After the funeral, most people returned to their usual activities.
All except Anil.
He had a heavy burden on his shoulders. His stepdaughter's belly was getting bigger, and eventually everyone was going to find out that she was pregnant.
He himself had found out one evening not too long ago. He had come home and found Gail sitting on the sofa in her shorts. She had been on the phone and hadn't seen him.
"I don't know what to do with this pregnancy. If my mom finds out, I'm in big trouble," Anil heard her say.
"What did you say?" he asked loudly.
Her head had shot up, and she had stared at him wide eyes. Her hands trembled.
"Nothing," she had said.
"I heard everything. How could you do this to us?"
She hadn't dared to look him in the eyes.
"They're going to mock you in school. What will your mother say when she finds out?"
"Please don't tell she anything. She gonna kill me."
Anil came up closer and took hold of her hand.
"Who is the father?"
She burst into tears.
"I don't know. I don't recall sleeping with anyone. I'm sorry."
"Okay, calm down. I'll help you."
He hugged her. Her breast, against his chest, gave him an electrical shock.
He caressed her back. She frowned as she felt his touch.
"I'll take you for an abortion, and no one will know about it."
She moved away from him. "Will that hurt?"
"Not at all. But we must keep it a secret. You can't tell anyone, or you'll be in trouble. Yuh know how yuh muddah is."
She embraced him, and their cheeks touched. Anil was barely able to keep himself from kissing her on her lips.
He pushed her away gently.
"Oh, thank you!" Gail smiled up at him.
"Okay, sure. No more hugging for today."
Later in the day he called a friend, who was a gynecologist, and told him about his stepdaughter's pregnancy. However, he had to formulate a lie to make him agree to abort the child.
On Saturday Anil, his wife, and Gail sat at the table having breakfast. They were having sada, which is roti filled with aloo , and ochro.
Anil started coughing.
"Gyal, you put too much pepper in the potato. Your food either doesn't have enough salt and pepper, or too much of it."
"Boy, you are never happy with anything. Why yuh doh cook for yuhself, if my food nah good enough for you?"
"Meh to cook? Are you crazy! This is a woman's job.'
"Appointed by who?"
Gail watched them quietly, and then said, "Mummy, I'm going over to Lisa's today. I'll be there all day."
Her mother gazed at her suspiciously.
"To do what?"
"We have to work on a school project."
Gail looked over at Anil. "Can you drive me over there, please?"
Anil smiled upon seeing how well Gail played her role as he had instructed.
He looked at his watch.
"If you want me to drop you off, you had better hurry up. I have other things to do."
He got up, picked up his plate and glass, and headed to the kitchen. Gail followed him, carrying her plate.
"Gyal, you played off your mother well. I've always admired you."
Gail's eyebrows came together. She could sense that something more was behind his words, but she couldn't figure out what it was.
She had noticed that whenever she wore something a little bit revealing, his eyes were always on her.
"Let's go, Gail," he said.
They walked back to the living room. His wife was clearing the table.
Anil came up by her. "Babe, I'm going," he said, and they kissed.
Gail stared at them. Why should they kiss in front of me?
As they kissed, Anil's eyes slid to Gail.
Why is he always watching me?
"Mummy, I'm going to go get in the car," said Gail, and she left. Anil rushed out as well.
When he got into the car, Gail was already sitting in front. He started the engine and drove off.
Gail leaned her head on the seat's backrest, overwhelmed by her thoughts.
Why did I get pregnant? And how? I don't recall having sex with anyone. Now I must get rid of it. And the pastor condemns abortion. What should I do?
She sat up straight and opened her eyes.
"Anil, I'm not sure if I should go ahead with the abortion. After all, it's the killing of a child."
Anil glanced at her with a serious face.
"What are you talking about? If you don't abort this child soon, how will you go to school with a big belly? You might get expelled."
"I don't feel good about this whole situation, and the lies. I should tell Mother."
Anil started sweating.
"Are you insane? How could you think that? If you tell your mummy, she might send you to your aunty in the country."
She sighed in resignation. "Why did this happen to me?"
Anil gently held her hand.
"I'm here for you and will support you."
He began caressing her hand. She stared at him suspiciously. Feeling uncomfortable, she removed her hand from his. Silently they headed toward their appointment.
8th February
Loud music played in Kingpin's big mansion. It was the afternoon of his birthday, and he was throwing a party.
Tables and chairs had been set up under umbrellas beside the pool, and bikini-clad women played in the water with a few men.
Some chatted and laughed while others stood in the pool with glasses of liquor-- rum, whiskey, vodka, or tequila.
