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Right. Try not to worry when Joaquín threatened his life. I understand how lucky we are that Milo wasn’t killed or paralyzed. We might not get lucky a second time.
These are the thoughts in my mind as a police officer follows me to Mateo’s school and then to Nico’s home.
Gladys is in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of tea, when we come in.
Mateo drops his backpack and goes to give her a hug. “I want to swim.”
“We will,” Gladys says, “but first you need to unpack your bag.”
He reluctantly goes to get the backpack, removes his lunch box and hands it to me along with the papers that come home every day. “Now can I swim?”
“Go get changed,” I tell him.
“What happened?” Gladys asks after Mateo rushes from the room.
“He wanted me to tell the police there’s no way he could’ve shot Milo, and when I said I wouldn’t do that, he said one word from him to his boys and Nico and I are dead.”
Gladys gasps. “Dear God.”
“The police are aware and are watching. But I feel sick.”
“Over what?” Nico asks when he comes into the room.
Gladys squeezes my arm. “I’ll go check on Mateo.”
When we’re alone, I force myself to look at Nico and tell him what happened at the jail.
His expression never changes as he hears his life has been threatened—again.
“I was thinking that we should take a break until, you know—”
“Stop.”
“But, Nico—”
“No, Sofia. We’re not going to let them drive us apart. That’s what he wants. He knows he’s in deep shit, and he’s still trying to control you even from jail. Don’t let him do that.”
“He meant it, though. You weren’t there. You didn’t see how he said it.”
“We can’t let him do this to us. It’s what he wants. He has no power in there, and he knows it. The only power he has is to fill you with fear.”
“It worked. I’m afraid.”
“What did Miguel say?”
“More charges will be filed.”
“That’s good.”
“And they’re putting officers on both of us. I told him we’re due to leave town for the weekend tomorrow, and Miguel said that would give them time to track down his friends.”
My phone rings with a call from Miguel.
“Hello?”
“Sofia, this is Sergeant Silva again. I wanted to tell you that we’ve notified the prosecutor of Joaquín’s threats this morning, and they’re asking the judge to limit his access to phone calls and visitors considering the threats.”
“Oh, that’s good news,” I say on a long exhale.
