Page 20 of Twice Missing
"Which is?" Noah pressed.
"That she wasn't the target."
"Who was?" Noah asked.
"Her husband."
"But he's still alive."
"In body," Roberts said.
Noah felt a chill run down his spine. "Go on."
"It's the Mexican cartel theory."
"Mexican cartel?" Noah repeated, incredulous.
Daniel nodded. "Some felt that Emily was taken by the Sinaloa Cartel."
"Why?"
"The string of motels that Nathan owned, the silent partner was Mexican." Daniel took a deep breath before continuing. "There was a rumor that Nathan and his father owed the Mexicans money."
Noah frowned, trying to process this new information. "I don't get it. Why would the cartel be backing a string of motels?"
"Trafficking," Daniel said simply. "There are only two major Mexican cartels involved in trafficking. They operate in all 50 states, not just border regions. They have monopolized the drug market. They control fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin — the product and distribution, the elimination of competition. And that money floods the U.S. market, helping the economy."
Noah's mind was racing. He knew the cartel was operating, but in High Peaks? They'd already busted the one that Daniel was involved in, and another running in town, but had there been a third? "So you think she was involved in drug trafficking?"
"No," Daniel said, his voice grim. "Human trafficking."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implication. Noah felt sick to his stomach. "Human trafficking?"
Daniel nodded. "Like I said, it was a rumor. That's why it never ended up in a report."
"But you followed up on it," Noah pressed.
"That's why we pulled the CCTV footage from the motels."
"How long after?" Noah asked, dreading the answer.
"Too long. It had been overwritten. They generally only keep it for..."
"Forty-eight hours," Noah finished, feeling a sense of frustration. "So you think they were running girls through the motels?" Noah asked, his voice tight with tension.
"That was the theory," Daniel confirmed.
Noah stood there for a moment, mulling it all over. Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a clear evidence bag. "This bracelet was found on Emily. Thoughts?"
Daniel leaned forward, examining the bracelet through the plastic. His eyes narrowed as he studied it. "There was one other theory, related to the reservation."
Noah felt a chill run down his spine as he considered the implications. Trafficking among Native Americans was prevalent. It was one of the many theories behind the MMIW — the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.
"Were you able to confirm this?" Noah asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Daniel shook his head. "No. It remained just a theory."
Noah's mind was working overtime, trying to piece together this new information with what he already knew. "So, Nathan owed them money and the cartel..."
