Best Laid Plans(78)

“There’s no doubt,” Barry said. “But in the meantime, maybe we should take another run at Mona Hill.”

“She’s not going to give us anything unless we have something on her—something to trade, like her freedom.”

“The solicitation charges won’t stick, and she knows it,” Barry said.

“Any way you can get a warrant to search her apartment?”

“All we have is her sending a prostitute to a john—if that. She said, she said.”

“Elise is underage.”

“She’s over fourteen. There’s a different line.”

Lucy hated that line. Girls fourteen and under were special victims. Over fourteen and while prostitution was still illegal, the penalties weren’t as extensive. There were fewer resources to get the older girls out of the life. One cop had told Lucy that by the time the girls were fourteen, they were lost causes.

And sometimes they’re lost at a much earlier age.

Lucy didn’t believe that. Most of the girls in prostitution as teenagers had been abused by their families or manipulated by much older boyfriends into a life in the sex trade. Some had made one bad decision and felt they couldn’t come back from that. They often felt they didn’t deserve to go back to their families, or that their families wouldn’t want them back after they knew what they’d done. And some families were like that. But many welcomed their daughters back with open hearts. She didn’t know where Elise fell on that spectrum, but it was clear from her street smarts and her attitude that she’d been on her own a long, long time. Was there even anyone for her to go home to?

“What if,” Lucy said, “we work Mona to give us the name of the person who vouched for Elise? Give her a pass on everything if she gives that up.”

“We have to find something on her first.”

“Between us and Tia, we could pull together enough for a search warrant. Specifically to look for the photos Elise claims she took and the drug used to kill Worthington.”

“Do you believe her? That she didn’t know that she’d killed him?”

Lucy considered the conversation. “Yes and no. She’s a habitual liar, so everything she said we need to verify. There was a lot of truth there, but some misdirection. I believe she went in thinking she was going to take compromising pictures. But I think she knew he was dead when she left the room. But based on her reaction—I don’t think she knew the drugs would kill him. Someone gave her the syringe. Mona admitted that she sent her out on the Everett job, and while Elise didn’t explicitly say Mona sent her to Worthington, I think we can make the case that Mona was involved. With the right judge, we can get a warrant to search Mona’s place for drugs, syringes, photographs, and computers.”

“Computers?”

“If they were digital photos, she would have downloaded them. So we’ll need any camera or recording equipment, phones—maybe we’ll get lucky and find out who arranged the meeting with Worthington. Because I’ll bet money that he wasn’t expecting a prostitute.”

“Slow down, Kincaid,” Barry said. “Elise didn’t say that Mona sent her to Worthington. She said she was here in San Antonio because of Worthington, but called Mona for more work. We might be able to tie Mona to James Everett, but we can’t tie her to Worthington.”

“But it’s plausible. Not only that, it’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“We have no proof. No evidence. The problem with organizations like Mona Hill’s is that she knows a lot of secrets about a lot of people, many of those people with a lot to lose. We need to convince the AUSA that we have probable cause for a warrant and not just a fishing expedition. I don’t think we’re even close. I’ll take it to Juan, it’s his call.”

Tia returned. “Okay, we’re set on the guard.” She glanced over at the nurse’s desk to where a young man stood waiting. “Mr. Rabb?” she said.

He turned, obviously surprised to see the three of them conversing. “Detective. I just want to make sure that the girl I brought in last night was okay.”

“She’s resting,” Tia said. “She’ll make a full recovery.”

He approached them with a shy smile. “I guess I wouldn’t be able to see her?”

“Not now,” Tia said. “I’ll give her your contact information if she wants to reach out to you.”

“You don’t have to. She just reminded me of my little sister. I feel better knowing she’s okay.”

“We’ll walk you out,” Tia said, leading the way. “Ignore the two grumpy feds.” She glanced back at Lucy and Barry with a grin. “They’re probably as hungry as I am.”

Rabb thanked Tia and they parted ways in the lobby.

Tia said, “He was a good Samaritan. Not everyone would stop for a gunshot victim, I’m sad to say. But I wasn’t lying—I’m starved. It’s nearly two. Let’s go to Mi Tierra. It’s not far, and it’s my favorite place. Good food and cheap. Too bad we’re on duty, because they make a wicked margarita.”

*



Brad Donnelly picked up Ryan Quiroz at FBI headquarters that afternoon.

“What’s the story?” Ryan asked as Brad pulled out of the parking lot.