Finding Eva (Sophia Noire Series) (7 page)

CHAPTER 9
GOING BACK

T
he questions are gnawing at me and I need some answers. Time is not on my side. Soon, I will have to leave and go back to my hell-hole.
 

“James, I think that it is time that we talk about Lily.”

Images of him kissing a beautiful blond girl keep flashing in my head and I am green with envy.
 

“I guess it is time, huh.” Walking over to the window, he surveys the city. He rolls his shoulders forward and back and th
en says with his face backlit by the sun, “Lily is my fraternal twin sister. Her name is Lillian Marie. She was kidnapped when we were both 16 years old.”

James pauses for a moment and looks out of the window as if in a deep thought, “I have been searching for her ever since.”
 

His sister!
The thought of his sister being mixed up with the Parish jerks makes me sick. I have so many questions that I want to ask. Instead I just nod and keep my mouth shut.  

I see James pause for a moment and turn to me.  We lock eyes as if we’re both seeing how each other will react.  He breaks eye contact and stares intently out the taking a deep breath.
 

“We were both at this party that she begged me to go to with her. We were over in Northeast Portland and we didn’t know the kids hosting the party. One minute she was standing in the corner talking to this guy that she knew and the next she was gone. She vanished into thin air.”
 

Pacing back and forth in front of the window, I see the his beautifully sad face reflected in the glass.
 

“She met this boy at a football game the week before and he asked her to the party. I found out later that he was much older and wasn’t even in high school. I was supposed to watch out for her. She was my... sister.” He barely chokes out that last word and I can see the tears well up in his eyes.
 

I can’t stand seeing him like this. Jumping up out of the chair to hug him I can feel his body tremble.

“It is not your fault, James. I am so sorry.” Starting to feel my throat constrict and tears form, I stop myself. I need to be strong for him.
 

“Yes it is
, Eva. It is all my fault! Our parents were pretty much out of the picture for most of our lives. Even though we are both the same age, I was the one that stepped up to take care of us. I was her brother. I was supposed to protect her.”
 

“How do you know that she was taken by the Polski thugs?”
I ask.
 

“You know Felix runs the prostitution ring. He has a brother named Chase who runs the drugs side of their criminal enterprise. Have you ever met Chase?”
 

Now that question brings some unpleasant memories back. “Yes, I have,” I slowly admit to James. “After my father died, we left that night for Portland. They wouldn’t even let me stay for the funeral. Both Polski brothers were there to inspect me.”

James looks at me intently.
 

Inspect is a nice word for assault and abuse. I suspect James knows this, but considering his sister is involved with these creeps, there is no reason to fill him in with the gory details.
 

“Your half-brothers
, Max and Matthew, were at that party the night Lily was taken.  I traced them to the Polski brothers. I thought at one point she was in Turkey but it turned out that it was a different girl.” The pain and frustration he must feel is evident in his voice.
 

He hugs me tightly and whispers, “I have searched the globe for my sister. I will do anything to get her back.”
 

“I am so sorry James.” I hug him back and nuzzle my head into his chest. “You know for sure that she is here in Portland?”
 

If this is true then perhaps Gabi has heard of her. I know that I can help him find her.
 

“I traced her to a drug smug
gler in Texas who also operates in Mexico. His name is Salvador. I forwarded the lead to my connections at the FBI but Salvador was tipped off before we could get there.”

He lets go of me and starts pacing again. I can see that he is tortured by guilt. I move in to comfort him but I can see the anger in his eyes so I don’t touch him. I am not sure what to do or say at this point so I just stand there.
 

“Lily was sold back to the Polski brothers almost five years ago. I know that she is here in Portland. Knowing that I am so close again to finding her kills me. I cannot fail this time.”
 

I ignore his angered expression and I take his hand in mine. “James, we will find her and get her back. I will help you.”
 

“No! Eva, you are not going back. We are both leaving tonight and I am taking you somewhere safe. You can finally be reunited with your family. I am not letting you go.”
 

