"Yes. He interviewed a number of us. I thought he'd come to the conclusion that there was no link between Liliana's life here in Texas and what happened in Miami?"
"We're just following up," Alicia interjected. "The case has gone cold, so we're reviewing all the facts in hopes of finding a lead that was previously overlooked. We really appreciate you taking the time to speak with us."
"Of course. Liliana was one of my best friends. I can't believe she's still missing."
"Do you know what Liliana was working on before she left Texas?" he asked.
"It was a murder appeal. Last year a female Navy lieutenant, Melissa Bryer, was convicted of murdering her husband and another woman. Her appeal made its way back to our office about three months ago. Liliana was reviewing the trial transcripts, the evidence and witness testimony to see if there was any merit to the appeal.
Michael's nerves tightened with that piece of information. "It was a double homicide? Who were the victims?"
"The lieutenant's husband, Thomas Bryer, a professor at Texas A&M and his alleged lover, Connie Randolph. The lieutenant was believed to have killed them in a fit of rage after finding them together in her house. The Bryers were living in Navy housing, and since the case involved a naval officer, Lieutenant Bryer was tried in military court."
"What was the basis for the appeal?" Alicia asked.
"Incompetent defense counsel. Lieutenant Bryer had two attorneys work on her case. The first attorney left JAG halfway through the trial to accept a civilian offer. Her replacement attorney was a younger, less experienced counselor. The appeal claims that mistakes were made because of the change in representation and the level of experience of the second lawyer who had not defended a murder case before."
"Why didn't a more experienced lawyer get the case?" he asked.
"We were low on manpower. Some of our attorneys were overseas at the time. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances." She paused for a moment. "But I don't see how the case could be connected to Liliana's disappearance in Florida."
"It may not be, but we need to check it off the list," he said. "Did Liliana find any merit to the appeal?"
"The day before she left town she told me that she thought the lieutenant deserved a new trial, but she didn't say why. I was busy on another case, so I wasn't paying much attention to what she was doing. I wish now that I'd asked her more questions."
"She must have been keeping notes," he said. "Where are those?"
"Detective Kellerman was given access to her computer, and I believe all relevant information was copied and sent back with him as well."
"Could we see that information?" Alicia asked.
Lieutenant Hodges immediately shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not authorized to provide that information to anyone but the police."
Michael was discouraged but not surprised. "Tell me this then—was that case the only one Liliana was working on?"
"There were other smaller pieces of litigation, but that's where she was spending the majority of her time."
"Is there anything else you can tell us?"
"I don't think so. What's happening in Miami?"
"The police investigation has come to a grinding halt," he said.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I was hoping for better news."
"You said you were a friend, not just a coworker."
"Yes."
"Then you need to help us. The police have no more leads to follow and aren't interested in looking into what happened here in Texas, but we're not going to overlook any possible clue. We're going to keep digging and pushing until Liliana comes home."
Lieutenant Hodges suddenly smiled. "I would expect nothing less. Liliana told me about you, Mr. Cordero."
"Please, call me Michael."
"She said that you were her best and most stubborn friend, but that's probably why you got along so well, because she was just as bullheaded."
He was touched that Liliana had spoken to her friend about him.
"She also said that you'd always known her better than anyone else. That you gave her the best present for her thirteenth birthday."
"A second edition of Jane Austen's Emma," he murmured. "I can't believe she told you that."
"You gave her Emma?" Alicia asked curiously.
"It was her favorite book. I saw an edition online that was really old, and I thought she'd like it," he said, feeling a little awkward about the present now.
"She told me because she brought the book to our book club one night," Lieutenant Hodges added. "She said you'd told her she was a lot like Emma, nosy and meddling."
"That's true. She both of those things, but she was also smart and caring."
"She was," Lieutenant Hodges agreed, sadness filling her gaze. "I thought it was just a random attack, that someone grabbed her off the street, Michael. Now you're making me think it wasn't that at all."
"That might have been what happened," he admitted. "But on the chance that it's not, I can't leave any stone unturned. If the situation was reversed, I know Liliana would keep looking for me."
"I'm sure she would."
"Did she tell you that she wanted to see me when she got to Miami?" he asked.
The lieutenant shook her head. "No, she didn't say anything beyond the fact that she didn't care much for her sister's fiancé but she was going to have to be nice now that he was going to be family. She also seemed a little irritated that she was going to have to put her investigation on hold for what she called a week of silly wedding events. She's not the type to enjoy the big bridal show."
"No, she definitely didn't care about that kind of thing."
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the case?" Alicia asked, bringing the conversation back to the appeal. "Were there any other suspects besides the wife? If she didn't do it, does she have any thoughts as to who did? What about someone connected to the woman who was killed? Did she have a boyfriend?"
"Everyone believed Ms. Randolph's boyfriend was Professor Bryer," Lieutenant Hodges replied. "She had an ex-husband, but they'd been divorced for about a year and he wasn't in town when she was killed. He had a strong alibi, too." She paused. "The police spoke to a lot of people: the Bryers' housekeeper, the neighbors, people at the university and also at the company where Connie Randolph was employed. Very few people had any relevant information. Lieutenant Bryer's sister, Cheryl Alton, was, however, quite vocal in defending her sister. She also didn't believe that there was an affair. But she had no proof."
