“This is awful,” Marta said. “Josh’s car is gone. No one answered the door at the apartment. Cici of course played dumb.”
“Come on back to the department. We’ll talk next steps.”
Josie hung up and called Otto, explaining what she knew. “Did you find Ryan?”
“I called his number, but no answer. It’s almost nine-thirty, so hopefully he’s at home. I’m on my way to his parents’ house now. That’s where he’s been living.”
“Hang tight for a minute. I’m ready to go to the prosecutor. Let’s bring Ryan in on charges. I think we’ll get more out of him if he’s facing jail time.”
“Will do. I’m just a few minutes from the house. I’ll wait to hear from you.”
*
Back at the department, Josie issued a BOLO alert, both online and for all area dispatch, to be on the lookout for Isabella Dagati and an orange Chevy Camaro. Josie had hoped that Caroline Moss’s community group could rally around Isabella and help relocate her to a safe place where she stood a chance at a happy future. Now she was back in the custody of the man who had raped and stalked her, and possibly murdered her friend.
Josie dialed the prosecutor’s office, doubting anyone would be in so late in the evening, but hoping nonetheless. She was surprised when his secretary, Ramona, answered the phone.
“Tyler Holder’s office.”
“Ramona! I thought the office would be empty.”
“Big trial tomorrow. What can I do for you?”
“I need to speak to Tyler. It’s urgent.”
“He’s headed out the door. Want me to grab him?”
“Please. Can you get him to swing by the PD for ten minutes?”
Josie heard the phone clank down on the desk, and a minute later the secretary came back on and said he was on his way.
“You’re a saint, Ramona. I owe you one.”
*
The county prosecutor’s office was located in the courthouse across the street. Tyler Holder was in his early forties and had garnered the respect of the local law enforcement officers with a fair and heavy hand at trial. Josie didn’t always agree with him, but she never got the sense that he was taking the easy way out.
She gathered her case notes and took them to the table. A few minutes later she heard Tyler take the stairs two at a time and enter the office looking wired. He wore a light gray suit and red tie and smelled faintly of cologne. Josie shook his hand and he took a seat beside her at the conference table.
“I appreciate you coming. I know you’re on your way out.”
“Can we do it in ten?” he asked.
“You bet.”
Just then Marta walked into the office, looking frantic. Josie motioned toward the table and she said hello as she pulled out a chair.
“Here’s where we’re at,” Josie said. “Isabella Dagati is the name of the surviving woman who was transported here from Guatemala. We’ve only identified the woman who was murdered with a first name, Renata. We provided photos to Isabella, who confirmed that Josh Mooney and Ryan Needleman transported her and the murder victim, as well as three other women, from Guatemala.”
“Ryan Needleman?” He squinted at Josie as if he didn’t believe it.
“I’ve talked with him. He’s already admitted it. He got thrown out of college for fighting this fall and was looking to make some quick money. Josh Mooney set it up.”
“His family will be devastated. How’d a kid from such a good family go so wrong?”
“The situation got much worse about an hour ago. A psychiatrist from Odessa, who’s been working with Isabella, agreed to moving her out of the trauma center into a more relaxed environment until she can go back to her family. Marta moved her over there at seven-forty this evening. When I went to check on her at the motel at nine o’clock, she was gone.”
“She left?”
“I don’t think so. We pulled up surveillance tape of the trauma center parking lot and found Josh Mooney sitting in his orange Camaro, parked in the back of the lot. There was a passenger who we believe to be Macey, his sister.”
Tyler winced. “No surprise there. You don’t think Ryan’s with him?”
“I doubt it. I think Ryan realizes what a mess this is and wants nothing more to do with it. As soon as I give Otto the word, he’s ready to bring Ryan in,” she said. “We believe Josh and Macey were watching the hospital for Isabella’s release. The video shows that as soon as Marta pulled out of the lot to transport Isabella to Manny’s motel, Josh and his passenger followed.”
Tyler was typing something into his phone, presumably a note about the case.
“To make it worse, Isabella also identified Josh as the man who repeatedly raped both her and the woman who died.”
He made a disgusted noise. “I’d not heard about the rape.”
“I don’t believe Ryan was involved in the rapes, but I want to bring him in. Charge him with transporting an illegal into the U.S. I need to scare him into giving us everything he knows about Josh and Macey, and where they might be taking Isabella.