by Rebecca Deel
Dana sat up on her cot, listened to the sounds growing louder outside her door. A girl crying, begging to go home. The echo of flesh against flesh. A slap? A sharp command from a male. She scowled at the door. Ape man. She could be a hundred years old and would still recognize his hated voice. But who was the girl? Her voice sounded like it belonged to a young girl. Maybe a teenager.
Something about the voice seemed familiar, but Dana couldn’t place it. Maybe the combination of drugs and weird acoustics in this cement prison. She eased off the cot, felt her way around the walls of her pitch-black cell, and pressed her ear to the crack between the door and the frame. “Come on, sweetheart,” she whispered. “Say something else.”
As if the teen heard her near silent plea, the girl said, “Please, just send my mom a message. She’ll give you anything you ask for to get me back.”
Dana gasped. Julie Lynch. She knew it was her young friend. How did Ape man get Julie? She raised her fist and pounded on the door. “Hey, Ape man. Open the door. I need to go to the bathroom.”
Ape man’s meaty fist slammed against the door, making the door rattle. “Keep your mouth shut or I’ll tape it closed.”
“I really need to go. Right now.”
Another cry from Julie. “Dana?” She started screaming. “Help me, Dana. Please.” Then her voice was muffled as if a hand clamped over her mouth.
Dana worked the doorknob desperately despite knowing it was locked. “Come on. Open the door. I already know who the girl is with you in the hall. Let me see Julie for a minute.”
She listened, prayed Ape man would listen to reason. What difference did it make if she and Julie spent a couple minutes together? It’s not like they would be able to escape since Dana was so weak from the small amount of food and water she consumed. The drugs they kept pumping into her system didn’t help. She didn’t stand a chance of escaping.
One minute was all she needed to encourage the petrified teen, maybe help her stay calm. If Julie panicked, Ape man and his friends might hurt her. She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t at least try to help.
A moment later, a key sounded in the lock. Dana moved back, unsure if Ape man would grant her request or backhand her for causing trouble again. Her thug captor shoved open the door and threw the teenager to the floor at Dana’s feet. Dana caught a glimpse of the girl’s jeans and t-shirt before the door closed with a hard clang. A click locked them into the darkness.
Dana knelt beside Julie and gathered the weeping girl into her arms. “Julie, are you okay? Did they hurt you?” She waited for her sobs to subside, anxious to find out whether Julie’s treatment by Ape man and Skyscraper was similar to her own experience.
“They didn’t really hurt me. Some weird doctor guy made me strip. Said it was to prove I was healthy. I don’t understand any of this, Dana. Why won’t they let me go home? Do they want money? If it’s money, Mom will sell everything we own to get me back. All they have to do is ask her for it.”
Although glad her captors hadn’t hurt the girl, Dana didn’t dare tell the teenager what she suspected, that it wouldn’t matter how much money Ms. Lynch scraped together. These people weren’t interested in a ransom. She hugged the girl tighter. “What happened, Julie? How did you end up here?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve been thinking about it for days, but I don’t remember much. I got a message from Grace to meet you at your apartment, but you weren’t home.”
A sharp spear of pain stole Dana’s breath. Grace? Could her friend be involved in all of this with these people? It couldn’t be true. What possible motive would Grace have to betray her and Julie? She forced herself to be honest. Not a betrayal. If Grace was involved, she had sold out both her and Julie. But why? Dana had never crossed Grace on anything more important than shoe styles, certainly nothing vital enough to destroy a friend’s life over.
“Your neighbor across the hall said you were running late and you wanted me to wait with him. That’s the last thing I remember.” Julie paused. “How long have I been here? Do you know?”
“About three weeks.”
“Three weeks? My mom must be insane with worry.”
“Chad is, too.”
Julie moaned. “I miss him so much. I just want one more chance to tell him how much I love him. We talked about getting married in a few years. Dana, I want that life with him and my mom. We’ve got to get out of here. But I don’t think I can run. I’m so tired all the time. They keep giving me shots. I’m scared. What if they get us hooked on something?”
