Summary

The narrator told Francisco Junior that his mother “never forgave herself” for slapping Simonopio upon his and Francisco Junior’s arrival that fateful Saturday in “Your Mama Never Forgave Herself That Slap,” (403). Francisco Junior claimed that Beatriz continued to sew with her machine to maintain her inner peace. Even still, she would become distracted and uneasy by her regret.

In “Unanswered Questions,” Beatriz accepted that Simonopio’s interference in the tragedy was “the first irrefutable and direct evidence” that Simonopio had “special abilities” (405). When the search party questioned Simonopio, he refused to recount what happened and broke into a sob. They understood that Simonopio witnessed the murder and Espiricueta was to blame. Without tracks or bodies, the Guardia Rural searched for Espiricueta and his son, guarding La Amistad with the belief they were still a threat...