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Ordinarily I wouldn’t deal with Sonia at this hour. She’s the type of woman who shouldn’t be encouraged to show up whenever the mood strikes her.
But I need a distraction.
49
Daniela
Ihave to get in touch with Isabel,it occurs to me when I’m halfway up the ramp. “Is there cell service on the ship? I need to make a call.”
The captain shakes his head. “No service anywhere around here. You can email or text—maybe it goes through—but that’s the extent of it.”
“I need just a moment, please.”
I text Isabel:I’m getting on a ship to Barcelona. Stay at the Hampton Inn in Boston until I call you.
It’s almost seven thirty in the evening, her time. Maybe she’ll get back to me right away. I’d love to know if they’re on their way to Boston.
“I don’t have all night,” the captain says roughly.
“Sorry.” I slip the phone in my pack as we walk up the ramp. The image of pirates and gangplanks comes to mind as I take each tentative step.
When we get aboard, the ship is clean. For some reason, it makes me feel better. We pass a few crew members who nod at the captain and mostly ignore me.
“Passenger quarters are down here,” he says, descending two short flights of stairs.
“Are there any other passengers on the ship?”
“A few. But everyone’s asleep by now.”
At the end of a long, dim hallway, he uses a key to open a steel-gray door. Then steps aside so I can enter first.
I freeze in the doorway. The room is empty. He shoves me inside and slams the door shut behind us.
“I don’t understand.”
He stands in front of the closed door. Fleeing isn’t an option.What am I going to do?You have a knife.
When I reach around for my knapsack, he grabs my wrist and drags me to the wall, pinning me there with his large body.
“What are you doing?” I cry, struggling against him to free myself. But he’s too big and too fast.
“What do you think I’m doing?” he growls, tossing my backpack aside.
I want to cry or scream or something when it lands on the floor well out of my reach.
He shackles me to the wall like he’s done this before.
I’m going to be trafficked. Sold to the highest bidder.
Stay strong, Daniela! Isabel and Valentina are counting on you. Don’t let them down.
“Please let me go. Please. I can get you more money.”
“You’ll sell for a pretty penny. You don’t have the kind of money it takes to buy your freedom. If you did, you wouldn’t be here.”
“I do have it.”
I don’t know if it’s better to tell him who I am or reveal my connection to Antonio, or both, or if it will just make matters worse for me.