Kingpin, Cyclops, Toothless, Wendel, Terrel, and Austin sat next to each other in the guest room, which was spacious enough to hold a pool table, bar, a sofa with matching armchairs, and a coffee table. A painting of a naked woman leaning against a tiger decorated one of the walls.
Kingpin held a cigarette in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other. He wore a thick gold chain around his neck, from which dangled a pendant carved in the shape of an "M". It was encrusted with diamonds which matched the ones in the earrings he wore.
Cyclops stayed close by, a bottle of beer in his hand. Occasionally he stole a jealous look at Kingpin's jewelry.
He always likes to show off with his damned gold and diamonds.
Toothless laughed at something Kingpin said. Then his attention switched to his surroundings.
Kingpin's living room shouted money. A huge crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Its brushed-nickel finish frame and canopy had little diamond-like stones in it. Clear crystal strands and ball accents shone like diamonds. The corners of the ceiling held moldings of angels.
Then Toothless' eyes paused on the ladies in the pool, which he could see from the huge window. However, because the glass on the windows only offered one-way vision, the guests outside couldn't get a glimpse of the inside.
Although he admired beautiful things, Toothless didn't care about riches. All he wanted was sex and women, and for that he needed money. If he was as wealthy as Kingpin, he reasoned, he would organize huge pool parties, surrounding himself with pretty women.
"The shipment has arrived, and tomorrow it'll be cleared, God willing," said Kingpin.
He turned to his henchman. "Cyclops, I want you in the port tomorrow. If we're busted, you must take all the blame for it."
Cyclops looked at his boss with a grimace.
"What if they lock me up for a long time?"
Kingpin got up and walked to his bar. He poured more drink into his glass and added some ice.
"If that happens, your mother will get a house."
"We're talking about my freedom. Last time it caused me an eye. Only a house? My freedom costs more than that!"
Kingpin scowled. He pulled a gun from his pocket as he moved towards Cyclops. Before he could move, Kingpin threw his arm around his neck from behind and put the pistol to his head.
"Listen to me! When you became a member of my group, you swore that you would obey my orders. What the hell are you complaining about?"
Cyclops's eyes went wide, and he wet his pants. Toothless laughed when he saw the urine dripping on the floor.
"I got it, Boss. I'll do as you wish."
Kingpin let go of his neck and removed the gun from his temple.
"Get the hell out of here. Go and change," said Kingpin with a sneer.
Two women stood outside at the window. They cupped their hands around their eyes, trying to see inside.
Toothless and Terrel couldn't stop laughing.
"Why are you laughing, idiots?" Cyclops demanded angrily.
Toothless' face became serious. "Get rid of those pants. Your piss makes me ill."
Cyclops left, walking gingerly, a wet spot over his crotch.
Only two years before, Cyclops had gotten out of jail barely alive.
He would never forget the morning when he was left without an eye. As Cyclops was taking a shower in the jail's washroom, a huge inmate by the name of Naren came into the room. He stood behind Cyclops, eying him. As he watched him, Naren became aroused. He slowly came up to Cyclops, who had been paying no attention to his surroundings, and pinned him to the wall. Cyclops's soap fell on the tile.
"Hey gyal, you and I are alone in here. Why don't we have ourselves a little fun? I promise I'll be easy on you."
"Move away from me, you piece of shit," Cyclops growled, as he tried to push himself off the wall.
Somehow, he managed to turn around and push Naren away from him. Cyclops lifted his leg and tried to kick him. Unfortunately, he stepped on the soap, slid, and fell on his back, his head bouncing against the floor.
Naren sat on top him. He began punching Cyclops's face. Cyclops could feel the blood gushing from his eye. He screamed and cussed, writhing to get Naren off him.
Hearing his shouts, other prisoners and officers rushed in. They pulled Naren from him, and Cyclops was taken to the hospital, where his damaged eye was removed.
He was very angry with his loss, but glad that he did not get raped by Naren. That would have been a black stain on his manhood.
"Didn't you pay the customs to make sure that those containers weren't searched?" asked Toothless.
"We tried to bribe a few, but it didn't work."
Kingpin walked to the window and opened it. The two women stepped back.
"What are you trying to see?" he asked.
"We were looking for a friend of ours. She wanted to pee. We thought she went inside," one of them answered. Kingpin could tell that she was a terrible liar.
"Oh, she's probably somewhere outside," said Kingpin, fixing a false smile on his face. He hated curious people.
"Okay then." The ladies walked away.
A few women waved at him. He smiled and waved back. Then he shut the window and sat down in an armchair. He sighed and leaned back.
"Listen. Mickey was arrested by Miguel himself. He poses a threat to our organization. We have to exterminate him before he gives out any information to the police."
"Boss, it will be hard to kill him."
Kingpin exhaled a plume of smoke.
