by M. L. Ray
“Brooke, is everything all right?”
She felt tears fill her eyes and spill over onto her cheeks, “No, it’s not. Tyler, I’ve made such a mess of things…”
“Are you crying? Brooke, don’t cry. Where’s Peter? Put Peter on the phone.” Tyler’s voice had risen and he was almost, but not quite, screaming his questions into the phone out of frustration. He hated it when she, or any female for that matter, cried.
Brooke handed the phone to Peter, and gratefully took the tissues he handed her in exchange.
“Tyler?”
“Peter! What’s going on there? She’s crying!”
“Yeah, I can see that. Look, she’s in a bit of a mess.” He covered the phone and asked her, “How much do you want me to tell him?”
“I don’t care. He’s going to have to hear it all sometime.” And I don’t know how I’m ever going to be courageous enough to do it.
He hated the resignation in her voice, but right now the only way to get her past this hurdle was to show her that Tyler cared for her – no matter what!
“Peter?”
“I’m here. Look, Brooke’s pretty exhausted, but she told me I could fill you in on her situation, as much as I know anyway. It seems her agent in California was working in cahoots with her agent in New York City, and they were using her to model for some foreign magazines with questionable morals. She was also being rented out as a beautiful escort for those who were willing to pay to have their picture taken with her in public.”
“What are you talking about? Are you trying to tell me Brooke was…”
Peter felt anger rise in him at the path Tyler’s mind had taken. His own mind had travelled down that path briefly, but Brooke had assured him that all she was ever required to do was look beautiful and let these men put their arms around her so it appeared as if they were actually with her. Nothing more had happened, and Peter had a sneaky suspicion he’d rescued her just in time.
Lowering his voice, he cautioned the man on the other end of the phone line, “Don’t say it! Don’t even think it! The answer is - No! She wasn’t and trust me, she doesn’t need to add that word to her already long list things she feels guilty about.”
The sound of air leaving Tyler’s lungs echoed Peter’s relief when he’d realized his thoughts had been wrong. “Got it. Did she not know she was being taken advantage of?” Tyler asked.
“Well, I don’t know all of the details, but I can give you the short version for now. It seems she started using sleeping pills while she was still in California, and that led to pills for anxiety and then stress. Her New York agent was taking advantage of her drug-induced complacency. When she realized what was going on, she confronted her agent and told him she was through.”
“That was just before she came home last time. All of the phone calls she kept getting were from him, trying to pressure her to honor her contract. She changed her phone number and then he started sending men to her apartment. “
“She got scared and went to the DA’s office to file a complaint and offer to become a material witness if she could get a lighter sentence when everything came out in the wash. Unfortunately, Zachary Grayson…”
“Isn’t that the name of the guy she married?” Tyler interjected.
“One and the same. He works in the DA’s office and was the first person she told her story to. He took her under his wing and pretended to be her knight in shining armor, but he was really just another devil in disguise. Somehow, he became her new agent, and he upped the game by getting her hooked on other medications, but she doesn’t know which ones.”
“She’s addicted to drugs?” Tyler asked, his voice lowering ominously. “Tell me you made him pay.”
Peter glanced over at Brooke before lowering his voice yet again, and turning to pace back towards the entrance to the room. “Actually, according to the all-points bulletin he put out in New York, he seems to think she just wandered off. He has the authorities believing she’s a danger to herself and possibly others, and needs medical and psychological treatment.”
“Dear Lord, what kind of people has Brooke been living with?” Tyler asked in a hushed voice, hearing Michelle come in the front door.
“Tyler?” she called through the house.
“Back here in the kitchen.”
“Who’s that? Michelle?” Peter asked, watching Brooke as she listened to him.
“Yeah. Listen, what can I do from here?”
“Well, you’ll be happy to know that she no longer wishes to be Mrs. Grayson, but from what I could find out online, she hasn’t been married to him long enough to file for divorce.”
“There’s a time limit on how long you have to be married to someone before you can divorce them?” Tyler asked incredulously. Since he’d never been married, nor did he believe divorce had any place in a God-directed marriage, it wasn’t something he was familiar with.
“Evidently there is. Six months. And if she’s not living in New York when she files, she has to have lived in her new State of residence for six months before they will even consider accepting the paperwork.”
“There has to be a faster way to wrap things up for her…”
“Oh, there is. If he were to go away to prison for more than three years, the court would grant her an immediate divorce – whether he agreed to it or not.”
“So, she presses charges against him…”
“No go. I already suggested that, but she’s convinced he has enough people in his pocket to make anything like that just disappear. He’s already spinning the story to the national news that she’s a recovering addict with some mental issues.”
“Well, there has to be something else we can do. I’ll discuss it with Michelle, Trey, and Jenna, and see if we can come up with another way. When will you two be back in Colorado?”
“I don’t know. If she’s still feeling under the weather tomorrow, we may take it easy.”
“Did you take her to the hospital?” Tyler asked. “If you need more money or anything, just holler, and I’ll wire you whatever you need.”
