One Among Us

by Paige Dearth

  Lorraine rushed over to the girl’s bedside. “Hi, sweetheart. My name is Lorraine, and this is my husband, Rob. I don’t want you to be scared or worried. We’re just here to help you,” she said in a calm voice that did not betray the panic coursing through her body.

  The girl was scared out of her mind. Her eyes kept darting from Lorraine to Rob to Detective Harker.

  Without taking her eyes off the young teen, Lorraine said, “Men, we’re going to need you to step outside. OK?”

  Rob and Rae exchanged a knowing look and left the room.

  “OK. Now it’s just us two girls here,” Lorraine announced.

  The young teen immediately began to loosen her grip on the blanket.

  “Can you tell me your name?” Lorraine coaxed, placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder.

  “Kelly,” the girl answered in a small voice.

  “Kelly, it’s nice to meet you. I want you to understand that you are safe here,” Lorraine assured her.

  Kelly looked around the room and then she met Lorraine’s eyes. “What do you want from me?” Kelly asked.

  “I don’t want anything, honey. I’m here to help you. Do you remember being down in a basement?” Lorraine asked.

  “Yeah, I’ve been down there since they took me,” Kelly said.

  “Do you remember where you were when you were taken?”

  “Yeah, I was playing dodge ball. I was playing with my friends. After it was over, I was walking home because it was time for dinner,” she said.

  “Do you know who your parents are?”

  “Yeah. I know who they are. Will you get them?” the frightened teen asked.

  “Sure, but you’ll have to give me some information to help the police find them. Do you think you can tell me what happened to you?” Lorraine asked gently.

  Kelly nodded.

  “Before you start, I need to have one of the female officers come into the room so she can write things down that will help the police find your mom and dad. Is that OK?”

  Kelly nodded again.

  The policewoman sat in the corner of the room, trying to go unnoticed while Kelly told Lorraine her story.

  “I was walking back to my house and took a shortcut through the woods. I took the shortcut every day; all the kids did. Outta nowhere, this big guy was standing in front of me. He had a rag tied around his face, and all I could see were his eyes. He grabbed me, and I saw him raise his arm. There was a needle in his hand, and then I was in the basement on a mattress. My hands and feet were tied up so that I couldn’t run,” Kelly stopped and watched Lorraine. Kelly was certain she’d heard her gasp.

  “When I woke up, I was only wearing my underwear, and I started crying, and some guy came down the stairs and got really pissed. He was yelling at me to shut up,” Kelly explained with distance in her voice.

  “Then he took off my underwear, and I was crying harder, but he just laughed at me. He said the more I cried, the harder he got. It didn’t take me too long to figure out what he meant by that. So he had sex with me and then kept coming back to do it again. After a while, other men had sex with me too. Lots of men…” Her voice trailed off as she fixed her gaze on a spot on the wall across from her bed.

  “If this is too much for you, Kelly, we can take a break. It’s OK. Do you want to take a break?” Lorraine asked, feeling like she was suffocating in the details Kelly had shared with her. Lorraine imagined that Maggie had suffered the same fate. It was unbearable to think about Kelly in this situation, but to think about Maggie in this way was torture.

  Kelly shook her head. “I wanna tell you ’cause I wanna see my mom and dad.”

  Lorraine nodded.

  “They kept me there for a long time. I remember I was eleven when they took me. I was in fifth grade. I think I’ve been gone for five years ’cause I counted five times that I heard Christmas music on the radio they played upstairs. So I think it was five years,” Kelly explained.

  “OK, is there anything else? Do you know any of their names?” Lorraine pressed.

  “I know the guy who fed me was called Slim. There was a guy named Animal, who was really mean to me all the time. The guy who liked to hit me when he had sex with me was called Axe. That’s all I know. There were a lot of other guys, but I never knew their names. I wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone except for Slim. I think he was the boss of them. There’s one other thing.” Kelly hung her head, her chin touching her chest. “I had a baby there,” Kelly whispered, avoiding Lorraine’s eyes.

  “What happened to your baby?” Lorraine asked, horrified.

