Sangre De Toro (Old Draft - Now Published!)

Chapter 29 - Moment of Truth

Rita ordered two cokes at the place Lucia had suggested and sat just outside the door, in a small, shaded courtyard. Laurentia sat inside, out of sight. She hadn't slept and kept replaying the events at the plaza de toros, her collapse, the claustrophobia, the way she saw people looking at her. She had to stay in control or she'd lose everything.

Lucia turned up about 20 past 5, just as Rita was thinking about going. A denim bag slung over her shoulder, she was wearing lip gloss and a lot of blue eyeliner. She sat down, looking breathless.

'Hey,' the teenager said nervously. 'Sorry I'm late.'

'That's OK,' Rita said. 'How are you?'

'OK, I guess,' Lucia shrugged, drinking her coke out the bottle. She took a packet of cigarettes from her bag and offered one to Rita.

'You're far too young to smoke.' She shook her head. The girl shrugged.

'What are you gonna do about it. Put me in jail?' Lucia said, lighting up, but she didn't seem annoyed, just resigned as she flicked ash into the tray.

'I started smoking at your age, I only managed to stop five years ago. It's a bad habit to get into, expensive too.' The teenager rolled her eyes but looked self-conscious.

Then, Lucia looked at the table. She was silent for a while and when she spoke next she was close to tears. ‘I’m really sorry, Rita. I hope my video didn’t get you in trouble. The bull, he just seemed so loving and trusting. When you gave him away, I thought you were killing him. I didn’t know Alfonso was an activist. I assumed the worst. I’m so sorry. I wanted you to know that.’

'Nah, slap on the wrist and that's it. My boss thought the exact same as you. He said it made the police look uncaring.' Rita kept her voice light and jokey. 

Lucia gave an embarrassed smile. 'You'll think this is cringe, but I found him so relatable, because - I don't belong in this world and sometimes I just want to run away.'

'What do you mean?'

The girl swallowed, sipping her drink. 'That first video of him. It just reminded me of, like, being beaten up at school, or the other girls having a go about my mum, with everyone stood around watching. When I'm at school, I just want to escape, like the bull did. A lot of times I just don't go.'

Rita felt a rush of sympathy for Lucia, the urge to protect her. Finding the killer might help her and her family find peace.

'That must be really difficult.'

Lucia nodded and sipped her drink, shuddering. She took a drag on her cigarette and quickly changed the subject back. 'But yeah, he's a peach. Super brave and adorable.'

'Yeah, when he knows you're a friend, he's super affectionate and full of love.'

Lucia nodded, finishing the cigarette and drawing out another one. Teenagers were always rebellious, but it was worrying how much this 14 year old was smoking. 'Aw. What a legend. I love animals.'

Rita held the girl's gaze. 'Were you going to tell me something? Because I can chat about this all day, but...'

Lucia took a deep breath, suddenly looking nervous. She tapped the cigarette over the ashtray.

'Yeah, sorry. I was...it's my anxiety. Abuela said you arrested someone, is that the killer?' The girl's voice was a mixture of fascinated, sad and hopeful. Watching her, Rita couldn't imagine what it would have been like growing up in this situation, the shadow of her mum's murder hanging over everything. Lucia was both childlike and far too grown up for her age – nowhere near as tough or worldly as she was trying to seem.