A/N: Hello- Here is chapter 17. It has some mildly disturbing interaction between kidnapper and captive. Just a heads up for those who don't like to read those parts.
As always, thanks for reading any any review/PMs.
-Carly
-17-
"What are you working on?" Chet asked as he looked over from the driver's seat and noticed Aimee was working intently on her phone. Aimee glanced up as they drove along.
"Well, I am exploring the underworld of human trafficking. Mainly, I am determining if it's possible to find, then gain access to where a lot of these sickos gather online. It would stand to reason that they probably hang out online. Maybe even if there is some kind of marketplace to find girls. But I suspect those types of sites are likely protected by encryption." Chet looked into space for a moment. The idea that this may have been one of the reasons that Maddie was taken was not a new one. But, he had difficulty wrapping his mind around the possibility. He became sad just thinking that she was out there somewhere and he was powerless to know exactly where. He nodded.
"It certainly is one possibility. And I appreciate you breaking the ice and trying to delve into it." he paused and looked over at her diligently typing away on her phone. "I would have to agree though, that it's got to be hard to break into those areas where people like that gather. I mean law enforcement obviously attempts to gain such access so they can curb the overall incidents from happening to begin with. These creeps have to be constantly on the lookout for those types of hacks into their world. I am fairly computer illiterate, so that doesn't help us much." Aimee nodded soberly and looked back at him.
"It's not likely to be easy. But, come on, this is the twenty first century. And like any other illegal product market for products, it has to exist. These guys are out to make money. So, they must take risks to find their customer base. But I agree there must be some systems protecting these sites."
"No denying that." Chet agreed. "Probably not like registering for a Reddit account. If you find such a group or marketplace, it's quite likely that you will be well screened before getting access."
"There are known databases for sure. I am betting the Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the FBI likely have a bit of info on where to look." Chet grunted.
"I won't argue that fact. But, they tend to not just hand that data off to investigators or parents of missing kids for fear of liability. Do you think the feds are just going to send me their list of sites they try to spy on or monitor? Not very likely." Aimee gave a sly smile and looked up.
"Well, no. The feds may not do that. But I bet with some degree of certainty that someone else could gain such information." Chet smirked.
"I take it you are referring to the great Fenton Hardy?" Aimee nodded.
"I bet you could call in a favor to your pal, Frank. He might help his dad pull some strings."
"Maybe. But Fenton doesn't do anything without some thought. Not sure he'd want to give us any kind of info that he might consider would put our lives at risk. He's kind of funny that way." Aimee shrugged.
"Wouldn't hurt to try though, would it?" Chet exhaled slowly as he thought. A moment later he tilted his head.
"Fuck it. I'm desperate." He picked up his phone and scrolled through his contact list and hit the speakerphone button. A moment later his phone call connected.
"Detective Hardy. Chet, is that you?"
"Yeah, Frank."
"Thought that was your number. What's up? Are you down in Virginia yet?"
"Yeah, Frank. Look pal, I'd like to ask a favor."
"If I can, sure! But can you speak up? Sounds like you are in a tunnel with a train going through. Are you somewhere noisy?" Chet grinned.
"In the car, Frank. What you're hearing is the rumble of a 426 Hemi engine. So, yeah. I will speak up."
"Ok. By the way, did you hook up with the local PD down there?"
"Well, we tried, pal. But the Frederick County sheriff's office is complete convinced that the Heather Norton case is nothing but a red herring. They pretty much refuse to think any kidnappers or traffickers are working their area. They think the guy just drove her from some distance and left her in this county. So, we are heading up to Mountain Falls without any official support."
"Well man, I hope you all are careful. Some of those communities up in the hills can be rather lawless." Chet grunted.
"Yeah, I kind of figured. Look, pal. The favor I need is this. We have separated forces. Callie and Iola are working their angle as a straight investigation. Meanwhile, Aimee and I are going in undercover as locals. We thought we might be able to flush out more information or suspects if we blended in to the community. You know, kind of the way you were suggesting."
"Ok, well, makes sense. But, I'd be careful. What's the favor?"
"Well, we were thinking it might be good to be able to have some info on traffickers. More specifically being able to access the groups and marketplaces that these crackheads use to carry out their business."
