Chapter 72 second quarter

"Hey, is it... what time...?" Decker drove the car in one hand and held the car phone in the other. "Is that Esperanza?" "Decker?" The officer's drowsy voice became instantly alert. "where did you go--" "We have to talk." "You're so right, it's time we talked." "The job card you gave me has your home number, but no address. How do I get to your place?" Decker listened. "Well, I know where." Eight minutes later, Decker was driving south of town, into a dimly lit prefab housing complex.Most tourists, who like to stroll through the brightly lit shops in the square, don't notice the lack of charm at all.On a dark dirt drive next to a mobile home, a pickup truck and a motorcycle were parked.Yucca flowers grew densely on the gravel floor in front of the house, and a small garden surrounded the front wall.Esperanza, wearing black sweatpants and a tank top, with her long black hair hanging down her shoulders, sat under a dismal yellow light.The light reflects the three concrete steps leading up to the metal front door.

Just as Decker was about to get out of the jeep, Esperanza gestured for Decker to stay still, stepped forward, got in, and closed the passenger door. "Your call woke up my wife." "Sorry." "That's what I said to her, but it doesn't solve the problem between her and me." Esperanza talked about his own personal affairs, which Decker didn't expect.Decker was too preoccupied with his own business to think about Esperanza's life outside of work.This police officer is very calm when encountering problems, and is extremely responsible for his work. It gives the impression that he seems to be working 24 hours a day.It never occurred to Decker that a man of his kind had his own problems.

“She was always nagging me that the money I was making wasn’t worth the risk and time,” Esperanza said. “She didn’t want me to be a cop. What do you think she wants me to do? You'll love the coincidence." Decker thought about it. "A real estate agent?" "Let's not talk about that. Do you often get calls in the middle of the night?" Decker shook his head. "But I bet you used to get phone calls at night in your old job. And I'm sure you got a lot of phone calls tonight. I've been over to your house a few times and you've been away. I called I've made several phone calls and all I hear is your answering machine. It's ridiculous to jump to conclusions. But I have a feeling you've left the city. If you don't show up tomorrow morning, I'll I want to report to the relevant department and ask to arrest you. Where did you go?"

"Go for a walk." "From 4 p.m. to now? That's almost 10 hours." "I stopped and sat for a while." "This moment is really not short." "I have a lot of things to think about." "whats the matter?" Decker looked directly into Esperanza's eyes. "I'm looking for her." Esperanza's gaze was equally aggressive. "Even if I ask you to stay here in case I have more questions for you?" "I have told you all I can. This is a visit of goodwill, to clear up misunderstandings between us, and to let you know exactly what I am doing. I am looking for her."

"Then where do you think she has gone?" Decker ignored the question. "I told you my plan, because I don't want you to send a notice to arrest me, and I don't want to be chased by the police and hide." "What do you offer in exchange? Why should I listen to you?" Decker ignored the questions, too. "Any information from the Albuquerque airport regarding the whereabouts of Beth and McKittrick?" Esperanza stared at him in amazement, then broke out into a bitter laugh. "You really expect me to help? You have kept the situation from me as much as possible from the beginning, and now you expect me to tell you what I know?"

"It's up to you." "I have a plan. Now, what I want you to do is go inside." Decker sat up straight. "You want me to stay here while you call a police car and take me to the police station?" "No, I want you to stay here and I'll get dressed. I'll follow you wherever you go. Whether you like it or not, I'll be with you to the end. I hate being pushed back and forth. Obviously, you Know much more than you can say. From now on, you and I will be inseparable like conjoined twins until you tell me the answer to the matter." "Trust me, I wish I could find out."

"Get out." Esperanza opened the passenger door. "Her real name wasn't Beth Dwyer," Decker said. "Her real name was Diana Scolari." Esperanza got off the car with a cold expression. "Have you heard the name?" Decker asked. "No." "She is currently in the custody of the Federal Court Enforcement Service. She is scheduled to fly to New York on Monday to testify about something. I can only think of one explanation that makes sense." "Federal Witness Protection Act." "That's right." Esperanza sat back in the Cherokee. "When did you find out about this?"

"tonight." "How did you find out?" "You don't have to know. If you really want to help, tell me how to find someone."