One Among Us

by Paige Dearth

  “I actually do think Harker can keep looking without you. This isn’t just another case to him, Lorraine. He’s emotionally invested, and you know it. While he continues to search, we’ll keep praying. Can we agree we’ll trust Harker and try to get more of our life back? Can you do that?” Rob was practically begging.

  Lorraine watched Rob closely. The years hadn’t been good to either of them. The prematurely gray hair and the lines around their eyes made them appear ten years older than their real ages. She knew the time had come to do something different. Maybe Rob was right, she thought. Rae Harker had a vested interest in finding Maggie. Maybe it was time for her to go back to work and to make life as normal as possible. She and Rob had managed to grow closer after Rob talked about leaving Lorraine and taking Keith with him. That was a wake-up call for Lorraine, and she didn’t want to lose them just as she had lost her daughter.

  “OK,” Lorraine finally conceded. “I’ll look for a job. But only part time, OK? If it goes all right, then I’ll consider going back full time. How does that sound?” she asked, conflicted.

  “That sounds like a great first step. If it’s too much for you, we’ll reconsider. But at least it’s a start,” Rob said soothingly.

  Then he put his strong arms around her and pulled her close. She could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the sound that gave her comfort during her many sleepless nights since Maggie’s disappearance. Once they’d gotten past the turmoil that threatened to destroy their marriage, they’d become more tolerant of each other. Counseling had helped to keep them grounded.

  When Rob went upstairs to find Keith, who had a ball game, Lorraine poured herself a cup of coffee and picked up the telephone.

  “Harker here,” the voice on the other end said.

  “Rae, it’s Lorraine. Listen. I’ve decided to go back to work part time. I’m going to see how it goes and then maybe I’ll go back full time,” she told him.

  “That’s great news, Lorraine. I think it would be really good for you and your family.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure it will be. But you know what this means, right?” she asked, knowing him well enough to consider him a friend.

  “Of course I know. It means that you’re going to be even further up my ass to make sure I stay on Maggie’s case and follow every possible lead, even if it means I have to go without eating for days,” he joked.

  Lorraine remembered the third week after Maggie’s disappearance, when she was irrational and not thinking straight. She had screamed at Harker, telling him there was no time to rest—even if it meant he had to starve to death. “Eat while you’re working! There isn’t time for that shit right now!” were her exact words.

  Lorraine laughed at the vivid memory. “Yeah, well, I meant what I said, and I still stand by it today,” she said with a laugh. “All joking aside, Rae, I need to know you’ll be just as persistent without me up your ass every minute of the day,” she confessed.

  “I give you my word. There is no one working on this case that wants her back more than I do. Well, except you and Rob, of course. Anyway, you know what I mean. Listen, find yourself a job you enjoy and try to make your life as normal as possible. It ain’t easy. You know I speak from experience. But at some point, it becomes your new normal,” Rae Harker assured her.

  When Lorraine hung up the telephone, she called her old employer, the principal of the school where she’d taught eighth grade. The women had stayed in touch over the years. To Lorraine’s delight, she was able to go back to work part-time as a teacher’s assistant. There weren’t any openings for a part-time eighth-grade teacher, but the principal said that two teachers who were well into their sixties planned to retire in the near future. When Lorraine hung up the phone, it dawned on her that Maggie would be in the ninth grade by now. With a stab of longing to hold her daughter in her arms, Lorraine went to find Rob and Keith to share her good news.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  As Maggie walked the streets the next night, stopping to bend and look into cars and purr out her cat call, she ran into Juju.

  “Hey!” Maggie yelled excitedly, waving from the other side of the road.

  Juju was just finishing a deal and looked up to see Maggie. Juju smiled broadly, showing off her insanely sexy smile. “Maggie. Wait there. I’m coming over.”

  After selling to her last waiting customer, she trotted across the street. Juju grabbed Maggie around the waist and lifted her off the ground, twirling her around in a circle. Setting her back on her feet again, she looked into Maggie’s magnificent eyes. “You doing OK? Did Armando give you any more trouble?”

