Mystery by the Sea (19 page)

Alexis watched, panting, trying to
process what just happened. He repeatedly looked in every direction. The boy who
had passed by earlier on the Jet Ski was far away. Alexis was sure that he had
not seen anything. Or had he? He saw that Lorenzo’s body remained motionless,
surrounded by red-stained water. He knew that he had reached the point of no
return. He went into the cabin and climbed the stairs to get to the boat’s
controls. He raised the anchor and started the motor. He pushed the throttle
down as far as it would go, producing a stream of water that made Lorenzo’s
body writhe like a ragdoll, sinking further into the sea.

To the passing glance of anyone
along the coast, the boat’s rapid propulsion along the sea sent the message of
fun, excitement, and freedom. Nothing could be further from the truth. Alexis
navigated the boat at its maximum velocity, continuously glancing from side to
side and behind him, very aware that everything had happened in broad daylight,
in front of a seaside resort filled with people and that any one of them could
have seen his desperate act. Only minutes separated him from escaping unscathed
or ruining his life forever. If only the boat could go faster.

Lorenzo continued sinking further
into the water when his eyes opened. Unable to move from a stabbing pain that
spread out from the back of his head, it took him a few seconds to realize that
this was not another surreal nightmare. He quickly remembered the chain of
events that brought him there, even when faced with the beauty that his eyes
were registering from the sun’s rays refracting off the surface of the water.
Just the mere idea that Alexis could get away with it was enough motivation for
him to muster the strength necessary to pull his body to the surface.

The first thing he saw when he
lifted his head out of the water was the horrified look of the young man riding
the Jet Ski. Lorenzo stretched out his arm and the young man firmly grabbed it,
helping him climb onto the Jet Ski.

“What happened? Why’d they leave
you? Are you hurt?” asked the young man without knowing exactly what to do or
say. Lorenzo could not answer. He could not stop coughing, either, water
spitting from his mouth and out his nose.

“Can I help you? What can I do?”
the young man continued asking.

“Yes, help me follow that boat.
It’s an emergency,” requested Lorenzo in a loud voice.

“Yes, of course, of course,”
answered the young man. His Jet Ski sped up to its maximum velocity and they
shot off, cutting through the waves.

Lorenzo felt as if he was going to
faint. His vision clouded over and he could not make out Alexis’ boat in the
distance, which was considerably further ahead of them. With every wave they
cut through, the Jet Ski would rise into the air, confusing Lorenzo even more.  

“Don’t worry. I’m an expert at
this. Last year’s champion,” said the young man to calm Lorenzo down.

“Thanks for letting me know,” said
Lorenzo before feeling his stomach drop into his feet again when the Jet Ski
rose up in the air, meeting with the waves created by the passing of Alexis’
boat.

“It looks like he’s headed for the
coast,” said the young man, signaling to the dock.

“Follow him,” requested Lorenzo,
trying hard not to fall with the Jet Ski’s sudden burst of speed as it made its
way toward the dock.

Alexis’ boat entered the shore at a
dangerous speed. He tried to slow it down, but his drive to save himself would
not allow it. He barely slipped by the other watercraft and was finally able to
maneuver himself until he arrived at the front of the dock, crashing into it,
but without causing any major damage to the ship. Alexis looked around
frantically to check if anyone was watching him. He grabbed the wet suit and
briefly analyzed the different options available for how to get rid of it.

Just then, he heard a Jet Ski
quickly approaching him from the shore’s entrance. His legs went limp when he
saw Lorenzo seated on the back, alive and kicking. He did not even have time to
contemplate his desire that Lorenzo would have died. He had reached a new
level. His own survival came first, no matter what the cost.

He hopped down from the prow’s
upper deck, slipping on the wet surface and knocking his mouth against the
floor’s wood finish, causing him to bleed profusely. He immediately stood up,
jumped off the boat and ran along the pier toward the exit as fast as he could.

