Chapter 33
Alex

As soon as they got reception, with the dock near Greystone in sight, Faith called the inn. He couldn’t hear what she said because of the wind, but he knew whatever happened, Mama would be on their side.

He docked the boat and jumped out. “C’mon, y’all,” he said and offered his hand to Sofia. Already the girls were more comfortable with him. He took in Sofia’s wide hips and the swell of her thighs and winced, unable to imagine what the girl had been through.

Faith emerged last, and as she gripped his hand, he saw Mama and the boys up the path. Mama was in front and looked impeccable as ever. However, Alex knew she’d really pulled on something fast in the middle of the night. The navy-blue slacks and cream-colored blouse looked well thought-out, but Mama’s staple matching jewelry was nowhere in sight.

“My word,” Mama said as she looked at the girls.

“They don’t speak English,” Alex said. “Faith’s been translating.”

She blushed as Mama looked at her. “I’m not fluent,” she said quickly. “But I promised they could call their families before we got anyone involved.”

“Of course, of course,” Mama said. “I don’t know anything ʼbout calling Mexico, but you take as long as you need.”

The girls were wide-eyed as they approached the inn. “Su casa?” Mercedes asked her. “Home?”

“Mama’s,” Alex said. He pointed to each of the boys and said their names. Mercedes was quick to offer her own, but the older girls hung back. Alex suddenly realized what this must look like—him bringing them to a big, fancy house full of young American men.

“Everything okay?” Alex asked as they entered the foyer. He could sense the trepidation in the group.

“I think it might be better if they come with me to make the call,” Faith said. “Having a bunch of men around, it’s making them nervous.”

“Will one man be okay?” Alex asked.

Faith nodded, and led the way upstairs. The girls followed her upstairs to her room, with Alex trailing behind. “Mi dormitorio,” she explained as they entered.

He watched as she bought a digital calling card to Mexico, one that offered both English and Spanish audio instructions.

“Call home?” she asked them. Sofia cocked her head. “Uh, quieres llamar a tus padres?”

“Mama,” Mercedes said with a smile.

Faith showed the calling card instructions on the screen to Sofia, who nodded as she read the Spanish portion. When Faith handed her the phone, Sofia grinned and said “iPhone.”

Faith laughed. “Yeah.”

The volume was loud enough that Alex could hear the robotic calling card as it barked instructions in Spanish followed by the unfamiliar Mexican ringtone. “Papa?” Sofia asked as tears filled her eyes.

Alex felt a pull in his gut. I shouldn’t be here, he thought. “I’ll be downstairs,” he said, and Faith nodded.

Alex, Mama, and the guys were seated at the formal dining room table with mugs of tea in hand when Faith came downstairs alone. She looked exhausted, but he could hear the happy smattering of Spanish upstairs.

“I just can’t believe it,” Mama said when she saw her. “I mean, I’d heard stories about drug smuggling on the islands. But I thought they were just stories. This . . .”

“Nobody could have known,” Faith said. She sat beside Mama and squeezed her hand.

“You did,” Mama said.

“No,” Faith said. She shook her head. “I just suspected.”

Mama sighed. “I shoulda never let y’all go to that island alone.”

“Well . . . you didn’t really know,” Faith reminded her.

Alex gave her a look, but Mama laughed. “Isn’t that the truth! I s’pose I should have asked for details beyond ‘going camping.’ To be honest, I though y’all were just taking up an excuse to get away and be all romantic.”

Caleb, Lee, and Matt stared with intensity at their tea. “What’re they doin’ up there?” Caleb asked to break the silence.

“Calling home,” Faith said. “But now . . . we need to call the police,” she said. “Especially with those guys, you know, tied up on the island.”

“What now?” Mama asked.

Alex and Faith went into the kitchen to make the call. “How do you even report human trafficking?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I reckon you just call the local police and they take it from there.”

Of course, Alex knew the dispatcher and the Saint Rose chief. He’d gone to high school with both of them, though the chief had been a senior when Alex was a freshman. “You shittin’ me, Caldwell?” the chief asked.

“I wish I was, ma’am,” Alex said. He’d put it on speakerphone.

“And you’re telling me you left two men tied up out there, and what was it? Couple dozen bricks o’ cocaine?”

“Something like that,” Alex said.

“Jesus Christ. Get Child protective Services out to Greystone!” the chief barked at someone. “The feds? Yeah, yeah. Look, Alex,” the chief said. “In all honesty? I’ve never dealt with nothin’ like this. CPS is on their way, but comin’ from Savannah. It’ll take a while. You sure those girls aren’t goin’ nowhere?”

Alex looked at Faith, and she shook her head. “They’re good,” he said.

“All right. What? There’s nobody at CPS on call who speaks Spanish? What the hell?” The chief groaned into the phone. “Might be a beat longer,” she said.

