Altercation

by Heiner, Tamara Hart

  Her father hesitated. “I can take you there. But you’ll have to find another ride back.”

  Seth nodded. “Thank you.”

  They waited while her father called another taxi. Then they climbed into the back, Megan between her father and Seth.

  “Bethesda North Hospital,” Mr. Reynolds said, strapping on his seat belt.

  Megan pulled hers over her belly. The back of her knuckles brushed Seth’s jeans, and she felt her face grow warm. Stop it! She dropped her hands into her lap.

  Seth bumped her knee with his. She stared at their legs, wondering if that had been intentional.

  The taxi stopped in front of the Emergency entrance, and Seth climbed out while her father paid the driver.

  “Here.” Seth offered his hand.

  Megan gave him a slight frown. “Why are you being so nice?”

  He shrugged and pulled his hand away. “I’m acting normal.”

  Mr. Reynolds asked for Sara’s room number at the reception desk. He had to show his FBI badge before they would give it to him. Then he left Seth and Megan to take the elevator alone while he made phone calls.

  Seth raised an eyebrow. “He still trusts you? He doesn’t think you’ll jump in the elevator and disappear?”

  “And go where?” she scoffed. “He knows me better than that. He knows I only left Idaho because you asked me to.” Dang it, she was blushing again.

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why did you come?”

  She looked at him, considering the question. “I don’t know. It was pretty impulsive.”

  “I’m glad you came.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. There’s so much you couldn’t have done without me.” She smiled and rolled her eyes.

  “Not just that.”

  “What then?”

  The door pinged and the elevator jolted to a stop on the fifth floor. Seth stepped out. Megan hung back, disappointed that their conversation had ended. She wanted to know where Seth had been going with that last statement.

  “This way.” Seth led her past the nurse’s station and knocked on a door.

  “Oh, you’ll have to call in for that room,” a woman’s voice said.

  Megan turned around as a middle-aged nurse with short blond hair approached. “It’s locked. High security. Do you have a code?”

  Megan shook her head. “No.”

  The nurse led them back to the nurse’s station and picked up a phone. “IDs?”

  Megan and Seth dug around and handed over their licenses.

  The woman looked them over while speaking into the phone. “I have a Megan Reynolds and a Seth Rivera here to see the patient. Okay.” She handed their IDs back. “Okay, the door’s unlocked. Go on in.”

  A bit unnerved, Megan followed Seth back down the hall.

  A police officer met them at the door. He nodded and opened it, letting them in.

  Megan’s face broke into a smile when she saw Ricky and Neal. “Hey, guys.”

  Neal nodded at her. “Hey.” His eyes moved to Seth. Another nod.

  The two boys stood against the sink, arms crossed over their chests. Megan’s gaze wandered to the bed. Sara’s eyes were closed, sunken into gray pits in her skin. An IV dripped into her left arm.

  “Is she okay?” Megan whispered.

  Neal scratched his eyebrow. “Dehydrated. Starving. Exhausted. She’s been out since we got here. But she’s not drugged. When she wakes up we’ll be able to see her mental state.”

  Megan remembered the screaming, psychotic girl back in the house. The girl with the knife. “Do you think she’ll be all right?”

  Ricky shrugged. “They have a psychiatrist on hand in case she’s not.” He said it lightly, but his hazel eyes were grim.

  “Megan’s dad’s here,” Seth said.

  “Oh.” Neal looked at her. “So you’ll be leaving soon.”

  “Are you in trouble?” Ricky asked, eyes flicking over her tear-stained face.

  She gave him a brief grin. “Yeah. But I don’t know the details yet.” Feeling tears under the surface again, she blurted, “I’m going to the restroom.” Without waiting for a comment, she left the room.

  From the privacy of the girl’s bathroom, she examined her pale face, the streaks of mascara on her cheeks. She looked awful. Turning on the warm water, she washed her face and reapplied mascara.

  She returned to the others just as Seth asked Neal and Ricky, “What are your plans now?”

  “I don’t know,” Neal said. “They contacted Sara’s parents. They’ll fly her home as soon as it’s safe. We’re hoping we get to go, too.”

  “What about you?” Ricky asked. “Are you going to keep looking for Jaci?”

  Seth nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I am. You want to help?”

  “Yeah. I do.”

  Neal looked at his twin. “I guess I’ll go with Sara.”

  “Sorry, Collins,” Ricky said, meeting his brother’s gaze.

  “Don’t be. I understand.”

  Seth lifted his chin. “I don’t. What’s your interest in Jaci?”

  Ricky’s fingers twitched and he shifted his weight. “It’s hard to explain.”

  “You like her?”

  Ricky paused and then said, “Yeah.”

  Seth didn’t take his eyes from Ricky. “All right. We’ll work together. But get this: I will protect Jaci. From whatever isn’t good for her. Got it?”

  Ricky rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. “I got it. That’s all I want, too.”

  Seth turned to Megan. “Ready to go down?”

  What he meant was, of course, “ready to go home?” She put on a fake smile and nodded.

  “All right,” Seth said. “I’m going to take Megan to her father. Then I’ll be back.”

