Fatal Strike

by DiAnn Mills

  Leah could only imagine the girl’s ordeal. “Should she be hospitalized?”

  “We tried to persuade her, but she refused. We filled a prescription for an antidepressant that should help her sleep, and our regular doctor is stopping by later. She’s begged us not to leave her alone.” He swiped beneath his eyes and regained his composure. “You have supported us throughout this nightmare. We don’t want her in danger ever again. What do you suggest other than the officers posted outside our home?”

  “GPD twenty-four-hour protection is one solution. The other is to leave town until arrests are made.”

  “We have a cabin near Estes Park in Colorado. Olivia and I spoke briefly about going there.” He pointed to the living area where Leah and Jon had spoken with him and Olivia on their first visit. “Elena hasn’t said much about her ordeal other than what I told you. She’s expecting you, so I don’t imagine she’ll be much longer.”

  “That’s fine.” Leah looked to Jon for the lead, and he didn’t disappoint her.

  “How were you reunited with your daughter?”

  Richard paced as he’d done previously. “Olivia and I were having coffee before I drove to work. I’ve been going in later and later because I didn’t like leaving my wife alone. We heard the alarm system chime that the back door had opened, and Elena walks in.” He closed his eyes. “God answered our prayers. She fell into our arms and cried. She said the men holding her had gotten drunk and passed out. She managed to get away, and a woman at a farmhouse drove her home. I rushed out to the woman and thanked her. She gave me her contact information. My guess is she’s in her late eighties.” He pressed his quivering lips together. “Elena’s wrists are rubbed raw from whatever they used to tie her up.”

  Elena emerged in the doorway. “Dad, I can take it from here.” Her weak voice came out barely above a whisper.

  Richard moved swiftly to his daughter’s side, asking her if she needed anything.

  “I’m okay. Haven’t taken the medicine yet. It’s more important I talk to the FBI people.”

  He helped his daughter into the room and onto the sofa, Olivia following close behind. The young woman’s gaunt condition was evidence of her ill-treatment. No visible bruises, but the inner scars would likely linger for a long time. Leah dreaded asking her tough questions. The heart-wrenching concern for Elena and her parents brought a lump to her throat. And that was okay . . . Emotions made her human.

  This was the first time Leah had seen Elena other than a photo. Even in her condition with wet hair dangling on her shoulders, her large blue eyes and flawless skin showed a beautiful young woman.

  Leah moved to the sofa beside the girl. “Elena, I’m Leah Riesel. We talked on the phone before your disappearance.”

  “I remember,” she said. “You’re the FBI agent looking for Dylan. Is he still missing?”

  “We’re working hard to locate him.” Leah pointed to Jon. “This is Agent Jon Colbert.” He reached out to shake her hand. “We need to ask you some hard questions. Can you help us?”

  Elena searched her mother’s face before responding. “If I don’t, someone else may go through the same nightmare.”

  60

  LEAH STUDIED ELENA JAMES. She’d have to approach this interview with caution, taking care not to upset the girl or cause her more trauma. Elena had clearly been through an ordeal—and survived—but Leah didn’t want to push her past her breaking point.

  “We can do this at your pace,” Leah said. “I’d like to record your statement. Do you mind?” When Elena and her parents agreed, Jon pressed Record on his phone. “Start at the beginning. Take your time. Don’t be afraid of tears. We’re here to help, and we understand this is painful for you.”

  Elena clung to her mother’s hand. “First, I lied about Dylan when you called. The day before Judge Mendez’s death, Dylan asked me to say we’d broken up because he was afraid something horrible might happen to me.” She breathed in and out. “He wouldn’t explain why. Dylan had been careful about where we went, what we did. We were keeping our relationship quiet. The next day, I learned about Judge Mendez’s death and how Dylan was a suspect.” She shook her head. “I didn’t believe it. Judge Mendez was more than a judge to him. His wife is . . .” Elena looked at Leah, a question in her eyes.

  Leah squeezed her hand. “We know.”

