Then she bent down close to her father’s ear.
Then she leaned close to her father’s ear and whispered something no one else could hear. Ramiro’s face went pale. His body began to tremble. « What? » he asked, his voice breaking. Salomé nodded. Suddenly, Ramiro stood up so violently that the chair fell to the floor. « I’ve always been innocent! » he cried. The guards rushed forward, but Salomé clung to him tightly. What had she whispered in his ear? How could an eight-year-old girl possess the key that no lawyer had found in five years? And what truth was about to shake the entire prison?
The room fell completely silent. Colonel Méndez stepped forward slowly, his gaze fixed on the little girl. The child reached into the pocket of her little coat and pulled out a tiny silver necklace. Hanging from it was a heart-shaped locket. Ramiro held his breath. « This belonged to your mother, » he whispered. Salomé nodded. « Grandma gave it to me last week. She said Mom wanted me to have it when I was older. » With trembling fingers, she pressed the hidden clasp. There was no photograph inside the locket. It was a microSD card. The social worker gasped. Méndez took it carefully and ordered a guard to fetch the prison technician immediately. Ramiro sat frozen, tears streaming down his face. Twenty minutes later, the entire visiting room was staring at the screen.
