VANISHED, A Romantic Suspense Novel (Edgars Family Novel) (29 page)

The whole situation turned her stomach.

“Easy, Ms. Whitson,” Luke whispered in her ear. “Any sign of temper in your character would require me to show you discipline or risk blowing our cover. Remember why we’re here.”

Quickly, she dropped her gaze and masked the rage boiling through her.

I can shoot the bastards later. I can shoot the bastards later.

The words repeating in her head and the heat of Luke’s body pressed along the length of hers took the edge off her rage. Brianna and the other women were depending on them. No matter what, she couldn’t let her feelings show until they were safe.

Just as she’d gathered her composure, the door at the far end of the gallery opened. In walked Peter Hollister with the judge on his heels.

“Those of you who were invited to view the gallery are a very select group with special tastes. I do hope these images have whetted your appetite for what we have for sale today.”

Murmurs from the group confirmed they were indeed excited to be included in this private auction. Luke nodded his head and gave a look that indicated he was quite interested in seeing what was offered.

“Good, good,” Hollister said, opening the door behind him once more. “Then please follow me to the library where viewing of our specimens can begin.”

The small crowd moved into the library. Luke maneuvered her so they stayed almost on the periphery of the group. Interested, but not attention seeking. Very deftly he pressed the buttons on his wrist phone. They’d planned to have an open channel to the small team and record the evening’s activities now that the real show had started.

Inside the library the Asian gentleman, Master Lee, his bodyguard and female slave were already seated. To Master Lee’s left sat Senator Howard Klein—with the cool, calm poise of a seasoned politician and the posture of the privileged.

Many large wingback chairs faced several flat screen TVs, and the other men settled themselves in the chairs, their female companions standing next to or just behind each chair. Luke followed suit, but pulled on Abigail’s hand to have her sit on the arm of his chair, draping his arm around the curve of her bottom. Despite the comfort of him keeping her close, she suspected he wanted to keep her from lashing out once the videos started.

Good thing. She was itching to do something, anything to stop this.

Hollister stood in the front of the room between the two largest screens. “Gentlemen, welcome to The Titan Club’s Pygmalion auction. Tonight you can purchase a raw, plain woman and with discipline and training turn her into one of the rare submissive beauties that already grace our room tonight.”

Abby tensed beside Luke.

He squeezed her outer thigh to remind her to stay in character. As she relaxed again a surge of pride in her rushed through him. The old Abby wouldn’t have made it into the mansion without losing her temper and shooting someone, much less be ogled by strangers, act like his property and obey a silent command to behave. This undercover Abby was very impressive.

“First up is a brunette.”

The two main screens flashed on and there, bound to a wooden chair in what looked like a room made of a gray concrete blocks, sat a young woman dressed only in a thin-strapped dress—her long hair was pulled up into a ponytail and no makeup on her face. Her eyes were downcast, but appeared dull.

Drugs?

No evidence of recent abuse such as scars or bruises were evident on the video.

“As you can see she is a very ripe specimen for a Master with a strong hand to mold her. We can start the bidding at fifty thousand.”

“How long ago was this film made?” A white haired man seated near the front asked.

Hollister smiled. “This isn’t a video, sir. It’s a live feed from our holding rooms on the premises.”

At that the arm of a man reached in and lifted the girl’s chin so her face was center on the camera.

“
They’ve got cameras on them, Jeffers,”
Jake said over the ear bud in Luke’s ear.

“
Got that. The caterers are here and we’re headed down another back stairs.”

“Ah, a fresh specimen, indeed,” the white-haired man said. “I’ll bid with fifty thousand.”

And with that the auction began in earnest. For the next thirty minutes, one woman after another appeared on the screen, each being sold as if little more than cattle. Luke’s stomach turned each time a new captive appeared. He was surprised that there were no young teens in the mix. Apparently the group didn’t want to run afoul of pedophile laws, too.

