Page 17 of SEAL's Providence
John’s stare gave her the heebie-jeebies, but she didn’t blink. She refused to back down to bullies. A brief flicker in his eyes had the butterflies darting for cover in her stomach. What was up with this man? He exuded per evil.
“Mary, Val, Ann, and Cathy.” John’s voice boomed across the salon. Only two other customers were being worked on, but his shout quieted their muffled voices.
Providence scrutinized Mary as she approached, looking for any sign her situation had worsened.
“Hi, Miss Providence.” Her smile looked more forced than usual. “We’ll start with your pedi, yes?”
“Perfect, thank you. I’ve been so happy with how you take care of me. I brought my friends with me today.”
John grunted from behind the counter. The other technicians introduced themselves to Tempest, Grace, and Harmony and led them over to the pedicure chairs.
Providence settled into the chair and rolled her jeans up to her knees. Her friends were doing the same, except for Harmony, who’d sat down but leaned forward almost immediately.
“I need to use the restroom first, please?” Harmony asked.
Ann nodded. “It’s behind curtain,” she responded in heavily accented English.
As they’d arranged, Harmony would be the distraction. It was now or never. Providence tried not to hold her breath as Harmony attempted to slide to the side of the footbath, but her foot caught on the edge, and she fell to her knees.
“Ooof,” Harmony exclaimed as her knees landed on the floor. Providence winced at her painful cry. She’d hated this idea, but Harmony claimed it wouldn’t be a big deal.
John rushed forward to help her up. “You can’tsue us. It was your fault. You’re a clumsy American.”
Harmony had tears in her eyes. “Please, could you help me to the bathroom? I promise I won’t sue you.”
John studied her for a moment, then nodded. “?? ??? ?????? ???? ??????, ???? ???? ???, ??? ?? ????????? ?? ??? ?????.”
Providence’s Russian wasn’t as good as Tempest’s, but it sounded like he’d said, “You all behave, or you’ll pay the price later.” At the thinly veiled threat, Providence and Tempest exchanged glances. There was no time to waste. John could be back at any moment.
Providence leaned forward and whispered to Mary. Even without John in the room, they weren’t sure if any of the other women were plants. Tempest warned them it happened frequently in trafficking organizations.
“Are you okay? Is Sandy?”
“Yes, not hurt. Okay,” Mary whispered back as she folded the towel and placed it on the end of the footbath, then lifted her foot from the water.
Providence checked to make sure they weren't being watched, although there was always a chance there was a camera she hadn’t spotted. After onemore check, she reached into her purse and pulled out a small phone and charger. She couldn’t believe Tempest had found one of the tiny flip-phones. They’d put a tracker in it, but she didn’t have the time to explain all of that to Mary.
“Take this. You can text or have Sandy text me if something happens. Try to keep it on so we can try to find you. Anything you can tell us about where you’re being held will help. I promise we’ll get you out of there.”
Mary’s eyebrows lifted, then she looked around the salon before slipping the phone and charger down the front of her pants. “I’m not sure I can.”
“Please try. Are you all in one place after you leave?”
“Yes. It’s under stairs, no windows.”
Were they being kept in a basement? That would make things a little harder. But first, they needed to know the location of the building where they were being held.
“Are you safe for now?”
Mary sighed and nodded, once again looking around before she started speaking. “Yes, for now. But can change.”
John came out of the back, and his gaze stopped on Providence and Mary. It took all herrestraint not to let him see her flinch. They’d raised his suspicions, but there was no avoiding it. Without Harmony’s distraction, she’d never have been able to slip the phone to Mary or speak to her other than to select the colors she wanted to use on her nails.
A few minutes later, Harmony limped out of the bathroom. Providence would need to check her knees when they got out to the SUV. They’d be meeting the men at the Ready Room later and she really hoped that Harmony would be fine, or Ry might lose it. Thinking about the other men, she wondered if she should have invited Tony to meet her at the Ready Room, too. With all their friends there, it would be easy to keep things from getting too personal.
While they waited for their nails to dry, they sat on the benches at the front of the salon. Providence hoped it would give her another chance to speak with Mary. But John kept too tight a rein on them, and the woman barely looked in her direction. She prayed he wouldn’t take it out on the women when he got them back to wherever he stashed them overnight.
Providence never understood how people could be so cruel to each other. To hate someone with such vehemence that they’d take their life seemed inconceivable to her, even after being in the Navyfor so long. But trafficking was the absolute worst. To buy and sell another human being went against every tenet of humanity. Let alone the oath she’d taken when she became a doctor.