"I've already organized everything. Tomorrow he'll meet his end."
"But how?" asked Terrel, sitting up straight.
"A prison officer was convinced to help us," said Kingpin. He rubbed his fingers together, signifying money.
"Your money always open doors and make things happen," said Toothless.
Kingpin got up. "Money is the solution to every problem."
He turned his back to them. "This meeting is over. Go and join the party outside." He turned around to face them.
"Except you, Terrel."
The men stood up. Cyclops returned, wearing a dry pair of shorts.
Kingpin walked to the door leading to the pool. He opened it, and the men walked outside. When Toothless got to the door, Kingpin grabbed his hand.
"The police are looking for the killer of a woman found in the forest. Did you kill she?"
Kingpin gazed into his eyes.
"No, Boss. That wasn't me."
"I hope so. If it proves to be the other way, I'll deal with you myself."
He freed his hand, and Toothless left the room.
Terrel stayed sitting in the armchair. Kingpin poured a drink and passed it to him. Then he sat down opposite him.
"Your chick is taking too long to give us information. What's going on?"
Terrel's lip twitched. "Since Miguel's wife is gone, he's been avoiding she. Therefore, she has no way of getting any information from him."
Kingpin lit a cigarette. "She had better give me something soon. I'm losing my patience with her slackness and screw head."
Terrel's eyelid jumped.
"I will talk to she."
Kingpin walked to the window and looked outside. Toothless was in the pool, flanked by two women.
"Come here."
Terrel walked to the window.
"There is one more thing I want you to do."
Terrel glanced outside, feeling a sudden stiffness in his neck.
"Toothless is only trouble for our organization. I feel he killed that woman. Organize with the boys to exterminate him."
An elderly lady came in and whispered something into Kingpin's ear. He looked at his watch and then at the old woman.
"Tell him I'll be there shortly."
He opened the door for Terrel. "Go and join the party."
Terrel walked outside, and Kingpin accompanied the elderly woman to another area of the house.
9th February
At 12 p.m., a dark-skinned woman of age thirty or so, wearing dark sunglasses, sat in the waiting room of Picedale Jail.
The woman, whose name was Elizabeth, put her bag on the table and nervously tapped her fingers on the metal surface as she waited for Charles, one of the inmates. Her eyes wandered between the camera and the door. She dug in her bag and took out a vial filled with liquid.
Charles entered the waiting room, followed by a stout police officer, who removed Charles's handcuffs. Charles, who was tall and broad-shouldered, looked like a giant next to him.
"Hi, babe," he said.
"Hello, cookie," she answered.
He hurried over to his wife, and they hugged. As she embraced him, she passed the vial to his hand. He sniffed her hair and made cooing noises.
The police officer kept staring at them, so Charles sat down at the table.
"We miss having you at home," she said.
"I miss all of you too. How are the children doing?" Charles asked, holding her hands.
"They keep asking for you. If you hadn't been mixed up with the wrong company, you would be with us."
"I did this for you and the children. I searched for decent employment, but only wasted my time."
He sneaked a look at the guard, and whispered, "However, the boss gave me a job."
She pulled her hands away.
"On what cause? He asks you to do a dirty job, and now to take a life. You know what they told me? If Mickey lives, they'll kidnap my kids and sell them away."
She put her hands on his cheeks. "I beg you, get out of it before it's too late," she whispered.
He put his hands on hers and gently removed her hands from his cheeks.
"I can't. Once you become a member of a gang group, there's no turning back. If I leave, they will come after you and the children," he whispered.
The guard approached them. "It's time to go."
He handcuffed Charles.
Charles stood up and regarded his wife. "Don't overthink. I'll figure out something," he promised.
Then he was led away.
Later in the evening, Charles lined up to get his food in the jail's canteen. The eating area was filled with prisoners.
Charles put his hand in his pocket and touched the vial.
Now or never.
He gazed around in search of Mickey and found him in the back of the line.
A fat man put green beans, potatoes, and beef on Charles' plate. He was also given a glass of orange juice.
He walked to a long table where other male prisoners sat. There were two empty seats. He sat in one, then took the vial out of his pocket and emptied its contents into his juice. Then he patiently waited for Mickey.
Mickey got his food and wandered over, looking for a seat.
"Hey, Mickey! Come and sit here,'' said Charles.
Mickey walked over to Charles's table. His hair was uncombed, and his hands trembled little bit.
"What's up, man? You're looking restless today."
"I haven't slept for a few nights," said Mickey, putting his tray on the table. He sat down.
"I heard you spoke to Miguel."
A muscle in Mickey's face spasmed.
"Where did you hear that?" His heart began pumping faster.
"Doesn't matter," said Charles.