"Yeah, well, that wouldn't be a bad idea. But, those aren't the kind of sites you can find in a Google search, my friend." Chet rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, we rather assumed that much. What I was hoping for is that maybe if you contacted your dad he may be able to tap such sensitive info that no doubt the feds and such organizations as the Center for Missing and Exploited Children would likely have since they are often investigating the crime." Chet and Aimee both heard an audible sigh coming from the speaker.
"Damn, Chet. I mean yeah, he can probably get that kind of info. He may very likely have some of that info in his own records since he has investigated a number of kidnappings over the years. I would very much anticipate such records exist. He may share those. Not sure how much intel he can get from the feds. Sure, dad has his back doors into such access. But it's not like he has free access to the FBI computers." Chet sighed.
"Frank, do you think you can speak to him and see if he will be able to give us something to use, man? I need a lead to run with. We need to see if there are any of those kinds of people working this area. Obviously, we know the I-81 corridor has been used by this psycho. If he knows I will proceed with or without his help, maybe he will find it a good idea to get me something to minimize my risk of exposure."
"Well, if you put it that may, I suppose he probably would offer you something to work with, rather than you going in blindly." Chet perked his eyebrows and gave a half smile.
"Anything would be great, Frank. I mean it!"
"Ok, pal. I know what is hanging in the balance. I know you are going to go in the hard way if I can't help open the door. So, don't do anything rash. I will try to see if I can call dad and get something for you to use."
"Sounds good, man. And you're right. Maddie is out there and I am not caring much how delicate I am. Which I know would be counterproductive. So, if you your dad can help me, I'd be grateful!"
"Ok, Chet. Hang loose. I will try to get back with you within a few hours."
"Thanks, Frank! Later." Chet disconnected the call and looked over to Aimee.
"Well, let's keep our fingers crossed." Aimee nodded.
"Fingers crossed!" A moment later, Aimee's phone buzzed. She looked down. "Callie and Iola have arrived at their hotel. They asked how far we were from the area?" Chet looked down at his phone's GPS.
"About an hour or so. That stop we made at that thrift store and Walgreens slowed us down." Aimee grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry. But I did need to get a bit of a different wardrobe if you wanted me to look like Bunny." Chet shot her a comical glance.
"I'm sure you recall in the movie that Bunny had a fairly limited wardrobe. The first scene she had that green bikini. The second when she is driving the car she is wearing that dress. And the last time you see her she is dancing around in the back yard naked." Aimee giggled.
"Well, I didn't mean to suggest I was going to replicate her to that point. In fact the clothes I found are not necessarily intended to replicate the Bunny look to a T. Just that I figured you'd want me to blend in a little better with you." Chet nodded.
"Well, that much is true."
"Not much out this way." Aimee observed as she watched the late afternoon sun settle over the hills and woodlands. "Maybe a house every quarter mile. Less in some places." Chet nodded.
"Yeah. A good place if you like your privacy."
"How can the police say without doubt that they covered all this area and found nothing?" Chet shook his head.
"They couldn't cover it all. They likely went where the body turned up. Set their parameter and worked the scene. If nothing significant popped up, they pretty much wrapped it up. According to Cal, they don't sound like they want to open that door anyway. Sometimes, these types of municipalities overlook some criminal elements." Aimee looked a bit incredulous at the statement.
"You mean kidnapping?"
"Well, not necessarily that. But if they are convinced, as she indicates, that this was simply a red herring. Meaning, the perp simply chose this area to leave Heather, in hopes it would distract law enforcement from the true area where he was operating. No, they wouldn't outright ignore a kidnapping. But say if something like meth production was happening, and it most likely is, they see that as something which is easier to ignore. Kind of like moonshining was back in the day. Many back woods police agencies simply tolerated it. Some others made money off of it by making the producers kick back a percentage of the profit in exchange for ignoring their indiscretions."
"Indiscretions? That's a cute way to put it." Aimee shook her head.
"Didn't say it was right, girl. Just that it is the reality of it in certain places. Corruption has been around since the beginning of time."
"Did you say Callie texted you info on the motel we will be staying at?" Chet nodded quickly.
"Yep. Check out my phone and look it up. We should be there in about 45 minutes." Aimee picked up his phone.
"Will do."
Maddie looked weary. The lack of quality rest and enormous amount of stress and uncertainty were taking their toll. She leaned against the wall looking across the small room at the window. The late day sun cast a golden hue through the window upon her.
