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Monday morning found Sherrie back in the law office, regaling the office staff with her weekend adventures. She stumbled over the parts that included her new relationship with Tony, but the smile on her face gave her away.

Mr. Marks said, “My dear, I have to tell you that my wife was fretting something fierce until you called to reassure us of your safety.” Giving her a fatherly hug, he said, “I’m glad you have someone in your life. You deserve that.”

Simon walked over, smiling as he congratulated her on her first storm survival. “I was stuck in a snow storm once, but confess to not having a beautiful woman with me. I envy Mr. Alvarez.”

“Alright, enough about my adventures or misadventures,” she laughed. Looking at Simon, she asked, “What about my CASA cases? Anything new?”

“Actually, I’ve got a young woman I’d like you to talk to. She was referred by the courts, but won’t talk to me, so you’ve been assigned as her worker. She is a runaway and currently in a foster placement. You can visit her at her foster home this afternoon if you can fit it into your schedule.”

“Sure. I’ve got quite a bit of catching up to do, but I’d love to.”

That afternoon found Sherrie sitting at the kitchen table of the foster home, talking to Betina. She was the only one talking because Betina refused to speak. The young woman was fifteen years old and a natural beauty. Long, black hair and tan skin, the Latina teenager looked furtively from side to side as though searching for an escape.

“Betina, I want to explain why I’m here. I’m your Court Appointed Special Advocate but we shorten that to CASA. Has anyone explained to you what that means?”

A quick shake of her head was the only answer given.

“The judge in your case assigned me to work with you, talk with you, and make sure you are safe. I will be interviewing your teachers and parents to get a good idea of how things are with you so that when I make my report to the judge, he will have your interests in mind.”

The young teen sat stoically, not responding.

“Betina, I was noticing that this seemed like a pretty nice house. I grew up in foster care and had a few nice ones, but also had some that were not so nice. Do you like it here?”

A short nod was the only answer.

Sherrie continued as though the girl had given her a dissertation. “Good, I’m glad. Are you in the same school as before?”

A shake of her head gave her nonverbal acknowledgement. “Is that hard, moving to a different school?”

For the briefest of moments, Sherrie saw a flash of regret pass through Betina’s eyes before being quickly replaced by practiced indifference.

Jumping on that, she moved the conversation to school. After several minutes, Betina seemed to relax a bit and actually answered a few questions about classes.

After a slight pause, Betina looked out of the kitchen window and simply said, “Art. My favorite class.”

“Do you have any drawings?” Sherrie asked, trying to keep Betina from shutting her out again. “I’d love to see anything you’ve done. I’m afraid I’m not very artistic myself but love to look at other’s work.”

Looking furtively around again, the teenager pulled out a small notebook from her backpack and pushed it across the table to Sherrie. Thrilled that she had made the slightest inroads with her, she eagerly opened the notebook. The pages were filled with pencil drawings, with clear lines and incredible detail. Most of the drawings were of people’s faces, with a few scenes depicted amongst them.

Several were of other teen girls and boys, and a few adults mixed in. Mesmerized at the intricate drawings, she asked if they were her friends.

Another emotion flashed through Betina’s eyes and Sherrie could have sworn she saw fear for a moment. Years of working in seedy bars to make money to go to college had Sherrie an expert in reading expressions, but she had to admit that Betina’s ability to cover up quickly made it difficult to ascertain what she was thinking.

“Some,” came the simple answer.

“Well, they’re amazing. Really beautiful. How do you capture their faces in such detail?”

Betina smiled for the first time and Sherrie wondered if praise was something that the young girl rarely received. Shrugging, Betina just added, “I watch people. I see them.”

“You see them?” Sherrie prodded.

“You know. Like really see them. The inside of them,” came the halting answers.

“Well, they are phenomenal.” Sensing that she had gotten all out of the young woman that she was going to get, she patted her hand as she pushed the notebook back across the table, noting Betina’s aversion to the touch on her hand.

Filing that away for future reference, she stood saying, “Goodbye for now and I’ll be by to see you again in a day or so,” carefully watching the expression on her face.

Betina did not smile but gave the slightest encouraging nod, which Sherrie took as a positive. Back in the office that afternoon, she met with Simon going over the interview with Betina.

