So were the two men who had crewed the illegal ambulance.

Griselda herself was taken into custody to await trial.

But none of it healed Santiago, who lay in the intensive care unit while a clock no one could stop ran down, and Aurelio sat outside the glass and stared at the ceiling and spoke, at last, to the son he had lost.

“Gael,” he murmured.

“Punish me however you like.

I’ve earned it.