Page 95 of Solid as Steele
Owen left her in good hands and returned to help Wheeler. On the way back to the cellar, he paused to look at Mackenzie. She could help Valeria, and he didn’t care what Wheeler thought. “Can you sit with Valeria in the ambulance? I don’t want to leave her alone, and the EMT will have his hands full.”
She nodded and jogged toward Owen. As she came even with him, she paused to give his arm a squeeze, then hurried to the ambulance and climbed in.
Amazing.A quick touch by Mackenzie and his steps were lighter as he made his way back to the women. Elaina climbed out of the cellar, her arm around one of the sickest women, another woman on the other side.
Owen connected gazes with the sheriff who stood at the cellar entrance. “While the medics tend to the sicker women, I’ll head to the house for water and whatever food I can find for the others.”
Wheeler gave a sharp nod, his face pale and jaw tight.
“This way to the ambulance,” Owen said to Elaina and led them and the pair of the stronger women who helped the other weaker woman toward the second rig.
The sicker women sat on the bumper and held hands, their eyes cutting around in fear. The taller medic spoke Spanish and offered them comfort as he treated one of the women, his partner treating the other.
Owen instructed the helpers to take a seat near the fence. Heads and shoulders down, they complied without a word. Their unconditional obedience broke Owen’s heart as much as the horrid conditions.
Owen looked at Elaina. “I’m going to the house for food and water.”
“I will help you.” She glanced at the women by the fence. “Let me tell them where we are going, and that they should have the others sit with them.”
She didn’t wait for permission but crossed to the fence and gave the instructions. Owen waited, thinking of all the questions he would ask Elaina on their walk to the house.
She quickly joined him, her eyes narrowed. “Will Tovar be at the house?”
Owen glanced ahead. One patrol car sat out front. Hopefully, it didn’t belong to the deputy Wheeler told to transport Tovar. “He should’ve been transported already.”
“Part of me wishes he is still here. I would like to tell him off.” She lifted her shoulders. “To talk to him while I wasn’t his prisoner.”
A perfect opening for Owen’s questions. “How did you come to be his prisoner?”
“The cartels, of course.” She spit the words with venom. “In my country, they are known for engaging in sexual trafficking. They target poor communities. The women often lack basic education. The cartels promise a better life. More money and romantic relationships. Exactly what most of these women dream of. Or the cartels even resort to blackmailing.”
Owen nodded. “I’d heard it was a big problem in Mexico.”
“Of course, the women don’t get what they want. They are placed in terrible conditions while guarded or locked up. They’re drugged, raped, mentally abused, tortured, and even murdered.” Elaina shuddered.
“And this is what happened to you?” Owen asked, though he hated to do so.
“Sort of. We were all taken, but I would not give in and encouraged the others with me to band together and rebel.” She lifted her shoulders. “I am educated and could outsmart their men. For our rebellion, we received frequent beatings, which on the one hand was good because we were too incapacitated to be of use to them. They hoped their beatings would deter us, but we persevered and became so difficult that they did not want us.”
Owen could just imagine their horrid lives. “And is that when Tovar came in?”
She nodded. “He is known in the border towns for human trafficking. Even has the nickname, Don Juan, because he believes he is seducing the women he forces to have sex with him. He buys women the cartels don’t want. Either difficult ones like us, or women who are all used up or too strung out to be of value to them. Tovar then transports them here, and sells them to men who aren’t as particular.”
Owen shook his head. “That’s really revolting, and I’m so sorry that it happened to you.”
“I appreciate your kindness.” She smiled at him, temporarily eliminating the pain in her eyes. “But you have rescued me from it, and now I hope I can go back to my real life.”
He even detected a note of optimism in her tone, which totally blew him away. “Do you want to go back to Mexico? Aren’t you afraid it will happen again?”
“My work is important to me. I come from a wealthier family than most of these women, and am fortunate to have an education. I have devoted my life to teaching in the slums. I suppose I could continue my work in the United States if they would allow me to seek asylum here.”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll do my best to make it happen.” And he would. Not only for her, but for the other women too, if they so desired.
They reached the house and climbed the steps to the porch. The deputies stood right inside the room where Juanita remained sitting in the same chair.
She caught sight of Elaina and raced across the room to hug her.“Eres libre?”
“Sí. Alabado sea el Señor por enviar a estos hombres.”
