Page 64 of Hunted Hearts
The others fell into step behind her.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice low.
“We’re ready to bring you in on everything.”
Her pulse kicked hard. She clutched the memory of the music in her bones and held fast to the steady rhythm of his footfalls beside her.
When he opened the double doors to the war room, more of the family was already there—Denver, Carson and Willow. The table was scattered with printouts and scribbled notes.
It looked more like a military ops center than the ranch she had come to adore.
She froze in the doorway.
Theo gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “You’re safe. We’ve got you.”
That word—safe—was starting to mean something different when he said it.
He pulled out a chair for her. She sat, folding her hands tightly in her lap as the room quieted.
Theo rested his elbows on the table and drew a deep breath as he took the lead. “We need to discuss the charity.”
She gulped and nodded.
“They aren’t on the right side of the law, Juliette.”
“What do you mean?”
“The orphans you saw in that photo, the ones picked up in port, aren’t the only ones involved. The charity isn’t facilitating adoptions. They’re selling the kids to families.”
Her hand fluttered to her chest and rested there, still, as if the music of her heart had stopped.
“I’m sorry to break the news to you,” he said gently.
She shook her head. “No. I’m glad you did. So what happens now?”
“Our plan is to draw out the people behind the trafficking. And that involves you.”
She sucked in a gasp of surprise.
Theo’s hand landed gently on her thigh under the table, grounding her. “Which means we need to handle thisverycarefully.”
Juliette released a wavering sigh. “I want to help. Tell me what I can do.”
From the end of the table, Willow’s expression resonated with concern. “Are you sure she’s up for this, Theo? There has to be another way.”
He started to answer his sister, but Juliette cut across him. “No. I want to do what I can. The charity is afterme.I’m the reason you’re even gathered here making a plan. Whatever I can do to bring them down…I’ll do it.”
The Malones would keep her safe. Again, she felt the meaning of that word to the pit of her stomach.
Theo nodded. “We want to set up a fake charity concert to lure them out. Let them zero in on the event while we gather names, accounts. And proof.”
“So I’m just promoting another charity concert added to the tour,” Juliette said.
“Exactly. Everything by the book.”
Aspen spoke up from beside Willow. “I have experience with large events for notable people. I’ll coordinate the event itself—press releases, invitations, production. Everything high-end and totally believable.”
Juliette nodded slowly, her fingers tightening on Theo’s. “My publicist…”
