by Campbell
When he returned to the desk, he clasped both hands in front of him. “In the event that we have to go to court, can I count on you to testify?”
She shot a panicked look at her mother, who gripped her hand. “Think about all the other girls you’ll be helping.”
Her shoulders heaved and she lowered her head. As her breathing evened out, she swallowed hard and looked at him. “Yeah, you said Hussey wouldn’t come back and he ain’t bothered me, so I know I can trust you.”
The breath Shaz wasn’t aware he was holding seeped out of him. “Thank you. Remember this, when you know what you want to do in the future, come and talk to me. Not everything inside The Castle is bad, as I’m sure you know. We want to help people, too. That’s why the place was originally set up. To facilitate people living their dreams.”
Georgiana exchanged an excited smile with her mother, who blinked back tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“It’s the least I can do.” His gaze went back to Georgiana. “I’m going to ask you not to discuss what we’ve talked about with anyone. When we get those girls out, you’ll know. I promise.”
Both females thanked him. At the doorway, Georgiana offered him a shy smile, while her mother nodded as if she knew something he didn’t. Then she said, “It’s true what they say about you on the street. You may be a bigshot, but you look out for the poor.”
Humbled, Shaz simply nodded once. Their obvious gratitude did a number on him and he couldn’t come up with any words.
* * *
Twice in one day, Shaz was dumbstruck. First, because of his encounter with Soraya and Georgiana. Now, Camilla’s cool acceptance of his request to have a serious talk with her knocked him sideways. He was used to her protesting before he stated what he wanted her to do.
He removed his tie and hung it over his knee.
Ayanna, who was occupied with a pack of colorful flashcards on the other side of the center table made a beeline for him. Babbling, she grabbed the tie and hung it over her shoulders.
“Come, baby.” Camilla beckoned to her and attempted to get the tie.
While Ayanna fussed, Camilla lifted her onto the sofa between them and kept a hold on the tie. “It’s not safe for you to play with this, boo-boo.”
That didn’t stop Ayanna from pulling the blue silk material through her hands.
Camilla watched him over Ayanna’s head as if preparing herself for the worst. “What did you want to ask me?”
“I want to move you to The Castle. Today.”
She looked at him sideways. “You’re back with that again?”
Eyebrows raised, he asked, “After last night, did you expect anything else?”
Her focus went to Ayanna and she gently removed the tie from her mouth. “It’s not for eating, baby.”
When Camilla wouldn’t look at him, Shaz outlined things the way they were. “On the grounds we have twenty-four-hour security, plus cameras. Until we sort everything out, I’d feel better if you stay with me. The place has two bedrooms, so there’s no pressure.”
Camilla smirked. “I didn’t think you were hard up for sex.”
Ayanna looked up. “Mommy. Sez?”
Holding back laughter, Camilla said, “Not quite, honey.”
The moment she looked at Shaz, they both chuckled. As their amusement died, Camilla’s expression was thoughtful. “What about Aunt Mabel?”
‘She’s a wise woman. Miss Mabel knows this is not about her.” What he didn’t add was that he’d already spoken to Miss Mabel, who gave him her blessing and told him she didn’t need any security outside her door if Camilla chose to go to his place.
Shaz wasn’t so sure. People with this level of tenacity had few boundaries when it came to getting what they wanted.
Running both hands through her hair, Camilla let out her breath. She stared at the flashcards before her attention came back to him. “Thank you. I think it would be easier on all of us if I accept your offer.”
He masked his surprise and sent an affectionate smile her way. “Yes, that makes life much simpler.”
As her brows crumpled, Camilla asked, “Are you sure Aunt Mabel will be safe?”
Though he knew the older woman would give him hell, he conceded to what he knew she didn’t want. “We can leave the security in place here for a few more days, if that makes you feel better.”
A brilliant smile replaced Camilla’s frown. “It does.”
She picked up Ayanna and kissed her cheek. “We’re moving house, babes.”
Turning her attention to Shaz, she asked, “Can you give me an hour or so to get our things together?”
He pulled out his iPad from where he stashed it in the corner of the sofa. “Sure. I’ll get some stuff done while I wait.”
Camilla edged closer to him and placed a soft kiss on his jaw. “Thank you.”
Her warm breath caressed his skin and sent heat shooting through his lap. With the baby in her arms, he couldn’t kiss her properly but there would be other times. “No problem. But there is one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“We are going to make that emergency appointment for a U.S. embassy visit.”
Camilla didn’t seem convinced, so while Ayanna muttered to herself, he squeezed her mother’s arm. Their eyes connected. “You can’t keep putting it off. We’re doing it this evening.”
In a small voice, she said, “Okay. With everything going haywire, I didn’t get around to it.”