  “They took it from me as soon as it was born,” Kelly said, crying. “I never even got to see it.”

  “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. We’re going to do everything we can to help you. I want you to know that you’re not alone anymore,” Lorraine said in a soothing voice.

  “Can I see my mom and dad now?”

  Lorraine looked over at the policewoman and gave her a small nod. Then she leaned over and gave Kelly a long embrace. Right before Lorraine left the room, she turned back. “Kelly? Did you ever meet a girl named Maggie? She’s my daughter.”

  “No, I’ve been alone since I was taken. Did someone steal her, too?” Kelly asked grimly.

  “Yes, someone took her, but I know that one day we’re going to find her. You take care of yourself, and I’ll be back to see you soon,” Lorraine said in a cheerful voice, not wanting to upset the girl.

  As Lorraine left the room, the policewoman stood and walked over to the bed. “Kelly? Can you tell us your last name and your parents’ names?”

  While Kelly gave the policewoman that information, Lorraine stepped into the hallway. She collapsed against Rob and sobbed. She cried for Kelly’s lost youth and the baby that had been taken from her. Then she cried for Maggie, the child she’d lost and had yet to find. The regret in her heart was a constant pain, reminding her of how she’d failed to protect her daughter.

  Chapter Ninety-Nine

  When Maggie arrived at the apartment, Colby was waiting for her. He gave her a warm smile as she approached.

  “Hello, Maggie.”

  “Hi,” Maggie responded dryly.

  Maggie led him into the apartment and over to the sofa. She watched Colby carefully. He took off his jacket and gingerly laid it over one of the chairs in the small living room.

  “Have you thought about what I told you last time?” Colby asked.

  Maggie nodded. “How am I supposed to trust you? How do I know you aren’t a friend of Rock’s?”

  Colby considered her question. “You’re right. You know nothing about me.”

  “Exactly! So how about if you tell me about someone who you helped, and I’ll see if your story checks out,” Maggie offered.

  “Well, I’ll tell you what you need to know, but you have to remember that I work undercover. If you blow my cover, there’ll be really bad consequences for me and the others who are working to help kids like you,” Colby confided.

  “So how will I know for sure who you really are?” Maggie asked.

  Colby began to talk about some of the kids he’d helped over the past year. As he spoke, Maggie wrote down the names and places. He talked for thirty minutes, and then he stopped and waited.

  “How old are you?” Maggie wondered aloud.

  “I’m twenty-five. Why?”

  “I was just curious,” Maggie said.

  “How old are you?” Colby inquired, wanting as much information about her as possible.

  “I told you the last time you were here that I’m eighteen. I just turned eighteen in September. I’m an adult,” Maggie informed him, as if he wouldn’t figure that out for himself.

  “So how did you get here?”

  “I walked,” Maggie joked sarcastically.

  “That’s not what I meant. How did you end up in Kensington working for Rock?”

  “Who said I work for Rock?” Maggie asked.

  “Well, you asked me how you could be sure I wa
sn’t working for Rock, so I figured that’s who your…” Colby’s voice trailed off. He did not want to offend her.

  “That’s who my pimp is? You can say it. I mean, we both know why we’re here in this apartment,” Maggie said.

  “OK, sure. Your pimp,” he said.

  Maggie hesitated. She thought carefully. She liked Colby. He was kind and soft-spoken. He had a reassuring quality that made her want to trust him. She wanted him to be the real deal in the worst way. He was confident and carried himself differently than the other men did. Simply put, Maggie couldn’t find anything sleazy about him. In the end, though, she had to protect herself and Seth. She couldn’t take any chances until she knew for sure that Colby was who he said he was.

  “Oh, look at the time,” Maggie said and stood.

  “Yeah, my time is up. So, I’ll come back and see you in a couple of days?” Colby asked hopefully.

  “Yeah, sure. It’ll give me some time to look into things and ask some people about you,” Maggie told him.

  “Asking questions about me isn’t a good idea,” Colby stated, alarmed. “If it gets around what I’m trying to do here, I would be in danger. You know better than I do what these scumbags are capable of.”

