Michael entered Cleusa's house in silence.
The internal environment was completely different from the small porch where the restaurant worked. While on the outside everything transmitted a feeling of comfort and simplicity, inside the residence there was a heavier atmosphere. The air seemed stopped, the lighting was weak and the silence made that any small sound became perceptible.
Without demonstrating rush, Michael walked through the corridor slowly, maintaining his expression calm and tranquil while observing each detail around.
The walls were covered by old photographs. Some showed Cleusa younger, smiling at the side of other people, while others registered common moments of a family apparently normal.
Michael passed the eyes through each image while continuing walking.
He did not observe the photographs for the nostalgia that they carried, but for the information hidden in them.
The dates.
The changes.
The details that someone common would ignore.
After some seconds, continued advancing through the house.
Passed through a small living room, where there were old furniture and a bookshelf full of books. After followed through a narrow corridor until finding the kitchen.
The environment was colder than the other rooms. There was an old counter, some utensils scattered and a white refrigerator positioned at the side of a big drinks closet.
Michael approached the refrigerator. His expression remained the same, calm and tranquil, while holding the handle and opening slowly the door.
For some seconds, he remained immobile.
His eyes analyzed that that was in front of him.
The suspicions.
The signs.
The small contradictions that he had perceived previously.
Everything finally fit.
Even in front of that discovery, his face continued without demonstrating surprise or fear. Michael only observed in silence, as if he was confirming an information that he already expected to find.
Then closed the door of the refrigerator slowly.
— I was right... — said Michael in a low and serene tone.
Before that he could make any other movement, a voice appeared behind him.
— What are you doing here?
Michael turned himself slowly.
Cleusa was stopped in the entrance of the kitchen, observing him with an expression completely different of that she had shown to the clients.
The gentle smile had disappeared.
Now her face demonstrated distrust and irritation.
— Nobody enters in this part of the house without my permission — continued Cleusa in a firm tone, while giving some steps to inside of the environment.
Michael only looked at her.
His posture continued relaxed.
— I already discovered the truth.
The expression of Cleusa changed lightly.
She did not expect that answer.
— What truth? — asked she in a tone lower, trying to understand how much Michael knew.
Michael remained looking directly at her.
— The truth about you.
The silence took account of the kitchen.
— You utilize the bodies of the children disappeared to produce the meat that you serve to your clients.
For some seconds, Cleusa stayed completely stopped.
The expression of her changed slowly.
The face of the gentle lady disappeared.
Remained only someone that had been discovered.
— How you know that? — asked Cleusa in a tone controlled, trying to hide the surprise while observing Michael carefully.
Michael answered without altering his expression.
— Because you left clues.
He walked some steps through the environment while continuing speaking.
— The form that you observe the people. The way that you try to seem someone common. The manner that your eyes change when nobody is paying attention.
Cleusa remained in silence.
Michael turned his look to her.
— But the main motive was when I saw you looking at that boy there outside.
The environment seemed to get heavier.
— A normal person looks at a child and sees innocence.
He made a small pause.
— You saw other thing.
Cleusa narrowed the eyes.
For the first time, seemed really uncomfortable.
— So you discovered everything only observing? — asked she in a tone of voice low, mixing surprise and caution.
Michael answered:
— I observed.
A brief pause.
— And I concluded.
Cleusa remained facing that man.
She perceived that Michael was not scared.
Was not nervous, and also was not trying to flee.
— Why you are not with fear? — asked Cleusa in a tone more curious, while her expression demonstrated a mixture of confusion and irritation. — Any other person would be desperate now.
Michael maintained the look fixed in her.
— Because I do not have nothing to fear here.
The answer came out of form simple.
Without arrogance, without provocation. Only as a fact.
In this moment, Michael looked at the big drinks closet at the side of the refrigerator.
Cleusa perceived the movement.
Her expression changed.
— What was?
Michael answered calmly:
— You did not do this alone.
The silence returned to dominate the environment.
— You have cancer in the lung.
Cleusa stayed immobile.
The surprise appeared in her face for an instant.
— How you know that? — asked she in a tone more low and thoughtful.
Michael observed her posture.
— By the form that you walk.
He continued:
— You try to hide, but your body demonstrates. The rhythm of your steps, the manner that you control the breathing and the effort that you make to seem normal.
Michael looked again at the closet.
— A person in this condition would not get to maintain all this alone.
He pointed discretely to the furniture.
— Exists someone behind that closet.
Cleusa stayed in silence.
Michael continued, in a tone calm:
— There is a passage hidden to the basement.
He faced the closet.
— You can exit.
For some seconds, nothing happened.
Then the furniture began to move slowly.
A passage hidden appeared.
A man came out of inside of it.
He walked some steps to the front and observed Michael with an expression of surprise.
— Impressive... — said the man in a tone low, while analyzing Michael. — You really discovered.
He made a small pause.
— My name is Rafael.
Michael only continued looking at him.
Rafael smiled lightly.
— You are good.
Michael remained in silence.
But in that moment, Cleusa and Rafael perceived something.
Michael had not found only a proof.
He had understood all the structure, emesmo surrounded by the two, continued completely calm.
As if he already had foreseen that moment before even of entering in that house.