UNDER THE SALT
Control, do you copy?
Go ahead.
- Sir? - How's the cold there?
So good we should charge double.
Keep coming forward a bit.
You're good, you're good. Unload, unload.
Great. Unload it there.
Oh, my God!
This body's torn to pieces.
Yeah, they told me the drier broke it.
You think it could be one of the missing women?
Perhaps one of the early ones.
The body has looked like that for a long time.
Nothing from the capital?
No.
We're too far away for them to even care.
I'm off, Don Rafa.
Want me to drive you?
Don't worry. I already called a cab.
- Take care, Isabel. - I will.
Where's your friend?
MISSI NG PERSON
RENDEZVOUS I N THE MARSH NO SUSPECTS
Victor.
I need you.
Who did they bring?
Teacher Cristina.
ZEPEDA FUNERAL HOME
What happened to her?
They found her hanging from the shower.
Leave it.
Sure?
- Commander Trujillo. - Chief Salazar.
Don't call me chief.
What?
Couldn't they have sent you farther away?
- There's always Tijuana. - Well, yes.
Did you come alone?
I was very sorry to hear about Ramon.
He was a good cop.
- How are you doing? - Better. I'm fine now.
You know...
...a bad penny...
Don't worry. I won't die on you here.
It's not that. I've been asking the capital...
...to send help for months and all of a sudden they send you.
Well, this is not exactly an official visit.
Things haven't cooled down up there.
Even now?
Why? Because of the Merced thing?
The bosses thought it might be a good idea...
...to send me where no one could find me.
Well, you're in the right place. And right on time.
And you?
The Governor is getting nervous. Bad press.
Fucking politicians. Different outhouse...
- Same shit! - ...same shit.
- Corporal Montoya. - Chief.
- This is Commander Trujillo. - A pleasure, commander.
I want you to help him with anything he needs.
Of course. The chief here has told me a lot about you.
- Really? - Just the good things, anyway.
Go ahead, please.
It all started before I got here.
My predecessor got a couple of reports of missing giris...
...but nothing was ever found out.
- How long have you been here? - Nearly three years.
Three years already?
The first two it was smooth sailing.
But this last year, I've had five reports...
...of missing giris in the area.
And the bodies are beginning to appear.
We found her at the beginning of the year.
We think she's from San Ignacio.
September last year, a missing report was filed.
How long had she been dead?
Our guess... six to eight months.
What about the scene?
It's a salt marsh.
She was found by some engineers who were surveying the area.
Is the marsh part of the salt plant?
Everything is part of the salt plant.
It's almost 100 thousand acres.
Lots of salt.
- Her hands were tied? - Yes.
Hands and feet were tied to a piece of machinery.
To prevent the body from surfacing.
We found her over a month ago.
The machinery that was used broke the remains.
There's a piece of her right leg missing.
It looks like an old body.
Those fields are left to dry for at least...
...two years before harvesting.
She could be one of the early ones.
Did you find other bodies?
Could you identify any of them?
No, they were too decomposed...
...and without any help from the capital...
I know.
No, no. I just do it to keep nerves at bay.
Never thought I'd see the day.
I'm hearing that more and more every day.
Trujillo...
...do you think this is like Juarez?
I hope not.
The Juarez thing is like something from the mob.
There are many people involved...
...many interests.
Here we are barely getting started.
There he is.
We've been calling you on your cell.
I turn it off when I need to think. The noise distracts me.
Yeah, I'd forgotten how little you sleep.
The early bird catches the worm.
In this case there's a lot of truth in that.
They found another one.
Mom...
Mom!
Dad!
BRENDA GARCIA MISSI NG
- Where can we examine the body? - There's a place in town.
The doctor from the salt plant helps us out in these cases.
- A little girl found her? - Yes. They were catching crab.
Let's see if we catch something too.
X plus four by X minus three equals zero.
Anybody wants to solve the equation?
Any volunteers?
Zepeda.
Zepeda!
To the blackboard, Chucky.
