Chapter 1
“Nobody leaves. Lock the doors.”
Ricardo’s voice cut through the funeral chapel so sharply that every conversation stopped.
Two security guards immediately moved toward the entrance.
The heavy doors closed.
A lock clicked.
Helena’s face changed.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
Ricardo ignored her.
He stepped between Helena and eight-year-old Bia, who stood trembling beside her mother’s coffin with a small doll pressed against her chest.
The funeral had already been unbearable.
Camila had died three days earlier after suddenly collapsing at home.
Doctors had called it an unexpected medical emergency.
Helena had spent the entire morning telling relatives that Camila had been careless with her medication.
Then Bia had whispered something that changed everything.
“She didn’t forget her medicine.”
Ricardo had knelt beside her.
“What do you mean?”
Bia looked toward Helena.
“She changed it.”
Now the entire family watched as Bia opened the back of her doll.
Hidden inside was a small phone.
Helena took one step forward.
“Where did you get that?”
Bia backed away.
“My mommy gave it to me.”
Ricardo held out his hand.
“Bia, can I see it?”
The little girl hesitated.
Then she placed the phone in his palm.
“There’s a recording.”
Helena’s breathing changed.
“That child doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
Bia looked directly at her.
“You told Mommy she would be gone before Sunday.”
The chapel went silent.
Ricardo unlocked the phone using the number Bia gave him.
There was only one saved recording.
He pressed play.
Camila’s frightened voice came first.
“Helena, what did you do?”
Then Helena answered.
“I fixed the problem you were too weak to fix yourself.”
“What did you put in my medicine?”
“Enough to make sure you stop interfering.”
Several relatives gasped.
Ricardo’s face went cold.
The recording continued.
Camila whispered, “If something happens to me, Ricardo will find out.”
Helena laughed.
“Ricardo believes whatever I tell him.”
Helena suddenly lunged toward the phone.
“Give me that!”
Ricardo moved faster.
He pushed Bia behind him.
Helena grabbed his arm and tried to tear the phone away.
Ricardo slapped her hand aside.
“Stay away from the child.”
“You idiot! That recording is fake!”
She attacked again.
This time Ricardo caught her wrists and forced her backward against one of the wooden pews.
“Security!”
The guards rushed forward.
Helena kicked and screamed.
“Let me go!”
Ricardo pinned her long enough for security to take control.
“You threatened Camila.”
“She was lying!”
“We just heard your voice.”
“It was edited!”
Bia began crying.
“She hurt Mommy.”
Ricardo turned toward her.
Bia was clutching the doll now.
Her small shoulders shook.
Helena saw the child still holding the phone’s case and screamed, “Give me everything she gave you!”
Bia tightened her grip.
“No.”
Police officers entered through the side door.
One security guard immediately explained what had happened.
An officer took the phone carefully.
Helena began shouting before anyone questioned her.
“I did nothing!”
The detective looked at Ricardo.
“Who is the deceased woman?”
“My sister.”
“And the child?”
“Her daughter.”
Bia lifted her tear-streaked face.
The detective crouched gently.
“Did your mother make this recording?”
Bia nodded.
“She said if she couldn’t wake up, I had to give it to Uncle Ricardo.”
Helena stopped struggling.
Ricardo stared at her.
The detective asked one more question.
“Did your mother give you anything else?”
Bia looked at Helena.
Then at the coffin.
Then she whispered, “Yes.”
Ricardo’s heart began pounding.
“What?”
Bia pointed toward the doll.
“There’s another thing inside.”
Helena suddenly screamed.
“No!”
Every officer turned toward her.
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And Ricardo realized the recording might not be the most dangerous secret Camila had left behind.
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