Mystery by the Sea Read Online Free PDF

Cruzado
invited him to take a seat.
    “Mr. Almeida,” greeted Cruzado
without wasting any time on formalities, “we are discussing what action to take
with your wife’s case. She is accused of first-degree murder for the death of
Mr. Armando Pedroza. Based on the evidence that we have, there doesn’t appear
to be any doubt that she’s guilty. I’m very sorry.”
    These words were an unexpected slap
in the face for Lorenzo. He had truly hoped that everything had been a
misunderstanding or a mistake.
    “But what exactly happened?” he
asked, masking his surprise.
    “According to the facts uncovered
in our investigation and the witnesses’ statements,” Zayas proceeded to
explain, “your wife showed up at Mr. Pedroza’s residence around nine o’clock at
night, apparently and in a very bad mood. Given that Mr. Pedroza had guests, he
decided to deal with her in his private office, adjacent to the room where his
guests were being entertained. After a few minutes, Mrs. Almeida left the
office crying and fled the premises. Then one of the guests, Ms. Jessica Ronda,
went to Pedroza’s office to say goodbye because she had to leave. It was then
that she found him lying on the floor next to the murder weapon.”
    “What murder weapon?” Lorenzo
asked.
    “A heavy crystal trophy awarded to
the most distinguished employee from the previous year. Your wife’s name was
engraved on it and her fingerprints were found on it as well. She had brought
it with her to the house and everyone saw it.”
    “Yes, I know which one it is,” said
Lorenzo, remembering the enormous trophy and how happy and proud Doris was the
night they awarded it to her.
    “The medical examiner confirmed
that Pedroza died from the blunt force trauma inflicted by that trophy,” added
Cruzado.
    “Clearly,” added Detective Zayas,
“your wife went to Pedroza’s residence to let him have it because of her
dismissal. It appears that, in the heat of the discussion, she got carried away
by her anger.”
    “It was obviously a fit of rage,”
added Cruzado. “If that’s the case, we need a confession to avoid a
first-degree murder charge.”
    “Of course,” murmured Lorenzo
without making eye contact with anyone.
    “It’s advisable that she confess. It’s
the best for everyone,” recommended the district attorney in a friendly tone. Lorenzo
kept his gaze glued to the floor, nervously rubbing his hands together in
silence. All gazes were fixed on him, waiting for his reaction. Finally,
Lorenzo raised his eyes.
    “But what does she say?”
    “She insists that she only had an
argument with him. She admits that she hurled the trophy at the floor, hoping
it would break but that she then immediately left,” responded Detective Zayas.
    “We want you to speak with her and
convince her. It’s better that she spend only a few years in jail rather than
the rest of her life,” insisted Cruzado.
     Lorenzo tried to make eye contact
with his attorney. He could not decipher Alexis’ silence. Did he have
everything under control? Did he agree with what they were asking him? Or, on
the contrary, was he totally lost? Did he not have the slightest idea of how to
proceed? Maybe Lorenzo had stuck him in waters that were too deep. With his
gaze he asked Alexis’ opinion and Alexis answered him by nodding his head yes.
    “That’s fine. I’ll speak with her,”
announced Lorenzo to Cruzado’s pleasure, who stood up from his desk smiling and
opened the door. With one finger he called the bailiff who was waiting in the
hallway and instructed her to take Lorenzo to where Doris was being held.
    Lorenzo followed her to the end of
the hallway. The bailiff opened the door and let him enter, locking it behind
him. In the middle of the room rested a large rectangular table with ten
chairs. Doris was seated at the chair closest to the door, with her back to
Lorenzo. He sat in the chair directly facing her, looking her in the face. He
could see that she was happy to see