Page 99 of Protecting Kelli
“Who’s Melba?” she asked.
“Their resident cow.”
“No way!” Kelli exclaimed, her brows flying up.
“Yup. And they have a bunch of other animals too. And from what I understand, the owners and their wives have had their fair share of drama, but they’re now all settled and building a mini village on the property, where they’re all raising their kids together.”
“That sounds awesome.”
“Maybe we should find a large piece of land where wecan do the same. Convince everyone to build there, so we can all live together.”
“Can you imagine living with grumpy Smiley next door?” Kelli teased. Then she sobered. “He’s not going to hurt Bree, is he?”
“No! Why would you ask that?” Flash asked.
“It’s just…he didn’t exactly look happy to see her.”
“You have to understand, Smiley’s been trying to find her for quite a while now. It was driving him crazy that she disappeared into thin air. He was worried about her. I think something about her touched him in a way that no one else has.”
“She was scared,” Kelli said. Then she sighed. “I have a confession. Bree was visiting me at Smiley’s apartment for a week or so. She came to the door one day, looking for him. I think she was ready to ask him for help. And she thought I was his girlfriend because I was in his apartment. I invited her in, because she was in desperate need of a shower. I fed her, we did her laundry…and she came back a couple of times. That’s why she was in the parking lot yesterday. She was coming to see me again. But it was later than she usually showed up.”
“Is that what was bothering you? The secret you couldn’t tell me?” Flash asked.
Kelli nodded, scared he was going to be really mad.
To her surprise, he just leaned up and kissed her forehead before settling back down at her side.
“I promised I wouldn’t say anything to you or Smiley. She was gathering up the courage to talk to him face-to-face. I gave her my cell number, and Smiley’s, just in case. And she used it when she hid in Brant’s backseat. Are you mad?”
“No. I think you did the right thing. She was obviously very used to hiding, to staying under the radar. Making friends with her was a good thing.”
Kelli relaxed. “For the record, I didn’t like keeping her from you. But I promised.”
“I know.”
“What happens now? With her and Smiley?” Kelli asked.
“No clue. I’m guessing he’s going to want to hear her entire story. Find out who her ex is, and who the asshole sold her to. Then he’ll want to track that fucker down and do what he can to end his reign of terror and break up any sex-trafficking thing he’s got going on.”
“Um…is it going to be that easy?”
“Not at all. There are usually layers upon layers when it comes to exploiting women. And honestly, most women who get into situations like that are groomed for months. It’s not just a matter of kidnapping strangers off the streets. So whatever is going on with Bree’s situation is unique. And unique isn’t necessarily good. I remember a story from a while ago about a woman who’d been kidnapped while she and her husband were in Vegas, and she was taken out of the country and held for a decade.”
“Oh my gosh! But she was found?”
“Yeah, by her husband, who never gave up hope that she was alive. He formed his own group of former military men who tracked down trafficking victims, all in the hopes he could find his own wife one day. And he did. They live in Colorado now.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Yeah. My point is…whatismy point?” Flash mused.
“Bree.”
“Right. Bree’s situation is going to be tough because someone’s still after her. He seems desperate to find her, actually, and follow through with whatever plans he had for her. Which…seems strange. So whatever is going on there, it’s not good.”
“And Smiley will be right there in the middle of it,” Kelli surmised.
“Yup.”
