TRAFFICKED: A Mex Anderson Novel

by Peg Brantley

  “What about security?”

  “At the parties security is pretty low key, but they still stand out. Men who are obviously armed are at the front gate where they clear people to enter, but once you’re at the party area, they’re simply the ones who aren’t drinking or dancing or laughing. They wear suits and you can see an occasional bulge from a weapon.”

  “Do you think he hires additional security for parties?”

  “Probably.”

  Mex looked at Darius. “Maybe that’s our way in.”

  “I doubt it,” Sedona said. “If he does hire additional men, he would do it through a trusted source who would fully vet their employees.”

  “Can you ask around? Find out who he uses?” Mex asked.

  “I don’t see how that could help,” Sedona said.

  “Find out and let us decide if it helps,” Mex said.

  “Is there someone you can call?” Darius asked.

  “Now?”

  “Yes, please,” Darius said before Mex ruined her helpful attitude with a snarky remark. He looked at his friend.

  Mex caught Darius’s glance, shook his head and closed his eyes.

  “What do I tell them about why I’m asking the question?”

  Again, Darius answered before Mex could say something about her deceitful past. “Tell whoever you’re asking you have a friend who is going to vacation in Monterrey and wants to throw a lavish party. Get the name of Montonaldo’s caterer, valet service, and security firm.”

  Sedona reached for her phone and walked to the lobby.

  “Thanks,” Mex said to Darius.

  “I know you too well. And Sedona’s an easy target.”

  Mex called their waitress over and ordered another round of drinks.

  “Maybe you should be the one to interact with my sister,” Mex said. “I seem to have too many unresolved issues with her.”

  “I agree, that’s probably best for right now,” Darius said. “But Mex, she’s reaching out. I don’t know if she’s changed or not and I don’t know if it matters. What she did to you and your family was epic. Something not too many people would ever get past. But she’s trying. And she’s your sister. After this is over consider confronting her with those unresolved issues.”

  Mex nodded, and sipped his drink. “Probably best if you and Cade were there with me. Keep me from killing her.”

  Darius shook his head. “Nope. That would be a gang confrontation. Completely ineffective for the results you’re both looking for.”

  Mex shook his head.

  “This prosecution shows that human trafficking is not simply a big city problem, but unfortunately is a plague which is permeating all of our communities,” said Weld District Attorney Michael Rourke in a news release…. According to a Greeley [Colorado] police affidavit, Burman would find girls on Facebook and offer them chances to make money, then turn them into his prostitutes…. Police learned of his activities after one girl, who had been in a rehab program, shared her story with authorities. Police also talked to one girl who was pregnant with his child.

  —Jury convicts Greeley man of 32 counts in human sex trafficking case, Swift Communications, Inc.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  Sedona walked quickly back into the restaurant and looked at Mex, energy pouring from her. “I have a contact.”

  Mex nodded toward Darius. “Darius will take it from here. He speaks fluent Spanish and I have other things to attend to.”

  Sedona’s expectant face fell. She looked at the floor and slowly lifted her eyes to meet Darius’s. “Okay, then. It’s you and me.” She swallowed and forced a smile.

  Darius hoped they’d made the right decision. He sensed they had. Mex’s emotions where Sedona was concerned were too volatile right now.

  They needed Sedona if they were to have a half-ass chance of rescuing Alexis Halston.

  Mex excused himself from the table. “I trust the two of you to make the necessary arrangements.”

  Sedona sat silently and watched her brother leave the restaurant. “I’ve lost him forever, haven’t I?”

  Darius sat silently.

  “You agree, don’t you?” Sedona asked.

  “I don’t agree or disagree,” Darius said. “Our entire focus right now is on rescuing a young girl being held by a man you know. Everything else is secondary.”

