by Paige Dearth
Maggie shook her head. “No. She’ll just be placed into another system. Her mother is useless. I’m going to talk to Joey tomorrow. I have an idea.” She looked up at Colby. “An idea I don’t want to share with you right now,” she said firmly.
“S-sure,” Colby stuttered, a little hurt that Maggie wouldn’t share the secret.
Early the next morning, Maggie and Juju met Joey on her way to school. She ran to them, as she did every morning. But they noticed that she was trying not to put weight on her right leg. When she was close enough to them, they saw a fresh black eye.
“Did that bitch do this to you?” Juju asked.
Joey nodded with such bravery that Maggie pulled her over to the curb and sat down.
“Things are going to get better real soon,” Maggie promised.
Maggie needed to be certain about Joey’s mom.
“Remember when we met and you told me your mom traded you for drugs and beer?” Maggie started.
“Yeah, why?” Joey responded.
“Is that really what happened? Or were you trying to protect your family?” Maggie asked. She knew all too well how sex traffickers operated. They made sure the kids were always afraid to run by threatening to kill them and their families.
“Yeah. I hate her guts!” Joey exclaimed. The young girl’s face turned bright red, anger welling up inside of her at the thought of her mother betraying her.
“I hate her guts, too,” Juju interjected, getting angry with a woman she’d never met.
“Why are you askin’ me that now?” Joey said.
“I just wanted to be sure because if a day came when you could go back to her, well, I just wanted to be sure, that’s all,” Maggie said, not wanting to divulge any information that could put Joey in danger.
Later that morning, Maggie made the phone call and held her breath, waiting for someone to pick up the phone.
“Hello?”
“It’s Maggie.”
“Hi, Maggie. How are you?”
“Juliet, I need your help,” Maggie said with hope.
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Eight
On the night of the big bust, Armando drove Maggie to Double Visions for her shift. Everything was set. She walked into the bar and found Colby.
“Let’s go,” Maggie said.
They left through the back door of the bar and raced back to Kensington. Colby dropped Maggie off near her apartment. She slipped into her building quickly and took the steps two at a time. Juju was waiting for her by the door. Maggie rushed into the apartment.
“You ready?” Maggie asked.
Juju held out her hands for Maggie’s inspection. She wore large, ugly rings on each of her fingers.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Maggie stated, her excitement building.
The two girls took back streets and alleys to get to Rock’s house. They sat low in the grass behind the shed. Maggie looked at the watch Colby had lent to her.
“We’ve got twenty minutes,” Maggie whispered.
The girls sat in silence. Their adrenaline was flowing. Maggie prayed that things would happen just as they had planned. At exactly 11:00 p.m., Maggie and Juju rose. They walked to the back door of Rock’s house quickly, and Maggie fidgeted while Juju picked the lock. Once inside the house, they could hear the noise of the television coming from the living room. Maggie and Juju locked eyes. With a nod of their heads, the two girls stormed into the living room where Thelma was sprawled on the sofa, cigarette in hand, gazing at the television.
Thelma looked up, startled by the sudden activity around her.
“Who you motherfuckers think ya are, comin’ into my house uninvited,” Thelma growled.
“We’re the bitches that came to watch you suffer!” Juju snarled.
Before Thelma could haul her body from the sofa, Juju landed the first kick into the woman’s chest. Thelma fell back against the cushions, and Juju proceeded to slam punches into her face. As Maggie ran for the stairs to find Joey, she heard the sound of Thelma’s nose breaking. A smile broke across Maggie’s face.
Within five minutes, the girls were running out of the back door with Joey. Juju had left Thelma unconscious on the sofa. She wanted to beat Thelma until she was dead, but something Maggie said made her stop.
“That’s enough. We have to get out of here. She’ll get what’s coming to her in prison,” Maggie reminded her in a giddy voice.
The three of them ran as fast as their legs could move. They cut through a block of backyards and down a dark alley to an isolated street. They fled toward a parked car with its engine running.
