Chapter 486 Stepmother
Mary finished her donuts and left.
But the discussion aroused by her news did not end.
The tone of the deputy team still couldn't hide their excitement, "I can't believe that Sofia de la Rosa is still alive! It's incredible."
Jackson asked curiously, "Deputy team, have you ever investigated the kidnapping of Sofia de la Rosa?"
The deputy team nodded, "Yes, that was already ten years ago, but I was only assisting in the investigation back then.
This kidnapping case is still dominated by the FBI. "
Jenny was puzzled, "Ten years have passed, why are these two cases connected?"
"It's not accidental. I guessed that the two cases should be related." The deputy team recalled, "Ten years ago, Sofia was kidnapped while playing in a community park. Her father was a diamond merchant. , the kidnappers called her father and extorted five million dollars worth of diamonds.
Sophia's father called the police, and the FBI began investigating the case.
Afterwards, the kidnappers told the time and place of the transaction, and the FBI and the police deployed it in advance.
That night, we caught the person who came to pick up the diamonds at the trading place, and the arrest went very smoothly.
That person also confessed to an accomplice, but none of them admitted that they were kidnappers, they only said that they were diamond merchants, and they came here to pick up the goods according to the customer's agreement.
Afterwards, the FBI investigated them, and the real identities of the two were black market dealers.
The kidnapper never called again, and we didn't find any clues about the hostages.
We always thought that Sofia was torn apart. "
Jackson listened intently and concluded, “Ten years ago, the kidnapping of Sophia was a diamond extortion, and the kidnapping we are investigating now is a gold extortion.
The kidnappers in both kidnapping cases passed on the most risky part of paying ransom to black market dealers.
Although the two kidnapping cases were separated by ten years, the modus operandi was almost the same. "
The deputy team nodded, "That's right, that's why I suspect that the two cases are related.
At first, I just thought that the kidnapper was back, but I didn’t expect that the victim who was kidnapped ten years ago was still alive, which was a surprise. "
Jenny said, "It's really unbelievable. Normally, if the kidnapper gets the ransom, he will tear up the ticket. If the kidnapper doesn't get the ransom, there is almost no possibility of the hostage surviving.
However, Sofia survived and was involved in another kidnapping case ten years later, which sounds a bit unbelievable. "
Jackson speculated, "Is it possible that there were other secrets behind the kidnapping case back then, for example, the hostages directed and acted themselves, so they were not torn apart."
The deputy team thought for a moment, "This possibility is very small. Sophia was only ten years old. Even if she directs and acts on her own, it is impossible to leave for ten years."
Jenny frowned slightly, "Maybe she was abused at home back then, and she just wanted to leave the family by being kidnapped."
The deputy team did not make a judgment immediately, and said, "The FBI led the investigation of this kidnapping case back then, and lapd only assisted in the investigation. I don't know many specific circumstances."
Speaking of this, the deputy team glanced around, "Where's Luke? Why haven't I seen him?"
Jackson said, "It should be in the captain's office."
The deputy team shrugged, "Then why didn't he come out? Or did he go out, but you didn't see it."
"Crackling..."
The office door opened, and Luke walked out with a document, "Here I am."
The deputy team reminded that "the kidnapping case has made new progress."
"I know, I hear it all in there."
"Then why don't you come out?"
"Because I'm looking at it." Luke handed over the document in his hand.
The deputy team opened it and said in surprise, "The files of the Sofia kidnapping case.
And it’s the FBI’s detailed file, how did you get it? "
Luke said disapprovingly, "I was originally a criminal investigation consultant of the FBI, and it is not difficult to transfer a file."
"Cool!" Jackson showed a look of admiration.
"I have to say, you really did a good job in this matter." The deputy team sat at the table and couldn't wait to start checking the files.
It has been ten years, and he has forgotten many details of the case.
Luke smiled, it's rare that old talkers sometimes give in.
Twenty minutes later, the deputy team carefully read the file of Sofia's kidnapping case, and said, "This file is indeed more detailed than the police's.
And three years after the kidnapping, the FBI has continued to follow up and investigate.
Which also includes some of the family members of the hostages.
According to the archives, the father of the hostage died of illness in the third year after the kidnapping.
Perhaps also because of the death of the hostage's father, the FBI gave up the follow-up investigation of the case. "
Jackson asked subconsciously, "Where is the mother of hostage Sofia de la Rosa?"
The deputy team replied, "Sofia's biological mother passed away when she was very young.