  Sedona blushed and hung her head. “You’re right.” She looked off, unfocused. “Teo used to be such a large part of my life and I resented him. He paid for my roof, he paid for my food. I hated him for taking care of me. Even though I’d done the most despicable thing imaginable. I suppose maybe my guilt merged with my shame. I wouldn’t blame him if he never forgave me.”

  “That’s for another discussion. One between you and your brother.”

  Sedona straightened her back and folded her hands on the table. “You’re right. Let’s get on with this.”

  Darius reached out and held her hand. “For what it’s worth, your brother, your Teo, doesn’t want to hate you forever. He may not know that’s how he feels, but it is. Some day—some day soon—the two of you will yell at each other. You’ll both cry. You’ll both feel like killing each other and want to die at the same time.”

  A tear welled out of Sedona’s eye and trailed down her cheek.

  “But for now, right this minute, let’s think about a young girl who’s being held against her will. Let’s focus on saving her from nightmares and worse. If Sergio Montonaldo has gone through six women, or more, in the last year, there’s no telling when he’ll tire of Alexis Halston. As far as we know, he could become bored with her tomorrow and she’ll never see her family again.”

  Darius dug out a handkerchief and handed it to Sedona. “Are we on the same page?”

  Sedona accepted his offering, dabbed her eyes and returned it. “Yes. Let’s get this done.”

  “Good. What’s the name of your contact?”

  She looked at the note she’d made. “Sanchez Security. Apparently Pablo Sanchez and Montonaldo go back years.”

  Darius tugged his laptop out of its case and placed it on the table. He keyed in “Sanchez Security Monterrey” and brought up their website. “Call them. You’re interested in hiring additional security personnel and want to know their vetting process.”

  “Now?”

  “Now. Aren’t you paying attention? The young girl we’re trying to save is in trouble. Her life could depend on us getting to her in time.”

  Sedona gave him a quick look, like she’d just been clued in to the importance of her role. “Yes, okay. Now.”

  Darius reached in a pocket and gave her a phone. “It’s untraceable.”

  Sedona put her phone aside and took the one he offered.

  “You are particularly interested in hiring black security guards,” Darius said. “They will blend in better with your guests.”

  He pushed a slip of paper across the table and pointed. “This is the number for the cell, and this is the burner email address you’ll give them if we need to use one.”

  Her head bobbed. “Let me think of a scenario.” She stared at her drink, nodded, and punched in the telephone number. “Yes, hello. I’m an advance representative for an American film star who wishes to remain anonymous at this time, and require information.”

  Darius was impressed.

  “My employer is planning a trip to Monterrey on her worldwide tour and wishes to host at least one rather large party. She has her routine security but needs to add to that significantly, probably by at least twenty, for the parties. Can you accommodate her?”

  Sedona nodded impatiently. “What is your vetting process? How can I be sure we’re getting the best, most qualified, and most discreet?”

  She listened for a few minutes while the representative from Sanchez Security ran through his spiel. “Please forgive me, I intend no disrespect, but is it possible for me to speak directly to Mr. Sanchez?”

  Sedona gave Darius a thumbs-up. “Fine. Have him call me. B
ut I’ll need to hear from him within the next fifteen minutes. If I don’t hear from him by then, I’ll have to move on.” She gave the phone number and disconnected the call without saying goodbye.

  Ten minutes had barely passed before Darius’s phone rang.

  “Thank you. That’s good to hear, Mr. Sanchez,” Sedona said. “I’m comfortable with your process. It sounds very thorough. But all of the additional security need to be black. And no suits. My client doesn’t want them to stand out and make her guests feel uncomfortable. We are willing to pay double your usual fee. Can you accommodate us?”

  There was a hesitation. Darius held his breath. He’d submitted his own application to Sanchez Security ten minutes ago.

  “Yes,” Sedona said. “I can wait a few more minutes. But please, no more than twenty.”

  * * *

  Darius sat at the table in the hotel restaurant twirling a fork between his fingers. He wanted to call his wife, but Pamela would hear the stress in his voice and that would not be a good thing. Instead he ordered another drink and fiddled with his silverware.

