Chapter 7 - The FBI’s Offer
The next morning, Agent Vance returned to my house, accompanied by a young woman in a sharp navy suit who was introduced as Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Jenkins. We sat in my dining room, the sunlight casting long, bright patterns across the table.
"Mrs. Vance, Julian’s call to you was recorded, as you know," Jenkins said, opening a laptop to show a wave file of the conversation. "His attempt to extort and lie to you has only strengthened our wire fraud case. But more importantly, our contacts in Mexico have located them."
"Are they still in Cancun?" I asked.
"Yes. They’re staying in a low-rent motel in the downtown district," Agent Vance replied. "They’re desperate. They tried to sell Melissa's diamond bracelet to a local pawnbroker yesterday, but the broker recognized the brand and called the police, suspecting it was stolen. They fled before the authorities arrived."
"They have no money, no resources, and no friends," Jenkins noted. "But we want to avoid an extradition battle if possible. If they are arrested in Mexico, their lawyers could drag the process out for a year or more. We want them to cross the border back into the US on their own accord."
"And how do we do that?" I asked.
"We play on their greed," Agent Vance said, a sharp, cold glint in his eyes. "We want you to send Julian another message. You tell him that you’ve had time to think, and that you’re willing to compromise. You tell him there is a private home safe in your basement that contains two hundred thousand dollars in cash and bearer bonds—bonds that don't require bank authorization to cash."
"Bearer bonds," I murmured. "A classic trick."
"Exactly. It's a prize they won't be able to resist," Jenkins said. "If they believe there is two hundred thousand dollars sitting in a safe, waiting for them, Julian will leave Melissa behind or bring her with him, but he will come back to this house. The moment he steps onto your property... we will be waiting."
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I looked around my beautiful, quiet home. The thought of Julian stepping foot in here again made my stomach turn, but I knew it was the only way to ensure he never came back permanently.
"Let's do it," I said.