Why don't you come and solve the equation, Zepeda?
If you want to pass, I suggest you start paying some attention.
Sit down.
Hear that, Chucky? They're gonna call your mom.
I've had enough of your little jokes, you asshole!
Calm down! Easy, Zepeda!
Let him go. Let him go! Enough!
To the prefect's office, now!
Fucking nut!
And you, shut up unless you want to go with him.
Another fight?
- I didn't start it. - You never do...
...but you always end up here.
I'll have to call your father.
What?
He's not home?
Hasn't been for about a year.
It's been a year since your mom's death, right?
Victor...
...I know what you're going through.
Believe me, I know.
But you can't keep using your mother's death to...
I'm not using her!
What's your excuse then?
- What do you want? - Nothing.
- Everybody wants something. - What do you want?
I guess the same thing you do: To get back what I've lost.
There are things you can never get back.
Even so, there must be something you want.
It's hard to keep on living if there's nothing you want.
I don't know.
I guess the hardest part is...
...wanting what you still have left.
Between the water, the heat and the salt...
...it's hard to tell how long she's been dead.
You think this guy chooses his victims randomly?
Maybe. But in the end, they all have something in common.
Hey! What are you doing here?
- You can't come in. - No, no, it's all right, Trujillo.
He works here. His father owns this.
- Come on in. - Sorry we barged in, Victor.
Nobody answered the door, so I used my key.
- Your dad? - He's not here.
You'll have to lend us a hand then.
You've done this before, haven't you?
You just write down...
...what I tell you for the death certificate.
If I need your help, I'll let you know.
Female body...
...early...
...twenties.
I'm not sure we'll learn anything from this body.
The organs are in advanced state of decay.
I already know that...
...but even a body in this state has a story to tell.
The body presents massive damage...
...with bruising...
...and cuts on what's left of the torso and legs.
Exposed fracture of the right tibia.
Due to advanced decay it's hard to tell...
...if the wounds were inflicted before or after death.
I think most of them were inflicted before.
- How do you know? - They're all similar.
Done with the same instrument.
Both maxillaries are broken.
The jaw too. Look, touch here.
You must be really strong to break these bones.
This poor woman was tortured.
Do you think she was sexually attacked?
Perhaps.
But it's too late to know.
Does Flores still work at the lab?
Yeah, why?
We could send him some DNA samples.
At least identify her.
Maybe we won't have to.
- Corporal? - Yes, sir?
Make sure the pictures of the tattoo and the medallion...
...come out in the papers. - Yes, sir.
We might get lucky.
May I say something, commander?
Of course.
There are some posters in town with the picture...
...of a missing girl.
Judging by the date they were put up...
...she could probably be it.
- A girl that worked in Cielo? - Cielo?
Is sounds like one of those places...
- It is one of those places. - Really?
Is there any formal report on the girl?
No, just the posters.
There's an unregistered cell phone number.
I called several times, but all I get is voice mail.
Call again and leave a message, letting them know about the body.
- Yes, sir. - Let's see who shows up.
- Lf you're here for your cut... - Silence! Come with us.
- What happened? - We found a body.
It might be the girl who worked here.
Hold on a sec.
Sorry.
You can't open it.
I wasn't going to open it.
I just wanted to take a peek.
Trust me, you won't like it.
How do you know?
You work here?
Are you sure it's her?
A man came over to identify her.
He recognized a tattoo she had on her ankle.
A thorny crown.
Did you know her well?
We went to school together.
I used to see a lot of her.
When she disappeared I thought she had ran off...
...with some boyfriend.
But then, time went by...
...and I feared the worst.
I can't believe she ould end up here.
Sooner or later...
...we all end up here.
I know you.
- No. - From where?
I don't know.
Maybe from around here.
Maybe.
At least the Lord's Prayer.
- Want me to leave you alone? - No, no.
Could you pray with me?
It's been a long time since I don't do this.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Our Father who art in Heaven...
Hallowed be Thy name...
Thy kingdom come...
Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven...
Give us this day our daily bread...
