In Search of Valor by Gary Corbin

Author:Gary Corbin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gary Corbin
Published: 2020-03-01T16:00:00+00:00

“You’ve had some experience with parental neglect and family dysfunction, then,” Matthison said, shaking her out of the awful memory.

Val nodded, tight-lipped. Some experience with parental neglect might have been the understatement of the year. Never attentive before Val’s childhood trauma, Mom grew even more distant over the following year. Then, on that final gray, rainy day, Mom stood in the doorway, fumbling with a cigarette and made some excuse about needing to go visit a friend suffering from illness. Without so much as a hug goodbye, she dragged two suitcases to the station wagon and drove off, never to return.

“Then I can see why social work and helping families would interest you,” Matthison said, again interrupting her wandering thoughts. “What’s the draw of police work, though? Were you close to your uncle, perhaps?”

“Very,” Val said, her throat tight. “Uncle Val was my hero, and...well, more than that.” Much more. Uncle Val was the only person other than Beth and her shrink that she’d trusted with the story of what happened with “Uncle” Milt. But he’d died soon after, before he could pursue any police action against her attacker. Val fell silent again and avoided eye contact with the social worker.

Fortunately, Rhonda emerged from the ladies’ room behind Matthison a moment later, her eyes red, her face still wet with tears. “I’m sorry for running out on you all,” she said. “What did I miss?”

“I’d like to speak with you, if I could,” Matthison said to Rhonda. “Ms. Dawes, would you excuse us?”

“Of course.” Val sighed. Again, Matthison was cutting her out of the conversation. Val’s silent frustration grew as Rhonda and Adonna ducked into a meeting room, closing the door behind them.

Val shuffled down the hall, not knowing where it would lead her, or what she should do with herself. She returned to the small conference room she’d used before and sat at the table, facing out. A few officers and clerks glanced at her as they shuffled past, but said nothing, apparently satisfied that she had a reason for being there.

Which she didn’t. But she didn’t know what else to do. She should do something, but what?

A moment later she answered her own question. She’d do what she excelled at, besides sports: research.

Val pulled her laptop out of her backpack and opened her browser. She searched the web for tidbits on Isaac Lewis, finding dozens of items on other men with his name—no help. She added to the search: “Isaac+Lewis+baby.” Several birth announcements filled her screen. No good. She recalled Adonna’s stories and entered a new search: “Isaac+Lewis+foster+child.” This time, a short news article popped up, which she guessed related to the episode Adonna had described, near the airport in Windsor Locks. That caught her attention: a baby trafficker might want easy access to national and international flights. A second article connected him to a carjacking case in Hartford—as a witness, rather than a suspect. A third mentioned his arrest as a bit player in a money-laundering case, also in Hartford.

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