“There they are,” Maggie said, gasping for breath and pointing down the street.
When they got to waiting car, Juliet jumped out. She immediately took Joey by the hand, but the child resisted. Maggie knelt down next to Joey.
“Juliet and Ron are going to take care of you for a couple of days. Just until I can come and get you. But we have to hurry,” Maggie said.
Joey’s eyes filled with tears. “How do I know you’ll come for me?”
“Because I told you I will. Now go with the Freys. They’re going to keep you safe,” Maggie commanded. Then she gave Joey a quick hug, stood, and planted a kiss on Juliet’s cheek. “Guard her with your life,” Maggie said.
“We will,” Juliet responded.
A minute later, the Freys were driving toward their mansion in New Jersey. Joey was in the backseat of the car. She was shaking from all that had just happened and worried that something awful would happen to Maggie and Juju and she’d never see them again.
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine
By the time Maggie and Juju got into downtown Kensington, it looked like a war zone. Police cars and SWAT vans littered the streets. Some of the young prostitutes were crying and called out to Maggie as she passed, but Maggie kept walking, just as Colby had instructed. Stop for no one. Get back to your apartment, he’d said.
Maggie and Juju paused for a brief moment when they saw Rock pushed up against a police car as an officer handcuffed him. Feeling their eyes on him, Rock looked over at the two girls. Juju gave him the finger; Maggie held his gaze.
“You fuckin’ no-good whore,” Rock screamed at Maggie.
Maggie did a curtsy and walked on.
Rock watched as she strutted down the street. His rage boiled as he realized that his own bitch had set him up. Maggie had outsmarted him. She’d help to take down everything he’d built. Rock felt like a complete fool, and his anger grew stronger. He felt as though he had the strength to break out of the metal cuffs, run down the street, and rip Maggie’s limbs from her body. Instead, the police officer shoved him with force into the backseat of the cruiser.
Then the officer pushed him over on the seat. “You fucking, low-life scum. Don’t worry. Where you’re going, there will be plenty of time for you to be angry. So for now, keep your shit together, or we’ll make it harder on you.”
It wasn’t until three o’clock the next morning that Colby rapped on the apartment door.
Maggie opened it cautiously. She and Juju had been unable to sleep. They felt wired. Maggie threw her arms around Colby’s neck, and he held her close.
“It’s done,” Colby said.
Stepping inside the apartment, he closed the door behind him.
Maggie and Juju watched him, their eyes like hungry animals’ as they craved information.
“It all happened pretty smoothly. Two officers were shot in one of the houses they raided. One of the officers died, and the other is in critical condition,” Colby recited.
Maggie’s eyes grew sad. “What about Rock? He’ll go to prison?” she asked, wanting confirmation.
“He sure will. Rock’s going to prison for a very long time, thanks to you,” Colby said, knowing that she’d worry if she thought Rock would be set free.
“Fuckin’ A,” Juju rejoiced. “And they arrested Thelma?”
Colby smiled and nodded. “Someone—I can’t imagine who—put quite a hu
rting on her.”
Juju beamed victoriously. “That chick had it comin’ to her.”
Then he grew serious. “There is one thing,” Colby said, looking right at Maggie.
“What?” Maggie shrieked.
“This was the biggest bust in Kensington in the last twenty years. My police chief and the lead detective I work for would like to meet you and personally thank you for all that you’ve done,” Colby said, beaming.
Maggie slapped his arm. “You’re such a troublemaker.”
“No, I’m serious. They really do want to meet you. I told them I’d ask. It’s completely up to you. If you’re not comfortable, they’ll understand,” Colby said.
“I guess it’s fine,” Maggie said, looking at Juju, who nodded. “Are they going to come here?”
“No, we’ll drive down to the police station and meet them there,” Colby explained.
“When?” Maggie asked.
“We’ll meet them in the morning. I’ll pick you up around eleven, OK?” Colby said.
Then Maggie turned to Juju. “Will you come with me?”