Although from here on in they would be playing house, Shaz was invested in keeping Camilla and Ayanna out of sight while he unraveled the web of abuse and exploitation within The Castle.
CHAPTER 22
“If I had known you planned to blindside me, I wouldn’t have answered my phone.”
Roman chuckled. “I never give up as long as there’s a chance I might win.”
“Bro, you’re fighting a losing battle.” Shaz leaned against the wall outside the conference room at The Castle.
Vikkas had called them to an emergency meeting this afternoon at Daron’s request. The information Georgiana gave Shaz provided the catalyst for the surveillance plan Daron put in motion. He and Dro preferred to watch the pattern of movement by their main targets—the Alderman and his lawyer—plus do their other technical fancy footwork, before making any moves. Plus, they had to scope out the property. A week later, something major was on the horizon.
Roman’s impatient tone cut into Shaz’s thoughts. “I just want you to think about the fact that aside from being disappointed, our parents will have to put off their trip.”
“They’ve gone away before—”
“But not on an extended trip.”
Shaz studied the shiny toes of his leather Oxfords. “And why are their movements your con—”
“They could do want they want, if you’d stop being selfish and do what Dad doesn’t want to have to bow and scrape to have you do.”
“What the heck did you just say? You must be—”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Suddenly irritated, Shaz snapped. “You’re rude, you know that?”
“You’re not the first person to say so.”
Shaz paced the length of the wall as he ranted. “Every time we talk, I can’t get a word in edgewise and when I finally do, you keep cutting me off. And by the way, I’m not selfish.”
“Whatever, but I know whatever you’re doing over there at The Castle isn’t more important than our family business.”
“Ugh.” Shaz tipped his chin toward the ceiling and rubbed the back of his neck.
On his way into the boardroom, Dro tapped his watch and gave Shaz a meaningful look.
“Roman, I have to go.” Shaz shoved a hand into his pocket, tangling his fingers with the medallion, which grounded him. “Despite what you think about what I’m doing here, it’s just as important, more so in fact, than putting up buildings.”
His brother’s tone was grudging. “Only to an extent. People need pl
aces to raise their families. Bostwick Construction facilitates that.”
“I don’t have time to argue. Next time, miss me with the guilt trips and browbeating.”
“This might be a joke to you but the company means everything to me.” Roman’s voice was heavy with disappointment, but Shaz wasn’t moved.
“Which is why you should give me a break and think about running it yourself.” Through his teeth Shaz ground out. “I have to go.”
He fell in step with Grant and walked into the boardroom where the other Kings had gathered. As he sat at the circular table, Shaz’s emotions ping-ponged between exasperation and contentment. Since Roman got on the phone, his mood took a downhill turn.
He was beyond satisfied that Camilla and Ayanna were settling into his suite, but his family was the limit. Roman had upped the ante and continued badgering him every few days, but they both knew Shaz was stubborn and wasn’t likely to give in to pressure.
His attention settled on the men around him when Vikkas called the meeting to order. After introductory remarks in the space of two minutes, he went to the most pressing agenda item.
Daron took over by walking to the screen Vikkas had activated and tapping it to enlarge a building at one corner. “Based on information Shaz received, Dro and I have been able to connect many dots as it pertains to the layout within The Castle.”
He pointed to the screen. “So, The Hub is here. There’s an enclosed walkway behind that leads to another section of the building. If Shaz’s client hadn’t mentioned the water component, we’d never have thought of that artificial waterfall that’s part of the ornamental garden.”
Frowning, Daron continued, “When Grant and Reno compared the architectural drawings to the original I found, something didn’t add up.”
“How so?” Dwayne asked.
“With the mention of the waterfall, we had another look. We discovered that one of the previous directors had it installed.” Daron pointed to Grant, then Reno. “The architects among us determined that an annex was built onto the original building that housed the adoption agency … without Khalil’s knowledge or approval.”
Kaleb let out a long whistle. “These guys aren’t playing.”
“And that is why we have to hit them hard, so they know this kind of crap is unacceptable,” Shaz said, rubbing his jaw as he focused on the screen.
“Agreed,” With one finger, Daron traced the walkway onscreen. “So, with the building reconfigured and secured this way, and the girls in close proximity, no one would ever know where they came from.”
Daron swiped the screen to reveal another picture. This one showed small enclosures with single beds and shelving. Each cell contained a young woman. On the outside, a female security guard paced the corridor. “This unit, for want of a better term, is confined to one floor. On the other side is where they keep the young mothers.”
This time, when the picture changed, the men gasped. The shot captured six cells. A pregnant woman occupied each. Daron faced them, hands in his pockets. “The only exit from this place is via a service entry close to the waterfall. The building is self-sufficient, so Shaz’s client was really courageous and smart to use the opportunity to escape in that private ambulance.”
