“What are we going to do?” Taynor sounded panicked now.
“I’ve got to think about it,” Rocha said. “We’ll stay here until I’ve got this figured out.”
“What about the detective?” A derisive note was in Taynor’s words when he said detective.
“We’ll have to shoot her up before she wakes,” Rocha said. “What I’ve got will keep the bitch out until morning.”
Kelley kept still. If they tried to drug her now, she’d have to make a move. She couldn’t let them shoot her up again.
“What the hell?” Taynor’s voice grew closer to Kelley. “Her wrists weren’t tied like that when I left her. Something’s different.”
“You’re probably imagining things.” Rocha dismissed Taynor’s words. “Move out of my way. We’ll give her a shot then seal her up again and get going.”
“Just a second.” Taynor’s voice was closer now. “Her ankles aren’t tied anymore. I know I—”
Kelley reacted automatically. She opened her eyes, grabbed Taynor’s head, and jerked him down at the same time she rammed her knee up and to his nose.
Taynor screamed in shock and pain. Kelley lunged for a gun that was in the front of his pants. She wrapped her hand around the grip and started to pull it out when she felt the hard press of a barrel against her temple.
Her skin went cold and she froze. “Hold up your hands and move away from Taynor,” Rocha said with fury in his voice.
She leaned back, her hands up, her body stiff. Adrenaline pumped through her, masking the pain from her injuries. All she felt was the pounding of her heart and heard the blood rushing in her ears, her body wired from the adrenaline.
Taynor regained his balance and slowly brought his gaze to Kelley, blood gushing from his nose. He raised his arm and backhanded her so hard it threw her backward, against the side of the compartment she’d been kneeling in.
“Shoot her up,” Taynor said, blood flowing over his lips.
“Told you I’m running low,” Rocha said. “We’ll have to shut her up another way.”
Taynor grabbed her by her hair and jerked her to her feet. Pain shot through her scalp where she’d sustained more injuries in the accident. He dragged her out of the compartment then threw her to the floor of the truck.
She only had a moment to see him bringing the grip of his pistol down hard on her, slamming it into the side of her head.
Everything went black.
* * * * *
Parked in the SUV with John on the Arizona side of the border, Reese narrowed his eyes as he watched vehicles pass through from Douglas into Agua Prieta, Mexico. The Mexican customs agents gave a good show of checking each vehicle with more diligence than normal. Reese was afraid it was just that—all show. They could have been paid off. Rocha could already be across the border with Kelley.
They’d provided the Mexican Customs agents with a photograph of Taynor and a rendering of Rocha’s image. No photographs were on file for Rocha, aka Johnny Rocket, so the only thing they had to go by was the sketch.
Reese’s phone rang. He saw by the caller ID that it was his brother, Garrett. Reese pressed the ON button and raised the phone to his ear. “What have you got?” Reese said as way of an answer.
“Just met up with one of Fat T’s boys,” Garrett said. “They call him Junior because he’s a smaller version of Fat T.”
“I’ve heard of him.” Reese straightened in his seat and just about knocked over the rest of his large Dr. Pepper from the drink holder. “What can you tell me?”
“It took some convincing, but I think I’ve got something you can use,” Garrett said and Reese had a feeling that Garrett hadn’t used conventional methods of interrogation. “Junior said that he saw a big silver truck one time when he was with Fat T and Johnny Rocha. Thinks it might have been an ice cream truck because it had pictures of ice cream treats on it.”
“An ice cream truck?” Reese frowned, thinking out loud.
“Not a typical ice cream truck that goes around a neighborhood. Most likely a large refrigerated truck of some sort,” Garrett said. “Maybe one that isn’t really refrigerated or has some kind of hidden compartments insulated against the cold to smuggle humans.”
Reese’s mind raced. “Mexico exports frozen treat items to parts of the U.S., including Arizona. That would be a perfect front to smuggle humans out of the U.S. when the truck returns to Mexico.”
