He took a breath as he looked from person to person. “I’m going to ask you some hard questions, and I’m not asking for a show of hands because some of you would be embarrassed. Just look in your heart instead. How many of you know somebody who’s involved in this sordid business? Some of these men are from around here. You know that. How many of you have received any money from these immoral, degenerate men? If you have, I want you to seek forgiveness from the Lord almighty. I tell you right here and now, brothers and sisters, you will not pass through to eternal salvation with this stain on your souls. No, sir. You will not! You need to choose sides and take a stand and, brothers and sisters, if you’re involved in this, you need to do it fast. You can trust me on this—you do not want to suddenly meet your maker with this item unresolved. You need to take a stand.”
“Amen,” said several people in the congregation, nodding their heads in agreement.
Reverend Art took a drink from a water glass on the lectern before he continued. “Like I said before, some of these immoral, degenerate men participating in this abominable activity are from right around here. You all knew these boys when they were kids.” He looked from face to face. “Some of you know them now. If any of you know any of these men, now that you understand what they’re doing, there’s no reason for you not to come forth and seek to stop it. Talk to them! Tell them to stop their sinning! Tell them they must turn to God. It’s up to you, my brothers and sisters! You need to take a stand!”
“Amen!” The audience was more enthusiastic now.
“For those of you with young children, you need to know that they are at risk! You need to gather those young children to you and nurture them and love them and protect them from these degenerates. There are monsters out there, and they are after your children! Don’t let them slide down the slippery slope of sexual enslavement—either as a slave or as a slave master. You need to take a stand!”
“Amen!” the members of the congregation stood and roared their agreement.
Reverend Art allowed the people to retake their seats. “That’s what this is about,” he said, more conversationally now. “It’s about taking a stand. Taking a stand and making a difference in the life of a young child.” It grew quiet for a few seconds.
“What about Isabel?” a congregation member suddenly called out.
Reverend Art looked at the woman. “What about Isabel Delgado?” he said. “What became of the girl who was so horribly abused?”
At that moment, the congregation gasped as Kelli Blair pushed a wheelchair carrying her friend Isabel Delgado from around the curtain behind the lectern. She pushed her to the center of the church, just in front of the altar. Kelli placed her hand on Isabel’s shoulder and then leaned forward and whispered into her ear.
Isabel sat up straight and smiled and waved shyly at her mother, who was seated in the front row of the congregation.
“Despite the horror that this girl had to endure,” Reverend Art said, “Isabel is one of the lucky ones. She fought back. And after a long battle, she’s winning.”
Kelli helped Isabel slowly rise to her feet.
The congregation collectively gasped and then rose to their feet and started clapping. From the second row, Danny Logan reached over and took his partner, Toni Blair’s hand. Both had tears in their eyes. Danny turned to her. “She made it,” he said.
Toni nodded. “Thanks to you,” she said.
Logan pursed his lips and shook his head. “Thanks to Kelli. Thanks to us.” He paused. “Mostly, thanks to God and thanks to Isabel herself. She's a fighter.”
When the congregation calmed, and everyone retook their seats, Reverend Art continued. “God has sent us Isabel to show us the resiliency of the human spirit—,” Reverend Art’s voice boomed, “and the courage of the human heart.” He paused. “And now,” he looked around, “now it’s in your hands. It’s up to you to take up her cause. Take a stand, brothers and sisters! Take a stand for Isabel and for all God’s children just like her.”
* * * *
Author’s Notes
I’m a storyteller, and I don’t think it’s my job to “preach from the pages.” That said, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have an agenda with Isabel’s Run. My goal from the start was to spin a Danny Logan story that was entertaining and, at the same time, would shed light on the national tragedy that is the exploitation—enslavement, really—of underage children in the sex trades right here in this country. The FBI estimates that there are more than 100,000 American children currently being victimized in this horrible manner. Average age when they start: eleven years old. It’s enough to make you cry. In my opinion, not nearly enough is being said or done about it.
In the words of Reverend Art, I urge you to take a stand. Have a look at the website for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.comor the FBI Innocence Lost Task Force website at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/vc_majorthefts/cac/innocencelost/.
Acknowledgments
Isabel’s Run required a great deal of research and specialized information, which I was fortunate to obtain through the efforts of the following people I’d like to acknowledge:
To Dr. John Kremer, for helping to keep my presentation of medical topics accurate.
To Gabe Robinson, for helping to identify and bring out the real story hidden in the jumble of words that was my original effort.
To Brynn Warriner and Carrie Wicks, for helping me take what I (mistakenly) hoped was a finished manuscript to a manuscript that is now really finished—a humbling but necessary experience. Brynn and Carrie both work in Seattle; they also provided sound advice and assistance on specifics of the novel’s Seattle setting.
To Ellen Johnson, Casey Jacobs, Dennis Doppe, and Jennifer Norton for reading early versions of Isabel’s Run and providing valuable feedback.
Finally, as always, to my wife, Michelle, for her constant support in this and all my other endeavors.
Table of Contents
Welcome
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue
Part One
Chapter 1 "Cease fire! Cease . . .
Chapter 2 "Jeez–thirty five . . .
Chapter 3 I'm a pretty . . .
Chapter 4 Our staff meeting . . .
Chapter 5 Nancy called Annie . . .
Chapter 6 We were on . . .
Chapter 7 I was home . . .
Chapter 8 The next morning . . .
Chapter 9 We were thinking . . .
Chapter 10 With my little . . .