“I know there is something going on and I wish she would open up,” she said.

“She lived with her mom and a man they called her stepdad, but he and mom never married. He runs some local businesses in the area. Pays his taxes and doesn’t seem to have anything going on with him.”

“Sexual abuse, you think?” she asked.

Simon answered, “Thought about it, but the girl has not indicated anything untoward.”

“Well, something makes her run away,” she said, frustration clear on her face.

“The DSS worker who placed her in the foster home said that the medical exam did not show bruises so physical abuse was ruled out. The mother claims the girl keeps running away to see a boyfriend and was staying out all night, but the fear shown from the girl indicated that something was going on.”

“So what happens now?”

“If Betina won’t talk, then she’ll probably be placed back in her home. Foster care was just temporary anyway and she may have to go spend some time at the Juvenile Detention Center.”

At the thought of ‘juvie’, Sherrie shuddered. Her sister had spent plenty of time at the detention center when picked up for drugs when she was a teenager. The idea of Betina going there was unacceptable to her.

“Well, I’m going to try to find out what’s going on so that doesn’t happen,” she stated emphatically.

Her cell phone rang and at a quick glance her smile returned. “Hey,” she answered softly.

“Hey yourself,” Tony replied. “How’s your day going?”

“Busy, but it’s almost over. What about you?”

Tony shook his head, thinking of the way his friends had reacted to him spending the weekend snowed in with her.

Walking in that morning to Alvarez Security, he expected some questions but not a joyous inquisition.

Lily, immediately placing her hand on his arm, peered into his eyes as though trying to see deep inside of him. “Are you alright?” Receiving his nod, she continued. “Is Sherrie all right?”

“Yes, we’re both fine.”

“No, I mean are you two really okay? Together?” she prodded.

Tony, unused to talking about his personal life to anyone, found his weekend with Sherrie had released him from being quite so uncomfortable. “Yeah, Lily. We’re great.”

Turning away from her smile, he was accosted by BJ and Gabe.

“So, you finally went after the girl, huh?” BJ asked.

BJ had not served with them in the Army, so he would not have gone through their experiences together. Tony saw Gabe’s expression, knowing his friend was both happy for him and understanding how life-changing this was.

Tony’s eyes did not flash irritation at BJ’s question, but instead found it hard to keep the smile from crossing his face.

“Not that my personal life is anyone’s business, but yes. I went after the girl,” he said.

Vinny and Jobe walked up, hearing the end of Tony’s one-sentence speech, each smiling. BJ had continued on toward the conference room, but the others stood in the hall with Tony.

“Captain, can’t tell you how happy I am for you,” Jobe spoke, sincerity filling every word.

Tony looked at his former squad members, now friends as well as employees. The men who had stayed with him as he picked out the white matching caskets. And secretly held him when he fell apart, careful to keep anyone else from seeing. He now saw the emotions clearly written on their faces. Happiness. And relief.

Smiling, he just nodded. They slapped him on the back as they too headed into the conference room.

Answering Sherrie, Tony said, “Everyone was happy we made it through the storm safely.”

“That’s it? No one had anything else to say?” she prodded.

“Like what, babe?”

“Oh, like BJ calling his wife, Suzanne, to tell her that we were now a couple and Lily calling her husband, Matt, to tell him as well. And then they told Annie and Jennifer, who by the way already knew before Gabe could call her.”

“Jesus, my men are as bad as you women,” he exclaimed.

“Humph,” she grumped, then heard him chuckling. “Oh, you’re just being mean.”

“Just joking with you. I told everyone this morning that we were together, and they were all real happy.” He could almost hear her grin through the phone and his heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.

“Well, besides turning into a jokester, did you have a reason to call?” she asked.

“Besides just wanting to hear your voice? Actually, I thought you could come to my place for dinner after work.”

“I’d love to,” she effused.

Giving her the address, he saw where another call was coming in. “Sorry to rush but it looks like Shane is trying to get ahold of me.” With a quick goodbye, he switched calls.

“Shane? What’s up?” he asked.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Shane said.

“How quickly did the news hit the Richmond Police?” he asked his detective friend.

