“Sandra, you have company. Maddie’s here.”
A short blond woman in a simple blue housedress peeked around the corner, searching their faces. She smiled when she spotted Maddie.
“How’ve you been?” Maddie gave her a hug. “Have you eaten lunch?”
Sandra nodded, her pale blue eyes focused on Maddie.
AJ leaned against the wall beside the door. Tag and Grace sat on the couch. Maddie kept Sandra’s attention, talking easily and smiling. Sandra suddenly turned and gave Grace a long stare with a small step toward her. Grace straightened but held Sandra’s gaze. It was so quiet in the room that AJ could hear them breathe. Grace’s eye bloomed purple in contrast with the yellow T-shirt she wore.
“Are you all right?” Sandra’s voice was unused and rough.
Grace nodded with a shallow breath.
“What did they do to you?” Sandra rasped.
“I’m okay now.” Grace’s voice was clear but soft.
Sandra reached out and touched her face. Grace held still and calm.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” When Grace nodded again, Sandra turned away, sat in the chair, and stared out the window. Her short blond hair was dull, even in the sunshine.
Maddie motioned for them to leave. Standing in the hallway, Grace looked unsure and Tag placed her hand on her back.
“That’s the first time she’s done anything like that,” the doctor said with a longer look at Grace. “What happened to you?”
“Someone hit me in a bar fight. What just happened?”
“She actually interacted with you,” Maddie said and turned to the doctor. “Maybe we can bring Happy up for a visit soon. What do you think?”
“I’ll make sure I’m available. That was a moment. Thank you.” The doctor smiled.
“I don’t understand,” Grace said.
“I think it was your black eye and the stitches. Sandra had a lot of stitches.” Maddie turned toward the elevator. “Let’s go see the other victim. Happy is an eight-year-old we saved last year. Her story is different than Sandra’s, but unfortunately not uncommon. Her parents sold her to a handler when she was three.” Maddie punched the elevator buttons.
“Her parents sold her?” Grace turned to Maddie with a disbelieving expression.
“A handler trains children to sex. A good handler in this business makes more money than I can even talk about. They can go anywhere, live anywhere, be anyone.” Maddie held up her hands. “That first case you read yesterday, AJ? They were all negotiated by a broker. The victims were taken by an abduction crew and sold to a buyer online after the broker vetted him. The whole transaction took less than a few days. We lost those victims but arrested all of the adults –the broker, the crew, and the buyer.”
The doors opened to the main floor and they walked down a long hallway toward children’s voices and laughter. Maddie opened a door to a dark room. “We’re hidden here.”
They each took a chair and watched about eight or nine little children, most playing in three large sandboxes. Sunlight streamed across them from large windows, and the colors in the room brightened everything. AJ estimated most were between five and eight. One little girl, a truly beautiful child, was alone at a tiny table coloring in a book, her back to the other children. She had loose brown-gold curls. The loner, she thought.
“Can anyone pick Happy out of this group?” Maddie said.
They all pointed at the solitary little girl, her thin shoulders hunched as she colored.
Maddie nodded just as a small boy carried a ball from the sandbox to Happy at her table, rolling it across the book and colors, and into her lap. She was up in a flash. She hit him and sent him sprawling to the floor. He screamed and an adult appeared, separating the two. Happy stood, little fists at her side, glowering at the adult and the crying boy.
“A few months ago, she’d have been on top of that kid, pounding him,” Maddie said. “She seems to have progressed to a simple leave-me-alone phase. She doesn’t have many words, but she certainly knows the word fuck. Her swearing still shocks me. Some of the best child psychiatrists in this country have studied her in the last year, and most are unsure if she can be salvaged, but I’m not quitting. All the doctors call her a feral child.” Maddie’s phone chirped with a text, and she looked up with a smile. “Sam’s here. Let’s have lunch together, down the road. I have a place for him to stay, but he’s yours, AJ, from the moment you say he’ll work.”
AJ watched Grace, intent on the little girl.
“What do the doctors mean…salvaged?” Grace turned to Maddie.