  “Good. You understand then that I wanted to protect him. Help him find the evidence to prove his innocence. I tried phoning him, but he must have gotten a new phone.”

  “And you haven’t heard from him since?”

  Elena glanced at the floor. “No. Not long before this happened—before those men took me—Dylan came to me and said he’d done something stupid to help his mom. He refused to tell me what it was, but he did say he didn’t know how to make it right. I never questioned him. I thought he’d talk about it when he was ready.”

  “Did you recognize any of your abductors?”

  “Only one—Aaron Michaels.” She broke into sobs. “Tell me you’ll find him and put him in prison.”

  “You don’t have to worry about him, Elena. He’s dead,” Leah said.

  She startled. “How?”

  “Take a deep breath.” Leah hoped the words sounded as sympathetic as she sincerely intended them to be.

  Elena swallowed a few times before resuming. “Wednesday afternoon, I had a manicure and pedicure, then met three friends at the beach. We’d be heading back to college soon, and this was going to be our last time to relax together. We planned to have dinner and spend the night at a friend’s beach house. Dylan texted me. I mean I thought it was him. He wanted to talk.” She looked at her dad. “I’m sorry I kept this from you. He wanted to meet you, but he was afraid you’d turn him away because of his past and not being farther along in his college education.” She bit her lower lip and focused on her dad. “I love him.”

  Instantly Richard was on his knees in front of Elena. He drew her into his arms, and she cried on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Daddy. Sorry for everything.”

  Leah glanced away at the intimate tenderness. One day she wanted a close-knit family where love and honesty ruled. She’d felt it between Terri and Chris. She looked at Jon, and he gave her a reassuring smile. They were good together, and right this very minute, she wanted him in her life.

  Elena pulled away from her dad, and he returned to his seat. She resumed her story. “I agreed to meet Dylan at Pocket Beach, and I’d catch up with my friends later. When I got there, he wasn’t around. I walked up and down the beach but couldn’t find him. He didn’t answer his phone or the number from the text.” She hesitated. “I went back to my car, and three guys were there. One was Aaron Michaels. Since he’s a friend of Dylan’s, I thought they’d know where to find him. Instead, Aaron dragged me to a black Mustang parked close by. Shoved me face-first onto the rear floorboard. He put his feet on my back, tied my hands, and blindfolded me.” Elena lowered her head, and her mother stroked her hair.

  “You can do this,” Olivia said. “Your dad and I are not abandoning you.”

  “I feel stupid and ashamed.”

  “You’re smart and wonderful. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will change our love for you,” her mother said.

  “God’s love or ours,” Richard said.

  This family had faith going for them. Was she experiencing what she’d missed the years growing up without God?

  Elena raised her head. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I know you guys love me, but I still needed to hear that. And I love you so much.”

  Olivia put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders and pulled her in tight.

  Despite her watery eyes, Elena smiled. “I can go on now. In the back of the car, on that long ride to wherever we were going, I thought about how much I’d disappointed my parents.” She lifted tearstained eyes to her father, who gave her an encouraging nod. “I’m not sure how long we were in the car. Aaron called someone and said they had me and were on their way. I tried to keep track of
time. Perhaps an hour before we stopped. Someone pulled me from the car and led me over bare ground, like we were on a dirt road in the country. I could hear crickets chirping, but nothing else stands out, except we definitely weren’t near the shore—I didn’t hear any waves crashing. They took me inside a building and tied me to a chair, then removed the blindfold. When morning came, I realized I was inside a shed. Once a day they brought me a bottle of water and a banana.”

  Olivia sobbed.

  Richard’s face hardened. “I would have killed them.”

  “Did they tell you why they’d taken you?” Leah’s question was gentle, intended to keep the conversation on track.

  “I’m not sure. But I remember something I overheard Aaron saying: ‘If Dylan finds out what we’ve done, he’ll tell the cops about us.’ He also said Dylan had this coming for not cooperating.”

  The girl had been used by this gang to intimidate Dylan, coerce him into cooperating. Leah lightly squeezed Elena’s hand in hers, sending courage through her touch. “Tell us how you got away.”

