Page 42 of SEAL's Providence
Providence: We did that already. You’re wasting time.
Tony was in the middle of responding when his phone rang. Providence had obviously run out of patience.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Don’t. Don’t you dare try to placate me.”
Tony sighed. “I would never do that. But there was a limit to what I wanted to put in text.”
“Oh.” He heard her take a deep breath. He could picture her sitting behind her desk and nibbling on her thumbnail. “Sorry, you’re right. Now, we’re on the phone, so tell me all of it.”
“He’s not just going to take a look like you think. Pat has equipment I can’t get my hands on. One of those new radar pieces that can really see through walls. We need to know where they are in the house and if they’re all together or spread out. Since we can’t ask them, it’s the only option.”
“Sandy isn’t with her mother. That much I know. They’ve kept them separated since the beginning. All Mary knows is that she’s in the same house.”
“Right, I told him that, too. Hopefully, the rest of them are together. The quicker we can get in and out, the better. He’s also putting together a small team to help.”
“Dammit. I’m sorry for going off on you. But I have an awful feeling that something bad is about to happen.”
Providence’s voice sounded unsteady. He should have gone over there instead of being a chickenshit. She needed him and he was half a base away.
“I know, baby. But we’re getting closer. Pat will update us later. How about I come over later and we can wait for him to call?”
“Yeah, okay, I like that idea. I’ll order pizza or something. So, is that everything? Or is there more?”
Fuck his life. The one question he didn’t want to answer.
With a heavy sigh, he answered. “Yeah, there’s something else. Pat discovered they bring the women here. They put them to work in salons, but at the end of every quarter they sell them at auction. They’re never released.”
Providence’s indrawn breath and sob almost killed him. “No. No. No. What kind of monsters are these people?”
Tony didn’t have an answer. He couldn’timagine the level of fucked in the head you’d have to be to buy or sell humans. “I don’t know, baby. But it doesn’t give us long to save them. Once we have Pat’s intel, we’ll figure out the when. Do you want me to come to your office?”
“No, I’m good. Or I will be. Sorry, I should have realized it would be something like this. They’re traffickers. Of course, they wouldn’t let them go. They’re going to sell Sandy too, aren’t they?”
“That would be my guess.”
“I want to take my scalpel to John and remove his dick, one slice at a time.”
Tony would have laughed if he didn’t know she was serious. Apparently, Providence had a bloodthirsty streak. “You know you can’t do that. But he’ll get his.”
“He’d better. But what about the other women? Who’s going to save them? Sweet baby Jesus. We have to find a way to help them, too.”
“Yes, but one step at a time. Let’s get these women to safety. Then we’ll see what else we can do. Okay?”
She didn’t answer at first, then sighed. “Right.”
“Providence, you promised you’d let me help. Don’t do something rash.”
“I won’t. See you later. I’ve got to go. There are patients waiting.”
“Okay, baby. If you need me, call. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Thank you, Tony, for everything. Bye.”
Tony stared at the phone in his hand after she disconnected. Providence had sounded so determined. He knew deep down she was going to try to find a way to warn Mary. And he thanked God he’d put the tracker on her phone.
CHAPTER 11