“About as long as it took my wife to find out from Lily, and BJ’s wife.”

“Well, thanks, man. Surely you called for some other reason than to bust my chops?” he asked.

“You got time for Matt and I to have a conference with you and some of your men?” Shane asked.

Serious now, Tony said, “Always got time for you all. Come on over and I’ll gather everyone.”

* * *

Matt Dixon and Shane Douglass, detectives with the Richmond Police department and close friends with Tony and his group, sat around the conference table discussing their latest investigations.

“We’re working on a case of money laundering and have centered our investigation on Quentin Salazar. His name keeps cropping up but once again, like so many we try to investigate, they bury their illegal businesses so deep, our resources can’t reach them.”

Shane added, “He has also been mentioned with some sex clubs along the riverfront, but again nothing concrete. We’ve got a feeling that his hand is in much more, but we were wondering if Lily and BJ could do some digging for us. And…”

His pause had the others looking up. “We were wondering if perhaps, your team could put a few security cameras around his office. Unofficially, of course,” he said with a grin.

Tony said, “Got no problem with that, but nothing we get will be admissible in court.”

“We’re just looking for others in league with him, anything that gives us an idea where to look and what we’re looking for.”

Nodding, Tony agreed. “All right.”

The meeting continued as the group broke off into two teams. Matt went with Lily and BJ to talk about what they needed from their computer searches. Shane stayed with the others to discuss what cameras would be needed and where they could place them to get the most intel.

“He’s got an office in the same block of buildings that one of the clubs is in. He’s not been seen going into the club, but we know he’s just being a sneaky bastard.”

“We’ll get BJ to look at the floor plan of that old building and see what connections we can find,” Tony added.

“One other thing,” Shane interjected. “Talk on the street is that this club will start servicing men who are looking for children, especially teens or pre-teen virgins. We’ve got no proof yet, but that’s what one informer said.”

“Shit,” Jobe bit out, shaking his head.

“We want these guys and we want them shut down.”

Standing, Tony shook Shane’s hand. “Whatever you need from us…you got.”

* * *

Hernando Valesquez moved from the front of his prosperous grocery store to the back office. Walking in, he was pleased to see Juan waiting for him.

“What do you have for me?” he bit out.

“Betina is still with the foster family. Had some visitors, but nothing suspicious.”

“I want that little bitch watched. If she hadn’t run off and gotten picked up by the police, we wouldn’t be worried.”

“She’s not talking. Got too much to lose. She knows her mother will suffer if needed.”

“My little wife?” Hernando questioned with a laugh. “Easy bait for Betina.” Sobering, he ordered, “Keep me informed. I want no surprises.”

The tall, dark-haired man nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Hernando sat down in his squeaky chair as he rubbed his temples. Too much to lose, little Betina, if you can’t follow orders. He knew the organization was much larger than himself, but he loved the power he wielded. Working his way up the chain, he was now a regional manager. And not of his grocery store, he thought with a smirk. No, the store provides the perfect cover. Providing the only Hispanic grocery in the area, I am loved. While he had never married Betina’s mother, she also helped with the cover. Meek, mild, and so pleased that such a successful man wanted to be with her, she was easy to manipulate.

He only had one boss and that was Quentin Salazar. He frowned for a moment, realizing that he had no idea if Quentin was the top of the chain or if he was just one more in the chain, but right now he did not care. His duties as regional manager meant that he had to manage the recruiters, who in turn recruited almost all of the teens his organization needed. Free labor. Free sex. Smiling to himself, he thought of the women in his group as well. Nothing like the fear in their eyes when on their knees sucking me off. Hernando was careful to never use the minors for sex. Too risky. And he hated little, skinny bodies. He wanted a mature woman, the bigger the tits, the better.

Finding his dick swelling at the thought, he opened his office door and motioned to one of the workers in his store. He ignored the look in her eyes as he focused on her huge breasts discreetly covered. A few minutes later as he fucked her pendulous breasts freed from her shirt, the thought ran through his mind just as he moved to her mouth to unload… I must be the luckiest man alive.

As the woman adjusted herself and then went back to his respectable business, his mind turned toward Betina. The smile left his face. I’ve come too far for that little bitch to complicate matters.