"Nobody's trying to intimidate you," Miles said, raising his hands in a gesture meant to be calming. "We're investigating a series of murders, and your name came up in connection with the victims. We need to understand the nature of your investigations and whether you might have information that could help us catch the killer. That’s all." This was technically a lie; they were viewing her a potential suspect. But she didn’t need to know that at the moment.
"My investigations are legitimate government work," Carmen shot back, nearly shouting now. "Patricia Vance was systematically defrauding low-income families through fake environmental assessments and illegal eviction procedures. David Goldberg was running predatory lending schemes that targeted elderly homeowners who didn't understand the terms of their loans. These people were criminals, and I was building cases to prosecute them. That’smy job."
The passion in her voice was unmistakable, and Miles could see that she genuinely believed in the importance of her work. But her defensive posture and evasive behavior suggested that there might be more to the story than she was willing to admit.
"We understand that you were doing important work," Vic said, her tone becoming slightly more sympathetic. "But now these people are dead. And we believe they may have been killed by someone with detailed knowledge of their financial crimes. Someone who knew exactly how they were hurting people and decided to take justice into their own hands."
Carmen's expression shifted as she processed this information. Miles could see her anger giving way to what looked like genuine concern. When she spoke again, her voice was softer and there was a slight look of embarrassment on her face. "You really think someone killed them because of their business practices?"
"We think someone killed them and staged their deaths to make statements about wealth and corruption," Miles explained. "The killer demonstrated sophisticated knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy, and they selected victims based on specific types of financial exploitation."
"Which means we need to understand who else might have had access to the kind of detailed information you've been gathering," Vic added. "Your connection to all of them does seem odd, yes…I admit that. So we have to look down that avenue. But more than anything, right now we are hoping you might be able to help us identify who we might be looking for."
Carmen looked between them for a long moment, her professional instincts warring with her obvious desire to avoid further federal scrutiny. Miles could see her weighing the potential risks of cooperation against the possibility that her information might help catch a killer.
"If I agree to answer your questions," she said finally, "I want assurances that this conversation is about helping your investigation, not about questioning the legitimacy of my work."
"You have my word," Vic said. "We're trying to catch a killer, not audit your cases."
Carmen nodded slowly, her posture relaxing slightly as she made her decision. "All right. But I want to do this properly, in an interview room with everything on the record. I’m not taking any chances here. If my information is going to help catch someone who's committing murder, I want to make sure it's done right and to keep myself away from scrutiny."
Miles could appreciate that she was being careful, but it still seemed a bit too defensive in his opinion. But he had to look past that for now. Her knowledge of the victims' financial crimes could provide crucial insights into the killer's selection criteria and methodology. More importantly, her willingness toparticipate in a formal interview suggested that she wasn't trying to hide her involvement in the murders themselves.
Carmen Rodriguez might not turn out to be their murderer, but she clearly had information that could help them. And with four victims already dead, every piece of information she could provide might be crucial to preventing a fifth, a sixth, and beyond.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The interview room at the FBI field office felt even more sterile than the conference room they'd been using as their temporary headquarters. Miles settled into one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs across from Carmen Rodriguez. Vic already occupied the other. Across from them, Carmen sat with her hands folded on the metal table between them. The fluorescent lights overhead cast everything in harsh, unflattering tones, and the windowless walls seemed designed to create psychological pressure.
Carmen appeared calm but alert, her dark eyes moving between Miles and Vic as she waited for their questions to begin. Vic activated a digital recorder and stated the date, time, and participants for the record.
"Ms. Rodriguez, thank you for agreeing to speak with us voluntarily,” Vic began. “As we discussed, we're investigating the murders of Patricia Vance, David Goldberg, Rebecca Thornfield, and Nelson DeWalt. We understand you've had professional dealings with some of these individuals."
"That's correct," Carmen replied, her voice steady and professional. Now that she knew she was being recorded, her voice was softer and more agreeable. "As a financial crimes investigator, I've been building cases involving several prominent San Francisco residents who've engaged in questionable business practices."
Miles leaned forward slightly, recognizing that Vic was giving him an opening to participate more actively in the interview. He'd noticed throughout their brief partnership that she seemed to be testing his performance in different investigative situations. He appreciated the opportunity to demonstrate hisanalytical skills but it also felt like he was being micro-managed in an odd sort of way.
"Can you tell us about the specific nature of your work?" Miles asked. "What kinds of financial crimes do you typically investigate?"
Carmen's posture relaxed slightly as she shifted into a more educational mode. "I specialize in real estate fraud, predatory lending schemes, and market manipulation cases. Basically, I go after people who use their wealth and position to exploit others, particularly vulnerable populations like the elderly or low-income families."
"And you were actively investigating David Goldberg at the time of his death?" Vic asked.
"Yes. Goldberg was running what we call a 'loan-to-own' scheme. That’s a situation where he would offer high-interest loans to elderly homeowners who were struggling financially. The terms were structured so that default was almost inevitable, allowing his company to foreclose and acquire properties worth far more than the original loan amounts."
Miles made mental notes as Carmen explained Goldberg's methods, recognizing the same predatory practices that Jessica Breeding had described. Only Carmen was much more detailed about it all.
"How long had you been building this case?" Vic asked.
"About eight months. These investigations take time because the perpetrators are usually sophisticated enough to stay within the technical boundaries of the law while still engaging in fundamentally unethical behavior."
"What about Patricia Vance? We understand you also had dealings with her development projects."
Carmen's expression became more guarded, but for only a moment. Miles could all but see the gears at work within her skull. "Vance's company was systematically deceiving familiesabout displacement timelines and falsifying environmental impact assessments,” she said. “I was working with Marcus Holloway's legal team to build a case against her firm."
"Working with them how?" Miles pressed, sensing that there was more to this relationship than Carmen was revealing. It was also enlightening to have Holloway’s name pop back up again.
"I provided Mr. Holloway with some information that helped his legal case against Vance's development project."