  Maggie remained silent as she opened the door. Before leaving, Colby turned to her. “I can help you. I promise I’m not screwing with you. I really do want to help you find a way out of this crap. Just think how much we could help others if we teamed up. We can beat these bastards. We can bring kids back to their families,” he pleaded.

  Maggie made no commitments. Colby reached out to touch her hand, but Maggie immediately withdrew from his touch. Her reaction was a sure sign to Colby that he hadn’t gained her trust yet. But he intended to try to make her believe in him.

  When Maggie was done meeting with her clients, she hurried over to the library to research some of the stories Colby had shared with her. She found some of the articles in old newspapers. Some of them referred to children who had been found and returned to their parents, but as Colby had told her, the people who had helped find them were not named. The articles all referred to undercover agents—all except for the very last story.

  Maggie found a quote from a Detective Rae Harker, the same detective she’d read was involved in her own disappearance. She wrote a few notes about him. Then she starting reading everything she could get her hands on about Detective Harker.

  Chapter One Hundred

  At Doubles that night, Maggie sat with Emma in the dressing room. Emma had been through a lot of bad things in her life, and as Maggie told her about Colby, she listened intently. Later, in the bar, unbeknownst to Maggie, Emma explained the “Colby situation” to Vincent and Tony.

  “Yeah, Rae Harker. We know ’bout him. Never met him, though. We got some cops we know. We’ll ask around about him,” Tony offered.

  “Good. Thanks,” Emma said. “But remember, she’s vulnerable—she’s a sitting duck—so don’t let on why you’re asking. I don’t want that asshole Rock to find out.”

  A few nights later, Tony confirmed that Rae Harker had checked out with their source inside the police department.

  “The guy works wit’ some other people who work on the streets. Our source said this Harker guy is one of the good ones. Devoted his life to helpin’ kids after his own daughter was taken and killed, a real fuckin’ shame. They didn’t know no guy named Colby, but I’d tell Maggie to find a way to get him to admit that he works with Harker. Otherwise, there ain’t no way of knowin’ if the guy is for real,” Tony explained.

  Vincent added, “If there’s anything we can do to help, ya need to let us know, Emma. Maybe we could get her away from that Rock-head fella. You know, we can be pretty influential when we wanna be,” he joked.

  “Yeah, I know you two could make a mother turn on her own children,” she retorted.

  “Now, I wouldn’t go that far. Tony and me here are just two nice guys that take care of what needs to be taken care of,” Vincent bantered.

  “Uh-huh,” Emma retorted, eyeing them as if she were a mother hen. “Well, this needs to be Maggie’s call. She’s got a young boy she takes care of, so you have to be careful.”

  An hour later, Emma pulled Maggie aside as she was leaving the lap dance room.

  “Hey, girl,” Emma sang. “I did some investigating about that Colby guy.”

  Maggie’s eyes widened.

  “Relax,” Emma cooed. “It’s all good. It was very discreet. Anyway, I found out that Rae Harker guy is for real. He’s been helping kids ever since his own daughter was taken. They found her dead, and he’s been an advocate for missing kids ever since. Anyway, he works with undercover people on the streets. So, if you can get Colby to talk about Harker, I think you can feel safe that he’s for real.”

  “Where did you get all this information?” Maggie asked, still skeptical.

  “That doesn’t matter, Mags. All that matters is you got something to go on now,” Emma told her sternly.

  “Wait! Did you just call me Mags?”

  “Yeah. Why? You don’t like it? I won’t call you that if you hate it,” Emma said.

  “No, I love it, actually. My friend, Cali, who I told you about, she used to call me Mags. It feels like a hundred years since I’ve been called that,” Maggie said, feeling the pain of losing Cali all over again.

  “Oh, OK. Well that’s what I’ll call ya, then,” Emma responded, feeling awkward that she’d brought up memories of Maggie’s past. “You sure it ain’t gonna make you sad?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. Thanks for checking things out for me. No one knows I was asking, right? Rock will kill me if he ever found out what I was doing,” Maggie said with desperation in her voice.