  “No,” Maggie said gratefully. “He was fine after you left. I guess he was surprised to see that I actually managed to survive the night. So what are you doing?” she asked.

  “Um, well, right now, I’m selling dope. It’s what I do, remember?” Juju said, half joking.

  “Yeah, I remember. I just wanted to know if you would be around later. I thought maybe we could hang out during the day tomorrow,” Maggie offered, practically holding her breath as she waited for a response.

  “Sure, we can hang out. Come by my place in the morning,” she told Maggie.

  Maggie sighed deeply. “Sounds great! I have to run. I gotta get my quota.”

  Juju looked at Maggie sadly, realizing that she easily could have been forced to sell herself.

  Maggie didn’t want any more trouble from Armando, and she had begun to offer regular sex to the johns. She insisted they wear condoms, even though some of the men offered extra money if they didn’t have to use one. She hated every minute of it, but she knew that Seth’s safety depended on her. She wouldn’t do anything that would put him in harm’s way.

  It was just before eight the next morning when Maggie knocked on Juju’s apartment door.

  “Hey, girl!” Juju said excitedly. “Come on in. Do you want toast?”

  “Sure.”

  Maggie studied Juju and was amazed by her good looks and physique. Juju had a heart-shaped face and flawless, warm-toned skin, complemented by greenish-blue eyes. Her dark-brown hair had a natural curl, and the shiny strands fell just below her shoulders. She had high cheekbones, the kind Maggie had seen on supermodels, and her upper and lower lips were equally plump. Her smile was vibrant. It lit up her face and invited kisses. While she was only five foot five, her body was lean, and her muscles rippled with every movement.

  “I didn’t realize how beautiful you are until now,” Maggie stated, a little embarrassed that she had said the words aloud. Juju had Asian features, yet she looked like the all-American girl. “Are you Asian?” she asked.

  Juju giggled. “My mother’s Greek, and my father’s Asian. My grandma on my mom’s side used to tell me I was Grasian.”

  “Is Juju your real name?” Maggie wanted to know.

  “Nah, my real name is Juliana June, but everyone always called me Juju. I don’t remember anyone ever calling me Juliana. I think Juju fits me better anyway,” she said with confidence.

  “I agree. It’s a great name,” Maggie said. “I wish I had a cool name like that. Before I came to Kensington, my best friend, Cali, called me Mags. That’s the closest I’ve ever come to having a nickname.”

  “Where’s Cali now?”

  “She died,” Maggie told her, tears stinging her eyes. “They put her in a dog cage and drowned her in a pool.”

  Juju’s eyes bugged out. “How do you know?”

  “Because they made me stand there and watch while they killed her,” she confessed, feeling like she’d failed Cali by not saving her life.

  “Who made you watch?” Juju persisted, more than curious about Maggie’s past.

  “The people who sold us,” Maggie admitted.

  “Wait. Back up. You need to tell me everything,” Juju said, hoping Maggie would share her story.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Maggie spent the morning telling Juju some of the things that had happened to her and the others over the last seve
ral years. When she was finished, she sat still. The two teens watched each other.

  Finally, Juju spoke. “Holy fuck! So you’re telling me that you were kidnapped when you were eleven, put into some freaky sex thing, Cali and Max were killed, and now you’re here.”

  “Yeah, that’s what happened. I worry about Seth. He’s the one Rock took to his house to live with his wife, Thelma. Rock told me he’d kill Seth if I ever lied to them again. I wish I could see him so I would know for sure he’s OK,” Maggie said sadly.

  “He’s OK,” Juju said tentatively. “I’ve seen him. A bunch of times.”

  “What? You’ve seen him? How?” Maggie asked.

  “I go to Rock’s house every two to three days to pick up my dope. He’s a little blond-haired kid, right?” she asked.

  Maggie nodded vigorously. “How is he? Is he doing OK?”

  “The last time I saw him was a couple of days ago. He was very quiet. He was sitting on the sofa. Thelma said he was being punished for talking back to her, and he wasn’t allowed to move or speak. I only know ’cause when I said hi to him and he didn’t say anything, I asked her if something was wrong with him,” Juju explained.

