Chapter 1: The First Arrest
The knock at the front door came three times.
Firm.
Measured.
Unavoidable.
Victoria's perfectly composed smile vanished.
Richard, my father-in-law, stood slowly as though he could somehow delay reality by moving carefully.
The housekeeper opened the door.
Two uniformed Denver police officers entered first, followed by two paramedics carrying medical bags.
The lead officer scanned the room once before his eyes settled on me.
Blood stained my blouse.
Broken porcelain covered the dining room floor.
The shattered plate lay in dozens of pieces beneath Diego's chair.
"I need everyone to remain where you are," the officer said calmly.
One of the paramedics hurried toward me.
"I'm Sarah. Can you tell me your name?"
"Valerie Morgan."
"Do you know what day it is?"
I answered every question without hesitation while she gently examined the wound along my scalp.
"You'll need stitches," she said.
"It appears to be a deep laceration."
The officer turned toward Diego.
"Sir, step away from the table."
Diego forced a nervous laugh.
"My wife is exaggerating."
"It was an accident."
"I tossed the plate onto the table."
The officer glanced at the blood splattered nearly eight feet from where Diego had been sitting.
"Interesting."
He looked down.
"The evidence suggests otherwise."
Another officer photographed everything.
The broken china.
The blood.
The overturned chair.
My torn blouse.
Every witness was separated into different rooms.
For the first time all evening, the family couldn't coordinate a story.
Natalie was interviewed first.
She never hesitated.
"I watched Diego throw the plate directly at Valerie."
The officer wrote every word.
Then came Diego's cousin.
His uncle.
His aunt.
Each version differed.
Some claimed they hadn't seen anything.
Others insisted it had happened too quickly.
Only one story remained consistent.
Mine.
When the officers compared everyone's statements, the contradictions became impossible to ignore.
The lead officer approached Diego one final time.
"Mr. Alvarez..."
He removed a pair of handcuffs.
"Turn around."
Diego stared in disbelief.
"You can't arrest me."
"This is a family matter."
"No," the officer replied.
"This is an alleged felony assault."
The handcuffs clicked shut.
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For the first time since our wedding...
My husband looked afraid.