Charles looked over at a fellow inmate, Zane, who sat at the opposite table, and signaled him with a wink.
Zane stood up and threw a spoon at Mickey. The spoon landed on his back and then fell on the floor. Zane sat back down quickly in his seat.
Mickey rose, a frown on his face. He picked up the spoon and looked around. Then he raised it.
"Which of you imbeciles threw this?" he demanded loudly.
The nearest guard pulled his gun halfway out of its holster as he stared guardedly at Mickey.
Charles quickly exchanged his cup with Mickey's. Then he got up and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Take your seat, boy. You don't want to have a problem with these watchdogs. They just look for a reason to beat you."
Mickey stared at the prison officers for a long moment, and then he slowly took his seat.
"Someone wants me dead. Yesterday I was attacked while sleeping. Someone put a pillow over my face and tried to smother me. I was barely able to push him away from me. He then took out a knife and tried to stab me. We fought, and the knife rolled under the bed. I kicked him and jumped on his back. Then the officers came and took him away."
"Who would want you dead?" asked Charles.
Mickey began eating his food.
"Kingpin. Someone told him that I spoke to Miguel."
"You've made so many enemies. Any of them would want you dead."
As Mickey swallowed the beans, he began coughing. His face grew red. Charles patted his back.
"Are you okay?"
Mickey grabbed his cup and drank the juice. The coughing stopped.
"Thanks, man. Guess the beans went down the wrong tube."
He went back to eating. "I heard you're getting out in a few days. Tell bossman I haven't given out any information to Miguel or anyone else, and I don't plan to do so. My loyalty belongs to our organization."
As Mickey spoke, his stomach started feeling heavy. His vision became foggy, and the voices of the other prisoners sounded distant, like the buzzing of a fly.
Suddenly he couldn't breathe. Wide-eyed, he gasped and brought his hand to his neck, gasping for air. He scrambled up, and then collapsed on the floor. As he lay there, his body moved jerkily, and white foam came out of his mouth.
"What did you put in my drink?" he whispered, and then blacked out.
The two prison officers rushed towards him. One of them leaned over and put his ear on his chest, trying to hear his heartbeat. Then he held his hand and checked for a pulse. But there was no heartbeat.
"He's dead."
"He seemed good all the time. How could he fall dead!?" said Charles.
The other inmates surrounded Mickey. One of the prison officers made a call, all the while keeping a hand on his gun.
"Go back to eating, or to your cells!" he shouted.
Prisoners began leaving the canteen.
Two other prison officers came in with a stretcher. They laid Mickey's body on it and took him out.
Charles picked up Mickey's mug to destroy traces of his involvement. Then he dropped it in a huge sink that held other dirty mugs.
The prison officer put Charles's mug on the tray with Mickey's unfinished food.
"Send this to the lab for inspection," he told his partner. "We need to find out if he was poisoned."
The other guard took the tray and left. Soon the canteen was empty. Only a few people stayed to clean it up.
11th February
The situation in Trinidad's neighboring country was getting worse day by day, as poverty hit the country. Food, water, medications, toilet paper, and even soap were scarce, and prices soared. Women in search of jobs were forced to come to Trinidad to provide for their families.
Their desperate situation allowed a man named Samuel to lure a few of them into prostitution. Therefore, along with his hotel business, he ran a successful sex trade business.
Recently he had gotten a group of young Spanish women. As soon as they had stepped onto the island, they had been taken to Samuel's Exotic Land Hotel. Scared, alone, and threatened with the loss of their lives, they had had no choice.
Samuel forced them into prostitution.
Without having documents or a place to go, and not knowing the language, the girls became the tools of a thriving money-making business for Samuel.
A red Ferrari was parked by the white two-story Exotic Land Hotel. The building itself was burglar-proofed and had mirrored one-way windows.
Samuel sat in the Ferrari, counting a wad of money. Next to him was his broad-shouldered bodyguard, Wayne. While Samuel checked the money, Wayne's eyes focused on the street.
Samuel put twenty thousand dollars in a black satchel.
"Give this to Andre. Tell him that he'll get the rest in a few days. Also, go over to Donald's and get more pills from him. It makes the girls wild and the clients generous."
Wayne took the satchel. "Anything else?"
"Don't go into any rum shops before delivering my money!"
Wayne had planned to take a drink the first chance he got. He grimaced, and then got out of the car. Without another look at Samuel, he walked towards his white Nissan and got into it.
Samuel stared at his hotel, and then made a call.
In a living room of the hotel, a bald man by the name of Zachary answered the phone
"Yes, bossman."
"What are the clients doing?"
"Usual thing. Dem locked up in de room. Buh de gyals are getting too noisy."
Samuel shook his head.
"You must be giving them too many pills. I told you don't overdose my girls."
