I pushed myself to a sitting position, eyes watering from a wide-mouthed yawn. Grandma Ellie’s words came to me in a rush, ‘You’re on the right track with destroying Buster. It all started with him and should end with his destruction.’ I remembered my dream with Grandma and Jenna…and after with Derek also. Whew! Hopefully, Jenna and Grandma Ellie didn’t hang around for any of that one…from what I remembered of it. My skin erupted with goosebumps, even though heat traveled like lightning underneath it.
Tressa clicked the bedroom door closed, her rushed footfalls crossed the room and the entry door opened. “Come in. We want coffee.”
My ears pricked alert with Derek’s deep voice, “Where’s Kendra?”
I bounced out of bed, grabbed some comfortable clothes for a day of shopping, and hurried into the bathroom. I vowed to set a world record in getting ready, which would end by twisting wet hair into a clip. No way I had dryer time.
“What’s taking you so long, Sparky?” Jenna’s head morphed through the shower curtain. “They are waiting for you to talk about everyone’s agenda for the day.”
My heart swelled so big, I thought it might burst from my chest. “I’m so glad to see Grandma’s energy has you back here and feisty as ever.”
“The biggest part of last night’s visit was being able to hug my friend. I love your grandmother by the way.” She winked at me as I shut off the water, and then her head vanished.
I pulled the shower curtain back, and Jenna stood, ankles crossed, leaning against the wall near the sink. She wore her favorite lime-green and gray workout clothes. I quickly towel dried and dressed, brushed my teeth, and clipped my hair up, while Jenna went on about how great my grandmother treated her.
“There. Bright-eyed and half-awake. I need coffee.” I turned to her. “I’m running on two hours of sleep, so it’s your job to keep my words in line with everyone else’s, okay?”
She giggled. “That’s probably the only thing I enjoy on this side of life, I’m never dealing with sleep deprivation…only a quick recharge to my batteries as required. And I guess that timeframe is still out for determination. Your grandma told me that I might be able to go for a couple days if I was careful how I used my energy. What can I say…I’m still learning the ropes of ghosthood.”
I loved having Jenna back, all spunky and full of it. I nodded my head and grinned at her. “Let’s go learn what’s in store for today.” She disappeared through the bathroom door before I opened it.
Tressa stood in the doorway of the bedroom. “I was just coming to get you.” I followed her into the main room.
Derek, Ray, and Luke sat around the table, empty plates in front of them showing scattered remnants of breakfast. Luke was in the process of passing a pot of coffee to Ray, and Derek glanced up.
His gaze held mine and a slow smile etched across his face, showing the dimple. “Sounds like you’re in for a complete make-over. Even though we like you just the way you are, I agree with Tressa. You need to be totally unrecognizable.” He pulled out the chair beside him, nodding for me to sit. “Don’t feel alone though, guess I’m in for one of those make-overs also.” He chuckled. “We can only hope that we recognize each other for our date tonight.”
Everyone chuckled.
“Some date,” Jenna added. “Who wants to play pervert, more like.”
I shivered at the thought of the young teens being abused. Getting to the bottom of the human trafficking ring couldn’t come fast enough. Then I would meet with the voodoo priestess back in D.C. and if all went right with the world, destroy Buster before he stole any more innocent souls, including Jenna’s and mine.
* * *
Derek
Gimbel hadn’t answered my call earlier, so I checked my cell phone for messages and had nothing from him regarding Tory. Luke and Ray stayed at the hotel for a few hours on a stake-out for Vinny and Misty. They talked to a number of hotel employees but didn’t get any useful information on V and M’s whereabouts. The penthouse appeared occupied, as in no one had checked out, and the car Vinny drove was still parked in the hotel lot. I called the guys off for now, and we scheduled to meet for lunch close to where Tressa and Kendra were shopping. Ray had found the women by using his GPS locator connection to Tressa’s phone.
