by J. S. Peck
I drove over the curb and onto the street and kept going. I heard people behind me hollering and saw them running behind me. I kept going. I was driving as fast as the truck would go and we rounded a curve in the road that made the truck stand on the left-sided wheels. I heard the girls gasp. Then they began to giggle thinking this was all great fun. One of the younger girls pointed to me and said in Spanish,”Loca.” I knew only a few words in Spanish and this was one I did – crazy! I laughed with them and said, “Yes, you can call me crazy.”
Actually, crazy was probably the best word for me at this point. I had stolen a truck and kidnapped 4 little girls! Where was I going to hide this oversized truck so that we wouldn’t be found? I tried to think of a good spot so that no one would be able to locate where we were. I felt a rustle around me and knew it was my grandmother. She whispered, “parking lot,” and off she went. I had no idea what she meant for we had just come from the parking lot. Then it hit me. Of course.
I knew my way around town pretty well, but I would have to take a chance to see if I could guess where Gram had meant for me to park. I turned down the next street and took a right turn only to end up at a dead end. I had to maneuver the truck back and forth several times before I could even turn around. I was beginning to panic. I heard sirens in the background and wondered if they were for me. I closed my eyes and asked the Universe to help me keep the girls safe. Where was the spot I was looking for?
As soon as I opened my eyes again, I got the sense to go back down the street I had taken and make the left-hand turn I was supposed to have made in the first place. The street was long and dark because they didn’t have regular street lights down in this section of town. I almost passed where I wanted to go, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the other advertising trucks parked there for overnight storage. I backed up a bit and turned into the parking lot. I pulled up close to another truck which was advertising one of the shows playing on the strip. It was in the darkest part of the lot. I was relieved to have found this spot and whispered, “Thanks, Gram.” I parked the truck and the girls looked at me in expectation. I put my finger to my lips to warn them we had to be quiet.
I felt for my phone in my pants pocket and discovered it wasn’t there. Thinking I had lost it when I had climbed into the truck, I once again poked through the clutter and grime on the floor searching for it. I came up empty-handed. No phone. What could I do?
It came to me that they would be looking for us with the Purple Passion Lounge ad on it. So I signaled to the girls to wait right where they were while I checked the other trucks to see if one was unlocked. I was beside myself with excitement to find the one next to us unlocked. I gathered the girls and we all hopped in and locked the doors after us. Now all we had to do is wait.
I looked at the girls sitting quietly beside me and my heart filled with love for them. They smiled at me and seemed content in spite of the predicament we all were in. How could anyone think of selling them or touching them in ways that were less than loving? I knew because of them, I would get myself involved with whatever it took to keep them and others safe. Human trafficking was becoming a greater and greater issue in today’s society – one to oppose and try to stop completely.
I meditated and called out for Brian to find me. I believed that he and Gram had a connection somehow and maybe it’d pay off. I told my grandmother to tell Brian where I was and to come save us. I repeatedly whispered, “Brian, we’re right here with the other trucks. Come find us and keep us safe.” I sounded like an unending mantra and I could see the girls begin to nod off. It was easy to do because of the darkness and the quiet.
It wasn’t until I heard the gravel crunch underneath the tires of the car pulling into the lot that I realized I must have dozed off too. I touched each girl, holding my finger to my lips and motioned for them to duck down. We soon could see a flashlight shine through the front window and all around our truck. We heard voices, but I couldn’t identify them.
I had left unlocked the doors of the Purple Passion truck we had used hoping they’d think we had deserted the area. I heard first one door open and then the other. Both men had flashlights and they shone them inside. I could hear the men moving things around. One of them called out, “There’s nothing here. Let’s go back.”
“No, we were told to search all the trucks, remember?”
“It’s a waste of time, I’m telling you.” Reluctantly, we heard him say, “All right, you start there and I’ll start at the other end. Don’t blame me if it’s a dead end.”
As I heard footsteps getting closer to us, one of the girls whimpered. I knew they were all terrified but they had to remain still or we’d all be in trouble. I reached out to touch her and again put my finger to my lips. Hopefully, the shoes he was wearing had made enough noise to cover her sound. I held my breath and waited for him to try to open the door on my side.
It was then that I heard another car enter the parking lot. Soon after, another and another one followed. The footsteps near me stopped and turned away. I heard a voice holler out, “Don’t move or I’ll shoot.” I let out a sigh of relief. It was Brian’s voice.
I listened to a lot of scuffling and then heard Brian call out, “Rosie? It’s okay; you can come out now!”
I opened my door and raced into his arms. I'd never been so glad to see anyone in my life. "I'm so glad you made it in time!"
