RunningScaredBN (29 page)

Pleased with the smoothness of their operation so far, Aidan disappeared through a door at the side of the building. If everything else would go as smoothly as that had, this would be a piece of cake.

***

William settled into a chair across from Jessica. So what if he had to play the doting father for a few more minutes? He’d spent a lot of time practicing, might well have some fun with it.
 

“Jessie, darling, do you remember me? I’m your father.”

The girl raised her head and looked blankly at him for a few minutes. He immediately nixed the idea of drugging her. She already looked half stoned. No wonder McCall bought his story of mental illness. This was going to be easier than he thought. The bitch looked crazed.

When he’d sold her, she was young, fresh, and very pretty. Even though this was definitely the same girl, she was a pale imitation of what she’d once been. He’d fix that, though. Her clothes would have to do. He didn’t have time to go shopping. But no way in hell was he giving her over to Dimitri looking like death warmed over. The jerk would probably demand his money back the instant he saw her.

“Sweetheart? Do you remember me at all? Your mama, Loretta, and I have been looking for you for years. I’m so happy to see you.”

“Her name’s Lorraine.”

William put on a tragic expression and gazed up at McCall. “That was one of her delusions, too. She gave us different names. I was Lloyd and Loretta was Lorraine. She even gave us a different last name.” He furrowed his brow as if trying to remember. “What was it?”

“King,” McCall provided. “She told me her name was Jessica King. And you’re right. She said you were Lloyd and her mother Lorraine.”

As if she wasn’t aware that they were talking about her, Jessica asked dully, “Where’s Mama?”

“She’s not feeling well. She’s at home waiting to see you.”

“Home?”

William almost laughed. At last, a light gleamed in her eyes. The girl almost sounded hopeful. “Yes. You remember home, don’t you, sweetie? Our house hasn’t been the same since you left us.”

Her mouth twitched slightly, as if she wanted to smile but didn’t quite know how. “I would like to go home.”

Triumph surged through William. At last, he was going to get the bitch back.

“Are you sure, Jessica?” McCall asked, a concerned frown on his face. “You don’t have to make the decision today. We can—”

“Mr. McCall, please. She says she wants to come home. You agreed that—”

“Yes.” Jessica looked up at McCall and said softly, “I do want to go home.” She looked back at William and added, “You won’t let that man…Dimitri…near me, will you?”

Keeping his happy expression firmly in place, he said soothingly, “Of course not, Jessica. You don’t have to see anyone you don’t want to see.”

William glanced over at McCall, making sure his expression had just the right amount of tragic sadness. Hell, after what Dimitri did to her, the bitch might really be a head case. Didn’t matter to him, though. Dimitri wanted the girl back, and that was all William cared about. Once she was under lock and key again, and Dimitri had made good on his promise to repair his reputation, William could proceed with the sales of his other merchandise. He never had to worry about the bitch ever again.

Things were working out just as he’d planned.

McCall stood. “Larson, can I speak with you in private for a moment?”
 

“Of course.” He reached out and gently patted Jessica’s clenched hands. “I’ll be right back, sweetie.”

Riley watched as Noah walked with Larson across the room to a corner. She knew her boss was giving the man some instructions and warnings in case anything went wrong, as well as some psychiatric recommendations.
 

Noah’s expression was intense and sincere, as if the father-and-daughter reunion was the most important thing on his mind. As they spoke in low voices, Riley took a moment to observe William Larson and compare him to the man she’d known as Lloyd King.

The man was short in stature, maybe about five-six and probably weighed around one hundred forty. His hair was now salt-and-pepper gray. Other than that, he looked about the same. At one time, she remembered thinking he was handsome. Little had she known that this was what evil looked like.

Even though she was confident she could do this job, she had wondered how she would feel when she saw him again. If she’d become nauseated or have to hold herself back from scratching his eyes out. She was pleased that neither was the case. She felt absolutely nothing. She had a gut-deep knowledge that this man was not in any way related to her. That was a freeing feeling. This man was no different than any other human trafficker she’d helped bring down. It didn’t matter that she had once been his victim. She was one no longer, and she intended to make sure the bastard never victimized a child again.

Noah slapped Larson on the back in a friendly, manly way, and Riley had to swallow the laughter that bubbled inside her. Her boss was almost a foot taller and weighed at least eighty pounds more, all muscle. Larson almost went flying across the room.

Recovering his equilibrium, Larson returned to Riley and gave her what he probably thought was a loving smile. To her, it was smarmy and slick.

“Shall we go, sweetie? I know your mama is going to feel so much better when she sees you.”

Riley stood and allowed Larson to take her hand and lead her to the door. Before going out, she stopped and gave Noah a quick nod and a timid whisper of, “Thank you, Mr. McCall, for your kindness.”

“My pleasure, Jessica. Please be sure to check in when you can and let me know how you’re doing.”

She nodded again and then allowed Larson to pull her through the doorway.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Justin sat in an SUV across the parking lot. His heart was in his throat as Larson and Riley walked out of the building. Apparently concerned that McCall might be watching, Larson was solicitous as he held Riley’s arm and led her to the van.

The side door slid open, and he helped her inside. The door shut, and there was silence for all of thirty seconds. Then there was a loud clap, and he heard Riley’s gasp. The son of a bitch had slapped her.

His hands gripped the steering wheel, and it took every bit of his strength not to race over there, rip the door off the van, and get her out of there. Not only would it completely destroy the op, but Riley would be infuriated. And rightly so. He had to trust that she could handle this. He did trust her. But still… Damn, this was hard.

“Oh, get up and stop your sniveling. Do you know what you’ve cost me, you little bitch? I can’t make another damn sale because of your owner. Dimitri has spread lies and half-truths all around about my business practices. I had to get you back to fix my reputation.