“We’re good in that department. She doesn’t want to go to the hospital because she doesn’t want any records showing that she had drugs in her system. She thinks Zachary would use it against her if he gets the chance. I tend to think she’s right, but I have to tell you,” Peter said, lowering his voice and stepping towards the window, “I’m worried about her. She’s been going through all of the classic withdrawal symptoms including tremors, nausea, and hallucinations. She’s been trying to hide how ill she is from me, but I’m thinking we may stay put tomorrow. Unless you all come up with another plan of action.”
“Take care of her. I’m going to talk to everyone here, and see if anyone has any other suggestions. Please answer your phone if I call you again.”
“Sorry about that, man. I was driving and didn’t want to risk having an accident.”
“No, that’s fine. Don’t answer the phone while you’re driving, but maybe you could call me back on a rest stop or something, so I don’t spend the day worrying about you both.”
Peter laughed softly, “I get it. Big brother has spoken, and I will do my very best to make sure I keep you in the loop from now on.”
“You do that. Hand the phone back to her please,” Tyler asked, needing to hear her voice one more time.
Peter walked back to where Brooke still sat, and held the phone out to her, “Tyler wants to talk to you once more.”
Brooke took the phone, still wiping tears from her cheeks, “Hello?”
“Brooke, I was just telling Peter that whatever you need from me and your friends in Cathedral Hills, you’ve got it. We love you, and I want you to know we’ve been praying for you since Peter called to say he had found you.” He paused and then added, “And we’re not going to stop praying for you both until you’re back home safe and sound.”
Brooke couldn’t stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes once again. Safe sounded so good. But sound? Would she ever be sound again
?
Peter took the phone from her, spoke softly into it for another moment, and then closed it up and placed it on the dresser. “How about you pick something from that menu for dinner while I go start a bathtub of water for you?”
Brooke nodded her head, trying to mop up the tears that were still leaking from her eyes. “Okay.” Peter started to walk away, and she stopped him with a hand on his arm, “Peter?”
He turned back to her, and when she didn’t look up at him or speak, he squatted down so they were on eye level, “Brooke?”
“I…,” she looked up at him and faltered, not sure how to ask for what she needed. Looking into his warm eyes, she saw only acceptance and caring. It gave her the boost she required to ask for what she so desperately needed, “Would you hold me for just a minute?”
Peter felt tears threaten to steal his composure as he heard the uncertainty in her voice. Does she really think I could ever say “No” to a request like that? Without a word, he stood to his feet, and then pulled her up to stand in front of him. Enfolding her in his strong arms, he tucked her head beneath his chin, closing his eyes when she laid her head against his heart and breathed a sigh of relief.
“You don’t have to ask, darlin’.” He felt her arms tentatively wrap around his waist and squeeze him tight; almost as if she was afraid he would try to get away from her. “I’m not going anywhere, and any time you need someone to lean on, you can call on me.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and said a silent prayer that he had been at the right place at the right time to rescue her. He’d never known a person more in need of being rescued than his Brooke. His Brooke. She is mine, whether she wants to admit it or not. And this time, I’m not going to step aside and let her leave. She’s coming home, and with a little luck, a lot of prayer, and a lot of love, she’s going to realize that’s where she belongs.
Chapter 49
Cathedral Hills, Colorado, Tyler’s house later that night…
“I’ll get it,” hollered Michelle upon hearing the doorbell ring. She hurried to throw open the doors, and greeted Jenna and Trey as they arrived with pizzas from the diner in their hands.
“Come in.” She held the door open until they were through, and then shut it up. The weather had finally taken a turn for the worst earlier in the day, and there was already a small skiff of snow covering the ground outside.
“That wind is cold!” Jenna said, removing her heavy winter coat and scarf.
“The weather sure turned awful fast,” Trey commented as he took the pizzas into the kitchen, and popped them into the oven Tyler had already warmed up.
“Hey! Glad you guys made it,” Tyler told him, shaking his hand and offering him a can of soda from the fridge.
“Michelle said you talked with Peter, and things weren’t all sunshine and roses.”
“That’s an understatement. Come on into the den, and let’s talk for a bit before we eat.” Tyler led the way, and while the two women were helping themselves to cups of hot cocoa, he lit the fire he’d laid earlier, and then settled into a corner of one of the couches.
Michelle joined him a few minutes later, sitting next to him, while Jenna sat next to Trey on the opposite couch. Once everyone was seated, he shared with them the conversation that he’d had with Peter a few hours earlier.
Jenna was the first to break the silence, “So, this man Brooke married was basically keeping her a prisoner in his apartment and drugging her to keep her unaware of what he was doing?”
“That about sums it up,” Tyler told her.
Jenna shook her head, “That is wrong on so many levels, and illegal in every state! In fact, I think it’s a federal crime. I can understand why she didn’t want to go to the local authorities, but she could go to the feds. Especially if there might be photographic proof that her agent accepted money from foreigners.”
“Peter said she seemed really set on not going to the authorities. She’s afraid that Zachary will not only be able to find her if she does, but that any information she gives them will be used against her.”