And forgive us our trespasses...
...as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Poor thing.
No one should die like this.
I have to go.
- I'm sorry, I didn't... - No, it's all right.
Thanks for being with me.
Yesterday you left it on.
The police was here.
I know... I spoke with Salazar.
Did he tell you if we could bury her already?
Where were you yesterday?
I went to Loreto to collect some money.
You can't hold a scalpel, yet you can drive...
...all the way to Loreto.
You can kill yourself, for all I care.
Is this yours?
Yes. I rent rooms out to my giris.
Oh, speaking of your giris, Chief Salazar has been...
...putting me up to speed with some stories.
You shouldn't believe everything they tell you.
These giris have plenty of imagination.
That's what I thought.
Some of them even imagine they end up in the hospital...
...after you beat them up.
Whoa. Where are you going with this?
I had nothing to do with Brenda's death.
I'm even paying for her burial expenses.
Right, her burial.
This guy's a regular ángel of mercy.
- Know if she had any relatives? - No.
- Did you pack her belongings? - One of the giris did.
Why did you have them packed?
You knew she wasn't coming back?
I thought she had taken off, not died.
What's this?
Don't know. Perhaps she was a cultured whore.
Yeah, or maybe she got it from one of her tricks.
Was she dating anybody outside work?
No. I don't let my giris date anyone.
If they do, they know they'll get on...
...the wrong side of me.
But with whores you never know.
Did Brenda ever get on the wrong side of you?
That's too many questions, don't you think?
You think I'm an idiot who'll shit his pants...
...just because you show me your badge?
But if you want make a deal, just let me know.
Trujillo!
There'll be no deals here, you hear me?
I'll ask all the questions I need to ask.
And you'll do me the favor of answering them...
...honestly and politely. Are we agreed?
Calm down, man!
The only reason I don't arrest you...
...is because Chief Salazar here thinks you're too stupid...
...to be the murderer we're looking for.
But we can always change our minds.
Leave him alone, Trujillo.
I'm sure this gentleman will cooperate from now on.
If he doesn't want us to put him out of business.
I want you to pay close attention to everything...
...that happens here.
I want to know everything that's being said.
And any unusual incident.
Anything.
- Got it? - All right.
This was the part most affected by the fire.
I see.
- Any victims? - Just one.
- Our principal. - I'm sorry.
- Was the cause investigated? - What for?
Some say it was the students.
Others say it was an accident.
Pointing fingers will not bring back what we've lost.
Sorry.
Hello? Governor, how are you, sir?
Yes, we found another one, but this time it's more recent.
We have some promising clues.
Of course, sir.
As I was telling you, it's related...
...to the Brenda Garcia case.
Yes, I saw the newspaper.
- Was she a student here? - I think she was.
I'd like to see her school records.
I can't do that, commander.
All our previous records were lost in the fire.
Right. Is there any other way of getting those records?
I could call the capital and get them to send a copy.
No, that won't be necessary.
I have a friend in the Ministry of Education.
It would be faster that way.
I see. Anything else I can do for you?
No, thank you.
One more thing.
The school library, where is it?
Down the hall to the right.
- Thank you. - Don't mention it.
Zepeda!
Are you coming to class?
This book is really something.
Have you read it, commander?
I think the last thing I ever read...
...was "Platero and I".
But I know the story.
Man in his forties in love with a 12-year-old girl.
A total tragedy. Well, I saw the film.
It's not the same thing.
I guess not. Tell me something.
Do you have a record of the people who took out the book?
No, I'm afraid not. All the old records...
...were lost in the fire.
What about someone who might have read that book recently?
No. Look.
New books have Mrs. Dominguez's seal, like this one.
This one has the old seal.
Mrs. Dominguez...
The principal who died.
Yes, in the fire, they already told me.
Yes, such a tragedy.
- So tell me something, miss... - Chelito.
Excuse me?
Call me Chelito, like everyone else.
Tell me, Chelito.
This underlined sentence here, what does it make you think?
"Light of my life, fire in my gut".