I had a feeling Ray’s use of the GPS to find Tressa wasn’t anything new. Those two were pretty tight and getting tighter. Close intimate relationships among agents working together weren’t in anyone’s best interest. I’d ignored it, hoping it would fizzle away, but maybe it was time to say something.
Kendra. How could I say anything to them? Even though Kendra wasn’t an agent, we still worked together. Would I give her up? Maybe Ray and Tressa’s situation needed more consideration. It wasn’t like Tressa was in the field.
I’d been camped out in Tressa and Kendra’s room with surveillance duty during the morning hours. Nothing happened to record or report.
I dialed Jackson’s direct number for our pre-arranged call.
He answered on the first ring. “How’s it going down there?”
“Kendra and I are scheduled for a cruise tonight. We’re getting our total make-overs this afternoon.” I went on to tell him about Vinny and Misty and how they just happened to come into the restaurant of our hotel where we’d met with Gimbel and Tory. Also informed him of Tory’s possible disappearance.
“I’ve decided to set up a few undercover agents to infiltrate Merretti’s businesses. I know this isn’t going to help you with the current case, but a few well-established agents might get to the bottom of the human trafficking ringleader. Maybe find any other criminal connections Merretti’s developed and has in the works.”
“At this point, I think that’s a good idea. As far as I know, Tory James is the only one on the inside, and she hasn’t gained any information on the trafficked teens. None.”
“There’s something else you need to know,” Jackson said. “The psychiatrist, from the children’s facility where we sent the container of girls for recovery, told me all of the girls went into a zombie-like state yesterday mid-afternoon. The doctor said he’d never seen anything like it.”
Kendra came to mind and what she’d said about the soul-stealer. How would a teen act that had lost their soul?
“I’m wondering if this might be something paranormal,” Jackson stated. “You should consult with Kendra on this. She may know something about this kind of thing.”
“I’ll let you know what she says. Right now, she and Tressa are shopping for Kendra’s cruise disguise.”
“Protect her. Make sure you keep her safe, Derek.” Jackson’s stern tone cut and tortured like a rusty hacksaw, into a deeper meaning…of not protecting his daughter, Jenna.
The morning of Jenna’s deadly accident still haunted me. If I’d only gotten to our meeting earlier, I could have stopped her from running into the street. The boy would have been saved without her and she would still be alive.
“Of course,” I said. My gut clenched knowing we dealt with a fresh threat to Jenna.
Without another word, Jackson clicked off.
The real danger hovering over Jenna and Kendra with the malevolent soul-eating entity slammed into my brain, making every muscle in my body tighten. I needed a way to be in control over it, which meant I had to be educated if I was to protect Kendra and Jenna.
* * *
Kendra
Shopping for the right clothing took most of the morning. Tressa kept shifting back and forth between a mom-look or a vamp-look for me. She decided on a mom wanting to dress up like a vamp. Not sure how it would all work out, I simply rolled with it. Jenna was on fire with suggestions. I would share them with Tressa as if they were mine, and Tressa always accepted them. We ended up with a few bags that Tressa set up for delivery to our hotel room.
We made a quick stop at the holistic store, where I purchased all the necessary ingredients to temporarily hide Jenna and me from Buster. When I walked out of the store, Tressa stood near the curb
on her cell phone.
She checked her watch and glanced down the street. “Sure, I see the place. We’ll be right there.” She stuck the phone in her purse, and then turned and saw me. “Guys want us to meet them at Rookies Bar and Grill down the street. They’re already there.”
I hadn’t eaten much breakfast, only drank coffee. Food sounded good. “Yeah, I’m ready to eat.”
She pointed across the street. “That’s our next stop, Do Right by Me. You’ll be there for the afternoon.” A showy-colorful shop front took up most of the block, with uniquely designed graphic signs inviting clientele to enter.
“Is that a spa?”
Jenna’s mouth dropped open. “Holy body snatchers. You’re going to get muddy, squeezed, tweezed, processed, and air dried.” She let out a belly laugh. “You will not look the same or feel the same after that place.”
I glared at Jenna and then turned back to Tressa.
Tressa arched a brow. “Are you all right?”