Lorenzo stood up on the Jet Ski’s
seat as Alexis’ boat drew near. He leapt onto the platform of the boat’s stern,
where he had been pushed off only moments earlier. He crossed the boat through
the port side and from there jumped to the pier, running after Alexis. He
focused all his energy on sending speed to his legs. He could not let him
escape and destroy the evidence.

Alexis was only meters away from
reaching his car when he saw agents Zayas and Gómez walking along the pier in
his direction, effectively cutting off his path. Alexis came to a sudden halt,
losing his balance but not falling. He turned his head to look back at Lorenzo,
who was screaming and waving at the agents. He could not understand what
Lorenzo was shouting because everything went silent around him. He could not
hear anything. Not the shouts, not the footsteps on the wooden pier, not the
music of a nearby boat, not the waves crashing against the other ships, not his
heart beating in his chest. His world suddenly went dark. Nothing made sense to
him, even his calculating thoughts failed to give him instructions on what to
do in that moment. No excuses. Not even a single lie. It was all over. He fell
to his knees without thinking about the pain the impact would cause him and
lowered his head, defeated.

Lorenzo automatically slowed down
his step when he saw Alexis’ collapse. He reached the defeated attorney at the
same time as the agents. Lorenzo panted with his mouth wide open, exhausted
from the race.

“What’s going on here?” asked Zayas
with authority.

“He…did it. He killed…Pedroza…and
he’s going to confess everything…right?” said Lorenzo as he involuntarily
gasped for air.

The agents waited for Alexis’
reaction, who remained bent over, head down, a pool of blood spilling from his
mouth onto the pier. Alexis did not utter a single word. He just clenched the
wet suit tightly against his chest, as if trying to hide it within himself.

Zayas signaled to Gómez to lift him
up. Gómez grabbed him by the arm and forcefully lifted him up, taking the wet
suit from him. When he stood up, Alexis’ eyes fell upon Lorenzo. Lorenzo’s look
was filled with many feelings, but Alexis could only clearly read one:
deception. Lorenzo could not understand how Alexis could betray him and Doris
like that, using Doris to commit such an atrocious act. And all for money…more
money.

“Please, forgive me. You’ve got to
understand. I never thought it would end like this. That wasn’t my intention,”
Alexis tried to explain before he broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Of course not,” said Lorenzo as
Alexis was handcuffed. “It never is.”

“Bring him to the car,” Zayas
ordered Gómez.

“My pleasure,” said Gómez as he
yanked Alexis by the arm with the delicacy that he deserved, practically
dragging him to the police car.

“How did you figure it out?” Zayas
asked Lorenzo curiously and shamelessly. As far as he could see, he had done
everything he could with the information available. But he was truly happy to
have been mistaken and that justice would prevail.

“I don’t know. I guess I was in the
right place at the right time. And you guys?” asked Lorenzo in regard to the
agents’ convenient arrival.

“We just found out ourselves right
now. We only came here to speak with you about something that really isn’t
important anymore. Congratulations,” said Zayas, extending his hand toward
Lorenzo and giving him a firm handshake. Although what Lorenzo did to get the
information from Irma’s office constituted a crime, Zayas understood the
position that the Almeidas were in and that, in the long-run, it would not have
any negative consequences.

“Do you need anything?” Zayas asked
as he set out toward the police station.

“Yes, a towel,” answered Lorenzo,
who was still dripping water onto the pier.

 

 

Heads rolled at Pedroza Enterprises. The remorse that had
consumed Jessica’s conscience ended victoriously when she broke her silence. She
had to speak. Especially when she found out about Alexis’ arrest. She and
Javier knew about the dirty trick that Irma played on Doris at work. She, too,
had felt animosity toward Doris’ lightning-fast rise in the company. She was one
of the ones who thought that a humiliating lesson would not be so bad for her.

