Chapter 5 - The Trap at the Hospital
By morning, the news of Leon Montenegro’s sudden "stroke" had hit the local media.
Publicly, Hector Vance stood on the steps of the hospital in a expensive charcoal suit, speaking to reporters with a mournful expression, declaring that the Montenegro family was praying for Leon’s full recovery while he assumed temporary management of all business holdings.
Inside Detective Reyes’ secure safehouse, we watched the television broadcast in silence.
"Look at his face, Mommy," Sophie signed, pointing her small finger at the screen where Hector was speaking.
"What is it, sweetie?" I asked.
He is smiling behind his eyes, Sophie signed. The same smile he had when the lights went out.
Reyes walked into the room holding a secure laptop. "We have a problem, Mariana. Hector’s men have pulled the security footage from the gas station where you called me. They know you're in the city, and they’ve put out a half-million-dollar bounty on you and your daughter within the local underworld."
My stomach dropped. A half-million dollars was enough to buy every corrupt officer, street informant, and mercenary in San Antonio.
"What do we do?" I whispered.
"We go on the offensive," Reyes stated firmly, setting his laptop on the table. "Hector needs Leon dead to fully execute the power of attorney documents and claim the offshore trusts. As long as Leon is alive in that hospital coma, Hector's control is temporary. He will try to finish the job tonight."
"How can we stop him?" I asked. "The hospital is crawling with his men."
Reyes looked down at Sophie, his expression filled with profound respect.
"Leon’s personal medical team includes an independent cardiologist named Dr. Elena Silva—she’s clean, and she’s a federal informant," Reyes explained. "If we can get your daughter into that room for five minutes, she can identify the exact physical symptoms and vibration rhythms caused by the specific toxin Hector was using. Dr. Silva can then run the targeted toxicology screen to prove attempted murder in court."
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"You want me to take my four-year-old daughter into a hospital controlled by a killer?" I demanded, standing up defensively.
"It is the only way to tear down Hector’s wall of protection, Mariana," Reyes said softly. "Without proof of poisoning, Hector inherits everything, and you and Sophie will be hunted for the rest of your lives."