"My sin, my soul. "
Is it a significant quote?
Or does it have any meaning in particular?
I don't think so. I'm sorry.
Don't worry. Listen.
I need a favor. I'll leave you my phone...
...and if you hear something related to the book...
...let me know.
Or if you hear anything about the girl we found.
Brenda, yes.
- Did you know her? - No.
Nor the other missing giris.
This is the least visited part of school.
No one ever comes here.
So, all the missing giris studied here?
I couldn't say for sure, but it would make sense.
They were all very young, and this is the only...
...high school in the region.
Right.
Are there any group pictures where I could recognize them?
I have some old yearbooks at home...
...if you wanna see them.
I'd love to, Chelito.
I'd be delighted.
- Coffee? - Yes, please.
Thanks.
- Coffee? - Yes. Thank you.
Ma'am?
Sorry. Didn't see you come in.
Want to see the menu?
No, just a cup of coffee, please.
You know what? Make it two.
Are you expecting someone?
You.
I'd like to talk about Brenda Garcia.
I'll go get the cups.
We haven't been able to find Brenda's family...
...to let them know.
She had no family.
So this wasn't posted by a relative.
- I wouldn't know. - Right.
- How did you meet Brenda? - In school.
In school? You went to high school here?
Yes.
You were both in the same class?
No, she was two years ahead.
- Then you were in the fire. - No, the fire happened at night.
No students were there at the time.
I know, I meant...
...you were still students when it happened.
Brenda had graduated two years before...
...I was about to finish.
Right.
Sorry, I didn't offer you one. Do you smoke?
Sometimes.
Quit now while it's just sometimes.
Afterwards, it turns into a living hell.
So tell me, how long was it since...
...you last saw Brenda?
I don't know. Could be... some months.
Maybe at the beginning of this year.
Did you know Brenda worked in Cielo?
Well, it wasn't exactly a secret.
- Were you close friends? - More like acquaintances.
You were the only one at the wake.
Do you show up just for an acquaintance?
It's the first time.
Right.
There's always a first time.
I don't want to be rude, commander...
...but I must get back to work.
Don't worry. Listen, one last thing.
They say all the missing giris went to that high school.
Who said that?
Everyone has a theory in this town.
What's yours?
Ma'am?
I won't keep you any longer.
Don't worry.
No one should die like this.
Thanks for calling to the Secretary of Public Education.
If you know the extensión you want to call, dial it now.
- Coordination. - With the coordinator, please.
Commander Trujillo.
Working late, counselor?
No, in fact I was on my way out.
What can I do for you?
I just called to say hello.
I haven't heard from you in a long time.
Please forgive me, commander, but you never call...
...just for the sake of it.
People change, counselor.
I wish you had.
We could've prevented a divorce.
There's a lot of hostility there, counselor.
Stop calling me counselor and tell me what you want.
I have to go.
I need the school records of some giris.
D'you think you could get them for me?
I could follow the official red tape...
...but it would probably take years.
Are you working again?
Are you off the hook with the Merced thing?
Something like that.
- I got a call the other day. - Really? Who called?
- The case's DA. - What did he want?
Nothing. I didn't take his call.
I was a bit surprised he would call me.
Well, they don't necessarily know about my personal life.
You shouldn't be working. The doctors said...
Doctors always overreact.
It's obvious you have no one to take care of you.
I'm still waiting for you to come back.
Oh, Manuel.
You really haven't changed.
Is it raining over there?
Lately it rains all the time.
What are you laughing at, Victor?
Again?
We want cake! Cake! Cake!
We want cake! We want cake!
Split it! Split it!
We share a sad past. Let's have a happier future.
Isabel.
Your secret stays with me. Your friend forever.
Brenda.
We must stop meeting like this.
Are you here for Brenda's burial?
No.
That's later today.
What are you doing here?
Your mom?
- She died very young. - Too young.
Disease?
Accident.
Dad was driving. They fell into a lagoon.
He was practically uninjured.