But what she had at first hoped
would only be a simple reprimand had turned into her dismissal. And what she
figured would be an uncomfortable and embarrassing snub at Pedroza’s mansion
ended in a murder. The evil amusement ended suddenly, paving the way for an
overwhelming sense of guilt. When she discovered that Alexis was actually
responsible for the murder, Jessica breathed a slight sigh of relief. But the
suffering imposed on Doris by her immature behavior could not go unpunished.
Even if she herself would suffer, too.

Obviously, the idea did not please
her colleagues. But when they were told that Jessica had come clean, it was
already too late. The company would not tolerate that type of behavior and much
less from employees in such high positions. The Board of Directors met, and in
no time flat all three of them were out on the street with the prospect of a
possible civil lawsuit pinned to their backs on behalf of Doris and Lorenzo.

Jessica found the calm she was
looking for, however. Although she won the disdain and ill-will of Irma and
Javier, she considered the mental peace and the opportunity to dedicate herself
full-time to dance as the undeserved, but welcomed, product of her confession.

Javier was no longer the company’s
next president; he was the
dismissed executive
with a tarnished image
that would not be easy to clean. He would have to start from square one with a
wife who was accustomed to a certain style of living. The years ahead would not
be easy, to say the least.

Irma, for her part, was never again
seen in Costa Linda or its surrounding area. She packed her bags and headed out
to never again return. She did not want anything to ever remind her of that
shameful side of herself that brought her to commit acts that resulted in
bitter suffering for others. No, she did not want to remember even in passing
what she was capable of when she let a feeling of envy take control of her
actions and desires. She wanted to see herself as her children saw her: a
heroine that was not capable of wickedness of any kind. A woman who only
produced love, affection, and empathy. Someone with whom they would feel sure
that nothing bad would ever happen to them. And although she enjoyed every
second with her family, she longed for time to pass. Yes, enough time so that
the bad memories would stay buried under the weight of the years. Nevertheless,
she would later come to understand that it is not so simple to escape from
something that is hidden within your very being.

Another employee who left the
company was Edgar, but without shame and with his head held high. He did not
even clear his desk until months later, when he received a good offer from
another company. The pay, as well as the position and the work, were a step
forward, so it was not at all difficult for him to abandon the sunken Pedroza
Enterprises ship. Lorenzo could not find the words to express his gratitude for
Edgar’s valuable help. Without his initial drive and the interest he had shown in
clearing Doris’ name, Lorenzo would not have had the push necessary to start
moving, and he never would have been able to uncover the truth. Edgar assured
him that no thanks were necessary. But he did accept an invitation to visit the
Almeida’s beach house whenever he wanted and to enjoy a true friendship which,
after all, was more valuable and long-lasting than any employment or business
relationship.

Alexis was, obviously, worse off
than anyone. The tears that he shed daily during the judicial process, both in
public and in private, could not take him back in time. There was no way to pay
for the lost life or the scars he had made.

Alexis’ father could not get over
his shock and astonishment. He was a very good friend of Pedroza and it was
because of his relationship with Pedroza that Alexis was put in charge of the
legal aspects of his most recent housing project. But the irritation that
Alexis had allowed to grow in his heart upon seeing that his brothers were
amassing fortunes independent from their father, brought him to do whatever
necessary to not be left behind and to stop feeling like the family’s black
sheep. And
whatever necessary
included participating in a fraudulent
scheme and money laundering during his legal practice.

Alexis admitted that he was
involved in a mortgage fraud conspiracy that involved the use of phantom
buyers, falsified mortgage applications, and falsified federal forms, in
addition to falsely registering payment checks from buyers, making it appear
that the mortgage lenders had issued an initial payment when, in reality, they
had not, among other ‘minor’ legal sins. His illegal activity had caused
millions of dollars in losses for the victims.

Nevertheless, the party ended when
he attempted to implement his plan in the Pedroza project. A slip-up with the
paperwork caused a red flag to be raised and his activities were internally
investigated, leaving his fraudulent scheme naked to Pedroza’s eyes. And
Pedroza did not forgive. Alexis knew it. Everything was over…unless he took
immediate and extreme measures.

