorry to come at this hour — the man says. He isn't one of the officers who came a few days ago — My name is Otoniel Agudelo. I'm with the International Crimes Unit, and I'd like to ask you a few questions about the case.
— I thought you were just a prosecutor.
— You remember me.
Tadeus looks at the nurse, who nods at him; he nods back and watches her walk away. — We met when you closed my mother's case.
— I was on the investigation twenty-five years ago, and I always had a hunch about Edwin, but without evidence, it was just speculation — says Otoniel.
— What else would the prosecution need for the case? I've told everything I know.
Otoniel peeks out into the hallway and makes sure to pull a chair up to the door before sitting down in the armchair a few steps from the stretcher — The ICU has been gathering information for years on the criminal profiles of several leaders of complex criminal organizations that extend to Europe and the Americas. You've surely heard of 'The Animal' — Tadeus looks down at his left hand and shakes his head — Your father was hot on his trail for years, right up until recently.
— My father was obsessed with sinking his claws into more victims.
— We have information about a young man who went by the name 'Coyote.' Could that be you?
— It's no secret in the investigation that I was forced to participate in…
— Negotiations to sell women, that's true — Otoniel catches a glimpse of him clenching his fists around the sheet. He stands up and begins to approach him — To this day, at least half of the young women who were kidnapped under your command have not been rescued.
— I never ordered any kidnappings; they were already there when…!
— When you handed them over to be raped. Did you never think they had families, a life that was taken from them?
— I made sure their families did receive money; I did so periodically.
— Easier to your conscience — Otoniel turns toward the window before Tadeus can look him in the face — Perhaps the name Sylvester Strauss rings a bell.
— I can't be sure.
— You wrote a report five years ago. — Otoniel turns his gaze back to the stretcher.— It was an article about the pharmaceutical company and the drugs that were in the testing phase at the time.
— I don't remember it anymore.
— You're dating his son.
— The man is dead. Besides, the ICU doesn't need to know about the heir's personal affairs. What's the real reason for your visit?
— I'm offering you the opportunity to remain anonymous beyond simply omitting your name from news reports on the case. — Otoniel lifts the sheet, and Tadeus snatches it away — Proof of just how well that's worked out.
— I'm not obligated — says Tadeus, snatching the gift bag from the man's hands — But if what you're offering is a job that'd benefit my sister and my grandmother, I'd be open to consider.
— I'll send you a contract first thing in the morning; you'll have twenty-four hours to make up your mind, until then.