Michelle nodded her head and then offered, “I have a contact with the Denver bureau. I could make a phone call and just test the waters.”
Jenna looked at Tyler and nodded, “It couldn’t hurt. She wouldn’t even have to give them Brooke’s name unless it sounded like they could help.”
Tyler hesitated and then looked at Trey, “What do you think?”
“I think you don’t have a whole lot of other options, and neither does Brooke. We can’t just let this guy get away with what he’s done.”
“All right, make your phone call, but keep Brooke out of it until you find out if he can help.”
Michelle smiled and then reached for her cell phone. Tyler stopped her, “Do you know what time it is?”
Michelle nodded her head, “Yes, I know what time it is. Believe me, Chandler doesn’t work normal office hours, and he won’t mind me calling him at 8:30 at all.” She pulled her hand away from Tyler’s, and scrolled down until she found the number she was looking for.
“Hey, Chandler. Michelle Cottrell here. Call me back when you get a chance. Thanks.” She had no sooner disconnected the call then her phone rang. Picking it back up, she answered it casually, “Screening your calls these days?”
“You know it. What’s up doll?” Chandler Hanson asked. He’d been working in the Denver bureau for fifteen years, and was planning to retire next month. He’d met Michelle years earlier when one of his cases had overlapped a case of child protection being handled by the State of Colorado.
“Hey, just a warning, but I’m sitting here with my brother, his fiancé, and my own fiancé.”
“Congratulations! When did this happen?”
“Just a few days ago. Anyway,” Michelle said, shaking her head, “I’m going to put you on speaker phone so that everyone can hear our conversation.”
“Sounds like you’ve got problems?”
“Not me. A close friend. I’m going to paint you a picture, and then you give me your honest opinion about what she should do.”
“No names, huh? Don’t you trust me?” Chandler teased her.
“I trust you, but my friend has good reason to be wary.”
“Got it. I’m all ears, doll.”
Michelle smiled at his continued use of the vintage term. Ever since she’d first met him, he’d reminded her of the old black and white movies with the private investigator who went around solving crimes without ever breaking a sweat.
“So, this friend of mine kind of allowed herself to get hooked on sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications. Her agent helped, and then took advantage of the situation. Money changed hands, pictures were taken, and her services as a photographic escort were even advertised. All without her knowledge.
“When she attempted to gain the backing of the DA’s office in exchange for providing them with enough evidence to make an arrest, she found herself at the mercy of a member of said office. That same individual, unbeknownst to this friend, took advantage of her further, making sure that she was at his mercy and indebted to him by the use of emotions and fear tactics.
“This friend was also given drugs by this same individual, but was told they were vitamins and in her drugged state, she believed what she was told. She was kept in their apartment, unable to leave without his escort, her finances and every aspect of her life was controlled by this individual. He acted as her agent and her keeper. And he convinced her to marry him four months ago.”
Chandler whistled and then asked, “Your friend sounds like she landed herself in more than a little mess. Is this friend still living with this person?”
“No. Another mutual friend helped her escape the situation, but she is going through withdrawals from the drugs and running scared.”
“What State did all of this take place in?”
“New York.”
Chandler gave a little whoop of glee, “Well, that’s just fine. The head of the New York City bureau is
a personal friend of mine. We went through firearms training together many, many moons ago. I happen to know that his team has been tracking a human trafficking ring operating out of the city for several years without much luck.
“Last update I heard, they were almost sure there was someone inside the DA’s office helping orchestrate things. Too many coincidences kept happening. He’s going to want to talk to your friend. Can she get to his office in the morning?”
“No, I told you, she’s running scared. She’s on the road back to Colorado.”
“Where’s she at?”
Tyler leaned forward and introduced himself, “Chandler, my name is Tyler Jameson, and the girl in question is my sister. What good would talking to your friend do?”
“Well, first we need to get a blood sample analyzed so we can have proof of what types of drugs he was giving her, and also get her any medical treatment she might need. Then we need enough information from her to get a judge to issue a search warrant for the place where she was being kept. From there, hopefully we can get enough material evidence to corroborate her story and arrest her husband.”
“She’s not going back to New York,” Tyler told him.
“Well, hang on a second and let me think. If she won’t go back to New York…we’ll just find a way for her to give her statement to someone else who can be trusted.” It grew really quiet on the other end of the line, and almost sounded as if Chandler had left the room.
Tyler looked at Michelle and she just shrugged her shoulders, “He needs to think for a minute.”
In all, eight minutes went by before Chandler and Tyler had a workable solution. Peter and Brooke were currently in Columbus, Ohio, but Chandler didn’t have any contacts there, nor was he owed any favors from that bureau office. The closest bureau office he had connections to was in Springfield, Missouri. A bureau office that also had its own chemistry lab and could run the blood samples immediately.
“So, I will contact Peter and have them head towards Springfield in the morning. They should be there before it gets too late into the evening.” When he saw Jenna waving at him, he paused, “Hang on a sec, it seems someone else has something to add to our plans.”