  “What else? How did he look?” Maggie persisted.

  “He looked…well, he looked like shit. He had a bruise on the side of his face and didn’t make eye contact with me. I was gonna say something to Rock, but he don’t like anyone getting into his business. I know they send him to school, though. I’ve seen him walking there a couple of times when I was in the neighborhood selling,” she said.

  “They let him go to school? Oh my God, I can go see him then,” Maggie said joyfully.

  “Yeah, they always let the kids Thelma raises go to school. Rock needs them to be smart enough so they can sell dope when they get older. Thelma doesn’t want them when they get too old. She only likes to raise them—if you can call it that—when they’re young,” Juju said.

  Then she added, “I can figure out what time he leaves the house, and we can meet him along the way to school. Would that work?”

  “Yeah, that’d be good,” Maggie said, and then she thought hard for a moment. “Are you sure you want to do that for me? I mean, if Rock ever found out, he might kill you.”

  “Rock is an idiot. He ain’t gonna find out. He could care less about Seth. Just as long as that useless piece of shit, Thelma, is happy, he doesn’t give two fucks about anything,” Juju informed her.

  Maggie sat back on the old folding chair with the cracked seat. She reveled in the thought of seeing Seth again. She’d missed him so much and wanted him to know that she loved him. She had worried over the months that he’d think she’d abandoned him. Now, with her new friend, she’d get to see him again.

  “Hey, can I ask you something?” Juju said cautiously.

  Maggie nodded.

  “Do you ever think about calling your mom and dad?” Juju asked the question quickly.

  “Yeah, like every day. But Rock and his guys know where my family lives. They told me they’d kill them if I ever try to contact them. Besides, I’m nothing like I was the last time they saw me. So much has changed, and I’ve done so many horrible things—they’d die if they knew everything I did. Believe me, I’d be a complete embarrassment to them,” Maggie told her.

  Juju was raised by screwed-up parents who were as irresponsible and stupid as they come. She could imagine how her mother would treat her if she were in Maggie’s shoes—she would disown her, if for no other reason than not to have to be a mother anymore. Juju knew nothing about Maggie’s parents, but based on her own experience, she believed that Lorraine and Rob Clarke would do the same to Maggie.

  “Parents can really fuck you up. I’m probably lucky mine ditched me when I was still young before they screwed me up forever,” Juju told her. “Let’s make a plan to get you to see Seth. I’m gonna pick up more dope in the next couple of days at Rock’s house. I’ll see what time Seth leaves for school,” she said.

  Maggie was beaming. She was so happy to have someone she could talk to. “Thank you so much, Juju. I’ll come back here in a couple of days,” Maggie said.

  “Hey, how about if we go down to Needle Park now? I can introduce you to some other people that I know. Most of them are drug dealers like me, but some of them are just addicts,” Juju offered.

  Maggie was a bit terrified at the thought of hanging out with dealers and addicts.

  “Aren’t you afraid to hang out with those kinds of people?” Maggie asked.

  “I am those kinds of people, Maggie. There are some real assholes out there, but there are also a lot of decent kids that are doing it for the same reasons as you and me…it’s all we know; it’s how we survive. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my problems with some real thugs. You learn who to trust and how to take care of yourself,” Juju told her, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

  “Yeah, speaking of that, how exactly did you get me from the car all the way up to your apartment the other night?”

  Juju flexed the muscles in her arms like Popeye. “I carried you up. You weigh like ninety pounds; you’re so skinny. I just put you over my shoulder and carried you. I stopped to rest a couple of times, but that’s it. I work out a lot, so I’m pretty strong. I had to learn how to defend myself on the streets. Being a girl and all, people think I’m an easier target. But I ain’t. I know mixed martial arts—you know, kickboxing and grappling. I do a lot of training.”

  “Wow. So you know how to beat people up?” Maggie asked, not completely sure of what it all meant.