"Sorry. I got distracted."
Samuel ended the call and drove away.
In the hotel, Zachary squeezed his head.
Man, I gotta be more careful.
While Zachary's mind filled with worries, one of the hotel's male customers lay on the bed in one of the bedrooms. He was accompanied by Olivia, who was only seventeen years old, nineteen-year-old Fernanda, and twenty-two-year-old Romina.
Two of the women, Olivia and Fernanda, chuckled and spoke together in Spanish. They held plastic cups filled with whiskey. Kingston jumped out of bed and pulled a cell phone from the pocket of his discarded pants. He pointed the camera in their direction.
"Get close to each other and howl while rubbing your breasts."
They just stared at him, confused. He picked up his cup of tequila from the bedside table and took a few sips, then licked his lips.
"Arh-woooooooooooooooooooo!" he said with a grin.
Romina, who knew English, glared at his camera.
"Él nos pide aullar como un animal y frotar las roturas. Él nos va a grabar en video y podría compartirlo con todos," she informed the others.
"¿Está loco? No voy a hacer eso," Olivia said.
"Why are you taking so long?"
"Sir, we don't feel comfortable with your request. You can't videotape us either," Romina told him.
She got off the bed, and he grabbed hold of her hand.
"Where are you going, you friggin idiot?"
She looked into his eyes. "Sir, we're not your toys. Free my hand."
He hit her in the face and then pushed her onto the bed. She fell on the two other girls.
"You nasty Jagabat. I spent de friggin' ten thousand to have some fun. Now I have to deal with dis shit?"
He then spat on Romina. Her face burned and her eyes watered as she wiped the saliva off her face. She got up soundlessly and stood facing him. As she glared into his eyes, she slapped him back.
Blood rushed into his brain. He punched her in the nose. She screeched and held her nose as blood dripped down her face. She wiped it with her hand and ran to the toilet.
Fernanda tried to get off the bed, but Olivia embraced her.
"No te defiendas. Harás las cosas peor para todos nosotros," she told her.
Fernanda burst into tears.
"No vine aquí a vender mi cuerpo. Me prometieron un trabajo como sirvienta. Mi hijo es asmático. Él necesita sus medicamentos y comidas adecuadas. Vine a esta isla por su culpa," she said.
Romina returned and glared at Kingston. He scowled back.
"Okay, gyals, I didn't come to see a crying circus. So go ahead and make some noise. Do you want me to speak to your boss?"
"Haz lo que te pide para evitar problema," said Romina.
All three howled.
"Oh, yes!"
"Now meow and crawl like cats."
After he got his pictures, he sat down on the bed and sent out pictures to his friend.
In the next room, Mia lay naked on the bed as Gary smeared chocolate on her. He himself was covered in the chocolate as well. Nausea overcame her. She stood up and put on a robe.
"I need to run to the toilet. I'll be back," she said.
"Why don't you use the one in the room?"
"I don't feel comfortable when people are around."
"Don't take too long."
She nodded, then started out. Something caught her eye, and she paused.
By the bed stood a chair over which Gary had draped his pants. His cell phone had fallen out of his pocket and onto the floor. When Gary turned around, she quickly picked it up and ran to the guest room.
As Mia ran in, she almost collided with Zachary. She quickly hid the phone behind her back.
He grasped her other hand. "Why aren't you with a customer?"
"I…I…I need to use the toilet. I have an upset stomach," she said, as her hands trembled.
He stared into her eyes, and then let go of her hand.
"Go quickly. Leave the toilet clean."
Mia went into the bathroom and locked the door, then stood just inside, listening for footsteps. After Zachary walked away, she sat on the toilet, staring at the cell phone. Her heart raced.
Which number to call?
The man's phone was connected to the internet. She browsed a site in search of local police numbers. Then she dialed the number for Lystra police station.
At that moment, Sameer was sitting in the lobby area of the police station chatting with a female police officer. When the phone rang, he answered, "Lystra police station."
"Please help me," whispered Mia.
"Speak louder. I can't hear you."
Mia glanced at the door.
"They brought me here from Venezuela and took my documents. They also exploit other girls. They drug them every day and make them to do nasty things. Please hurry up and send someone here!"
Sameer picked up a pen and paper from the desk.
"Where are you calling from?"
"From Exotic Land Hotel."
"Do you know where it's located?"
"Netrotin Street. The building is white and has mirrored windows."
Zachary knocked on the bathroom door.
"What's taking so long in there?"
"I have the runs. Please give me a minute," she said.
Her whole body began shaking.
"I have to go," she whispered to Sameer, then she hung up the phone.
The other police officer stared at Sameer.
"Another complaint of abuse? We've been getting a lot lately."