"What you thinking about?" Jaime's voice brought her back from her thoughts. Maddie blinked a few times, then looked over to her friend.
"My sisters."
"Yeah, me too. What are your sister's names?"
"Carly and Ellie. They are with my grandparents. They live part of the time with my mom and I. And part of the time with my dad. But my grandparents spend a lot of time with them, too."
"I haven't talked to Jesse in over two months." Jaime said, her voice cracking.
"We need to get out of here, Jaime. I don't know how I can survive like this. I can't rest. I can't keep my mind clear. I worry all the time."
"We do need a way out. But please don't do anything rash. I can tell you that the first week I spent here was the worst. I didn't know if I was going to live or what. I am not saying it gets easier. I don't think it really does. But, I suppose it gets more predictable. And as a result, we kind of adjust to it. What my point is... just don't do anything that will piss him off bad. I still have a bad feeling about Heather. I'd also say that you shouldn't really try to get Christine to help you. I know it may be tempting because she has a key to this room. But remember she is very dedicated to him. As completely screwed up as that seems. And like I said before, she doesn't have a key to this entire wing. She couldn't get us out of here even if she was inclined to help." Maddie nodded.
"Yeah, I kind of got that vibe from her. She is either really scared of him or has developed some kind weird attachment. But, she did not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling when she brought food earlier." Jaime shrugged.
"Well, don't be mean spirited to her. She is in the same boat as we are. But definitely I would not try to recruit her to give any assistance. She will likely blow on that whistle she has around her neck and we will suffer."
Maddie looked up towards the window thoughtfully.
"Do we know for sure she doesn't have keys to any other possible doors that could allow us to escape?" Jamie shook her head doubtfully.
"I'd say there is no reason she should have any. Why would he trust her with even the remote possibility of someone getting out?"
"Well, I don't know. And you are probably right. I was just thinking... if there are nearly 20 girls here, and you have traveled with him to another state to find other girls." She looked over at Jaime. "Doesn't that mean he is gone for over 24 hours in some cases? Yet we get fed on schedule? Have you ever gone a day without getting fed?" Jaime shook her head.
"No. The guy is a sicko, but ever since I've been here, there have always been two meals a day without fail." Maddie threw her hands out.
"Doesn't that suggest that maybe Christine has a little more leeway that we thought? I don't know the layout like you do. The times you left and came back in, was there a door that he locked?"
"Yes, of course. And about three other sets of doors he locks and unlocks between this particular wing and that exit."
"That makes me kind of think like Christine has the ability to go between wings, and to wherever the food is kept." Jaime nodded in agreement.
"Well, that makes sense. But even if Christine does have the ability to move more freely inside the building, I would definitely say that he doesn't give her the key to the exit door."
"Well, of course I didn't think he did. But how big did you say this place is?" Jaime's eyes widened.
"Oh, it's huge, girl. All I can say is there must have been a lot of crazy people back in the days this place was in operation. I would think it's capable of housing hundreds of people."
"Serious?"
"Oh yeah. You could easily get lost in here." She nodded vigorously.
"Then it would be reasonable to believe the place must have a lot of doors to the outside."
"Well, yeah, but it's also reasonable to believe he has probably secured all of the doors which would lead to the outside." She smiled kindly back at her. "Maddie, I've been here a long time. The idea that the place has a lot of doors is not new. Heck, I've seen a number of them when we drove back and forth. But I can bet he has each one locked tight." She sighed and laid back flat on her bed and looked at the ceiling. "I've dreamed more times than you can count how great it would be to find a way out of here. And we don't even know for certain that Christine has keys that would get us out of this particular wing. The guy is a nutcase, but he's smart. Maybe on the days he will be gone he gives Christine a different set of keys that allows her to move freely between all wings. And when he is here she only has a key to the rooms and has to knock on the wing door herself just to get back out. This guy is all about control. I don't see him granting too much freedom with any of us. But I tell you one thing I don't want to happen. I don't want him beating on me again. And that's what will happen if I even allow myself to think I can get out of here." Maddie looked soberly over towards her.
"So, we are at his mercy?"
They both abruptly jumped a bit as they heard the sound of a key being inserted in their door. A moment later the thin figure of Reese stepped inside. He closed the door behind him and stepped forward. He looked over at both girls and his right lip curled into a sinister smile.
"Good evening, ladies. How are you?" Jaime sighed slightly.
"Fine." She said without emotion.
