Free 3 The Chain of Lies by Debra Burroughs Page B

school. She no longer had to take the bus for her senior year, and she was happy to show it off.
    “Okay, okay. Let’s take your car.” Emily gave in, remembering what it had been like to be seventeen and the thrill of freedom she experienced at having her own vehicle.
    As they drove through the neighborhood, an older silver Mercedes began backing down its driveway and into the street.
    “Watch out for the car backing out,” Emily warned, instinctively putting her hand out.
    “Don’t worry, I see it.” Molly slowed down, almost to a stop, and the other car drove past them in the opposite direction.
    “Did you see that?” Molly snapped.
    “See what?” Emily looked around.
    “The car that backed out.”
    “It was a family in it, wasn’t it?”
    “I mean the girl in the backseat. Did you see the girl in the backseat? The one closest to the window—she had these sad, dark eyes.” Molly’s words came with growing intensity. “I think I know her.”
    “I’m not surprised, she’s your neighbor.”
    “No, Emily, I think it was the girl from the restroom at the hotel—the one that was crying.”
    “Are you sure?” Emily twisted in her seat and looked for the car, but it was too far away, so she turned back forward. “She probably goes to your school, don’t you think?”
    “I haven’t seen her there, but I’m sure she’s the girl from the hotel. Oh, Em, she looked so sad.”
    “Maybe her parents grounded her for life because of her little stunt. I’d be sad, too.”
    “Or worse. What if they beat her?”
    “There’s no reason to think that, Molly.”
    “What if they’re not her parents? What if they kidnapped her and are holding her against her will?”
    “Where are you getting those outlandish thoughts? You’re letting your imagination run wild.”
    Molly peered in her rearview mirror. “I guess you’re right.”
    “I can’t imagine why you would even think such crazy things, Mol.”
    “Probably because of the assembly today.”
    “What assembly?”
    “We had an assembly at school with a special speaker from the A-twenty-one Project. She spoke on human trafficking and how it’s everywhere now. Some of the things that lady said were pretty shocking. I guess it’s still on my mind and it made me wonder about that girl.”
    “Oh, that’s what this is about. I think that sort of thing mostly happens in big cities, not in quiet small towns like Paradise Valley.”
    “Not according to the speaker today.”
    “Really? I’m surprised to hear that.”
    “Did you see there were three girls in the backseat?” Molly looked over at Emily as they came to a stop sign.
    “No, sorry, I didn’t. You had a better vantage point than I did.”
    “Like you said, it’s probably nothing.”
    “Yeah. They’re probably just her sisters.”
    ~*~
    A few days later, Emily dropped by Camille’s for a short visit, wondering if Molly had mentioned the Asian girls to her. Camille said she did mention them, but she tried to tell her daughter that Emily was likely right, it was just parents trying to raise teenage daughters who wanted to be with boys their parents didn’t approve of. Molly seemed to accept it, Camille said.
    “Can you imagine anyone thinking we have sex slaves here in Paradise Valley?” Camille shook her head and sipped her iced tea.
    “It does sound pretty far-fetched.” Emily ripped open a packet of sweetener and stirred it into her tea.
    “What sounds far-fetched?” Peter asked as he entered the kitchen.
    “Oh, hello, Peter.” Emily smiled to hide the rush of warmth she felt, a little surprised by his presence.
    “Emily and I were talking about the possibility of human trafficking in our area.” Camille took another sip of tea. “The idea of sex slaves in Paradise Valley, I think it’s highly unlikely.”
    “After the investigative reporting I did back east, I believe it could be anywhere.” Peter pulled out a chair and sank down onto it. “I think most people would be