by S. L. Walker
“Let’s go, then,” the first officer took Sam by the shoulders and guided him to the police car. Sam was almost in a state of shock. He wanted to break down. He wanted to get on his bike and ride the streets until he found her. He wanted to be Angel’s hero, but he knew he wouldn’t even know where to start.
“Put this into evidence,” he overheard the second cop handing a bag of money and Angel’s gun they had found in her room to a cop that was sitting in the car. Sam looked back at what he was witnessing. “It was in the girls room,” she told the cop.
Sam felt as if he was in the twilight zone as he followed the officers in the hospital and up the floor where the girls’ parents all gathered. The cops brought him up to speed in the car. His feet felt heavy and his head began to throb. He checked his pager again, wishing Angel would page him. He wondered if she would even contact him first; if she could reach a phone; if she was even alive.
“Good afternoon everyone. I am Officer Sheranton this is my partner Officer Daniels,” the first cop spoke, introducing the female cop as they entered the room. The door was wide open and they were all standing around with worried looks on their faces. Tammy sat up in the bed trying to stomach what food she could.
“This is Sam, he says he’s the boyfriend of Angel,” Officer Sheranton put his hand on Sam’s shoulder. Lisa and Michael looked at Sam, unknowing of his relationship with Angel.
“Angel doesn’t have a boyfriend,” she stood up from her chair. She then looked at Angel’s dad as if maybe he knew something she didn’t. He shrugged. Sam was embarrassed that Angel didn’t tell them about him. He knew all about them.
“I go to the center she works at. That’s how we met. She was supposed to go to a Christmas party with me today,” he said, awkwardly walking up to them. Lisa cried throwing her hands in her face. The thought of the word “supposed” struck her like a punch.
“What is going on?” She broke down. Angel’s dad wrapped his arms around her, letting her bury her face into his chest. Sam looked away.
“It’s nice to meet you, Sam. Sorry it had to be under these circumstances,” Michael shook Sam’s hand, still holding Angel’s mom in his arms.
“Victoria has a boyfriend, too,” Tori’s mom spoke up to the cops. She was sitting in a small chair, checking her cell phone and pager every second. She thought about Lance and the story Victoria had just told her. “Maybe he knows something.”
“Do you know how to contact him?” Officer Daniels asked.
“Um, his name is Lance. He’s a sheriffs son,” she explained to them.
“Lance? Sheriff Nick? That’s Nick’s son,” Officer Sheranton knew right away.
“He’s still in recovery,” Officer Daniels told them.
“Recovery?” Tori’s mom asked, curiously.
“He recently got in a high speed with some people and his car flipped. He’s okay, as a mild concussion,” Officer Daniels answered her.
“I’ll try to contact him. See if we can get Lance down here,” Officer Sheraton told them and left the room to make the call.
$$$$
Lance was torn. If it wasn’t for his dad promising him that they would find Victoria, he would have been out looking for her. He made sure he had a conversation with his father before he sat down and talked with the other cops. Nothing made sense and then when the officers mentioned what side of town she was taken from, it threw him in a state of shock. He couldn’t wait to talk to Victoria’s mom to get to the bottom of it. He just couldn’t believe Victoria would lie about where she lived.
“Son, don’t worry, I’ll do my own investigation. Even if I have to do it right here from this hospital bed. I liked her. She seemed good for you,” Sheriff Nick held onto his son’s hand and reassured him everything would be okay. “And don’t worry about what side of town she lived on, you hear me?” He looked in his son’s eyes. He didn’t raise him to be that shallow. “She probably was embarrassed.”
Lance shook his head. That must be it.
He then followed the officers back to the hospital so they could all put a puzzle together that neither of them could figure out alone.
CHAPTER 40
Zara’s dad was throwing a small Christmas party at the Barbershop. There were a lot of business owners and guest mingling and talking money. Even August was looking gorgeous in her all white Fendi dress that flowed above her knees and showed off her elegant arms with a half sleeve. He watched as she strolled from businessman to businessman, using her charm and winning smile to gain more investors in their business. He then saw Zara sitting at the receptionist desk with a bored scowl on her face.
