Out to Find Freedom

by Lila Rose

  “Wait,” Violet whispered before I could open it. She undid a couple of buttons on her shirt, ruffled her hair. “In case it’s them, we need to look like we did it.”

  Christ, she was right. I quickly pulled off my tee and threw it towards the couch. She nodded. I grabbed the handle, thinking I had to fucking invest in a peephole, and opened the door.

  Butch’s eyes came to me from the open doorway when I swung the door open. He opened his mouth to talk but snapped it closed. He looked at me, over my shoulder, to me, then back over my shoulder. When his eyes shot back to me, he asked, “You got a death wish? Does Travis know about this?”

  Rolling my eyes, I ordered, “Just get the fuck in here.”

  Shaking his head, he stepped in. When he was clear of the front door, I closed it.

  “What is this?” Butch asked, gesturing with his hand to Violet and then me.

  “You seriously think I would go there?” I demanded.

  “Hey.” Violet glared.

  “Well, no, but… the clothes say otherwise.”

  Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose. Then I explained to Butch what was going on. By the end of it, we were sitting in the kitchen with a beer. I’d deemed it safe for us to wander the house since if they saw Butch arrive or his car out front, they’d know we wouldn’t be in bed.

  “Sounds messed up. Want to know something strange though?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just continued, “The manager guy from the club I went to see seemed tweaked by my visit and questions. Well, his car is next door right now.”

  My beer hit the table as I leaned towards him. “What the fuck?”

  Butch nodded. “He must have just got here before I did, but I’d pulled up to grab a snack on the way.”

  I glanced at Violet. “They’re in on it?”

  She shrugged. “Could be. Highly likely.”

  I looked back to Butch. “You think this guy deals the drugs to the girls?”

  “Man, I can’t say for certain, but the dude was suspicious. He wouldn’t meet my gaze the whole time. Kept saying how tired he was after getting back. Now he’s next door, and with what you’ve told me about the characters there, it’s starting to connect some serious dots in my head.”

  “Same here.” I nodded. If that was the case, I wanted to put pressure on the three of them about the drugged-out girls and why the hell Emmie was kept in the basement. Question was, did I go about it the legal way or another? Right then, all I could see was the other way because I had the biggest fucking feeling Emmie needed to get out of there. How long had she been in there in the first place?

  “What are you thinking?” Violet asked.

  “Do we go in now, hard and fast, make them tell us everything they know, and help the woman in their basement? Or play it safe and have all the evidence we need to convict them?”

  “What happens if we do it fast and it backfires? Remember what Emmie said; she won’t let anyone else get hurt because of her. Do they have someone she’s trying to save, which is why she’s staying there?”

  Fuck. If there was, it could mean risking that person if they were at another destination.

  “I need her to tell me.”

  Violet nodded. “You do.”

  I snatched up my phone from the table and typed out a text. “How’s this sound? ‘Emmie, before I can let this drop, like you asked, I need more information first.’”

  “It’s a good start. She won’t know what your questions will be, but she’ll be willing to answer them to protect you.” Violet said. I pressed Send and we all stared down at the phone.

  I ground my teeth together when no text came back right away.

  Movement in the laundry room caught my attention. I looked there to see Travis stepping through the side door, his arm curled around a box. Violet stood, walking over to him. He stopped, their heads bent together. She was telling him what we’d learned from Butch.

  After a few moments, they came into the kitchen with Violet saying, “For now, we’re just waiting on a text from Emmie.”

  “If we fuckin’ get one,” I added.

  “She will,” Violet said, sounding sure.

  Yeah, I had a feeling Emmie would text back, but I was an impatient man. I wanted it now, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be.

  “Violet said you’re thinking of going in for the three of them,” Travis said, taking a seat next to his woman.

  “Just an option to think about,” I told him.

  “What happens if there’s more people in their group? We don’t know if it’s only drugging girls and dumping them that they’re doing. We don’t know how many are involved. Are you willing to let the crew next door be taken in and then they contact their people? We don’t know how dangerous they are. They could come for this Emmie woman or the people she’s worried about.”