Everyone in the room fell silent. Their facial expressions ranged from open disgust to outrage.
“Should I even ask why an ambulance was on the premises,” Kaleb said, tapping his thumb in a slow beat on the surface of the table.
“From the footage we’ve managed to get, one of the girls took ill and had to be rushed to hospital,” Daron replied.
“A private one, of course,” Dro added. “Where clients pay premium fees and few questions are asked.”
Shaz nodded, then frowned. “Wait. How did you two get inside to lay all these digital tracks, since The Hub has its own staff and what not?”
“This is where you have to be enterprising,” Dro said, chuckling. “Although we have cause for concern as there seems to be a blackout area for which we don’t have visuals.”
Daron’s slow smile signaled his agreement. “The place is self-sufficient, but the workers do go home on weekend breaks and days off. See, you pick your target carefully so that when you roll up to do some, uh, maintenance, you get ready access to the premises.”
“We’re not even going to ask how you got in and out,” Jai said, peering at the screen.
“Right.” Daron’s mouth quirked in a slight smile.
“So the point of this meeting is to put all of us on high alert.” Daron met each man’s eyes for a second. “We’re about to do a crash course on the layout. By the time we leave here, all of us will know exactly where every room, entrance and exit are in the Hub. We won’t be providing you with copies of these slides. The less physical evidence we have, the less likely it is that what we’re doing will reach the wrong eyes or ears.”
“Are we ready?” Dro asked as he scanned their solemn faces. “This will take a while.”
A rumble of agreement came from the eight Kings, then each man nodded.
Shaz sent a message to Elise to let her know he probably wouldn’t return to office. When he laid the phone on the table, a smile stole across his lips. They’d be ready for the showdown when it came. His gaze went back to the screen and the still image of a teenager sitting on a cot with both hands wrapped around her knees, and his stomach knotted. The hopelessness in her eyes pierced him, but he pushed emotion aside. They were all committed to freeing the girls trapped inside the estate and only God in heaven could stop them. In this situation, Shaz was confident He’d be on their side. He stared at the architect’s plan now captured on the screen and concentrated on Dro’s words.
“After you look at these next scenes, you’ll understand the bottom line is that we have to be ready to move at a moment’s notice.”
The slide segued into a clip of a heavily-pregnant young woman being restrained on a cot by two women, while a female nurse administered an injection. The girl stopped struggling and when she was released, tears slid down the side of her face and into her brown hair.
The nurse said something to the other two that Shaz didn’t hear, then they all walked out of the narrow space. The girl—swallowed up by a hospital gown—rolled onto her side and sobbed into the pillow.
Dro was right. They couldn’t wait any longer. Every minute those girls spent locked up put them at greater risk and only the Lord knew what poisons were being introduced into their system while they were incarcerated. At the same time, they had to be kept in reasonably good health if they were expected to deliver normal babies.
The Kings would have to time their entry to the Hub to take advantage of its unsuspecting clients. Even so, everything inside Shaz warned that they would be forced to execute their action plan much sooner than any of them anticipated.
CHAPTER 23
Camilla kissed Ayanna’s cheek and inhaled the aroma of baby lotion and powder. The scent and cuddly warmth of her child were reassuring. No matter what was wrong in her world, the connection to Ayanna reduced everything else to insignificance.
Except for the man on the other side of the bedroom door.
Shaz had turned everything topsy-turvy in her world. She’d been careful about her emotions because of Derrick. Who wanted to have back-to-back relationships with the wrong men? She also didn’t want to mistake gratitude for love, but when she was with Shaz, she forgot to guard her heart. His magnetic personality and caring attitude made taking precaution against falling for him next to impossible.
While they sat in the living room, Ayanna climbed into his lap to watch cartoons before she nodded off to sleep. When Camilla tried lifting Ayanna from Shaz’s arms, she clung to him and wouldn’t let go until he carried her to the bedroom and laid her in the crib. They stood watching Ayanna for a moment, then when they looked at each other the space between them disappeared. Now, as she prepared to approach him, she recalled their heated kiss and the out-of-control sensations attached to being wrappe
d in his arms.
Camilla didn’t want him to think she was angling for another encounter. She needed to make transportation arrangements to get Ayanna to the hospital for her final visit before her procedure. A cab would do fine, but based on the security arrangements at The Castle, she doubted any outside driver would be let in without rigorous interrogation. Even then, the security team might refuse to let him inside. Plus, intuition told her Shaz would object to them getting a taxi. Since her run-in with the police, he had turned his level of protectiveness up by a thousand notches. Even during the day, Shaz ensured the security guards did intermittent checks on them. She found it disconcerting, but it made her appreciate him even more.