“Doesn’t have one.”
“How the fuck is that even possible?”
He shrugged. “I don’t fucking know. We’ve been questioning the captain for the last few hours, and by questioning, I mean the violent kind.”
I crouched, trying to wrap my head around the mystery of how the hell a container landed here in the harbor without any kind of shipping document. “Do we know the port of discharge?”
“Santos.”
I looked up at him in surprise, a giant question mark probably flashing on my forehead. “Are you telling me this container made its way from one of the biggest seaports in Brazil without being placed on a manifest, and without a goddamn bill of lading?”
Lucio pulled his palm down his face. “Yup.”
“Well, that certainly rings a lot of alarm bells.” I sighed and got up, straightening. “Did you find drugs?”
“No.” His eyebrows slanted inward. “But we found something else.”
“What did you find?”
Lucio looked to the right and straight at what I assumed was the container in question. “You need to see it for yourself.”
Warning prickled at the back of my skull. Whatever it was, it seemed like it had even Lucio on edge. That was saying a lot.
“Come on.” He gestured toward the container, and I followed with hesitant steps. My mind reeled in every possible direction, trying to figure out what I was walking toward. Every instinct was on high alert, even though there was no direct threat. But the mystery surrounding this container so far was just too damn…well, mysterious.
Lucio pulled and twisted the handlebar, the steel hinges screeching as he opened the door.
Brown cartons stood stacked on top of each other with only a few pushed to the side in order for us to reach the back.
I looked at Lucio, and he gestured for me to go in first. As I was about to step in, he placed his hand on my chest. “Don’t make any sudden noises.”
“Jesus Christ, Lucio. Is there a fucking anaconda back there?”
He lifted a brow. “Something like that.”
I took a deep breath then walked inside. The sleeves of my two-thousand-dollar suit brushed against the dusty boxes, and the sweet scent of ripe pineapples was overpowering my senses the deeper I went.
My heart thudded along with every step, my palms sweaty with the urge to hold a gun…just in case.
I heard Lucio behind me, and as I walked up to boxes which blocked the final space, I turned to look at him.
He motioned for me to go ahead.
I licked my lips, squared my shoulders, and placed my hands on a box. With a deep breath, I steeled myself. How bad could it really be?
I exhaled, moved the box, and Lucio lifted a flashlight over my shoulder.
And then my heart stopped as my breath left me in a huff. I couldn’t believe what was right in front of me, on the floor in the corner.
I looked at Lucio. “Jesus Christ.”
He gave me a knowing look, and I turned back to study what was in front of me. “It’s a woman.” The words sounded surreal as I said it out loud.
“Yup. Told you it was something you needed to see for yourself.”
I cocked my head, studying the woman who sat in the corner, naked and dirty. The way her wild eyes stared back at me, it was painfully clear how petrified she was. I could hear her rapid breaths escape her timid body, the terrified look on her face causing me to hold my breath.
“What the fuck is this?” I whispered.
“I don’t know, cousin.”
I looked at him in shock. “This shit just got a whole lot more complicated.”