“I don’t care that I promised him no bruises. You both owed me that.”

“No, Daddy. You said you wouldn’t make me see him.”

Larson laughed. “You’re still the same dumb, clueless bitch you always were. No wonder Dimitri beat the shit out of you all the time.

“Frederick, let’s get going. I’ve got a phone call to make.”

“Why do I have to be tied up?”

Riley, using Jessica’s voice, was difficult to hear. She sounded as if she were crying and gasping for breath. Justin told himself it was an act. He’d seen his partner play many different roles, and she’d been convincing in each one. Even though Larson had slapped her, Riley Ingram would not shed a tear. But the beaten-down, helpless Jessica King would. That was the only reason for the tears.

The van pulled out of the parking lot, the giant named Frederick driving. For right now, Justin was the only one following. In about ten minutes, three other LCR team members would be on Larson’s tail. The man would not know until it was too late that he had been played.

Larson started talking again, apparently on the phone call he’d said he had to make. “Yes, I need to get in immediately. She needs the works, hair, face, nails, all over body treatment.”

He was calling a spa? What the hell?

“Yes, that’s right.” He barked out a laugh. “A fashion emergency. I’ll pay double. Good. Thank you. We’ll be there in about half an hour.”

“Frederick, go to 1440 Rodeo Drive. The Sparkling Swan.”

“What’s that?” Frederick asked.

“It’s a day spa. There’s no way in hell I’m going to give her back to Dimitri looking like this. She’s so dammed ugly, he’ll demand his money back. She’s going to look like a million bucks before the day’s out.” He gave a harsh chuckle and then added, “Rather, five million.”

Riley watched through the strands of hair that had fallen into her face when Larson slapped her. He had just revealed an interesting tidbit. Apparently, the price Dimitri had paid for her was five million. Quite a lot for a human-trafficking sale, but with all the money, time and effort he’d put into her, Larson must’ve felt the asking price was worth it.
 

That Dimitri would pay such an amount was the confounding part. Why pay that much for someone he was just going to beat, rape, and torture? Not that the reason mattered, but it was still odd.
 

What else could she get out of Larson? She knew she couldn’t ask too many questions without running the risk of making him either suspicious or angry. An angry Larson would haul off and hit her again. A suspicious Larson would be much worse. She would not blow her cover, no matter what.

“Are you my real father?”

He didn’t answer her. Just gave her a glare and looked down at a text message on his phone. She couldn’t make anything out from where she was and couldn’t take the risk of leaning forward.

She tried again. “Is Lorraine really my mother?”

Larson blew out an explosive sigh. “When did you get so mouthy? I swear, Dimitri’s going to beat you and skin you alive if you talk this much to him. You’d better start practicing silence, girl.”

Knowing it would do no good to ask him anything else, Riley bowed her head and did what she was told. She became silent. And in that silence, she heard the most wonderful thing of all. Justin’s voice in her ear.

“You’re doing good, Ingram. Not too many questions, though. Asshole’s not in a confiding mood right now. We’ll get you answers. Don’t worry.”

She closed her eyes and drew in a silent, calming breath. The throb in her cheek from the slap to her face, the ache in her wrists and ankles from being tied too tight, all disappeared. With a couple of deviations, this was what they were expecting. Things were going just as they’d planned.

***

Five hours later, Riley allowed Larson to shove her into a house. At no point in their planning had they ever considered that she’d spend half a day at a spa getting her hair cut and styled, her entire body buffed, and a facial. Hell, she was more exhausted now than she’d ever been on an op.
 

Larson had walked away from her for a time, putting Riley more on edge. She wanted the bastard in her sight at all times. According to Justin, who chatted with her during her harrowing beauty ordeal, Noah and the other operatives knew exactly where he was at all times.
 

The only tense moment came when the stylist asked about the earbud. It was clear plastic, almost invisible. Larson had heard the question and had looked at her, puzzled. Riley calmly explained that she had a slight hearing impairment in that ear and the earbud was merely a hearing aid. Larson didn’t question her, but she had a feeling it might come up again.

Losing Justin’s voice in her ear would be a big loss, but it was a luxury, not a necessity. She needed to be prepared.

The house was small, but elegantly decorated. It smelled like new construction. Riley wondered if this was a house where Larson kept another of his fake families. That was one of the many questions she had for the man. How many times had he done this before? How many children had he sold? How many were being readied to be sold? How many young women and men were in the midst of hell thanks to Larson’s total lack of conscience and morals?

Shoving her into a chair in the living room, Larson growled at Frederick. “Tie her up.”

Frederick, for all his strength and seeming lack of intelligence, wasn’t cruel. Though he did tie her to the chair using duct tape, he kept asking if it was too tight and if she was uncomfortable. When she complained that her wrists were hurting, he loosened the binding and then looked up at her for approval. She couldn’t help but smile at him. Poor guy was in way over his head.

Figuring it would be odd for her not to ask his identity, she said, “Are you a friend of my daddy’s. Why are you tying me up?”

Frederick sent a panicked look over at Larson. Before he could say anything, Larson snapped, “Keep your mouth shut.”

She wasn’t sure which one Larson meant, she or Frederick. Didn’t really matter. Being tied up without having any explanation went against every independent molecule in her body. Until he told her specifically to shut up, she was going to keep asking questions.

“Daddy, why do I have to be tied up? You told Mr. McCall you were happy to have me back. Where’s Mama? Will she be here soon? I thought you would take me home.”

Larson marched toward her. Frederick scrambled to get out of his way. Even though Riley couldn’t glare at him with anger burning in her eyes, she refused to shut up. “Why are you being mean to me?”