“Sounds like a good possibility to me,” Garrett said.
“Thanks, bro.” Reese blew out his breath in a rush. “We’re at the border but haven’t seen any kind of refrigerated truck. I’ll call it in now.” He cut the connection and glanced at John as he grabbed the radio. “If they haven’t already crossed the border, we have a good lead on Rocha and Taynor.”
Reese’s heart rate increased as he spoke into the radio, giving the new information to be relayed to all law enforcement agencies and Mexican Customs.
Reese looked back at the border. In the long line of cars waiting to cross into Mexico, there was no big ice cream truck, or refrigerated truck of any kind.
They got out of the SUV and headed for the border station and walked up to the Mexican Customs Agents. John spoke fluent Spanish, leaning toward Spanglish in this case, which included Mexican slang spoken in states along the border. John explained the situation to the agents and asked if they had let a refrigerated truck of any kind pass by earlier today.
Reese’s Spanish wasn’t fluent, but he understood enough to know what John was asking the agents. The agents said a refrigerated truck had gone through earlier but it had not been a truck that delivered ice cream. It had been a truck filled with frozen meats from the U.S.
“Doesn’t mean it wasn’t them,” Reese said as he and John walked away from the border and back toward the SUV. His mouth was in a hard, tight line. “But if it was, it means we’re too late.”
John nodded. “I hope to hell that’s not the case.”
Reese clenched his hands into fists as they reached the SUV. “For all we know the Mexican border agents were paid off to keep quiet about the truck crossing the border. Wouldn’t be the first time, I’m sure.”
“We’ll stay put for now and keep an eye out,” John said. “Could be we beat Rocha and Taynor here.”
Reese stared at the border crossing. It went against his grain to do nothing. But right now all they could do was wait and pray for the best.
Chapter 18
Kelley groaned as she stirred. She tried to roll over but found herself confined in a tight space. She grimaced as her head throbbed and opened her eyes to total and complete darkness. Memories flowed back to her. She was in the refrigerated truck in the hidden compartment and she’d been knocked out once again, this time by the butt of Taynor’s handgun. Surprisingly, they hadn’t bound her again.
How much time had passed? Were they across the border now?
The thought made panic rise up inside her like a flock of birds in her chest. She inhaled slowly and blew her breath out before breathing in again. Her deep, even inhalations and exhalations helped to calm her.
Whatever happened, there was no way they’d be able to keep her captive.
A chill rolled over her, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin. Tactics used by human traffickers ranged from death threats to promises of retribution on family members and friends. Drugs were a big part of it, and that part did make her heart thump harder again and her stomach to churn. If she were to be drugged, there would be no way to fight back, no way to extricate herself from the horrors of being a sex slave. She’d have to do it in any moments of lucidity she might have.
The churning in her stomach grew worse. She was fortunate that neither Rocha nor Taynor had attempted to rape her. She’d be able to tell if they had while she was drugged, and she was positive they hadn’t.
She began to feel an urgent need to pee and she gritted her teeth. Time seemed to drag on as she pushed up against her ceiling, trying to open the compartment. She heard
a scraping noise and then the metal panel that served as her ceiling began to move. Thoughts about taking on her captors again went through her mind, but she was still too dizzy and not in a good position to do anything. Yet.
When the metal panel was moved aside, she looked up to see the muzzle of a pistol trained on her by Rocha. She winced from the harsh sound that throbbed through her aching head when Taynor dropped the panel he’d just moved aside.
“Out.” Rocha motioned with the gun for her to climb out of the compartment.
Her throat grew dry and her heart pounded harder as she obeyed him. When she stood on the floor of the refrigerated truck she shivered. He motioned for her to go to the truck’s open rear doors.
As she walked toward the back of the truck, she blinked her eyes. It was dark but she could see that they were in an old building, a barn from the looks of it. Silvery moonlight spilled in through gaps in the weathered boards.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“Shut up.” Taynor growled the words.
“I have to use the bathroom.” She looked at Rocha. “Please.”