  “Last night I heard two of them talking about getting high and drunk. I kept listening for the worst, and then early in the morning their noises stopped. I assumed they passed out. I’d noticed a nail sticking out from the wall and scooted the chair to it. Using the nail, I managed to weaken the rope. When it broke, I untied myself and opened the door. No one was in sight. I started running. Sunrise looked incredibly beautiful, like a promise that I could get away.” Her face lifted as though remembering the joy of freedom. “It was as though God was telling me I’d be okay. I made it to a road and kept going. Seemed like one field after another, and I had no idea where to go, except to run east toward the sun. At a farmhouse, I knocked on a door. An older woman answered, and she gave me water. I told her I’d gotten away from kidnappers. She wanted to call the police, but I told her I had to see my parents first. I feared one of the Venenos could have hacked your phones.” She closed her eyes. “I just wanted to go home.”

  Elena’s story was essentially over, but Leah had more questions for her. “Besides Aaron and the other two guys who abducted you, did you see any others?”

  She shook her head.

  “Do you remember any names mentioned?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Would you help me reconstruct what the two men look like? I have a face-sketching app on my phone to help us.”

  Elena sat up straighter, seemed to gather her strength. “I’ll do whatever it takes. I won’t forget them.”

  The abductors intended to kill her, or they’d not have allowed her to identify them. “Was anything said we should know?”

  “Most of the time they talked about waiting on the next job and what they planned to do with their money. I never heard how or who gave it to them.” She looked at her dad. “I want to call Silvia Ortega and tell her I’m okay. Maybe she’ll tell me if she’s heard from Dylan.”

  “Are you sure?” Leah said. “What if she unknowingly tells the wrong person that you’ve escaped?”

  “Please.”

  “Baby, I’ll contact her later when the authorities say it’s okay,” Richard said. “When Dylan’s found, I want to meet the young man who stole my daughter’s heart.”

  Leah hoped he was still alive.

  61

  SILVIA’S PHONE VIBRATED for the third time since she’d started this patient’s cleaning. She turned to check the number but didn’t recognize it. A text flew in: Mom, call me @ this # ASAP.

  “Excuse me. I’ll be right back,” she said to the older woman in her chair. “You mentioned you were tired. Close your eyes until I return.”

  Silvia escaped to the bathroom, turned on the water, and tapped in the number, praying Dylan was okay.

  He had to be safe.

  He must have found proof of his innocence.

  The moment he answered, the sound of his voice pierced her heart. “I’m here.”

  “Mom, I’m leaving the country today, and I want to meet you somewhere and say good-bye.”

  Her stomach twisted as the hope of a normal life for them dissolved. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m not saying. That way you don’t have to lie. Mom, the cops and FBI are hot on me, and I’m afraid they’ll shoot first and discover I’m not a killer later. I’ll be safe.”

  “Running doesn’t solve the problem, Son. It only makes you look guilty.”

  “My mind’s made up. Will you take the ferry to the Bolivar about six tonight?”

  “I’ll be there. Do you need anything?”

  He sighed. “Hate to ask, but I could use money until I find a job.”

  She wouldn’t mention the cash she’d given to the courier Dylan had sent to her office last week. Her son had to eat and pay for a place to live. “I have around ten thousand dollars in savings, but I’m not sure how much I can withdraw in one day.”

  “I’ll pay you back—I promise. If only I had my trust fund.”

  She forbade herself to cry. “I’m not concerned about the money. Is Elena with you?”

  “Mom, she’s disappeared. I can’t find her anywhere. I’m afraid she’s been kidnapped. Or worse. Her father’s a rich man, and he loves her. I’m sure he’s doing more to help the law find her than I ever could.” He choked on his words. “I have to believe she’s okay. Hard to think of the next minute without her.”

  What a tangled mess this had become. Love had bitten her son, but instead of happiness, he was filled with heartache. “I’m praying for both of you. When this is over, we’ll be stronger people for the suffering.”

