Human trafficking is huge in Nigeria. That’s why Jax is so against it. He’s tired of seeing the women and children from the villages disappear, tired of watching their parents sell one child to get enough money to feed the others. Romania is the same way, especially in the smaller, mountain villages like my birth home. Pungesti is nothing but poor families dying from starvation.
“Agent Williams?”
The funeral director ushers in three adults, a small blue-eyed little girl following them. She can’t be more than three or four.
“This is the Scott family. John and Dawn are his parents. Jessica is his longtime girlfriend.”
The younger woman is my height, slender build, with long blonde hair and deep green eyes. She extends her hand and we shake. Mrs. Scott moves past me to her son, gently running her fingers through his hair.
My eyes drift down to the little girl clutching Jessica’s leg. She glances up and my breath stops.
She has his eyes.
“Hi,” I whisper to her, squatting down.
“Hi,” she replies, her voice soft and musical.
“What’s your name?”
“Cassie.”
“Nice to meet you, Cassie. I’m Lily.”
She glances over my shoulder at Jameson’s body, fear shining in her doe-like eyes as she clutches her mother’s leg tighter.
“Why don’t we go out in the hall, Cassie?” Jessica takes her hand and leads her out of the room.
Tears stream down my face, all the pain and anguish flowing through me. I never knew he had a daughter. His ass would’ve been sent home if I had. I sink down to my knees and a sob chokes me. Covering my face with my hands, my body shakes, and I know I’ve lost it.
Strong hands grip my arms and pull me to my feet. My vision is blurry, my nose running, and I try to turn away. Delicate hands replace the firm ones and pull me into a hug, a quiet sob mixing with mine.
“Thank you, for bringing him home,” his mother whispers against my shoulder.
I sob harder, wishing this were a dream. His mother and I stand there, for what feels like forever. Straightening myself, my chest heaves with the effort to gain composure.
“Do you have a moment, Agent?”
“Of course.”
They lead me into the hallway to join Jessica and Cassie. I sit on a bench with his mother, his father standing next to her.
“Jameson used to talk about you and your team every time he came home.”
“I’m so sorry. If I’d known he had a family, he never would’ve stayed. He’d have been here, behind a desk.”
His mother laughs. “That would’ve been priceless. Jameson was never the sit still type. Interpol was natural for him after four years in the Marines.”
“How long did you know him?” Jessica asks, scooting to the edge of the bench across from us.
“Eleven years.”
“So, you knew him well?”
“Well enough. We didn’t talk about our families, but with what we do, you become close.”
His mother places her hand over mine, gently stroking my skin with her thumb. “He spoke very highly of you, Lily.”
The tears threaten to start again, and I tilt my head back, willing them to stay put.