The Prey

Wes propelled Mara toward the entrance of the building. She tensed when she saw Dan Wallace and Dawn sitting with someone in the bar area sipping drinks. Thankfully, they didn’t seem to notice Wes and Mara. Without stopping or acknowledging them, Wes led Mara quickly down the hall of suites to a door. Stopping in front of it, he inserted a card key and pushed the door open, gesturing for her to enter first.

Once inside, he moved close and murmured into her ear, “There’s a hidden camera up there.” He gestured with his chin toward the light fixture. “There’s probably a microphone as well, so be careful what you say. I’m not going to risk disabling it at this point, just in case someone is monitoring.” He put his arm around her and led her toward the bathroom.

He closed the door. Still speaking softly, he said, “I didn’t find a camera or bug in the bathroom so I want you to stay in here until someone from my team comes for you, okay? Of course, you’ll want to clean up.” His eyes swept her filthy face and body—not that he looked much better. “I have some workout shorts and a T-shirt that will fit you okay,” he continued. “They’re better than nothing. I’ll bring them in before I go.”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take to secure the island. Things could be pretty chaotic for a while. I want you to stay put here until someone comes for you, okay?”

Mara nodded. She didn’t want this kind, sympathetic man to leave her, but she understood he had to go.

Wes pulled his filthy, damp shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. His shoulders were broad, his chest smooth, his pecs and abs clearly defined. Beneath the streaked dirt, he had a day’s worth of blond stubble on his chin and jaw. His eyes were a deep, royal blue. He turned on the sink tap and dunked his head under the flow of water, rubbing at his hair and running his hands over his face. He grabbed a towel. “I have to go in a second. Remember, stay here in the bathroom until someone comes for you.”

“Yes,” Mara agreed.

Wes left the room. Mara could hear him rummaging in the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the sunken tub, still trying to process his promise of her impending freedom. What if this was another elaborate ruse designed to test her loyalty? She shook the thought away. It was too horrible to contemplate.

Wes reentered the bathroom. He had put on a fresh shirt. His hair had begun to dry, and it stuck up in thick, golden-blond tufts.

“How many other girls are being held here on the island?” he asked.

“Six. There was another girl when I got here,” Mara’s voice cracked. “Her name was Sam. She was…sold.”

A dark look moved over Wes’ face and he nodded as if he’d seen this kind of thing before. “We’ll bring in the FBI. Hopefully they can follow the money trail and track her down. Right now, we have to focus on getting you all safely out of here. Where are the other girls right now, do you know?”

Mara shrugged uncertainly. “They could be with guests. Those girls not in service are probably in the quarters.” She told him where the building was located.

Wes nodded. “Got it.” Again he put his hand on Mara’s shoulder. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through, but it’s over now. I’ll get clearance to evacuate you all to a safe house we have in Norfolk, Virginia. There’s going to be a lot of fallout from this thing, and we need to make sure you aren’t compromised or in danger. You’ll be able to contact your family from there.”

Mara said nothing to this, though she couldn’t stop the tears that began to roll down her cheeks. She turned away and wiped at them with her dirty hands. She was a survivor. She would make a new life for herself somewhere far away from here.

She felt Wes’ hands on her shoulders once more and she allowed him to turn her gently toward him. He pulled her into a quick, tight hug. “It’s going to be okay, Mara. I promise.” His embrace was strong and comforting, but after a moment, he let her go and stepped back. “Things are going to get a little crazy. We might not have a chance to talk much before your evacuation.” He moved toward the desk again and grabbed a pen and small pad of paper. He scribbled on the page and tore it from the pad.

“That’s my cell number. I know you’ll want to put this whole horrible nightmare far behind you, Mara, probably me included. But keep the number, okay? Just in case.”