Catalina whispered to them that it was all over, that they were safe, that no one would hurt them. Father Anselmo approached Catalina and placed a hand on her shoulder. He told her she had been very brave, that she had done the right thing by trusting him, and that the authorities would now investigate everything. He explained that after she left his house, he had sent an urgent telegram to the city contacting Judge Morales, an honest man who had spent years investigating the abuses of the rural landowners.
The judge had immediately dispatched Lieutenant Ramírez with a patrol of federal soldiers, and they arrived just in time. Lieutenant Ramírez approached Catalina and asked her to lead him to the place where she had seen the body and the treasure. Catalina nodded, her legs still trembling, and asked her children to stay with Father Anselmo while she showed them the way. Tomás wanted to go with her, but Catalina told him to stay and look after his brothers; it was important.
The boy nodded solemnly, accepting once again a responsibility that wasn’t his. Catalina led the lieutenant, two of his soldiers, and Father Anselmo to the abandoned house. They went down to the basement, moved the crates, and entered the tunnel she had dug with a pickaxe. The stale air hit their faces, and the cloying smell of death made them cover their noses with handkerchiefs. They advanced crouching down, using flashlights to illuminate the earthen walls and rotting beams until they reached the final chamber.
When Lieutenant Ramirez saw the chained corpse, he froze. One of the soldiers had to leave the tunnel to vomit. Father Anselmo made the sign of the cross and murmured a prayer under his breath. The lieutenant approached the corpse carefully, examining the rusted chains, the tattered clothing, the exposed bones. Then he looked at the gold and silver boxes stacked against the walls and shook his head, both astonished and disgusted. He asked Catalina if she knew who that person was.
