“How can he not know what’s been going on?” Myra objected.
“Noah was the business guy. Liam was the front man. At least that’s how it seems to be shaking out. After their father was arrested, Liam attended graduate school before going to Tibet. Noah went to work for Ruffing. Apparently, their father and Ruffing had some business dealings.”
“Given the crimes Sidney Westlake was convicted of, I don’t doubt they were involved in one or two questionable transactions,” Myra added.
“Do you think Liam was hoodwinked?” Annie asked.
“I know it sounds unlikely, but it is possible. Gabby would know more based on whatever she witnessed,” Nikki said.
“Why don’t you go and sit with her and try to unravel more?” Myra suggested to Nikki. “Don’t get too lawyerly on her. She’s been through enough.” Myra winked.
Nikki went into one of the other rooms, where a few of the sisters were having a bite to eat. “Gabby, I know you’re probably exhausted from telling and retelling the story, but we’re trying to figure out how deeply Liam is involved.”
Gabby looked up in shock. “I can’t imagine he would agree to anything illegal or immoral. Noah, certainly, but not Liam.”
“A lot of nefarious things were going on with The Haven as a cover. It seems unlikely that Liam wouldn’t know anything at all.”
“From working at the phone desk, I can tell you that almost all of the messages were for Noah. Like the one ‘Package to be delivered Saturday.’ The only messages for Liam were from colleges or organizations asking for him to speak at a conference or a workshop.” Gabby thought carefully. “And Noah would have meetings with those men when Liam wasn’t on the property. Except for one time. That was recently. But he was in Noah’s office for less than ten minutes. When he left the meeting, which went on for a very long time, he mentioned that he was going to Tibet.”
Gabby continued to describe the day-to-day goings-on at The Haven. By all accounts, it was very much like a commune. “Noah has been acting very irritable lately. I thought it might be money. We really haven’t recruited many new members over the past six months. Or it could be something to do with these thuggish-looking guys. I just don’t know.”
Gabby told Nikki and the others about Rachel and how she was going to be a “spokesperson” for The Haven, to help raise money. “She wasn’t supposed to tell me, but she was so excited that she had to confide in someone. Now I wish I could have talked her out of it.” Gabby sounded somber.
Nikki patted her on the knee. “We’ll get her back.”
Gabby looked up at Nikki. “But how?”
The other women started to giggle. Gabby looked confused.
Maggie raised her eyebrows. “You’ll see. We just need a few more details to put a plan in place.”
“What kind of plan?” Gabby asked.
“As I said, you’ll see. Why don’t you go take a nap? We’ll come and get you when Isabelle arrives.”
Gabby gladly took the suggestion and lay down on one of the beds in an adjoining room. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.
Chapter Thirty-two
It was way past midnight when everyone regrouped, leaving Gabby alone to sleep.
Nikki started. “From what we could uncover, and from what Gabby told us, it appears that The Haven was a front for Ruffing’s money laundering and drug smuggling. Jack said they are all over it but still need more corroboration. This may sound like a crazy idea, but how about I go to see Noah in jail?”
Gasps and “what the?” went around the room. “Hear me out. Noah needs a lawyer. The FBI and DEA need information. Maybe I can talk Noah into turning state’s evidence? That would surely help wrap that big turd up in a bow.”
“Yes, but I know I wouldn’t be satisfied if they simply arrested Ruffing. He’d figure out a way to get out of it. Somehow. Maybe even going to a country that doesn’t extradite people to the US.” Myra paced.
“True, but not if all of his assets are seized,” Annie added. “Some countries will not release funds when someone is under criminal indictment.”
“Better still, the funds could be diverted. It’s not like that hasn’t happened to others we targeted,” Charles broke in.
All heads turned in Charles and Fergus’s direction. “We create another shell company.” He looked at Nikki.
“But where will the money go?” Nikki asked.
“We put it in a fund to help the people who are going to be displaced once The Haven is shut down. We can donate to animal charities, women’s charities. I am sure we’ll have absolutely no problem sharing Ruffing’s wealth with people who actually deserve it,” Annie suggested.
“But won’t that be evidence?” Myra asked Nikki.
“If the money has already been laundered, then it would be hard to trace it back to any of Ruffing’s deals.”
“That sounds good to me. All in favor?” Myra looked at everyone and pointed to the room where Gabby was sleeping. Ordinarily, the women would shout “All in!” but this time they whispered it and punctuated it with fist bumps.
“Next, we need to confirm the location of the women we believe may be at 19 Yellow Moon Road,” Charles added.
“I am so glad we can say it in English now,” Yoko joked. “My Spanish accent is nothing to be proud of.”
Isabelle was busily tapping away on her laptop. “Got it!”
She turned to look at everyone. “The home device for the GPS is at The Haven. I should be able to crack into that in a few minutes.” Isabelle stretched and cracked her knuckles.
“Oh dear, I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Myra admonished her.
“It’s how I work my magic.” Isabelle winked and went back to pounding on the keyboard. “Here. Take a look.” She turned her laptop so everyone could see the map. “Wherever there is a blinking dot, is where the rings are. You can see a cluster of them not far from here. That’s The Haven.” She pointed to the spot. “Over here is where we are right now.”
“Can we ditch that one now? The laundry chute is beckoning,” Charles observed.
“Now we can. I’ve cloned their system. But take a look at this.” She pointed to several blinking dots on the shore of Cuba. “Ruffing’s personal amusement park, I would think.”
“Can you tell how many there are?” Annie squinted to look.
“I count four. But that’s only those wearing the ring. There could be others.”
Annie jumped in. “Fergus, you have one of those drones in your bag of tricks, don’t you?”
He gave her a sly look. “I never leave home without one.”
Giggles and shushes went around the room. “We can’t wake Gabby. Not yet,” Myra whispered. “She needs her rest, and we will probably need her to work with us.”
“I hope she can rise to the occasion because we’re going to have to be quick. Ruffing knows that Noah was arrested. He may be making a lot of moves to make himself disappear,” Annie said pensively.