"Alright, sir." Maddie said rising to her feet. He looked at her.
"Rising when the master comes. I like that, Madeleine. Thank you." He breathed deeply and walked further towards them. "You know, ladies, this facility, as I mentioned was created for the housing of a certain type of individuals. Some would call them mentally unbalanced. Others would simply say crazy." He walked over and looked down at Jaime. "And yet, others prefer the term nutcase." He paused as Jaime's eyes broadened. She immediately rose to a seated position.
"You were listening to us?" She asked with fear clearly showing on her face. He looked down at her with an angry scowl for a brief moment. Then relaxed his expression.
"Yes, my dear Jaime. You see, this facility has certain rooms which afford the staff the ability to monitor the patients. While it is a rather crude method, you will note that outside in the hallways when you walk along you see some rooms have a small door about 5 inches square built into the wall. And, as you can see in this room on your wall." He gestured to a small opening in the wall covered by a metal grate. "This opening in the wall leads to the opening in the hallway. As such, when the staff open that small door and place their ear against the opening, they can actually hear what the patient may be saying." He smiled curtly down at Jaime. "Many nutcases in those days talked to themselves. But, it was also a means of talking to the staff. If you had a patient who was perhaps prone to violence, not every staff member would desire to open the door. At least not without a strong armed orderly and a syringe of Thorazine on hand." He looked down at both girls who seemed notably apprehensive about what he might be planning.
"I'm sorry." Jaime rasped with fear in her eyes. She knew that having called him a nutcase in and of itself might well be cause for a severe beating.
"As you should be. He smirked. If I didn't have other matters at hand, I might take exception with the name you called me. But since I also heard you ended your thoughts with the very wise advice that you should avoid thinking about the futility of escape. Because, anyone trying to do anything so stupid, would be severely dealt with." He paused and took a deep breath. Looking at Maddie he raised his eyebrows knowingly. "Everyone who comes here thinks the same thoughts that you have. How can I escape? Well, as Miss. Jaime has speculated, indeed all the doors to the outside are secured. And yes, it would be quite futile to try to secure the assistance of sweet Christine. She knows who rules this institution." He glanced over to Jaime. "By the way, your theory of two sets of keys was correct. On days when I have business outside of these walls, Christine does have a great deal more flexibility when it comes to access within the building. But, as you also speculated, she does not have any keys to the outside. The only thing that would happen if you were able to escape this room on a day that I was not present, would be getting lost. And my subsequent wrath aside, there are some parts of this institution that you would best avoid anyway. They can be a bit unsettling, even to me." He walked over to Maddie's bed and sat down on it.
"So, we can dispense with further thought of such a futile act. I know you both would hate to spend time recovering from the repercussions of such an act. He blinked several times at Maddie, as if prompting a reply. Maddie cleared her throat.
"Yes, sir. I understand completely."
"Splendid. Now then, we can get to the matter which brought me here to room 24 of south wing G. Come here, Madeleine." Maddie slowly stepped forward and stood before him. He smiled up at her and took out a phone.
"Yes, sir?" She asked nervously. He looked down at his phone and opened the camera.
"Stand there, please." He said indicating a spot about two feet in front of him. Maddie complied. Reese took a few photos of her from the front. He made a twirling motion with his fingers. "Turn around." Maddie turned around and faced Jaime. He took additional photos. "Face me again, please." She turned back to face him. She looked down at him nervously.
"Is that ok, sir?" He set the phone on the bed and placed his hands together in his lap.
"Not quite. Undress, please." Maddie swallowed hard and paused. He looked up at her with a firm expression which might equate to a parent reminding their child for the third time to do their homework or face the consequences. "Let's not stop being pleasant now, Madeleine." Maddie quelled her mounting anxiety as best she could and closed her eyes. She reached down and pulled off her crop top. Again, her rather substantial bosom fell free, unrestrained. He smiled and picked up his phone and started taking more photos. "Very nice, Madeleine. They are simply amazing." Maddie turned a deeper shade of red, doing her best to avoid eye contact. Again, the expectant look came over his face.
"Oh, thank you, sir." She managed to say. He gave a subdued chuckle.