  Ricky bobbed his head. “I’d like to wait for Sara to wake up.”

  “We’ll talk about it when I get back.”

  The hospital room door swung open so fast that the police officers both unholstered their guns.

  It was Mr. Reynolds. His face was flushed, brown eyes gleaming.

  “Daddy,” Megan said, startled. “What is it?”

  “The other girls,” he said, voice excited. “They’ve been found.”

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Something was going on.

  The voices upstairs grew louder. Jaci pressed her ear against the wooden door, trying to make out the words. Sounded like several people. Her hand trembled slightly. The scent of the strawberry shampoo lingered in her short, yellow hair.

  “It’s time, isn’t it,” Amanda whispered.

  Jaci looked at the girl, at the tiny black skirt she wore and the corset-style tube-top. “It hasn’t been seventy-two hours yet. Has it?”

  Amanda shrugged.

  Jaci glanced at the black leggings and silky red top she had on. “I look like a whore.”

  Amanda tossed her brown hair behind her shoulder. “I think that’s the point. You even have the shiner to go with it.”

  Jaci forced herself to breathe. Please, please, don’t let this happen to us.

  But things like this did happen. It was the way the world was. How many girls her age had uttered similar prayers, right before being sold into trafficking?

  She heard the footsteps on the stairs, and Jaci shoved away from the door, huddling closer to Amanda. The door opened, revealing the familiar outline of The Hand. Behind him stood another man, tall with golden skin. His long black hair was slicked back with oil, and his lustful brown eyes burned over their bodies. His lips parted into a smile, revealing ivory white teeth.

  “What happened to this one?” He ran a hand over the welt on Jaci’s neck.

  Anger
flashed across The Hand’s features. “One of my men got handy.”

  The tall man raised an eyebrow. “Did he succeed?”

  “No.”

  “Perfect,” he purred. He snapped his fingers and two more men appeared behind him. “I’ve got the money in the car. Let me examine them and we’ll make the transaction.”

  “Out,” The Hand instructed, his eyes cold and empty.

  Jaci stepped out first. She glanced to her right, at the doors leading to freedom through the walk-out basement. She could run for it. Would they shoot her?

  The buyer grabbed her arm and ran his hand down her neckline. “Are they both virgins?”

  “Yes,” The Hand said.

  “Well, one can never know for sure. But that’ll fetch a higher price.” The man turned his greedy eyes on Amanda. “I’ll give you five hundred for each.”

  The Hand shook his head. “They know where the necklace is. It’s worth a million by itself.”

  Jaci’s eyes darted toward Amanda. That necklace was safely hidden in the air duct, and chances were they’d never find it.

  As if reading her thoughts, Sid grunted. “If I don’t have to kill them to get the information.”

  The Hand’s eyes pierced Jaci’s. Any gentleness or compassion she might have imagined a few hours ago had vanished. “I’m sure you have ways.” He took Jaci’s shoulder, pulled her forward. “This one’s father is the Carnicero. He’s promised me four million for her. If you take her, I want that money too.”

  The buyer’s eyes narrowed and he scowled. “I can’t pay you for money that he hasn’t paid yet.”

  The Hand’s fingers bit into Jaci’s shoulder. “Then I’ll keep her. Four million just for her is more than two million for both of them. Give me one and a half for the other girl and we’ll call it good.”

  Jaci looked at Amanda, saw the panic in her eyes.

  The other man hesitated. “Four million?”

  The Hand nodded. “That’s on top of my fee. But you might get lucky. The Carnicero might buy back her friend, too.”

  “Fine.” He gave a short nod, his greasy hair jiggling. “One for the girls, one for the necklace, and four for the ransom. Six million.”

  Finally there was a hint of excitement in The Hand’s eyes. “Done.”

  The man snapped his fingers, and his two men bounded up the stairs.

  The Hand kept his eyes on him. “Don’t leave until I count the money.”

  “I won’t,” he answered mildly. He took Jaci’s wrist and pulled her away from The Hand. “Easy, girls,” he cooed, sidling his arms over their shoulders. “You belong to me now.”

  Jaci’s eyes were still on the door. He must’ve seen, because he chuckled.

  “You wanna run, girl? Go ahead. I’ll even give you a five-second head start.”

  She focused on him, on his sinister brown eyes. Was he serious? All she needed was five seconds. She was a runner.

  The Hand growled deep in his throat. “Don’t play with them.”

  “Ah, but the disappointment on their faces is priceless. Every time the escape slips through their fingers.” He grabbed Jaci’s chin.

  She jerked away, her face growing hot.

  A sound like multiple firecrackers came from the garage. The man let go of Jaci, eyes darkening. “What’s that?”

  Screams came next, and then a loud crash. Jaci found herself shoved to the ground. The rapid explosions were in the house now, the basement walls shaking under the pressure, and she realized what they were: gunshots. From a machine gun.

  Jaci had only heard that sound in movies. It terrified her.

  Footsteps charged down the stairs. A man in a tight black uniform and a black mask jumped to the basement floor. He took a quick survey of the room and fired off a round.

