Chapter Seven
As usual, Horatio was the first of the day shift to arrive at the lab in the morning. The last remnants of the night shift were departing, the glass and stone halls glittering quietly in the orange morning sun. Perhaps it was because he was so used to this peace that it came as a surprise to find someone already sitting in his office.
The stranger was in a funeral-worthy black suit. He was a middle-aged man with pale skin and a receding hairline. He stood up when Horatio entered.
"Lieutenant Caine?"
"That's right."
"My name is Agent David Welford, Homeland Security." He firmly shook Horatio's hand.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Agent Welford?"
"Are you familiar with a man named Dardan Fatmir?" he asked.
"I am, we brought him in for questioning yesterday in relation to a murder investigation," Horatio answered. "May I ask what this is about?"
"We've been tracking Dardan for months now," Welford explained. "His brother, Shestan Fatmir, is a reputed trafficker out of Albania. We can't find him, so we've been following Dardan, hoping he might lead us to his brother."
"Trafficker of what, may I ask?"
"Some drugs, but mostly Shestan deals in human cargo, mainly young women," Welford said. "He kidnaps them, forces them into prostitution or sells them to the highest bidder. Like slaves. We've had an incredible amount of trouble catching them in the act, but our sources say the girls are often anywhere between six and twenty years of age."
"I've heard rumors of operations like that," Horatio said. "How can I help?"
Agent Welford looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, you see, two nights ago, Dardan threw off our tail. We couldn't find him anywhere. Until…"
"Until my CSIs called up his immigration profile on the database," Horatio finished. "You flagged his files."
Welford nodded.
"I have a unit tailing him as we speak," Horatio said. "I will put you in touch with them, and your people can join my people."
"I would appreciate that," Welford said. As an afterthought, he added, "You know, I'd heard you didn't get along well with feds."
Horatio smiled wryly. "I have no problems with feds that show me respect in my lab and don't attack my people for things they didn't do."
Welford grinned at that.
"Besides, we have bigger things to worry about than the fed-local rivalry," Horatio added. "I won't tolerate trafficking in my county."
He took out his phone and dialed Tripp's number.
"Good morning, Frank, how's the tailing going?" Horatio asked.
Welford watched as Horatio's face fell, then hardened. He didn't like the look of it. Something wasn't right.
{•}
"This is Wolfe."
"Ryan, it's Horatio."
"Hey, H," Ryan said, gathering up his work things one-handedly. "What's going on? You don't sound so good…"
"Mr. Wolfe, Dardan Fatmir escaped the tail this morning. Tripp is looking for him, but he hasn't had any luck yet."
Ryan froze, nearly dropping the phone. "Where did they lose him?"
"Tripp said he jumped in a car somewhere between Highland and Palm."
Ryan's heart dropped into his stomach.
"H, that's only a few miles from where Natalia lives…," Ryan said numbly.
"Get over there now, Mr. Wolfe! He may be going after Amber!"
Ryan hung up, his nerves buzzing uncontrollably. He raced out the door, grabbing only the essentials: his keys, his badge and his gun.
Only one thought continuously penetrated his panicking mind.
Amber.
