Page 62 of Ryder

“What’s your name?”

“Crystal,” I say. “How did you get here?”

“My drink was spiked at a club downtown, at least, that’s what I think happened.” There’s a sadness to her tone that makes my toes curl. “You never think something like that is gonna happen to you, but that’s how these sickos get their thrills.”

“These men are rounding up girls?” Then I remember what Ryder said about the Devils trafficking women. He was right. Not that I didn’t believe him, I just didn’t want to believe that Jimmy was involved. This is abhorrent, even for him.

I never would’ve imagined in my wildest dreams that he was capable of something like this. Even at his worst.

“You think that’s bad?” the other voice from the cell next to us says. “They come around my neighborhood because we’re in a poor part of town. It’s clever when you think about it. Nobody even knows you’re missing half the time.”

That just sounds sad.

“What’s your name?” I ask her.

She snorts. “What does it matter?”

“Her name is supposedly Sapphire,” Gia says. “But I think she just made that up.”

“Fuck you,” Sapphire retorts.

“How long have you been here?” I ask them.

“I’ve been here for almost a week,” Gia says. “The room service sucks.”

How can she be so calm?

“Three days,” from Sapphire.

“They give us bathroom breaks and bring us slop that substitutes food. They don’t want their most prized possessions to be too skinny or gaunt when they get to their next destination.” There’s a hardness to her voice that makes me bring my legs up to my chest and hug myself.

I don’t want to be here. I want to go home.

I don’t want to be in this fucking nightmare.

“Where are we going?” I ask. “Where are they taking us?”

“That’s the million-dollar question,” Sapphire sings, like it’s obvious. “Could be anywhere. In any case, the food here is a lot better than what I get served up at home.”

“This isn’t funny!” Gia yells across the cell. “You just act like this is some big joke. Some of us value our lives, even if you don’t.”

“Who said I don’t value my life?” Sapphire retorts. “But I’m not gonna sit around crying. I’ve been saying it for days; we have to come up with a plan.”

“Right,” Gia laughs without humor. “I’m sure we will all just be able to talk our way out of it, or better still, fight them without any weapons. I’m confident they’ll be cool with it. Maybe they’ll even feed us before we go, fillet mignon anyone?”

“I want to go home,” another girl sobs on the other side of our cage. “I want to go home!”

I wish I could put my hands over my ear so I didn’t have to listen to her crying. It tears at me.

I squeeze my good eye closed. “How many others are there?”

“At least fifty at a guess,” says Gia. “Probably more. They’re bringing new girls in all the time. Some are only teenagers.”

It makes me sick. They’re praying on innocent women and girls and getting away with it.

I think I’m in shock, that’s what it is. Utter shock that Jimmy — the man I loved — did this to me. That he could leave me here in this state.

I want to kick myself. No, scratch that, I want to smash my head against the wall. I stuck up for him when others tore him down. I followed him to New Orleans. I’m such a fucking idiot.

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