Dana feared getting hooked on some kind of narcotic was the least of their worries. Kicking any habit wouldn’t be fun, but she would take that any day over what she suspected was in store for both of them.
And she knew exactly how Julie felt about missing Chad. Somehow, her near-silent private investigator friend, Jon, had wormed his way into her heart. She and Jon hadn’t gone on a date, only phone conversations, notes, and a few of late-night cups of coffee. He might not think of her as anything more than just a friend who agreed to keep an eye on her boss. Except he did buy her the cell phone, said he’d added her to his plan. He always took her calls, no matter the time. Never seemed in a hurry to end the conversation, either.
And who said she was ready for a date? Dana swallowed against the bile building in her throat. After what Ross had done to her when she was sixteen, Dana didn’t know if she really trusted any man. Yet Jon had eased his way under the barriers she erected against the rest of the men who showed interest in her. Jon had his own issues to deal with, ones she suspected were linked to his career in the military and his black ops work. Maybe his fight with his own demons made her more comfortable with him. Whatever the reason, she knew he had started to melt the ice around her heart. And like Julie’s wish with Chad, Dana wanted to have a chance at a relationship with Jon. She couldn’t give up and lose the one good thing in her life besides Brenna.
“I’m scared, too, Julie. I don’t know how much longer Ape man will leave you in here with me, so I want you to listen. I never sent you or Grace a message to meet at my place. I was out of town on an errand for Mr. Sartelli the day you disappeared. I’m not positive, but I think I’ve been here over a week myself. That means my sister, Brenna, knows something is wrong. I know she’s looking for me. And my friends Jon and Eli are looking, too. They’re private investigators, Julie. They won’t give up until they find us. You have to hold on, okay?”
“Who are these people? Why won’t they let us go?”
Dana closed her eyes, glad for the darkness so Julie couldn’t see her expression. She refused to tell the teen suspicions she hadn’t been able to verify yet. No point terrorizing her further with things that might not be true, suspicions that horrified her in the few waking minutes she was allowed before being forced to accept another shot. “I’m not sure. These bozos aren’t chatty.”
Julie giggled.
Dana’s lips curved upward. “I want you to remember something, Julie. Don’t give up hope, no matter what happens.”
“Mom will get them money if they give her enough time.”
Dana didn’t share the truth she did know. The last time she had talked to Ms. Lynch, no ransom demand had been made for Julie’s safe return. And unless she missed her guess, there wouldn’t be one. Fury flared in her gut. Was it possible Grace had targeted Julie? The girl was young and beautiful, perfect for a human trafficking operation.
But where did that leave her? Dana wasn’t exactly a teen anymore. She wasn’t the right age or body type. Dana didn’t consider herself particularly attractive so why would human traffickers want her?
She shoved aside that troubling thought and rubbed Julie’s back. “Sweetheart, I’m not sure what they want, but I want you to promise me something.”
“Not to give up? Yeah, I promise.”
“That’s good. I’m glad to hear that. Since we’re not sure if these thugs are after money and I don’t know when they’ll let me see you again, I also want y
ou to promise me that no matter what, you will do whatever it takes to survive.”
Julie froze. “Why did you say that? What do you mean?”
A key rattled in the lock.
“Promise me, Julie. No matter what happens, survive.”
“I’m so scared,” the teen whispered. She clung harder to Dana. “But I swear, I won’t give up. I will survive.”
“No matter what it takes. Say it.”
The door swung open. Ape man grabbed Julie’s arm and yanked the girl to her feet. “Whatever it takes, Dana. I promise.”
Ape man dragged Julie out into the hall and slammed the door shut.
The key sounded in the lock and Dana was left alone in the darkness.
Eli jumped to his feet and motioned Jon to take the other side of the door. Within seconds of Tim crossing the threshold, his back hit the wall, the muzzle of Eli’s gun shoved under his chin. Jon shut and locked the door after a quick survey of the hall.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Tim swallowed hard, his involuntary muscle movement shifting the position of Eli’s weapon.
“I’ve been hearing some disturbing intel about you, Tim. You lied to me. You do know where Dana is, don’t you?”