  “I know how to defend myself. When people fuck with me, I give them an opportunity to walk away, but if they don’t, I can handle it. Sensei, my teacher, has helped me a lot. He doesn’t know what I do to make money—he would never approve—but he’s taught me how and when to defend myself,” she said humbly.

  “I have to learn how to take care of myself on the streets too. That’s what Trinity told me. She said there isn’t anyone who’s going to help me. I have to learn how to survive on my own,” Maggie confided.

  “Well, I know you’re gonna be just fine. You’re smart and beautiful. All that shit that happened to you just makes you stronger,” Juju said, encouraging her.

  A short while later, the two girls walked over to Needle Park. Even though the sign read McPherson Park, Maggie quickly understood why it was known by a different name. There were used syringes and small plastic bags scattered about. Empty beer and liquor bottles seemed to be growing from the earth, sprouting up through the snow. It was a depressing place, yet Maggie didn’t feel threatened or unnerved by it. It was no worse than the prison or the farmhouse she’d once lived in. Plus, even though everyone was stoned, people seemed friendly.

  Afterward, as Maggie walked back to the house to get ready for the evening, thoughts of Juju ran through her mind. She felt safe with her. She liked Juju a lot and wished that someday she could be just like her…strong, independent, and in control of her own life.

  But Maggie’s wishes wouldn’t come true in the near future.

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Several nights later, Juju spotted Maggie coming out of a vacant lot, followed by a tall young man who couldn’t have been more than twenty.

  “Maggie! What’s up, girl?” Juju yelled.

  Maggie smiled and waved. Then she turned to the man, who put money into the palm of her hand. She quickly walked toward Juju.

  “OK, Seth has to be at school by eight fifteen in the morning,” Juju said.

  “Were you able to find out what time he leaves the house?” Maggie asked.

  Juju smiled. “Sure did. He leaves around seven forty-five. Let’s meet up at the Salvation Army store on East Alleghany Avenue. He’s gotta walk by there to get to school.”

  “Perfect. Juju, I’m so excited. I can’t wait,” Maggie said with longing. “Juju, how did Rock get Seth into school? I mean, doesn’t the principal ask questions?”

  “Are you kiddin’? Rock runs this to
wn. He’s been payin’ off the principal at that school for years. That way, the kids he brings to Thelma to ruin can go to school without a bunch of questions. Almost every person in that school is paid off by Rock. Once they get too old, Thelma doesn’t want them no more, and then she gets a new kid to send there,” Juju explained.

  The next morning, just as planned, the two girls were standing in front of the Salvation Army store. In the distance, Maggie saw a young kid walking toward them, and adrenaline began to pump through her veins. As the child got closer, she noticed the long blond hair of a cute little girl. Her excitement faded until the child was only ten feet away. Then she recognized Seth.

  “Seth?” Maggie proceeded with caution.

  The child looked up, noticed who it was, and sprinted toward Maggie. Their arms were wide open as they came upon each other, and Maggie scooped him into the air in a loving embrace.

  “Aggie! Oh, Aggie. Where have you been? Why didn’t you come back for me?” the naïve seven-year-old asked.

  “Oh, Seth, I wanted to come back for you. But they wouldn’t let me. Then I found out that you go to school, so I came here to see you,” Maggie explained, heartbroken.

  “Can I come and live with you now?” Seth asked hopefully.

  “Not yet, baby. Let me take a look at you,” she said, holding the child at arm’s length to scrutinize him.

  Seth’s hair hung well below his shoulders. His blue eyes were devoid of life and swallowed up by dark circles, an indication that he was suffering. He was pale and bone thin. Maggie’s heart broke as she looked at him. She wanted more than ever to save him.

  “How are they treating you?” Maggie asked, afraid of the answer.

  “Thelma is mean to me,” he cried. “She smacks me for nothing. She only leaves me alone when she’s not taking her needles. And, Aggie, she doesn’t let me do nothin’. She says I’m bad, and I don’t even do anything bad. I hate her, Aggie.”

  “You’re not bad, Seth. Thelma is wrong, OK?” she stated, at a loss for words.