“Of course.” Even though I wanted nothing more than to pinch Jenna so she would stop laughing.
“Well, in answer to your spa question, the place is a hair, facial, and body salon all in one. Ought to be fun, at least this part of your day.” Her eyes held a twinkle from the sunlight. Then she turned solemn. Her smile disappeared. “What happens tonight might not be so easy for you, Kendra. Please, know that I’m here if you want to talk about any of it, at any time.”
“Thanks, Tressa. I appreciate it.” The thought of seeing teen girls treated as prostitutes, being abused, sent a wave of discomfort through my gut. I swallowed, fighting a puke urge.
Tressa tilted her head to look around me. “Let’s get going. Ray just stepped out of the restaurant door and he’s waving at us.”
* * *
The restaurant crowd sounded more like a cheering section at a baseball game when Tressa and I walked inside. Ray led us through the maze of tables to another exit and an outside patio where Luke and Derek sat in conversation. I strolled around the table to the empty chair next to Derek. As soon as Tressa and I slid into our seats, the waitress delivered the food.
A mushroom swiss burger, coleslaw, and seasoned homemade chips platter slid in front of me. I glanced toward Derek.
“Probably not as good as Grandma’s Homemade Vittles back home, but it sure smells good.” He winked at me, and then lifted the cheeseburger from his plate to his lips, juice dripping off the bun.
I was instantly reminded of the night at his place after the last case came to an end. We ate burgers from Grandma’s Homemade Vittles, talked forever, and then fell asleep on his comfortable couch in front of the stone fireplace. That seemed like forever ago, but only a week had passed since then.
Luke, Ray, and Tressa conversed about their food, keeping to other light topics and laughing a lot.
Derek slid his chair closer and leaned into me. “Talked with Jackson, there’s something he asked about. All of the girls from the truck taken to the recovery facility have gone into a zombie-like condition. Jackson wanted me to ask your opinion on this.”
“What time did it happen?” I asked, knowing exactly when it happened. In our hotel room yesterday afternoon, Bertellia had told Buster to go feast on the girls.
“We know when, Sparky,” Jenna said from over my shoulder.
“About 2:30 – 3:00 p.m. yesterday was the doctor’s best guess.” He straightened for a moment as someone walked by the table, and then he leaned back to me. “Would you know anything about this?”
“Yes. Buster. I told you he and Bertellia paid a visit to Jenna and me yesterday. Well, Bertellia sent him off to enjoy a meal of those girls’ souls. It’s part of the reason I mentioned going back to D.C. I require the wisdom of a voodoo priestess to destroy Buster. Jenna’s partner, Lisa, knows of one there.” I slumped from the heaviness in my chest, knowing exactly what would happen to those teens next. They would each become the vessel for a soul from one of Bertellia’s stable of prostitutes, and how that all transpired wasn’t clear to me.
I glanced up, realizing the table had gone silent. By the expression on Ray, Tressa, and Luke’s faces, they’d heard something. Derek’s mouth had dropped open. I tapped the bottom of his chin to close it and then nodded my head toward the others.
Tressa’s mouth opened and closed for a moment before words poured out. “Bertellia paid a visit to you and Jenna? Yesterday? Was that when I was locked in the bathroom?” Tressa’s waterfall of words continued, “So, Bertellia’s alive? How did she make it so cold in there?” She stopped for a second, swallowed, and then said, “You said, Jenna. As in our Jenna?” The intensity in Tressa’s eyes spoke volumes. “Well?”
“Okay, Sparky, how are you going to handle this one?” Jenna stood next to Tressa. “She’s on fire for knowledge.” She waved her hand toward Tressa. “What would it hurt to share? Honestly, the whole team should be aware of what we’re dealing with here. We are task force special agents specializing in…give it a good name, Sparky.”
Chapter Eleven
Kendra
Tressa wouldn’t let go of what she’d overheard, and I wasn’t prepared to answer any of her questions without permission from Jackson.
