Page 73 of Look for Me

The single bedroom was upstairs, where two single beds were flanked by a new bassinet for Baby Liam.

Corinne kept her voice down. “My baby is sleeping.”

Tanaka and Evans nodded.

“Would you like some tea or coffee?” Corinne asked.

“Water is fine for me.” Tanaka sat down on the small couch. “I drank too much coffee this morning.”

“Whatever you have is fine.” Evans walked past Tanaka and sat on the armchair.

“I can’t drink any caffeine since I’m nursing Liam, but if you’d like tea, I’ll boil some hot water.” Corinne studied Evans.

“That’s perfect.” Evans swiped her phone. Then looked at Tanaka as if to ask her to take the lead.

“Gail—I mean Dinah—I mean Corinne.” Tanaka laughed. She kicked off her shoes and stretched out on the sofa. “I’m so tired. Why can’t Oscar just give himself up?”

“Wouldn’t that be easy for all of us?” Evans chuckled.

Corinne put a pot of water on the stove and covered it. She carried a kitchen chair with her to the living room and sat down on it. “How can I help you?”

“I’ve already told you more than I should,” Tanaka said. “But you had to know so that you’d be careful wherever we put you, right?”

“I appreciate that.” Corinne realized then that she was still wearing the sweatshirt and sweatpants she had on the night before. In fact, she hadn’t showered. It seemed that these days, her life revolved around her new baby. There was no time for self care.

There should be, she told herself.

“Evans is here to ask you some more questions so that our investigation can proceed and get to a satisfactory conclusion.”

Corinne turned her attention to Evans. “Well, I know I won’t be safe until Oscar is caught. However, Oscar has many enemies. He’s a patient man and will hide for as long as he can. I don’t want to be living here for years.”

Evans nodded. “I know. We’re doing our best, ma’am.”

“From the bits and pieces you’ve told me, and from my own knowledge of how Flavian, Nikos, and Oscar operated, I’m gathering that the operation is ongoing, and I’m stuck here for the foreseeable future.”

Evans and Tanaka stared at each other and then at Corinne.

“Many of our informants are in danger,” Tanaka admitted.

“You’re here to tell me that I can’t go home.” Corinne would love to go back to Key Largo. To see Pete and Angelina and everyone else at church again. To send Dahlia to school. To get a decent job somewhere. To live a normal life.

“Like I said, we’re doing our best,” Evans repeated herself. “I can’t tell you much more than that.”

“So why are you here?” Corinne tried not to lose her patience. But any time now, her baby could wake up, and then their conversation would be over. “If you need my help, I have already told Agent Tanaka before that I can’t remember too much about the years I was with Flavian. I was abused and I blocked most of the days from my memory banks. However, if you ask me pertinent questions, maybe they will trigger a memory or more. You know what I mean?”

Tanaka sat up. “I told you, Stella. I would like to trust her, or else more informants will die.”

“Die?” Corinne nearly fell off her chair.

Tanaka nodded. “We’re having a crisis. That’s why we had to go outside the FBI to get help. That’s why you’re here at this hideout instead of at a documented safe house.”

“Have you talked to Esperanza Diaz-Mendenhall?” Corinne asked. The owner of Mendenhall Retreat was also the leader of the Mendenhall Security team that did undercover work and special operations all over the world.

“Actually, we have a meeting with her after this.” Tanaka pointed to the kitchen where the pot of water was boiling.

Corinne didn’t even hear it. It wasn’t a whistling kettle, after all.

As she made loose leaf tea for Evans, she heard Tanaka saying she’d like a cup too, if it wasn’t too late. “No, not too late.”

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