“My love,” he leaned over to her with a glass of cider and handed it to her. She forced a smile on her face.
“Thanks, papa,” she sighed, turning back to the boring crowd and elevator music.
“You wanna catch a movie after this?” He asked, her sensing her boredom.
“Sure,” she gave a smirk. She didn’t want to seem like she wasn’t having fun, but she wasn’t good at hiding her emotions. She wanted to support her dad, but there was no-one at the party her age and she missed her friends.
“Oh, here!” He dug into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out a jewelry box. Zara’s eyes gleamed. Her dad always knew how to put a smile on her face. She loved jewelry.
“Merry Christmas,” the smile on her face put one on his.
“Il Capo!” Tito popped up out of nowhere, also in a savvy black and white tux to blend in. “Can we talk a moment?” He asked, anxiously.
“Oh daddy, its beautiful!” She pulled out a shiny Tiffany charm bracelet full of charms. She instantly put it on her wrist and dangled the charms.
“I’m glad you like it,” he smiled and then turned back to Tito.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, hoping there wasn’t anything wrong with the business. He had been very careful at establishing the right connects and papers. The barbershop lounge was the perfect cover up for his gun running. Tito motioned for him to talk in private.
“I’ll be back, Zara, go get you some food at the buffet okay?” he told her and then followed Tito to the back office.
“Word on the street is my cousin Cash is in Baltimore picking up some little chicas to take back with him to Miami,” Tito told him. Tito and Cash were first cousins. Tito never liked how dirty Cash played, so he didn’t mess with him too much, but they were still blood and still respected each other.
“Little chicas? Meaning?” Zara’s dad questioned.
“I think it’s those girls that hung out with Zara,” Tito relayed.
“Zara’s friends? You sure?” He couldn’t believe his ears.
“They were on the news this morning. Kidnapped.” Tito told him. Her dad shook his head.
“Find out for sure. In the meantime, keep this between us,” he told Tito. He didn’t want Zara freaking out or getting involved in something she shouldn’t be in. He could only imagine the backlash that could come from this. He was glad he kept Zara away from them; for this reason. But little did he know, Zara was overhearing outside of the door, with a plate of food in her hand, as she always does.
Zara raced outside and took out her phone. She blew Raven’s pager up as many times as she could.
“Come on, Vee, call me back!” She waited around for her phone to ring. She then tried hard to remember Victoria’s number she had given to her a while ago. “Fuck!” She panicked. I swear to God if that asshole sold my friends! She grew more and more infuriated as time went by and Raven didn't return her call. She then called Raven’s house over and over. Not even her dad or brother picked up. Oh my God. She finally freaked out.
Her phone finally rang with an unknown number.
“Vee?! Vee!” She picked up.
“Who is this? Raven isn’t here anymore,” Treach badgered her.
“Who is this?!” She asked, already assuming it was Treach. The nerve of him calling this number back.
“Ahhhhh, see I can’t tell you that,” h
e laughed.
“This is Coco! Where is Raven?! Did you hurt her?!” She yelled, remembering the fake name Raven gave her, she knew she couldn’t reveal who she really was.
“Oh, shit Coco!” He was happy it was her. He needed her gone, too, afraid to leave any lose ends. “I thought this was her mom. I been thinking about you,” he continued.
“You twisted asshole,” Zara was sick. What was he trying to accomplish by talking to her?
“Thinking about me for what? You don’t know me. Now, where is Raven?” Zara demanded, looking behind her to make sure her dad wasn’t going to come outside looking for her.
“Why don’t you come on down and see?” He teased. Zara hung up without giving him an answer and headed straight to her car.
“T, really? What if she really comes here?” DJ was leaning on the office wall back at the warehouse. “What if she calls the cops?”