When Sofia was eight, her father and stepmother remarried.
Back then, I also met Sofia's stepmother, she was a very elegant woman.
I think we can make a connection, if she is still alive. "
Luke ordered, "Matthew, check the current contact information and address of Sofia's stepmother."
"Yes, sir."
"Deputy team, get ready. When Matthew finds out the address, we will visit her."
The deputy team was silent, with a troubled look on his face, "I won't go, you can take the others.
I participated in this kidnapping case back then, but the case was not solved.
I don't want my old ideas to cloud your thinking.
You take other people, and we will discuss the case when we come back. "
"OK, Jackson, you come with me."
"Yes, sir."
Herdo community.
Half an hour later, Jackson drove to the new address of Sofia's stepmother's house.
Luke got out of the car and habitually looked around.
Jackson leaned over and asked, "Captain, why is the deputy team unwilling to come? Will his so-called preconceived notions really affect other people's thinking and case handling?
Why haven't I heard him mention it before? "
Luke laughed, "Don't be stupid, he's just too embarrassed to face the victim's family."
Jackson "…"
After Luke's point, he also figured it out.
Ten years have passed since Sofia was kidnapped, and the case has never been solved. As a police officer involved in the investigation, the identity of the deputy team is indeed a bit embarrassing.
This is a high-end community, and the courtyard of Sofia’s stepmother’s villa covers a large area.
Jackson walked to the gate of the yard and rang the bell.
After a while, the video doorbell was turned on, and a white man in his thirties appeared in the video, "This is Kelly Lux's house, who are you looking for?"
Jackson flashed his police badge, "lapd, we're here to find Kelly Lux."
"What's the matter with you?"
Jackson asked, "What's your relationship with Kelly Lux?"
"I'm her boyfriend, Mike Carlomon."
"Is Kelly Lux home? We need to talk to her face to face."
"OK, wait a moment."
Not long after, the courtyard door opened.
Luke and Jackson entered the yard one after the other.
Luke took a closer look. The yard is beautifully arranged. It should have been specially designed by someone. He thought of the villa he was building. After the house was built, he would also arrange the yard well.
At this time, the door also opened, and Mike Carlomon stood at the door and made a gesture of invitation, "Kelly is waiting for you in the living room, come with me."
Luke walked into the lobby of the villa. Because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the living room is very bright and the furniture is also very exquisite. The overall decoration style is more classical.
Walking down from the second floor of the villa, a Caucasian woman in her forties, wearing a long white dress, elegant and decent, asked, "Two police officers, what can I do for you?"
Jackson looked at the other party, "Are you Ms. Kelly Lux?"
"it's me."
"I'm Detective Jackson from the Robbery and Murder Division. This is our Captain Li. We want to talk to you alone." Jackson glanced at Mike Carlomon, indicating something.
Kelly Lux said lightly, "He is my boyfriend, I have nothing to hide from him, just tell me."
Luke cut to the chase, "We want to talk about the Sofia de la Rosa case."
Kelly Lux's face changed slightly, she took a deep breath, and turned to look at Mike Carlomon, "Honey, the desk in my study on the second floor is broken, can you fix it for me?"
"Okay, I have something to call me." Mike Carlomon looked at Kelly Lux, then glanced at Luke and the two before turning and going upstairs.
"Please take a seat." Kelly Lux sat on the sofa, looked at Luke opposite, puzzled, "Captain Li, ten years have passed since that case.
I've been trying to make myself forget, why are you guys bringing this up again? "
Luke stared at her expression, "We found Sofia de la Rosa."
Kelly Lux showed a shocked look, "God, did you find her body?"
Luke corrects, "Sofia de la Rosa isn't dead, at least not when we found her."
"What? Sofia is not dead!" Kelly Lux opened her mouth wide, even more unbelievable, "Is what you said true?"
"Yes, we found her DNA while investigating another case, and she is likely still alive."
"God, how is this possible!
Ten years have passed since the kidnapping case. If she is still alive, she should be twenty years old.
Then why doesn't she go home? Why not call the police? "
"This is what we want to know too. We came here today to learn about her and the kidnapping case back then."
Kelly Lux sighed, "It's been so many years since the kidnapping case, I can't remember many things.
My husband also passed away because of this incident...
I can't believe Sofia is alive..."
Luke said, "Ms. De La Rosa, can you describe to us what happened in the kidnapping case?"
"I will try my best."
