Drake followed him out of the bar. He respected Gabe for not taking his shit, but Drake was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it. “I need this information. Don’t forget, that’s why I hired you”
Gabe replied, “I have a feeling you will remind me if I forget. Just so we’re clear, you need to understand this, the Turchettas and the Hendersons protect their own. No one and nothing ever has or ever will stand in our way. I’m sure you can relate.” Gabe looked Drake straight in the eyes before he got into his car and left.
Drake wasn’t sure what to make of that statement. Was it a threat? Was Gabe warning Drake not to piss him off? From what he’d understood, the Turchettas backed the Hendersons in Tabiq, but that didn’t mean they were anything more than business associates. And I don’t give a shit. I only need answers before this blows up in all our faces.
Drake headed back to the hotel. Although his mind was racing, he was exhausted from lack of sleep last night. There was nothing more he could do for the moment. He was banking on Gabe honoring his word and keeping him abreast of all new developments, not just the ones Gabe thought he should know. How the hell had a simple business endeavor gone so fucking pear-shaped? Why the fuck did I agree to work with the Hendersons?
Chapter 7
Isa wasn’t sure if it was from exhaustion or the beer she drank, but she woke with a throbbing headache. Since she wasn’t a drinker, it had to be the beer. Maybe being social last night wasn’t the best choice. Because now I’m paying the price.
Lifting her head off the pillow right now didn’t appeal to her, but she had to admit Janet knew how to have fun. The place she took her to also had games. At one point she’d teamed with Janet on trivia. She felt bad for Janet, but Isa knew nothing about superheroes and their make-believe powers, so they lost every game they played. Growing up, she didn’t go to the movies or read comic books. As an adult that hadn’t changed. She did a lot of reading, but it was usually nonfiction. Even from a young age she knew the difference between fantasy and reality. And she could not run from hers.
But last night, for a few hours, Isa had. Lying on her bed, all she could think about was her kid sister. God, how she’d missed her. Was she safe? Ziva would be a couple years older than Janet, probably around thirty. If they had grown up in the United States, would she and Ziva be doing these things together?
Tears rolled down her face. She wasn’t sure what had happened to Ziva. Had Ziva suffered the same fate she had? Ziva had been a beautiful young girl and probably grew up to be a gorgeous young lady. That was a curse instead of a blessing in Tabiq. The prettier you are, the more they can get for you.
She remembered the night they banged at the door. Her father had locked it and moved the kitchen table against it, trying to barricade their entrance. But nothing stood in their way when it came to making money. There was no amount of begging and pleading that could be done on her behalf. Isa remembered her mother holding on to one of the men’s legs, and they kicked her to get her away. Her father had grabbed a knife, trying to defend them, and the side of his head met with the butt of a rifle. He was fortunate they had not shot him on the spot. Usually, any resistance meant death.
Ziva had been sleeping in the other room, but there was no doubt she’d heard the commotion. They had been brought up to hide to protect themselves. Isa was glad her sister did not witness her being dragged from the house. She hadn’t thought about that for a while, but spending time with Janet after seeing Alex’s wife, something kept niggling at Isa. Ziva. Please be okay. I hope you didn’t become a victim of the corruption and greed like I did. And my parents. Did they resist if you were taken? Are they still alive?
There was no way to learn of someone’s fate back in Tabiq. It wasn’t as though they had been allowed Internet access. If they had, the rest of the world would have known the cruelties they were suffering, and surely someone would have come to save them. But the outside world had brought it to Tabiq in the first place. Although she wasn’t the first to have been taken, she was still there when James Henderson came to claim his virgin. She wasn’t positive, but the rumors said he was the one who showed the government how lucrative human trafficking could be. No matter who it hurt.
All she could think of was the look on Alex’s face when he offered her that money. Had he bought the woman he called his wife as well? That woman had looked happy, but maybe after years of abuse, she had learned to pretend well. Maybe when she behaved, Alex didn’t hurt her. Isa assumed Alex was related in some way to James Henderson. But any descendant of James would be as untrustworthy as a venomous snake hissing at your heels. It was only a matter of time before they struck the lethal blow.
It wasn’t her fight, but somehow she needed to find that woman and ask if she needed help. It was foolish to consider going head-to-head with a man who could drop $500 like he was dropping a penny. She had worked so hard to get away, and now she had to face the fact that there were others who might still be trying to escape.
She knew it deep in her heart but felt as though there was nothing she could do. Isa had barely made it out alive. But she felt guilty. Not for being a survivor but for being out last night and having fun. Laughing and joking so carefreely when there were people in the world, women back in Tabiq, still living in fear.
If anyone had asked her earlier if she knew what direction her life was going, she would’ve been able to answer them without hesitation. That morning, it was not as clear. With each tear, her heart yearned to return home. That would take more money than she had. Was it foolish to stop paying her rent and put the money aside for a plane ticket back home? What would she do when she got there? After twenty years, who would be there? Her family and friends would have long given up on her return. And those who hadn’t, might resent her for being gone so long.
