The Sin That So Easily Entangles

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

It's a wild ride these days on our planet. Yes, the climate is warming, but everything else kind of feels like a hot mess too.

I'm Johanna Wagstaff, host of the podcast What On Earth? I'm a meteorologist, a scientist and a pilot. So buckle up, because I'm here to help you make sense of how people are changing the planet and what we can do about it. Every Saturday on What On Earth, we've got science-backed answers to questions that are actually popping up. We figure out what's a real solution and what's actually just messing things up. And because I'm constantly blown away by this amazing planet, we find a little wonder along the way.

Find and follow What On Earth, wherever you get your podcasts.

SPEAKER_2 (0:39)

This is a CBC Podcast.

Jodie Martinson (0:42)

This is a memoir about sexual assault. Please listen with care.

Vienna Luke discovered something the other day. In the eyes of her nine-year-old, she is not cool.

Vienna Luke (0:57)

My daughter is like, why can't you have a cool job?

Jodie Martinson (1:03)

This revelation happened on the drive to school. The nine-year-old compares her mom to her friend's mom, who's an artist.

Vienna Luke (1:11)

She is creative and she is talented and, yes, she creates beautiful things. She's just like, yeah, I just wish you had a cool job.

Jodie Martinson (1:23)

As far as her nine-year-old can tell, Vienna is wasting her time. She drives around, volunteers for hot lunch at the school, teaches Pilates.

Vienna Luke (1:32)

Your neighborhood mom. And I'm like, well, I teach fitness, isn't that cool?

Jodie Martinson (1:39)

The nine-year-old has no idea what her mom has really been up to for the better part of the last two decades.

Vienna Luke (1:48)

I always think that I'm like, oh, sweetheart. If only you knew what I've been like doing in the background for all these years.

Jodie Martinson (2:05)

Someday, when her daughter is older, she'll sit her down, she'll tell her about a day when she did do something cool. Or maybe she'll just play her this podcast.

It was a Friday in October 2021 Vienna shuffles the kids out the door to school. She puts on dark sunglasses and a puffer jacket with a big hood. She slides into the back of an SUV. Two plainclothes cops are inside. They've given her a code name. She's Agent Layla. She takes a deep breath. They head to the airport.

Vienna gets herself a table at the lounge.

SPEAKER_2 (2:56)

How are you today?

Vienna Luke (2:57)

I'm good, thank you.

SPEAKER_2 (2:58)

I'll let you settle. Let me take this.

Vienna Luke (3:00)

Sure.

Jodie Martinson (3:02)

She tries to blend in. She's wearing a plain white blouse. She's also wearing a hidden microphone.

This is the actual recording.

SPEAKER_1 (3:14)

Are you waiting for a joiner?

Vienna Luke (3:15)

Yeah, I am waiting for someone to join me.

Jodie Martinson (3:19)

Around her at other tables, the cops have taken their positions. She's nervous.

Vienna Luke (3:26)

My heart is starting to race a little bit faster.

Jodie Martinson (3:32)

A few floors above them in a hotel room, there are even more police, the ones running this operation. They're listening to a feed transmitting from a microphone in Vienna's purse. There's one for backup in her bra.

They hear her test the signal.

Vienna Luke (3:49)

Hey there.

Vienna Luke (3:49)

Hey there. Hey there. I'm just talking on my right ear voice.

Jodie Martinson (3:53)

They hang on every word.

Vienna Luke (3:55)

Oh, I think the guy is here.

Jodie Martinson (3:57)

And right on schedule, her target walks toward her table.

Vienna Luke (4:02)

I think he's here. Can you hear me?

Vienna Luke (4:05)

Dang, looks exactly the same.

Jodie Martinson (4:08)

Last time they were alone together, he did something she can't remember. But she knows it was wrong.

Vienna Luke (4:16)

Okay, so, yeah, obviously, haven't really wanted to do this for quite some time. We're going to take this at my pace.

And...

SPEAKER_7 (4:33)

Can I just ask before you start?

SPEAKER_6 (4:35)

Are you recording this?

Vienna Luke (4:37)

No.

Jodie Martinson (4:39)

Of course, she is recording. That's what we're listening to.

This time, she's the one with the secret plan. She needs him to confess, and she needs it on tape.

Vienna Luke (4:52)

So I hope that you're ready to tell me, like, the actual facts. So are you? Do you mean what you say it, what you want to be honest?

SPEAKER_8 (5:02)

This is the time.

SPEAKER_6 (5:03)

So you will get everything you need from me today.

Vienna Luke (5:06)