“Good question, but I’m going to continue with both her and Sandra.” She checked her watch. “We have to go.”
* * *
After the introductions, AJ sat next to Sam Mullins at the restaurant. Her first impression was that he liked women and enjoyed talking to them. She was rarely wrong on that. He ran a hand through his thick, short brown hair when he turned to answer a question from Maddie, and he had done his homework. He thanked her and Tag for their service and asked Grace how she was feeling. Maddie had described him perfectly. He had a fit body with big hands and moved easily, comfortably.
AJ asked about his military experience. His eyes lingered on Maddie before he turned to AJ.
“I didn’t like it.” He smiled, not the least apologetic. “I enlisted after I graduated from MIT and was a part of Desert Storm. When my tour was over, I came home to the private sector as a micro-electronics engineer, married my girl from college, also an engineer, and we were happy as clams in Arizona.” He took a breath. “I assume Maddie has explained the rest?” He looked around the table and they nodded. “Okay then,” he said and leaned back in his chair.
AJ again noticed his voice and pleasant appearance. People would talk with him easily. She would be working with him every day and didn’t want an experience like Jock.
“We have our task force meeting tomorrow morning,” she said. “You’ll meet everyone else then. You’ve read our notes?”
“Yes, but it looks as if you’re right at the beginning. Is that correct?” AJ nodded and he continued. “This is what I’ve been doing in Park Falls. Things were quiet when I left, but I have an odd feeling about that place. Too many people that didn’t look local.” He sent another look down the table to Maddie.
AJ checked out the busy restaurant. She watched a young couple move to a table and had an idea about how to present herself and Sam to their fellow employees at Adams Delivery Service up north. Sam blended easily. Tomorrow night would be a good time to have Maddie and Sam to the house for dinner. She began to eat and the entire plan came together in her head. It would work, but she’d have to explain to Katie.
* * *
AJ sent Tag and Grace home after the meal with Sam and then decided to work alone at her home office. She changed into shorts and a T-shirt and put together a simple but favorite broccoli and chicken casserole, got it in the oven, and let the harsh day settle inside her.
She wandered outside to the backyard in the last of the sunshine before she went to work. The ground was dry, so she picked up the hose. They could use some rain. Would Katie have time to take care of the yard? When she was recovering at the beginning of summer, she’d planted new flowers and shrubs. The guy down the street owned a nursery and she’d used his services. She pulled out her phone and called him to set up a time to begin regular lawn care. He said he’d do it personally since he was a neighbor.
She jotted down a list of things around the house to talk to Katie about and opened her laptop to go over the Niagara and Crooked Lake area. Tag had called Jay Yardley that morning and he’d agreed to give her a job. It felt like things were coming together.
The scent of food from the kitchen caught her attention and she checked the time. Katie was late for some reason. She got up, set the oven on warm, and checked her phone. There was nothing from Katie, and she went back to work, lost in the information in her laptop.
Much later, she r
ubbed her eyes, ready for tomorrow’s meeting. She realized it was full dusk and grabbed her phone. Where was Katie? A wave of panic washed across her. She dialed Katie’s number, but it went directly to voice mail and she thought of all the possibilities. It was after seven o’clock and unlike Katie not to check in if she was going to be this late. She tried Katie’s phone again, but this time the phone was off.
“Okay, that does it,” she said, racing to the bedroom. She slid into jeans and boots and secured her weapon. She turned the stove off, covered the casserole, and engaged their security system. As she turned, Katie came in the garage door.
“God, that smells good. I’m starving,” Katie said, hanging her bag on the kitchen chair. The smile slid off her face when she looked at AJ.
“I didn’t know where you were and it’s so late and I panicked—” After a moment, AJ laughed softly. “I am so dumb.”
“No, you’re not, but something’s wrong.” Katie studied her. “You’re wearing your weapon.” She looked around the kitchen nervously. “Did something happen?”
AJ bent, her hands braced on her knees, heart racing. “I didn’t know where you were.”