“Wolfe?” Tim struggled against Eli’s hold to no avail. “Are you crazy? Get out of here before I call the cops.”
“Oh, you won’t call the cops, Tim. If you do, you’ll have to explain about the $9,500 that’s been deposited in your account every time a teenage girl disappears around here after crossing paths with a scum bag like you.”
Tim’s movements stilled. “You’re nuts. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The scent of fear rose to Eli’s nostrils. He chuckled. “No, no, Timmy boy. You don’t want to play dumb. I’ll quit playing good cop and go straight to the bad cop.” Eli shoved his weapon harder.
“Okay, okay,” Tim said, his voice sounding choked.
He eased back a little on the weapon’s position, waited for Tim’s coughing fit to end. “You’re involved in Dana’s disappearance up to your eyeballs, Timmy.”
“No, you’ve got it wrong, Wolfe. I swear.”
“Which part is wrong, Timmy?”
“What? Are you an imbecile? All of it is wrong.”
Jon slipped to Tim’s side, grabbed his hand and twisted the wrist. Eli clamped his hand over Tim’s mouth. A muffled groan escaped. At this time of night, people were sleeping. Sounds carried. Unusual sounds drew attention and the cops, neither of which Eli wanted at the moment. He didn’t relish the lengthy explanations to Cal, not to mention the heated lectures delivered while he and Jon scowled from the wrong side of the bars.
“I don’t think my friend likes you much, Timmy,” Eli murmured into the man’s ear. “Just a few more pounds of pressure and your wrist will snap like a twig. You better start talking, bud, or I’ll walk out and let my friend persuade you to talk. And trust me, he knows ways to hurt you without leaving marks, but forces you to tell every secret you’ve ever known within minutes.”
More twisting pressure from Jon.
Another moan from Tim.
Eli lifted his hand from the man’s mouth.
“No more, please.”
Even in the dim lighting, Eli could make out the sheen of sweat glistening on Tim’s face. If the guy wasn’t such a sleaze and involved in Dana’s disappearance, Eli might feel sorry for him. As it was, Tim was lucky Eli still had a conscience.
“Start talking, Timmy, or I walk and leave you to my friend.”
“I didn’t know they took Dana until it was too late.”
A wave of fury washed over him. Tim had known, but done nothing to find Dana. Even an anonymous tip to the cops might have helped them find her. Now, the trail was stone cold and he feared Dana wouldn’t be able to get free on her own. “Wow. Wouldn’t want you for my friend. Real friends pull your bacon out of the fire instead of leaving you to be the enemy’s main course.”
From the corner of his eye, Eli noted the subtle but telling shift in Jon’s hold on their quarry. Tim drew in a breath to yell, but Eli clamped his hand again over the man’s mouth, stifling the noise. He glanced at his partner. His eyebrows rose. Jon’s face was a mask of pure rage. “Ease off,” he whispered. Another minute of Tim’s pathetic moans, then silence except for the man’s harsh breathing.
“Keep talking,” Eli prompted. “Who are ‘they’?”
“I don’t know who they are.”
“Last chance,” Jon whispered. Eli wondered if he would be able to keep his partner from killing Tim before they got all the information they needed. If he’d known how emotionally invested Jon was in the hunt for Dana, he would have insisted his partner stay with Brenna. Eli didn’t have the same skill for interrogation as Jon, but he could get the job done just the same. Might take him longer, though, and they didn’t have time for an extended question-and-answer session.
“Okay, okay.” Tim licked his lips. “I’m supposed to watch for young women that fit a certain profile. You know, pretty, curvy, preferably alone, but never with more than one or two friends. I’m supposed to spike their drinks. That’s it.”
“These girls weren’t supposed to be in your bar or any other, Timmy. Bet most of them were underage.”
“How am I supposed to know that? I’m not an expert in spotting fake IDs.”
“And you think that makes what you did acceptable?” Eli leaned closer, pressed his gun harder. “Didn’t take an expert to notice the girls are jail bait. But the real problem is you are a predator, Timmy. What are you giving them? Rohypnol?”