At first, his plan was to raise
suspicion around the three colleagues that had visited Pedroza that night and,
above all, Pedroza’s wife, given that everyone always suspects the spouse.
Nevertheless, the circumstances served him Doris on a silver platter. The fact
that Lorenzo sought out his help to head the case made him feel that his
victory was sealed. With privileged access to the case he could ensure that
there would never be so much as a shadow of a doubt cast in his direction.
Knowing, additionally, that the back of the Pedroza mansion would not have
security cameras for a few days (thanks to the fact that the new system, which
would be installed by his brother’s company, had not yet arrived from the supplier)
emboldened him to take advantage of the opportunity that, as far as he could
see, destiny had awarded him.

Lorenzo had reconstructed the scene
of the crime very well. In his excitement and hurry to escape, Alexis did not
notice the paint that had adhered to his wet suit. He hid it in his boat and
wanted to forget everything that had happened that night and believe that he
did not have anything to do with the crime. Everything had been going so well
for him that he never would have thought such a small detail could ruin his
entire grotesque party. Lorenzo’s discovery of the suit came as a genuine
surprise for both crew members on board the boat that afternoon.

It was also a surprise for Alexis
to find himself completely alone and forgotten, locked away as the years
passed. Without the support of his family or friends, he was trapped behind
bars, not only physically but also within a never-ending whirlwind of fear,
doubt, and remorse that deprived him of finding the positive side in his
reality.

 

•••••

 

Fortunately, the doctors could not see any problems
resulting from the nervous breakdown Doris had suffered. She was finally
discharged, along with the good news that the baby was okay. By the time
Lorenzo brought her home from the hospital, it was already getting late. He
helped her out of the car to climb the stairs to the house, bringing her inside
little by little, step by step. Instead of taking her to the bedroom, though,
Lorenzo brought her directly to the balcony. He knew that the last thing she needed
at that moment was to be behind four walls. She needed fresh air, which she
would get more than enough of from the balcony.

 “Okay, look, I tidied up the house
for you. Everything’s clean. You don’t have to worry about anything. We’re
going out to the balcony to enjoy the sunset and the fresh air. It’ll do you
good. It never fails,” explained Lorenzo in the most positive voice he could
muster, although the prospect that Doris’ current condition could continue
indefinitely terrified him.

Lorenzo carefully sat her down in
one of the chairs on the balcony. She did not respond or react at all. Her gaze
continued to be lost in space.

“Doris, love of my life, from now
on everything’s going to change for the better. I found a job and your sister
will be with you during the day until you are completely better. Okay? Listen,
I’m going to be a better husband than I have been. I promise you, everything
will turn out all right. I also want to be the best father that our baby could
ever have. We’re going to be a happy family. I promise,” assured Lorenzo in a
soft but firm voice, looking directly into her eyes and clasping one of her
hands inside both of his.

When he saw that she did not react
or respond, he carefully set her hand on her thigh and let his gaze look off
toward the horizon, as if in search of strength to undertake the arduous path
that lay ahead of them both. He inhaled deeply when he unexpectedly felt Doris’
hand grab his and slowly bring it to her pregnant belly. She closed her eyes,
drawing on her lips what Lorenzo wanted to interpret as a slight smile.

“That’s it, Doris. That’s how it’ll
be. You’ll see,” said Lorenzo, relieved, as a tear of happiness and hope rolled
down his cheek.

They remained in quiet silence, as
one, or better yet, as three. They felt closer in that moment than in all the
time they had been married. They did not want even the slightest movement to break
that. And as they sat there, the sun continued its persistent setting behind
the horizon. A spectacle of different hues spanned from an intense red to a
brilliant orange, decorating the clouds floating above them in the quiet night
sky. An indescribable peace dominated the night, starting when the sun set
completely, putting an end to the day.