  Jesus motherfucking Christ. He was right.

  Going in with force was out of the damn question until we had more answers.

  “They could tell us who they work with,” Butch said.

  “Or they couldn’t. Not many men”—he glanced at Violet—“or women would rat out their partners.”

  “It’s a risk we can’t take right now. Not until we know more.”

  “Agreed.” Violet nodded.

  My phone rang. I quickly looked to the caller ID. Disappointment swept through me when it wasn’t a blocked number. Instead, it was Lan. “Lan,” I answered.

  “Lenny Kavas and Gloria Summers have been living in that house for five years. From what I can tell, they’ve never had a job, been on the dole since then. Two years ago or just over, Gloria’s niece came to live with them.” My body locked tight. “She attended a local school until a friend of the family paid for her to attend a boarding school in Melbourne.”

  “What’s her name?” I clipped through clenched teeth.

  “Emerson Spence.”

  Emerson.

  Emmie.

  “You know what I’m thinkin’?” I asked Lan.

  “That Emerson isn’t really at a school, but in the basement next door to you. They’ve got some decoy at the school instead.”

  “Yes,” I hissed.

  “A friend owes me a favour. She’s on her way to the boarding school now. I’ll see what she can find out. What I don’t understand is why bring in a stranger to pretend to be Emerson in the first place?”

  “That’s something we need to find out. Look, we’ve learnt more too.” I told him what Butch told me, even while my gut ate at my organs.

  Emerson Spence was a teenager.

  A fucking teen.

  She’d told me she was thirty. Why?

  “I’m not liking this at all, Warden. I think the station—”

  “I’m on this.”

  “But—”

  “I’m on this, Lan. I appreciate the help like I said, but this is our case.”

  He sighed. “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it. Look, I’ll also look into this family friend who’s paid the bill for the boarding school.”

  “That’d be good,” I said.

  “Talk soon.”

  “Got it.” As soon as I ended the call, I relayed what Lan said to the others. “I’m gonna go set up the cameras.” I grabbed the box off the table and started from the room.

  “Warden,” Violet called. When I faced her, she asked, “Are you all right?”

  Was I? No. For some fucking reason, I felt played by Emmie, and yet I didn’t have the right to feel that way. So what if she told me she was older than what she was. She’s still a woman in need of help. That was all I had to remember. I’d do my job, get her out, get her safe and living free. That was all.

  “Fine,” I bit out.

  “Warden,” Vi pressed in a tone of warning.

  Unclenching my jaw, I said, “Just want this done. Emerson has been in that basement for God knows how long.”

  Butch stood. “How about I give you a hand with the camera set-up?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You
know I don’t need it.”

  He shrugged. “I know, but I hate sitting around doing nothing.”

  “Let him help,” Violet suggested. Damn it all, she was probably worried where my head was. I didn’t even know myself. What I did know was that no one deserved to be stuck in a motherfucking basement. Rage ignited in my chest. My hands near crushed the box with the equipment in it. I said nothing more and stalked out of the room and up the stairs to grab the rest of the shit I needed.

  It was when we were coming back down the stairs that there was a knock on my front door. “Fuck,” I muttered. If it was either of them from next door, I’d be likely to drag them in and kick the fucking shit out of them.

  “I’ll get it,” Violet said, walking into the room. At the bottom of the stairs, I stopped—with Butch behind me—out of view of the door. Violet opened it, stepped back, and let in her brother, Talon Marcus, president of the Hawks Motorcycle Club. Following him were his most trusted brothers. Griz, Blue, Killer, and Stoke, who was Mally’s man. Shit, they all had good women to call their own.

  Talon gave me a chin lift. Then he gestured to Griz and pointed over to my entertainment unit. When the door was shut, I made my way over. “What the fuck is this? If they see the brothers come in here—”

  Violet yelled, “Let’s get this party started,” just before music blared to life. Closing my eyes, I rocked my head side to side, but the tension upped a level with the pounding music.