But mom was in bad shape. She only lasted two months.
It's tough to live without someone to take care of you.
Your mom... too?
She's over there.
It's been longer then.
She died when I was four.
I don't even remember her.
And your father?
At least the dead ones are easy to find.
If they don't speak to you it's because they can't.
Not because they've forgotten you.
I don't think anyone could forget you.
I have to go.
- My father will be here... - I can't stay.
What?
I...
I would like to see you again.
- It would be no good. - Why?
It's pointless. I'm leaving.
- Where to? - To the capital.
Why are you leaving? Why now?
I had already planned it.
Me and Brenda were saving money for the trip.
I guess she would expect me to leave anyway.
What will you do there?
I don't know.
Begin from scratch.
Can't you begin from scratch here?
You'll have to look for someone else to spy on.
- How? - I told you you looked familiar.
You could drop by the diner one day; say good-bye.
It's less gloomy.
Just tell me one thing.
Why me?
Don't know.
I think you shouldn't be all by yourself.
I don't feel I'm by myself anymore.
DEFI NITE DISCHARGE
Do you still get her to do you favors?
I don't know how you do it.
- I ask nice. - Right.
Now why didn't I think of that?
I guess we have to pay our friend the prefect...
...another visit.
I don't understand your point with all of this.
What I mean to say is that I think it's too much...
...of a coincidence.
The only thing these giris have in common is this school.
What's so strange about that?
People even move to this town to attend this school.
That's right. What about the expelled students?
Definite discharge and expulsión are not the same thing.
The only way of confirming this would be with...
...the original records, and they were lost in the...
Yes, they were lost in the fire.
You already told me.
I don't get it.
Why can't you remember anything from two years ago...
...if you don't have the records in front of you?
Are you suggesting I'm hiding something from you?
No, no. I don't suggest.
I just say things like I see them.
Look, commander, since you're not from around here...
...let me make a couple of things clear to you.
You're not familiar with these stories.
The day of the fire...
...I almost died trying to rescue my mother.
- The principal? - Yes, the principal.
Regrettably, I couldn't.
It took me eight months to recover in a hospital...
...in Ensenada.
When I returned, the teachers had abandoned us...
...the school almost closed down...
...so it was then that I took over.
I didn't know anything about how the school worked.
I just helped my mother with classes...
...or doing paperwork, that's all.
I see.
Forgive me, commander, but I don't think you see...
...that the people here went through a lot.
I'm not accusing anybody.
I'm just carrying out an investigation.
And I'm just trying to help.
Whether you believe me or not.
All right, thank you. Good day.
What are you doing here?
I know where those papers are.
Papers? What are you talking about?
While you were in the hospital, Miss Cristina...
...put me in detention...
...and made me move all the boxes here.
All by yourself?
Yes, and that's not it, I had to take the boxes to her house.
- What have you done? - No, nothing.
Nothing.
There they are.
Do you think these are the papers that the police is looking for?
It's possible.
Want me to help you go through them?
No. I'll do it.
I don't want you involved in this.
That commander is not looking for guilty parties.
He just wants someone to pay.
Why did you want to come here?
Sometimes, when you can't move forward...
...it's best to go back.
It could be a coincidence.
Salazar, there are no coincidences in this job.
This is not like Juarez.
Juarez is a different story!
But even there, the victims have things in common.
Their age, their looks, the assembly plants...
Here it could be the salt plant.
No. Not one has direct relation with the salt plant.
In this town, everything has a direct relation...
...with the salt plant.
What do you want to ask me now?
Commander Trujillo came from Mexico City...
...to help us with your daughter's case.
My daughter's case or all the other missing giris?
We think all the cases are connected.
My daughter went missing four years ago.
I know.
Look. You will probably find it strange...
...but we'd like you to tell us why Mercedes...
...dropped out of school.
What did they tell you about my daughter?
Nothing, they didn't tell me anything.
One day, the principal called to tell me...
...my daughter was being expelled...
...because she had been found doing drugs in the bathroom.
