Chapter 11 - Thomas Is Found Outside Valladolid
Thomas was found forty hours after he disappeared.
Alive.
Injured.
Dehydrated.
A farmer outside Valladolid spotted him walking near a rural road and called authorities.
Thomas had been forced into a vehicle after leaving his room through a service corridor.
Daniel wanted the black flash drive.
Thomas refused to give up its password.
The drive contained copies of Mar Azul ledgers.
Daniel and another man abandoned Thomas after realizing police attention was increasing.
I did not fly to Mexico immediately.
That surprised everyone, including me.
Thomas was safe in a hospital.
Federal investigators were handling the case.
I needed information before emotion took over.
When we finally spoke, his face was bruised.
He said:
“I’m sorry.”
“For getting kidnapped?”
“For deciding what you were allowed to know.”
That was the right apology.
I asked whether he had ever slept with Claire.
“No.”
“Wanted to?”
“No.”
“Did she?”
“You’ll have to ask Claire.”
May you like
I almost laughed.
It was the first sensible boundary anyone had observed in months.
