Page 145 of Maddy's Justice

When he got upstairs, he took out his phone and made a call.

“Hey, we got it,” Carvelli told Paxton.

He gave her a quick summary of the information given up by Troy McGovern.

“What about, Maddy?” Paxton asked.

“That’s why I called. They grabbed her to get information from her. They think they have her safely hidden so she’s probably okay for a day or two.

“I’m flying back this afternoon. I need a couple of legitimate badges, FBI if you can get them. We can find out where they took her from a helicopter service at the Vertiport copter service place. I know who to talk to.”

“What about the sex trafficking?” Paxton asked.

“That’s next.”

“Tell me about the sex trafficking,” Carvelli abruptly said.

“What? What sex trafficking?”

Carvelli leaned forward and quietly whispered into his ear so the recorder would not get it. “Don’t make me slap you again. My hand is getting sore.”

He leaned back and repeated, “The sex trafficking.”

“You know my word won’t be enough. You’ll need corroboration and you’ll never find it,” Troy said.

“Let me worry about that. Now, be quick about it. I’ve got a plane to catch.”

By the time he finished spilling the most despicable thing these two hardened, cynical cops had ever heard, Troy was bawling like a baby. For at least five minutes both Carvelli and Sorenson sat silently staring at him. Appalled at what they had just heard.

Carvelli reached forward with his left-hand and grabbed Troy by the hair. He jerked Troy’s head up and snarled, “They kidnap children, sell them into sex slavery and when they are done with them, they are taken to an island and used for sport hunting!”

“I never did, please, believe me, I never did it. I just heard about it. I don’t even know if it’s true!” Troy begged and pleaded.

All five ex-cops and Conrad were in Miller’s backyard taking a moment to digest what McGovern had confessed to in the basement. At first, none of them could even speak about it.

“They hunt these kids down on some island?” Franklin asked. “I want to go down in the basement and wring his goddamn neck.”

“Get in line,” Sorenson said.

Carvelli was the most affected by what he was told. He wandered around the yard by himself for almost fifteen minutes. He slowly made his way back to the others.

“Tommy, did you get my flight booked?”

“Yeah, Tony. Sun Country. One-forty-five gets in at around three-fifteen. O’Hare.”

“You’re going to Chicago? I’m coming with you,” Sorenson said. “Don’t argue, I’m going.”

“No, glad to have the company. Run home and pack. We’ll pick you up on the way.

“I need to ask him about one more thing, then we’ll go,” Carvelli said.

“What do you want us to do with him?” Franklin asked.

“Find a swamp and bury him,” Carvelli said. “But I suppose we need to keep him for a while. Take him to where we’re keeping Melanie Stewart. If he argues, tell him you’ll take him to Stafford, Hughes and tell them what he told us.”

“He’ll cooperate,” Tommy said.

“I know, it’s horrible, but I had nothing to do with it,” Troy said again. He believed he was probably pleading for his life. Carvelli was back and looked ready to do something serious to him.

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