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Dan approached the women’s shelter cautiously. According to his phone, it was almost midnight. He doubted they were ever happy to see men arrive here, but even less so late at night.
He could see lights on in the front. Someone was in the lobby.
He wasn’t turning back now.
He had called Garrett. “Glad you’re still awake.”
“I never sleep.”
“Right, I keep forgetting. Look, can you get online and see what you can learn about this women’s shelter?”
“Sure. Normal web or dark web?”
“Dark. I don't want puff pieces. We all know that women’s shelters are a good idea.”
“Got it.”
“Much appreciated.” He didn’t expect much to come of it, but it was always worth trying. If anyone could find something useful on short notice, it would be Garrett.
No point in delaying this any longer. It was not going to be pleasant, but he was going to do it, just the same. He took something out of his glove compartment—something Jazlyn had given him long ago—and slid it into his pocket.
If his sister was in there, he wasn’t leaving till he found her.
He passed through the front doors, but as soon as the woman at the front desk saw him, she stood and waved toward a security officer—female—on the other side of the room.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the woman at the front desk said. Blue jeans. Black Lives Matter T-shirt. Phone in her right hand. ”Our visiting hours are over.”
“I’m not here to visit anyone.”
“We’re closed.”
“The doors are open.”
“We have to be open for emergencies. Women in need. 24/7. You don’t appear to qualify.”
He saw the security officer cautiously approaching. He raised his hands over his head. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m an attorney and I’m investigating a case.”
“Do you have a subpoena?”
“No, I haven’t had time for that.”
“Then I have to ask you to leave.”
“I’m looking for my sister.”
The woman behind the front desk paused. She thought a moment, then spoke. “If your sister wants to speak to you, I’ll be happy to arrange it. Leave your information and I’ll contact you after I’ve spoken to her.”
“I don’t have that kind of time.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s how we do it here.”
The security officer cut in. She was armed. “Sir, I don’t want to evict you forcibly. You can surely see why we have to maintain tight security.”
“I do. And I don’t want any trouble.” But I won’t run from it, either. “Can you at least confirm for me that my sister is here?”
The front desk woman and the guard exchanged a glance. “What’s her name?”
“Dinah.”
“Last name?”
“I’m...not sure what name she might use.”
The front desk woman squinted a bit, but glanced down and checked her roster. “We have no one named Dinah, or anything like that.”
“Can you call the other shelters?”
“Not at this time of night. Look, we only have twelve rooms. Two hallways.” She pointed. “You can see for yourself. No one hidden.”
“But I really need to see my sister. She’s not hiding from me. I mean her no harm. I’m trying to help her.”
The woman sighed heavily. “Come back tomorrow morning. I’ll call around and see if I can find a Dinah.”
“Thank you.” He nodded toward the guard. “And you.” He left the building.
As soon as he reached his car, he pulled out his phone. “Did you get all that?”
Garrett responded. “Heard every word. And I have a problem with it.”
“Spill.”
“I pulled up the blueprints for that building. They had to be filed at the city planner’s office. It’s true, they have two corridors and a basement. On the ground level. But that’s not the whole story.”
“Basement?”
“You got it. Just as big as the ground level. And get this—everyone one of these Sweeney shelters has one.”
“For what purpose? To shelter more women?”
“I doubt it. All their publicity says there are twelve rooms per building. You can’t get to the basement from the ground level. There’s no staircase or elevator, which puts the building in violation of the ADA. There’s a door in the back with a single staircase that leads down to the basement. There’s no communication between the two floors. I bet the people working in the shelter don’t even know it exists.”
“Then what is the basement for?”
Garrett sighed. “Much as it pains me to say it, there’s only one way you’re going to get the answer to that question.”
“Roger that. On my way.”
“You could call the cops.”
“Because they love and trust me so?”
“Jake would come.”
“Eventually. I’m not waiting. My sister could be in danger.”
“At least wait for me to arrive. I can be there in twenty minutes.”
“I appreciate the gesture. But no.” He disconnected and slid the phone into his pocket.
This time he was going alone. He didn’t know what kind of danger Dinah might be in. He didn’t know what kind of danger he might be in. But he wasn’t going to wait around any longer.
* * *
Dan sneaked around back and found the back door with no trouble. Avoiding the gaze of the guard inside was easy, and there didn’t appear to be any other security on the premises.
At least not outside.
He was not surprised to find the back door locked. Fortunately, he knew how to handle that.
His father was not a criminal and neither was he. But his father had been a police officer, and as such, he passed on a few life skills before he was ripped away from his family. Like how to throw a punch. How to throw a baseball.
And how to pick a lock.
As quietly as possible, Dan slid both pieces of the lock pick into the slot. It didn’t take long. There was no deadbolt and the lock was basic. They were not expecting visitors.
Why would they? Who would ever expect anything underhanded in the basement of a women’s shelter? The whole concept was so disgusting, so devious—
—that only someone like Sweeney could be behind it.
The door creaked slightly as he pushed it open. The interior was dark. He cautiously brought out his phone and used the flashlight function.
Damn that thing was bright, at least in here. Did it have a half-bright setting?
A flight of stairs led downward. He cautiously made his way, one careful step at a time, very aware that someone wouldn’t want him to be here. Someone who had possibly already taken potshots at him once.
Each step seemed to groan. Each squeak made his heart palpitate a little faster.