No. Going home right now was not the answer. Finding Alex Henderson, and speaking to his wife alone, was the first thing she needed to do. Who do I think I am? I can’t save everyone. I can’t save the country. But maybe, just maybe, I can help one person.
Isa wiped the tears from her face, got off her bed, and grabbed the laptop on the bureau. She was going to do her own investigation. When she turned on the laptop and tried to open Google, she got a message. No network.
Darn. She knew eventually they would turn off the Internet for lack of payment. The roof over her head was more important than whether or not she could do anything online. She knew the hotel had a guest Wi-Fi. If she went in early enough, she could sit in the hotel lobby and do her search there. It was far from ideal, as she was trying not to be noticed. But if she dressed casually, maybe she would appear to be one of the guest. As long as no one questioned her or called security, she should be able to be in and out in plenty of time before her shift started.
Placing the laptop back on its charger, she made a mad dash for the shower. Every second counted, as she had slept later than anticipated. Once again she blamed the alcohol for forgetting to set her alarm clock.
As she stripped off her clothes and stood in front of the mirror, she looked at her reflection. Leaning closer to the mirror, she saw the puffy, dark bags under her eyes. One night and she already looked like hell. I swear I’m never going to drink again.
Isa was able to get dressed and make it to the hotel quicker than she ever had. She was motivated. She picked out a spot in the corner that was away from most of the guests. It was against the wall and had a large planter beside it. If she positioned herself just right, she might not get noticed at all. Flipping open the laptop, she logged onto the unsecured Wi-Fi. It wasn’t what she’d normally do, but with what she was about to search for, she figured it was less likely to come back to her this way. She wasn’t considering it stealing, more like borrowing. High View Falls advertised free Wi-Fi. They did not say specifically for paying customers.
She knew enough about the Internet to know an unsecure line meant the hotel or anyone else around her could hack into her stuff. It was a risk, but taking it
at the place of employment wasn’t wise. Why did I not think to do this at McDonalds? She needed to make this as quick as possible. She started her search by typing in the name Alex Henderson. The name was a lot more common than she thought. She needed to narrow it down by at least a geographical area. But Isa had no idea where he lived.
Maybe searching for Alex was not the route to go. She closed her eyes and leaned back. She had no idea what she was doing. This is why people hired private investigators. At least they understood how the criminal mind worked.
Isa shook her head. She should not be putting Alex into the category of a criminal. She had no proof he had done anything wrong. The only thing she had on him was his wife looked as though she could be a Tabiqian. That didn’t mean she was. And it also could have been an innocent job offer, but she left so abruptly she really never got any details from him. She was jumping to a lot of conclusions without any substantial evidence. Who am I to be judge and jury? I didn’t see anything other than kindness when I looked into his eyes. Why am I so skeptical? She knew why. Life had taught her not to trust unless trust was earned.
She should give up on this. If there was something wrong, if she was meant to help in any way, she believed fate would bring them together. Somehow our paths will cross again if they’re meant to.
Those are the exact words she’d thought when she’d stolen that small boat to get off the island of Tabiq. And still, I haven’t been back.
She closed her laptop without opening her eyes. She needed to think about what to do next. The only so-called friend she had there was Janet. If she asked Janet for advice, Janet would ask a million questions long before giving any advice. Although Janet had proven to be a loyal confidant, telling her about what happened in Tabiq was more than Isa was prepared to do.
She felt someone sitting beside her on the couch even before they spoke. Isa was tempted to pretend as though she was asleep, and maybe they would ignore her presence there. Obviously, the gentlemen didn’t care.
“It’s a very nice hotel.”
Isa grunted. Please don’t talk to me. The man did not pick up on her hint and spoke once again.
“Are you staying here long?”
She grabbed her laptop closer to her and responded flatly. “Leaving now.” As she stood and started to walk away, the man called out to her.
“What do you want to know about Alex?”
Isa felt as though someone had punched her in the gut, and she could not catch her breath. She turned around expecting to see someone from security waiting to take her away. Instead, she found a man who looked like he had not had much sleep himself last night and definitely could use a shave.
“Are you a guest here?” Isa asked instead of answering his question.
“No more than you are.”
Isa was tempted to turn around and run from him as quickly as she could. But how could she run from someone until she knew how he found her? He had the upper hand, and he knew it. Walking back, she took the seat beside him on the couch once again.
“Who are you, and how do you know I don’t stay here?”
“Because it’s my job to know.” The man extended his hand and said, “My name is Gabe Turchetta. And you my dear, are Isa Grzyb.”
Her heart was racing; no one had called her that in many, many years. Hearing it now scared the hell out of her. Had Drake hired him to keep an eye on her? Or was it worse? Had the millionaire who had taken her innocence when she was only eighteen finally found her and sent this man to make sure she never spoke of what happened. Either way, Gabe knew her identity. The question was: what else did he know? She had learned over the years not to let anyone see the fear she felt inside. It only gave them power over her. She was tired, done with men believing she was too docile to fight back. Whether it be Gabe, Alex, or Drake, they were going to learn she would not be bullied or forced into anything again.