“She ain’t finna call no cops! She don’t know if we have Raven or not, calling the cops is a sure fire way to kill them all,” Treach was finally irritated with DJ. He had just made it back to the warehouse and was packing up his belongings. They were leaving again. He had ordered Nine to go collect from his women and his runners so he could skip town. This was the hottest he had ever been and his name could easily be leaked. He knew he would be seeing a life sentence if he ever got caught. Coco was one more girl he didn’t have to worry about and he was over DJ’s softness.
“Did you get rid of that nigga, Deon?!” He asked him, stuffing his bag with money from his safe. West was also packing up guns they had stashed in the drawers and cabinets.
“I was but-” DJ couldn’t even get what he wanted to say out before Treach rushed him throwing him harder onto the wall.
“You didn’t off him?!” Treach put his arm against DJ throat causing DJ to gag.
“Treach, bruh,” West tried to calm him down but refused to get in between. If this was DJ’s time to get an ass whooping then it was just his time.
“Man, let me go, man,” DJ choked on his words. Treach was shaking, he was holding DJ so tight. Treach let him go but grabbed his Beretta off the desk, unlocked it and aimed straight for DJ head.
“Man fuck this bullshit man. Get to walking!” Treach ordered DJ out of the room. DJ put his hands up not believing what Treach was doing. “Finish packing the shit up and take it to the truck,” he ordered West, who nodded and went back to minding his own business.
“Really, T? This how you gone do me?” DJ asked. Inside, he was afraid Treach was going to blow his brains out while he walked, but the outside of him held his chest and his chin high. The last thing he would do is show any kind of fear to Treach.
“Nigga, keep walking. We going to see Deon!” He pushed the gun into DJ’s back, pushing him to walk faster.
DJ had left Deon where he was. He almost had decided to let him go, but Treach knew he was too weak to fight back and he wouldn’t believe he fought DJ off. DJ was a good fighter, if DJ really wanted to snatch the gun and beat Treach’s ass, he could. But DJ played smarter and he knew that if Treach wanted him dead at this very moment he’d do it.
They reached the room and there was Deon, handcuffed to a chair. DJ had done a good job doctoring him. He was breathing good, his eyes were less swollen and he could talk. He sneered at them as they walked in the room; his tortured eyes staring at Treach with vengeance.
“Well, don't your bitch ass look healthy!” Treach cracked on Deon. Deon then noticed the gun being pointed at DJ. “Grab a chair and sit the fuck down,” Treach pushed DJ to grab one of the folding chairs on the wall and sit down with his hands still up.
“T, you ain’t gotta do this,” DJ pleaded.
“Oh, yes I do. Yo ass is getting soft and it’s all over that Raven bitch,” Treach was done with DJ. He knew he had lost a wingman, but he also knew he cared about Raven and now that Raven was gone, he wasn’t sure if he’d have to look behind his back or not. Deon looked at DJ not understanding at all what was going on.
“You…you…you and Vee?” Deon slowly let out to DJ.
“Of course he fucking her! Tried to keep it a little secret, but naw I seen how you look at her,” Treach grabbed his last pair of handcuffs from his shelf and tied DJ to the railings of the chair.
“I ain’t fucking nobody,” DJ defended himself.
“Aye yo, she here,” West peaked around the corner. Treach sighed at having to leave them two alive right now, he even thought to knock them out for a split second but he would handle this Coco girl and bury all of them together.
“Shit ain’t over,” he pointed his gun at the both of them and followed West upstairs.
VICTORIA
I felt a warm stench fill my nose. My eyes woke up to a hairy faced, long haired Mexican man grinning over me. I then felt cold hands touch my legs and walk up the red tulip dress I had put on at Lilas'.
“Ugh, get away!” I freaked out, kicking and trying to fight him off me.
“Agh! Ugh! Agh!” He fell backwards as my heels kicked him in his stomach, arms and finally the best place to hit a man.
“Pervert!” I yelled out. I watched him squirm on the plane floor and I noticed my hands were still handcuffed and I was buckled into the seat on Cash’s private jet. Cash was in the front of the plane and took off his seatbelt to fuss at his worker.