"That's all well and good Madeleine, but my prompting was for you to continue the show." Maddie weighed the option of how much she wanted to curse him and issue a swift kick in the face. But she knew any joy that might bring would be very short lived and be justification for what would likely be an unpleasant punishment. She took a deep breath, then slid out of her shoes. She looked at him for a moment. Delight painted upon his face. She slowly undid her belt and undid the button on her jeans. She paused and breathed deeply and exhaled slowly. He marveled at her ability to stay reasonably composed with such a request. He knew not all of the girls were so compliant and he had had to resort to more drastic means of separating them from their clothing.
Maddie slowly slid her pants down while he took additional photos. A moment later she kicked them off and stood before him. Her face even more red with embarrassment, if that were possible. He perked his eyebrows as he glanced over at her pants, and did not note any panties.
"You know, Madeleine, I would have never taken you for a commando kind of girl at your age, and, uhm , status." She sighed. As if the embarrassment of standing before a strange man in the nude wasn't bad enough to her.
"I'm not, sir." She said quietly.
"Oh?" He asked, clearly enjoying her shame.
"I had some, but, uhm, they got wet." She managed to say, looking down.
"What kind of wet are we talking about, Madeleine?" He asked with a snicker. "Were you dreaming about me last night? Or perhaps you and Jaime got to know each other a little better?" She looked down, almost wanting to cry. She remembered though, as hard as it was to stay composed, that she needed to do just that. She would not give him the satisfaction of bawling so he could see how easily he was able to affect her. She also didn't want to freak out and perhaps suffer a worse fate. She looked back at him and briefly shook her head.
"No, sir. I peed in them. They are in the corner." He smiled pleasurably at her and nodded.
"I see. Well, as Jaime may have told you, we are civilized enough at this facility to have a laundry room. You can wash you clothing once a week." He took the phone and aimed the camera back at her. "Now then, I need you to smile for me. Nothing too dramatic. You don't have to fake being sexy or anything like that. Just a sweet little smile." Maddie found it rather difficult to entertain the request considering that she felt like complete garbage standing there before him as she was. She pushed a toothy grin to her face. Reese nodded approvingly. "There you go, Madeleine. Beautiful. It's just a shame you don't have braces." He paused and looked at her. "Now, be a good girl and hold those most amazing breasts together." Maddie was unsure how much more of this she could take. But, she was at least thankful that he was not actually touching her. Maddie, a bit awkwardly pushed the sides of her bosom together. Though she wasn't really sure why anyone would be particularly excited about it.
"Like this, sir?" He smiled and nodded.
"Yes, Madeleine. You are a natural. Now turn around, love." His voice was sickening enough to her. But referring to her as 'love' made her feel extra nauseous. She turned around and heard an audible grunt from him. "Now bend over, love." Maddie complied.
"Like this, sir?" She felt disgusted with him and herself. She glanced over at Jaime who looked over at her sympathetically.
"Yes, but separate your legs." She complied, though was feeling probably the most vulnerable she had ever been. Not that she had an issue with being nude. Back home, in the privacy of her own bedroom she had occasionally laid around without clothes. Sometimes she even took a few selfies. Never to send to anyone. Just to kind of experiment. With her mother and Aunt often commenting about how she had grown over the last year, Maddie was feeling a desire to self-explore. Feeling the cool air between her legs further made her anxious. Knowing he was taking photos was a bit unsettling to her. Though there was actually part of her which seemed to have a misguided feeling of excitement. She was very unfamiliar with this feeling. She felt bad in a way for having that feeling.
"Like this, sir?" She had seemingly repeated that placation to his ego so many times she was sick of it.
"Yes, that is nice. But how about you place your hands above your knees and stick your most beautiful butt high in the air." Maddie bit her lip. Again, very much wanting to kick him in the face. But again, she complied. "Oh, lord, yes!" his voice elevated. "That's how you do it, girl." Maddie felt the conflicted feelings again. Did men really like women to do this? It felt disgusting in a way. But, part of her didn't consider it all that horrible for some reason. Maddie felt quite confused by the psychological conflicts which seemed to present themselves. But even if the feeling was for some reason sensual, to whatever point she could understand, she would have much preferred doing such things with him out of the room. A moment later she could see him stand up.