Sameer put the piece of paper into his pocket.
"No, this is something serious, and involves a foreigner. Could be a case of human trafficking. We must check it out. Send out two police cars to Netrotin Street. Have them look for the Exotic Land Hotel. It's a two-story white building with mirrored windows."
Sameer left the lobby area and rushed into Miguel's office. Miguel had been reading a report when Sameer interrupted him.
"We got a call from a Spanish woman," Sameer told him.
"She, together with other women, are being forced into prostitution. Let's go and catch whoever is behind this."
Miguel put his cigarette in the ashtray. He opened his drawer and took out a few handcuffs.
"We'll need these," he said.
Sameer walked out to the parking lot, his friend behind him. They got in quickly, Miguel in the driver's seat.
Miguel put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it with a lighter while keeping his left hand on the steering wheel.
"You with your smoking! You know, you could get cancer. How much can you smoke?" Sameer lowered his window.
"I'll stop someday, but not now."
Sameer picked up the newspaper and got busy reading it. He stopped on the advertisement section.
"Escort Services and exotic massage, by women between the ages of 20 and 35," he read aloud. "I bet these kinds of services offer sex. Look at how low we've stooped; even the newspapers allow prostitution to be promoted on their pages."
Miguel blew out a circle of smoke.
"You shouldn't be surprised. Money buys everything. You pay big money, and anything you want to advertise is allowed on their pages."
Sameer read aloud again: "A psychic with 2o years of experience will predict your future by reading your palm. Can also unite loved ones. Bring good luck and finances."
A grimace formed on Sameer's face.
"What fool would go to this so-called psychic? The only gift he has is to lie and spend hopeless people's money."
Miguel stuffed his cigarette butt into an empty soda can.
"Sameer, you always have to go into philosophy, wondering and asking questions. I really don't know what idiot would go to a man instead of God. Maybe desperate, depressed, and gullible ones will look for them. Just to get deceived or swayed away—at any rate, they pay good money for things they want to hear, rather than the truth."
"Yes, people look for answers or solutions in the wrong places. They think drugs, alcohol, or psychics have the answers. The solution lies with faith in God, a positive mind, and hard work. One must just turn to God and ask Him for guidance and help."
"Boy, why don't you become a priest?" said Miguel with a grin.
A smile danced on Sameer's face. At one time in his life, he had been considering choosing the path of priesthood. However, he couldn't see his life without a wife or kids, which one day he hoped to gain.
After a short drive, they arrived at their destination. Miguel parked two streets away from the hotel, and they strolled leisurely toward it.
As they got to the door, Zachary opened it. He had been going out to buy a roti from the store on the opposite side of the street. He stood motionless for a second when he saw the policemen.
"I am Sergeant Miguel Seegobin. We have reason to investigate this property."
"Do you have a warrant?" asked Zachary, not moving from the door.
Sameer showed him a piece of paper.
"Now please step aside and allow us to do our work."
Zachary moved away from the door, and Miguel and Sameer went inside.
Another police car stopped in front of the hotel, and two officers, Constables Benjamin and Anora, got out.
Two residents of the brothel had been on the way to the guest room, but as soon as they saw the policemen, they ran outside through another door.
Anora ran after them.
Mia came out of the toilet and rushed to the policemen.
"Are you from Lystra police station?"
"Yes, we are," said Miguel.
"My name is Mia. I was the one who called you."
Benjamin came in and walked towards them.
"Both of you go and search the rooms. I'll talk to her," said Miguel.
Sameer and Benjamin, guns in their hands, began knocking on the doors of the hotel's rooms.
It wasn't long before they hit pay dirt. Two rooms down, a man of about forty years of age opened the door. As soon as Sameer saw him, he forced himself inside.
On the bed was a tall, slim teenage girl with curly hair. She was in school uniform.
Sameer's attention moved to the man. "Let me see your ID."
The man removed an ID card from his wallet and gave it to Sameer.
"Avinash Ramsak," Sameer read. He handed the ID back. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to have some relaxation time with my babe."
Sameer handcuffed him.
"I didn't do anything wrong. You have no right to arrest me."
Sameer's attention moved to the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Nisha." She shyly looked away.
"How old are you?"
"Fourteen."
"Why aren't you in school?"
"I was on my way, but he brought me here."
"You should be in school, not in this place with an adult man."
"But he gives me money to spend."
Sameer glared at Avinash. He turned a much gentler face to Nisha.
"You must not sell your body for money. It shouldn't be touched by anyone unless you're married. Your body is like a temple that needs to be kept pure."
"But he promised to marry me."
Sameer tightened his grip on Avinash's handcuffs.
"How did you meet?"
"I'm her driver," Avinash told him with a leer.