  Dylan said nothing, but she didn’t expect him to. “I’ll withdraw as much as I can and meet you on the Bolivar Peninsula.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I love you. I’m buying a new phone and tossing this one. Afraid the law is tracking your calls.” The phone clicked off.

  She’d go to the bank after her last appointment this afternoon.

  She shut off the faucet and stared at her image in the mirror. What if she never saw Dylan again? She’d not be able to survive. She longed to go with him, protect him as she’d always done. Was she being foolish for such a thought? Would he allow her to join him?

  Dear God, what am I supposed to do for mi hijo?

  If Dylan refused to let her join him, she’d be okay with his decision. She and Warren cared for each other, and she’d marry him when the crimes against Dylan were dismissed. God might have given her Warren so she wouldn’t have to face the future alone.

  62

  BEFORE THEY LEFT THE JAMESES’ HOME, Leah and Jon formed a plan to ensure Elena was protected. A GPD officer would remain in place until the FBI could relieve them. Despite the police chief’s assurances, neither Jon nor Leah were ready to fully trust Everson’s force.

  Elena pleaded with her parents to stay in Galveston. “If Dylan is alive, I want to be here for him. If he’s dead, his mother will need me.”

  One of the agents working surveillance for Silvia contacted Leah. She and Jon stepped outside onto the patio, where they could both listen.

  “Between 2:50 and 3:10 p.m., Ms. Ortega received three texts and returned a call to the same number. The call wasn’t long enough to trace. She left the dentist office at 4:55. Made a stop at the bank. We are currently tailing her. Hold on, Agent Riesel.” A moment later, he was back on the line. “She’s heading east on the island.”

  “Stay on her, but keep your distance.” She seized Jon’s attention. “We’re on our way.” Leah dropped her phone into her bag, went back into the house, and quickly explained the need for them to leave. In less than sixty seconds, Jon was speeding toward the eastern side of the island while she tried calling Silvia’s number.

  “Get ahold of Warren Livingston,” Jon said when her third effort yielded only the woman’s voice mail. “See if he’s heard from her.”

  She contacted Warren and asked if he knew why Silvia wouldn’t be picking up her phone.

  “She wouldn’t answer if she’s with a
patient,” he said. “At this hour, it may have been an emergency.”

  “If you hear from her, kindly let us know.” Leah ended the conversation. “Nothing there.” She swung to Jon. “I like Silvia, admire her values and the way she stands up for her beliefs. But she’s naive about Dylan—he can’t be innocent in this or Aaron Michaels wouldn’t have targeted Elena.”

  “And you’d like to shield Silvia and Elena from additional hurt.”

  She nodded. He understood her on many levels, a little scary but in a comforting way. “Crazy, huh? Don’t let my marshmallow attitude get out, or I’ll lose my Panther nickname.”

  “No way, Agent Riesel. It’s one more intriguing part of you.”

  The man had the knack of making her feel special. “I’m in good company.”

  The agent ahead of them called. “Ms. Ortega is nearing the Bolivar ferry dock. The next ferry leaves in fifteen minutes.”

  She repeated the agent’s words to Jon. “Can we make it?”

  Jon pressed on the gas and wove the truck in and out of traffic.

  Horns blared. Brakes squealed. Leah held her breath as he missed one bumper and nearly scraped the fender of an SUV. “I feel like I’m on a movie set, and you’re a stuntman.”

  “How do you think I felt when you drove my truck?”

  “I’m lousy with empathy.”

  He grinned, but his eyes stayed glued to the road. “I used to race on the Oklahoma back roads. Picked up a few tricks before I got to Quantico.”

  They neared the ferry. Cars were boarding, and Silvia’s blue Toyota had already secured a spot. Jon broke the line between a battered Honda and a red Chevy pickup. Both drivers laid on their horns, but he was now only three vehicles behind Silvia.

  Leah stared over the other vehicles. “I think we’re far enough behind for her not to suspect anything, and your truck’s in the body shop.”

  “Hope she’s leading us to Dylan. No coincidence she was at the bank.”

  “She might have withdrawn all she had.”