Just to confirm his interest, Luke made an initial bid a time or two, but never fully engage anyone. An antsy anticipation itched along his spine as Jake and Jeffers’ chatter played in his ear.

“
There’s a long hallway down here. Every door has a barred window in the top.”

“
Guards?”

“
Only two who are moving from cell to cell.”

“
Any sign of Ms. Mathews?”

“
None, yet.”

Then something changed.

A plain-looking woman with dark hair and eyes almost hidden by her glasses came on the scene. There was a small mole near the left corner of her upper lip.

Abby tensed beside him again, this time her attention fixated on the screen nearest them. She recognized the woman. It wasn’t her friend, as Brianna was a blonde and very tall, like Abby. No, this woman appeared to be petite.

He pulled Abby’s hand to his lips and she looked at him, nodding slightly.

It was one of Jeffers’ missing women. Now they had evidence to connect them to the case. Probable cause to be here.

The bidding was fast and furious once more. When it ended a huge, bald man with gold studs up the entire side of one ear owned her—for the moment.

The screens went dark and Hollister stepped forward again. “Gentlemen, that concludes our auction of untrained specimens for tonight. However, we do have one more item up for sale, but because this is such special merchandise, the bidding will begin at one million dollars. If you are unable to cover that bid, we’d ask that you go ahead and return to the main ballroom. All deposits must be made and confirmed to the account number you were given on your email before merchandise can be claimed tonight.”

A wave of male murmuring rolled through the room as all but three of the buyers left the room.

Luke studied the remaining men in the room. Besides himself, Hollister, Senator Klein and the distinguished looking Master Lee, the other man looked to be an Arab prince of some sort. Abby could probably quote him the man’s complete dossier if he had the time and privacy to ask her.

The thought stopped him short.

From the moment they’d reconnected in that crime scene, he’d come to depend on Abby for so many things. It wasn’t just that she had a unique brain and was a smart agent. Her heart and caring for her friend, as well as all the other women, wove around him. He respected her abilities and found himself wanting to talk about everything with her. What would it be to just sit and talk about ordinary things with her over a quiet dinner?

He lifted her hand once more, kissing her fingertips as she turned to look questioningly at him. With his other hand, he gave her a gently reassuring squeeze to her hip. The only item left for the club to auction off had to be her friend and they both knew it.

“
The guards have finished and are out of commission.”

“
Any alarms?”

“
The caterers found it and Katie is dismantling it now.”

“
Let us know when you’re ready to go in. Castello, you in position?”

“
Just down the hall with eyes on the library.”

“
Luke, you need to give us some sort of clue as to where she is.”

“Now, gentlemen, I have a very rare item for you tonight. This is the kind of specimen that can take quite a bit of discipline without breaking her spirit.”

The screens came alive again.

There stood Dylan Klein, complete in tux, in the center of a well-decorated room. “Welcome to each of you, gentlemen. I have behind me something quite unique, as you are about to see. A specimen with great stamina. Imagine, if you will, a woman so strong willed who can not only survive the punishment that can cause these types of markings, but still maintain her silence on a sensitive subject.”

He moved to the side and the camera focused in on a large four poster bed. Dylan moved up the side of the bed on which the form of a woman’s body lay beneath a white sheet, the only part visible were her arms bound with black rope to the wooden slats of the headboard. The camera focused in on the bed as Klein moved the sheet from over the woman’s face.

Abby clutched his hand tight, her fingernails digging into the flesh of his thumb, but damn, she didn’t make a sound.

Luke sat forward, swallowing both the bile and rage that threatened to spill out at the site.

Brianna’s face was in different shades of black, blue and green. Her lips were cracked in several places and one eye appeared to be swollen shut. Given what her pictures had looked like, he’d guess her nose was broken in at least one, if not more, places.

“As you can see,” Klein’s voice narrated as the camera shifted up her arms. “We’ve tested her stamina at great lengths and yet she’s kept her spirit.”

