Part 12 (1/2)
Emma was numb.
”I understand, Mrs. Lane.” Fenlon nodded to his staff.
At the funeral home, Emma had been invited to place Tyler's stuffed bear inside his casket, alongside his little charred shoes. She had refused to part with the toy bear.
There's nothing in there. I saw someone rescue my baby.
Now, as she watched the casket disappear into the earth, she pressed the stuffed toy to her face.
I know you're not dead. Mommy's going to find you.
16.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
”Got it! Rio Sol Employment Agency, in the financial district.”
Luiz had looked it up online for Gannon as soon as he had returned to the WPA bureau from the law firm. Luiz called and pleaded in Portuguese for a meeting on Gannon's behalf before hanging up.
”They will help us.”
Minutes later they were in a taxi weaving through traffic in Rio de Janeiro's financial district. Gannon didn't have much time to pursue this angle before the others would return from the funerals. He had to find out what role the doc.u.ments from the law firm played in Maria Santo's meeting with Gabriela. He needed to get to someone who knew Maria Santo.
Someone she trusted.
A few blocks after they'd pa.s.sed by the Petrobras building with its sugar-cube architecture, the taxi stopped at the complex where the Rio Sol Employment Agency was located.
They were directed to the north wing, phase two, and the office of Francisco Viana, a small, officious man with a neatly trimmed beard. ”Francisco's English is not so good,” they were told. But Gannon was encouraged when he saw Maria Santo's file on Viana's desk.
After introductions, Viana offered his guests seats.
”The tragedy of the Cafe Amaldo was such a terrible act, my sympathies, Mr. Gannon.”
”Thank you, and our condolences, as well.”
”On the call, Luiz said that you wanted to pay tribute to Maria Santo.”
Viana's English was stronger than Gannon had expected.
”Yes.” Gannon withdrew his notebook. ”We're profiling all the victims.”
”I see,” Viana said. ”You cannot use my name, or the company's name in any news report. We have client confidentiality agreements.”
”How about I take notes for background? And if the agency decides to make a formal statement of condolence, I will use that for my report?”
”Very well, on background as you say, not for publication.”
”Did you know Maria well?”
”She had been my client for three years. She was a very determined young woman.”
”How so?”
”She came from a very tough favela. Like the papers say, her father was a factory worker, her mother was a maid for wealthy people around Gavea and Leblon. Maria's parents wanted a better life for her and sent her to school outside the slum.”
”What kind of a student was she?”
”Excellent.” Viana tapped her file. ”She became very committed to human rights, social justice. She was a community activist and a conscientious worker. She was taking courses to be an administrator.”
”How would you rate her honesty, her integrity?”
”She was beyond reproach. She was one of our best workers.”
”Were there any problems with her work at Worldwide Rio Advogados?”
”None. Wherever she went, she was praised. At Worldwide Rio Advogados Maria was filling in for a worker on maternity leave. It was one of her longer a.s.signments.” Viana stroked his beard as if coaxing a memory. ”There is one odd thing about the firm and Maria.”
”What's that?”
”She was always interested in postings at that specific firm.”
”Why?”
”Again, I must emphasize that this is not for publication?”
”Certainly.”
”There were rumors that Worldwide Rio Advogados represented the interests of big narco networks,” Viana said. ”Some said they set up sh.e.l.l companies for the CIA, or numbered companies operating child labor sweat shops in contravention of UN treaties. All of it rumor, nothing ever surfaced. If it had, we would never send our people there.”
”Yes, but would Maria be the kind of person who would want to expose such activities if she'd found evidence, say doc.u.mented evidence?”
”Perhaps. She was pa.s.sionate about human rights, but really--” Viana shook his head as if to downplay the subject ”--I don't know. Those are only rumors and my speculation is not for publication, please.”
”Where did Maria live?”
”In the favela with her parents, Pedro and Fatima Santo.”
”She never moved out?”
”No, she wanted to make life better in her neighborhood.”
”Which favela?”
”Ceu sobre Rio. Loosely translated, it means, heaven over Rio,” Viana said.