‘Rose delivers the kind of high-wire suspense that keeps you riveted to the edge of your seat’ Lisa Gardner

‘As gripping as a cold hand on the back of one’s neck . . . this assured debut bodes well for Rose’s future books’ Publishers Weekly

To the Starfish – Cheryl, Chris, Kathy, Susan, and Sheila. Thank you for the hours and hours of friendship, support, and – of course – the word counts!

And to Martin. I love you.

Acknowledgments

Linda Hurtado for insight into the character of my journalist hero. (Batman lives).

Dr. Marc Conterato for always having an answer when I say, ‘I need an injury that does [fill in the blank]’.

Kay Conterato, Mandy Kersey, Sonie Lasker, Terri Bolyard, and my husband, Martin, for always being there when I get stuck.

The Starfish for keeping me disciplined and on track!

Mike Magowan for answering my questions about firearms.

Tory and Kirk Smith for providing the most comfortable working environment I could ask for! The words simply poured out.

Caitlin Ellis for keeping me stocked with jugs of tea and microwave meals. And cookies.

The Urban Institute for their in-depth and startling exposé on the victimization process of human trafficking in the United States. I will be forever changed having read this report.

As always, all mistakes are my own.

Prologue

Cincinnati, Ohio

Tuesday 4 August, 2.45 A.M.

Where is he? He promised he’d be here.

Controlling her panic, Tala looked around, quick, furtive glances. All she saw were the neighborhood residents, going about their business. Of course, at this time of night, very little of their business was good.

Nobody noticed her. Nobody had followed her. She hoped.

She shrank back into the shadows, deciding to give him another minute. She had to get back before they discovered she’d slipped away. If they hadn’t already.

And if they had . . . her life was over. Maybe literally. And not only her life. She’d risked the lives of every member of her family too. If she were caught, all of their lives would be forfeit. Yet she’d risked it. Because of the baby.

Everything she did was for that little bundle, who smiled and cooed because she wasn’t yet old enough to know how bad the world really was. Tala would sell her soul to keep the baby safe, to keep her from being sucked into this hell – as Tala had been when she was only fourteen years old. That had been three years ago. Three years that had aged her a lifetime. Three years that had stolen the light from her mother’s eyes and turned her proud father into a shell of a man. Her parents were frozen, powerless, because they feared for their children. Tala understood that. But she also understood that things couldn’t continue as they were. So she’d bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment.

This was about as perfect a moment as she was going to get. Please come. Please.

If he didn’t come, it would all have been for nothing.

A footstep had her spinning around, her eyes frantically searching the darkness as her pounding heart began to race. A man approached, a large man. Tala’s fists tightened and she shifted her weight, preparing to flee in the event it was not the man she expected.

His step was slow. Careful. His hands lifted, palms out. ‘It’s me. I won’t hurt you.’

Her heart settled. He had the most beautiful voice. It had been what had drawn her to begin with. She’d heard him singing quietly, sitting by the pond in the park where she was allowed to walk the ridiculous dog whose diamond-studded collar would have fed her family for a year. His voice had been so sweet, it had made her want to weep.

And she had. She’d stood that day listening, the tears streaming down her cheeks. Later, she’d paid for that stolen concert. She’d paid dearly. Still, she’d stopped to listen again when she walked the dog and saw him at the pond. She’d stopped every night for a week. Because that, like this, had been worth the risk. She’d been caught a second time a few nights before. Punished even more viciously.

Still . . . she hadn’t been able to help herself. His song had drawn her, making her reckless. But even as her heart sang mournfully along with him, even when he’d turned to see her standing there, tightly clenching the ridiculous dog’s leash in her fist, even when he’d asked her why she cried . . .

She hadn’t said a word. Not until today.

She hoped she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life. Because she was putting her life and the lives of everyone she loved in his hands.

‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I’m here.’

He came closer, his face still in the shadows. ‘I’m Marcus,’ he said simply. ‘Tell me why you cry.’

Marcus. She liked his name. Trusted his voice. But now that she was with him, her tongue seemed to be tied in knots. The secret she’d kept for so long . . . it was stuck deep within her. The words would not come. She backed away. ‘I’m sorry. I . . . can’t.’

‘Don’t go. Please.’ He took a step closer, keeping his hands in front of him where she could see them. ‘What’s your name?’

She swallowed hard. ‘Tala.’

His lips curved encouragingly. ‘It’s a pretty name. Why do you cry, Tala?’

‘Why do you?’ Because he had been. She’d seen his tears when he thought no one was watching.

His faint smile faded. ‘I lost my brother. He was murdered. He was only seventeen.’

She swallowed hard. ‘My age.’

He nodded. ‘Will you let me help you, Tala?’

‘I . . . I can’t pay you.’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t need your money. I don’t want it.’

Oh, she thought, suddenly realizing what he did want. Dread overwhelmed her and she took another step back. Then she stopped, lifted her chin. Made her lips curve in what she knew to be a sensuous way. She reached for the waistband of his black jeans, steeling her voice to be as sexy as she could make it. ‘I understand,’ she purred. ‘I can make you feel good.’

He blinked, looking shocked. Then horrified. ‘No.’ He took a giant step back. ‘Stop. You don’t understand. That’s not what I want. I don’t want anything from you. I just want to help you.’

Tala’s hands dropped to her sides. ‘Why? Why would you help me? I’m no one.’

He shook his head again, slowly. Sadly. ‘Everyone is someone,’ he murmured, then exhaled. ‘Why do you cry, Tala?’

His voice dipped deep, touched her soul. Made her eyes fill with hot tears. ‘It’s dangerous,’ she whispered. ‘They’re dangerous. My family will die if I’m found here.’

His dark brows knit together. ‘Who are you afraid of?’

‘The man. His wife. They . . .’ She averted her eyes, ashamed. ‘They own us.’

Marcus shifted, jaw clenching, eyes narrowing. ‘How? Who?’

At the edge of her vision she saw the glint of moonlight on metal – but she was a split second too late. The flash of fire, the boom of thunder, the burning agony in her stomach, the scrape of asphalt on her face . . .

‘Tala!’ Marcus was shouting, but his voice was far away. So far away. ‘Don’t die, dammit. Don’t you dare die.’

She didn’t want to die. She hadn’t yet lived. Her family . . . She needed him to save her family. She opened her mouth to tell him so. ‘Help Mala . . .’ Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. There was not enough air to carry her voice. Say it. Tell him. She forced herself to inhale, forced the word out in an agonized huff. ‘Malaya.’

And then a second burst of thunder tore the air, followed by the shock of a great weight crushing her. Marcus. He’d been shot too. Suddenly she could no longer draw even the shallowest breath.