Page 23 of Secret (Chicago Underground 6)
Jenny made a disgusted sound.
“Right? So I get the hell away from her, but then I met Marguerite, who is not sweet. Honestly, she’s kind of a bitch, but that’s why I tolerate her. She guilted me into giving money for the girls to start new lives. Then when they got too big for the house they were using, I bought them a new building. Whatever.”
“You bought them a building,” Jenny repeated.
I shrugged. “By that time, I was with Philip. He’s pretty generous.”
“But a building?” She seemed stunned. “I have two thousand dollars stuffed inside my bra right now, which is all the money I have.”
I winced. Paper cuts had never been my thing. “And that’s why we’re taking you to the shelter.”
She spoke quietly. “I’ve been in hiding for the past five years, hiding inside my own body. No way am I going back to that life.”
I gentled my voice. “The thing about the shelter is, they aren’t hiding from life. They’re living it. It took me a while to figure that out too.”
She swallowed, looking scared. “Okay. I’ll go.”
“Good. I’ll get you settled in too. It won’t be so bad.”
“Wait a second,” she said. “After convincing me to go to this place, you’re not staying?”
“My orders are very specific,” Major said. “Get you out and keep you safe until Luke can meet up with us.”
“Sorry, I’ve got some things to take care of. Clearing my name and all that.”
“I thought you knew,” he said.
That sounded ominous.
“Thought I knew what?”
“The police department. They’ve moved on. Technically, you’re still wanted for questioning in connection with the crimes, but they’ve removed the arrest warrant on you and that other girl. You’re free.”
“Wow.” So Henri came through for me after all.
He continued. “The cops can’t justify spending their time looking for someone when everyone knows you guys aren’t a threat anyway.”
A small sound came from Jenny. She looked outside.
“What is it?” I asked.
“So, don’t lose your shit.”
“Shit.” I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. “What did you do?”
“Nothing. Well, not exactly. I overheard Henri talking. Apparently he’s going to talk to someone right now. Negotiating for your release.”
I turned to Major. “Where exactly did you say Luke was?”
His silence was damning.
“Fuck.”
“There’s no way he’ll actually do it,” Jenny said. “You heard him.”
Yes, I had heard Henri’s plans for me. More than that, I remembered Jenny’s story from earlier. Henri would do anything to get even. It was the reason he was so successful. Desperate to claw his way back to the top, he wouldn’t abandon his brutality now.
“Major, you know where he is.”