Pleasantly surprised at me flinging myself at him, he took me into his arms and held me tight. His arms gripped me even tighter when he saw 4 pairs of eyes watching him. He could see for himself what this escape meant to me and the risk I’d taken to save them. His head bent down looking into my eyes. He moved closer until his lips met mine. I heard the girls begin to giggle when they saw us kissing. He stepped back at the same time I took a step back from him. This was something new for both of us. It was obvious we were uncertain what this could mean. We stared at each other, silent until he burst out, “Rosie, you scared me half to death! Don’t ever do anything like this again, hear?”
I couldn’t help myself. I started to laugh nervously at the idea anything like this could happen again. Little did I realize then, this was only the beginning of finding myself in situations like this.
I looked over to where Mike was standing, smiling at us. Cindy was by his side, looking pleased to be with him and relieved to see me and the girls safe. She stepped forward. As she got nearer, we clasped onto each other, hugging and hiding our tears of joy that all was okay.
“I’m so glad you are who you are, my dear friend Cindy.”
“I feel the same about you.”
Brian’s men handcuffed Johnny’s men who had been searching for the girls and me, loaded them into their cars, and took them away. I assumed they were headed for the police station for questioning. I had no idea what would happen to their car left behind.
It was time to gather the girls and make our next move. We ended up sending the girls back with Cindy to her house. They would be safe with her there until we could have them safely placed with the organization that provides protection for those caught in human trafficking. Perhaps we’d be able to reunite them with their family, in spite of knowing that some families were forced to sell their children for food money just to keep the rest of them alive. Many of the victims came from extremely poor families or families involved in drug addictions setting their children free to wander and fend for themselves.
I looked at each little girl and hugged her. As they walked away, I gave them the hearing impaired sign for love. Mike would check in with Cindy later to make sure all was okay.
CHAPTER 34
I rode with Brian back to the Purple Passion Lounge so I could pick up my purse and my car. As we were driving along, Brian received a phone call and by the time he hung up, I could tell he was upset.
“What’s up? What’s wrong?”
My guys have looked every
place imaginable and haven’t been able to find the drugs. We know they have to be there somewhere! The snitch told us that the drugs were delivered today, but where are they? Were they off-loaded already? That doesn’t seem possible, especially with all that’s been going on!”
I had no answer for him. We rode in silence until we got there. There were police cars everywhere! “What happened to all the men who were there for the little girls? Have they all been arrested?”
“They have all been taken to the police station. Because of who they are, they’ll hire high-priced lawyers who’ll convince the judge their clients had no idea children were involved in the ‘appreciation buffet’ given for the lounge’s best clients. It’s all legal. You know how that works, don’t you?”
“Unfortunately, I do,” I responded, downhearted.
As we drove into the Purple Passion Lounge, Mama was outside, handcuffed and being held by one of the policemen. The man standing beside her turned out to be the Chief of Police, the man I hated with a passion. As I stepped outside the car, both of them approached me. A look of intense hatred crossed Mama’s face as she spat at me. “If you think that you can ruin me, let me tell YOU something. That’s not going to happen!” She turned to the Chief of Police and smiled before continuing. “Don’t even think of pinning that story about the little girls on me! You’re the one who set that up, aren’t you? You thought you and that chef friend of yours could make a little money on the side, isn’t that right?”
I was bewildered by her accusations. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about. Arrest her Franklin!”
“Now, Bertha. You know we have to do things the right way…”
“Hold on. What’s going on here?” Brian asked while pulling me away from the two of them.
Mike came up alongside me and said, “Let’s get her inside.”
The three of us left them behind and walked inside. “Where’s Romano? Is he okay?”
Mike answered with a grin, “I think that he’s going to have a big, beautiful black eye. Apparently, after you left, Johnny came back into the kitchen and started arguing with him. He grabbed Romano and punched him in the eye. In turn, Romano grabbed a frying pan and knocked him out. We found Johnny out cold on the floor.”
I ran into the kitchen to find Romano sitting on one of the steel stools holding a steak over his left eye. “I’m so sorry, Romano, for all the trouble I caused you. Are you okay?”
Romano looked up at me with a smile on his face. “Ah, my little Rosebud! You gave me a scare the way you tore out of here. I wasn’t sure you were going to make it with those little girls.”
“It’s because of you that they are safe. You’re my hero, for sure,” I said with tears in my eyes. I put my arms around his shoulders and kissed him on each cheek. None of this air kissing this time.
Romano looked around the kitchen and seeing the disarray, he implored, “Why do they have to mess it up? Why can’t people stay out of my kitchen? ”
His pleadings gave me an idea. “Romano, why did Johnny come back into the kitchen?”
“He said that he was looking for what belonged to him! I told him the girls didn’t belong to anyone! Then, of course, we fought over it.” Romano began to smile. “I got him good though, didn’t I?”
“You sure did,” I answered, smiling at his pleasure.
Brian and Mike were amused as they stood there watching us. I turned to them and said, “I know where your drugs are.”
Both of them looked at me in disbelief.
“Yup,” I said, “and Romano is going to help you find them.”