“I told you this morning I had to drop off my SUV to repair the damage from that Owens kid. My uncle gave me a loaner, a luxury sedan. That’s probably why you didn’t hear my car in the garage. You can’t even hear the motor.”
AJ straightened. “Want some wine before you eat? I’ll drink first to calm myself.”
Katie lifted the casserole lid and inhaled with a smile. “Let’s do both. Drink and eat. This smells wonderful. My phone died and I couldn’t call.” She put her phone on the charger, undid AJ’s holster and laid it on the counter, and wrapped her arms around her.
“I feel stupid. I tried to call, but your phone was off and—”
“I wasn’t home and it’s dark. I know. That’s happened to me…a couple of times.” Katie took silverware out of the drawer and began to set the table. “Let’s sit, enjoy the wine, and tell me what you can about your day.”
Chapter Seventeen
Pacing in the chief’s office, AJ adjusted her weapon under her suit coat the next morning, waiting for him to get off the phone. They had to address the Milwaukee task force later, and she’d chosen a caramel brown suit, white tee, and deep brown ankle boots for a professional appearance.
“We hit gold,” were his first words when he hung up. He laid out yesterday’s interviews with the women from Home Base at Hannah’s House and handed her the sketches of the two men involved with the two women that had perished in the fire. The victims had worked with a police artist, and the sketches appeared to match the two men that had been here the day of the fire. Best of all, everyone had reported a Confederate flag tattoo on one of the men.
“If it’s them, it’s murder,” AJ said. “I wish I could get these sketches to Frog. What if they were the two men that gave her the five thousand dollars? Is that too much of a stretch?”
“We thought of that too.”
“Anything on Robert Owens?” she said as they walked down the hallway.
“Jock said he’ll see me today.”
AJ placed her coffee and pastry by the chief at the head of the table just as Jock stepped inside the conference room.
“Do you mind if I sit in?” It was the first time he’d ever asked, and she smiled, pointing at the chair beside her. “I sent you and the chief an email on what I found on the men at the Owens house.”
“Thanks. Get some coffee and something to eat,” AJ said as she counted heads. Twenty-eight people including the DEA, FBI, Milwaukee Police, and her ATF were in the room. Law enforcement should work together like this more often, sharing information.
Bonnie was talking—no, flirting—with a young blond cop, and AJ thought that was a good thing. Tag had her arm casually over the back of Grace’s chair, listening to something Sam was telling them. AJ looked at them again. Tag always seemed to be reaching for Grace. The childhood they’d discussed briefly skated across her mind as well as Grace’s odd reaction to the victims yesterday at Hannah’s House.
Darn, she was hungry and realized her stomach was reminding her. Munching on the pastry, she checked her notes. She still hadn’t talked to Tag about Maddie’s surprise, the Afghanistan connection. She’d have to get to that before they left for northern Wisconsin.
She’d spoken with Jeff and Greg this morning. Each had a room at the motel near Crooked Lake where Frog and the girls were living, but things were quiet. That quiet puzzled her.
The chief handed out copies of the sketches of the two men identified by the Home Base women and began the meeting, repeating what he’d told AJ.
“Let’s begin with the recent shootings and two fires,” the chief said. “First, our security videos from here and Jimmy’s Restaurant appear to match the eyewitness sketches from the Home Base survivors. The one important thing that stands out is the man’s tattoo.”
The chief’s young, cute cop waved the papers. “I talked to these dudes at the Copper Penny when I pulled the late shift two nights ago. The bar would still have the surveillance.” She held up one of the pictures. “This guy did most of the talking and asked how long we’d been here. He said he’s grown up in Milwaukee and never remembered a police station here. This one with the tat was friendly, but I was in uniform.” She sent the chief a grin.
“After the meeting, run over and ask if we can have their videos.” The chief brought up Robert Owens’s mug shot on the big plasma TV in the room. “Anyone recognize him?” When no one spoke up, he detailed the incident involving Katie’s car, his connection to the house they’d taken down, and Jock’s involvement.
“Damn. Tell me it’s not Michael’s drugs again,” one of AJ’s men said.