  Opening my eyes, I glared at Violet and pointed towards the kitchen. Before I moved, I caught Talon do some hand movements. Blue and Stoke stayed in the living room, sitting on the couch. Stoke pulled a pack of cards free. He caught me looking and lifted his hand to his mouth, pretending to drink. I wasn’t their damn maid.

  A hand slapped my shoulder. “I’ll grab them a beer,” Butch offered. I grunted and went to the kitchen table, setting my things down.

  The door between the kitchen and living room closed; the music quieted a bit. Turning, I demanded, “You wanna tell me what the hell is goin’ on?”

  Violet stepped closer. “I rang them in case we need backup.”

  “I thought you were down with waiting until we had more information. She hasn’t even messaged back.”

  “That was until I spoke to Talon,” she said, then shifted back enough for her brother to step up. Butch got closer to hear what was being said.

  “William Haulder, the manager you’re interested in, has been on a lot of radars in the last couple of days. Only we didn’t have his full name until now. About a month ago, a girl at Maya’s school spread a story about a guy she’d heard of who was selling drugs to underage kids at a club. A week later, that same girl went to this club. She was drugged, raped, and dumped.”

  “We haven’t heard about it from the cops. I’m on a—”

  Talon’s hand shot up. I ground my teeth together and took a deep breath. “The cops know nothin’ about this case; she didn’t report it.” His upper lip rose in a snarl. “Her mother told her not to. No one would believe her. Maya didn’t believe the rumour the girl had spread until a week ago when she caught the girl in the school bathroom trying to kill herself. The girl then confided in Maya about everything. So Maya came and told me. Since then, I’ve been lookin’ into it. Violet’s told me everything you know, and when Haulder’s name came up, I knew it’d be connected. Especially since you’re on the case for that girl in the same situation.” He stopped. Was he waiting for me to say something? Was this the dramatic pause people talked about?

  Fuck that. “Doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

  “Got a tip that the main man for the group is making a drop-off tonight. The address happens to be right next door to you.”

  Fucking hell.

  “You’re goin’ in tonight?”

  He nodded once. “As soon as the guy arrives.”

  “I’m in.”

  “You all are. But you’re gonna be the one walkin’ up to the front door.”

  I smiled. I was goddamn down for that.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  EMERSON

  L oud pumping music filled the air. It seemed Ryan had decided to have a party. Confusion rolled through my mind. Why would he? I didn’t think he would be the type of man to go on with his life as if the strange situation next door to him hadn’t happened. Yet, there he was.

  Glancing to the stairs, I wondered for the millionth time in the last couple of hours if I could risk getting my phone and seeing if Ryan had sent more. But fear had me sitting in the one spot, waiting and listening to what I could from upstairs. I knew someone had arrived, heard muffled voices, but couldn’t make anything out. I didn’t want to move in case somehow me retrieving my phone could lead to Ryan getting hurt.

  I was also scared for myself. Deep down, I knew there was a small fire lit inside me. It burned for more. Burned for love and freedom. For a simple and yet happy life. The fear was ever present though; I worried if I made the wrong move, I would lose it all and my fire would be snuffed out.

  My stomach rumbled, but I wouldn’t be eating. I didn’t have anything left over, and I knew—no, I hoped—Gloria wouldn’t bring anything down so I didn’t have to see her. I still had a feeling she could read me too well, which was why she didn’t really believe what I’d said earlier. I was sure the only reason she wasn’t down here was because of whatever Ryan had said or done.

  The afternoon was turning into a cooler one. I shivered as the breeze swept through the small window down on to me. I needed to get up and grab the old hooded jumper I’d scavenged, but I couldn’t get my body to move. My mind was coherent, only my body wasn’t responding. It kept me where I was, waiting for something.