Sameer pushed him towards the door. "Move it! You're being arrested for having sex with a minor."
Avinash walked out of the room, followed by Sameer and the teenager.
"But I didn't rape her. She willingly gave in."
Sameer kicked Avinash's butt, and he fell. The girl rushed towards him and helped him to get up.
"Let's go," ordered Sameer.
"Can I go home? If my parents find out, they'll punish me!"
"You should have thought about that before coming here," said Sameer.
They walked into the lobby. Sameer glanced at Miguel, who was sitting in an armchair, talking to Mia.
"I'm taking these people to the car," said Sameer.
Miguel looked at Avinash and the teenage girl. "I'll be there shortly."
Sameer left the hotel.
Constable Anora went into the hotel and headed to the hotel's suites. At the same time, Benjamin kicked open a door and moved swiftly toward the bedroom. He barged in, his pistol in his hand.
Kingston lay between Fernanda and Romina and was kissing Olivia. His head whipped around at the noise.
He took one look at Benjamin and jumped off the bed.
"What de hell!" he shouted. He scrambled for his underpants and hastily pulled them on.
The women covered themselves with the sheet.
Benjamin picked up their clothes from the floor and threw them on the bed. "Put on your clothes," he said.
He looked at Romina. "You too."
Romina got up and walked to the other side of the room to get her clothes. Then she dressed.
While she did so, Benjamin turned to Kingston. "Let me see your ID."
Kingston glared at him. "I left it in the car."
"Move now. I'm taking you to the police station."
Kingston suddenly turned and picked up the lamp. He threw it at Benjamin, but it missed him. It fell and broke on the floor, sending splinters everywhere.
Benjamin pointed a pistol at him.
"Don't move." He moved swiftly toward him and handcuffed him.
"You blasted shit!" Kingston snarled. "I'm a lawyer. I'll take you all to court."
Benjamin pointed at the door. "Do as you wish. Ladies, let's go now."
They headed to the police car. As they were getting in, another one stopped in front of the hotel. Three policemen jumped out, wearing bulletproof vests and holding guns in their hands. They arrested Gary and Zachary and hauled them off to the police station as well.
All of Miguel's attention was now on Mia.
"We were promised to get help from the Catholic Center of Hope. When we got to shore, they put us in a van. They left Laura somewhere else and put me in here. They took my passport and kept me here against my will," she said.
"Can you describe the one who brought you onto the boat?"
"He was broad-shouldered and dark-skinned. One of his front teeth was missing. He drove away with my sister."
Mia clutched his hand.
"Please help me to find her and get my passport. I left two children behind, hoping to make enough money to buy food and medication for them. I never thought my job search would mean I would end up in prostitution. Please help me."
"Okay, Mia. I'll see what I can do. But for now, you must go with me to the police station. After that, immigration will deal with the rest. Let's go."
He escorted Mia to his car and then went back into the hotel, where he walked through the corridors and opened the doors. In one bedroom, he noticed an open window. He put his head outside and saw three women running away.
He went back to his car and opened the driver's door. Sameer was in the front seat. Mia, Nisha, and Avinash were squeezed into the back seat.
"Let's go."
He started the engine and they headed to the police station.
15th February
Going through with the abortion caused Gail to fall into a deep depression and brought illness upon her, so bad that she missed four days of school. Every inch of her body hurt. She lay in bed, restless, turning from side to side, burning with fever.
Her mother, Chelsea, stood next to her bed. She dipped a rag in a basin of water and wiped Gail's forehead.
Gail pushed her mother's hand away.
"Baby is dead. They killed it."
Her mother picked up a thermometer from the chair and put it under Gail's arm.
"They took it away."
Gail turned on her other side, and the thermometer slipped out.
"Stay on one place, gyal. Let me check your temperature."
Gail raised her head a little bit and cried, "My baby is gone!"
Her mother shook her head.
I must bring down her fever. She is talking nonsense.
Anil came in and glanced at Gail. "How is she?"
"Not so good. Go and get nah medicine for she," she said.
"You go. I'm waiting for someone," said Anil.
"Ok, just watch she," said Chelsea.
They left Gail's bedroom.
Chelsea picked her bag up, and left the house in a rush, forgetting to change out of her sandals.
Anil sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. He browsed through the channels and stopped on a cricket game.
"Mummy, it's hurting! Where are you?"
Anil turned up the volume of the TV to drown out Gail's shouting.
Gail slowly sat up, and cried out loudly, "Mummy! Anil murdered my child!"
Anil jumped up and rushed to the bedroom. He hurried to Gail and held her hand tightly.
"Lie down and stop talking bullshit!"
She pulled her hand away from him.
