Page 19 of Seventeen Years Ago

“If you aren’t building a hotel, that is all that is left that Mr. Pintino runs,” she said firmly.

“Maybe we are looking at expanding into a different avenue,” I stated. “Now, enough talk about work and let’s eat before our lunch gets cold.”

“Is that your way of changing the subject and not answering me?” she asked.

“I’m trying. Aiza, I don’t mean to be rude, but it is not something I can discuss right now. But if that changes, I promise I’ll inform you myself. Is that an acceptable answer?” I asked. She nodded and I added, “Good, because you were right, the sea bass looks delicious.”

We spent the next half hour eating and enjoying the view. She told me stories of what the place looked like before the Henderson family built the resort. It was an unused beach with large boulders. I didn’t think it was ideal for construction, but the complete project definitely was impressive.

“Although I would rather New Hope be owned by a Tabiqian, I am happy that New Hope employs many of us here. And they pay well too. It is just not easy to be hired to work here,” she said.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“The interview process. They have a very strict policy on confidentiality. They even do a thorough background check on you. If there is any link to an...adverse group of individuals, you don’t get the job.”

“Sounds like they are trying to keep the guests here safe,” I replied.

Did the Hendersons know what used to go on in Tabiq? Since my father was best friends with their father, the odds of James Henderson being involved in the criminal and disgusting activities here were good.

But did James bring his sons here and buy them a virgin to make them a man? God, I hope not. It’s bad enough that my father did that to me.

“Who protects us from the guests?” she asked as though reading my mind.

My heart ached knowing exactly what she meant. “I’m sorry, Aiza. I should’ve thought of that first and not the other way around.”

“No. We need to start taking care of ourselves and not allow others to do so for us. It's what got us into trouble in the first place. Tabiq used to be so different. Not that I remember it, but I’ve heard the stories. Years before I was even born, Tabiq was such a...happy place. People didn’t even have locks on their doors. There was no crime. Neighbors helped neighbors. If one had and one didn’t, then you shared. But we let people in from the outside and Tabiq has never been the same,” she said.

“I take it you don’t...like foreigners very much,” I said, knowing she had a damn good reason not to.

“I wouldn’t say that I don’t like them. But I feel as though they stole the best part of Tabiq, and because of them, I never got to experience it.”

This was my chance to learn a little about Tabiq’s past. “You said that it started long before you were born. How much longer?” I asked, trying to obtain a timeline.

She shrugged. “I really don’t know. No one ever talks about a specific date. I’m thirty-five so I would think it started at least fifteen years before I was born, maybe even more. I’ve asked my grandmother many times, but she said that it didn’t happen all at once. That it all started with one man. One very evil man.”

Was it my father? Did he start all of this?

I hated to think such a thing, but damn it, the man was capable of such things. I knew he participated even if he didn’t start it.

“Do you know who it was?” I asked, part of me holding my breath waiting for the answer.

“I don’t know. There is one name that makes everyone cringe. It could be him, but I’m not sure,” she said.

Don’t say Morse.

“James Henderson,” she said. “But as I said, I have no proof that he started it all, but the rumor is, that he did.”

Caydan had hinted about his siblings being in Tabiq to fix some wrongdoings, but I had no idea what was the extent of that. Had James been the one who introduced human trafficking to Tabiq? Did he exploit the young women for his own pleasure?

“It’s no wonder that you don’t want us here. But Aiza, not all of us are evil. Actually, there are more good people in the world than bad. Unfortunately, the bad stands out,” I stated.

“And leaves heartache and devastation behind,” she sighed. “I’m sorry, Steven. This probably was not the lunch topic you thought you’d be having today.”

“If I didn’t want to know, I wouldn’t have asked. I just hope you were okay with talking about it,” I said.

Aiza nodded. “It feels good to be able to talk about it. We never do. It’s like we all keep our shame bottled up inside and let it eat at us slowly. I...hate it. Sometimes I wish I could go up on top of a mountain and scream as loud as I can just to let it all out.”

“Any mountains in Tabiq? I don’t mind taking the drive with you,” I offered.

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