Chapter 7 - The Frame-Up
Lucía stared at the white envelope on the table.
"Lucía," Teresa’s voice sounded weak from the bed. "Don't you dare touch that money."
"Ma... look at him down there," Lucía choked, tears blurring the courtyard lights below. "She’s right. What am I doing here? I smell like the docks. I can't even speak to the people he works with. If the board finds out he paid our bill out of pocket, they’ll say he abused his position—"
"Lucía Morales!" Teresa said sharply, using a strength that surprised them both. "Mateo Salgado didn't cut through my chest with a scalpel to pay a debt. He did it because he loves you. He has loved you since you were a skinny girl sharing tortillas on our back porch. Don't let that snake make you feel small!"
Lucía swallowed hard. She grabbed the envelope from the nightstand.
"I’m giving this back to her," Lucía said, her jaw tightening. "Right now. In front of her father and everyone she cares about. I won't be paid off to vanish."
She marched out of the room, heading straight for the central elevators.
When the brass-plated doors opened onto the mezzanine overlooking the grand ballroom, the glittering lights and the murmur of laughter washed over her. Lucía held her chin high, despite her simple cotton blouse and dark slacks. She scanned the crowd for Renata’s emerald dress.
Suddenly, two hospital security officers stepped directly into her path.
"Lucía Morales?" the taller guard asked, his hand resting on his tactical belt.
"Yes. Excuse me, I need to speak with—"
"You need to come with us to the administrative security office immediately," the guard said, grabbing her forearm with a bruising grip.
"Let go of me! What are you doing?"
"A package containing twenty vials of restricted fentanyl was reported missing from the surgical prep floor ten minutes ago," the guard announced, loud enough that several guests in evening attire turned around in surprise. "A witness saw a civilian matching your description exiting the pharmaceutical dispensary."
"That’s insane! I was in my mother’s room!" Lucía protested, struggling against his grip.
Renata appeared at the top of the marble staircase, flanked by a tall, silver-haired man with cold, calculating eyes—Director Guillermo Alcázar.
"What is happening here?" Director Alcázar demanded, his voice ringing across the lobby. "Why is a common visitor shouting in the middle of our annual gala?"
"Director," the security guard reported, "this woman was identified in an unauthorized staff zone. We were about to search her belongings."
"Search her," Renata urged smoothly, a cruel gleam in her eyes. "Who knows what someone like that would steal when left unattended?"
Before Lucía could pull away, the second guard snatched her canvas purse, dumped its contents onto a white-linen banquet table, and shook it out. Along with her keys, a worn wallet, and a receipt from the fish market, a clear plastic pouch containing three glass ampoules of clear liquid rolled across the tablecloth.
The crowd gasped.
"Fentanyl," the guard announced.
"I didn't take that!" Lucía screamed, horror flooding her veins. "Someone put that in my bag! Renata was in my mother's room two minutes ago—she framed me!"
"Preposterous," Renata scoffed, holding her hands to her chest in mock outrage. "I have been downstairs greeting board members all evening. Call the state police. Have this thief locked away."
"Wait," a voice roared from the base of the marble staircase.
May you like
Mateo climbed the steps three at a time. His eyes were blazing with a raw, predatory wrath that made the security guards instantly drop their hands from Lucía’s arms.
***