  “No one knows shit, Mags. Just do what you gotta do. It’s all good,” Emma reassured her. “I got your back.”

  Maggie didn’t know what “I got your back” really meant coming from Emma, but a sense of security washed over her. She knew that Emma hadn’t shared everything about her own life. Maggie was certain there were details that Emma kept to herself, secrets that she’d never want anyone to know. Maggie was right.

  As Maggie left Double Visions that night, Tony and Vincent trailed behind her. Armando peered through the open window of his car at the two men who were walking behind Maggie as she approached the car. As the two mafia men passed Armando, they glared at him with contempt. Tony couldn’t help but make a comment just loud enough for Armando to hear.

  “Hey, Maggie, if ya ever need help, ya know we’ll be there for ya!”

  “Um, thanks, Tony. Have a good night,” Maggie responded, feeling Armando’s anger rise as she stepped into the car.

  Armando looked over at her. “What the fuck did those two Guido’s mean by that? What kind of help are you tellin’ them you need?” he asked, leaning in closer to her.

  “Nothing, Armando. They didn’t mean anything by it. They’re probably drunk,” she rambled.

  But Maggie had never seen Tony or Vincent get drunk in the bar. Sure, they had a few beers, but they were always in control of what was going on around them. Maggie respected them for that, not realizing that in their line of business, the only time they’d dare to catch a buzz would be in the company of other mobsters. In public, they remained in control at all times.

  “Yeah, well, ya better keep your shit together, bitch, and that means keeping your fuckin’ mouth shut. Rock will cut those two pricks down in an instant. Then their deaths will be on your filthy hands,” Armando threatened.

  As Armando put the car in drive and left the parking lot, Tony and Vincent watched his taillights disappear. Through the open car window, they’d both heard the conversation between Maggie and Armando.

  Finally, Vincent turned to Tony. “Hey, Tone, ya think that was a threat? That lousy, low-life, rotten spick bastard doesn’t know who he’s fuckin’ wit’.”

  “Yeah, I know, Vin. But remember, the family comes first. We can’t go startin’ shit wit’ out talkin’ to
Salvatore first. I don’t see him bein’ too agreeable ‘bout us takin’ up arms over one of the girls that works here. Ya see what I’m sayin’?”

  Vincent let out a long sigh. “Yeah, but don’t forget, Salvatore met Emma here. He might be more understandin’ than you think.”

  “Yeah, maybe. Let’s just keep dis to ourselves for now. OK, Vin?”

  “Sure, Tony. But I don’t like that asshole.”

  “I don’t like him much either, but like I said—”

  “I know, I know,” Vincent interrupted. “The family comes first. Always has and always will. That’s what we’re all about.”

  “Right, Vincent. That’s exactly right,” Tony confirmed. But it didn’t stop him from worrying about Maggie’s fate at the hands of the prick that had just driven off with her.

  Chapter One Hundred One

  When Seth woke Maggie up the next morning, her head was throbbing. During the entire ride back to Kensington, Armando had berated her. He’d promised to hurt Seth if she dared to do anything other than what she was told to do. She’d stayed up for hours imagining the horrible things he’d told her would be done to Seth.

  “Come on, Aggie. I have to get to school. I’m gonna be late,” Seth ragged at her.

  “All right, all right. You’re such a little nag,” she said dramatically.

  Juju sat on the edge of the mattress and handed Maggie a cup of instant coffee. “Rough night?”

  “Yeah. Armando lost his shit on me. He can be such a jerk,” Maggie reported.

  “Oh yeah? What’d he freak out about?” Juju asked.

  “Oh, these two guys at Doubles said if I ever needed anything, they’d help me. He overheard them in the parking lot.” Maggie lowered her voice to a whisper. “Armando threatened to hurt Seth if I didn’t do exactly as I was told. I stayed up practically all night worrying about it. I wonder if my life will ever be my own. I mean, sometimes it feels like this will never end. I can’t see any way out of it. I’m eighteen. I have a lot of years left in me before I’m not useful to them in this business. By that time, I’ll be a dried-up old hag.”