“Levántate Estupido!” He kicked the man in the ass. “Do not touch these girls! Comprende?!” He yelled at the man and then the other two men who accompanied him on the plane.
“Siiiiii,” the pervert struggled to his feet to sit back down in his seat. He looked back, shamefully, at me and I gave him a scowl he’d always remember. Prick.
Raven was adjacent to me in another seat and smirked at me; her way of telling me good job. Angel was in another row alone and so was Eva. I couldn’t believe what was happening. All I knew was one moment we were getting in the van and the next we were all given water that must have been spiked with something because we instantly passed out.
Now, we are flying thousands of feet in the air.
My stomach growled and yet I felt like I was going to throw up. I missed my mom and more so I missed Lance. I remembered that we were on the news and a part of me had a bit of hope. At least they were out looking for us and people out there would know what we looked like. It wasn’t totally hopeless. I watched out the window as we flew over grassy lands that I could barely see through the thick clouds.
“You okay?” Raven whispered, but loud enough for me to hear her.
“Yeah, you?” I asked her back.
“No. We need a plan. We can’t let them take us to whoever they are selling us to,” Raven continued to whisper.
“Who do you think they are selling us to?” I could only imagine the terror that awaited in Miami. All the drug lords, cartel, mafia and all of that was down to make money. I had heard so many stories of women being drugged and dragged over to foreign countries never to be found again.
“While you were sleep, I overheard him say he had a Cartel and Jamaican Mafia buyer, but he didn’t choose who yet,” Raven muttered. She looked over her seat to make sure no-one was trying to listen.
“Oh my God,” one tear dropped out of my eye, making way for all the other tears to join.
“Shhh! Uh Uh,” Raven stopped me. “We can’t do that, okay?! Use that to think of something,” Raven said. I admired her bravery. Never once had I seen her break down, not even with Deon laying on that floor bloody and bruised. I shook my head and wiped my eyes with my cuffed hands. She was right, breaking down was the last thing needed to be done. We had time to think on this flight and that’s what I was going to do.
CHAPTER 41
Luckily, Zara still had her dad’s credit card, she packed up her bags, changed into some sweats and pink cotton sweater and scurried to the airport to get a flight back. Her dad had been blowing her phone up but she was furious at him right now. The fact that he wasn’t going to tell her made her feel as if he would just let her fri
ends die. These girls had her back in school when no-one else did. He met these girls face to face. They were just like her. The thought of someone selling them and abusing them made Zara nauseous. How could her father be so insensitive and uncaring?
The fifth voicemail popped on her phone and she refused to listen to it. Instead she checked her bags in and headed for the gate back to Baltimore.
“Molly? Hey, Merry Christmas, I need your help,” she dialed Molly who was out in Annapolis with her family. Molly was the only one she could turn to. She explained what she could to Molly and asked if she could meet her at home. Molly resisted.
“No, Zara! No! Call your father right now! I can’t be involved in this!” She yelled.
“But, Molly, you’re the only person who can help me help them!” Zara spazzed.
“We need to call the police,” Molly insisted.
“No! We can’t do that! What if it makes it worse for them? Can’t you talk to Uncle Tito or something, he knows the guy who has them!” Zara begged.
“Zara, I am sorry this is too deep for me. I am calling your father!” Molly shouted.
“No! Fine, if you don’t want to help me, I’ll do it alone! I am boarding my plane now,” Zara hung up in her face and cut her phone off.
“Zara! Zara don’t you get on that plane! Oh my God!” Molly cried when she realized Zara had hung up. She instantly dialed Zara’s dad.
$$$$
Lila waited for Treach in his office. She sat silently, still amazed at his guts on selling the girls to Cash.
Treach walked in with West. She had her two usual goons with her and she stood up to shake his hand. She was no longer in her robe, but a sexy tight red dress that hugged every inch of her small curves and red Stiletto heels.
“Lila?” Treach looked surprised. He glanced over at West.
“Hope I wasn’t interrupting anything,” she then sat back down.