A slight sob met Bayley’s ears.

Agnes blew out a long breath, as though to clear the cobwebs of memories from her mind as she unburdened herself to Bayley. “I had no idea why the girl was there, but I knew, instinctively, it was not good. I tried to ask my mother, but she only said the girl was an employee. And Mama’s voice and mannerisms let me know that if I continued to question, I would be punished.” A rueful snort sounded, as she added, “My mother loved her children but her punishments were swift and harsh.”

Alerted to a sound in the distance, the women halted their conversation, but after a moment of silence, resumed. “What did you do?” Bayley asked.

“I couldn’t get that girl’s eyes out of my mind. I was sheltered, so I admit it took a while to learn that the girls were there to serve the men who came specifically for them.” Sighing, “I once saw Lazlo coming out. He was zipping his pants and laughing. He was followed by one of his friends and they were laughing about her. By then, I was old enough to know what was going on.”

Bayley opened her mouth to speak, but found no words came out. Trying to understand the world Agnes lived in, she came up blank.

“I kept quiet…but I watched…learned. I was smart and realized that I was smarter than either brother, but especially Lazlo. I watched my father, mother, and brother run a family business that included the buying and selling of women.”

“How did you live with that knowledge?” Bayley shifted her body so that she faced Agnes, desiring to see her face as well as she could in the dark.

“For a long time, I had no idea what to do with the horrible knowledge. It haunted my dreams…like living in a nightmare. In my family, women are second class. Oh, believe me, my mother was feared as her honored place as wife and mother and I was certainly treated as a favored child. But I was only expected to marry, preferably someone with a Russian heritage, and make babies.” Shaking her head, she added, “Most would never believe that the old ways still exist.” She lifted her gaze, staring straight into Bayley’s eyes, “But I plotted and planned. I discovered that they had basement rooms where they brought in new girls. Kept them there until they could be checked out by the doctor, made a little hungry, and a lot scared. And then moved upstairs. And the upstairs girls were shipped off to our relatives in Norfolk who used them however they wanted.”

A suspicious sound quieted the women, so they slunk down, barely breathing as they listened. Sighing, Bayley said, “We’re stuck out here until someone comes to find us or daylight lets us see where we’re going.”

Shifting slightly to ease her back, Agnes nodded. “God, what a mess.”

“What happened?”

“I had no problem getting the doctor to help me when I finally realized he hated what he was doing. We came up with a plan to sneak the women out in the laundry truck, but had to figure out how. We came up with the idea that if they were all sick, they couldn’t be around any clients. So, he started giving them some drugs that induced nausea and then we claimed that we had no idea what was happening but that they had to be quarantined. My family was scared they might get sick so they stayed away. That was the easy part. Then I had to play the part of the ultimate bitch…the planner of a scheme that my family would go along with. Claiming to be uninterested in the women, I suggested we kill then and then ship them off. Our cousin in Norfolk was pissed to not get live women, but he would take them out to sea and dump them.”

Bayley’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re kidding, right? Your family believed you would do this?”

“Over the past couple of years, I have perfected the cold bitch persona and made it no secret that I wanted more of the family business responsibility. So…they believed it. Plus, Lazlo was screwing up, so my parents were willing to take a chance on me. Of course, as I now know, they sent someone to follow me.” Shrugging, she added, “The doctor drugged the girls to slow down their respiration, we got some of the family’s hired men to take them to the truck, and the doctor and I drove away.”

“And Harlan?”

“I made contact with an FBI agent.” Giving a rueful chuckle, she said, “I was so naïve, I can’t believe I wasn’t caught. I actually called from a payphone, managing to get hold of someone who believed me. He was in on the plan. We were to meet at the warehouse and he would have medical personnel to assist with the women. But the accident, shutting down the highway, made them late. And, of course, we didn’t expect you to be following. Or the man my family sent.” Sighing once more, she whispered, “What a mess.”

“Asshole’s been winged,” Nick growled to the other Saints as they arrived, all looking down as Blaise tightened the tourniquet over the bullet hole to Gruzinsky’s man, illuminated by their headlights.

Standing, Blaise bit out, “That’s it for what I can do. One of you can get him back to the EMT and tell them to get a unit here.

Nathan stepped up, shaking Blaise’s hand before being introduced to Nick, who had retrieved Bayley’s purse from her car. Holding it out, he glanced down to the hound sitting obediently at Nathan’s feet. “Does he need something to sniff?”

