“What?Why?How?”
“I got the job.”
“What job?”
“The job I went to Chicago to get five weeks ago. With that card William gave me.”
“But wasn’t he the one that had you arrested?”
“No! He didn’t even know I was arrested until tonight. That’s why I’m back.”
“But you said you couldn’t wait to leave that town. You said as soon as you got out of that jail, you were hog-tailing it back to Indiana.”
“And I did come back. But then I came back to Chicago.”
It sounded crazy to Joy too. But how could she explain it?
“Where are you now?”
“I’m at William’s house.”
“The man that’s supposed to give you a job? The man that left you in jail for five long months?”
“He was out of the country. I told you he didn’t even know I’d been arrested.”
“So he says.”
Joy rolled her eyes. “Whatever Tess.”
“But you’re at his house now?”
“Yes, Tess, that’s what I said.”
“I thought it was an office job. Now it’s a job at his house?”
“It’s not. . . That’s not what it is. I mean, it is an office job. And I got the job.”
“You got the job?”
“Yes!”
“Then why are you at his house?”
“It’s a long story, but I’m good.”
“I know you are. But is he good?”
Joy smiled and shook her head. “Yes, Mother Contessa, he’s a very good man.”
“How would you know that? You just met him a month ago. Ah man! Wait a minute.”
“What?”
“Is he trafficking you, Joynetta?”
Joy was in disbelief. “What?”
“Is he a human trafficker, you heard me?”
