Chapter 25 - The Legal Shark Returns
Elena Robles arrived at the multi-story office building looking like a woman prepared to execute a hostile takeover. She carried a heavy leather briefcase and a cup of black coffee, her sharp heels clicking authoritatively against the marble floor of the lobby.
She walked into Natalia’s office and dropped a thick, printed dossier onto the glass desk.
"Mauricio Salazar is a monster, but he is a sloppy one," Elena announced, sitting down and opening her laptop. "I spent the entire night tracing his corporate infrastructure after you called me yesterday. He operates a dozen shell companies, just like Javier did, but on a massive, municipal scale."
"He destroyed my construction site, Elena. The police are investigating, but we both know he probably has the local precinct on his payroll," Natalia said, pacing the room.
"Of course he does," Elena scoffed. "But he doesn't own the federal anti-corruption task force. I dug into his recent acquisitions. Salazar has been violently forcing small business owners out of this exact district for the last year using the same vandalism tactics. He wants to bulldoze the neighborhood to build a mega-casino."
"And my building is right in the center of his proposed footprint," Natalia realized, looking down at the city map on her desk.
"Exactly," Elena nodded. "But here is the interesting part. To execute this level of coordinated sabotage, he needs intimate knowledge of your security protocols and your financial weak points. Someone fed him the exact schedule of your site guards and the locations of your generator tanks."
Natalia frowned, crossing her arms. "Only my top executives have that information."
Suddenly, Natalia’s cell phone buzzed on the desk. An encrypted, unknown number flashed on the screen. She exchanged a tense look with Elena before answering it on speakerphone.
"Hello?" Natalia said cautiously.
"Natalia," a small, trembling voice whispered through the speaker. "Please don't hang up. It’s Jimena."
Natalia froze. It had been over a year since Javier's sister had sent her that apologetic text message.
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"What do you want, Jimena?" Natalia asked, her voice cold.
"I need to see you," Jimena pleaded, sounding terrified. "I have information. Javier is working for Mauricio Salazar. He sold your security codes. If you don't meet me, they are going to burn down your mother’s house next."
