Chapter Eighteen: A Mama's Nightmare
The drive back to Lake City was supposed to be a moment of respite for Karina, a chance to gather her thoughts and prepare for the battle ahead. But as she neared the city limits, her phone rang, shattering the calm. It was Victoria, her voice urgent and strained.
"Karina, it's my daughter," Victoria's words tumbled out in a rush. "She's missing. Someone took her in Lake City." She came to visit and was only supposed to stay a few days then her father would pick her up stated Victoria damn near in tears.
Karina's heart clenched in fear. Victoria's daughter, just fifteen years old and visiting from Atlanta, was now in the hands of a predator. Without hesitation, Karina promised to help in any way she could.
As she hung up the phone, Karina's mind raced. She knew the dangers that lurked in Lake City's shadows, especially for a young girl alone. She needed to act fast.
Arriving in Lake City, Karina met Victoria at a local diner, her eyes red-rimmed with worry. They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, until Karina spoke.
"We'll find her, Victoria," Karina's voice was firm, resolute. "We'll turn this city inside out if we have to."
Together, they began their search, scouring the city for any sign of Victoria's daughter. They visited shelters, questioned locals, and even enlisted the help of Karina's network of informants.
Hours turned into days, but there was no sign of the missing girl. Victoria's anguish was palpable, her fear a constant presence. But Karina refused to give up hope.
They kept looking and decided to take a new direction, they started by visiting Chevy, a local drug dealer known for keeping to himself but having eyes everywhere in the streets of Lake City. They found him in his usual spot, leaning against a graffiti-covered wall, his eyes sharp and alert with a armed goon in front of the building puffing on a backwood.
"Chevy, we need your help," Karina said, her tone firm. She explained the situation, and Chevy's expression darkened. He may have been a dealer, but he had a soft spot for kids.
"I haven't seen anything, but I'll keep my ears to the ground," Chevy promised, a steely determination in his eyes.
As they left Chevy, Karina and Victoria continued their search, visiting every known hangout and speaking to anyone who might have information. Their efforts led them to a rundown motel on the outskirts of town, a known hotspot for criminal activity.
Inside, they found a group of men huddled in a corner, their voices low and conspiratorial. One of them, a wiry man with a scarred face, caught Karina's eye. She approached him holding a photo of the girl, her voice low and menacing. " Have you seen this girl please?" The man with sorrow in his eyes, in a raspy tone stated, " I seen her come here with the pastor from the church on Martin Luther King , along with a couple of other girls." Thank you ! Thank you ! Karina thanked the man." Let's go," she shouted to Victoria, "I got a lead".
As they entered the church, the air was thick with the smell of incense and the sound of hushed prayers. The pastor was in his office, hovering over his Bible. He looked up as Karina and Victoria approached, a wary expression on his face.
"What do you want?" the pastor asked, his high pitched voice tinged with suspicion.
"We want answers," Karina said, her tone sharp. She explained the situation, and the pastor's face paled.
"I...I didn't know," he stammered. "I thought she was just a lost soul in need of guidance."
Karina's eyes narrowed. "Lost soul? More like a pawn in your sick game," she spat.
The pastor hung his head, guilt written across his face. He confessed to taking money from a human trafficking ring in exchange for providing them with vulnerable girls from his congregation. Victoria's daughter had been one of his victims as she was hanging out with a kid she knew from visiting over the summers.
Enraged, Karina and Victoria confronted the pastor, demanding to know where the traffickers were keeping the girls. With a shaky hand, the pastor handed over an address.
Karina and Victoria wasted no time, racing to the location. They found a warehouse on the outskirts of town, where the traffickers were holding several young girls captive but Victoria's daughter was no where to be found.
With the help of the authorities, they raided the warehouse, freeing the girls and arresting the traffickers in the warehouse at the same time. As they left the warehouse, Karina felt a small sense of justice and satisfaction.
...........Keep reading...now that Karina and Victoria has helped to rid some small fish dealing in human trafficking, they needed to now look into prostitution in the city.
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