There hadn’t been an online form to fill out, but judging by the surveillance cameras in the place, Wes might have wanted to check people out when they applied so there wouldn’t be any surprises.

Apparently, Jake owned some properties in Rice Lake, and he’d given Rick the address of an old house he owned and occasionally rented out, so Rick drove by to take a look. It would be a good place to live, he decided. It was on a shady street, with very few other homes, and it’d be close to work if he got the job.

He decided to hang around for a while and have lunch, just in case he got a call back from the marina.

But apparently, they weren’t in any hurry to hire, so once Rick was finished with lunch, he headed back to Crystal Rock.

After he was back at the house, he gave Jake a call.

“I hung around for a while to see if I’d get a call back, but nothing yet,” Rick said.

“Well, it’s off season, although they do offer vehicle storage, so I imagine they might need help with that before the cold weather kicks in for good,” Jake replied. “Meanwhile, I’ve got some work for you to do from home. That’s the drudgery of being undercover. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of watching and waiting involved.”

“Alright, sounds good. Especially now that I have to be careful about running into my brother,” Rick replied. “Dad would be happy to see what I’ve done with his office.”

“Thankfully, everything you need can be ordered online and brought to your door,” Jake said. “I have a feeling you’ll hear back from the marina within the week.”

“I’ll sit tight then,” Rick replied.

He couldn’t help thinking about Shanna again when he disconnected with Jake. What was really going on there? It had kind of thrown him, the obvious regard Montgomery seemed to have for her. Was it some form of Stockholm Syndrome that Shanna was exhibiting?

Rick refused to believe that she would actually be working with the traffickers.

Chapter Fifteen

It was the first week of November, and Shanna was making real progress with her oils, but for some strange reason, she hadn’t heard from Wes.

And she couldn’t help it, she realized. She was worried. It was scary how dependent she was on him.

What would she do if something happened to Wes? How safe would she be, she wondered. Would she belong to the organization? Would they continue using the safety of her family as leverage?

And would she be forced into a life of prostitution without Wes’ protection?

She shivered at the thought, recalling the horrific moments of the past, when she’d realized she would never be able to go home.

Finally, Wes called.

“Shanna?” he said quietly after she picked up the phone.

Something in his voice told her that he’d run into some kind of trouble.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “I’ve been worried.”

“Someone connected me to the traffickers,” he answered softly. “Everything I own on paper is being searched.”

“So, what does that mean?” she asked, trying not to sound panicked.

“You can lay low for a while. I’m sure they’re going to be following me. They’ve already taken me in for questioning, but it’s all hearsay.” He sighed. “I have another son, Shanna. He’s a little older than you. He kidnapped some woman who rejected him in high school and tried to assault her. Anyway, even though he’s not a part of the organization and has nothing that could tie him to me, except for blood, the fact that he brought me into it could mean some big trouble for me. I’ve done everything I could for that kid. I even sent him to a good college in the east, where he flunked out. Anyway, I wasn’t arrested, but he’s going to be sitting in jail. I’m not providing bail.”

“Alright.”

Wes had another son? If that was the case, why hadn’t he been threatened?

“Anyway, my son’s name is Wade Armstrong, and he went to high school in Crystal Rock. I can’t see them letting him out, and I’ve been careful never to talk about you, but just be on guard.”

Shocked, her jaw dropped open.

Wade Armstrong? Didn’t he know that Wade had been working with her dad before she was kidnapped? Should she tell Wes? Maybe she’d better think about it first.