years older. When she’d described her sister, his heart had sunk with the realization that their Alice was most likely Villie. He’d decided to wait until Ivana was stronger before bringing a picture to her for a positive ID.
“How long will they keep her in the hospital?” Ben asked.
“Another day, then Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take over. Since she’s a victim of trafficking, Elisais searching for a women’s shelter and will keep her whereabouts confidential.”
“Is that the best idea? She’s a possible witness for us on Alice. Will we have access if we need it?”
“They just want to keep her safe and make her feel secure, and a women’s shelter is a perfect nongovernmental agency. But I can see how it might be hard to reach her in a hurry if we need to.” Jack drummed on the dash with his fingers and thought for a minute. “We need another viable alternative.” He snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it.”
“What?”
“Brinna. She’s off work; she’s got room. What say we talk her into taking the girl in, watching her for a bit? ICE shouldn’t have a problem with the victim being released into the private home of a cop. And Brinna’s address should be safe from discovery.” Jack wouldn’t admit that this line of reasoning was also selfish. The more Brinna was involved with the case, the more he had an opportunity to be around her.
“Yeah, but Brinna might not like it. She’s all for protecting kids, but —”
“This affected her; I could tell. I bet she was thinking about all the teens she’s been involved with who ran away from home because someone promised them something, only to be exploited or murdered. She’ll be up for it.”
“Hope you’re right, because it does sound like a good plan.”
23
B RINNA AND M AGGIE LEFT the hospital around two thirty. Maggie was so quiet during the ride to her condo, Brinna worried she was sick and asked if she felt okay.
“Not sick. Just restless and not able to sit still.”
“What are you going to do? Go back to the hospital?” Brinna asked when they pulled into Maggie’s complex.
“I’ll be worthless until I know what’s going on with Rick. At least if I stay at the hospital, I can help Molly if she needs anything.”
“Do you want me —?”
“No. You’re dead on your feet, Brin. Go get some sleep.”
“Call me if you need me for anything at all.”
Maggie only nodded and climbed out of the car.
Brinna sat in her car and watched her friend disappear into the condo. Nothing they’d heard about Rick’s condition had been conclusive, and she knew that weighed on Maggie. Rick had come through the surgery all right, but his paralysiswas still a question mark. It was the elephant in the room neither of them could bring up.
Yawning, Brinna headed home. When she arrived and before she got out of the car, she called her mother. Asking for prayer was not easy; it was still something Brinna was trying to learn. Somehow it was easier to just leave a message on her mother’s voice mail.
“Mom, hey, I’m back home from the hospital. Rick, Maggie’s partner, had some serious surgery on his back. Could you pray? I mean . . . well, I don’t want him to be paralyzed, so . . .”
She kept the line open until there was a beep and then closed her phone, hoping Mom would understand. She trudged into the house feeling as though her shoes were made of lead. She wished with all her heart that Rick would recover completely. Surely the best doctor in the country could accomplish that, couldn’t he?
Once inside, Hero wanted a walk, but she didn’t have the energy to give him one. He had to settle for a trip out to the backyard. Trying to clear her mind, she lay down in bed. She closed her eyes, and sleep fell like a hammer.
* * *
The phone woke her around four thirty. Still sore after the power nap, Brinna moved slowly to pick up the receiver. It was her mother.
“Hi, Mom, what’s up?”
“Just
“How long will they keep her in the hospital?” Ben asked.
“Another day, then Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take over. Since she’s a victim of trafficking, Elisais searching for a women’s shelter and will keep her whereabouts confidential.”
“Is that the best idea? She’s a possible witness for us on Alice. Will we have access if we need it?”
“They just want to keep her safe and make her feel secure, and a women’s shelter is a perfect nongovernmental agency. But I can see how it might be hard to reach her in a hurry if we need to.” Jack drummed on the dash with his fingers and thought for a minute. “We need another viable alternative.” He snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it.”
“What?”
“Brinna. She’s off work; she’s got room. What say we talk her into taking the girl in, watching her for a bit? ICE shouldn’t have a problem with the victim being released into the private home of a cop. And Brinna’s address should be safe from discovery.” Jack wouldn’t admit that this line of reasoning was also selfish. The more Brinna was involved with the case, the more he had an opportunity to be around her.
“Yeah, but Brinna might not like it. She’s all for protecting kids, but —”
“This affected her; I could tell. I bet she was thinking about all the teens she’s been involved with who ran away from home because someone promised them something, only to be exploited or murdered. She’ll be up for it.”
“Hope you’re right, because it does sound like a good plan.”
23
B RINNA AND M AGGIE LEFT the hospital around two thirty. Maggie was so quiet during the ride to her condo, Brinna worried she was sick and asked if she felt okay.
“Not sick. Just restless and not able to sit still.”
“What are you going to do? Go back to the hospital?” Brinna asked when they pulled into Maggie’s complex.
“I’ll be worthless until I know what’s going on with Rick. At least if I stay at the hospital, I can help Molly if she needs anything.”
“Do you want me —?”
“No. You’re dead on your feet, Brin. Go get some sleep.”
“Call me if you need me for anything at all.”
Maggie only nodded and climbed out of the car.
Brinna sat in her car and watched her friend disappear into the condo. Nothing they’d heard about Rick’s condition had been conclusive, and she knew that weighed on Maggie. Rick had come through the surgery all right, but his paralysiswas still a question mark. It was the elephant in the room neither of them could bring up.
Yawning, Brinna headed home. When she arrived and before she got out of the car, she called her mother. Asking for prayer was not easy; it was still something Brinna was trying to learn. Somehow it was easier to just leave a message on her mother’s voice mail.
“Mom, hey, I’m back home from the hospital. Rick, Maggie’s partner, had some serious surgery on his back. Could you pray? I mean . . . well, I don’t want him to be paralyzed, so . . .”
She kept the line open until there was a beep and then closed her phone, hoping Mom would understand. She trudged into the house feeling as though her shoes were made of lead. She wished with all her heart that Rick would recover completely. Surely the best doctor in the country could accomplish that, couldn’t he?
Once inside, Hero wanted a walk, but she didn’t have the energy to give him one. He had to settle for a trip out to the backyard. Trying to clear her mind, she lay down in bed. She closed her eyes, and sleep fell like a hammer.
* * *
The phone woke her around four thirty. Still sore after the power nap, Brinna moved slowly to pick up the receiver. It was her mother.
“Hi, Mom, what’s up?”
“Just
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