She carried her backpack so she could leave her spare clothes to be washed if she needed an excuse. The amber stucco on the building made it stand out, and there was a sign in the single window proclaiming it to be a laundry. Outside, a young man was smoking. Zita ignored him as she walked into the shop. Johanna was behind the counter. Zita recognized her from the passport photo. Out the back, a man was sitting on a crate, flicking through his phone.
“Can I help you?” Johanna asked.
“My grandmother Francesca says you do the best laundry in town,” Zita said, hoping the code word would work.
Johanna’s eyes widened and she glanced at the man behind her. She lowered her voice. “You are from Fernando?”
Zita nodded.
“What is wrong? Manuela’s birthday isn’t until tomorrow.”
“I’m Zita. There’s been a change of plan. We need to get you both out today. Where is she?”
Someone walked into the shop, and Johanna gaped, her eyes wide in fear. The guy was in his late twenties, with tattoos all over his arms. Zita ducked her head, hiding her face.
“Rodrigo,” Johanna said.
“Manuela hasn’t been behaving herself. She was very mean to one of my girls, so today she’s going to stand with the lovelies.”
“No,” Johanna wailed, a sound so heart wrenching. “She’s still a baby.”
Zita had no idea who the lovelies were, but it clearly wasn’t a good thing.
Rodrigo shrugged. “She should learn how to behave. She’ll miss her birthday party as well. So sorry.” He smirked and walked out as Johanna collapsed on the floor sobbing.
Zita’s heart pounded, but she waited until he was gone before hurrying around the bench to comfort the woman.
“Shut her up.” The guy who’d been sitting on the crate stood up and walked toward them. “You’ve got three minutes.” He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and went outside.
“Johanna, calm down. You have to tell me what’s going on.” Zita shook her. “I can help.
Johanna shook her head. “The lovelies are their prostitutes,” she sobbed. “He means to sell her today.”
Zita’s breath left her.Feck.Manuela wasn’t even thirteen. “Where do they do that?”
Johanna sniffed. “The red building. Two streets over.”
“What time?”
She shrugged. “All the time.”
That didn’t help. “Is there someone else who knows more?”
She shook her head. “No one who will talk.”
“All right. Stop crying. I’ll think of something.” If there was only someone she could trust. Someone who could hire Manuela.
She froze. David.
But that would put him in danger. If any of the gang’s supporters had seen the footage... No, if they had, they’d be punishing Johanna right now.
This was their best chance. “I’ve got an idea. I think we can get her out, but you need to be ready to leave at any time.” Zita helped her to her feet.
“It’s no use,” Johanna sobbed.
The man came back inside. “Is she still sniveling?” He raised his hand and Zita automatically stepped in front of Johanna.
“She’s stopping.”
