Chapter 7 - The Woman Who Cleaned the Floors
Rosa Delgado met them at a diner far from the Vega house. She had cleaned for the family for twelve years, and she looked ashamed of the worn grocery bag clutched in her lap.
"She told me she'd report that I stole jewelry," Rosa said. "I didn't know if she'd do it, but I was afraid."
"You saw Dad on the floor?" Ricardo asked.
"More than once." Her eyes shone. "I brought him soup whenever she was out. On Tuesday she caught me, dumped it in the sink, and said an old man who couldn't obey didn't deserve to be waited on. She fired me that night."
Ricardo stared down at his coffee. "I should have noticed."
"Yes," Rosa said. "You should have. But you can notice now."
From the bag she took a notebook. Dates, skipped meals, locked doors, threats. She had written everything because she was frightened she'd forget details if someone finally asked.
There was also a photograph of a document on Celeste's desk. It showed an affidavit claiming the six apartments were empty and a list of checks payable to Brendan's company.
"Why didn't you take it to the police?" Elena asked.
"Because I thought Ricardo would listen to his wife before he'd listen to me."
Rosa's voice broke. "And because I was wrong to wait."
Ricardo thanked her and asked whether she'd be willing to speak with the investigator. She nodded.
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Outside, a dark SUV had stopped across the street. A man inside raised his phone and photographed them through the diner's window.
Then he drove away without ordering a thing.
