Page 47 of Wild Temple

We burst through the door, and Brooke greeted us with concerned eyes. "How did it go? Did you find Hannah?”

With a grim frown, I shook my head. "How’s Kelsey?"

Brooke shrugged. "She seems fine.”

Kelsey was still asleep.

It wasn’t long after that when a knock at the door startled us. “Police! Open up!”

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Iscooped up Kelsey and carried her through the adjoining door into Isabella’s suite. Isabella hadn’t technically checked out yet, and the hotel was still billing her for it. She’d booked the room for a month.

The last thing I needed was to be arrested fortraffickingin Tanjung Sur. I’m sure if the cops found a doped-up girl in my room, they’d try to find a way to spin it. A murder charge wouldn’t be any better, but at least it was respectable in certain circles.

JD grabbed our bags and hustled into Isabella’s room.

I closed both adjoining doors and dead bolted the one in Isabella's room.

JD pulled the curtain shut at the sliding glass doors that led to the balcony.

We hovered in the room, keeping still.

I had locked the deadbolt to our old suite. From the hallway, it would take the cops a minute to break down the door. At 5’6”and 120 pounds, these guys had their work cut out for them.

Kelsey stirred. “What’s going on?”

I hushed her and whispered, “I’ll explain. We rescued you from the traffickers. Keep quiet.”

She glanced around with terrified eyes, trying to make sense of everything.

We listened as the cops heaved a battering ram against the door, crashing into it multiple times.

“Who is that?” Kelsey asked, disturbed by the commotion.

I put my finger to my lips and shushed her again.

Finally, the door flung wide, and the officers stormed into the neighboring suite.

I'm not quite sure how they found us.

We listened as they ransacked the room.

The handle to the adjoining door jiggled.

After a few attempts, the officer gave up. I expected to hear a knock at the main door to Isabella’s room at any moment now. We all waited with dread.

Then it came.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

I exchanged a look with JD. Then I shuttled Brooke to the door. She peered through the peephole—two cops stood in the hallway.

In a timid voice, Brooke called through the door, "Who is it?"

"Police. Open up!”

I whispered in her ear, telling her what to say.