Kelly Lux frowned again, lost in memory, "It was the summer of 2013, Sofia had just turned 10, and her father gave her a new bike, and I bought her A new suit, shoes.
She likes that bike very much and often rides it in the community.
On June 16th, after school, she said she had invited a friend to a community park, and left by bicycle.
At that time, her father and I were not at home, and we also heard about it after the fact from the nanny.
Afterwards, Sophia's father received a blackmail call from the robber, demanding to prepare five million dollars in diamonds, and he was not allowed to call the police, otherwise the ticket would be torn up.
I can't remember what time it was, I just remember it was a total mess.
We didn't fully believe it at first, and we tried to find Sophia, but we couldn't find it. Later, her father was worried about Sophia's safety, so he called the police.
The police arrived first, then the FBI...
We trusted them a lot, unreservedly, and it turned out...they told us we had the wrong guy.
Sophia is totally out of news, they have betrayed our trust.
My husband also died because of excessive grief...
This incident changed our entire family, and it also changed the trajectory of my life. "
"Did anything special happen before and after the kidnapping, or did you see any suspicious people?"
Kelly Lux was silent for a moment, then shook her head, "It's been too long, I can't remember."
“How long has the babysitter at that time been working in your home?”
"It's been a long time since I met Sophia's father, the nanny has been taking care of them."
"During these years, do you still have contact with the nanny?"
“No, half a year after the kidnapping, the nanny left.
No contact after that... We were all avoiding that, it was horrible. "
"Do you still have photos of Sofia from when she was little?"
"No. I've been trying to forget that terrible memory. I've lost a lot of things, moved to a new place, tried to start a new life...but it's not that easy."
"Does Sophia have any physical characteristics?"
Kelly Lux recalled for a while, "I remember, she had a scratch on her right arm."
"Is there anything else?" Luke also saw this message in the FBI case file.
Kelly Lux pondered for a moment, then shook her head, "No, I can't remember."
Luke asked, "Anything else to add?"
"No."
"OK, let's talk about this first today." Luke stood up and handed her a business card, "If you think of new clues, you can call me."
"I will." Kelly Lux took the business card with both hands, and said solemnly, "Captain Li, please bring Sophia back. She has suffered too much these years, and she must be rescued." .”
"We'll do our best." After Luke finished speaking, he got up and left.
Kelly Lux sent the two to the door of the room, and watched the two leave in the police car.
Jackson glanced at the mansion in the distance from the rearview mirror, and said, "Captain, I always think her attitude is a bit strange?"
"How to say?"
“It’s been ten years, and as a mother, knowing that her daughter might be alive, I thought she would be especially excited and emotional, and maybe even cry.
But not at all, other than a little startled at first, she quickly calmed down. "
Luke said, "This only shows that the relationship between them is not very deep.
She is a stepmother, not a biological mother. Ten years have passed, too many things have happened during this period, Sophia's father has also died, and there is no deep bond between her and Sophia. "
Jackson continued, "There is one more thing that makes me suspicious. You told her you found Sophia. She said directly, 'God, you found her body?'
How did she conclude that Sophia must be dead? Was it too arbitrary, or did she know something in the first place? "
Luke thought for a while, "In fact, after so many years, everyone subconsciously knew that Sophia was dead, not only she thought so, but also the deputy team.
I don't think it is necessary to over-interpret. After Luke finished speaking, he asked, "Do you suspect that Kelly Lux is related to the kidnapping of Sophia?" "
Jackson hesitated, "I... don't know what to say."
"It's just a hypothetical case, just state your speculation."
Jackson nodded, "Sophia was kidnapped, Sophia's father died, Kelly Lux lives in a mansion, and has a handsome boyfriend who is younger than me, I always feel...
Isn’t there such a sentence?
Whoever is the biggest beneficiary may be the murderer. "
Luke did not dampen his enthusiasm, and said, "There is some truth to the speculation, and this possibility is not completely ruled out, but you have to find evidence."
Jackson was full of confidence, "I have found the direction of the investigation."
"Tell me."
"nanny.
Judging from Kelly Lux's tone, that nanny should have stayed at Sophia's house for many years. Perhaps apart from Sophia's father, the nanny is the person who knows Sophia best and can describe the case more objectively.
Captain, what do you think? "
Luke agrees, "I noticed the babysitter too, but she doesn't have her exact address in the FBI file, and her phone number has changed.
You have to find her first. "
Jackson laughed, "I will."
(end of this chapter)