By the time he hung up, it was clear both CPS and the FBI were en route, but there was no telling when they’d arrive.

“You should try and get some sleep,” Alex said. “It’s going to be a long day once they get here.”

“I don’t think I can,” she said.

Mercedes stepped into the kitchen and held out the phone to Faith. “Die,” she said.

“What?”

“Phone es die.”

“Oh!” She took the phone and looked at Alex. “I’ll be upstairs,” she said.

Alex stepped onto the porch to watch for the lights to come up the driveway. When the screen door creaked open, he glanced up and expected to see Mama or Faith, but it was Lee, two beers in hand.

“Olive branch?” Lee asked as he handed him one.

“For what?” Alex asked.

Lee settled into the chair next to him. “Oh, I’d say for the past four years or so.”

Alex let out a chuckle. “Think that’ll cost more than a beer.”

“Beer’s all I got,” Lee said. “And an apology.”

“For?”

“For getting’ all googly-eyed over Rebecca,” Lee said. He stared into the darkness beside Alex. “It was stupid, you know. Just some crush. She and I . . . we never did anything. You know that, right? I’d never do that to you.”

“Yeah,” Alex said. He took a slow sip of the beer. “I do know.”

“Then why you so mad for so long?” Lee asked. “I never even, you know, flirted with her or nothin’. I just thought she was interesting was all.”

“Interesting. That’s a way to put it.”

“Well, hell, you know. Different from round here. Y’all went to big colleges, I didn’t. I’d never met anyone like her before.”

“Count your blessings,” Alex said.

“And now, with Faith . . .”

“What about her?” Alex asked, his throat tight.

“Well, I dunno what you think,” Lee said. “When she arrived? ʼCourse I thought she was pretty. I’m not blind. But you know, as soon as I saw you two had eyes for each other, I never even thought ʼbout her like that again.”

“And when did you see that?” Alex asked.

“Shit, Alex. I dunno. Day two?”

Alex felt embarrassment wash over him. Had it been that obvious? “Thank you,” he said softly.

“For what?”

“I dunno. Saying sorry. Putting up with me holding this goddamned stupid grudge for so long. Honestly, Lee, I don’t know why I clung to it so tight.”

“Sure you do,” Lee said. “You needed somethin’ to hold to. ʼSpecially after Rebecca was gone.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Alex said. The beer had started to sweat the label off. “I’m sorry, too. For taking it out on you. Hell, I knew it was just a crush. I knew y’all didn’t do nothin’.”

“No problem,” Lee said.

“It is a problem. Was,” Alex said. “I knew her for, what, six years? And you were like my brother since we were kids. But once it started, me snubbin’ you and all, I couldn’t stop. And it’s stupid, but it made her bein’ gone easier.”

“It’s not stupid,” Lee said. “I get it. I got it then, too.”

“You’re a good man,” Alex said. He turned to look at Lee. “A good brother. Sorry I was a prick for so long.”

Lee shrugged. “Happens to the best of us.”

 

CPS arrived before the FBI, although it took eight hours. Nobody at Greystone slept besides the girls. Each of the boys gave up their beds, and Gwen and Jessie came early to help change the sheets.

“Es too much!” Mercedes said.

Faith was firm. “Sleep,” she said. The girls passed out fast, though Sofia and Mercedes managed a shower beforehand.

“You did a good thing,” Gwen told Alex as she put together a lavish breakfast. She patted his head like she used to when he was a child.

The girls stumbled downstairs around nine, sleepy eyed with stomachs that rumbled. CPS showed up right as they finished stacks of waffles, piles of fluffy and cheesy omelets, and endless slices of toast. One officer still had a trace of his Mexican Spanish accent; the other was a slight blonde with an unmistakable Boston dialect.

As soon as the male officer sat down and started to speak, a flood of Spanish started to pour out of the girls. They spoke so fast, Faith threw up her hands at Alex. “No idea,” she confessed.

“I’ll talk to you in the other room,” the blonde said with a nod to her and Alex.

They were both sleep deprived and had pounding headaches but recounted the events over and over for the blonde officer.

“A rifle?” the woman asked Faith. “And you never fired a gun before?”

“No,” Faith said quietly.

“Care to show me the bruises?”

Faith stood up and hiked up her shorts.

Alex gasped when he saw the welts. He’d assumed it had hurt but didn’t expect that.

“Looks like a rifle bruise to me,” the woman said as she made a note.

“What . . . what’s going to happen to them?” Faith asked. “To the girls.”

“Hard to say at this point,” the officer said. “I don’t know, but I’m guessin’ they’re here illegally. Most seem underage. If they have family in Mexico, I’d say they’ll be sent back.”

“Will they be okay, though?” Faith asked.

