Page 58 of Built of Illusions

He sighed. “So many things. This asshole in jail. His mother to agree to talk to me. You.”

Her smile softened. “I need you, too.” She reached up to kiss his cheek and some of his nerves eased. “She still won’t agree to speak with you?”

He shook his head. “I’ve tried everything.”

“Have you told her she’s not in trouble, that it’s not her fault her son has killed these women? That you understand how scared she must have been to leave? That she could help stop him and get him some help before he comes after her?”

Holy hell. This woman was brilliant. “Appeal to her selfishness while making it seem altruistic. You seriously could be a profiler or a psychologist. You’ve got great insights into human behaviour and thinking.”

She flushed and rolled her eyes. “Artists see beyond the surface, beyond what people want them to see.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know much about artists in general, but you definitely do those things. I’m guessing because you saw a lot of shit in your foster homes.” It pissed him off that some kids had such horrible experiences when he knew exactly how well foster homes should work.

Josie shrugged. “Maybe. I moved a lot, saw a lot of people in all kinds of situations and dealing with all kinds of things. Most people are only focused on surviving and doing the next thing. There are some assholes, but I learned that most people are okay.”

That made him chuckle. “A ringing endorsement for humanity. Most of them are okay.”

She smiled. “Could be worse.”

She was amazing. “Let’s find out if Zenaida is one of the okay ones.”

Nico texted a message to the agents staying with her. He emphasized that she wasn’t to blame and that she could help not only herself but other women. And that she could help her son.

In less than two minutes, he had a return text, telling him Zenaida had agreed to speak with him over video for a few minutes.

He leaned forward and kissed Josie on the cheek. “You did it. I’m going to go upstairs where it’s quiet and talk with her. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.”

He raced up the stairs and then settled his heart rate. Did he have time to put on a fresh shirt? Before he could change, the call came through and he didn’t want to miss his chance. He sat at the desk and propped up the phone.

The agent on the other end, smiled at him. “Hello, Special Agent Rivera. Here’s Ms. Jiminez.” Then the agent backed out of the screen. Apparently she was worried the woman would change her mind and wanted the conversation to happen as quickly as possible.

Zenaida Marie Jiminez stared at the screen without a hint of a smile. He could see an older version of the women her son had targeted. While life’s hardships showed around her eyes and in the set of her jaw, she was still a beautiful woman.

“Thanks for speaking with me, Ms. Jiminez. I’m hoping together we can find a way to help Adrian.” He avoided saying your son, trying to keep the connection as distant as possible. This wasn’t a woman who wanted that connection. He wondered how Josie would sketch her. Her sketches always brought insights and he wished he’d thought to ask for one earlier.

Zenaida nodded, but didn’t speak. Looked like it was up to Nico to figure out the right questions to ask. “I know agents have caught you up on what’s been happening these past few months. I’m glad you’re in a safe place.”

Something flickered in her eyes. Fear?

He worded his question carefully. “We’re trying to ascertain Adrian’s whereabouts and intentions. We know you’ve been out of his orbit for a long time, and we’re glad you’ve been able to stay safe from both him and his father.”

Another flicker in her eyes. The woman had years of practice hiding her emotions. Living with abusive assholes did that to a person.

To Nico’s mind, it didn’t excuse leaving behind a child, but he doubted he had the whole story. It was entirely possible that Charles Nelson had threatened to kill her or the boy if she’d tried to take him. There were many ways for a manipulative abuser to control his victims.

Zenaida could be living with an entire battalion of negative emotions like guilt and fear. He wasn’t in a place to judge. He simply wanted her help to protect Josie and the other women.

“I can’t even pretend to understand what you lived with and I’m sorry for bringing up any difficult memories.”

Nico watched her face harden and he immediately regretted the words. Time to make a fast change, something easy. “Do you know if Adrian has an affinity for souvenirs?”

Her face softened slightly. “I used to send them to the neighbor and have her pass them on when no one was home.”

Bingo. That made sense. The kid had latched onto the souvenirs. In some ways it was proof that he hadn’t been forgotten, but in other ways, it was a reminder that she hadn’t taken him with her.

“Have you found any souvenirs left by your house or place of business? Maybe from some of the places you’ve lived or worked over the years?”

Before he even finished the question, he knew the answer. It showed in the acknowledgement and the fear in Zenaida’s eyes. “They’re from him?”

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