Page 109 of Facing the Enemy
I relayed Jack’s and my meeting with Anna Wright. “She cooperated during our interview, very supportive. She phoned Suzi Phan for information about Hai, gave us numbers to contact Suzi, and shed lots of tears when we told her both young women had been killed. She’s gone over and beyond what I expected.”
“What about the other maternity homes in the city?”
“Nothing yet,” I said. “Two of the centers requested the FBI provide a talk to their birth mothers on what to do if approached by someone who wants to buy their babies. I have it penciled in on my January calendar.”
Risa moistened her lips. “Ms. Wright’s maternity home is one of the largest in the city. Clean. Respected. Faith-focused. Money isn’t an issue due to generous donations. But infant abductions creep to where the babies are. She runs a tight ship and is incredibly organized.” She paused with a sigh. “Except her desk is always a mess.Anyway, I know how she feels about the birth mothers because our church supports them, and I’ve heard firsthand.”
Doubts surfaced about Anna Wright’s directorship. “Have you been to the facility?”
Risa stared at me wide-eyed. “Once. I was part of a church team who volunteered to make repairs to the home. I should have remembered that.”
“Did you spend time with any of the birth mothers?”
Risa tilted her head. “The women worked alongside us. We brought in lunch and later held a worship service. Many had prayer requests, and we did so privately. Some made decisions for Christ, and I counseled them too. Ms. Wright has been on my mind since this morning, something I just couldn’t shake. I feel so incredibly stupid about not telling you about my volunteer work there.”
“Your reason for helping was mission focused and had nothing to do with a case.”
Risa peered at the window behind my chair, staring at something in her mind miles away. Her features darkened, and she touched her mouth.
“Are you thinking the one thing you have in common with Jack and Luke is the maternity home? I didn’t enter the picture until the Addingtons’ baby abduction.”
“Remember Clyde Washington recognized one of Emily Lock’s disguises? I suggest we find out more about Anna Wright. I agree she gives all indications of being a strong woman of faith, and the birth mothers all had commendable things to say about her. In fact I’ve never heard a negative thing about her.”
“Any comments made when you were alone with the women?”
“Ms. Wright protested, said we’d done enough, and she could pray with the women and offer discipleship. I shoved aside her objections as humility and appreciation for what we’d done.” Risa sighed deeply. “And I could be incredibly wrong to suspect her.”
“Or you could be spot-on. The maternity home is a nonprofit. Those supporting the facility are in good standing, and I’ve already checked them out for discrepancies. Her financials are in order too.She could easily launder money and route it to an overseas account.” I glanced up. “Are we yanking at straws or are we on to something?”
“Think about it, Gage. Based on many of the mothers in a low-income category, she could encourage them to give up their babies, and she takes a finder’s fee or more.”
“Florakis could work for her, or she works for him,” I said. “We could talk to her again. Could be nothing. Could be the answer.”
“Add a search warrant. I’m curious about how many former residents chose adoption. Would the information be included in their files? I’d like to find out.”
I grabbed my phone for the call, but Risa stopped me.
“Hear me out,” she said. “Since I was the original target and we’re viewing this from a wild-and-crazy supposition that I could have gotten too close to one of the mothers—I’ll visit Ms. Wright on behalf of my church. Remember I resigned from the FBI, so she won’t suspect a thing but a woman who is representing goodwill. As a college prof, I’m on break until mid-January. The women I talked to a year ago won’t be housed there, but I could ask about them. Others would have taken their place. If Ms. Wright is involved with the abductions, my presence and questions will make her nervous.”
I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest. “Might get you on the other end of a smoking gun.”
“She wouldn’t be stupid.” She pointed to her watch. “It’s two thirty.”
“Risa, are you sure about this?”
“Yep.” She eased up from her chair. “I’ll keep my phone on record. Won’t stand up in court, but her statement could go a long way to prove or disprove her involvement.”
“A recording won’t save your life. Wait until we have a background or a search warrant.”
“Neither will show a thing, or you’d have already interrogated her. I’ll give you ten minutes, then I’m on the road. Traffic will be light on a Saturday afternoon, and I’ll be there and back in no time.”
“Excuse me,” I said. “Our work is never ‘in no time.’”
Risa made a phone call to someone at her church before she finger-waved goodbye.
“Are you flirting with me?” I said.
“Does it matter? I love you.”