"Most pleasurable, Madeleine." He told her. "Definitely got my attention, in various ways." Before she knew what was happening, she felt his hands on her hips and a rough feel of his lower half pressing up against her a few times. She had definitely sensed a protrusion in his jeans for the few moments he had rubbed against her. Thankfully, he stepped back. "Just wanted to feel what it was going to be like for some lucky man down the road, love. Maybe a little preview of what to expect." Madeleine felt a spike of anxiety and fell to the floor in fear. She turned back around into a partially laying position with one knee raised. This allowed him a view of her partially spread legs. To which he gave an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, my dear. That view alone is almost worth throwing your status aside and enjoying myself thoroughly. But, alas, that would significantly devalue the product." Maddie, still somewhat frozen in fear managed to look up at him.
"Am I done, sir?" He smiled down at her.
"Yes, my dear. I am afraid time is short, and I just had something pressing come up that needs to be addressed. You two have a lovely night." With a parting smirk, Reese turned and left the room. Jaime quickly got off the bed to rush over to Maddie.
"Are you, ok?" She asked offering her friend a hand. Maddie, feeling quite shaky took Jaime's hand, stood up and immediately put her arms around her.
"My god, Jaime. That was so incredibly weird. I feel so..." she softly wept for several minutes while Jaime ran her hand along Maddie's back comforting her.
"It's ok, baby." Jaime soothed. She broke the embrace briefly enough to reach down and pick up Maddie's clothes. "Here, why don't you get back into these." She offered. Maddie nodded accepting them. After getting dressed she put her arms back around Jaime.
"God, I feel so dirty. I wasn't crazy about the picture taking. But touching me with that..." Her face turned back to a shade of red. Jaime could certainly sympathize with her feelings. Though there were even deeper thoughts with concern to how Maddie might react to any more intensive contact. While it seemed he was respecting her virtue, it didn't mean that he wouldn't do other things.
"Maddie, you need to take a few breaths. It will be alright." Maddie nodded with her eyes closed, buried in Jaime's shoulder. After fifteen minutes, she seemed to feel a good deal better. The pair sat together on her bed.
The sun had set and the two hanging florescent lights soon came to life. They were apparently wired into a timer as the room had no switch visible.
"The lights on a timer?" Maddie asked looking up. "I didn't even think to notice last night." Jaime nodded.
"Yeah. Best I can tell, they stay on about 4 hours and will kick back off."
"Isn't it risky having a light of any kind seen from the outside? From a road in the distance?" Jaime shook her head.
"There really isn't any road out front. Just a long private road that leads up through the woods and dead ends here. So, there really aren't any through roads out there that would see the place. Even if there was, these rooms are in the back of the building. And as you can see, all there is out there when you look out the window are woods and pastures. No homes or other buildings at all. I have to assume that the building sits on a lot of land. So, there really isn't much danger of a few rooms in the back with lights on. No one will see." The news was discouraging to Maddie. Though wasn't really the subject that kept popping back into her head.
"What do you think he wanted those photos for?" She asked, starring down at the floor. Jaime glanced over to her. She was hesitant to offer her opinions.
"You sure you want me to answer? Neither of my thoughts would be all that comforting. Maddie rolled her eyes.
"I think we are way beyond anything being comforting about where we are or this situation we are in. So, go ahead."
"Well..." Jaime began, not entirely sure how tactfully she could put it. "He probably wanted the pictures for what most guys ask a girl for nude pics for. He wants something to relieve himself to. As you probably heard, he said he had a pressing matter to attend to." Maddie shot her a look.
"Heard? I felt that pressing matter he needed to attend to. It pressed up right against me. I just thank God he was wearing clothes!" She said with a shudder. "But, I was kind of figuring that was why. So, what's the other idea that doesn't involve me having a mental visual of him playing with himself?"
"Well... if we are to believe the theory that he may be operating a human trafficking thing of some kind, he was taking pictures to show other people." Maddie sat in silence for a moment as she absorbed the words.
"Did he take pics of you?" Jaime nodded.
"A few times. He likes to save the moment. But I guess when I think back, he may well have been taking pictures for more than self-gratification." Maddie shook her head with confusion.
"I guess I still don't understand the idea if he was selling us then why are you still here 4 months later?" Jaime shrugged, then gave a half grin.
"Maybe no one thinks I am pretty enough to pay money for." Maddie shot her a look and shook her head.
"Can't say I buy that theory. You are very pretty, Jaime." She glanced over her friend's form and nodded. "You are definitely a looker as far as I'm concerned." Jaime blushed and rolled her eyes.
"Flatterer. It's nice of you to say, but, I..." She stopped and looked down.
