Jack silently revoked his earlier compliment about this federal prison being well-managed. What a shitshow.
Miller Rontree and Flynn Beckett, the two night-shift guards, had been handsomely bribed to facilitate Maldonado and Simic's activities. The surveillance cameras outside Maldonado's solitary cell had been mysteriously malfunctioning ever since.
As for the other guard, who had been stationed with Simic in the watchtower and was shot dead during the escape—he wasn't entirely innocent either. According to Beckett, despite receiving the largest payoff, the man had a big mouth and often joked about the whole situation. Simic must have been holding a grudge for a long time.
Miller Rontree was reportedly Simic's closest friend. Beckett mentioned that he had tried to reason with Simic on multiple occasions, but Simic had become fanatically devoted to Maldonado. Ultimately, Beckett had given up after receiving his own hefty payoff.
Meanwhile, the prison warden's investigation revealed that the guard who had allowed the fake priest inside was Simic's partner—everything was starting to line up.
By the time Jack finished choking down his dinner, Aubrey and JJ had returned, bringing Maldonado's mistress, Emilia, with them. DEA Agent Galeson also arrived with new intel: the identity of the pilot who had died in the helicopter crash.
"The Mexican federal police confirmed he was a Mexican national, based out of Puebla. He'd been working for the Zapotec cartel for years. Escorting their boss back home was probably an honor for him," Galeson explained as he handed over the report. Jack instructed him to get some food and rest before joining Aubrey and JJ for a quick debrief.
The capture at the Scranton airfield had been relatively straightforward. There were only two planes on standby, and when FBI and state police vehicles arrived, one plane attempted to take off but was quickly intercepted. Onboard were a cartel pilot and Emilia, Maldonado's mistress.
Jack entered the interrogation room with Hannah. Emilia was stunning, dressed extravagantly in a silk outfit that barely concealed her impressive figure. She didn't appreciate Jack's line of questioning.
"I'm not Esteban's girlfriend—I'm his wife! He loves me deeply," she snapped in response.
Jack smirked and tossed a photo of Simic onto the table. "You sure about that, Emilia? Because from what we've uncovered, it seems like he's developed... new interests."
"What are you talking about?" Emilia glanced at the photo and burst out laughing. "Is this some kind of joke? Did you mix up the pictures?"
Jack looked up at the ceiling, exasperated. He avoided looking directly at Emilia since her plunging neckline made it nearly impossible to focus on anything else. He forced himself to remain composed.
"Believe it or not, this is no joke. We have solid evidence. Also, as far as I know, Maldonado already has a wife back in Mexico."
Emilia held up her left hand, showing off a massive diamond ring. "Three years ago, just a month before you arrested him, he made me his wife. He loves me and was eager to bring me back to Mexico. I don't know what kind of tricks you're playing, but I won't betray my husband."
"Your husband? Which one?" Hannah interjected with a sarcastic laugh, tracing a circle over her chest. "How many husbands do you have?"
Jack shot her a confused look. Hannah explained, "She's still lactating. My brother's wife, Stella, had the same kind of stains on her clothes. There was no sign of a baby or any baby supplies on the plane, so Maldonado can't be the father."
Jack was momentarily speechless. What the hell is going on? He hadn't noticed the detail earlier—he'd been too distracted trying to maintain eye contact with the overly revealing Emilia.
Maldonado had been imprisoned for over three years in a high-security facility where visits were strictly controlled. There was no way he could have fathered a child during that time. Some prisoners had reportedly smuggled out "biological material" in similar cases, but Maldonado already had multiple children back in Mexico. Why go to such lengths?
Emilia leaned forward again, squeezing her arms together to emphasize the stains. "It's from some medication. My husband likes it this way. It's a special gift I prepared for his return to freedom."
Jack and Hannah exchanged horrified looks. This guy is seriously deranged.
Jack finally muttered, "Well, that explains a lot. Maldonado isn't stupid—if he thought she was cheating, he would've shot her on sight."
After nearly an hour of fruitless interrogation, Jack and Hannah left the room empty-handed.
"She's like a brainless cow," Hannah grumbled angrily.
Jack, still shaken, muttered, "At least we confirmed she's not smart enough to have orchestrated the escape logistics outside the prison."
Jubal, who had been observing from outside the room, handed Jack a stack of reports. "The pilot on the plane didn't seem to be the mastermind either. That leaves the fake priest, but Alice couldn't find any matches through facial recognition."
Jubal glanced around the bustling command center. He knew Jack had deployed the Marshals to investigate cartel hideouts, but this wasn't the place to discuss it openly.
Aubrey and JJ, still processing the insanity of the interrogation, slumped into a sofa. "So, we're stuck waiting on the state police or hoping for a tip from the hotline," Aubrey said, yawning.
"I'll monitor the calls," Galeson offered. He seemed eager to distance himself from the bizarre situation and quietly slipped out of the room.
At the neighboring office, a dozen state police clerks were rotating shifts, answering the hotline calls.
Aubrey stretched lazily. "Our only advantage is that those two fugitives don't know we've intercepted their getaway plane."
"Sorry, that advantage just went up in smoke," Alice interjected, holding up her phone. A news broadcast echoed from the speaker:
"State police remain on high alert. FBI agents recently intercepted a private plane, reportedly intended to fly directly to Mexico…"
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. Captain Roland burst into the office, nearly bumping into Galeson as he exited.
"Someone spotted them near a Walmart in Harrisburg this evening! Our officers pulled the security footage—it's definitely them!"
(End of Chapter)
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