My daughter didn't even smoke, commander. I swear.
What did she tell you?
Nothing.
She didn't say anything.
She just locked herself up in her room and cried.
I asked Miss Cristina to help us.
But it was useless.
The principal refused to even discuss it.
- Who is Miss Cristina? - She was the prefect...
...before the fire.
Do you know where I can find her?
I heard she died some time ago.
Really?
They say she committed suicide.
Hung herself in the bathroom at home.
The school is full of tragedies.
The school is cursed. That's what it is.
Sooner or later, the fire will get...
...to all of them.
What do you mean by that?
The fire was no accident.
That family...
...has manipulated the town for years.
People don't want them here.
The prefect said he was the one who shut down...
...the investigation.
There are things we'd better not know...
"I'd like to have you like this..."
"...the two dead people..."
- Good afternoon. How are you? - 'Afternoon.
FOR ISABEL
Victor!
Are you going out?
Yes. I have to do some schoolwork.
- Schoolwork? - Yes, sort of.
Lately, you haven't been home much.
Look who's talking.
Could you help me?
I was on my way out.
Okay.
May I borrow the car later?
What did he mean by all that about the prefect's family?
- What? - What did the man mean?
That the family manipulated the town for years.
The prefect's father was one of the founders...
...of the first salt plant.
They were wealthy; they owned everything.
Until the government expropriated the plant.
Really?
Do they still have money?
Over time, since the old man died...
...they've been losing money.
They only had the school left and then...
...they almost lost it in the fire.
I thought you didn't smoke them.
- You don't give a fuck, do you? - What's eating you?
What's eating me?
When were you planning to tell me all this?
- Tell you what? - All this!
- Miss Cristina, for example. - I didn't think it was related.
Who are you to determine what's related and what isn't?
I'm the Chief of Police.
I don't have to explain myself to you.
So far you've done a bang-up job, eh... chief?
You've been here three years and you haven't...
...solved the case.
What is it?
The DA's calling from the capital.
You sure it's for me? It must be for Trujillo.
He asked for you.
- Hello? - I'll put Mr. Moreno on.
- Chief Salazar. - Mr. Moreno, we haven't met.
No, we haven't.
Is this about the missing women?
No, I'm afraid not.
It's with reference to another case.
Is commander Trujillo with you?
- Chief? - Yes.
Damn it!
- Victor! - Yes!
- Is that you? - Yes! I was just leaving!
Okay, don't take too long.
Isabel!
What? They told you.
What do you think?
- Who called you? - The DA, Moreno.
I don't know what he told you, but...
But what?
What story will you tell me now?
I haven't been making up things.
Are you sure?
I never said this was an official visit.
You forgot to tell me you're not...
...a cop anymore, man.
They discharged you after the Merced thing.
Against my will.
Do I give a shit about your will?
Your will does nothing but get everybody else in trouble.
You don't know the facts; you weren't there.
I don't give a fuck! I only know it's your fault...
...the kidnapped kid and Ramon are dead.
Want to know how I know? Because I know you, Trujillo.
I busted my hump seven years with you.
You well know I don't ask my men to do anything...
...I wouldn't do myself.
Not even Ramon?
Much less Ramon.
When Ramon and I went into that house...
...we were shoulder to shoulder.
And if I didn't call for help, it was because...
...I didn't want any information to leak to the kidnappers.
You didn't want information to leak or you didn't want...
...to have to share the reward the family was offering?
Tell me: How did you expect to come out of that mess?
Discover who the killer was so they'd let you skip jail?
Get your badge back? What?
I don't know.
Do you know I was dead for two minutes...
...in the ambulance after that?
I don't know.
Maybe...
...after thirty years of doing this...
...I only know how to be a cop.
It's all I've got.
And if I have to be here to be a cop one more day...
...here I am. - But you can't be here anymore.
They want you out of here tomorrow.
I'm not going back.
- I can't go back. - You're going back!
I'm not asking you, man!
Do you know how deep I am because of you?
Come on, tell me. How deep? How bad is it?
