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Remi: ????
Beth: I get it.
Winnie: You get what?
Sarah: Makes perfect sense. Of course, you’ve had that song on repeat in the garage at a huge volume. It’s good I like that song.
Winnie: What??
Jesse: You know that song Umbrella? That’s what you are for Bear and the kids. Plus it’s really catchy. In fact, Phoebe and I have been learning a dance to it.
Sarah: It better not be the Tom Holland one.
Jesse: Seriously sometimes I wonder about you guys. C U later.
“Mommy, Joey needs his diaper changed. It’s making the room stink.”
Guess she’d have to wait to look up what her sisters were talking about. Maybe the kids would help distract her. If Sarah thought she needed emotional backup, it wouldn’t be good.
The kids were doing well but after what they’d found out a couple weeks ago, she was constantly waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Although David had Grant to play with, Phoebe didn’t have anyone on the compound her age. Winnie would like to enroll Phoebe in school, but she and Bear were both concerned with the safety of the school. It was a joint school between Bluff Creek and another school system that had merged. Although they had a locked door that visitors had to enter through, she was still worried about letting Phoebe out of her sight.
Sarah breezed intoher office carrying her computer and a box of pastries before continuing into the kids’ area. “Hope you have coffee. I thought we needed a snack.”
Winnie followed her in listening to Phoebe tell Sarah all about what they’d been doing. She grabbed the coffee pot, emptying it and rinsing it before she set it to fill. Pulling out the grounds, she dumped them then added a new filter, a scoop and a half of her favorite coffee then shook the salt shaker once. The salt added a smoother flavor and she’d been doing it as long as she could remember. Her mom and Regina both did it to their coffee although Regina added extra cinnamon sometimes.
Remington, Beth, and Jesse walked in with Remington hip-checking Jesse to pick up David first. “Back off, it’s my turn to hang out with David. I brought him a new car if he’s been good.”
David giggled and nodded. “I didn’t even cry when Joey’s diaper hurt my eyes and nose.”
Remington chuckled. “So sorry I missed that. Here you go, buddy.” She handed him a 1970 GTO. David had been admiring Grant’s and her sister had made sure her son had it, too. She loved the family the kids would grow up in but she was worried—no, petrified. Late at night when she was cuddled with Benton, her mind wouldn’t shut off worrying about what Gnat had meant. Although she was anxious to hear what Sarah had found, she’d also rather face a problem than imagine the unknown.
“Okay, so let’s grab a cup of coffee, Danish, and meet in the office.”
Winnie turned up the show Phoebe and David were watching. “Hey, kiddos, I’m going to shut my door so we don’t bother your show. Come get me if you need anything.”
“’Kay, Mommy.”
Winnie sat down at her desk, leaning back and waiting for whatever bomb Sarah was going to drop. Sarah had her computer hooked into Winnie’s larger monitor. She cued up a video.
“Watch this then we’ll chat.”
Winnie watched the video. It was a conglomeration of multiples videos. Each one showed a large house with a wraparound porch. Gnat went in and out multiple times. She saw different people entering and leaving—mostly men but some women. The outside sign indicated it was a spa. After watching a couple minutes, Sarah paused it then ran it slow as Bear’s ex-chief walked in and returned seconds later with a bank bag. Sarah stopped the video then turned to them.
“The teams have identified this is where Gnat works. At first, they assumed she just worked there but the more they watched, they believe she runs the place. When one of our female team members walked in off the street and asked for a spa treatment, she was asked how she found out about them. When she said she saw the sign, they told her they were a membership only spa.”
“Oh, crap,” Remington muttered.
“Team one decided to up their surveillance and added listening mics. Clients of the membership spa,” Sarah air quoted the words, “gave a code when they went in. From what they have put together the code is what they want and who they want. We authorized whatever means necessary to obtain information. One of the guys noticed an elderly lady who lives behind the house having trouble getting her groceries in. After chatting with her, she’s offered her house for us to use for surveillance. She’s called the house in numerous times to the police because she’s heard screaming and crying. She also identified Gnat as the woman who came over and threatened her if she called it in again.”
“So what’s the plan beyond surveillance? Are the women there of their own free will or is this a trafficking situation?”
Sarah shook her head. “We don’t know yet. Scoop is briefing the guys on this information then we’ve scheduled a joint meeting this afternoon. This is huge. At last count, the team has identified over fifty individuals who have been to the house more than once.”
“Just so you know, we’re accepting the offer of using her house as surveillance. She also has a garage with an apartment on top of it that is perfect. We’re paying her rent but also upgrading her security. We’re pulling in a couple people from the Wichita office so they won’t get suspicious. Dad and I have authorized no limit on spending for this. We need to do whatever to keep the kids safe.” Remington leaned over when she finished, putting her hand over Winnie’s.
Sarah placed her hand over theirs, then Jesse then Beth. Sarah started singing the theme fromFriends. Remington joined in then the others. Winnie wanted to sing along but she was trying to keep the tears away. Gnat wasn’t just a horrible bio-mom, she seemed to be connected. How were they going to keep Winnie’s babies safe?
“Winnie, we’ve got this. We’ll hide you and the kids where no one will find you if we think we can’t protect you. We’ll be there for you, I promise.”