Grinning, Nathan nodded, then introduced his dog. “This is my girl, Scarlett, and don’t worry…me and Scarlett will find her.”

“There are two women out there, but we’re going to assume they’re together,” Blaise said.

“Then let’s go.”

Nathan gave Scarlett the lead and she took off, nose to the ground with Nick, Blaise, and Chad on her heels.

“What was supposed to happen?”

Agnes looked at Bayley before answering. “After the agent took possession of the women and got them to safety, he was going to take care of me.”

Cocking her head to the side, Bayley asked, “How?”

“Witness protection.”

“Oh,” Bayley breathed, knowing what an enormous risk Agnes was taking, reaching out to grasp her hand.

“You might not understand how I could be willing to testify against my family, but I had to. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that the very clothes on my back…the very food on my plate, came from the buying and selling of women against their will.” A tear slid down her cheek but she swiped at it harshly. “I love my family…and I hate them.”

Bayley stared out into the night, thinking of Agnes and all she had endured. “ ‘You’ve had a long life of experience in noticing evil, fancying evil, suspecting evil and going forth to do battle with evil.’ ” Looking over at Agnes, she smiled ruefully. “I know it’s stupid, but I love the writer Agatha Christie. It seems she always knows what to say to me...or rather I find that her quotes are so apropos to life.”

A noise from the distance halted their conversation. By now, Bayley’s eyes had grown accustomed to the woods surrounding them in the light of the moon, and she leaned past the clump of trees, peering into the forest. “I hear something…I hear a dog baying.”

“It sounds like a wolf,” Agnes whispered, her voice laced with fear.

Turning back to Agnes, Bayley grinned, “My brother knows all kinds of animal people. He even knows a tracker. I’ll bet they’ve got one looking for us.”

Agnes’ eyes held hers as she said, “You…they would be looking for you. No one will come looking to save me.”

“No, no,” Bayley protested, her hand squeezing Agnes’. “They need you too. For everything you’ve done. For the risks you’ve taken. For—”

“No, Bayley. I can’t go back with you. Not now. You get away from here and, when it’s daylight, I’ll make my way back to the road. I’ll get hold of my contact and go into protection. But now, there will be too many eyes on the women and the warehouse. I’ll never get by unseen. I don’t want to be found with you…it’s too dangerous.”

“Bayley! Bayley!”

The sound of men’s voices ringing through the night reached both women, their eyes locked on each other.

“Go, go,” Agnes ordered. “If need be, send the tracker back for me and I’ll deal with just him. But you have to go. If you see the agent, tell him I’ll be in touch.”

“But he was shot—”

“He’ll still take care of me. I just know it.”

Bayley threw her arms around Agnes’ neck and they embraced tightly. Whispering, she said, “I don’t really understand why you won’t come with me, but I trust you to make your own choice.”

“Bayley!”

That time, she recognized Nick’s voice, blending with Blaise’s as they came nearer. With a final hug, she jumped up and stumbled out of their hiding place. Just then, a large bloodhound came into sight, its bay calling out.

“Over here!” she screamed, dropping her hand to pet the dog. A rustle behind her caused her to whip her head around as she saw Agnes take off running further into the woods. Sucking in a deep breath, her mind racing with all she had learned, she looked down at the dog and said, “Take me outta here.”

Scarlett bayed before trotting toward Nathan and Bayley followed along, crying as Nick came into view.

Nick pushed ahead of Nathan, scooping Bayley into his arms, unfamiliar tears stinging his eyes. Blaise, his breath coming in pants, wrapped his arms around the back of her, creating a Bayley sandwich.

Bayley’s body shook with fright and adrenaline, glad for the support, knowing her legs would not have held her steady. Feeing Nick’s chest shaking as well, she said over and over, “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

Finally setting her feet on the ground, Nick glanced around and asked, “The other woman. Agnes. Wasn’t she with you?”

Licking her lips, she shook her head. “We were together, but got separated in the dark.” Hating to lie, she looked up at Nathan. “Uh, maybe you could try to find her?”

“I don’t have anything for Scarlett to use for a scent,” he replied, “but I’ll see if she can pick up something.”

The two headed back where Bayley had come from and she prayed Scarlett would find Agnes’ scent trail, breathing easier when she heard the baying in the distance.

Looking back at Nick, his arms still wrapped around her, she said, “Take me home.”

Kissing the top of her head, he replied, “You got it, babe. No where else I’d rather be with you.”

Nathan approached Scarlett, observing his dog’s stance, alert and still. Looking through the trees, he saw a figure in the moonlight.