What can they do to you? Give you a slap on the wrist?
That's your problem, Salazar!
You've never been able to take the heat!
That's why you came here to Small Town, Mexico, right?
You wanted to be Chief of Police where nothing ever happened.
You know what?
You have unsolved murders here too.
It's not your business anymore whether...
...they are solved or not.
Hold on.
If I am a cop or not doesn't change the fact...
...that the investigation is on the right track.
The murders are connected to the school.
Miss Cristina's death is not suicide.
It's too much of a coincidence!
To you, nothing is a coincidence.
And you know what?
All that's happened to you is no coincidence.
- I have to go. - Just do me a favor.
Follow the leads.
- Anything to drink, sir? - No.
In a minute. Thanks.
Now, let's receive with a loud applause the sexy Celeste.
Celeste!
Where to?
This goes to the private booths.
What do I need to get in?
A girl and some bills.
This changes everything.
- What girl do you want? - That one.
She'll be busy for a while. Choose another one.
- I'll take anyone. - Okay, go in.
Hold on!
Victor!
What the hell is going on?
Wait!
Move it, motherfucker!
Get him the fuck outta here!
Out!
Asshole! Throw the kid out!
I don't want to see you around here, got it?
"Follow the leads."
Idiot!
I asked Miss Cristina to help us.
But it was useless.
I heard she died some time ago.
Hung herself in the bathroom at home.
Isabel!
Hold on!
Isabel...
- Please listen to me! - What do you want?
I just wanted to help you.
- Who told you I needed help? - That fucker was...
D'you know how many fuckers like him...
...I have to deal with every night?
Why did you come? Just tell me why!
I came because I had to see you.
Didn't you see enough of me today?
Isabel... Do you want a private booth?
Because it's too late for that.
Listen to me, Isabel. I don't care about that.
I came because I worry about you.
I want you to be all right.
What the hell are you talking about?
Brenda's murderer.
I think it could be Mr. Magaña.
How do you know? Did he confess or something?
It's someone from the school.
I heard the commander.
He said all the dead giris had gone to school...
...and that they had all been expelled.
- You too? - No.
Please go.
Promise me you won't go back there.
Why, Victor? Why are you doing all this?
I don't know.
I want to take care of you.
Maybe I don't deserve that.
Don't say that.
We all deserve to be taken care of.
What is it?
I need a favor.
Anything.
COMMANDER TRUJILLO
Give this to the police as soon as I'm gone.
- What is it? - Don't ask.
Just do it, okay?
Will I see you again?
I'm leaving tomorrow.
It's tomorrow already.
Victor!
- Isabel! - Victor!
Isabel, Isabel!
- Who found him? - I did.
I was on my way to the office when I saw the truck outside.
I stopped to see if he needed anything.
Everything was so neat when you came in?
Yes.
- What do you think he was doing? - Following the leads.
Yes?
Hello?
Who am I talking to?
Salazar?
- You want him for what? - It's you.
I call because we had a problem last night with one of the giris...
...and with the guy of the funeral parlor.
I'm on my way.
Quiet.
Good morning.
Come in, sit down, Mr. Magaña.
The prefect isn't here, but we borrowed his office.
What is this about? Is there any problem?
That depends on you.
Have you seen Victor Zepeda?
No. He's not at school today.
What about last night?
- Mr. Zepeda, a question. - No, no.
Commander, may I offer you something?
No, thank you.
By the way, where is your son? I haven't seen him.
He went to school early.
Excuse me.
MISSI NG PERSON
REVENGE OF THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
What is it, commander?
I must speak to your son.
I don't know where he is.
Is he in trouble?
Let us hope not.
Hey, and what do you think of Magaña?
He was very nervous during questioning.
It's not him. Witnesses saw him all night at Cielo.
Besides, he's been teaching there for two years.
He couldn't know the other dead giris.
Isabel!
Anybody home?
Isabel?
No one.
Open up!
You thought it had been the kid.
I don't know. He's always been a weird kid.