Rocha waved his gun. “Climb down.”
She wobbled a little as she stepped onto the bumper, still weak from one thing after another that had happened. She wasn’t sure if it had been stupid to try and take on Taynor and Rocha earlier. In her desperation to escape before they crossed the border it had been all she could think to do.
Rocha grabbed her upper arm as she reached the back of the truck and dragged her down. She stumbled and would have fallen if he didn’t have a hold on her.
When they were on the straw-covered dirt floor of the building, she realized that the truck was in a large old barn with what looked like loose boards in the walls, the boards gray and splintered. Stalls ran the length of the building, a couple with doors hanging off their hinges.
As she scanned the barn, she saw eight-year-old Belle hunching over in front of an old straw bale, her knees up against her chest and her arms around her shins, her feet bare. A measure of relief went through Kelley to see that Belle was alive and on the surface appeared safe and sound—as sound as she could be after seeing her mother murdered in front of her and being kidnapped.
Rocha waved his weapon in the direction of the back of the barn. “Do your thing over there, Detective, where we can watch you.”
“Not outside?” she asked.
“Either shut up and do as you’re told or piss your pants,” Rocha said.
She’d had to do a lot of humiliating things over the course of her career in law enforcement, and right now she had to go too badly to be embarrassed or to argue. She raised her chin and avoided Rocha’s and Taynor’s eyes as they followed her to the back of the barn. As she pushed down her jeans she realized she was still wearing her purse.
The night was starting to cool and she shivered in the near darkness and took care of business in the rear of the barn. When she finished, she straightened, her body aching from all it had been through as she zipped and buttoned her jeans.
“Sit by the girl.” Taynor nodded toward the straw bale where Belle was.
Kelley obeyed and sat close to Belle. Her mind raced as she took in her barely lit surroundings, calculating her chances of escaping to get help. She could be in either Arizona or Mexico for all she knew. There were too many things working against her right now for her to try to escape, including her lack of knowledge of the territory she was in, her injuries, and the fact she couldn’t take off and leave without Belle.
“Don’t think of leaving,” Rocha said in a deadly tone, as if he could read her mind. “We’ll kill the girl if you try to escape. Understand?”
Kelley’s throat worked. “Yes,” she said.
The men moved away, speaking in low tones. Kelley tried to listen but they were speaking too quietly for her to hear.
She turned to Belle who looked terrified. “Hi, Belle, honey. Have they hurt you?”
Belle shook her head but didn’t speak.
Kelley put her arm around Belle’s shoulders and felt the girl tremble. She stroked Belle’s tangled hair away from her face, wishing there was some way to comfort her. Kelley thought about the times her mother would comfort her by brushing her hair out until it shone.
She reached into her cross body purse and dug out her small hairbrush. As she did so, she glanced at Taynor and Rocha and saw them still deep in conversation. She shifted and began brushing the girl’s hair, untangling the long blonde strands. “You’re so brave, Belle.”
The girl’s trembling gradually stopped and with her big blue eyes she looked at Kelley. “I’m not brave.” Belle’s voice shook and tears glistened in her eyes. “I miss my mom.”
“I know, honey.” Kelley continued to brush Belle’s hair. She lowered her voice. “I will get us out of here.”
Belle nodded but said nothing.
“Did you hear them say where we are?” Kelley asked quietly. “Did they say if they’ve crossed the border into Mexico?”
Belle shook her head. “One of them talked to somebody on the phone and said we’ll be crossing the border into Mexico tomorrow.”
Kelley let out a breath. “Did you hear anything else?”
With a frown, Belle looked deep in thought. “I don’t think they’re going to put us in the truck again. They’re going to find another way to take us into Mexico.”
As Kelley turned that over in her mind, she wondered what the men were now planning. She was pretty sure that the ice cream truck had been a way that Rocha could have taken them over undetected. But if Rocha and Taynor believed their method of smuggling had been compromised, they now needed to find another way. That thought gave her hope.