“Hell, yeah!” Juju shouted.
As the girls lay on the mattress together after Colby had left, they giggled about the damage Juju had done to Thelma.
“Juju, I’m not sure what I’m going to do now. I mean, we have to get Joey from the Freys, but we’re going to have to get real jobs,” Maggie said.
Suddenly, the new freedom was liberating and paralyzing. Being free of Rock and his guys had only seemed like a fantasy. With it all behind her, Maggie slowly began to panic. What would she do now? How was she supposed to start her life over? Then it dawned on Maggie that there was hard work ahead.
At the station the next morning, Maggie and Juju held hands as they followed Colby into a large, well-lit room with lots of tables and chairs. There were police officers drinking coffee and eating junk food from the vending machines against the wall. Still following Colby, they walked through the room as the officers watched them closely. Colby led them into a cozy office that had a large, mahogany desk and a long, leather sofa.
Several men turned to greet Colby. Finally, he stepped aside as he introduced Maggie and Juju to each of the very official looking men in suits. The last man to be introduced had been leaning over the desk with his back to them, writing in a small notepad. He finally put the pad away, looked up, and strode toward the girls.
“Hey,” Colby said. He seemed happier to see this man than he was to greet the other suits in the room. “Maggie, this is Detective Harker.”
As Maggie extended her hand, Detective Harker seemed to be in a trance. He looked into her soulful blue eyes. There was no doubt in his mind. He’d looked at her picture a million times over the last nine years. He took her hand in his and held onto it tightly.
“Maggie, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Detective Harker said with sincerity.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Maggie responded, trying to pull her hand from his. But the Harker guy wasn’t letting go. He just kept looking into her eyes and smiling. Maggie thought he was a little odd, but then his name jumped out at her. Rae Harker was the detective who worked with my parents when I went missing, she remembered.
Maggie turned to her friend. “This is Juju,” she said, hoping Harker would let go of her hand.
Coming to his wits, he let go and addressed Juju. “So you’re the little girl who put the hurting on that big woman?” he asked, beaming with pride.
Juju puffed her chest out, feeling for the first time in her life like she had a reason to be proud. “Yep, that’s me. I hope that bitch rots in hell,” she added.
Detective Harker nodded and returned his gaze to Maggie.
“What?” Maggie asked, growing antsy from the attention Harker kept giving her.
“I know you,” Harker stated. “We’ve never met, but I know you.”
Harker could see by the strain on Maggie’s face that he was freaking her out.
“What I mean is, I know your parents,” Harker clarified.
Maggie’s heart seized. She looked at Colby, who seemed just as confused. “Yes, I read about you in the newspaper,” Maggie countered.
Detective Harker looked surprised.
“Well, it was good to meet you,” Maggie sputtered abruptly. “We’re gonna get going now.”
Detective Harker raised his hand, and Maggie stopped immediately. “I need you to stay,” he said. “I have some things I want to talk to you about. Important things that you’ll definitely want to hear.”
Chapter One Hundred Forty
Detective Harker escorted Maggie over to the sofa and asked everyone to leave the office.
“I want Juju and Colby to stay,” Maggie said.
After the other officers left, Detective Harker turned to Maggie. “Your parents have been looking for you since the day you went missing. Given that you’re over eighteen, you can decide on your own now. But I really think you should consider being reunited with them. Your mother and father are terrific people. They’ve dedicated the last nine years to helping other missing children.”
The four of them were silent as Maggie looked down at her hands. Finally, she found the courage to speak. “I’m not the eleven-year-old girl they lost,” she shamefully explained.
“They won’t care. Your parents deserve to know you are alive. There’s nothing stopping you now. All the bad guys are locked up. This is your chance, Maggie,” Harker stated in a hopeful voice.
“Maggie,” Colby interjected, “you have to make this decision. I know that you’ve always wanted to see them again,” he reminded her.
Maggie looked at Juju.
