On the best way, she opens up about assembly Michael when he was one of many drivers in Blackmon’s operation.

“He was good at first,” she mentioned with a tragic smile. “He would sneak me additional meals on the nights he labored the closing shift on the restaurant.” She shrugs. “He began doing medicine an increasing number of, they usually fired him as a result of one evening he acquired into an accident whereas driving the van.”

She glances over at me after which again on the highway.

“He’d simply finished a drop off, so not one of the children have been inside, however the police began asking why that church’s van was in Williamsport. Issues like that, so that they fired him as a result of he was a legal responsibility.”

“And he’s been dwelling off of you ever since, huh?” I surmise.

She doesn’t reply, however she pushes out a shaky breath. She swipes a number of unshed tears and retains her concentrate on the highway.

I do my greatest to suppress the anger effervescent up within me. She’s so younger and had such a tough life. A picture of Erika Dalton comes again to thoughts.

I don’t doubt that Erika’s life took the same journey, particularly if she ended up within the clutches of Blackmon and his community’s compelled labor.

“You don’t have to stick with him,” I inform her. “You by no means have to stick with somebody like that.”

She shakes her head. “He is aware of the place I reside. He’ll—”

“I may help you progress,” I say with out pondering. I in all probability simply put my foot in my mouth. The Regal has a strict coverage in opposition to paying sources. However I’ve much more connections and sources than Nicole does.

Maybe I can get her attached with a lease help program.

“Thanks on your assist,” I inform her genuinely.

“I didn’t know Erika.” Her voice is comfortable and barely withdrawn. “She labored on the identical restaurant, however we by no means spoke to 1 one other. After I turned eighteen, I ran away from the motel one evening, however I begged to proceed to work for the McGruder’s as a result of I couldn’t get one other job.”

She friends over at me with guilt and tears in her eyes. “I ought to’ve mentioned one thing sooner. Perhaps if I had, Erika would nonetheless be alive.”

I shake my head and squeeze her arm. “What occurred to Erika isn’t your fault. You’re as a lot a sufferer as she was. We’re going to get these cowards for what they did to you, to Erika, and all these different children.”

Nicole swallows and nods, turning again to the highway.

CHAPTER 32

Dae

The place the hell is she? I’m wondering as I verify my telephone for the fifth time inside twenty minutes. The tracker on my telephone hasn’t moved in hours. In keeping with her cell, she’s at her workplace, however I had somebody on the safety workers verify.

Kennedy isn’t at her workplace, though her automotive remains to be within the car parking zone.

I transfer my consideration from my telephone display screen to one of many tv screens on the wall in my workplace. Inside the Lavender Room, Kennedy’s brother, Kyle, his spouse, Riley, her cousin, Diego, and his spouse, Monique, together with numerous workers of Townsend Industries, are having fun with a celebration.

Kyle just lately closed on a brand new deal, and he’s throwing a celebration within the non-public room. He doesn’t know the place his sister is both, though she was speculated to attend. The textual content message he despatched her half an hour in the past asking what time she deliberate on exhibiting up stays unanswered.

I can learn her textual content messages by means of the newest tracker I positioned on her telephone.

I tempo my workplace for one more ten minutes, wracking my fucking mind to determine the place she’s gone. The one cause I can consider is work-related. Her going off the radar might have one thing to do with the case she’s engaged on.

That thought twists my abdomen into knots. I do know it’s ineffective, however I’ll begin to name her on the telephone once more. If she doesn’t reply this time, I’m calling the fucking police myself and having them put out an ABP.

But, there’s motion on her telephone earlier than I could make the decision. She despatched a textual content to her brother.

Little Warrior: Sorry, one thing with work got here up. I simply acquired house and altered, and I’m on my means.

Reduction floods me, however I develop sizzling with anger simply as shortly. Why the fuck didn’t she reply to my calls? She has her telephone now. She will be able to see that I’ve referred to as her.

A beat later, a textual content message pops up on my display screen.

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