Dama (A Prezly/Paladino Investigation, #5) / A Prezly/Paladino Investigation (ePub)

PIs ELVYRA PREZLY AND CHUCK PALADINO TAKE ON A PRO BONO CASE INVOLVING THE ASSAULT OF A YOUNG IMMIGRANT MOTHER, WHO HAS COME TO LAS CRUCES FROM MEXICO ON A VISA TO WORK AS A CAKE DECORATOR IN A COMMERCIAL BAKERY.

When Coronada "Dama" Yuen-Padilla fails to pick up her four-year son at the preschool Elvyra and Chuck are considering for their twins, Beverly Eliasun, the administrator, pleads with them to find out what happened to her.

A downstairs neighbor tells them Dama is in the hospital, after being assaulted by a local pimp who had harassed and stalked her and her son, Caleb.

A police artist develops a sketch of Dama's assailant and Miguel Dominguez is arrested at his home in El Paso, charged with numerous offenses, including the prostitution of an eleven-year-old girl. His attorney, Sheba Cannelas, argues for bail, but fails. She requests the case be consolidated and moved to Las Cruces. The judge agrees.

The guards ready Dominguez for transport but two men attack them and help Dominguez escape. They stop at Dama's apartment so he can exact his revenge before fleeing to Mexico. They force her neighbor, Patrice Juñoz, to get Dama to open the door. Chuck and Elvyra receive an ominous, silent link from Dama's handheld, rush to the apartment and subdue the three assailants before the police arrive.

After their bail hearings, Sheba Cannelas disappears. Several tips help Chuck and Elvyra track her to Bacalar on the Yucatan Peninsula. Las Cruces Police Detective Mattias Donal sends officers to arrest her for allegedly stealing Dominguez's hoard of gold and silver.

The Assistant DA offers plea deals to the defendants and they accept them. A temporary defense attorney represents them in court, but Dominguez balks, makes threats and rants to the judge. Will newly-appointed Judge Reezer accept their pleas or impose harsher sentences? Elvyra and Chuck work diligently to make sure Dama and Patrice receive the justice they deserve.