31

Avery popped two Tylenol into her mouth, then chased them down with what was left of her lukewarm water sitting on the edge of her desk. She’d made a second pass through the notes from Malaya’s interview that Tory had transcribed into English. The swell of nausea had yet to leave. They’d focused their resources on searching for a murderer and in turn had stumbled across something that expanded far beyond the ordinary MO of a serial killer and the tragic death of a couple of girls.

“I didn’t want to be right.” She shook her head and looked up at Tory. “But we’re not just talking about the harboring of one or two illegal aliens.”

“I know.” Tory leaned against the edge of Avery’s desk, her thumbs circled through the front belt loops of her dress pants. “And we’ve got to figure out how everything ties together.”

Avery nodded as she dropped the notes onto her desk and leaned back in her chair, her mind—and stomach—still churning from the interview with Malaya. “They’re trafficking young girls, treating them as though they were nothing more than pieces of property. How can anyone do that?”

No matter how many cases she worked on—how many horrific crime scenes she witnessed—she’d never be able to understand how humans could mistreat one another. Or how the value of life could be dismissed as insignificant.

“There’s still one thing I don’t understand.” Tory’s frown deepened, her somber expression mirroring the emotional impact that Avery felt. “Granted, these girls weren’t involved in the sex trade, which would bring in a more steady income, but still, why murder the merchandise?”

“I don’t know.”

Avery pushed her chair away from the desk and stretched her back, trying to loosen the knotted muscles lining her spine. Tory’s question was one she’d asked herself a dozen times since the interview, and to make it worse, more than likely the girls they had encountered were only the tip of the iceberg. With billions of dollars generated every year, human trafficking had become the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world. And it was no longer a situation that affected someone else on the other side of the world. These girls—as they’d discovered—were right here in their own backyards.

Tory dropped into the chair across from Avery and caught her gaze. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course.” Avery caught the frustration brewing in Tory’s eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“These last few days have been hard.”

“It’s more than that.” Tory leaned forward. “One of the reasons I wanted to join the department was so I could be an advocate to my people, but now . . . it’s my people who are responsible for this.”

Avery shook her head. “That’s where you’re wrong. The Vietnamese community is a part of this, yes, but for one thing, that involvement doesn’t include everyone. And secondly, you know as well as I do that it doesn’t stop here with what we’ve found in this specific case. There are many, many others involved.”

“I know but—”

“We’re talking global profits into the billions, Tory, and nearly every country and economic class feeding into this trafficking network in some way.” Avery understood Tory’s anger, but nothing about what had happened could be placed at the feet of one group of people. “This isn’t about race or color or status, it’s about injustices being forced on those who have no voice. It’s human beings violated and sold as property.”

“I know, but I just can’t shake this feeling of horror over what’s happening.” Tory fiddled with the silver ring on her finger. “When I worked in white-collar crime, it was easy to look at a case as simply numbers and dollar amounts. Listening to Malaya tell her story and realizing that there are other girls out there just like her . . .”

“That’s exactly why I need you on this case, Tory. Not only are your language skills proving to be essential, so are your people and computer skills. You’re going to help us take down those behind this atrocity and potentially save the lives of dozens of other girls.”

“But it’s become personal. I’m afraid it’s going to affect what I do.”

It had become personal—too personal—for all of them. Which was all the more reason to find the truth and put a stop to what was happening. “This case has affected all of us in one way or another, and being emotionally involved to a degree is a part of the job. But I need you to stay focused and with me on this one.”

Tory pressed her lips together and nodded. “You’re right. We’re going to get this guy. We’re going to get all of them.”

Carlos entered the room and dropped two bags of takeout onto Avery’s desk. Mitch followed a couple steps behind, carrying a tray of drinks.

“Lunch is served, ladies.”

“Thanks, guys.” Avery pulled the drink marked “sweet tea” from the cardboard holder and took a sip from the straw while the rest of the team grabbed their lunch, overdue after a long morning.

She breathed in the savory smells of seasoned lamb, onions, and garlic sitting in front of her, but even the guys’ offer to pick up her favorite takeout while they were out had done little to restore her appetite. She understood all too well the conflicting emotions Tory was dealing with at the moment, because she was struggling with them herself.

