Marta nodded, surprised at the news. “Josie talked to Selena earlier today.”
Vie shrugged. “She said she wanted to offer her help. She said she’s from South America and might be able to talk to her. I suggested she work through Josie.”
“I’d prefer that. She may hear information we could use and not realize it’s relevant,” Marta said.
“And then Caroline stopped by to see her.”
Marta followed Vie’s glance out the window, where they watched Caroline drive away in her convertible
“She said she’s having a dinner tomorrow to raise funds for the local missions and she wanted to know what the woman needs, clothes and shoes, basic necessities to help her get back on her feet.”
Marta nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt for her earlier thoughts.
“She asked if she could talk with her, but Josie told me not to allow outside visitors until you know more about her background.”
“Is she awake? I’d like to ask her a few questions.”
Vie pointed down the hallway. “She’s watching television.”
Marta stopped in the hallway to talk to Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Wilson, who was sitting in a chair outside the patient room. Wilson was in his early twenties, with a heavy build and a southern way of drawing out his words. He’d had a crush on Marta’s daughter in high school, but Teresa had preferred the bad boys. Marta could only hope she’d passed that phase in her life.
“Hey, Marta. You here to relieve me?” he asked.
“I am. Anything to pass along?” she said.
He sighed heavily and stood. He leaned in and whispered to Marta so that Vie couldn’t hear as she walked into the room. “Nothing. Hope you got a pot of coffee in your car. I ran out of things to do after I counted the floor tiles for about the tenth time.”
Marta laughed and he patted her on the back before taking off.
*
After Vie checked the woman’s vital signs and left the room, Marta pulled a chair beside the bed. She reminded her that she’d sat with her in Josie’s living room early that morning, and Marta noted that she made eye contact at the mention of Josie’s name.
“We’d like to help you, Isabella. We can help you get back to your home and your family if you’ll give us some information.”
She paused and the woman turned her head away to stare across the room at a painting. Marta took a deep breath, knowing the following request would probably shut her down.
She opened her bag and pulled out her pad and ink, smiling, attempting to lighten the task. “I’ve brought a kit with me. I need to get your fingerprints here on this paper. It will help us get your records in order.” She set everything up on the rolling bedside table and stood, holding her hand out. Surprisingly, Isabella held her own hand out in response and allowed Marta to print her as she talked.
“Where do you live?”
Isabella remained silent.
“Are you from Mexico? Maybe Brazil?” She paused. “Guatemala? Honduras?”
Nothing.
“Do you live here in the U.S.?”
No reply.
“Can you tell me where your friend is from?”
Isabella closed her eyes and her face tensed up as if she were trying to fight back tears.
Marta dropped Isabella’s hand and slipped everything back in her bag. “Can you tell me your friend’s name? Her first name?”
She shook her head. “No, no, no.”
“You can’t tell me, or you don’t know?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know her name.”
Tears poured from her eyes until she began shaking and then sobbing. Marta pushed the call button beside the bed and a moment later Vie rushed in. She looked at Marta accusingly.
“What happened?”
“I asked about her friend and she started crying,” Marta said.
“I think you’d best go,” Vie said.
*
Back in the hallway, Marta was sorry that she’d caused such a reaction in the young woman, but she was interested to learn that Isabella claimed not to even know the other woman’s name. She sent a quick text to Josie and Otto to that effect and took her position on the chair in the hallway, settling in for a long night of waiting and wondering.
SEVEN
Josie arrived home at 7:30 p.m. and found Nick on her couch reading a True Crime magazine and drinking a beer. He pitched the magazine onto the coffee table as she sat beside him.
“You look like you need some sleep.”
She shrugged and blew air out in frustration. “I feel like we’re checking tasks off a to-do list. No big breaks yet. Did you hear anything today?”
“I have feelers out about the trafficking and two missing women. Since we’re in Medrano territory I have guys checking there first. There’s no doubt the Medranos are involved in prostitution and trafficking, but I don’t know about transportation routes. Did Border Patrol have information on routes?”