“Water?”
“Water,” I repeat. “The very building block of life. Without water, life as we know it would cease to exist. Give me a little hydration, and I’ll be right as rain.”
Fabien purses his lips and rolls his eyes. “She’s fine,” he tells Thayer.
“Cosette,” I whisper. “Please can we check on her?”
He nods and takes out his phone. I expect him to make a call, but instead he texts. Waits. “They were able to post bail and she’s back home. We have a team of lawyers ready to defend her, and I’ve instructed Gwen to cancel all of our clients for the rest of the night.”
The wheels roll smoothly on the road and silence descends on the three of us. It’s suddenly so eerily peaceful, I clear my throat just to hear a sound.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Thayer asks Fabien.
“That for the safety of everyone we shut La Maisondown? Yes.”
I blink. Shut down La Maison?
What’s happening here? It feels as if the very ground beneath my feet’s being ripped out from under me.
“Where would they go?” I ask, which sounds like a silly question even to my own ears. “I mean, I know there are other places, but none have the reputation La Maisondoes.”
Because none of the other brothels haveFabien.
Fabien and Thayer exchange a look.
“No,” I say. “Fabien, not every woman there would want to… to become aslavelike… like that…”
“And that’s their decision, not yours,” Thayer says.
Fabien looks at him sharply. “Watch it.”
“Watch what?”
“The way you talk to her. You might be two hundred pounds of solid muscle, but you’re still my younger brother.”
“Boys,boys,” I say. “We have a job to do.”
Fabien and Thayer glare at each other. I have a sudden rush of sympathy for Avril, having to raise not one, not two, but three apparent gorillas.
“That we do,” Fabien says. “Have you gotten in touch with your sister?”
I shake my head. “No, not yet, but I’ll keep trying.”
Thayer looks out the window and purses his lips. I feel as if they’re hiding something big from me, but we don’t have time to discuss it, because time is ticking, and we have a job to do.
And who am I to even question it? I don’t work with them. I’m basically a contract worker.
I try Savannah again.
And again.
And again.
We pull up to La Maison.
I draw in a deep breath and release it.
Cosette is safe.