“I am?” asked Romano.
“Yup. Would you please go get your delivery ticket from this morning?”
Romano handed it to me and we headed into the storage area with Brian and Mike behind us. We began to check off what was on the list compared to what was not listed. There it was! A box that was supposed to be filled with tomato sauce that once we opened a can found it filled with what looked like heroin.
“How did you know, Rosie?” asked Brian.
“Several years back they caught a woman who was “enthralled” by the mafia bigwig in Australia. Barbaro was his name, I think. The woman was the gofer for his crime syndicate which was responsible for the shipment of 4.4 tons of ecstasy worth more than $122 million dollars hidden in 3,000 tinned tomato cans.”
“How did you remember that?”
I laughed. “I’ve never forgotten it because at the time, I thought it was hysterical to think tomatoes could provide ecstasy of any kind. That is until I’d eaten some of Romano’s food, of course,” I added with a smile.
Romano gave me a smile of his own, and held his fingers together in a perfecto sign. We all were on a high note. I was over the moon, excited for it to be over. We’d succeeded in finding the drugs and would be able to take down those responsible for it. “Well, guys, we have our man so to speak. It’s certainly a good feeling to take Mama down and all that she was up to.”
All three of the men nodded in agreement. However, the hand slapping and congratulations died down once I added, “But all of this has nothing to do with clearing up the murders of Melissa, Sally or Sam. It’s not over yet, is it?”
We all looked at each other. No one said a word. I walked out of the kitchen to grab my purse and head home. I had a lot to mull over. Yes, we had success in finding the heroin which had been delivered this morning, and we now had a concrete trail of where the drugs were coming from. We knew in time that all the accusations of who was supplying the drugs and those who were distributing them would eventually come to light because experience has shown that each one involved wants to save their own skin. Anyway, that’s how it works most times.
It looked like this time, it was Mama who was going to be taking the fall, not only for the drugs but for the trafficking of the little girls. We each knew better that she alone was not responsible for all that had taken place. But again, things don’t always turn out the way they should. I had proof of that with what’d happened to Jeff. So I was surprised to find myself feeling a little sorry for her or maybe it was simply because she was in the same situation Jeff had been in with no one stepping forward to challenge her status of being the only one involved.
As I walked back down the hall from the employee’s lounge, I passed the doorway of the kitchen area. I looked in and saw both Brian and Mike turn my way, each with concern for me on their face. They were so handsome. I felt my heart beat faster. I was happy to know we would continue working together for there were things left to be done. I wondered what would happen after we had cleared up the murders. Would we still be in each other’s lives?
I thought of Melissa and Sally, then Sam. I had no intention of forgetting them, and was determined to discover who had taken their lives. I was realistic enough to understand it would take a lot more effort and time to resolve their murders. But I’d do whatever it took. I whispered to their spirits, “No worries my friends. Remember, ‘it ain’t over till it’s over’…”
CHECK OUT THE NEXT BOOK IN
THE DEATH CARD SERIES
DEATH
AT THE LAKE
Book 2
The Death Card Series
By
J.S. Peck
BEJEWELED PUBLISHING
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
CHAPTER 1
I had to give credit to Sweet Pea, my darling dog, who sat in front of me with her head cocked. She never moved the entire time I vacillated between crying and laughing about all that’d recently happened at the Purple Passion Lounge. I was a total hot mess --- exhilarated and exhausted. I’d reached my limit with working as an undercover agent at the Purple Passion Lounge, trying to solve the murders of my client and another stripper who performed there. Instead of finding the murderers, I had particip
ated in a drug bust and had kidnapped four young girls the people there had brought into the lounge to be sold as part of their human trafficking scheme.
Even today, all I had to do was close my eyes to envision the four sets of eyes belonging to those girls staring back at me as they had when I’d unlocked one of the office doors there and found them hiding inside. What was going to happen to them? And what about me for having kidnapped them? The Chief of Police wasn’t about to let me off the hook for that. What about those people who’d love to get their hands on me for my interfering with their plan? Also, what’s happening with the three different murders yet to be solved?
All would have to wait … I couldn’t worry about any of it right now. I needed to get to bed and recuperate. It was my turn to host my three best friends here in Las Vegas in less than 24 hours. Nothing was going to stop me from that. Most importantly, for all our safety, I couldn’t let them know how much I was involved with all that was going on here with the murders. That was going to be hard to do because we usually have no secrets between us…
My “sister-friends” (more like sisters than friends) and I always have fun together, doing whatever inspires us at the time. We never know what’s going to happen, which makes it even more crazy fun. I’d been lucky enough to attend Cornell College where I met and befriended these three fabulous women – two from Boston, Massachusetts, and one from Boise, Idaho. They were the ones who’d alleviated the pain of my having been belittled and bullied when I was younger for my psychic abilities and those of my grandmother.