Jock responded. “No, not Michael’s group, but there are drugs involved. I’ve got Robert Owens, this man, in rehab, and I’d like any of you to keep me in the loop if you happen to run across something—anything—involving him. We believe he’s involved with the two men in those sketches. I’m the DEA primary here, so get in touch with the chief, Bonnie, or me. The chief has all the information we found.” He held up the sketches. “Thanks for any help.” He left the meeting. AJ watched him go, wondering about his new professional attitude. Something had changed.
“I’ll be very brief,” AJ said and stood. “As most of you know, we have a task force up north.” She pointed at the maps on the wall. “This is where we’ll be, and I expect it to take most of September. The FBI has had a well-publicized ongoing national human trafficking investigation for years, and we’ll work with them so we don’t cross paths. FBI agent Sam Mullins will be a part of our group.” She pointed at Sam and he raised his hand with a friendly smile. “Four of us will be undercover, tracking a specific group of women that might have been sold for sex. As we gather information, we’ll pass it back here. Bonnie and the chief will update the feed, so keep in touch. The DHS came in when Canada reported traffic up there, so stay alert out in the city. You never know what you’ll stumble over.”
She paused as everyone studied their tablets. “One thing I want to point out. Human trafficking crimes are just below what is spent for terrorism, plus hours logged tracking all of this. I’ve included information from the Department of Justice, both local and federal, and I want you to treat this much like we did Michael’s task force. We’re after information, so keep a low profile. We need names, people missing, the businesses involved, or anything else you hear. There are people out there making millions simply by sifting through the general population, and all ages and genders are involved. Don’t forget that Milwaukee has a new trafficking task force and they need information too. Once again, report to the chief, Bonnie, or Jock…oh, and Grace and I will have our appearance altered a bit.” Comments and laughter followed, and she grinned.
“Here’s what we know right now. We have twelve females in a motel near Crooked Lake about a half hour south of the Michigan border and we have a CI embedded in
that group. Ages are between eleven to mid-teens. Jeff and Greg from our group are at that motel, so we’ve got that much. I wish I had more, but you can bet we will soon, and that’s it.”
Chairs scraped as people stood and left. AJ opened the box on the table beside her, handing out a phone and credit card to each of them with a slip of paper. “Here’s your room numbers at Crooked Lake Resort. Tag will be working with Jay Yardley. Grace will be there as a computer tech on a local business assignment. Sam and I will be working for Adams Delivery Service. Grace and I will have our names and appearance changed, but everyone else carries their real names, including Jeff and Greg.” She stopped for a drink of coffee. “These are new phones that only the six of us have, programmed with only our numbers. No other names are on those phones and no apps.”
Grace held the credit card in front of her. “This is my name? Gabrial Frank?”
AJ tossed her own credit card across the table. “Well, look at what I’ve got. Anne James. At least our initials fit so it’ll be a little easier to remember.”
“Just two different names out of six including Greg and Jeff. That’s easy.”
“If we slip and call you AJ, no one will notice,” Tag added.
“Greg and Jeff say the twelve girls are in three rooms at that motel. Every day it’s the same routine. One of the women drives into Niagara in the morning, gets breakfast or whatever, and brings it back. Then, a repeat performance around four o’clock in the afternoon. About every other hour during the day, the adult women take several of the girls outside for a short walk down the road. Greg and Jeff are gathering video although we’re going to set up our own surveillance when we get up there. No one has contacted this group or come to the motel.” AJ shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re going up there with just this, but we are. We’ll leave as soon as the doctor releases Grace and stagger our arrival times. Grace, you’ll go first with the horse, check into the resort, and then do the horse thing. Tag, you’ll follow about an hour behind her. Sam and I will share a car later that same day. When Sam and I check in, I’ll call each of you that night. On the first day, use room service when you get hungry. Stay away from the dining room, but I do recommend their food. Since Katie and I were just there, I don’t want to risk being recognized, so I’ll sneak in with Sam as if we’re a couple.”
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