"What?" Maddie inquired when Jaime stopped speaking. She shook her head.
"I don't want to come off weird or anything, so forget it."
"What did you mean?" Maddie persisted. Jaime looked from side to side for a moment, doing her best to avoid the question, but caught Maddie's eye which clearly were prompting her to finish her thought. She sighed.
"Ok, uhm, when he was taking your pictures like that, I was looking at you. And in some ways, I was kind of envious. And maybe even a little excited. You've definitely got a better body than me. When we were standing together afterwards and you weren't dressed, I was kind of nervous. But like a good nervous, if that makes sense to you." She looked away while Maddie looked steadily at her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know that seems creepy." Instead of seeming creeped out or offended, Maddie nodded.
"No, not creeped out by that. The only creepy thing was him being here. And touching me like he did. That, honestly scared me way more than being naked." She paused and thought for a moment, then looked back at her friend. "If you want to talk about weird or screwed up, I will tell you a secret." After a couple breaths she exhaled slowly. "I was totally creeped out by him. But not really the photo part. In a way, that was kind of exciting. I honestly am not sure why. I know it probably sounds bad, but I have taken a few selfies in my room before. I mean not to send anyone. Just, cause..." Now it was Maddie's turn to feel embarrassed. Jaime gave a brief giggle then put her hand on Maddie's back.
"Nothing to feel ashamed of, I promise. I've been taking those kind of selfies for about five years." Maddie looked a bit incredulous.
"Serious?" Jaime nodded.
"And sometimes I made the mistake of sending them to people."
"Oh, my God! That would so freak me out if I had pictures like that out there where some guy, or girl in my school could send them to others. I would just die if that happened." Jaime sighed and nodded.
"It's happened to me. And it wasn't fun. But, I lived and learned. I suppose the only good thing about it was that so many kids do it now that it's almost not a huge deal. I mean certainly not like if it happened back when our parents were in school and that kind of thing just was not common at all. Mainly cause phones didn't have cameras in them back then." Maddie closed her eyes.
"Still, when I think of doing it. I am not even sure why. Just seemed like it might be fun. But I am way embarrassed now, so maybe we can change the subject." Jaime smiled at her.
"Don't be embarrassed. Let's just wish for the day when we can get out of here when things like that will be the biggest of our worries." She leaned over and kissed the top of Maddie's head.
Callie and Iola sat out on the deck of their third-floor room. The Pembrook Springs Retreat was located about five miles outside of Mountain Falls Virginia. It was a three-story building with a dozen oversized guest rooms. Catering to those needing a break from the bustle of the daily grind. Pembrook offered a very clean, well run facility. One which allowed their guest to relax and spend a few days in nature. The retreat, as the owners preferred to call it, sat upon 35 acres in the lower hills.
"So glad we found a nice place stuck out here." Iola said as she enjoyed the soft glow of the residual sunset. She took a sip of wine and looked over to her companion. Callie hadn't really been paying attention. She appeared to be deep in thought as she stared out into the darkness. Iola gently cleared her throat. "Cal? You ok?" Callie slowly turned her head and became conscious again of her surroundings. She forced an insincere smile and nodded briefly.
"Yeah, I guess. I just have had this feeling in my stomach over the last half an hour. Really gnawing at me." She sighed and closed her eyes. "Do you believe that a mother can sense when her child is in danger?" Iola nodded.
"Without a doubt. I think we have that gene built in to us. Maybe not all mothers care to recognize it I suppose." Callie nodded.
"I have it going on in spades tonight." Iola reached over and placed her hand on Callie's.
"She is ok. Remember, we can't lose focus." Callie stared out into space.
"I remember when she was just a little girl... I'd hold her and sit out on the deck at night. Looking out into the evening sky. And I'd sing to her." Callie proceeded to hum, then the humming yielded to whispering the song she used to sing to Maddie when she was young. A Marianne Faithful tune from the 1960's called As Tears Go By...
"It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Smiling faces I can see
But not for me
I sit and watch as tears go byyyyy
My riches can't buy everything
I want to hear the children sing
All I hear is the sound
Of rain falling on the ground
I sit and watch as tears go byyyyy
It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Doing things I used to do
They think are new
I sit and watch as tears go byyyy..."
Iola watched Callie's tears as she sang softly. She knew she had to allow the process for Callie to get her pent up emotion out. She kept holding her hand as Cal's humming drifted as the night wore on.