  Unable to stay away, Mex returned to the table, but checked out by closing his eyes. Darius knew he wasn’t sleeping, just disinviting conversation. Also good.

  Sedona sat stiffly at the table, obviously uncomfortable and unsure of what to say. Truthfully, it was a good thing she said nothing; Darius wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop Mex in time if he cut loose more of his feelings regarding his sister. They needed Sedona.

  The phone rang and Darius put down his fork. Sedona looked toward Mex who didn’t move, then Darius. “It’s the security company.”

  Darius stood and indicated that Sedona should walk with him toward the lobby to take the call. She answered as Darius led her to a quiet and secluded corner.

  “Thank you,” Sedona said. “I appreciate your regard for my time constraints. Please send me the profiles for our internal review.”

  She rolled her eyes as the person on the other end presumably expressed an objection. “It is the policy of my employer that we at least do a cursory vetting of every person in her employ, even through a contracted firm such as yours. If you can’t provide us with the information we can go elsewhere.”

  Sedona settled into a chair. “Thank you. I’ll let you know once we have reviewed the profiles and photos of the twenty guards you propose to provide.”

  “That file is going to be too big for your phone. Do you have your laptop?”

  “It’s in my car.”

  “Get it. I’ll wait here.”

  “What about Mex?”

  “He’s okay. I think he needs alone time.”

  As Sedona made her way to the hotel entrance, Darius located his cell and called Mex. “The security company is sending Sedona twenty profiles. She’s getting her laptop and we’ll look at them from here.”

  “Let’s hope one of them matches you.”

  “Surely they don’t have twenty black guys on their roster.”

  “You’d be surprised how extensive these rosters are.”

  Darius hesitated. “Mex?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Sedona is handling this like a pro. She can think on the fly and make her case.”

  Silence.

  “You might be able to use her again in the future. She’s a natural.”

  Silence.

  “It’s only a thought,” Darius said.

  “Let’s just get through this case, shall we?”

  “Gotcha. Here she comes. Let’s see what we’ve got. I’m hoping to see my mug in the lineup.”

  Sedona came back to their corner and powered up her laptop. “What’s your Wi-Fi code?”

  Darius dug out his keycard envelope and gave Sedona the code.

  “Here we go,” she said.

  They sat next to each other as Sedona scrolled through the guards the security company was offering. She backtracked. Went forward again.

  “You’re not there.”

  Darius couldn’t believe it. “I’m not? They didn’t choose me?”

  “Get over yourself,” Sedona said. “What do we do now?”

  “Okay. Let’s go through these guys. Too old? Too fat? Too whatever? Tell them there are a significant number of guards who don’t fit your profile. You’re good. But tell them enough of their guys won’t work so they’ll be forced to present candidates they really don’t know.”

  “In other words—you.”

  “Yeah. Darius the Dregs.”

  Sedona laughed, and in spite of himself, Darius joined her.

  “Make sure you cull out enough that I have a chance,” Darius said.

  “Leave it to me.”

  With a fierceness that surprised him, Sedona attacked the proposed security guards. He sat back in his chair and thought about what the next few days might bring. He also thought about the new book he would write based on this experience. It would only sell if it ended successfully. It would be up to him to make it happen. This part, anyway.

  “I rejected nine of these guys. My American actor is a bitch. You okay with that?”

  “She can be the queen of the bitches as long as I get included in the new group.”

  “I guess in the next few minutes—I gave him ten—we’ll find out exactly how pitiful you are.”

  “Does Mex know what a task master you can be?”

  Sedona hung her head. When she finally looked up at him, Darius realized he’d never seen eyes so sad. So lost. Eyes that looked so much like her brother’s brimmed with tears. “I’m the reason Mex lost his family. That’s all he cares about. And he’s right.”

