“Of course. One moment, I will get you his business card. He is out of the country right now, but I’m sure he’ll contact you as soon as he returns.”
“Un-fucking-believable,” Noah muttered when the office manager walked through a secure door into the back offices. A moment later she returned with a business card and handed it to Noah. Lucy glanced over:
Brian E. Simmons
Attorney
At the bottom was a phone number. The same number as this law office.
“I’ll be back with another warrant, and if I find out that anyone here has destroyed records that I want, you’ll all be liable.”
“There’s no need to threaten me,” the manager said, looking wholly bored with the conversation. She turned and walked away.
Noah stormed out of the office. Lucy followed. Before they even reached the car, Noah was on the phone. “Hooper, you’d better be as good as Rick Stockton says, because I need you here, ASAP.” He listened for a minute, then said, “Good.” He hung up and opened the door when Nate pulled up. “Dean Hooper will be here tonight. I have a feeling that not only am I going to get a crash course in money laundering and white-collar crime one oh one, but I’m going to be reminded why I much prefer investigating homicides.”
His phone rang and he answered while Nate drove them back to FBI headquarters. Lucy was only partly paying attention to the conversation—her mind was definitely not in this investigation right now. When he got off, he said, “Dunning, you and Lucy need to go back to Laredo. Apparently Ms. Walsh has done some sleuthing on her own and came up with a witness who can ID several of the people in Walsh’s photos, and has a name for our Jane Doe.”
Lucy leaned forward from the backseat. “What? She does?”
“Weren’t you listening?”
“Sorry.”
“Yes—she found a midwife who has information. I have to meet with Durant, and when Hooper arrives I’ll be briefing him on the case. I wish I could be there—I’ll follow as soon as I can. Call if you need backup.”
*
Something was wrong with Lucy. Sean almost called her back … did she suspect there was something more about his trip to Mexico than he’d told her? Why didn’t she say something? He mentally went through the conversation he’d had, but he’d been distracted. She sounded preoccupied, and he knew why—this case had to be getting to her. An abandoned baby, a dead Jane Doe, two missing women. He should be there for her, dammit.
He was furious with Madison for going to his house—talking to Lucy, bothering her, upsetting her. Lucy didn’t need Madison’s drama.
Had Madison said something about Jesse? No, she wouldn’t. She couldn’t have … she hadn’t even wanted to tell Sean. And if she had, Lucy would have said something about it. She didn’t play games, not like Madison.
Sean hit the side of the plane. It was hot, sticky, humid in the middle of the damn day, even with the shade. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to get his son and leave. He needed to talk to Lucy. Tell her everything. Face-to-face. In person. Where he could touch her, hold her, explain everything.
One more day. Two, tops.
Kane walked up to him. He didn’t ask Sean what was wrong. Maybe he knew. Maybe Kane was a damn psychic.
“Gabriella will give the letter to Jesse. I pitched her the plan, we’ll see if she helps.”
“You haven’t even told me the plan.”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“This is my operation! Don’t keep me in the dark.”
“You asked for my help because you need my experience. I’ll lay it out: There’s only one way to get inside the Flores compound, and it’s Trojan Horse–style.”
“So we’re depending on Gabriella Romero, who you said we can’t trust.”
“I’m only expecting her to give the letter to Jesse. I’ll be inside.”
“You’re fucking with me, Kane. Just tell me your plan.”
As Kane laid it out, Sean shook his head. “No. No. You’re going to get yourself killed. I can’t let you—”
“It’s just as dangerous for you, Sean. But it’s the only way.”
“We need to pull back. Madison is certain her husband and son will be back on Friday.”
“And I’m certain they won’t be.”
“Why? What happened?”
Kane hesitated.
“Tell me, dammit!”
“Get your shit together, Sean. If you think I’m not aware that you’re struggling—between your fear for Jesse and worry about Lucy—then you’re an idiot. Emotions are going to get us both killed. Do you know why I don’t get involved? Why I don’t want you working with me? Why I didn’t want Duke working with me years ago? Because you’re my brother, I love you, and it would destroy me if you died. You don’t remember what it was like after Molly overdosed. You have no idea what I did, what I am capable of doing. My emotions interfered, and I made huge mistakes. I can’t afford to make mistakes, and emotions have no place in this business.”