Yeah, but weird doesn't make him necessarily guilty.
"A sad past."
"Your secret."
Do you have Brenda's póster on you?
She put up the posters.
HIGH SCHOOL SANTA ROSA PIONEERS
This book is terrible. Have you read it, commander?
No. But I know the story.
Man in his forties in love with a 12-year-old girl.
"Light of my life, fire in my gut".
"My sin, my soul."
A total tragedy.
The principal called to tell me my daughter was being expelled...
...because she had been found doing drugs in the bathroom.
- What did she tell you? - Nothing.
She didn't say anything.
POSITIVE
She just locked herself up in her room and cried.
The school is full of tragedies.
All the old records were lost in the fire.
The fire was no accident.
Some say the students started it.
They say all the missing giris went to that high school.
Who said that?
Everyone has a theory in this town.
What's yours?
The day of the fire, I almost died...
...trying to rescue my mother.
That family has manipulated the town for years.
People don't want them here.
Forgive me, commander, but I don't think you see.
Pointing fingers will not bring back what we've lost.
Montoya, do you copy?
Montoya here. Go ahead.
Corporal, we have a report on Mr. Zepeda's Vehicle.
They saw it at dawn on the road to the old salt plant.
Got it.
And there are some people from...
...Mexico looking for the commander.
With great urgence, tell him to contact us immediately.
Copy. Thanks.
- You feeling all right? - Yes.
- Do me a favor. - What?
Stay here.
Cristina threatened my mother to cause...
...a scandal over this.
I even believed the records had been lost in the fire.
Had it not been for you, I would've never found them.
But when I went to get the papers...
...there was an unexpected guest.
I'm so hot.
Tell me something.
Did you tell the police about the boxes?
Did you talk about me?
Talk.
Talk!
Have it your way.
Have you seen how hard salt is when it is harvested?
A long time ago, when these machines didn't exist...
...men shattered crystals with this.
I never thought people could scream like that.
So, did you talk to the police?
Yes or no?
Have it your way.
SANTA ROSA SALT COMPANY
Did you talk to the police? Yes or no?
If you don't cooperate...
...I'm sure Isabel will.
I am very good with women.
No! Don't hurt her, please!
So?
Did you talk to the police?
You're making me loose my patience!
Talk.
Did you talk to the police?
No. I didn't tell them anything.
I don't know what they were doing there.
I swear.
All right, I believe you.
Just don't hurt Isabel, please.
Why are you so concerned about her?
Because she doesn't deserve this.
She doesn't deserve it?
She doesn't?
You don't have a fucking clue about what you're saying!
That whore messed with me.
She and many others!
I never had any problem with any of them.
But there was one, the hypocrite...
...who stabbed me in the back.
That was the one who burnt the school.
I took too long.
...but I discovered who she was.
I didn't get any of them to confess.
Until today.
I couldn't have been Isabel.
You're mad!
Here it is.
Read!
How she fell in love with me...
...how she became pregnant and how she had an abortion.
And how, after such a great deception...
...the love of her life turned into terrible hatred.
And that's why the school burnt, fucking bitch!
My relationship with Brenda...
...and all her suspicions about this case.
Everything's in here.
Please, let her live.
It's too late for that.
I don't want you to die feeling guilty...
...over what happened to that whore.
Each man must carry his own guilt.
I didn't want this for you, Victor.
I like you.
You're just another confused kid...
...who misses his mother.
Who's there?
Commander?
Come out.
Come out!
- Drop the gun! - You drop it!
Let that kid go, now.
Drop the gun, if you don't want to watch him die.
You'll kill him anyway.
One more death on my conscience won't make a difference.
What about you?
The police are on the way.
Don't do anything stupid.
Something I have learned...
...is to know when people are telling the truth.
And you know what? I don't believe you.
Don't die yet, commander.
I want to hear you scream.
Quickly! I have an injured!
Go ahead, go ahead!
Here! Come in! Go ahead!
Come on, come on, come on! To your right!
She was leaving in one day.
We're always one day short.