Chapter 11 The girl–whatever . . .
Chapter 12 At 9:45 a.m. . . .
Part Two
Chapter 13 At Logan PI . . .
Chapter 14 At 8:15 a.m. . . .
Chapter 15 A few minutes . . .
Chapter 16 "That sucks," Kenny . . .
Chapter 17 I figured that . . .
Chapter 18 I waited. I . . .
Chapter 19 Thursday morning means . . .
Part Three
Chapter 20 It was quiet . . .
Chapter 21 It had been . . .
Chapter 22 She's medium height . . .
Chapter 23 As soon as . . .
Chapter 24 The next morning . . .
Chapter 25 Our rally point . . .
Chapter 26 As soon as . . .
Chapter 27 Nancy and Tyrone . . .
Chapter 28 As the sound . . .
Chapter 29 "Then I yelled . . .
Chapter 30 David drove me . . .
Part Four
Chapter 31 My mom and . . .
Epilogue
Author's Notes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books by M.D. Grayson
Copyright
About the Publisher
About the Author
M.D. Grayson is the author of the Danny Logan mystery series including (so far) Angel Dance, No Way to Die, and now Isabel’s Run. He lives on an islan
d near Seattle with his wife Michelle and their three German shepherds.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Mr. Grayson worked in the construction industry, as an accountant for six l-o-n-g weeks (square peg/round hole), and as a piano player on the Las Vegas strip. When he’s not writing, he loves zooming about on two wheels, bicycles and motorcycles alike. In addition, he’s a pilot, a boater, and an accomplished musician—always ready for a jam session!
Connect Online:
Amazon Author Page
Blog: http://www.mdgrayson.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/md_grayson
Facebook: http://facebook.com/mdgraysonauthorpage
Other books by M.D. Grayson:
In the Danny Logan series debut, beautiful Seattle business heiress Gina Fiore has vanished without a trace. Desperate for help, her family turns to Danny Logan, Gina’s former boyfriend, to find her and bring her home safely. Logan is a fifth-generation Seattle native who owns Logan Private Investigations. Along with his associates Antoinette “Toni” Blair, Kenny Hale, and Joaquin Kiahtel, he accepts the case and begins the hunt for Gina.
Logan and his team dig for clues and soon find that they’re not the only ones looking for Gina. The Tijuana-Mendez drug cartel is keenly interested in her whereabouts, as is the Calabria crime family from Chicago. The race is on to locate Gina—the stakes could not be higher. In order to prevail, Logan’s going to need all the skill and luck he can gather, and he’s going to need to confront the unresolved feelings he still has for Gina— feelings that might just get him killed!
Other books by M.D. Grayson:
Why would renowned mathematician Thomas Rasmussen drive to Discovery Park at six-thirty on a dark, rainy morning, put a .357 magnum to his head and pull the trigger? The police say the evidence is conclusive - it was definitely a suicide. But that made no sense to his wife, Katherine. Thomas had everything to live for. So she did what people in Seattle do when they need help on matters such as these. She turned to Danny Logan and Logan Private Investigations for answers.
Logan, along with his associates Antoinette "Toni" Blair, Joaquin "Doc" Kiahtel, and Kenny Hale roll into action, determined to find out what really happened. Did Thomas die by his own hand? Or was he murdered? Either way: why? The answer to these questions would only be found at the end of a trail full of lies, conflicting evidence, and extreme danger. But one thing was certain: alone in a car in a dark parking lot in the rain is No Way to Die
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Isabel's Run
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you're reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.
Copyright © 2012 by M.D. Grayson. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Cover designed by M.D. Grayson
Cover art:
Copyright © iStockPhoto # 10519930_Woman Walking in Street by Burak Pekakcan
Visit the author website:
http://www.mdgrayson.com.
ISBN-978-0-9849518-3-3 (eBook)
ISBN-978-0-9849518-6-4 (Paperback)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012949644
Version 2012.09.24
About the Publisher
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Table of Contents
Welcome
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue
Part One
Chapter 1 "Cease fire! Cease . . .
Chapter 2 "Jeez–thirty five . . .
Chapter 3 I'm a pretty . . .
Chapter 4 Our staff meeting . . .
Chapter 5 Nancy called Annie . . .
Chapter 6 We were on . . .
Chapter 7 I was home . . .
Chapter 8 The next morning . . .
Chapter 9 We were thinking . . .
Chapter 10 With my little . . .
Chapter 11 The girl–whatever . . .
Chapter 12 At 9:45 a.m. . . .
Part Two
Chapter 13 At Logan PI . . .
Chapter 14 At 8:15 a.m. . . .
Chapter 15 A few minutes . . .
Chapter 16 "That sucks," Kenny . . .
Chapter 17 I figured that . . .
Chapter 18 I waited. I . . .
Chapter 19 Thursday morning means . . .
Part Three
Chapter 20 It was quiet . . .
Chapter 21 It had been . . .
Chapter 22 She's medium height . . .
Chapter 23 As soon as . . .
Chapter 24 The next morning . . .
Chapter 25 Our rally point . . .
Chapter 26 As soon as . . .
Chapter 27 Nancy and Tyrone . . .
Chapter 28 As the sound . . .
Chapter 29 "Then I yelled . . .
Chapter 30 David drove me . . .
Part Four
Chapter 31 My mom and . . .
Epilogue
Author's Notes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books by M.D. Grayson
Copyright
About the Publisher
Isabel's Run Page 30