“She claims it was to bankroll her lifestyle. She had agreed to get three more teens this trip alone. She was saving up, or so she says, for her round-the-world trip of self-discovery. She was pretty sure that it would make her a millionaire. All the publicity on her channel. So far, we’ve confirmed that she was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.” Jamerson shook her head. “I guess being in the social spotlight doesn’t always pay big. She claims she was assured that the teens would be treated fairly. But something tells me she didn’t care either way.”
“What about Megan?” Jade asked.
“We found her in Miami. She had been sold to a family as a live-in nanny and maid,” Jamerson answered.
“As a… slave?” Jade shook her head. “How did they expect to keep her there?”
“They had her locked in the basement. The couple, a wealthy family from Saudi Arabia, had three others locked up as well. Megan’s back home with her family. Thank God she hadn’t been sold into the sex trade,” Jamerson added. “Still, it will take time for her to get over it. As it will for the rest of the ones that we found. Almost a hundred so far, thanks to a very organized docket. We’re still trying to find more.”
“What happens now?” Jade asked.
“Now?” Jamerson smiled. “I force Wyatt here into retirement.”
“Force?” he asked with a smile.
Jamerson laughed. “Either way, we’re done with you. I’ll keep you posted if we find anything else. For now, keep this place safe.”
“Yes, sir.” He nodded. “That I can do.” He glanced down at his leg. “Soon enough.”
After Jamerson left, Jade, Julia, Amber, and Emma made lunch in the kitchen while he, his father, Patrick, and Brock talked about the case.
It was easy talking to Brock since he was in the police force. Brock filled him in on Amber’s history. How his partner had been the serial killer.
He had never had someone close to him betray him like that and could only imagine what Brock was feeling. Or what Amber had gone through her entire life.
Still, he watched the four ladies in the kitchen laughing at something Emma had said and knew that now that they had all found one another, it was going to be impossible to separate them.
“So,” Brock said, “my folks are based out of the Keys, and they don’t get down here as often as they like.” Amber walked over and handed him a sandwich, then sat next to him.
“We’ve been doing some talking.” She glanced over at Jade. “Until Wyatt is up on his feet, Brock knows a lot about security and, well, and I’m really great at customer service.”
Jade rushed over to his side. “You can stay,” she said eagerly. “However long you want.”
Amber and Brock chuckled. “It may just be temporary,” Brock said. “At least until we decide where we want to be.”
“Here,” Jade said eagerly again and had everyone laughing.
“For now,” Amber added as Emma climbed up into her lap, “it sounds like we’re all home.”