Page 18 of Sold Blood
As soon as the door shuts and locks behind her, I release a sigh and take a seat on the black leather couch, patting the empty spot beside me with my hand. “It’s okay. I only want to talk.”
He wraps his arms around his shivering body and slowly walks my way. He cautiously takes a seat beside me, purposely leaves a small space between us. “You only want to talk?”
I nod, smiling softly. “Yes and maybe ask you a few questions.”
“You paid all that money to talk and ask a few questions?”
“Yes and don’t worry, money isn’t an issue for me and if you want to take a longer break, I don’t mind paying for a few extra hours.”
His eyes widen. “Who are you?”
“I’m supposed to be the one asking the questions. Let's start with your name.”
“Gary.”
“When did you arrive here, Gary?”
“Yesterday.”
"Who brought you here and do you want to be here?"
"Are you some kind of cop or something? I don't feel comfortable answering these questions. Look, I can do anything you want me to do. Maybe you would like me to suck you off?"
I shake my head. "I'm not here for that. I'm looking for a friend. Perhaps you've seen him before?" I remove a picture from my pocket and hand it to him. He stares at it for a few seconds before shaking his head. "I've never seen him before."
I sigh in defeat. I knew it was a long shot. "How about this man?" I pull out another picture, this time of the man with the scar on his face that goes by the name, El Portero.
He takes the picture from me and this time freezes in fear. He closes his eyes and opens them again, handing me back the picture. "No. I've never seen him either."
"You sure? Because it looked like you recognized him based on your reaction. Maybe you want to look at it again."
He shoves my hand away, shaking his head frantically. "No please. I don't want to see it again. I don't know who he is, okay?"
"I think he may have a friend of mine. If I find him, I may find my friend too."
He looks at my hand again and then stares into my eyes. "If he's ever had your friend, then chances are he will be long gone by the time you find him. The auctions are happening soon and none of the boys stay in the house for long."
"What house?"
"I can't tell you anything else. They will kill us both if they find out. I just need to keep going and pay off my debt so I can go home."
"Maybe I can help pay that debt off for you."
He bites back a sob. "That's not how it works. I must work it off myself. Five hundred men and I go free."
I clench my teeth, knowing damn well when he reaches his quota, they still won't let him go. He knows too much and if he still has any use left in him by then, they will take advantage of every part of him they can until he's no longer breathing. Even after he stops, they will tear his body apart, selling off each of his organs.
I can't let this happen to Joey.
I hate the thought of it happening to this complete stranger sitting in front of me, but my hands are tied. I’m surrounded and I can't start making messes on my first day.
Stick to the plan. Find out what you need to know and find Joey so you can get him back home to Isaiah.
I have to keep reminding myself of this the whole time I sit here, staring at the scared and traumatized man sitting beside me. "Do you know if this man comes back after drop off?"
He nods. "Yes. One of the other guys says he sometimes comes here to relocate us and trade us off with others. I don't know when he'll be back."
The information doesn't really help me. I have no way of knowing when the man will return. "Thank you for your time. I think you've answered me with as much as you can. We still have forty more minutes. You can relax a little, maybe even have something to eat? I can have some food sent in."
