halfway decent life. My deepest desire is for them to graduate from high school and make something of their lives.”
“They have a much better chance with you involved.”
Eli smiled. He’d never shared those thoughts with another living soul. Something about her made a man want to be better than he was, do more than he thought he could. I’m falling for her. The realization scared the socks off him. Nothing could come of the unfortunate boy from the wrong side of town and the chief’s daughter. Besides, he was a lifelong, card-carrying member of the “I’ll be single forever” club. Time for us to get back on track. Time for me to get back on track and remember my plans and goals. No women, not now, not ever—too much pain, too little return.
“We have work to do.” He rummaged through his backpack and dug out the copy of the report filed by Mrs. Johnson. Delanie followed suit.
“Julie Johnson was reported as a runaway in April.” He read the file in a low tone. “Four months later, in August, she placed a call to her mother. During the conversation she revealed being eight months’ pregnant. Last week her body was discovered, and the autopsy revealed she’d given birth hours before someone strangled her and placed her in a shallow grave not too far east of town.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I never thought I’d say this, but in many ways this assignment is more tragic than the drug unit.” His gaze locked with Delanie’s. “There I dealt with criminal masterminds selling drugs but wasn’t face-to-face with death. I mean, murder happens, people OD—but my main job was just to set people up, bust them, and ship them to prison.” He shook his head and knew he’d never get over this young girl losing her life because a greedy person sold the child she carried inside. Human trafficking.
Delanie squeezed his hand. “That’s why we’re cops, right?” She picked up the report. “Here are the bits of conversation Mrs. Johnson remembers.” Delanie started reading. “When she answered her phone in the middle of the afternoon, her daughter said, ‘Mom, I’m sorry.’ Mrs. Johnson remembers the relief that washed over her, knowing Julie was alive. She asked if her daughter was okay. Julie was hard to understand because she was not only crying but also talking very fast and very soft. Her mother struggled to distinguish her actual words.” Delanie took a sip of her diet soda.
Eli continued. “Julie said she was eight months’ pregnant and had been offered a lot of money for her baby, which of course sounded wonderful to a thirteen-year-old girl. After feeling the baby move and grow inside of her, she’d changed her mind. Mrs. Johnson asked where she was and who was going to give her the money. She thought Julie said ‘the doctor’ but didn’t name a specific person. Suddenly she heard Julie scream, some muffled wrestling-type sounds, and the phone went dead. Mrs. Johnson has caller ID, but the call came from a private name, private number. She immediately called the police in hysterics; they were able to have the call traced, but it came from a prepaid cell phone.”
“Every end is a dead end.” Delanie rested her face in her hands. “A young girl wondering if she was pregnant wouldn’t go to a doctor.”
“You’re right,” Eli agreed. “She’d go to the corner drugstore, buy a pregnancy test, and find out for herself.”
Delanie nodded. “Exactly.”
“There has to be a source enlightening young pregnant girls about earning a lot of money by having their baby. I mean, if they’re already pregnant, why not?”
“Turns a negative into a positive, or so it would seem.”
“We’ve got the bait.” Eli focused on Delanie. “At least when you’re wearing your disguise.”
“Now we just need someone to bite.”
“Our hope is that Brandi will.” He pictured the young teen he’d seen in this very spot just the night before.
“If we can find her.”
“Why
“They have a much better chance with you involved.”
Eli smiled. He’d never shared those thoughts with another living soul. Something about her made a man want to be better than he was, do more than he thought he could. I’m falling for her. The realization scared the socks off him. Nothing could come of the unfortunate boy from the wrong side of town and the chief’s daughter. Besides, he was a lifelong, card-carrying member of the “I’ll be single forever” club. Time for us to get back on track. Time for me to get back on track and remember my plans and goals. No women, not now, not ever—too much pain, too little return.
“We have work to do.” He rummaged through his backpack and dug out the copy of the report filed by Mrs. Johnson. Delanie followed suit.
“Julie Johnson was reported as a runaway in April.” He read the file in a low tone. “Four months later, in August, she placed a call to her mother. During the conversation she revealed being eight months’ pregnant. Last week her body was discovered, and the autopsy revealed she’d given birth hours before someone strangled her and placed her in a shallow grave not too far east of town.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I never thought I’d say this, but in many ways this assignment is more tragic than the drug unit.” His gaze locked with Delanie’s. “There I dealt with criminal masterminds selling drugs but wasn’t face-to-face with death. I mean, murder happens, people OD—but my main job was just to set people up, bust them, and ship them to prison.” He shook his head and knew he’d never get over this young girl losing her life because a greedy person sold the child she carried inside. Human trafficking.
Delanie squeezed his hand. “That’s why we’re cops, right?” She picked up the report. “Here are the bits of conversation Mrs. Johnson remembers.” Delanie started reading. “When she answered her phone in the middle of the afternoon, her daughter said, ‘Mom, I’m sorry.’ Mrs. Johnson remembers the relief that washed over her, knowing Julie was alive. She asked if her daughter was okay. Julie was hard to understand because she was not only crying but also talking very fast and very soft. Her mother struggled to distinguish her actual words.” Delanie took a sip of her diet soda.
Eli continued. “Julie said she was eight months’ pregnant and had been offered a lot of money for her baby, which of course sounded wonderful to a thirteen-year-old girl. After feeling the baby move and grow inside of her, she’d changed her mind. Mrs. Johnson asked where she was and who was going to give her the money. She thought Julie said ‘the doctor’ but didn’t name a specific person. Suddenly she heard Julie scream, some muffled wrestling-type sounds, and the phone went dead. Mrs. Johnson has caller ID, but the call came from a private name, private number. She immediately called the police in hysterics; they were able to have the call traced, but it came from a prepaid cell phone.”
“Every end is a dead end.” Delanie rested her face in her hands. “A young girl wondering if she was pregnant wouldn’t go to a doctor.”
“You’re right,” Eli agreed. “She’d go to the corner drugstore, buy a pregnancy test, and find out for herself.”
Delanie nodded. “Exactly.”
“There has to be a source enlightening young pregnant girls about earning a lot of money by having their baby. I mean, if they’re already pregnant, why not?”
“Turns a negative into a positive, or so it would seem.”
“We’ve got the bait.” Eli focused on Delanie. “At least when you’re wearing your disguise.”
“Now we just need someone to bite.”
“Our hope is that Brandi will.” He pictured the young teen he’d seen in this very spot just the night before.
“If we can find her.”
“Why
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