"We really need to see the case file," Michael said. "It sounds like there were a lot of players."
"There were. It was a double homicide, so the investigation had to cover both victims in great detail. One thing is for certain. The bodies were found in the Bryers' house, so whatever relationship Thomas Bryer had with Connie Randolph, they were together the night they were killed. I'm sure you can find a lot of the details on the Internet. The press was very interested in the case. Love triangles are always media headlines, especially when the military and the university are involved. Just about everyone here in Corpus Christi knows someone who's either in the Navy or going to Texas A&M. It's that kind of town."
"Did Connie work at the university?" Alicia asked.
"No, she worked for MDT, which stands for Mission Defense Technology. They're a defense contractor. That's where she met Professor Bryer. He did some consulting work for them."
"What kind of technology?"
"They have many different product lines, electronics, radar systems, weaponry, GPS trackers and other military devices. The company has over ten thousand employees around the country, and at least seven hundred here in Corpus Christi. I know Liliana spent at least two days there talking to people. She came back pretty excited about some of the new technology they were working on." Erin smiled fondly. "Liliana loved gadgets. I think she had a secret desire to be a spy, not a lawyer."
Her words tugged at an old memory in his heart. "She did love spy movies. She'd drag us all to t
he newest Bond movie as soon as it came out, usually at midnight." He exchanged a sad, commiserating look with Lieutenant Hodges.
The lieutenant checked her watch. "I'm sorry to cut this off, but I have to be in court in twenty minutes."
"What about the case files?" he pressed. "Can you give us anything? It would be really helpful. It doesn't have to be official, just informative."
She hesitated. "Where are you staying?"
"The Bayside Hotel."
"If I can come up with any information, I'll leave it at the front desk. How long will you be in town?"
"At least a few days."
"I'll see what I can do."
"We appreciate that. One last question—was Liliana seeing anyone here in Texas?"
"She went out occasionally but nothing ever led to a second date as far as I know. And she had no problems here at work, if that's your next question."
"But what about the lawyer whose performance was the basis of the appeal?" Alicia cut in. "Wouldn't that person have been a little upset that their work was being questioned?"
"Well, sure, but appeals are part of the business. You have to learn to not take them personally."
"Who was that attorney?" Michael asked.
"Vince McIntyre."
"Could we speak to him?"
"He was assigned to a carrier three months ago. He's somewhere in the Indian Ocean right now. I know Liliana spoke to him briefly on the phone, but her investigation needed to be conducted without his influence, so she didn't ask him a lot of questions."
"What about now?" Alicia asked. "Who's handling the appeal now that Liliana is missing?"
"It's still in the process of being reassigned. It's possible I may get it, but my boss hasn't yet made that determination. We've all been hoping that Liliana would return." Lieutenant Hodges got to her feet. "I really do have to go. If you have more questions, you have my number."
"Thanks for your time," Michael said as they walked out of the conference room together.
She paused at the entrance to the lobby. "I want you to bring Liliana home. If it were up to me, I'd give you everything."
"I understand."
"Good luck."
"Thanks," he said. "We could use some good luck for a change."
Twelve
They walked back to the rental car in silence. Michael's brain spun with the information Lieutenant Hodges had presented. There was a lot to think about, which was good. But it was also bad, because there was so much new ground to cover. And were they even heading in the right direction?
He got into the car but didn’t bother to start the engine. He wasn't sure where to go next.
Alicia fastened her seatbelt, and then said, "I think we're on the right track."
"Do you?" He cast her a confused look. "I have no idea what to think. If Liliana's disappearance was connected to the legal case she was investigating, why didn't someone go after her here? Why follow her to Miami?"
"Maybe she wasn't kidnapped. Maybe she went into hiding."
He appreciated her suggestion, but he just couldn't believe it. "She wouldn't have stayed hidden for two months. She would have reached out to someone. She hated to wait. It wasn't in her nature to be that patient. It's been too long."
"Okay, so let's go over what we know."
"We don't know anything," he said in frustration, hitting his hand against the steering wheel.
"We know a lot more now than we did an hour ago," she said, a forceful note in her voice. "We know she was investigating a double homicide, that there's a possibility an innocent person is in jail, which, if true, means there's a murderer on the loose. If Liliana got too close to the truth, she could have put herself in danger."
"Again I have to ask, why would the danger follow her to Miami?"
"Why not? What better way to throw off the police?"
She had a point.
"Did the police review airplane passenger lists to see if anyone came from Texas to Miami who was in Liliana's circle?" Alicia asked.
He stared at her in amazement. "How the hell did you think of that?"
"I don’t know. Just trying to figure things out. Maybe you could ask Diego."
"I'll do that. But there are other ways to get to Florida. Someone could have come by car or train. Liliana was in Miami for three days before she went missing."