Derek waved the waitress over to box the food. “We’ll eat back at the hotel. I’ll share what I know of Kendra’s abilities in the privacy of the hotel room.”
They dropped me outside the doorway of Do Right by Me, and then as I opened the door they took off toward the hotel.
I whispered to Jenna, “I’m clueless about how I’m supposed to look for tonight. The clothes for the disguise look pretty conservative, not the sexy undergarments though.”
Jenna giggled. “You’re a mom trying to be sexy. Now you need hair and make-up to go along with your fashion statement.” She pointed toward a reception desk.
A beautiful blonde smiled as I approached. “You must be our one o’clock. Already paid in full to get the works and we’ll send you home wearing another woman’s image. We’re supposed to call you Kay. Does that sound right?”
“Sure, that’s fine,” I said.
“I’m Bella, your assistant, artist, stylist, masseuse, cocktail waitress, whatever you need me to be while you’re here. Let’s get started with a good dose of relaxation.”
Jenna piped up, “I would kill to get a chance to spend a few hours in this place.”
We both followed the blonde to another room, labeled Shangri-La Room. I’d never visited a spa in my life and had no idea what I was supposed to do in preparation. I raised a brow toward Jenna, as in help.
“Don’t worry, Sparky, I’ll be with you the whole time. I know the exact look that will scream sexy mom.”
That in itself scared the heck out of me, as it wouldn’t matter if I looked like a mom or not. The teenagers we could potentially meet tonight wouldn’t have the mind of a teen anyway. But, perhaps the people running the show didn’t know the girls were actually seasoned prostitutes, incognito. Thinking about it turned my stomach, but the subtle green walls and clean aroma of the room complimenting Jenna’s sweet vanilla scent worked at settling my anxiety.
“I’d like to start you out with a flute of ice-cold champagne.” Bella pulled a bottle from a container of ice and popped the cork. “Unless you’d like this mixed with orange juice as a Mimosa? Then I’ll grab a goblet.”
“Go for the Mimosa. You definitely want to get relaxed.” Jenna scoffed, “You look as stiff as a stick.”
“I’ll take the Mimosa.” I saw a few different sized goblets on a table along the wall. “In that giant goblet.” I pointed.
“I’ll get this going for you while you undress. You may hang your clothes over there.” She tilted her head toward a clothing rack near the door. “Grab a warm towel from the stand. You may cover yourself with it on the table.” She pointed to the massage table in the center of the room.
I hurriedly undressed, wrapped a towel around me, and then grabbed another for just in case.
Bella waited
near the table with the goblet. “Here you go.” She handed it to me as I leaned on the edge of the table.
I took a big swig and coughed as it hit the back of my throat.
“Geeze, Sparky. Don’t you be turning into a lush on me.” Jenna stared at me as I shook my head and choked.
Bella’s eyes went wide and she slapped me on the back. “Oh, my. I should have warned you, those goblets are made for a big swallow, but maybe not that big.”
After my throat stopped the gag reflex, I enjoyed a few more sips before Bella told me to lay face down on the table. I stepped on a stool to climb onto it and then lay on my frontside. Bella pulled the towel from me, shook it out, and draped it over my lower half.
“Okay, Sparky. Just relax. This is going to take a while and you might as well enjoy every second of it.”
Bella said, “Close your eyes and relax. I’m going to play some ambient music and select a more delicate aromatic oil for the infuser. The mud-oil should be warm enough for your massage. Do you have any issue with me touching your body?”
“No.” And then the lights went out inside my head as the two hours of sleep I had finally caught up with me.
* * *
My shoulder shook, someone’s fingers wrapped around it and squeezed.
“Miss Kay. You’ll need to wake-up now. Time for the spray tan, hair styling, and face makeup.”
I opened my eyes, laying on my back with the towel draped across my front. “Oh, my goodness. How long was I out?”
Bella chuckled. “A couple of hours, but who’s counting, right? You’ve had a manicure, pedicure, facial, and some artistic body-hair sculpting.”
I pushed up on my elbows, ready to move from the table.
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