Page 119 of Spooked

“What happens in the house?” I whispered. I had a bad, bad feeling about this.

“He calls it ‘sampling the merchandise.’ He sells us; I know that much.”

Now I wished I hadn’t eaten that mouthful of cheese sandwich. It was about to make a reappearance.

“He raped you?”

“After he’d thrown me against a fireplace. I wish I hadn’t tried to stop him—I can’t walk properly anymore, and he’s been so angry. I’m damaged goods now. He says I’m stuck here until I recover. And if I don’t… Please, just remember my name. Elsa McKinley Henderson. I don’t… I don’t have a family anymore, and nobody’s going to look for me.”

“They will. People will find us.”

“They won’t. The names… There are so many names. Don’t fight him,” she said again. “The others say that if you just lie there, it doesn’t last long.”

The others? A chill ran through me. Actually, it was more of an icy tsunami. He’d done this to all of them? To Meera? Until now, I’d managed to hold myself together, but now the tears came. I needed to give her a hug. To tell her that help was coming and everything would be okay. But I couldn’t even call her name because her cell was near the guard, and he’d hear me.

Elsa began reciting names, and she hadn’t been lying about the number of them.

Helene Kuenstler.

Sarah Dennis.

Chelsea Appel.

Musi Lopez.

Ariss Raybourn.

Sheryl List.

Kerensa Stoffel.

Agata Lukasik.

Maryam S… Maryam S…

She started sobbing when she couldn’t remember the surname. Many of the victims sounded like tourists rather than locals—had Cass recruited more hostel owners like Silvio as part of his vile scheme?

And what was I meant to do tonight? I’d signed up to be kidnapped, not raped. I suppose… I suppose I should have thought of that, but I’d been so determined to help Meera and the other girls that I hadn’t stopped to consider the possibility. If I’d known, would I still have come? Would I have put myself through the ordeal with the knowledge that I’d prevent other girls from suffering the same fate? I thought that maybe I would. Brax would probably have put his foot down, though.

Brax.

Where was he?

How much did he know?

I could see Jerry keeping him in the dark, citing operational security or something. She seemed like a woman who held her cards close to her chest. How would he react when he found out what had happened? Would he be angry with me for allowing it? I hoped he’d be sympathetic. I’d really, really need his support when this was over.

Saige Sigal.

Deana Carman.

Moira Crace.

Kirsty Webb.

Jessica Thieleman.

Layla Cooper.

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