“Yeah. Easy to get on the street.”
Jon scowled, his eyes narrowing.
“Who do you call after you spot and drug the girls?”
“I don’t know who it is. I don’t even talk to them. Just send a text message. Within minutes, a van arrives to pick up the girls.”
Jon patted Tim down with his free hand. He reached into Tim’s shirt pocket, yanked out his phone and stuffed it into his own pocket.
Tim opened his mouth to protest, noticed Jon’s expression, and clamped his lips shut again without uttering a sound. Eli’s lip curled. Smart prey knew when the predator had them in sight and Jon had a bead on old Tim. If the bar manager knew Jon’s background, he would be terrified. Eli counted himself lucky Jon considered him a friend. Even the idea of Jon targeting him through the sniper scope sent a sheen of cold sweat cascading down his back. When Jon Smith took a shot, he rarely missed. “Do you toss the girls in the van by yourself or does the driver get out and help?”
Tim closed his eyes. “Driver helps.”
“Describe him.”
“Dude’s really tall, man. Maybe Middle Eastern or something. Skin’s kind of dark, but it’s hard to see at night, especially in the alley. It doesn’t have the best lighting. Keep telling the owner he needs to do something about that.”
“Yeah, we’ll be sure to pass on your suggestion to him.” Jon glared at him. “You won’t be in a position to talk to him any time soon.”
Tim shuddered and turned his pleading gaze back to Eli. “Hey, Wolfe, I’m cooperating. Give me a break here.”
“Like you gave those girls? Do you know what those men do with the girls, Timmy?” Eli waited, knowing his answer would determine how painful the next few minutes would be for him.
“I figured they partied a little. You know how teenage girls are these days.”
Eli’s stomach turned. “Can’t say that I do. I don’t spend time with jail bait. But that’s not what happens to these girls, Timmy. They disappear for good.” He leaned in until he could almost see the fear in the man’s eyes. “Someone is selling them, Timmy.”
Tim’s jaw dropped. “Selling them? What are you talking about?”
“Human trafficking, Tim. The people you work for sell these women to the highest bidder. And now they have Dana.”
“No. That can’t be true.”
Jon turned his head and stared at Eli.
/> No words passed between them. They weren’t necessary. Eli sighed. Oh, man. This could get ugly. And he knew Jon was protecting him with deniability, not that Cal would buy Eli’s innocence. “No marks,” Eli muttered.
“No promises.”
Eli released his hold on Tim and stepped back. Immediately his partner assumed control of him, twisting his arm high behind his back and shoving him face first into the wall. Eli left the apartment without a backward glance.
“Where is she, Russell?” Jon murmured.
“I don’t know.”
“You must have had some contact besides just a text message. Even you aren’t stupid enough to answer a text from a number you didn’t recognize. Could have been a cop for all you knew.”
“I . . .” Tim licked his lips again. “I can’t. You don’t understand.”
“Make me understand. Fast. Do you know your employers have a countdown clock running on Dana? They are going to sell her to the highest bidder in thirty-one hours.”
“I didn’t know until it was too late. They had already taken her before I realized she was in danger.”
“And you think that excuses you? What did you think they would do with her, Russell?” This guy could not have been that stupid. He may have tried to lie to himself, but Jon didn’t believe he bought into his own fiction.
Tim remained mute.
“Last chance to do this the painless way,” Jon whispered. “In one minute, I start using more persuasive techniques, the kind guaranteed to get answers in the fastest way possible. If you’re cooperative, you might survive the next few minutes. And trust me, I will enjoy hurting you for what you did to Dana. I won’t lose a wink of sleep if you don’t make it out of this apartment alive.”
To make his point, Jon slammed his fist into Russell’s kidney. The man sank to his knees without a sound. Jon knew from firsthand experience excruciating pain had stolen any breath from Russell and the possibility of noise which might bring the cops.
When Russell finally dragged in a wheezing breath, Jon grabbed hold of his hair, yanked back his head and held his razor-sharp knife against the man’s throat. The blade bit into the skin enough to have Russell freezing in place. “How did they first make contact with you?”