Mitch helped himself to one of the wrapped gyros and a bag of fries, along with a large drink, before taking one of the vacant seats. Avery watched him take a bite. Nothing got in the way of Mitch and his appetite.

She dropped her food onto a paper plate on her desk. Hungry or not, she’d worked enough cases to have learned the importance of keeping up her own energy level while in the middle of an investigation.

Carlos unwrapped one of the gyros, then sat down next to Mitch. “Tory briefed us on the interview with our victim. We’ve somehow gone from serial killer and the possible harboring of an illegal alien to human trafficking?”

“That pretty much sums up the situation. So much for a more advanced and intelligent society.”

Human trafficking was alive and well with everything from domestic slaves, to sex slaves, to agricultural laborers. But tracking down the girls who had been brought over with Malaya was going to be difficult, if not impossible. How did you track down girls who had been sold like merchandise to the highest bidder?

Avery looked up at the crime board. “Let’s go over the facts again.”

Carlos put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. “We’ve got girls brought here by recruiters who promise them the world, and once they’re here, if they’re given anything at all, it’s laundered identities, including fake high school diplomas, driver’s licenses, and immigration papers.”

“Besides that, the fear and the threat of violence is what keeps them from running away.” Tory toyed with the edge of her napkin. “These girls fear that the authorities will arrest them because they aren’t in the country legally. They’re impressed with the belief that there’s no escape.”

Avery shook her head. “Which allows their ‘owners’ to do with them what they please without the fear of them going to the authorities for help.”

“And makes people like the Sourns and the Chus far from being the innocent victims they claim to be,” Mitch added. “Instead of finding freedom in the US, these innocent young girls become indentured servants, forced to work for little or no money.”

Avery looked at Mitch and Carlos, who had spent the last two hours tracking down the man forensics said had signed the gift card she received with the magnolia from the flower shop. “What did you find out about Landon Rice?”

“We met with his parole officer and found out that he missed his last check-in.”

“Which means on top of everything else, we still need to track down another fugitive.” Avery nibbled on a fry and felt her stomach rumble. Maybe she was hungry after all. She turned to Mitch. “Have the Chus been brought in yet for questioning?”

Mitch nodded. “I checked on the way here. Mrs. Chu was brought in a few minutes ago, and officers just met Mr. Chu at his gate at the airport.”

“Guess that was an unwelcome surprise greeting. What about the Sourns?”

“So far—like our Mr. Rice—both of them have dropped off the grid. Nothing has come back yet on our BOLOs.”

Avery reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. “Mitch, I want you to get me a search warrant for Robert Sourn’s home and business. If we can’t find them, then let’s find something that will tie them in to all of this, including the murder. Tory, keep trying to track down Mr. Rice and the Sourns. Check on phone records, banking records, as well as airports, train stations, whatever it takes. Hopefully forensics will be able to pick up something from the break-in at my house as well.”

“I’m on it.”

Mitch and Tory gathered their lunches and headed for their desks. Since it was a transportation hub, Atlanta was easy to disappear from. They needed to find these people and find them quickly.

“Carlos, I’ll sit in on the interview with you and the Chus . . .”

Avery let her voice trail off. Jackson appeared in the doorway, looking like the anchor she’d been searching for in the middle of a storm.

She nodded at Carlos, hoping to mask the relief she felt over Jackson’s arrival. “Give me a minute, okay?”

“You got it, boss.” Carlos shot her a knowing look, then left the room, leaving her and Jackson alone. So much for her trying to hide her interest in the handsome ME standing in the doorway.

If Jackson noticed the interchange between them, he didn’t show it. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting.”

“No. It’s okay. ” She felt some of the tension in her back and shoulders melt as she stood and skirted the desk. “It’s been a long day, and it’s barely noon. I could use the distraction.”

“I only have a minute. I’m on my way to talk to the chief about another case, but I wanted to stop and check on you before I went up. How are you?”

Avery’s hand automatically reached up and touched her forehead. “I’m okay.”

“And now for the honest version?”

She smiled. “Honest. The painkillers have done their job of taking the edge off the pain, and things have moved so fast, I haven’t had time to think much about how I feel.”

Or her new feelings for the man standing in front of her. She was still waiting for the moment when she had enough time to savor the idea without any distractions.