“Hey, don’t look at me,” Juju said. “What the fuck do I know about parents? But ‘member how happy the Freys were when they realized Seth was their son? It’s worth a shot. If they don’t like who you are, ya can just walk away.”
“OK, but Colby and Juju go with me,” Maggie told Detective Harker.
Harker slapped his hands together and jumped to his feet. “Maggie, you have no idea how happy your parents are going to be.”
“I hope so,” Maggie mumbled, embarrassed to think about all the things she’d done in her life.
Harker saw the remorse in her eyes. “What happened to you was not your fault. All the things you did were a matter of survival. Trust me, they’ll understand. You don’t have to tell them anything that you don’t want them to know. The ball is in your court, Maggie.”
Maggie nodded. “When?”
“I have a habit of just dropping in on them unexpectedly. Would you be willing to go see them now?” Harker asked excitedly.
Maggie looked down at the clothes she was wearing. Her old, torn jeans and faded T-shirt made her look poor, but at least she didn’t look like a hooker, except for the five-inch platform pumps she was wearing. Besides, it wasn’t like she owned anything that was decent enough for the occasion.
“Sure. Let’s go,” Maggie said, apprehensively.
Maggie sat in the passenger seat while Colby and Juju sat together in the back of the car. Detective Harker chatted about nothing as he tried to contain his own excitement. As they drove toward Maggie’s old home, she didn’t recognize much until Harker turned onto her street. She looked at the houses and had vague memories of the neighborhood where she’d lived more than eleven years ago. Finally, Harker pulled into the Clarkes’ driveway. Maggie stared at the front door and then took in the rest of the house. It hadn’t changed much.
“Ready?” Harker asked.
Maggie’s heart was pattering in her chest. “I’m scared.”
“I know you’re scared. This is a lot all at one time. Just relax. I’ll bring them out to meet you.”
Maggie sat in the car and watched through the open window as Harker made his way to the front door of the Clarkes’ house.
Harker rapped on the door. In less than thirty seconds, a young girl opened the door. “Hi Detective Harker,” Mara said.
“Hi, Mara. Are yo
ur mom and dad home?” Harker asked.
Before Mara could yell for them, Lorraine came walking toward the front door with a big smile at the sight of Detective Harker.
Harker was beaming.
“You look happy today, Harker. What’s going on?” Lorraine asked.
Harker kept smiling at Lorraine, and then he whispered to Mara, “Go find your dad.”
Mara ran back into the house as Lorraine stood at the doorway.
When Rob appeared in the entryway, Harker said, “I need you to come outside.”
“Now what, Harker? You have a stray animal you need our help with?” Lorraine joked.
As they walked toward Harker’s car, Maggie opened the door and stepped onto the driveway. The Clarkes stopped in midstride.
“Who is that?” Lorraine asked mindlessly, as she approached the girl.
She stared at Maggie; she saw her eyes and her features. It was her beloved child. “Oh my God.”
Mother and daughter stood looking into each other’s eyes for a few short seconds. Then Lorraine opened her arms, and Maggie slid into them like the missing piece of a puzzle.
Lorraine cried, “Oh my God. My Maggie…my Maggie…my Maggie.”
Lorraine hugged Maggie so tightly that it startled her. Then the reality hit her like a ton of bricks. “Mom? Mommy? Oh, Mom, I missed you.”
The two held each other and sobbed. Even Detective Harker couldn’t stop his emotions from flowing.
“Maggie? Baby, is it really you?” Rob cried.
Maggie nodded, and Rob threw his arms around his wife and daughter. Several minutes passed before they began to unfold from each other. Lorraine took Maggie’s hand in her own as they stood staring at one another.
Rob leaned over and shook Harker’s hand. “Thanks, Rae. I don’t know how you found her, but thank you.”
“Well, that’s a long story. But let’s just say your girl here is a real hero and leave it at that,” Harker said, not wanting to reveal any information that belonged to Maggie.
“Come inside,” Lorraine said, pulling Maggie along.
“Wait!” Maggie turned to Colby and Juju and waved them over.