Femicide

Mrs. Carmen Iznaga heard a shot and without needing to make many accounts, she knew exactly where it came from. So many years working in the same library had familiarized her in such a way with her surroundings that she was able to percep any unusual event, however imperceptible it might be. So ... How could it not to identify something that had never happened since she started working in the library 25 years ago!

Immediately she called the police and gave them the exact address: the second floor of the building that, although it was part of the library, functioned as an apartment in which the Mejias had living more than 21 years ago.

Driven by the terrifying novelty, the impetuous woman went upstairs arriving at the door of the apartment three minutes before the police did.

The apartment was wide open. On a chair lay the corpse of Susana and, at her side, the mute husband with the pistol still in his hand.

The bullet had penetrated by the lateral part of the right shoulder.

Given such clear circumstances, The only thing to expect was the arrival of the coroner for the reports of rigor. The rest was a matter for the police.

Seeing that this process could take more than an hour, Carmen decided to go back to her job. On the one hand, to take control the shortness of breath that the strong smell of the room had produced her and, on the other, needing to tell Aurelio the feat of having been so precise and timely that it allowed to capture the murderer with his hands in the dough. Although she greatly appreciated the doctor, she wasn’t going to allow a femicide to go unpunished, but the police chief stopped her, since she was the only witness and must to answer some questions:

“Don’t worry, lady, the interrogation will be brief and routine. It’s only to sign the report of the time and place of the tragedy; the time elapsed between the shooting and the arrival of the authorities and any other detail that helps to clarify the facts. How you know, the police station is less than 15 minutes away. We offer to take you in one of our cars and, if needed, we will bring you back.”

The police force of Pueblo Nuevo was made up of citizens residing in the town itself. They were friendly with the population because they never made trouble them problems. It was what is called a community self-disciplined. The most serious conflicts that had taken place there had been some discussion between neighbors for irrelevant reasons.

Carmen began to regret having acted by impulse, but she could not refuse an order from the authorities.

One of the virtues that stood out most in this 49-year-old lady was that when she explained something she did it in a concise but complete way. He tried to anticipate any potential doubt of his interlocutor, whoever he was. This she had acquired by dint of dealing with all the people who visited the library and the need to optimize time. The young chief was infinitely grateful for this communicative quality:

Carmen began to regret having acted by impulse, but she could not disobey an order from the authorities.

One of the virtues that standing out most in this 49-year-old lady was that when she explained something she did it in a concise but complete way. She always was trying to anticipate any potential doubt of his interlocutor, whoever he was. She had acquired this skill by dint of dealing with all the people who visited the library and because she need to optimize time. The police chief was infinitely grateful for this communicative quality:

“I’ve working in the library for almost twenty-five years and, during all that time, I’ve learned to notice any unusual movement, at least while work hours. Regarding the terrible fact of today, there’s not much I can say, because discretion is an essential element in relations of respect between neighbors. All I know is that Mrs. Susana was in the process of divorce and had started a new relationship with a very good looking man, although he is not so young. I’ve not seen him in person because he visits her only at night, that is, when I finished my workday. From the personal point of view, I dare to assure that she was very satisfied with him and I am basing on the fact that she had stopped being a taciturn and dull woman to become into a rejuvenated and rozagante Susana. As if she had suddenly begun to be reborn. I also know that this man fills her with gifts because I’ve seen her throw two or three bouquets of withered roses in the garbage, sometimes even fresh, as well as empty small boxes of gifts and this kind of thing, but I’ve never asked questions about her life private. About the doctor, I can say that he was an excellent person, only that suddenly he met a young girl and, apparently, went crazy for her to the point of giving rise to divorce. It had been about three months that they no longer lived together. Anything else?”

“Not. It’s enough. Thank you very much for your cooperation,” replied the Commissioner, really satisfied with the information.

The phone rang and the young officer waved his hand to she leave him in private. Carmen considered that the gesture was somewhat rude, but made a quick bow, accepted it and left. She didn’t want the police to take her back because one of her favorite hobbies was walking through her town.

An agent communicated to the commissioner:

“Chief, we have a previous report of Legal Medicine and another of Ballistics. The projectile belongs to the weapon, which in turn is registered in the name of Mr. Germán Mejías. He is already detained, but we have a problem: he is in a state of shock that prevents him from pronouncing a syllable.”

“That is very common in people who commit this kind of monstrosity. It’s necessary to reinforce the vigilance because the individual could attempt against himself. It must be kept in custody with all the attention that a high risk situation requires.”

This “high risk” didn’t include setting up a router that could provide a Wifi signal and that remained disconnected. It had been a requirement of the federal government, in case it was the case that some drug trafficker, murderer, rapist or any individual persecuted by the federals, try to find refuge in this quiet and disconnected locality. Luckily, that had never happened and everyone expected it never to happen.