Page 16 of Pierre
“Almost all were picked up by family. I have a few that are too severe to be released yet, but all in all, we did good last night. But we’re not done. There’s rumor that something big is coming to the island that might keep us even busier. Be ready.”
She left the rest of the team to finish their breakfast, but it didn’t escape Ambry’s attention that Judy was making her moves on Butch. It kind of surprised her, only because Tucker was more her type.
“Looks like your friend has it bad for Butch,” said Pierre.
“You might want to warn him about her. She’s not exactly a one-man kind of woman.”
“He’s not exactly a one-woman kind of man,” said Pierre. He kissed her cheek, then realized what he’d done in front of everyone. Instead of gasps, there was a chorus of ‘awwws.’ He could only laugh, shaking his head.
“Be careful,” smiled Ambry.
“You too. We’ll be back tonight.” She watched as the six men left the ship, then turned back to the eyes staring in her direction.
“What?”
“What? Look, I’m a dude, and I can see that is one hunk of a man,” said Elliott. “You, my sweet Ambry, are one very lucky lady.”
“I’m jealous,” said Judy.
As her team walked toward the sick bays, she stood and smiled to herself. She knew she was a lucky lady, but for some strange reason, it pleased her that others knew it as well.
CHAPTER NINE
The streets were crowded, dirty, smelled of urine and rotten food, and the flies were everywhere. Pierre and the team casually strolled through the worst parts of the capital city, hoping to catch site of the man known as Henri Dufregne.
“I think that’s our dude,” said Butch, nodding toward the man standing on the corner with a bunch of kids. He was handing out chocolate bars and t-shirts. He looked up, as if sensing that eyes were on him, and nodded to Pierre.
A few moments later, the children dispersed, and he walked toward them.
“Gentlemen, we got very busy last night, but I wanted to thank you for all your help. You disappeared before I could do that properly.”
“It was our pleasure,” said Pierre. “Would you have a few minutes to spare? I’d like to ask a couple of questions.”
“Of course,” he said, waving them to some rickety tables on the sidewalk. A woman brought out cups of coffee and plates of sweet mango. “How can I help you?”
“We’re looking for some lost children,” said Pierre.
“I see. And someone said that I was kidnapping these children,” said Dufregne.
“They did,” said Pierre, “but I have to be honest. A kidnapper is not what I was seeing last night.” Dufregne nodded at the men, calling to the woman for another round of coffees.
“I was born here. Like you,” he said, nodding toward Pierre. “My father owned a fishing boat. That’s how he made his living. We did alright compared to most. My parents had a small home, and we always had food on the table. Then things started to get worse. First, my father was murdered, then my mother.”
“I’m sorry,” said Winslow.
“Me too. I was a sixteen-year-old boy alone on the streets of one of the most violent cities in the world. But my father left me the fishing boat, and it was the one thing I knew how to do. Fish.
“Five years ago, one of the men who fished with me didn’t show up for work. After we came back from fishing for the day, I went to visit him and his family. The home was razed to the ground. There was nothing left. Neighbors said a group of men and women dragged them from their home, beat them, and took the children. They were only five and nine years old.”
“Jesus, I’m sorry,” said Pierre.
“I tried to find them, but there was no sign of them anywhere. Instead, I found something else. My purpose for being in this place. Right beneath my nose, children were disappearing at an alarming rate. I never saw it. They were just gone.”
“Do you have children of your own?” asked Butch.
“No. No, I never seemed to find a woman who was willing to smell like fish all day,” he grinned. “I don’t know who you are, but the children of Haiti are disappearing. Many are dying because of disease, starvation, and violence, but many more are simply disappearing.”
“We are here because of you,” said Pierre. His eyes went wide, and he stared at the men. “We were told that you might be responsible for this, but something about the way you acted last night told me it wasn’t true.”