Frank sat at his desk, buried in a sea of reports he had to complete before going home for the night. A moment later his phone buzzed. Without looking at the call screen on his desk phone, he pressed the speakerphone button to answer.
"Detective Hardy."
"Hello, son." A voice boomed. Frank smiled and dropped his pen on the desk to take a much-needed break.
"Hey dad! Great to hear from you. How is the case?"
"Well, I can't speak to any details. But I will be free in about two days. At which point I will be heading home. And we can hopefully help Chet and Callie. I am calling because I received your text message relaying Chet's request."
"Yes, dad. Do you think you can get Chet anything to go with?"
"Yes. If you check your email you will see I was able to provide some detail with regards to his search for active traffickers and some of their possible access areas on the net. But I really need you to caution him about how he uses the information. Frankly, I was quite hesitant to supply it. But I know he is in a fix. And as it's his child, I know he likely stop at nothing to pursue his investigation."
"I will certainly be warning him on how he chooses to use the information, dad."
"From the text you sent, it suggests that he wants to attempt to infiltrate or get in touch with any potential contacts in the area. If I may offer some guidance, son?"
"Of course."
"There are two ways he can infiltrate the market. One, as a supplier. And the other as a buyer. I would strongly recommend he go in as a buyer. Looking for teen girls. If he tries to go in as a supplier, he would have to show proof he has the supply. That, of course would prove difficult since he obviously doesn't have that. Another concern would be that suppliers are very territorial. If he tried to move in as a supplier he stands a high chance of putting a target on his back."
"Makes sense, dad."
"Going in as a buyer will not be a walk in the park either. He will have to go through adequate screening just to enter any of the website forums or markets. He may get in as a potential buyer on the sites. For a couple of the groups I listed, I included intel on screening references he can try. Possible logins that were successful in the past. These references or passwords may or may not work at this point. Worth a try. But, if he lucks out and gains access, and finds a local lead, he will still have to meet what would likely be a broker. The broker is the go between. Suppliers obviously do not want to risk arrest by dealing directly with buyers who could in fact be undercover law enforcement. So, they cut the broker a percentage to essentially screen perspective buyers, and facilitate transfers. Chet will have to go in with an image that fits. From what you've previously told me, he apparently is focusing in on the area where the deceased victim was found?"
"Yes, dad. The local police are calling Heather Norton a red herring and their county has no active trafficking going on. So, of course this put the ball in Chet and Callie's court and they are going up to where she was discovered."
"Well, it's an unfortunate reality that some jurisdictions simply turn a blind eye rather than conduct a proper investigation. Do you know if Chet made himself known to the police?"
"No, dad. I told him to go up and try to blend it. To let Callie use her licensed status to run a straight investigation. And he should try to work from another angle of finding any potential activity as a local."
"Good. I am glad he didn't tip his hand to the police. You never can tell if there are moles in that department. If there is activity in that county, it is at least possible they have greased the wheels to turn away from noticing their activity."
"Chet will be glad to get this information, dad. I will certainly relay your sentiments on how he should use the intel."
"Thank you, son. When I get back I will do my best to put myself into the investigation. Now, tell me, how are things going with your brother?" Frank looked down at his desk and gave an audible sigh.
"Well, as you undoubtedly know, he has moved back to your house. Joey is spending part of the time there and part with Mr. and Mrs. Morton. Iola is of course with Callie."
"Yes, I talked with him a little yesterday. Your mother has also told me that he has been seeing his assistant and by your brother's own admission it may be serious. Was this the same impression you have of the situation?"
"Yeah, dad. He probably told you that he went and dumped a pile of money in Atlantic City and had his companion with him."
"Yes, I gleaned that much as well. He was a bit hesitant to address the extent of the relationship with this young lady, Vanessa."
"With me as well, dad. But, he and I honestly haven't chatted much since he came back and spilled the beans. Obviously, the next day was the day Maddie was taken. So, I haven't had much time to have any heart to heart with him. I figured mom was likely to take that step."
"And she has, Frank. But there are a lot of blanks to fill in. Hopefully, he chooses to let us help him through this crisis."
"I know, dad. Me too."
"Well, I must ring off for now, son. Please make sure you give Chet that information and with any luck I will be seeing you in a couple days."
"Sounds good dad. Be careful and will see you soon!"
