Chapter 6 - The Tijuana Extraction
At 7:00 AM, while Sophie rested under the care of three private security guards I had hired to stand watch outside PICU Bed 4, I joined a secure video conference in my office with the FBI Field Office in San Diego and the US Consulate in Tijuana.
On the screen, Agent Marcus Vance of the FBI's Transnational Crime Division gave a brief update.
"Dr. Douglas," Agent Vance reported, "at 0530 hours, Mexican Federal Police, acting on our emergency extradition warrant, executed a search on the Clinica de la Cruz in Tijuana. We located Clara Cole in a secured wing on the third floor."
"What is her condition?" I asked, my knuckles white against the edge of the desk.
"She was heavily sedated with antipsychotics, despite having no psychiatric diagnosis on file," Vance said grimly. "However, medical staff on site have been detained. Once we flushed the sedatives from her system, she was able to state her full name, her daughter’s name, and identify Daniel Cole as the man who had her drugged and transported across the border six years ago."
I let out a long, trembling breath. "Is she safe?"
"She is currently in an ambulance heading toward the border crossing at San Ysidro under heavy federal escort," Vance confirmed. "She will be admitted to UC San Diego Health by 0900 for a full medical evaluation and forensic documentation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has just issued a federal arrest warrant for Daniel Cole on charges of kidnapping, human trafficking, health care fraud, and witness tampering."
"Thank you, Agent Vance," I said. "Please tell her... tell her Sophie is alive, safe, and waiting for her."
"I will, Dr. Douglas. Agent Vance out."
I closed the laptop and turned to Evelyn, who was standing by the window holding her phone.
"Daniel’s arraignment is in forty-five minutes at the Downtown Criminal Courthouse," Evelyn said, a sharp, triumphant smile appearing on her face. "Pendelton just tried to post a preliminary five-million-dollar cash bond. But with the federal warrant dropping in five minutes, the judge is going to deny bail entirely."
"I want to be in that courtroom," I said, putting on my coat.
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"Mara, you haven't slept in twenty-four hours," Evelyn cautioned.
"I don't care," I said, my eyes cold as ice. "I want Daniel to look at me when he realizes he lost everything."
