Page 7 of Tristano

“Don’t get smart with me, little girl. You might be an adult now, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t still dish out your punishments. You’ve been investigating missing persons cases. Some of the detectives have started asking questions about you, or rather, Sabrina. You are going to blow your cover,” he reminds me.

As if I didn’t know that already. Some of the other girls have told me some detectives have been snooping around about me. I’ve just been quicker to stay away from them. No one but our small team knows I’m undercover. As far as they are concerned, I’m a teenage hooker. Anyone who asks about sweet Serena, who Uncle Ben raised, gets told the same story. I’m doing well in another state, living my life. I don’t get back to visit much, but Uncle Ben prefers it that way because it means I’m healing.

No one knows the truth.

When I announced that I wanted to go to the academy, Uncle Ben hated the idea. He finally caved and agreed to let me go if I went out of state. When I came back, the precinct had a complete overhaul and almost an entire new staff.

“I’m not trying to blow my cover, but there is a connection here. These girls are being snatched from the streets. Not just working girls. Last week, a college girl came up missing. Maddie Smith. She’s twenty-two years old and an aspiring actress. She went for a casting call and was never seen again. What are we doing about this? This is an epidemic in our city.”

“It’s not your job to worry about. When I hired you on and put you through the academy, I went against every single nerve in my body to do so. When you begged me to go undercover, I almost said no, but you assured me you could handle it. You said that you were in a unique position due to your age to catch predators that would normally not fall for our operations. You wanted to go after the pedophiles. So why now are you switching the script? Missing girls is not your issue.”

“Maybe it should be.” I raised my voice. “Maybe I have an opportunity to get close to these girls and find out how they are being targeted. Maybe I could even go undercover with a tracker and try to get them to take me. Then we could save lives and shut down the operation.”

“Absolutely not. Do you hear yourself? You haven’t even been on the force but a year and a half, and now you want me to let them take you? Do you know how dangerous that is, not to mention against agency policy? You have lost it. You need to go home for the weekend and rest. Come back Monday, and then we will discuss your future with this department.”

I gasp, “What does that even mean?”

“It means that you are tying my hands. I may be the chief of this department, but I have people I answer to, and they are not as understanding as I am. You are making waves when you should be flying under the radar.”

I swallow hard. “So you’re saying I’m done?”

He rubs his face. “Selbear, you are running yourself ragged. You never take breaks between busts. Enough is enough. You need to take a break. If you show me you truly took a break this weekend and come back refreshed Monday, we will discuss getting you another case.”

“What about the missing girls?”

He sighs. “Let the detectives handle it. Stay out of it.”

“They aren’t doing enough.”

“Sometimes there isn’t much they can do. You need to understand that not everything is going to be tidied up in a little bow like what you do. Sometimes the best we can do isn’t enough.”

He looks so worn down and tired. I almost feel bad for stressing him out. Almost, but not quite. If I don’t advocate for those girls, no one will.

“Fine. I’ll go home,” I lie to him.

He gives me a look like he can tell I’m lying, but he doesn’t call me out on it. Instead, he gives me a quick nod.

“Alright, I’ll drive you home.”

* * *

I shouldn’t be here.I know I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t leave it alone. Thursday night, after Uncle Ben dropped me off, I did what he asked and went to bed. Then Friday, I tried to watch some murder documentaries to keep my mind off it. It didn’t work.

That’s how I found myself here. Dressed in my Sabrina clothes on a corner with another hooker. One who has become a sort of friend to me.

“How’s business tonight?” I ask her as I move to stand near her.

It feels eerie being out here by myself. Normally my team is close by, ready to have my back. Tonight, I’m all alone. No one to rescue me if something goes wrong. Then again, nothing has ever gone wrong before, so why would it tonight? I won’t actually be looking for any johns.

“Shady as always, girl. I thought I wouldn’t see you for a while. Heard you got popped with that sugar daddy you had been playing with.” She takes a drag from her cigarette.

“Yeah. Fucker left me in jail too. I had some money saved up, though, and bonded myself out. I think I’m done with the wannabe sugar daddies,” I tell her.

“Sure you are, and I’m the Queen of England. We both know that if they flash the dough, we are there. It’s the way of life.”

“The way of our lives at least,” I grumble. “Anyone come up missing?”

“Not that I’ve heard. You’re really worried about getting kidnapped, aren’t you?”

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