Josias’s former neighbor approached Teodoro, squinting with suspicion. “Hey! What are you doing coming out of the late Rocha’s place?”
Teodoro felt a surge of adrenaline. Standing there with a suitcase full of clothes and personal belongings, he struggled to find a quick excuse. “Well, I...”
The neighbor’s eyes dropped to the heavy suitcase. A slow, conspiratorial smirk spread across his face. “Ah... picking up a few choice items for yourself, are you?”
Teodoro realized the man wasn’t there to scold him or report him to the loan shark. He had misread the situation; the neighbor thought they were partners in crime. Teodoro decided to play along.
“I heard the place was empty,” Teodoro whispered with a fake glint of greed in his eyes. “I came to see what was left.”
The neighbor nodded, f
