thinking of Bailey.
The night she left, she would have been taken somewhere private. Human traffickers worked by making their victims fall in love with them. They manipulated the young girls into relying on them for everything. Sometimes that took weeks. But, judging by the looks of the emails and texts Deacon found, Vic had already started brainwashing Bailey.
After Vic had her eating out of his hand, he would start the sob story. That he needed money to save his mother, sister, or grandmother. That he needed money to finance her career or any other excuse he could make her believe. After casually bringing up how beautiful she was and how anyone would pay a fortune to be her boyfriend, he would break her. Sometimes it was by force. Sometimes the girls willingly believed it would just be once to help the man they love. But it was never just once.
Vic would have to be sure he had completely broken her will and convinced her she would be abandoned if she called home or tried to escape. He would tell her that her mother would call her a whore and turn her back on her. Or possibly that if she went home he’d kill her mother. He would tell her he’d release the video of her with all the men. He’d remind her of the money she’d turned over to him for his sick relative or whatever tale he had spun. Then Vic would convince her she was a criminal for taking money for sex. If she went to the police, she would be arrested and sent to jail.
Vic would do or say anything to keep Bailey dependent on him. Drugs were most likely involved as well as a means to blur reality for Bailey. It was when she felt as if she had no options but to stay that Vic would sell her or turn her into a prostitute. And that’s when she would be moved. That’s when her trail would turn into dark whispers in the shadows of the night upon the lips of men so evil even the devil would shudder.
Tonight he would go out into that world and find her. He only hoped she had held on. If Bailey remained defiant, then she might still be in town. If not, he only hoped he could go deep enough into the shadows to find her.
Sydney ate quietly. Her mind had drifted from what was in her family’s trunk to finding Bailey. What Vic had told her had given her nightmares. Only the feel of Deacon’s strong arms holding her to the present prevented her from losing herself in the horror of Vic’s words.
Could one of her friends really be in league with Vic? There was no other way for him to find out about her connection to Bailey. It had to be Emily, Patrick, or Teddy. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to each of them as Deacon worked on his computer across from her. She thanked each for their help and then told them she’d like to pay them back. She asked if they were going to be anywhere nearby so she could take them out to dinner. And then she waited.
Emily was the first to get back to her. She has a photo shoot in Spain and wouldn’t be back in the United States for another two weeks. Teddy was next. He wasn’t going to be in Kentucky, but he would be at the football championship game in Indianapolis the next week. There was a party he’d been invited to. Sadly, he didn’t think he’d have the time to come to Keeneston for a visit. Finally Patrick replied. He too was going to be at the football game in Indianapolis as he shot some of the campaigns to promote the game.
“ Too bad I only got one ticket or you could join me. I’ve heard the game is completely sold out. Unfortunately, the next morning I’ll be flying to St. Barts for a photo shoot .” Sydney read to Deacon.
She put down her phone and looked at Deacon. He had stopped doing research as soon as she had started to read the texts to him. She could see his mind working as he dissected every word.
“Do you find it strange they’re both going to the football game?” Deacon finally asked.
Sydney shrugged. “It is one of the biggest events of the year. It’s the place to be seen. A lot
The night she left, she would have been taken somewhere private. Human traffickers worked by making their victims fall in love with them. They manipulated the young girls into relying on them for everything. Sometimes that took weeks. But, judging by the looks of the emails and texts Deacon found, Vic had already started brainwashing Bailey.
After Vic had her eating out of his hand, he would start the sob story. That he needed money to save his mother, sister, or grandmother. That he needed money to finance her career or any other excuse he could make her believe. After casually bringing up how beautiful she was and how anyone would pay a fortune to be her boyfriend, he would break her. Sometimes it was by force. Sometimes the girls willingly believed it would just be once to help the man they love. But it was never just once.
Vic would have to be sure he had completely broken her will and convinced her she would be abandoned if she called home or tried to escape. He would tell her that her mother would call her a whore and turn her back on her. Or possibly that if she went home he’d kill her mother. He would tell her he’d release the video of her with all the men. He’d remind her of the money she’d turned over to him for his sick relative or whatever tale he had spun. Then Vic would convince her she was a criminal for taking money for sex. If she went to the police, she would be arrested and sent to jail.
Vic would do or say anything to keep Bailey dependent on him. Drugs were most likely involved as well as a means to blur reality for Bailey. It was when she felt as if she had no options but to stay that Vic would sell her or turn her into a prostitute. And that’s when she would be moved. That’s when her trail would turn into dark whispers in the shadows of the night upon the lips of men so evil even the devil would shudder.
Tonight he would go out into that world and find her. He only hoped she had held on. If Bailey remained defiant, then she might still be in town. If not, he only hoped he could go deep enough into the shadows to find her.
Sydney ate quietly. Her mind had drifted from what was in her family’s trunk to finding Bailey. What Vic had told her had given her nightmares. Only the feel of Deacon’s strong arms holding her to the present prevented her from losing herself in the horror of Vic’s words.
Could one of her friends really be in league with Vic? There was no other way for him to find out about her connection to Bailey. It had to be Emily, Patrick, or Teddy. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to each of them as Deacon worked on his computer across from her. She thanked each for their help and then told them she’d like to pay them back. She asked if they were going to be anywhere nearby so she could take them out to dinner. And then she waited.
Emily was the first to get back to her. She has a photo shoot in Spain and wouldn’t be back in the United States for another two weeks. Teddy was next. He wasn’t going to be in Kentucky, but he would be at the football championship game in Indianapolis the next week. There was a party he’d been invited to. Sadly, he didn’t think he’d have the time to come to Keeneston for a visit. Finally Patrick replied. He too was going to be at the football game in Indianapolis as he shot some of the campaigns to promote the game.
“ Too bad I only got one ticket or you could join me. I’ve heard the game is completely sold out. Unfortunately, the next morning I’ll be flying to St. Barts for a photo shoot .” Sydney read to Deacon.
She put down her phone and looked at Deacon. He had stopped doing research as soon as she had started to read the texts to him. She could see his mind working as he dissected every word.
“Do you find it strange they’re both going to the football game?” Deacon finally asked.
Sydney shrugged. “It is one of the biggest events of the year. It’s the place to be seen. A lot
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