Chapter 13 - Conrad Yates Had Been Doing This for Seventeen YearsFederal investigators took a larger role.
Dana hated losing control.
She also knew the case needed resources beyond one city.
Interstate identity fraud.
Kidnapping.
Multiple jurisdictions.
Long-term false identities.
Conrad Yates became the priority.
Dana remained involved because Nora’s case had opened everything.
Tessa’s history produced the first clue.
She remembered a town.
Not exact.
Near El Paso.
A church her foster placement once visited.
Conrad had told her he grew up “east of there where the land turns flat.”
That described half of Texas.
Then the red leather book helped indirectly.
Conrad had photographed pages for backup.
One recovered file at Juniper Lodge contained partial images.
Names.
Real and assigned.
Some dates.
Some notes.
Tessa’s entry:
EMILY? — approx. 17 — no documents — assigned T. Monroe
Question mark.
Even Conrad did not know her real surname.
Nora:
Nora Bell → Rachel Lane
Samantha:
Samantha Ruiz → Jane Palmer
Others.
Then Dana found a name she recognized.
Travis Cole → Thomas Reed (reserve)
Conrad had prepared escape identities even for accomplices.
Silas:
Silas Vale → Everett Stone
Boyd:
No reserve.
Dana noticed.
Boyd was disposable.
Marla:
No reserve.
Disposable.
Conrad and Silas protected themselves and Travis.
Everyone else could take the fall.
Then another page:
C. Yates → Daniel Harker
Dana searched.
Daniel Harker possessed a Texas driver’s license.
Address near Fort Stockton.
Property records.
Small house.
Utilities active.
Investigators moved.
Empty.
But recently occupied.
Red leather book gone.
Conrad one step ahead.
Then they found a camera facing the road.
He had watched approaches remotely.
Someone had warned him?
Maybe news coverage.
Maybe common sense.
Dana resisted conspiracy.
The case was public now.
Conrad knew police wanted him.
No inside leak necessary.
Then Nora called Dana from recovery.
“I remembered something.”
Dana smiled.
“You’re becoming expensive.”
“What?”
“Every memory creates another search warrant.”
Nora laughed.
Good sound.
“What did you remember?”
“Conrad had a dog.”
Dana waited.
“Not useful.”
“Maybe.”
“What kind?”
“Old cattle dog.”
“Name?”
“Blue.”
“Very creative.”
Nora continued:
“He kept talking about needing to get Blue from his sister.”
Dana’s attention sharpened.
“Sister.”
“Yes.”
“Name?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where?”
“Texas.”
Dana searched Yates family records.
One sister.
Gloria Yates Benton.
Lives near Alpine, Texas.
Ranch property.
Investigators contacted local authorities quietly.
Gloria claimed she had not seen Conrad in years.
Then someone noticed a dog in a recent social-media photo.
Blue heeler.
Old.
Caption:
Conrad’s stubborn dog still thinks he owns my porch.
Posted three months earlier.
Gloria had lied.
A warrant process followed.
No Conrad.
But the dog was there.
So were clothes.
A red leather notebook?
No.
Then Gloria broke.
“He came yesterday.”
“Where did he go?”
“I don’t know.”
“Vehicle?”
She described it.
Authorities issued alerts.
Then Dana received news from prosecutors.
Boyd Rake wanted a deal.
He knew where Conrad might go.
Dana and Luis interviewed him.
Boyd looked smaller without desert darkness and four men behind him.
“You left Marla.”
Dana said.
Boyd shrugged.
“She left herself when she got caught.”
“You were caught too.”
“Eventually.”
“What do you want?”
“Reduced time.”
“Not my decision.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To hear whether you’re worth prosecutors listening.”
Boyd smiled.
“You’re meaner without the helmet.”
Dana ignored it.
“Conrad.”
Boyd leaned back.
“He hates Silas.”
“That’s new.”
“They worked together.”
“People can work together and hate each other.”
True.
“Where does Conrad go?”
“Old hunting place.”
“Where?”
“Big Bend.”
Dana stared.
“Specific.”
“I never went.”
“Then how know?”
“Silas complained.”
“About?”
“Conrad disappears there.”
Boyd described a remote cabin owned through someone else.
Investigators checked.
Possible property connected to Gloria’s deceased husband.
Big Bend region.
Search teams mobilized.
Boyd continued:
“You won’t find him there.”
Dana frowned.
“Then why tell me?”
“He’ll go there first.”
“Then?”
“Mexico.”
“Crossing where?”
Boyd smiled.
“I want my deal.”
Dana stood.
“Then you don’t have enough.”
His smile vanished.
“You need me.”
“No.”
Dana opened the door.
“Wait.”
She stopped.
Boyd looked angry.
“There’s a man in Presidio.”
“Name?”
“Rafael.”
“Last name?”
“I don’t know.”
“What does he do?”
“Gets things.”
Dana did not need operational details.
“Would Conrad contact him?”
“Yes.”
“Phone?”
Boyd provided one.
Useful.
Maybe.
Then:
“Did you know Nora was alive?”
Boyd looked away.
“Yes.”
“Did you hurt her?”
His lawyer intervened.
Dana changed.
“Did you know Silas kept her because of the Vale file?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever think about letting her go?”
Boyd laughed.
“No.”
At least no fake redemption.
“Why?”
“Because I like living.”
Dana stared.
“Marla had the same excuse.”
“She’s weak.”
“And you aren’t?”
Boyd’s face hardened.
Dana left.
The Presidio contact became relevant.
Communication records showed a recent call from a number associated with Daniel Harker—Conrad’s false identity.
Authorities tracked lawful leads.
Then another call.
Gloria.
Conrad told his sister:
“I’m going where nobody asks names.”
Dana listened to the recorded communication after proper authorization.
Big Bend.
Border.
Maybe.
Then Conrad added:
“The book stays with me.”
There.
He still had it.
The red book.
Victims.
Real names.
Crimes.
Evidence.
He would not destroy it.
Why?
Control.
Nora had said he liked owning identities.
The book was not just evidence.
It was his proof of power.
That arrogance made him vulnerable.
Then Gloria asked:
“What about the girl?”
Dana froze.
Conrad answered:
“Which one?”
Her stomach turned.
Gloria:
“The new one.”
Conrad sighed.
“She’s not my problem anymore.”
Dana immediately looked at Luis.
New victim.
Another person.
Somewhere between Arizona and Texas, Conrad had apparently taken someone else even while running.
“Who?” Dana whispered.
No answer yet.
Then Conrad said:
“Silas always made this messy. I worked better alone.”
Dana felt cold.
The robbery ring might have been collapsing.
But Conrad’s original behavior existed long before Silas.
He did not need fake pregnancies.
He did not need Boyd.
May you like
He only needed vulnerable people whose identities were already fragile.
And now, cornered, he had returned to what he knew best.
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