"Good point. But it's still something to think about." She pulled out her phone. "I jotted down some notes while you were talking to Lieutenant Hodges. We need to go down the list and speak to some of these people. I'm thinking we should start with Cheryl Alton, Lieutenant Bryer's sister. She has the most to gain by giving us information that might help prove her sister is innocent."
He was more and more impressed by Alicia's deductive skills and her determined spirit couldn't help but lift him up. "You're making a damn good partner, I have to say."
She smiled. "I'm not as emotionally involved as you are. I saw your face when Lieutenant Hodges spoke about the gift you gave to Liliana. I don't know how Detective Kellerman can't see the truth in your eyes. It's so completely obvious to me that you loved her."
His gut twisted in a knot. "I did love her."
"And she loved you. It didn't matter that you hadn't seen each other in years; you were still in her heart and she was in yours."
"Thank you," he said finally. "I don't know how you always know the right thing to say, but somehow you do."
Alicia laughed at that. "I must be on a roll with you, because I'm usually more likely to put my foot in my mouth."
"I want you to know something, Alicia," he said slowly, watching the humor fade from her eyes with the seriousness of his tone.
"What's that?"
He took a moment to find the right words. "I loved Liliana in the purest way. It wasn't romantic. It wasn't sexual. She wasn't the love of my life, and I wasn't hers. She was a sister to me, and I was a brother to her." He paused. "I need you to know that."
"Okay," she said a little uncertainly. "Why do you need me to know that?"
He couldn't get an explanation out of his mouth, because he didn't quite understand the need himself. "I just do."
Their gazes clung together for a long moment, mixed emotions flowing between them.
Alicia drew in a breath and cleared her throat. "All right," she said. "Should I read through my notes?"
"Let's do that later. I want to go to Liliana's apartment. Can you look up the address on your phone? 112 Pierpont Street?"
"Sure." She went into maps on her phone and found directions. "It's really close, about half a mile."
She gave him directions and a few moments later they pulled up in front of a three-story apartment building.
As he stepped onto the sidewalk, he glanced around the neighborhood. It was a modest block of apartment buildings and quiet for almost four o'clock in the afternoon. He suspected most people were at work.
He led the way into the building, which was not a security building. In fact, it looked more like a motel with exterior hallways and an open stairwell. Liliana's unit was on the second floor. It was the last apartment at the end of the hall and across from the laundry room. The blinds in the window of her unit were closed, so it was impossible to see inside.
"Now what?" Alicia asked. "I'm guessing you don't have a key."
"No, I don't."
"Does this apartment even still belong to Liliana? Who's paying the rent?"
"I am. After the first month, the landlord sent a letter to Liliana's father saying that if we didn't pay the rent, we needed to pick up Liliana's things, or he would hire a mover and send us the bill. I told them I'd prepay the rent for a year so that Liliana wouldn't lose her home."
"If you paid the rent, then you should be able to get a key. I wonder if the landlord is on site."
"I don't think he is. And we don't need a key." He pulled out his own key ring, on which he had a very small universal tool set. "Keep a look out, will you?"
"You're going to break i
n?" she asked in surprise. "Do you know how to do that?"
He gave her a dry smile. "I did learn something from my troubled youth, and this lock is child's play."
Within a minute, he had the door open. He stepped inside, Alicia following close behind. He closed the door behind them while Alicia flipped on a lamp to give some light to the shadowy room.
"It smells musty," she commented, wrinkling her nose.
"I should hire a cleaner to come in here once a month."
"Everything is very neat, just dusty."
He walked down the short hallway and into the bedroom. There were only two pieces of furniture: a double bed and a dresser. On the dresser were several framed photographs. He picked up the first one of the Valdez family. "Looks like Christmas last year. David is in the shot with Isabel."
"I no longer think David is a suspect," Alicia said. "I don't think he and Liliana liked each other, but I don't think he was responsible for her disappearance."
"I agree."
Alicia opened the closet door. "Lots of uniforms in here."
He set the photo down and walked over to join her. She was right. There were very few civilian clothes in the closet. His gaze moved up to the top shelf where a box was labeled Photos. He grabbed the box and pulled it off the shelf, coughing as another layer of dust swirled around him.
He set the box on the bed and took off the lid. Inside were hundreds of loose photos, many from Liliana's childhood. He rifled through them, pausing when he came to a photo of a group of kids on the steps in front of a church. The boys were dressed in suits and the girls wore white dresses.
"Did you find something?" Alicia asked.
"First Communion. That's me." He pointed to a kid in the second row, third from the left. "And that's Liliana." His finger slid to the cute, dark-haired girl with big brown eyes and a happy smile standing right next to him. "I was two years late for my First Communion, because my mom had gotten sick the year I was supposed to do it. I ended up making my First Communion with Liliana's grade." As he tossed the photo back in the box, he couldn't help thinking how that moment felt like several lifetimes ago. "I'll take these back to the Valdez family. They'll want them."
Beautiful Storm (Lightning Strikes Book 1) Page 12