  After another hour, or what I thought would be an hour, went by, another person arrived upstairs. I wondered if Gloria was having her own type of party. The thought made me sick. If it was anything like the time I’d walked in…. I couldn’t go there with those thoughts. I would spiral down.

  The chill in the air had grown. I unfolded myself from the bed and went over to the hoodie, quickly pulling it on. I grabbed the socks as well, slipping into them, nearly falling over in the process because dizziness swarmed my head when I bent over. I gripped a box to hold me up. Only the old cardboard folded under my weight; I fell to the ground on my hands and knees.

  That was when I heard it. Heavy pounding on the front door above.

  I froze there on the cold concrete and listened, wishing my hearing was stronger than it was. Immediately, I threw that wish away when I heard, “Yo, Jackson, what’s happening?”

  Ryan was there.

  Why was Ryan there?

  My pulse raced. I could feel the beat in my neck.

  His voice was too low for me to hear, but then laughter came through.

  What was happening?

  I needed to know, and yet I didn’t want to.

  He wouldn’t… no, he couldn’t tell them he knew about me, right?

  I fell back to my bottom, gripping my stomach as it threatened to revolt in fear.

  I wouldn’t allow myself to believe for a second that Ryan would do that to me. Not when he offered help in the first place.

  My eyes widened. I sucked in a ragged breath. He wouldn’t be there now to try and help me, would he? Not after my asking him not to.

  Suddenly, feet appeared on the bottom stairs. I hadn’t heard them. I hadn’t heard the door open or close. I let a squeak drop from my lips before I slapped a hand over them. I scooted back on my butt to the corner.

  The feet belonged to a man. They were covered in large boots.

  Mean boots.

  Could boots even be mean?

  What was I thinking?

  The body came into view. I choked on a noise when I saw a rough-looking man with tattoos all over him.

  His eyes swung right to me. His hands came up. One out in front of him, the other lifted a finger went over his lips in a shushing motion. He took a couple of steps towards me, and I scooted behind
boxes into a corner.

  His hand pressed down into the air in front of him. “Settle,” he whispered on a growl. “I’m with Warden.”

  Warden?

  Who was Warden? My mind was too wired with fear that it didn’t place.

  He must have read the confusion on me because he added, “The guy next door.”

  Ryan.

  Why would Ryan send a guy in here who looked like he could kill—and just for the fun of it?

  When he stepped closer again, I pressed my back into the wall behind me. “Relax. Name’s Killer.” My eyes widened and I whimpered. He cursed. “Club name,” he muttered. He pointed to his vest, to one of the patches on it. “Just a club name. We’re gonna get you out.”

  Fear vanished and agitation appeared. It had me up on my feet. “I can’t. I told him I can’t. No one else will get hurt because of me. Just go. Tell Ryan to get out and go. Please.”

  Only he wasn’t listening to me. The shorts I had on came to my upper thighs. His eyes were there, and what I saw in them scared me. They’d hardened. His lips thinned and I could see his jaw clenching.

  “Who did that?”

  If I told him the truth, I had a feeling he would stalk upstairs and hurt Gloria on the spot. I couldn’t let that happen. I didn’t want anyone else involved; it only led to death.

  “I did,” I said quietly.

  His eyes flashed to mine. “Lie.”

  How did he know? “N-no, I—”

  “Don’t bother.” He shook his head. “We need to go and now.”

  “I won’t,” I told him. He didn’t understand it, no one did, but I wasn’t being some dim-witted teen. I was saving people.

  “If you don’t come willingly, I’ll have to take you.”

  “Y-you can’t.” He took another step. I raised my hands in front of me. “Stop. Wait, please. You don’t understand. If I stay, then no harm will come to my friend and her family.”

  “We’ll protect them,” he told me, his voice hard, and it made him sound like he believed what he’d said.

  I shook my head, frustrated tears welling. “It’s not that easy. If it was, I would have called the police on the phone I have.” I flicked away the tear that fell. “Gloria knows people. If she’s taken in, she’ll still get a call out to take care of me, my friend, and her family. I won’t risk more people.”