“Wonderful. We know each other’s names. What do you want? Because I’m sure you know I need to be at work soon, and I don’t have time for games.” Yours or anyone else’s.
Gabe did not hesitate to answer her question. “Why were you googling Alex Henderson?”
She would have to give him an answer, a believable one. “He offered me a job. I wanted more information on it.”
She seemed to have caught him off guard with that response. He stared at her as though he wasn’t sure if he believed her or not. Since it wasn’t a total lie, she believed Gabe bought it.
“I wasn’t aware of that. When did this occur?”
Since she started this, Isa had to keep going down that path. “I met him one night at work a few days ago. Guess he was impressed with my skills.” She almost choked on the last word. The only thing she’d done right that night was pour a drink on Drake.
“That doesn’t sound like Alex. He’s usually more . . .”
She had a few words she could use to describe him, but none ladylike. “I don’t know him at all. His offer seemed . . .” Shady. Slimy. Creepy. “legit.”
“I’m sure it was. Alex doesn’t play games. Unlike some people that is,” Gabe said looking her straight in the eye.
“Are you accusing me of deceit?”
He nodded.
At least you’re honest about it. “Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know. I’m willing to answer any questions you have about Alex. What do you want to know?” Gabe asked.
So many questions, but she had only one that meant anything to her. She needed to know about his wife. “His wife. Where is she from?”
“The same place you are.”
Planet Earth or Tabiq? “The US?” She knew darn well her accent said she wasn’t born here.
“Tabiq.”
Hearing someone say Tabiq scared her senseless. No one ever talked about that place. But this stranger knew who she was and obviously what Tabiq was about. Was it Alex’s wife who had told him? Or did he dig into her past as well? She started to tremble. Was it all over? Was that why he was here now? To take me back? Cold fear ran down her spine and she struggled to breathe.
“You know about Tabiq because?”
“I’ve been there. It’s . . .”
“Horrible. I don’t want to talk about it.” She didn’t need him to tell her what happened there. She’d lived it. Escaped it. And never wanted to go back. But Isa had never come across another person from Tabiq. If she’d known that night she waited on them, would she have asked about home? Asked how she got out? Ask if there were others? She didn’t know. For all she knew his wife didn’t want to talk about Tabiq anymore than Isa did.
“Thank you for answering my question.”
“I’m sure you have more than that.”
Why was he doing this? What did Gabe have to gain from answering her questions? If he wanted to play it this way, she was going to ask as many as he would answer. “Is she . . . happy?”
“Very. They have a beautiful baby girl. Before you ask, her name is Charisa.”
“Alex’s wife?”
Gabe shook his head. “Their daughter.”
“That’s a beautiful name.” Normally back home they would name a child after another family member. Charisa was a common name in Tabiq years ago. She recalled a few members of her past generations having that name.
“How do you know she’s happy? Do you know her personally?”
“I do. If you ever met her, you’d see that for yourself.”
I have. I guess I wasn’t ready to believe it. Maybe it was because Isa couldn’t picture herself really happy. Yes, there was a burst of joy occasionally, but they were fleeting. What she’d seen in that woman’s eyes said she was exactly where she wanted to be. Out with her husband.
“I’m . . . glad for her.” Isa really meant that.
“Any other questions?” Gabe asked.
She had what she wanted. There wasn’t anything more she needed to know. “No.” Isa got up and said, “If I don’t leave now, I might need that job Alex offered me.”
She did, or at least part of her did. The money was a dream come true. But seeing Alex and his wife and daughter living as one big happy family would be like a knife twisting in her. Continuously reminding her of what was missing in her own life. Although High View Falls wasn’t everything she wanted, it was a darn good job. She was thankful for that. Even for Drake, who could have fired me the minute I blew him off. Guess he’s not all bad either.
Isa smiled then headed down the hallway to the service elevators. She felt numb, emotionless. So much time had been wasted for nothing. She risked losing the one thing she had going for her, employment. That needed to stop. Isa would never look at life through rose-colored glasses, but she also had to stop seeing evil everywhere as well.
As though the universe tried to test her new theory out, Drake walked toward her. I didn’t mean this soon.
Isa walked in baby steps. But why not leap in with both feet? What did she have to lose? He didn’t fire her and definitely had the power to do so. Was it too late? If she stopped and spoke to him was she pressing her luck? He should be angry with her, but then again, what had she really done? Turned him down. That’s not grounds for termination. That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to be on her best behavior. As he got closer she smiled, not too much, but a genuine one.
Before she passed him, she stopped and said, “I’m sorry about the other day. I was on my way, and—”
“Security stopped you.”
Why wouldn’t you know? He was the one who had changed their meeting location after all. Isa was glad she had not gone to his office. It would have put her in a compromising position. She did not want anyone to think there was anything unethical going on between the two of them. Actually, nothing is going on between us.
Seven Guilty Pleasures Page 8