2021-07-07
1 小时 0 分钟It's early in Arroyo Grande, and I'm sitting in my car, waiting.
I think back to two years ago, sitting in this car for hours in San Pedro, down the street from Paul Flores's house.
Again, just waiting.
The question I rehearsed a dozen times to ask him now seems naive in hindsight.
Like a handful of people before me, I really expected that Paul would be willing to talk to me if I just approached him the right way, that no one could want to keep a secret like this.
That with empathy, encouragement, and sincerity, Paul Flores would be willing to break two decades of silence.
I should have known better, because for 24 years, ten months, two weeks, and five days, silence worked for the Flores family.
On the advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer that question based on the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
It worked for Ruben Flores.
Okay.
Are you therefore refusing to answer my question, Mister Flores?
Yes, I'm refusing.
It worked for Susan Flores.
I believe I have a right to that information.
And if you don't give me the information, then I will go to the court, and I'll seek a second deposition, and I'll get sanctions against you personally and make you pay for my time and these people's time and the transportation of my client.
If you don't give me answers to questions that I believe I reasonably have.
A right to have, so be it.
So you are refusing to answer the question?
Correct.
And it continued to work for Paul over a decade later, did you have.