“Just don’t forget that you’re never going to be able to take down this guy if you’re not in top form yourself.” He nodded toward her desk and the uneaten gyro and fries still sitting there. “Like eating your lunch for starters, young lady.”

He always knew how to make her smile. “Yes, Mother.”

Jackson took a step toward her. “I like your mother, but being compared to her isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

Avery laughed. “You are nothing like my mother, and while I love her, that’s a good thing.”

Because the idea of him—of the two of them together—was sounding better every day. She couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d guarded her house all night, stopped an attack on her life, kissed her in the middle of her kitchen . . . Or how he was always able to bring things into focus for her and still somehow make her laugh.

She sighed, wishing he could kiss her again right now and allow her to forget at least for a moment all the frustration and stress of the case that had piled up. When all this was over . . .

“Now that we’ve established that I’m nothing like your mother, how is your arm?”

“Just sore when I move it.”

He reached out and grasped her hand, then ran his thumb across her fingers. “And what about you? How are you coping with all that has happened?”

Avery felt the lightness of his touch as the past twenty-four hours rushed over her. Even without the physical evidence reminding her what happened, it would be a long time before she was able to forget. “I can’t say that any of this has been easy, but as soon as we catch those involved, I’ll be able to move on.”

“Honest?”

She caught the doubt in his eyes. “Honest.”

“Good, because I was hoping that when all of this is behind you, you’ll feel up to going out again. If I remember correctly, I think you owe me a date. The last two were cut short.”

She studied the hint of shadow across his face where he hadn’t shaved in the past twenty-four hours or so and caught the fatigue in his eyes. The week had been just as tough for him. “I’d like that.”

“And maybe . . . maybe we can find time for the two of us to figure out exactly where all of this between us is going.”

Avery felt her heart flutter. A quiet dinner for two, no cases, distractions, or talk about forensic evidence. The thought left her smiling. And surprised that she felt ready to take the next step. “I’d like that as well.”

“Good.”

His thumb rubbed the back of her hand again. “So what’s left today? I heard that you found Malaya, and that there’s an arrest warrant out on Mr. Sourn as the man who kidnapped her.”

Thoughts of a romantic night began to fade. “Malaya is lucky to be alive. Right now we’re starting interviews with the Chus while waiting on a warrant to search the Sourn residence and business. Hopefully we can find evidence that will tie the murders in with the trafficking of young girls and put Mr. Sourn—and whoever is running this ring—away for a very long time.”

“What happens when you’re done saving the world?”

Avery laughed. The last thing she felt like today was a superhero, but maybe her sister had been right—she didn’t have to take on the world. All she had to do was help one person at a time. Losing her heart in the meantime to Jackson Bryant wasn’t a bad way to go. “If we can bring in Sourn today, I plan on picking up takeout from the Jade Palace near my parents’ house and spending some time with Tess before crashing.”

He leaned against the desk beside her, still holding her hand. “And if things do settle down tomorrow, I’m hoping there’s a day off in sight for you?”

“I’m hoping for church with Tess and my parents, lunch somewhere so I don’t have to cook, and a long afternoon nap.”

“If it works out that you can, I could pick up you and Tess?”

“I’d like that.” Her smile widened. It might not be the perfect date for the two of them to be alone, but she’d take joining him for worship as a close tie. They both needed the spiritual renewal. “I’ll call you with an update later, but I promised my parents I’d stay at their house tonight, so Tess and I will both be there.”

“Perfect.”

“Which means you can get a good night’s sleep too.”

“I have to admit that sleeping in my own bed is more appealing than hanging out in Mitch’s Dodge Shadow.”

She took a step closer, needing to feel his nearness, along with the assurance that everything was going to turn out okay.

“I need to go.” He looked down and caught her gaze. “Call me when you can with an update.”

“I will.”

He let go of her hand, and she watched him walk away. Long, steady stride, confidence in every step, with a down-to-earth realness that made her want to get to know everything about him. He was providing that calming balance in her life that she craved.

Fears of overcommitment still simmered near the surface, but she was slowly learning to shove them aside. She needed someone who didn’t make her life more complicated, but who could help her pick things up when they got messy.

Jackson was looking more and more like that person.