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“Mom, you have to accept that Ana might not come back,” Jorge had told her during a particularly painful conversation. “It’s been five years. We can’t keep living as if she’ll appear tomorrow.” María Teresa had been enraged by that suggestion. “How can you say that? Ana is your sister. As long as I’m alive, I’m going to keep looking for her.”
However, in the privacy of her bedroom, during the sleepless nights that had become routine, María Teresa struggled with tormenting doubts about whether Ana had truly decided to leave voluntarily and whether the entire search was a futile exercise that was destroying what remained of her family.
Rogelio Fernández, the neighbor who lived 50 meters from the Morales family, had shown discreet but constant support for María Teresa over the years. He occasionally came over to inquire about the progress of the investigation, offered help posting posters in remote areas of the neighborhood, or offered words of encouragement during the most difficult moments.
“Don’t lose faith, Señora María Teresa,” Rogelio would tell her when he found her. particularly discouraged. “Mothers have a special connection with their children. If Ana were dead, you would feel it. The fact that you maintain hope means she is still alive somewhere.” Rogelio had gradually established a more noticeable presence in the neighborhood’s daily life.
He had begun offering minor home repair services that allowed him legitimate entry into his neighbors’ homes. He was a handyman, charged fair prices, and performed quality work. His house, a one-story building slightly larger than the surrounding homes, had become a minor landmark in the neighborhood.
Over the years, Rogelio had built a makeshift workshop in the backyard, where he repaired household appliances. The sound of tools during the evenings had become part of the normal soundscape of the street. María Teresa had developed a genuine gratitude toward Rogelio, mingled with the familiarity of years of neighborly coexistence. He had proven to be one of the few people who had never lost interest in the search for Ana.
He had never questioned María Teresa’s decision to continue waiting. During 2007, María Teresa began to experience what she would later describe as soul fatigue. The constant search, the hope held against all odds, and the strain of supporting a fractured family had begun to take their physical and emotional toll. Her savings had been completely depleted.
Her health was showing signs of deterioration. She had developed high blood pressure, suffered from chronic headaches, and had lost almost 15 kg over the past two years. The moment that would change everything came in the most unexpected way possible during the second week of September 2017, exactly 15 years after Ana’s disappearance.
It all began with a routine inspection by the municipal health department in the Santa María neighborhood. Several neighbors had complained about strange odors coming from different homes, drainage problems, and suspicions of unauthorized construction that might be violating urban regulations. The inspection had been scheduled to inspect 15 homes on Juárez Street, including Rogelio Fernández’s property.
María Teresa had learned about the inspection through Mrs. García, who had mentioned that the inspectors would arrive Tuesday morning. For reasons she couldn’t fully explain, María Teresa felt an inexplicable urge to accompany the inspectors when they inspected Rogelio’s house.
“I don’t know why, but I feel like I should be there,” she confided to her neighbor the night before. “Over all these years, Don Rogelio has been very good to me. I want to make sure he doesn’t get into trouble with the authorities.”
On Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at 10:00 a.m., María Teresa showed up at the municipal office to request permission to accompany the inspection as a representative of the neighborhood committee.
The chief inspector, Ramón Herrera, agreed when María Teresa explained her personal situation and her knowledge of the colony’s history. The inspection of Rogelio’s house was scheduled for 11:30. When María Teresa and the three inspectors arrived at the property, they found Rogelio clearly nervous but cooperative. He had prepared all the documents related to his home and seemed eager to complete the process quickly.
“Good morning, Mrs. María Teresa,” Rogelio greeted with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. I didn’t know you were going to accompany the inspection.”
The inspection began routinely. The inspectors checked the electrical installations, inspected the drainage system, and examined the general condition of the building.
Everything seemed to be in perfect order until they reached the backyard, where Rogelio had built his makeshift workshop.
Inspector Herrera noticed that the dimensions of the workshop didn’t exactly match the original property plans and that there appeared to be an unauthorized extension. “Mr. Fernández, we need to inspect the back of the workshop,” the inspector reported.
“The plans we have don’t show this additional construction.”
Rogelio began to show obvious signs of nervousness. His hands trembled slightly as he searched his pockets for keys, and his breathing had visibly quickened.
“It’s just a storage room,” he explained in a voice that had lost its naturalness. “I keep tools there that I don’t use often. I don’t think it’s necessary to inspect it because it has no electrical or water connections.”
However, Inspector Herrera was meticulous in his work and insisted on checking every building. Rogelio tried to delay the inspection by arguing that he had lost the room key, but the inspectors decided to proceed by forcing the lock if necessary.
It was at that moment that María Teresa heard something that would forever change the course of her life.
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