The officer stopped her notetaking and looked up. “I dunno,” she said. “Why are you so concerned?”

“Why aren’t you?” Faith snapped back. “Sorry,” she said as the woman bristled. “It’s . . . it’s been a long night.”

The officer finally offered up a smile, though it looked strange on her hard face. “That’s probably putting it lightly.”

When they were finally released, the girls were all smiles. They chattered away with the male officer. Mercedes caught his eye and laughed.

Who would do something like this to these girls? “Any . . . any leads?” Alex asked the male officer. “I mean, on who did this?”

“That’s something for the FBI or police,” he said. “We’re just taking care of the kids.”

“Oh.”

“Listo?” the officer asked the girls. “Ready?”

They nodded happily.

“Wait! You’re taking them? Already?” Faith asked. “We just—”

“We drove separately,” he said gently. “I’ve handled cases all over Georgia. Unfortunately, this kind of situation isn’t exactly unique.”

“But where are you taking them? I mean right now? Are they going to—”

“It’s okay, ma’am,” he said. “They’re safe. From what I gathered, they all have families and stable homes in Mexico. I’ll need to confirm that, claro, but I’m pretty good at figuring out when people are telling the truth.”

“But what about until then?” she asked. “Can’t they stay here?” Alex looked at her in surprise but realized he felt the same way.

The officer smiled at her kindly. “I’m afraid not. They’ll be well taken care of, I promise you. There are facilities, kind of like a hotel or a dorm, where they’ll stay in the interim.”

“Bye!” Mercedes said, and jumped on Faith with a bear hug. Sofia gave her a hug, too, though it was softer and more reserved. The other girls waved their hands shyly at Alex.

Mama put her arm around Faith as they stood on the porch and watched the officer help the girls into a black SUV. “They’ll be okay,” Mama consoled her. Caleb, Matt, and Lee watched silently from the porch chairs.

“I hope so.”

By the time the blonde officer emerged from the house, she looked satisfied as she tucked away her notepad. “Y’all done in there?” Mama asked. She put a protective hand on Alex’s arm.

“Yes, ma’am, thank you,” the officer said. “I might be in contact with you two,” she said. “But I think I got all I need. You bein’ able to identify two of those men is very helpful,” she said to Alex.

“We’re done?” Faith asked.

“With CPS, for now,” the officer said. “But don’t be surprised if the FBI or police come knocking soon.”

Faith groaned. “I can’t,” she said. “I need to sleep.”

“Then I suggest you get some while you can,” the officer said. Her steps were heavy on the wooden porch as she walked toward her Ford Taurus.

“Y’all do as the officer said, and get some sleep,” Mama said.

Alex took Faith’s hand without thinking. From over Mama’s shoulder, Caleb grinned and tipped an imaginary hat at him.

“Think maybe we’ll take a walk first,” Alex said. “Could use some fresh air.”

“Y’all didn’t get enough fresh air the past couple of days?” Mama asked. She sounded tough, but he could tease out the playfulness in her voice.

“Not the right kind,” he said. He saw Faith blush.

The questioning from that officer, the detailed recount of what had happened, it had made Alex think about how well he knew Faith. He knew he loved her. That was certain, he thought. But he’d just barely found out she spoke Spanish. What else didn’t he know? Her middle name, her favorite flower, or even her favorite ice cream. As they’d sat being interrogated by the blonde officer, he’d realized for the first time he wanted to know those things. Alex wanted more of her, period.

He led her to the trail, her hand tucked snugly into his. They walked in silence toward the beach. He wanted to quiz her now, find out everything, but the look of exhaustion on her face stopped him. There’s time, he told himself. Plenty of time.

Or is there?

When they’d circled back and were at the fork that separated the inn and his cabin, Faith smiled at him and dropped his hand. She started to walk toward the inn and left Alex to his cabin. Alex reached out and took her hand once again. He pulled it gently.

“What about if the police come?” she asked.

“Don’t worry ʼbout it,” he said. “Mama will let us know. C’mon.”

She chewed her bottom lip and let him pull her toward his cabin. Inside, they both headed directly to the bed. Faith collapsed onto the thick down bedding. She looked completely spent.

“Alex,” she started, “we need to—”

“Later,” he said. “The police will be here soon, and I’m guessin’ they’ll be askin’ us to the station on the mainland by tomorrow at the latest.”

“But we need to talk—”

“I know,” he said. “We will. But right now, we sleep.”

She sighed, unable to put up any more of a fight. Alex crouched down and pulled off her shoes. Faith groaned in delight.

He pulled back the comforter and tucked her in. By the time he’d circled to the other side of the bed, pulled off his shirt, and climbed in beside her, her breath was already steady.

Alex wrapped an arm around her, pulled her tight, and spooned her as he drifted off.