Page 105 of Fatal Strike
“Do you have someone you trust you can share these things with?” After enduring Aaron’s abuse for so long, to have also experienced the trauma of being held hostage ...
“I’ve started talking to a priest.”
“Who?”
Jon guessed the name before Leah asked.
“Father Xavier Gabriel. A friend recommended him. My sister went with me to the first session.”
“Can you give us the name of the friend who recommended Father Gabriel?”
“Rachel Mendez. She and Amanda have been good friends for years.”
67
RACHEL MENDEZ?Was she a friend or foe? After watching Amanda Barton leave the FBI offices, Leah slipped into the chair at her desk.
“So we’re adding Rachel Mendez to the list of those we need to talk to this morning,” Jon said. “Warren Livingston still has my attention.”
“Why didn’t she tell us Aaron Michaels had abused Cecelia or that she’d recommended Father Gabriel for counseling? Rachel is not stupid. She had to suspect the men who broke into the Barton home were linked to Aaron and possibly the death of Judge Mendez. That falls under withholding information, and she can’t plead ignorant when she’s a lawyer.”
“I think she’s protecting Dylan any way she can,” he said.
Leah checked the status of search warrants they’d filed thismorning for Livingston’s properties and Rios’s dental practice. No go yet. “Silvia Ortega is linked to all three parties. Do you think she’s been inadvertently aiding this drug trafficking effort?”
“Why don’t you give her a call, try to probe her for more information? I’ll ask agents to bring in Rachel, Warren, and Pablo Rios.”
“Good idea.” She grabbed her phone and pressed in the woman’s number. “Hi, Silvia, how are you feeling?”
“I appreciate your asking. I’m sore. Advil is helping.”
“Are you alone or do you have someone looking after you?”
“You actually caught me on the way to the office. But Warren came over last night. Like a couple of kids, we watched some movies. He was trying to keep my mind off Dylan.”
Leah seized the opening. “Warren’s a good friend. I imagine it’s hard to find time to get together when he’s so busy with his store.”
“We manage. At least once a week, he stops by the office.”
“Wonderful. You’re lucky Dr. Rios doesn’t mind.”
“They’re friends, so it’s an opportunity for them to talk. Warren does mission work in Mexico City, and Dr. Rios sends toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss.”
A means to smuggle drugs? “How generous.”
“Yes, I’m blessed with a great boss and Warren.”
“I won’t keep you any longer. I’m glad you’re feeling better today.” Leah waited for the line to disconnect before relaying the conversation and her suspicions to Jon.
He rubbed his chin. “She’s as much a victim as those grieving the loss of a loved one.”
“We’re used to working our own division or staring down a rifle scope, using technology, stats, wind calculations, not dealing with people we care about.”
Jon nodded, then excused himself to take care of some things at his desk.
Sitting back in her chair, Leah lifted the mug of lukewarm coffee to her lips. If their theory proved correct, Warren’s relationship with Silvia was in place to launder money and drugs through Dr. Rios’s dental practice. But they needed evidence to make arrests.
Leah sighed. She had a few minutes to get caught up on paperwork, though she’d rather clean toilets than shuffle papers. No way around it but to dive into the least favorite part of her job.
