Looking up from the table she was wiping down, Emma noticed that Reena was standing in the corner and seemed on the verge of tears. Had a customer upset her? A quick glance around told Emma none of her tables needed her at the moment, and Rob was busy. Leaving the dishcloth on the table, Emma made her way towards the other girl.
“What’s wrong, Reena? One of the customers giving you a hard time?” She studied the crowd again but no one was looking their way. “I can get the bouncer for you.”
Reena shook her head. “No. It’s the song.”
Emma cocked her head and listened. The entertainment was between sets and a Christmas carol was playing in the background, oddly out of place in a sleazy club like the Dusky Rose. “Why does this song make you cry?”
“It was Belle’s favourite. She said her mom always sang it to her when she was kid.”
Belle! Did she dare press for more information? Emma tried to keep her interest from showing in her voice. “I don’t understand. Belle liked the song.” She gave a one shouldered shrug. “So what?”
“It’s just…” Reena’s face scrunched up and she shook her head.
Emma took half a step closer and placed a comforting hand on the other girl’s shoulder. “Tell me what’s wrong, Reena. Maybe I can help.”
Reena hesitated, glanced around and then nodded. “Okay, but not here. Meet me in the back. Make sure no one sees you following me though. Especially Rob. He’s too damned nosey.”
“Okay.”
The other girl darted away and Emma resumed cleaning the tables, slowly working her way toward the back room. The two other girls working the shift were on the floor so they could pick up the slack for a few minutes.
Rob was talking to the cook. Marcie was chatting up a customer. Emma slipped through the fire door unnoticed. The hall was frighteningly dark, the only illumination coming from bits of light that seeped out under the doors of two of the private poker rooms. Faint murmurs could be heard coming from them and she forced herself to tiptoe as she passed by.
Once she reached the locker room, she paused and took a deep breath to steady herself before gently pushing the door open. Reena was nervously pacing the room, her face pale and stained with tears.
~~~
Fate be damned! Alex knew he had to save Emma regardless of what Michael felt her destiny was supposed to be. Plus he had to ensure these guys were stopped before any more innocent women were abducted. A guardian angel couldn’t allow others to be in peril. Sure a GA might have a specific assignment but duties extended to the general populace as well. At least that was what he was going to use in his defence if his actions were questioned!
Zeke suddenly appeared at his side interrupting his train of thought. “I’ve been watching Emma and I think she’s veering from basic waitressing duties.”
“What?” Alex blinked. “Veering from—”
“Basic waitressing duties. You told me to let you know if she did.” Zeke smiled, looking pleased with himself.
“Exactly what is she doing? Details, Zeke. I need details.”
“Ah! I understand.” Zeke nodded. “Emma’s heading towards the employees’ room at the back. I think she’s following that other girl, Reena.”
Alex glanced out the window that overlooked the club. Sure enough, there was no sign of Emma. He willed himself downstairs but to his surprise he didn’t move. Not even an inch. He was still in the office.
“What’s the matter?” Zeke cocked his head to the side. “I thought you’d want to follow her.”
“I do. I mean I want you to go first. I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.” Alex ran his hand through his hair. This stupid shade business was messing with his abilities. He’d have to take the stairs like a regular person. Zeke, however didn’t need to know about the predicament he found himself in.
“Sure. I’ll be waiting for you.” Zeke disappeared before Alex could speak.
Muttering under his breath, he looked around only to realize that Muscle and Shirt had gone. Damn!
~~~
“I’m here.” Emma pushed the door of the employee locker room shut behind her and then looked expectantly at Reena. “What did you want to tell me?”
“It’s about Belle. I know what happened to her.” Reena’s hands were shaking as she wiped tears from her cheeks.
Emma’s heart began to beat faster and she had to force herself to remain calm. “I’m listening.”
“It was last week. I went outside for a smoke. It wasn’t my break time but the place was dead so I snuck out. No one saw me because I stayed back in the shadows, just in case. No point in advertising I was outside on my own in this neighbourhood, right?”
Emma silently agreed with her; it was decidedly a seedy part of town.
“Anyway, I heard this muffled noise, like someone calling for help and then scuffling feet. I peeked out and I saw two guys carrying Belle.” Reena wrapped her arms around her middle. “She was tied up and gagged. They threw her into the back of a van.”