He could feel sweat pouring down the sides of his face. This what not what he went to law school for...
He reached the foot of the stairs. Another door. He reached for the doorknob. It was cool to the touch. And not locked.
He opened the door. The room inside was dimly lit. And humid. Probably not running air conditioning down here. And in Florida this time of year, that could get seriously stifling.
The main room split into rooms on two corridors, but he had a hunch those rooms did not contain women seeking shelter.
Her heard sounds. Music. Bump-and-grind music. Generic soft-rock tracks.
Two rooms down, one of the doors was cracked slightly open. He crept toward it.
Inside, he saw a naked woman. Girl. Dancing.
For a camera.
It was possible she was eighteen, but he didn’t think so, and he felt embarrassed even looking at her from behind. He wasn’t going to scrutinize for details. Someone else could make an age determination.
While he watched she pulled out a dildo and began rubbing it against herself. She leered into the camera, pressed her fingers to her lips, rocked her hips.
He looked closer at the equipment on the desk. Computers, servers, modems. This was a live sex show going out on the internet.
She bent over and spread her legs. He couldn’t stand it any longer. He cleared his throat and asked, “Are you Dinah?”
The woman jumped. She had heavy dark circles around her eyes and looked as if she hadn’t eaten in far too long. “Who the hell are you?”
“Dan Pike. I’m looking for my sister, Dinah.”
“Get the hell out of here before I call—”
“Where’s Dinah?” He realized, sadly, he probably wouldn’t recognize her. He needed directions. “You must know. Where’s Dinah?”
“She’s across the hall in—”
Someone shoved Dan hard from behind. He tumbled forward, crashing into the equipment table. The young woman screamed.
A huge, musclebound brute glared down at him. “You make a big mistake, mister.” He spoke with a Spanish, probably a South American, accent.
Dan scrambled to his feet and held up his hands. The woman raced out of the room. “I don’t want any trouble.”
“Then you should’ve stayed home.”
“There’s no reason for us to fight.”
The man grinned. “No worries. I don’t think fight will last long.” He reared back his ham-sized fist.
Dan pulled a taser out of his jacket and shoved it into the man’s gut.
The huge man froze, shook for a few moments, then tumbled to the floor. A moment later, he looked as if he might get up. Dan jammed the taser back into his side.
The man shuddered violently. He held the taser in place for several seconds, till the man appeared to have completely lost control of his body.
So far, Sweeney’s people had run him down, beat him so badly he ended up in the hospital, and shot at him. He wasn’t taking any more chances with these bastards.
He ran into the hallway and shouted. “Listen up. This is a raid. Dinah? I’m looking for you, Dinah!”
A major commotion arose. Doors flung open. Each room looked like the one he had already seen—television cameras, servers, and naked women.
“This is a raid. Leave now and you won’t be arrested. Dinah?”
One of the girls pointed toward a closed door on her way up the stairs.
Dan approached and flung the door open.
The second he saw her, he knew she was the one. Thin. Brown hair. Big eyes.
His mother’s eyes.
He tore off his jacket and tossed it to her. “Here, put this on.”
She looked completely confused. “I...have clothes.”
“Good. Put on some pants. You have ten seconds.” He didn’t know for sure, but it was possible that the man throbbing on the floor in the other room was not the only guard on the premises. Or that he might recover and this time be smart enough to stay away from the taser.
Thank God, she did as she was told.
“Who...are you?” she asked as she pulled on a fringe-heavy pair of jeans.
“My name is Daniel Pike.”
She turned her head.
“Yes, that’s right, Pike. You may have heard that before. Our mother’s name after her second marriage.” He paused. “I’m your brother. Half-brother. Same mom, different daddy.”
She stared at him. Her face was red and blemished and her arms suggested a drug habit, as did the fuzziness in her eyes and her slow responses. “No way.”
“Yes way.”
“I don’t have a brother. I don’t have any family.”
“I thought the same thing once. Turns out we were both wrong.”
“But—”
“Can you trust me? I know we don’t know each other, but I just want to help you.”
She hesitated.
“We have to get out of here before someone sends reinforcements.”
She looked down at the floor. “I...need this job.”
“This is not a job. This is a criminal enterprise. And an affront against humanity.”
“I still need the money. I got...expenses.”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“I don’t know. A year maybe?”
“A year?”
“Hard to remember. The junk. The men. They take what they want and tell me what to do and—and—”
She started to cry.
And all at once, he lost it. It all boiled up and Dan couldn’t keep it bottled up inside any longer. He grabbed the camera and smashed it against the wall, letting out something between a growl and a shout. Then he picked up the computer CPU and smashed it on the ground. Then he picked it up again and smashed it again. Then he stomped on it. Then jumped up and down on it. Then threw the server across the room.
Dinah cried. “I need that stuff!”
“You don’t,” Dan said breathlessly.
“I—I got nothing else. They pay me forty dollars a night.”
Probably not one percent of what her bosses made off this disgusting porn. “Good news. Your newfound brother has plenty of money, and if necessary, he’ll spend every damn penny of it making sure you get off that junk you’re hooked on. Your life is about to change.” He glanced at the door. “Assuming we get out of here alive. So come on. Please!”
He didn’t know if she believed him or she was just too weak to resist, but she followed him out the door, out of the darkness, into the light.