Page 42 of The One Who Won’t Get Away
Was she saying what I thought she was saying?“You mean, human trafficking?”
She nodded.“He had connections in a few countries.They let him or his customers adopt kids without the extra paperwork.In most places, you had to go through the courts and all that stuff before they let you take a kid, but he found ways around it.”
Nadya’s hands twisted tight.“Yeah, I don’t think my sisters and I went through the court system for our adoption.”
“And your dad?”I asked.“Where is he now?”
She laughed, bitter.“Probably sunning his balls in Florida.Last I heard, he sold his house, got a fake name, and vanished.”
I looked at Nadya, who was watching Melissa with a kind of desperate hunger, like she needed this to mean something.
“Is there anyone else involved you can tell us about?Even if you don’t know last names, any information could help,” I asked, trying to keep her talking.
Melissa looked at the floor, picking at a spot on her jeans.“There was a man.He liked to hurt people.Even Dad was scared of him.Kids never lasted with him, so he had to get someone new every couple of years.Everyone called him Z.I think I heard my father refer to him as Zeke one time, but I can’t be sure.He had a tattoo on his face.Tears.”
A common tattoo, and it was never good news.It did make me wonder, though.“Did the number of tears increase over time?Especially after...”Fuck.I hated even thinking it, never mind voicing it.“After he’d decide to get a new kid.”
Nadya’s eyes flashed to mine, and I could see her pulse in the hollow of her throat.I reached over and squeezed her hand, careful not to make a big show of it.
“I think he did add more drops over time.I can’t remember for sure when.”Melissa swallowed hard.“He had six tears when my grandparents got me out of there.”
Nadya looked like she was going to puke.I could definitely relate to that.The only thing keeping me levelheaded was the knowledge that if I did my job well, I’d lock that fucker away.
Melissa went on, her words tumbling out faster now.“A year ago, I got a letter.From another victim, Ekaterina, She said she remembered me.Said she was ready to talk.I didn’t call her right away, but when I finally did, the number was disconnected.”
I pulled out my phone and started searching the name.“Do you remember her last name?”
Melissa nodded, a tight jerk of her head.“Orlova.Ekaterina Orlova.”
I typed it in, and sure enough, the NY office had her file.Case agent: Renat Volkov.I could have kissed the universe for that one.
I put my phone away and looked at Melissa.“If we find your dad, would you be willing to testify?”
She laughed again, but there was no joy in it.“I’d pay to watch someone put a bullet in his head.Testify?Sure.But I don’t want him to know where I am.Ever.”
“Understood.”I took a business card from my wallet and set it on the table.“If you think of anything else, or if anyone contacts you, call me.Day or night.”
Melissa looked at the card like it was a live wire, then picked it up and tucked it into her shirt pocket and stood, making it clear our conversation was over.
“You should go,” she said.“People around here get suspicious when strangers hang around too long.”
I got up, and Nadya did, too, a little less steady than when we came in.I thanked Melissa, and we left.
Back in the hall, Nadya stopped halfway down the stairs.She leaned against the wall, breathing hard.I hovered, not sure if she wanted space or support.
“Hey,” I said, keeping my voice low.“You okay?”
She nodded but didn’t look at me.“Yeah.I just...I remember the guy with the tears.”
I waited.Sometimes, silence was the only help worth offering.Finally, she turned, her face blotchy and wet-eyed, but her jaw set with that same stubbornness I’d come to admire.
“I don’t know how you do this,” she said.
I shrugged.“By thinking about all the kids who might still become victims.I might not be able to turn the clock and save the previous victims, but I can save future ones.”
She let out a shaky laugh.“Is that in the FBI training manual?”
“No,” I said.“That’s just me.”