  “Look, Sedona, for what it’s worth. If you can help Mex save this young girl you’ll have put some good numbers in your plus column.”

  “There aren’t enough numbers in my plus column to make up for what I did.”

  “That might be true. But what columns can’t factor is the fact that you’re family. And you’re trying your best to come back to him. And Mex is one of the best men I’ve ever known. He has incredible depth.”

  “Not depth enough to forgive what I did.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. But I wouldn’t count it out.”

  The two sat silently, each lost in their own thoughts.

  A pinging sound signified a new email in Sedona’s account. She punched a few keys and Darius drew close to watch.

  The security company had sent optional staff based on Sedona’s requirements. Nine of them. She went through them one by one. “Shit, these guys fit every parameter I demanded.” She scanned through the third, then the fourth.

  “Keep going,” Darius said.

  With every click of the keyboard, Darius’s hopes sank. Not only was he going to have to deal with not advancing this case, he’d have to deal with the feelings of inadequacy not being selected would evoke. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t possibly have been vetted by the security company. It was a matter of pride.

  “Look! There you are,” Sedona said. “The eighth replacement. We’re golden.”

  Darius snapped his attention to the computer screen. Yep, it was him. And not number nine. His eyes flew over the profile and photo they’d submitted. Damn, they made a good choice. He would’ve selected him.

  “Let them know we’re ready to move forward,” Darius said.

  “Already on it,” Sedona said as her hands flew over the keys.

  Brian Williams was found guilty Thursday of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude. …Greeley police detectives originally opened the investigation into Williams after a traffic stop with one of the victims in the fall of 2014. During a roadside interview, the victim made reference to the sex trafficking ring.

  The investigation spanned months after that traffic stop and stretched from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. In addition to the Greeley police department, the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force, the Fort Collins and Colorado Springs police departments all handled the operation.

  by Tommy Simmons, for the Greel
ey Tribune, September 1, 2016

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

  Darius received his instructions and worked to blend in. The next part of their plan was about to play out. He needed to be ready.

  Sedona had managed to pack the rented mansion with people. They were wall-to-wall. Thanks to Mex’s money, no expenses were spared and waiters and waitresses moved among the guests providing drinks and hors d’oeuvres to whoever wanted them. If they were successful in the end, Steven Halston might get one hell of a large expense item. If they weren’t successful, there was no doubt in Darius’s mind that Mex would eat the expense out of guilt.

  Then he saw her. Mex had chartered a private plane to provide both speed and image.

  Cade moved in with an entourage, dark glasses and large hat in place. The American movie star. No doubt there would be photos and videos taken. She needed to play the role. And remain anonymous. The guests began to buzz and then swarm.

  The plan did not have her on the stage for more than a couple of minutes. Darius split from his position on the floor and moved closer. Got ready.

  Suddenly a figure sliced through the crowd toward Cade. Darius applied what he thought of as his Denver Bronco linebacker sacking mode and went on full intercept. The guy was going down.

  Seconds later, Darius jumped up from the floor hauling a man with him and shoving the guy out the door. He didn’t pose like he would’ve as a Bronco linebacker, but instead propelled the supposed perpetrator ahead of him and out of the party that, with Sedona’s encouragement, would continue as if nothing happened. He felt more than saw the security team surround Cade and hustle her from the scene.

  Video done. Social media taken care of. And Sedona made sure the right guests were in the right part of the room to view Darius’s heroics. Darius hoped that the actress, whose name they had borrowed, would believe in the ‘all publicity is good publicity’ philosophy.

  The party might be over but it was a win for their team.

  At least that’s what they hoped.

  One teen from Humboldt County [California] said she started working for a local grower [of marijuana] when she was 12. He gave her methamphetamine to speed up her trimming work, she said, and passed her around to pay off his debts. …The girl eventually ran away, reaching a youth homeless shelter in the county seat of Eureka, only to discover that pimps were using it as a hunting ground. At 14, she said, she became their recruiter.