“Anyway, it was working out fine and then Ariel started working a bit, too. She didn’t tell me what she was doing, but she was making some serious money. I had seen these guys hanging around her, and when I questioned her, she admitted that she was making deliveries.”
“She was helping a drug dealer?” Kenny asked.
“Yep. She found this trailer that was left from a botched construction site and said that it was safe and that she knew the owner and we could stay there. I was thrilled because the shelters were really unsafe and there were people looking to grab young women, force them into prostitution and even sell them as sex slaves. There were girls as young as fourteen drugged out,
unaware of what men were doing to them as the pimps got paid. Never mind the gangbangers.” She swallowed hard.
“I stayed away from all of it. I focused on working and saving my money so I could leave. I had no idea where I would go, but as things got worse, I had to start to plan my escape.”
“How did they get worse?” Blake asked.
“Ariel’s little sister showed up. She had no place to go, and Ariel told her she could stay with us. She had lied about being an only child. I think she lied about her family life, too. I couldn’t ask her, and as the weeks went on, I wound up taking care of her sister. Ariel was either high or—”
Lena stopped and swallowed hard.
“Or what?” Kenny asked.
Lena got up, and Kenny touched her hand to stop her.
She remained still as he held her hand, but she looked out the window.
“The night I had to escape I was attacked by the main drug dealer in charge of the gang of guys that hung around the trailer and around Ariel. She would warn me if he and his crew were coming around because she knew that he wanted me and that I wasn’t interested. She hadn’t warned me, and I didn’t understand why until later.
“I came back late from work. I was hiding my bike behind the set of bushes by the trailer when he came up from behind and started talking to me. One thing led to another, and soon he wasn’t taking no for an answer. He was banging my back against the trailer as I tried to fight him off. By some miracle, as I reached for something to hit him with, my hands found a piece of metal from the siding, and I hit him with it. He hit me back, we fought, and I just kept swinging the metal until he was on the ground. I ran to the side of the trailer, grabbed my money I’d saved, some stuff I fit in a duffle bag, and turned to leave. That’s when I saw Ariel.”
Kenny squeezed her hand. “What did you see?”
“Ariel was naked, spread open as the guys had their way with her. She was laughing and drunk or high, whatever, but that added to the threat on my life. I left her there, Kenny.”
Kenny stood up and turned Lena toward him. He cupped her cheeks between his hands and locked gazes with her.
“You had no choice, Lena. If you stayed, you were as good as dead.”
The tears rolled down her cheeks and she swallowed hard.
“I’m going back.”
“The hell you are!” Bryant exclaimed.
“No fucking way,” Blake stated.
“What for, Lena? There’s nothing there for you,” Quinn stated.
“It’s not happening, Lena,” Kenny scolded.
“I have to find Sage. She’s only sixteen, Kenny. He could be making her do things she doesn’t want to do because she’s scared. He’ll kill her just like he killed Ariel.”
“Who is this guy, Lena?” Kenny asked.
“I think it’s best if the detectives figure it out and catch him. They have Ariel’s full name now. The investigation will continue and they’ll catch him.”
“You called them, Lena?” Kenny asked.
“I called from the library today. When the detective told me that her case would be put aside if they didn’t have a last name, I told him then hung up.”
“They record those calls, Lena. They’ll know the call came from town.”
“They have her name. What will it matter now? I have to go back to find Sage. I won’t let her down like I did to Ariel.”