When the four return to the room without any preamble, Samuel asks to begin the vote on the new leader of the Vindicta family, the votes of Leticia Metum and Samuel Supplicium are for Roberto and Verónica Caedes elects Rogelio Vindicta, now everything is in who I owe choose.
— Before I give you my vote, I would like to know. Did you know that Roberto Vindicta was one of the coordinators of the route of death? —Both Miguel and Leticia are unperturbed by the news, that shocks me— Did you know?
Samuel shrugs his shoulders— We bombed a building full of people who opposed us, pretending to be saints is hypocritical.
— In addition, Leticia continues, your family was one of the great supporters of the previous government, your passivity in the face of the things that happened is complicity, if Roberto is not suitable for the position due to his past, then neither are you —he looks proud of his arguments, as if waiting for me to make this comment.
Before she can say anything, Verónica takes the floor— Eusebio redeemed his actions by helping with the overthrow. What has Roberto done to show that he regrets what he did? How do we know that he is not behind Octavio's murder?
— Take care of your words young lady —says Leticia— you are accusing someone of homicide.
— I'm just commenting on one possibility —Veronica gives me a look— maybe they want us to believe it's a terrorist act.
Samuel lets out a small laugh, as if he was amused by the matter— Now we are playing conspiracies, now let me throw my theory out —excited, he sticks his body to the edge of the table to emphasize that he is playing— What if Veronica murdered Octavio to put Rogelio in power?
— We are not joking —Verónica places her hands on the table and faces him - we are deciding if a genocide was to be part of our table, Rogelio dedicated himself to making donations for NGOs and stayed out of the dictatorship's affairs.
— I see you know him very well —Leticia looks at me in a conspiratorial way— maybe we shouldn't rule out any possibility.
— Fuck off —Veronica claims indignantly— this is a serious matter —she directs her gaze towards Samuel— You can't vote for Roberto.
— I can accept Rogelio at our table with one condition —I feel Verónica's gaze reproaching me for what I am doing - but he will have to make a public account of everything he has done during the dictatorship.
— That's impossible —Leticia claims— if you count what he did, no one will accept him as part of our government table.
Verónica does not let the situation escape— Perhaps the terrorists' plan is for us to assign Roberto and then publicly announce what he did, we cannot risk it.
— We just have to say that he acted under threat — Samuel warns— he would not be the first involved in acting under duress.
— Now we will dedicate ourselves to lying in our government —Veronica claims— I shouldn't be surprised if you say that.
— Apparently it is not an issue that we can resolve today —Leticia claims— So, will we attribute the murder to the terrorists? —I notice malice in his gaze.
— It was clearly them —Samuel says.
— Whether they are or not —Verónica adds— will serve as a reason to intensify the investigation against them.
— We are accusing without evidence —I warn— it is not fair, I ask that the delivery of information be delayed, in a few days we will have greater certainty of who is responsible —they do not give signs of wanting to support my request— at least let's use the correct words, let's declare our main suspects are terrorists —I look to Veronica for help.
She notices it, but remains silent like the rest, hiding my disappointment with indignation.
Leticia gets up— Then, it's time for Verónica to deliver the statement— I can feel her annoyance towards me.
I let everyone leave first, after waiting a while and making sure they have retired I collapse in the chair, having them all against me was devastating, I breathe to compose myself, in less than five minutes the journalists will be waiting for Veronica to deliver her Press release.
At the entrance of the Blanco Encalada building the journalists are already standing, the cameras of the national channels are recording, in the middle of them soldiers are parading, both the place where Verónica spoke and the positions in which we must stand have glass panels that they support bullets.
— Thank you all for being here today —Veronica maintains a solemn tone— each one of us is hurt by the death of Octavio —there is a pause to show how affected he is with the death— Mr. Octavio was a man with a great sense of humor, who cared about the welfare of all, we offer our condolences to his family, know that you have the support of each one of us.
Now I know that you have questions about what will happen to the government, we will soon announce who is the new member of the governing table —the journalists look at each other— what if we want to declare is the situation of the murder of Mr. Octavio Vindicta —I close my eyes defeated for what was announced— our main suspect in the attack is the Manuel Rodríguez Movement, also known as MMR, we still do not have enough evidence, but we will soon be informing you about our conclusions, with this we end this brief press conference, thank you for your tuning.
I can't help looking at Veronica in surprise, if Leticia could spit fire from her eyes right now she would be doing it and Samuel smiles as if he had just heard a good joke, the four of us returned to the building.
— What was that?! —Leticia asks indignantly— "Main suspect?" Don't we have enough evidence? Are you not able to follow directions ?!
— She only told the truth —I clarify.
Veronica looks at Samuel like he's been hit back— I act like you all trust me.
— Of course we do —Samuel answers, I think I get the hint— You are exaggerating Leticia— Do you think that next week we decide which of the two brothers will take the place? I have a trip to attend to.
— Next week is fine for me —Veronica supports.
— Anyway — say.
— Do what you want —Leticia answers— What is the point of coordinating things if afterwards they do what you want? —She is the first to go to the parking lot to look for her car, then Samuel leaves.
— Thank you —I tell Veronica when we are alone— I have no way to prove my daughter's innocence, but soon I will.
— Do not misunderstand what I did Eusebio —his tone sounds gentle, but cautious— like the rest, I want to end the M.M.R. It just has to be with the correct charges, and that means when the opportunity arises, I will have no mercy on your daughter —she claps me on the arm— and you will have to do the same.
I stay in the hallway watching him walk away, I touch the arm that he slapped me on, hand over my daughter, I begin to feel that it is only easy to say.