Belle caught Kelley’s attention as she added, “They talked about paying someone to help them get across.”
Kelley looked at the girl, her stomach dropping. “Rocha and Taynor talked about paying off a Mexican customs agent?”
With a nod, Belle said, “Yes. I remember them saying they would pay off as many agents as it took.”
Damn. Kelley didn’t speak her thought aloud. She didn’t want Belle to know she was worried.
“People are looking for us,” Kelley said. “My partner will find us.”
With those words, Kelley’s heart lurched. She didn’t know for sure that Reese had survived the accident. Yet somehow she felt with certainty that Reese was alive and searching for her. She didn’t know how she could feel so confident, but she did. It was better than the alternative—being afraid that Reese was dead…and that no one was coming for her and Belle.
“What are you doing?” Rocha’s voice cut into Kelley’s thoughts.
She jerked her attention to the man who had his eyes narrowed. “I’m brushing Belle’s hair. It’s calming her down.”
Rocha studied her for a long moment. “What else do you have in that purse?”
“You searched it.” Kelley didn’t look away from him. “You know all I have is the brush and my ID.”
The man held out his hand. “Give it to me.” She held out the brush but he shook his head. “The purse,” he said.
She set the brush on the ground then shifted and took off the purse. She was surprised he hadn’t asked her for it earlier.
When she held it out, he snatched it from her grasp. He dug through it again. He pulled out a tissue, two pens, and her checkbook. Lastly he brought out her wallet, which also contained her credentials, including her badge.
He flipped it open and scanned it. With a smirk he tossed the wallet aside so that it landed in the dirt. “You won’t be needing that anymore.”
She tried to school her expression. It wouldn’t do her any good to be antagonistic with him. Not after what she’d already tried and the fact that he could drug her again. She needed to stay lucid if she was going to save herself and Belle.
Rocha sneered and threw her purse in the opposite direction along with the lipstick, tissue, and pen.
When Rocha was looking away, Belle put her ha
nd on Kelley’s arm. She leaned in close and Kelley lowered her head so that she could hear what Belle had to say.
“I have my phone in my pocket,” the girl said quietly.
Kelley’s eyes widened and she drew away from Belle. “You have a phone?” she whispered.
The girl nodded. “They’ve always had my hands tied until now, so I couldn’t get it. I was going to dial 9-1-1 like Mom told me to if anything happened. I was afraid they would find it.”
“Let’s wait for the right time and then I’ll call for help,” Kelley whispered.
Belle nodded again. “I knew you would save me when I saw you.”
Kelley studied Belle. How could the girl believe in Kelley when her mom had been killed in front of her and Kelley had passed out? Wasn’t it her fault that the girl’s mother was dead?
Before Kelley could say anything else, she saw Rocha approaching them. For a moment she was afraid that he’d overheard. But instead he tossed a bag at her and Belle.
Kelley let it drop in front of them. Cautiously, she looked into the plastic bag. Inside was a Slim Jim, a small bag of Doritos, a package of M&Ms, and a single powdered donut that was loose in the plastic grocery bag. Kelley’s stomach growled, even at the sight of the pitiful fare.
Kelley ignored Rocha and looked from the meager stash to Belle. “Are you hungry, Belle?”
The girl’s shoulders rose and fell in a shrug.
“You should eat something even if you don’t feel hungry.” Kelley opened the Slim Jim, the orange grease glistening in the package. “You need it to help give you energy.” She tore the Slim Jim and handed half to Belle. “Here. Eat this.”
Belle frowned but took it. She tentatively bit into the meat then grimaced. “It’s awful.”
Kelley managed a smile. “It’s greasy but it will give you a little protein.”
The girl was still frowning as she took another bite, but she finished it off. Ignoring Rocha and Taynor, Kelley and Belle ate the Doritos and donut, then opened up the package of M&Ms. They ate the candies one at a time, making them last. Kelley made sure the girl had most of their meager supply of food.
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