Allison Brennan - Fatal Secrets

“I put in your request for a legal attache to do so, and it’s been approved. They’re on their way.”

“And you said there wasn’t good news? That’s great. It’s a huge lead.”

“It’s Friday afternoon. There could have been hundreds, thousands of those knives sold. We don’t know how old, we don’t know when they were sold-”

“They could be limited editions. We have to follow every lead.”

“Sonia, you’re not thinking your father is involved in this in some way?”

Not on the surface, but deep down, as soon as Sonia saw the photograph, she had suspected just that.

“Toni, let me lay it out. Yes, I think my father is still involved in trafficking, but I don’t know how. Finding him is my priority after this case. But one of those other men in the picture could very well be our killer. Making his move, taking out Jones and staking out this territory. There are already two people in that photo who are connected to this case. If we can identify the other men, and the female, we may find the killer. I need to find Charlie. He saw him.”

“You told me he didn’t see him.”

“He said he didn’t recognize him. I want to show him this picture.”

“He hasn’t contacted the office.”

“If I find him, can I offer him limited immunity?”

“Sonia, you can’t offer him anything, but if you find him, I’m not going to send you up the river if you let him walk. Once.”

“Understood.” Sonia had to locate Charlie. Dammit, where would he be hiding out?

Toni said, “You’re working closely with the FBI, Richardson tells me.”

“Yes.”

“Stick close. This is messy and multijurisdictional, but it’s also dangerous. Traffickers are rarely this bold within our borders. I fear this is a new operation, someone who has the money and power to control it from a distance, which makes him that much more difficult to capture.”

“I’m not going to let Greg Vega’s killer leave this country. I will find him, Toni.” Sonia wished she was as confident as she sounded.

“I hope so. I don’t like how he’s made this personal.”

“It’s not personal-”

“It is. These people broke into your house!”

“Toni, I’m being careful.”

“Are you too close to this? Maybe you should join your family-”

“No. I can’t believe that after ten years you’d think I would run away and hide and let someone else stand in my place. I know this is dangerous, we’re dealing with dangerous people. But I’m not too close to it, and I’m not leaving. In fact, my connection with Charlie and Jones and everyone else in the case gives me inside knowledge. I’m doing everything I can to minimize the threat, but I’m not walking away when dozens of women are in jeopardy. My entire career has prepared me for this.”

Toni said, “I didn’t think you’d step down. Keep me informed as often as possible. If you need anything, call.”

“I will.”

She hung up and made several calls trying to find Charlie.

Dean walked in a few minutes later and said, “We have the warrant.”

“That was fast.”

“Two double homicides in one day has everyone wanting results. Bob Richardson has been fielding calls from the media and politicians ever since our office’s involvement came out.”

“Let’s get rolling.” Sonia headed for the door.

Dean followed and said, “I contacted the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department. They’ll meet us at the warehouse to help serve the warrant.”

“Where’s Sam and Trace?” Sonia asked when she didn’t see them around the white-collar crimes area.

“While I was getting the warrant, Sam thought he’d check out Omega and feel the staff out. See if any of them will talk. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask the right questions. I should have had them talk to you before okaying it.”

“No, that’s fine.” She frowned. Something didn’t quite add up, but she wasn’t sure what was bugging her.

“Any sign of Cammarata?” Dean asked as he slid into his car. Sonia sat in the passenger seat.

“He hasn’t called. If he does, I’m going to meet with him. I need to show him the picture of the men with Jones. He might be able to identify one or more of the UNSUBs.”

“Then we arrest him.”

Sonia didn’t say anything.

“Sonia, dammit, we will arrest him. He withheld evidence, for one. He broke into your house. He assaulted you.”

“I’m giving him a onetime pass. I need his information, and there’s no way in hell he’ll meet with me unless I promise not to take him into custody.”

“Fine, I will.”

“Dean-” Sonia rubbed her eyes and stared out the window as Dean drove south toward Lodi. “I need the information.”

“This is about your biological father, isn’t it?” Dean asked.

“No.” She paused. Dean deserved honesty. “Partly. Charlie may recognize him. He knows most of the major players. It’s obvious he’s no longer using the name Sergio Martin. He may not-” she stopped.

“Sonia?”

“My whole life is a farce. What if I had never been Martin? What if that name was an alias? I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

“You’re Sonia Knight,” Dean said firmly. “Cop, sister, daughter … lover.”

She glanced at Dean and something shifted inside her. A calmness blanketed her, a wholly unfamiliar sensation. He reached for her hand. Held it. She wondered if he felt what she did.

She wanted to ask, but she feared voicing her feelings would somehow threaten this new beginning. And the last thing she wanted to think about was Dean returning to Washington. But maybe … maybe now would be the time to clarify their relationship. Their careers and family and residences on opposite coasts.

When Sonia gathered the courage to finally speak, Dean said first, “This is the exit. Ready?”

She nodded. “Let’s do it.”

By all appearances, the small industrial warehouse north of Lodi was abandoned. Weeds pushed through cracks in concrete, and garbage from nearby Highway 99 had blown against the buildings, making the row of fifties-era cinder-block and metal buildings look like a ghost town.

Except for the brand-new padlocks on the doors.

Four San Joaquin County sheriff’s deputies were already on-site. Brian Stone and three trained FBI-SWAT agents pulled up behind Dean and Sonia in a black Suburban.

“I hope this isn’t a wild-goose chase,” Sonia said. “We don’t have the time to screw up.”

“Don’t second-guess yourself. Ready?”

“Absolutely.”

She got out of the car and stepped into the dry valley heat. The noonday sun glistened off the river-Sonia thought it was the Mokelumne River, but she wasn’t certain. Traffic from the highway was audible, but not visible. At night the area would be pitch-black except for sparse street lighting and security lights above each door.

If the traffickers were using this waterway to maneuver inland from the deep-water channel, they could walk the women into any of these buildings at night without fear of discovery.

Stone and his team inspected the perimeter, then Dean directed them to break down the door of the main warehouse-the others branched off this one.

Guns drawn and their badges clearly displayed, the six federal cops and four sheriff’s deputies prepared for a possible attack even though there was no sign of anyone.

“On three.” Stone used his fingers to count down.

A SWAT team member broke the padlock with one swift hit with the heavy handheld battering ram. As soon as the doors swung open, a foul stench of vomit and human excrement hit them.

Sonia’s stomach turned, not from the stench but from what it meant. No sounds-no shouts or cries-came with the smell; there was no one inside.