"Don't touch me. You insisted that I go for an abortion. You're a killer!"
She slowly stood up and took a few steps.
"Where are you going?"
She paused and looked at him, as if trying to figure out what she planned to do.
"I'm going to tell Mother about the abortion."
The whole room spun before her eyes, and she suddenly felt dizzy and weak.
Anil grabbed her hand. "Are you insane? You can't!"
"You're hurting my hand. Let it go!"
He freed her hand and walked to the door, where he stood in the doorway. When she got there, Gail put her hand on his chest and tried to move him out of the way.
"Go away. I hate you!"
"Go back to your bed now! You're not making things easy for me."
She pushed him harder.
"No, I need to tell the truth!"
He crossed his arms and didn't move. Her sobs became louder.
"Please get out of my way!"
She became hysterical and hit him a few times. He caught her wrists and held them.
"This is my bedroom! Get out of here!"
He grasped her hands.
"Don't you understand? If you tell she, they'll know that I had sex with you."
It suddenly got very quiet, and Anil shook from head to toe.
Why did I say that? Now she knows!
She paused and stared into his eyes.
"Why are you telling me this nasty thing? I don't remember having sex with you."
His grip on her wrists became painful.
"It's because I drugged you!" he blurted out.
Damn it. Why did I tell her?
As soon as he let go of her hands, she hit him again.
"You're my stepfather! How could you do this to me?"
"Stop it, girl. I couldn't help it. Ever since you blossomed into a beautiful young woman, I haven't been able to take my eyes off you. I love you!"
He tried to hug her, but she pulled away from him.
"You're crazy. I'm going to tell Mummy."
She managed get through the doorway, but Anil grabbed her hair and pulled her back.
"Leh go my hair, monster! You get me pregnant and then make me throw it away!"
He loosened his grasp, and she rushed to the living room.
"Mummy, where are you?"
She walked to the front door. Anil rushed after her.
"Please, Gail. Don't do it. Let's talk about it."
She put her hand on the door handle.
When she turned away, Anil seized a trophy from a nearby stand and hit her on the head.
She turned around and stared at him silently, her eyes full of pain. Then she collapsed.
Anil rushed to her. He checked her pulse, then carried her to the bedroom, where he lay her on the bed.
Then he went to the kitchen and picked up a bottle of beer. He returned to her bedroom and sat on the chair. As he took a few sips, he pondered his next step.
What to do? If she speaks out, I'm dead.
He heard a car park in front of their house. He quickly left Gail's bedroom and sank onto the sofa.
His wife walked into the living room.
"How is Gail?"
"She's been restless and cried for some time. Then she fell asleep."
Chelsea took out some medicine from the bag she was carrying. "I got for she fever reducer."
She left him and walked into Gail's bedroom.
Gail moved her legs. "Ouch! It hurts!" she wailed.
Chelsea put her hand on her forehead. Her skin seemed hotter than before.
"Mummy! Mummy! Where are you? I have something to tell you."
"I'm here, honey. Sit up and take some medicine."
Chelsea poured the liquid into a measuring spoon as Gail opened her eyes and looked dazedly at her mother. She rose halfway but dropped back down.
"Mummy, he raped me and then forced me to get an abortion."
A frown formed on Chelsea's face.
"What are you talking about?"
Anil came up to the door unnoticed and stared at Gail. His heart raced and goosebumps pricked his skin.
Gail looked over at the doorway. She lifted her hand and pointed at Anil.
"He said he raped me because he loves me."
Her mother looked in the direction she pointed. Anil gazed silently at his wife.
"Is it true?" she asked, with a heavy heart. She sat down on the edge of the bed.
Anil came inside and stared at Gail.
"Me to rape she? Are you crazy? She's delirious," he said. Weakness overcame his body, and he felt as if his end was coming.
"Give she medicine, woman, before she gets cuckoo!"
Chelsea put the medicine and the spoon on the chair.
"She needs to see a doctor. Get up, child. I'm taking you to the hospital."
She held onto Gail's shoulders and helped her to sit up. Shaking, Gail raised her head and glared at Anil.
"Get out of my eyes, you sicko."
A doubt crawled into Chelsea's heart.
Why does she keep insisting? Did he really rape she?
She gave him a stern look.
He seems to be calm and collected.
"Go and start the engine," Chelsea said.
Anil left, and Gail followed slowly with the help of her mother. Chelsea helped her to get into the car, and then she got in as well.
"Ouch! My head is hurting. He hit me!"
Anil glanced at her in the mirror.
"Her delirious accusations are getting to me. She better stay in the hospital till she temperature goes away," he said.
I might have to pack my clothes and leave.
"Just be patient. Don't you see she's burning with fever?"
Gail closed her eyes and fell asleep.