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At the next red light, I sneak a peek at her; there aren't any track marks or scars on her skin. She looks around nineteen or twenty years old at the most and the darkness around her eyes looks new. She got out of there early, thanks to Jimmy's vigilance.
Twenty minutes later, I turn into an underground parking location, then help Shi Lei out of the car and upstairs.
Before we can even step into the apartment, four women swarm around us, gently helping Shi Lei from me and into the shared bathroom. They chatter, asking her how she is, friendly questions about her clothes, her family. When she turns to look at me, her eyes are filled with tears, grateful ones, the fear visibly receding from her face.
It's 2 a.m. Most of the women have probably only just returned home as well, if their discarded bags and shoes in the living area are anything to go by. Half-emptied to-go boxes are strewn all over the coffee table and the TV is on, blasting the latest streaming episode of Britain's Got Talent.
The House, as the women and I call it, is one of three apartments I have set up in the city, each housing up to eight to ten women. Safe houses. Places they can recover from their life and possibly start a new one. One I can help them with if they want.
Ananya Guo, the senior in the house, sinks into the couch next to me, giving me an update.
"Shi Lei’s okay, already giggling about something. Apparently she went to school with Davina’s cousin."
"That's nice. Good that she knows someone. Might make it easier for her to trust us."
Ananya makes a grunt of agreement and drops an envelope into my lap, letting out a laugh when I just let it fall to the floor, exhausted.
She picks it up and lays it against my stomach and then lifts my hand to hold it in place.
"Everyone's got their cut?" I ask.
She nods.
"And it was enough?"
"Of course. Gave them a little extra."
I nod and open the envelope, then split the contents in two and hand Ananya one of the stacks of notes. "Use that for Shi Lei. Whatever she needs. You know what to do. Let me know if you need more." I glance at the stack in my hand, approximating the amount and hand it to Ananya. "Actually, here. Take this as well. She might need a phone and some extra if Jimmy can’t get her bag."
Ananya doesn’t say anything, just tucks it into her pocket. She does know what to do. She's been with me for almost a year now. This is as much her operation at this point as it is mine.
In many ways, more.
I fold my arms and let myself sit, eyes closed for a few minutes, enjoying the happy chatter coming from the other room and the glorious harmonies of the choir singing on TV.
Over the last three nights I’ve barely had any sleep, maybe a whole ten hours in total.
I’m looking forward to getting home and falling into a deep, deep sleep.
I barely have time to properly enjoy the thought of sliding into my Egyptian cotton sheets and enjoying the silence of my apartment when—Buzzz!!!My phone vibrates in my pocket.
At two in the morning, it can only be one thing.
I heave myself to my feet even before I check the message.
"Set up another bed, Ananya. I think we're going to need it."
And I slip out the door giving myself the luxury of one long satisfying yawn.
Night’s not over yet, Kiara.
The elevator takes me down to the first floor and I look around, making sure there’s no one lurking in the darkened lobby before I slip through the door and make my way to my car parked around the corner.
But it’s not there.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
I look around, there’s no sign to say I can’t park there and I look back at the parking spot. Still no car.