“What?” Emma gaped at her, completely forgetting the role she was supposed to be playing. “You saw that and yet you didn’t call the police?”
Reena started to sob. “I know, but I was scared. I’m not exactly legal, you know? If I’m caught I can’t send money to my mom for her medicine. She could die.” Reena cried all the harder.
“Oh.” Emma blinked. “I see, but…” She ran her hand through her hair. She couldn’t keep silent about this, even if it meant Reena being exposed as an illegal immigrant. “An anonymous tip. You could do that.”
Reena’s eyes widened. “No. They can trace calls, everyone says so. If the police question me, I could end up being deported!”
“All right. I understand. Umm… We’ll call Crime Stoppers.” She moved towards her locker, intent on getting her cell phone from her purse. “Did you hear the men say anything? Could you identify them?”
“It was Jim Perry, the boss, and Frank.”
“Frank? Is he the big muscle-bound guy?” Emma recalled the man she’d met when she first arrived at the club. No one had introduced her to anyone; in a place like this, the formalities weren’t that important apparently.
“Yeah, Frank Darrell. He’s in charge of upstairs, makes sure things don’t get too rough and that the house gets its percentage.”
Emma grimaced with distaste but pressed for more information. “Can you tell me anything else?”
“Well, the guy in the van gave Jim a package. It was full of money. I saw him counting it.” Reena frowned, eyes narrowed as she searched her memory. “Oh, and they said something about some country. I don’t remember the name but I do remember thinking it was somewhere in the Middle East or maybe one of those countries that Russia used to rule.”
“You know what this is, don’t you, Reena?” Emma stared at the other girl, her eyes wide as all the pieces fell into place. “I bet it’s some sort of white slavery or a sex slave racket and we’ve landed right in the middle of it.”
“I saw a movie about that just a few weeks ago,” Reena gasped.
“I saw it, too. And we don’t want to end up like those poor characters!” Emma looked around trying to decide what to do. “Okay, here’s the plan. If we stay here much longer someone is going to notice we’re missing. You head back and start waiting tables. If Rob asks where I am, say I’m feeling queasy.”
“That should work,” Reena nodded, wiping the tears from her face. “Stomach ’flu has been hitting everyone here.”
“I’ll place a call to the police and—”
The door swung open before she could finish speaking. It was Frank. “What are you doing in here, Reena? It’s not your break. Get back on the floor and start earning us some money.”
Reena appeared about to say something but Frank pinned her with a look. “Be a shame if the police learned there were illegal immigrants working here, wouldn’t it?”
Reena paled, her eyes wide. After shooting Emma a worried look, she slipped past Frank and disappeared down the hallway.
Emma pasted a smile on her face. “I’d better head back, too.”
“No. We need to talk.” Frank shot out an arm, blocking the exit.
“W…what about?” Emma was sure she could hear her knees knocking together.
Frank pushed the door shut. “You’re new here but you know the rules. Breaks are every three hours. You’ve only been working two.”
“Sorry. I forgot. I won’t do it again.”
“Girls who forget need to be taught a lesson.”
“A lesson?” Her voice came out as a squeak.
Frank stepped closer and smiled, if the twist of his lips could be called that. She swallowed hard and lifted her chin even as she backed away.
“Reena knows you’re back here with me.”
“She won’t say anything. And if she does ask about you, I’ll tell her I fired you.” He pulled a rag and a small bottle from his pocket.
“What’s that? What are you going to do to me?” Dumb, dumb question, she muttered to herself. You know what he’s going to do!
“Just a little something to keep you quiet. We don’t want to bother the customers.”
Emma stepped back again and bumped into the locker. The metal clanged as she made contact with it, the coldness of the surface quickly penetrating her almost non-existent top. A glance towards the exit told her there was no way she could cover the distance. It was, however, her only option. She darted towards the door.
Two steps into her escape attempt and Frank grabbed her arm, yanking her towards him.
“No! Let me go!” Her back hit his chest and she struggled to escape, using her killer heels to stomp on his foot. Unfortunately, the term ‘killer’ was a misnomer. He merely grunted and wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer so that his belt buckle dug into the small of her back.
Crap! She was in big trouble now and, barring a miracle, there was no chance of rescue!