Thirteen years after Detective disappeared in Aguascalientes in 1994, Viñador finds this barrel. The hammer hit the rusty metal with a dry sound. Joaquín Herrera wiped the sweat from his forehead as he examined barrel number 47 at the San Rafael winery.
The container had been stored for 13 years in the darkest corner of the warehouse, accumulating dust and being forgotten. “Boss, there’s something strange about this barrel,” he shouted toward the main office. His voice echoed among the rows of barrels that housed Aguas Calientes’ finest wine. Don Ramiro Vázquez,
the owner of the cartoon, hurried through the aisles.
At 60, he had developed a special instinct for detecting problems in his business. “What’s going on, Joaquín? Look at this, boss. The barrel is sealed by welding, not using normal methods, and it weighs much more than it should.” Don Ramiro stared at the cylindrical container. The irregular welding
around the lid showed amateurish work, completely different from the professional sealing of the other barrels.
When did this barrel arrive? Joaquín consulted his wine-stained notebook. According to my records, it arrived in March 1994. But there’s no record of who brought it or what’s inside. Open it. We need to know what’s inside. The blowtorch cut the metal with orange sparks. The smell of burnt iron mingled
with the sweet aroma of aged wine.
When the lid was closed, a putrid stench filled the air of the warehouse. Joaquín stepped back, covering his nose. “My God, boss.” Inside the barrel, wrapped in black plastic, were the remains of a man. The decomposed clothing still held fragments of a blue shirt and jeans,
but what caught his attention most was the shiny metal plate on the corpse’s chest.
Don Ramiro approached cautiously and read the identification. Detective Raúl Mendoza Vargas, Judicial Police of the State of Aguascalientes. Joaquín, call the police immediately. Don’t touch anything else. The winemaker ran to the office phone while Don Ramiro stood by the barrel
looking at the remains of the missing detective.
He vaguely remembered the newspapers from 1994 reporting on the investigator’s mysterious disappearance. Commander Patricia Ruiz arrived 30 minutes later accompanied by two officers and the medical examiner. Her 15 years of experience in homicides had prepared her for disturbing scenes, but
finding a missing colleague always generated special emotions. “When was the body discovered?” she asked while putting on latex gloves.
“An hour ago,” Don Ramiro replied. “We were going to check all the old barrels for the warehouse renovation. Medical examiner Dr. Alberto Campos examined the remains with professional care. Based on the state of decomposition and the condition of the barrel, I estimate it has been here for more than 10 years. The
identification matches Detective Mendoza.” Patricia reviewed her mental files.
She remembered the case of Raúl Mendoza, an honest detective investigating a drug trafficking ring when he disappeared without a trace. His colleagues assumed he had fled with money from organized crime. Dr. Campos, I need you to determine the exact cause of death and any evidence that
might indicate who did this.
“Commander, look at this,” said the coroner, pointing to the back of the skull. Massive blunt force fracture. This man was murdered. Joaquín timidly approached the group. Commander, I found this among the old papers in the office. He handed out a yellowed invoice dated
March 15, 1994. Patricia read the document. Special barrel storage paid in cash. Client: Mario Salinas.
“Do you know Mario Salinas?” the commander asked Don Ramiro. He was my accountant in the 1990s, a very respectable man. He worked with me for 15 years, but abruptly resigned in 1994. Just after the date of this invoice, the commander exchanged glances with Dr. Campos.
The name Mario Salinas was also familiar to her, but she couldn’t pinpoint where it came from. Joaquín, I want you to give me all the records you have from March 1994. Don Ramiro, I need Mario Salinas’s current address and any information you have on him. While the forensic team
photographed the scene, Patricia called his office to review the files on the Mendoza case.
Her instinct told her they were about to uncover something much bigger than a simple murder. The metal detector found something else at the bottom of the barrel: a cassette recorder wrapped in airtight plastic. Patricia carefully removed it and verified it was intact. Doctor
Campos, this could contain crucial evidence.
I need you to analyze it in the lab before playing the tape. Don Ramiro watched the entire procedure with growing concern. Commander, does this mean that my cartoon was involved in a
Leave a Reply