  Jaci pressed her face to the carpet and covered her head with her hands, expecting at any second to feel dozens of bullets pulverizing her body. Even when the sound stopped, she didn’t move. She heard a rasping sound and looked around. Amanda was huddled in a ball next to her, crying.

  The man in black knelt down next to them. His gun touched Jaci’s arm, and she flinched.

  “Jaci,” he whispered.

  She pulled her head up, trying to see behind the mask. “Daddy?” A sob built in her throat, choked her up, and she covered her mouth to soften the gasps that shook her body.

  He pulled the mask off, lines etched around his mouth and eyes that hadn’t been there the last time she had seen him. “Mi querida.” He gathered her up in his arms, and then pulled her to her feet. “You need to leave here.” He gripped Amanda’s forearm and helped her up also.

  Only then did Jaci take a look around. The Hand lay on his back by the open office, his blue eyes frozen in a stare to the heavens. Blood stained the plush blue carpet under him. She swallowed hard and looked for the other man.

  “He got away.” Amanda pointed a finger at the open door, leading into the yard.

  Jaci’s father turned to her. “There was another one?”

  Jaci nodded numbly.

  “Come on.” He took both of them by the elbows and hauled them up the stairs. “I’ve called the police. They’ll be here soon. I’ll wait till they get here.”

  “Daddy.” Jaci stopped walking, her mind starting to catch up with her. She switched into Spanish, hoping the language would help pry out his secrets. “What’s going on? Where’ve you been?” She looked up at him, searching his face, desperate for answers. “Why did you leave us?” Her eyes dropped to the machine gun strapped across his body. She didn’t even know how to ask about that.

  He answered her in English, as if unwilling to enter into an intimate conversation with her. “Keep walking. I can’t stay when the police arrive, and I must find that other man.”

  They reached the top of the stairs and Amanda halted. Jaci saw why. Dead bodies were strewn about the room, riddled with bullet holes. Blood splattered the walls, the table, the carpet. Jaci’s stomach turned over. She hadn’t even known there were that many men here. She clutched her father’s arm for support.

  “In here.” He led them to the sitting room, which was thankfully devoid of bodies. “What did the other man look like?”

  Jaci took several careful breaths before describing him. “Tall. Kind of Italian-looking, or Greek. Brown hair, brown eyes.”

  “Sid.”

  She stared at him. “How do you know these men? How did you find us?”

  He stared at a large painting of fruit hanging over the mantel. “The owner of the house called me. He said he knew where you were. I offered him a generous tip and safe passage to anywhere in the world. We arranged a time for him to leave on an errand. I knew I was cutting it close. I didn’t know it was that close.”

  Sirens sounded in the distance. He stood up and kissed Jaci’s cheek. “Mi amor, te amo.”

  She grasped his hand. “You must tell me! Are you a criminal?”

  He hesitated, eyes flicking toward the street. “What I do is illegal, yes. But I fight for civility and freedom.” He slipped his hand from hers. “I must go. Please tell your mother.” He swallowed, his eyes moist. “I love her. I am sorry.”

  “Will you never come home?” Jaci cried, running after him as he strode to the door.

  “I don’t know. My secret is out.” He gave her a long look and then hurried outside.

  Ignoring the dead bodies visible in the kitchen, Jaci ran to the window and tried to see where he went. He disappeared into the neighbor’s garage.

  She felt an arm around her shoulders and started. She’d forgotten Amanda was there. Amanda pulled Jaci into her shoulder, and Jaci sobbed. She looked out the window at the sound of sirens and watched several police cars pull into the cul-de-sac.

  The police bur
st into the house, guns out. They lowered them immediately at the sight of Jaci and Amanda. The first officer hit a radio on his vest and said, “We’ve got the girls.”

  “Come with us.” Another stepped over and guided them out of the house.

  “We’ll check for survivors,” the first man said, motioning the other men into the house.

  Jaci knew there wouldn’t be any.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Somewhere in her mind, Jaci was aware of the swirling blue lights, the officers talking to her, the ambulance that carted her and Amanda away from the scene. But she couldn’t focus her thoughts. She stared numbly at the people around her, not quite able to make sense of anything.

  Amanda took her hand. “Jaci?”

  The lights and faces and noises coalesced into logical sounds and her mind began working again. Jaci stifled a sob. “Amanda?”

  Someone was asking her questions. How did she feel, what did she see, who saved them?

  “Leave her alone,” Amanda said. “Are you guys idiots? We need some time.”

  Her tirade worked. The ambulance took them to the hospital, where they were escorted to a room and poked and prodded in silence. Through it all, Jaci felt nothing.

  “Jaci? Amanda?”

  The man in the dark suit with light brown hair was just familiar enough to catch Jaci’s attention. She blinked, trying to place him.

  “Detective Hamilton!” Amanda all but launched herself at the man. “Is it over now? Can we go home?”

  “How did you get here?” Jaci stared at him. “Were you on your way to find us?”

  He shook his head. “No. Your father called me. I flew here as quickly as I could.”

  “My father.” She mouthed the words. Emotion burst in her heart like a fanned coal igniting into flame. Her hand flew out and gripped the detective’s. “What did he say? Did he tell you anything?”

  He studied her. “Did you see him?”