Jillian Chantal

As promised, I am back with Tuesday Tales today.  I have picked up on the last story I was working on before I got too worried to do anything but fret.  As the reader may recall, this is a story with the hero on a quest to rescue a missing young girl.  Today’s word is crush.

Be sure to check out the other tales here. 

“I’m searching for a girl who ran away from her grandparents’ home in North Carolina. Her friend came back and said the girl left her to go on a job interview at a shop in Chinatown. I had met the grandfather on the Appalachian Trail and he called me. I called James, my former NYPD partner and asked if he had any ideas about where I could start. He gave me Charlie’s name. Even helped set up the meeting.”

“Too bad he didn’t know about the danger he was sending you into. The man has one of the roughest gangs around and they are vigilant in making sure their criminal dealings are successful. They don’t hesitate to kill.”

My gut dropped. Was I already doomed to fail to rescue Shannon? Was she being prostituted this minute? Right here, right now as I waited for fresh, hot coffee?

A sense of urgency overwhelmed me. I turned toward the exit.

“Stop, Kev. I know what you’re thinking and it won’t do one bit of good to go off half-cocked on some misguided and unplanned rescue run.”

Spinning around to address him, I slammed my hand on the counter. “How do I know the girl I’m trying to find isn’t being initiated into a horrible life right this instant? How can I stand here and let that happen?”

“Hang on, man. You have no idea where she is or if she’s already in the life. Chances are, if she’s been missing as long as it sounds like she has, she’s way past the initiation phase.” Bennett pulled some cups from the upper cabinet.

“That makes me feel even worse.” In my mind, I knew he was right. In my heart, this was killing me.

Someone touched my back.

“What?” I whirled around, speaking too gruffly as I was so angry over what may be Shannon’s fate. I knew she might be hooking on the streets but I’d never thought it through enough to get to the actual trafficking issue. Was she even still in New York? Has she been sold to the highest bidder? How many drugs had she been force-fed?

“Wait a sec, Vickrey. I wanted to let you know I was beginning to like you.” Dawn smiled. I could tell she was trying to jolly me out of my mood but this was something that couldn’t be glossed over.

“While I appreciate that, it doesn’t make me feel better. I’ve already failed this young girl.” I looked around for something to smash or crush. I desperately needed to punch something.