“Agnes?”

The woman, whose face was hidden in shadows, replied, “Yes. Please stay where you are. I was supposed to meet the FBI agent, Harlan, but he was shot.”

“I know. What can I do to help?”

“I need protection and he’s the only one I trust.”

Nathan rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while the other stroked Scarlett’s head, wondering what to do.

“I was going into witness protection. I don’t trust anyone other than the man who I had contact with.”

Pulling out his phone, Nathan called Blaise. “I need you to do something but no questions.”

“You got it,” Blaise assured.

“Get to Harlan, the agent, and tell him to call my number. That’s all.”

“He’s probably headed to the hospital.”

“I know, but I need you to do this.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Blaise promised. Turning to Nick, he asked for Harlan’s phone number.

Pulling out his phone, Nick rattled off the number of his former supervisor, watching as Blaise repeated it to whoever was on the line. He trusted Blaise…he trusted all the Saints. Looking down at Bayley, he smiled, knowing he was right where he belonged.

Agnes waited patiently, knowing the call would come. She and Nathan passed the time, barely speaking but, she had to admit, the sound of his voice soothed her frazzled nerves. Her stomach ached and she wondered, not for the first time, if she had an ulcer.

She watched him as he knelt next to his dog, his hand caressing the fur. Scarlett. A small smile slipped over her lips. She loved that name. “Is she named for Gone with the Wind?” she asked, softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He looked toward her and smiled, finding the feminine, yet husky, voice to reach through the dark woods and encircled him. “I loved that movie. My grandmother used to watch it when it would come on TV and one Christmas, when my parents bought her a video player, I got her that as her first movie. We’d watch it over and over.” Ducking his head, he laughed. “I guess that sounds kind of whimpy for a teenage boy, doesn’t it?”

The wind blew gently, rustling the leaves overhead. Agnes swallowed deeply, suddenly fighting tears. “I think it sounds beautiful.” She wanted to add that it sounded just as beautiful as he looked, but she refused to go there. Men like him were too good to ever be associated with a woman as tainted as she.

Twenty minutes later, Nathan’s phone rang. Answering it, he said, “Here she is,” and he handed his phone to Agnes. She stepped forward, still in the forest shadows and took it from his outstretched hand. She said very little, agreeing to whatever Harlan was laying out. Disconnecting, she handed the phone back.

“What now?” Nathan asked.

Agnes fiddled with the bottom of her jacket for a second as she wondered how much to tell him. Realizing, she trusted Nathan, she said, “I need to get back to the road where we were run off. Harlan will have someone there to meet me.”

“You sure you can you trust him?”

“Yeah. He told me who to look for and, well, I’ve got no other options.”

“So, you’re going into witness protection?”

Nodding slowly, Agnes replied, “I have no choice. I have to make things right.” Shaking her head, a groan slipped out. “Bayley quoted Agatha Christie just before she left. It fit so perfectly.” Seeing his quizzical gaze, she repeated, “ ‘I’ve had a long life of experience in noticing evil, fancying evil, suspecting evil and going forth to do battle with evil.’ ” Sighing heavily, she added, “I’ve got to see this through. Or else evil wins.”

Nathan’s heart pounded as her words hit him and he was struck with the realization that the woman in front of him was the bravest person he had ever met. Unable to think of anything to say that would come close to touching her strength, he stood silent, cursing his inadequacy.

Her gaze dropped to Scarlett, still sitting next to Nathan, with her tongue lolling to the side. “I’d like for you and Scarlett to lead the way back and I’ll walk behind.”

Brows drawn down, Nathan asked, “Why? Why can’t I see you?”

“I’d rather stay a bit of a mystery to you…it feels safer that way.”

With a short nod, he turned, deciding that to give her what she needed was the best way for him to honor her strength. Looking down, he patted Scarlett’s head. “Come on, girl. Let’s go back.”

With his dog happily jogging along in the woods, Nathan followed at a pace slow enough for Agnes to follow. As they approached the road, he saw a dark SUV parked with two men standing next to it, their dress and demeanor screaming FBI. They approached Agnes and hustled her into the back seat. As the SUV made a three-point turn on the narrow road, it headed back down the gravel road, offering Nathan a glimpse of a dark-haired, young woman, her eyes piercing his as a slight smile played about her lips before she lifted her hand in a small wave goodbye. Nathan felt the strangest sense of sadness seeing the enigmatic woman taken away.