Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Escaped
We traced nothing.
The disposable phone was too clean.
But Emily called again the following morning.
This time, she wanted to meet.
“Alone,” she told me.
Matteo shook his head.
I ignored him.
“Where?”
“Liberty State Park. Two o'clock.”
“No police.”
“I understand.”
“No Moretti.”
I glanced at Matteo.
“I understand.”
After I hung up, he said, “You’re not going alone.”
“She specifically said—”
“I heard.”
“She’s terrified of your family.”
“She should be.”
I stared at him.
“You really need to work on comforting people.”
“I’m not trying to comfort you.”
At two, I sat alone on a bench.
Technically.
Matteo's men were far enough away that I couldn't see them.
Emily arrived wearing a baseball cap and oversized coat.
She looked barely twenty-five.
She sat without looking at me.
“You're Lauren?”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn't have written about them.”
“Who?”
“Hudson.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Emily's fingers trembled.
“They recruited girls for private events. Good money. Cash tips. Wealthy clients.”
“And then?”
“Some girls were offered special jobs. Travel. Private hosting. They said it was legitimate.”
“But?”
“Michelle realized documents were being falsified.”
“What documents?”
“Employment contracts. Identification records. Debt agreements.”
I felt sick.
“Where are the women?”
“I don't know.”
“Are they alive?”
“I don't know.”
I forced myself to stay calm.
“Tell me about Vincent Moretti.”
Emily finally looked at me.
“He came to dinners.”
“Was he running it?”
“I never saw him give orders.”
“Daniel Voss?”
Her fear was immediate.
“He handled everything.”
“Then why Vincent?”
“Because whenever someone questioned Voss, he said Mr. Moretti protected the business.”
A man's voice spoke behind us.
“He lied.”
Emily jumped.
Matteo stood several yards away.
I shot to my feet.
“I told you to stay back.”
“I did.”
Emily stared at him.
“You’re Matteo.”
“Yes.”
“Vincent said you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“Everything.”
Matteo's expression became stone.
“He told people the Moretti family protected Hudson.”
“He used your name,” I said.
Matteo nodded.
“Yes.”
Emily suddenly looked across the park.
Her face drained.
“That's him.”
A man in a navy coat stood near the road.
Daniel Voss.
He saw us.
Then turned away.
Gabriel moved immediately, but Matteo raised a hand.
“Don't.”
I stared at him.
“You're letting him leave?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because frightened men run to the person they trust.”
I understood.
“You want him followed.”
Matteo looked at Gabriel.
“He already is.”
That evening, Gabriel returned with an address.
An old commercial laundry warehouse in Bayonne.
Registered to a shell company.
The shell company connected to Hudson Hospitality.
“We call the police,” I said.
Matteo shook his head.
“Not yet.”
I slammed my palm on the table.
“There may be women inside.”
“And if Voss has someone inside the department?”
I stopped.
He continued.
“Your investigation was dismissed three times. Voss knew where you lived. He knew where you were eating.”
“You think someone tipped him off.”
“I know someone did.”
“Then what do we do?”
“Find one cop we can trust.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That easy?”
“No.”
Emily spoke from the sofa.
“I know one.”
We turned.
“Detective Ruiz.”
I recognized the name.
“She worked Michelle's case.”
Emily nodded.
“She believed Michelle. Her supervisor removed her.”
Twenty minutes later, I called Detective Carmen Ruiz.
When I said Emily's name, Ruiz stopped me.
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Lauren, listen carefully. If Emily is with you, keep her there.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel Voss just filed a report claiming she stole money from Hudson Hospitality.”
I looked at Matteo.
“How much?”
“Two hundred thousand dollars.”
Emily laughed in disbelief.
“I never had two hundred dollars.”
Ruiz continued.
“Lauren, whatever you're doing, don't go near Hudson.”
“Too late.”
Silence.
Then Ruiz said, “What did you find?”
I looked at Matteo.
He nodded.
I gave Ruiz the Bayonne address.
She went quiet.
“I know that building.”
“How?”
“Michelle's phone pinged near there the night she vanished.”
My pulse jumped.
“Why wasn't it searched?”
“We requested a warrant.”
“And?”
“It was denied.”
“By who?”
“Assistant prosecutor Nathan Cole.”
Matteo’s expression changed.
“You know him?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“How?”
Matteo picked up his jacket.
May you like
“He's Vincent's godson.”
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