“Where are the girls?” I walk towards the woman in the center of the room and push her hair to the side, examining her face. She’s already got a busted lip and bruises around her wrist. Looks like she tried to put up a fight.
A fight she would never win against Marcus. He’s one of my best-trained guys. Guy used to be a marine and still works out every day like he’s in basic training. Him and Lucas have regular sparring matches for shits and giggles.
“Dr. Bennett took them to the safe house for medical care.” Vade stands with his feet wide and arms crossed, not bothering to hide his concern.
He’s my brother from another mother, and lives a life of crime, but he’s by no means a hardened criminal. I take care of the violent side of things.
“Do you think they would be willing to give us any information on what happened?” He tried to make contact with the last group of girls our team rescued but they all refused to talk.
“The nurses are going to try to gather information, but they won’t push the girls to talk until they are ready. The only thing we know right now is they have no recollection of recent events. Maybe when the drugs wear off they will have some memory.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less. How much longer until she wakes up?”
“Any time now. He only gave her half a dose of ketamine.” He shrugs.
As if cued, she lets out a low moan. “Good morning, sunshine.” I grip her chin hard and force her to look at me. I won’t hit her, but I will rough her up. I have someone I can call if we need to resort to violence on a woman. Her eyes widen and recognition flashes in her eyes. “You do remember me! I’m so flattered.” My other hand pats over my chest where my cold, emotionless heart beats.
“Please…” Her voice is barely a whisper. Her eyes droop and fight to stay open—the drugs still having a profound effect on her. “I didn’t…” Her eyes close.
“You didn’t what?” I shake her head forcefully, still gripping her chin.
“My son…” she takes a deep breath, “he…prison…I have no money.” She struggles to get her words out.
“So you thought trafficking women was a good way to make some quick cash?” I grind my teeth and clench my other rage-filled fist.
“She made me…made me do it,” she breathes while fading out again.
“Look at me!” I snap loudly. “Who made you do it?” My temper flares even more. “Just fucking tell me.”
“I’m sick…I need a doctor, but I have no money. She promised me money,” she wheezes, beads of sweat dripping down her face.
“Who the fuck is she?” I growl and grip her by the back of her head, forcing her to look up at me since she can’t seem to hold her head up. A faint smell of copper lingers on the shallow breaths coming from her open mouth.
“Madam La…” Her eyes drift shut so I shake her again. “LaBell.” Her whole body trembles as if she is chilled—her skin is cold. Which is strange because it’s at least eighty degrees in here.
“Where is she? Tell me or you’re going to suffer the same fate as your son! Last I heard, he’ll be a vegetable for the rest of his life! You don’t want that do you?”
No answer. My patience is growing thin.
“TELL ME! WHO AND WHERE IS MADAM LABELL?” My voice echoes against the walls of the cellar.
She opens her mouth to say something but instead coughs hard, spraying a large amount of warm blood in my face, the copper tang assaulting my nostrils. I let her hair go and her head bobs as I back away. She coughs out several more mouthfuls of blood before going still. She’s stopped breathing.
I walk over and press my fingers against her carotid artery. “Fucking bitch is dead.” I yell as if Vade couldn’t figure it out on his own. Son of a fucking bitch.
Between the cameras and spies we’ve put in the Lucky Rabbit, we haven’t had any luck with leads. Either whoever is running this show is on to us and lying low or they’ve changed locations, which criminals often do. Too much activity in one area eventually draws unwanted attention.
We were so close to finally getting some answers and she had to go and fucking die on us. I turn and crash my fist into the table we keep our torture tools on, splintering it to pieces.
“Check her pockets,” I bark at Vade as I use my handkerchief to wipe her blood from my face.
“Well lookie lookie who’s got a cookie.” He holds up a book of matches. Sure enough, they’re from The Lucky Rabbit. “Two books of matches and two men disappearing inside that shithole casino are not a coincidence.”
Our street team hasn’t had any luck finding any leads within The Lucky Rabbit or Cottontails. With such a high-volume area it’s always possible they’re still running thetrafficking operation through there undetected, so I still think we need to put an undercover female in there.
As much as I hate to admit it, naked, beautiful women have a way with getting information out of people. The girl stands the best shot at getting insider information directly from the girls working inside The Lucky Rabbit and/or the patrons who may visit there that are a part of this operation.
“I know. I’ll have the girl ready to go undercover as soon as possible. See if you can get one of the rescued girls to talk.”
