Read Online Deadly Questions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 8) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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aren’t true.”
“I understand that,” Grady said. “I’m just trying to find anyone who might have some information.”
“How would we know?” Pansy asked. “We obviously haven’t been taken.”
Grady decided to take a different tactic. “Is there anyone down here, someone you know was … working the streets … who has gone missing?”
“That happens all the time,” Pansy replied. “That doesn’t mean they were taken.”
“Yeah, some people just can’t handle the life,” Violet said. “They leave. They think they’re going to make better lives for themselves. It never happens. Most of them show back up here sooner or later.”
“Some people have to get out, though,” Grady said.
“I’m sure they do,” Violet replied. “I’ve just never met one of them.”
“We’re all like kids on Christmas,” Pansy said. “We have big dreams. As you get older, as each Christmas comes and goes, you realize that your dreams just aren’t going to be a reality.”
The admission made Grady inexplicably sad. “And what dreams have you given up on?”
“I’ve lost count,” Pansy said.
“Me, too,” Violet said. “It just is what it is.”
Grady wanted to argue. He wanted to offer them hope. Since he had no means of backing up any promise he made, he let it go. “What about the disappearing women? Tell me what you’ve heard.”
“Honey, we’re working here,” Violet said. “If we don’t bring money back this afternoon, we’re going to be missing a lot more than dreams. We’re going to be missing teeth. You have no idea how much that cuts back on business.”
Grady frowned, reaching into his back pocket and drawing out his wallet. He handed each woman a hundred-dollar bill. “Can’t this be your work for the day?”
The women took the money, shoving it into their exposed cleavage wordlessly.
“There have been a few stories,” Pansy said after a moment. “You always hear stories, so I disregarded them at first. They’ve been increasing in … frequency.”
“Just tell me what you’ve heard,” Grady prodded.
“There was a little girl out here, her name was Virginia,” Violet said. “We told her she should never use her real name because it would just lead to problems.”
“She couldn’t have been more than sixteen,” Pansy said. “And, if I had to guess, I would say she was even younger.”
Grady’s heart clenched.
“She was out here for two weeks,” Violet said. “We kind of took her under our wing. We were going to take her back to … our business partner … to give her a level of protection. We were just waiting to make sure she wanted to make the choice to stay. Once you sign up with someone, there’s no turning back.”
“She was staying in some hole down by Joe Louis Arena,” Pansy said. “There were like eight other women staying there. It wasn’t safe. Anyway, the day she was supposed to meet our friend, she just didn’t show back up.”
“At first we thought she just went back home,” Violet said. “You could tell she came from somewhere. She was too new – too protected – to have known this life. Then we heard that someone transported her across the bridge.”
“How was she transported?” Grady asked.
“In the trunk of a blue sedan,” Pansy said. “Someone saw her being wrestled in there. She was screaming.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Six weeks or so,” Pansy replied.
“And you haven’t seen her since?”
“She’s gone,” Violet said.
“What about the man who took her?” Grady asked. “What did he look like?”
“Oh, honey, when you see as many faces as we do, everyone melds together,” Violet said.
Grady rubbed his forehead, considering. “I guess. Anyone else?”
“I heard a rumor about a stitch being taken over by one of the casinos,” Pansy offered. “That was about two months ago.”
“What’s a stitch?”
“It means she has a big scar on her face,” Violet explained. “It never healed
“I understand that,” Grady said. “I’m just trying to find anyone who might have some information.”
“How would we know?” Pansy asked. “We obviously haven’t been taken.”
Grady decided to take a different tactic. “Is there anyone down here, someone you know was … working the streets … who has gone missing?”
“That happens all the time,” Pansy replied. “That doesn’t mean they were taken.”
“Yeah, some people just can’t handle the life,” Violet said. “They leave. They think they’re going to make better lives for themselves. It never happens. Most of them show back up here sooner or later.”
“Some people have to get out, though,” Grady said.
“I’m sure they do,” Violet replied. “I’ve just never met one of them.”
“We’re all like kids on Christmas,” Pansy said. “We have big dreams. As you get older, as each Christmas comes and goes, you realize that your dreams just aren’t going to be a reality.”
The admission made Grady inexplicably sad. “And what dreams have you given up on?”
“I’ve lost count,” Pansy said.
“Me, too,” Violet said. “It just is what it is.”
Grady wanted to argue. He wanted to offer them hope. Since he had no means of backing up any promise he made, he let it go. “What about the disappearing women? Tell me what you’ve heard.”
“Honey, we’re working here,” Violet said. “If we don’t bring money back this afternoon, we’re going to be missing a lot more than dreams. We’re going to be missing teeth. You have no idea how much that cuts back on business.”
Grady frowned, reaching into his back pocket and drawing out his wallet. He handed each woman a hundred-dollar bill. “Can’t this be your work for the day?”
The women took the money, shoving it into their exposed cleavage wordlessly.
“There have been a few stories,” Pansy said after a moment. “You always hear stories, so I disregarded them at first. They’ve been increasing in … frequency.”
“Just tell me what you’ve heard,” Grady prodded.
“There was a little girl out here, her name was Virginia,” Violet said. “We told her she should never use her real name because it would just lead to problems.”
“She couldn’t have been more than sixteen,” Pansy said. “And, if I had to guess, I would say she was even younger.”
Grady’s heart clenched.
“She was out here for two weeks,” Violet said. “We kind of took her under our wing. We were going to take her back to … our business partner … to give her a level of protection. We were just waiting to make sure she wanted to make the choice to stay. Once you sign up with someone, there’s no turning back.”
“She was staying in some hole down by Joe Louis Arena,” Pansy said. “There were like eight other women staying there. It wasn’t safe. Anyway, the day she was supposed to meet our friend, she just didn’t show back up.”
“At first we thought she just went back home,” Violet said. “You could tell she came from somewhere. She was too new – too protected – to have known this life. Then we heard that someone transported her across the bridge.”
“How was she transported?” Grady asked.
“In the trunk of a blue sedan,” Pansy said. “Someone saw her being wrestled in there. She was screaming.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Six weeks or so,” Pansy replied.
“And you haven’t seen her since?”
“She’s gone,” Violet said.
“What about the man who took her?” Grady asked. “What did he look like?”
“Oh, honey, when you see as many faces as we do, everyone melds together,” Violet said.
Grady rubbed his forehead, considering. “I guess. Anyone else?”
“I heard a rumor about a stitch being taken over by one of the casinos,” Pansy offered. “That was about two months ago.”
“What’s a stitch?”
“It means she has a big scar on her face,” Violet explained. “It never healed
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