Dark bruises and large, scabbed-over gashes extended from her fingers back down to her shoulders. Klein moved the sheet further down to show her naked body. Bruises again covered her torso below her breasts, which moved with easy motions to indicate she still breathed, and down to her hips.

No doubt about it. The bastards had systematically beaten and tortured her.

* * * * *

“
One million dollars,”
Luke said, signaling to the team he’d found Brianna Mathews.

Jake listened intently as more bids could be heard in the background from Luke’s wrist phone. Time to close the net.

He accessed the main team’s wrist phones. “Erie One, secure the dock. Jeffers, how’s it coming down there?”

“
Alarms are off and we have half the women free, moving them cell to cell to keep safe, over.”

He pressed the button for Kirk F. Patrick’s phone. “Kid start getting the catering crew out of harm’s way.”

“
Roger that, G-man.”

Jake switched over to the walkie-talkies for the National Guard and local police teams. “Close the perimeter by fifty feet, then hold your positions.”

“
Fifty feet closure and maintain.”
Captain Davis said and Jake watched as the men flanking him inched toward the mansion then dropped to the grass and froze.

“We’re in position, Luke. Just give us her location or use the call word.”

* * * * *

Of the twenty women they’d rescued only two of them were in the case files Aaron had been working before this all started. Likely the other three were either among the bodies they’d found charred in the garage warehouse or had already disappeared into the slave ring’s system—never to be seen again.

Katie, a nurse by trade, walked among them, reassuring them they were safe, checking pulses and eyes. She looked up at her husband and Aaron and shook her head. The women were all drugged to various stages of lethargy.

Matt motioned with his head to move to the door. “We’ve got this. Luke, Abigail and Castello may need more man power.”

“You’re sure?” He looked over at the women huddled in a group on the cot and floor.

“Katie isn’t leaving them, and I’m not leaving her,” Matt said, determination lacing his words. No one was getting between him and his woman.

The picture of the beautiful blonde woman that had been smart enough to decipher what was going on filled Aaron’s mind. A surge of protectiveness hit him. Brianna Mathews deserved to make it out of this alive. And he damn well wanted to make sure of it.

“Then I’m going.” He lifted his wrist and spoke into the phone. “Castello, I’m on my way to you.”

“
Roger. Watch your six.”

With a nod to Katie and Matt, he opened the cell door and slid into the hallway.

* * * * *

Fighting the tears that burned her eyes, Abigail studied the room in which Brianna was held. And it
was
a room, not a concrete dungeon cell like the other women. Despite her wounds, she looked almost posed for a pornographic photo or film.

As if she were a willing participant.

The Brianna she knew might indulge herself with dating numerous men, but she’d never sell herself so short as to be part of some kinky photo op. Would she if she’d been tortured? No. She’d worked too hard for her own self-respect. But if she were drugged?

She leaned a little forward, studying her friend’s unusually still form. Her chest moved with the slight effort of natural breathing, otherwise she remained completely motionless.

They’d drugged her.

As Dylan exposed her friend, the camera panned to show her body. To the left of the bed was a window. And in it shone the moon.

“Four million,” Luke said firmly beside her, still participating in the auction. In the car on the way to the mansion, he’d explained he wanted to try to buy Brianna if she was one of the women for sale. It would be the easiest way to get her out of the place before they took down the ring. Option two was take her by force.

Her hand still in the grasp of Luke’s with the watch phone on it, she slowly leaned in to his side, a forced smile on her face, as if she was saying something suggestive about the bound victim.

“She’s not in the basement. She’s upstairs somewhere,” she whispered near the phone for the others to hear.

Master Lee cast a narrow gaze at Luke, then spoke to Senator Klein.

“We have a bid of ten million dollars,” the Senator said, then stood. “I do believe that will close this auction. Thank you, gentlemen for coming.”

Neither the Arab nor Luke argued. They simply rose and shook both Hollister and the senator’s hands.