Looking at me square in the eyes
, I can see he has made up his mind. I would love to leave this place and never go back to the Parish but I can’t do that.
 

If we go to the authorities they will be tipped off. They will pack up and move and we will never find Lily. I will also lose my best friend Gabi. I have no choice but to go back. I just can’t tell James.
 

“What about finding Lily? We have to get her. You are so close
, James.”  I plead with him knowing that I can’t change his mind but I have to try.
 

“Eva, I am not letting you go. End of discussion.”
 

“Okay
, James. But what about Lily?”
 

“Remember Dobbs? He is my private investigator. He is ex-special ops and an experienced hostage negotiator. He is more than capable of handling it. I’ll take you to my safe house and I will come back to help Dobbs with the rescue mission.”
 

“What was that argument about when he was here last time?” I couldn’t shake the feeling that I caused it.
 

“It was just a disagreement on how to handle the situation with you. It’s nothing.” He shrugs his shoulders and doesn’t really give me an answer.
 

“James, that is not good enough. What about me?”
I ask.
 

He sighs deeply and runs his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Eva, we didn’t know before if you were in on this operation since you are related. He had doubts. I didn’t. It is that simple.”
 

“Oh. So we were both getting bad advice from our friends, huh?” I smile at him and kiss his cheek.
 

“Who gave you advice about me? Did you tell anyone about us?” Worry wrinkles his face and I wish I could take back what I said.
 

“James, don’t worry. She is my best friend in the whole world. She has looked out for me since the very beginning. We tell each other secrets all of the time. Gabi is the only person that I could trust before I met you.”
 

“How do you know that she didn’t tell the Polski brothers?”
 

“Because, she is like my sister. She would never tell anyone.” I try and convince him of this but I suspect that it is a lost cause.
 

“James, we talked about you after our first date. I just told her that you were different. That you were a gentleman. That I thought that I was falling for you.” I look up at him and I can see a big smile on his face.
 

“Oh
, Eva, I fell for you that night, too. You are the most amazing woman that I have ever met. You deserve the best of everything. I am not letting those scumbags put another hand on you ever again.”
 

Kissing him I can feel our connection stronger than ever this morning. I feel my body heat up with each flick of his tongue and soft caress of his lips. “Oh
, James. I love you.”
 

He stops kissing me and looks down with his smoldering eyes, “I love you, too. My Eva.”
 

His phone rings and our romantic kiss is interrupted.
 

“Hey
, Dobbs. What’s up?” James stands up and moves away from me.
 

He walks into the other room and again I am left out of the conversation.
Argh! It is so frustrating!
 

I have so many more questions but I know that I need to go back and find Lily. If it wasn’t for my creepy brothers
, Lily would be safe and sound.
 

Lily is somewhere within the Polski brother operation and I know that Gabi can help me find her. I have never been so happy in my life. James is responsible for this, so it is clear I need to do everything possible to make him happy by finding Lily.
 

I know what it is like to be loved, cherished
, and free. I owe this all to James. He has saved me. Now it is my turn to return the favor.
 

My mind is made up, I am going back in to find Lily and also get Gabi out.
 

I tiptoe back into the bedroom and slip on my clothes and I find his wallet. I look around in it and find twenty bucks for cab fare. Tucked behind a receipt I find a piece of paper and open it up to find a picture. I know that it is Lily. Even though they are not twins I can see a resemblance. She has his eyes and that great smile of his. I flip over the picture and there is a note scribbled on it,
Lily Marie 14th birthday
.
 

I take the picture and stash it in my pocket along with the cash and try and find something to leave him a note with. Since I can’t find a pen, I take my lipstick from my purse and leave a note on the mirror.
 

Had to go back and find Lily.

Until tomorrow.

XOXO, Eva.
 

I slip out the front door as I hear him on the phone outside. I pray that he forgives me. I know that I agreed I wouldn’t go back and the idea of that was fine with me until I thought it through. But now I know I have to do this.

I need to tell Gabi what is going on. I am not abandoning her—leaving her to die in that hell-hole. We need to figure out a way to escape and help James rescue Lily.

CHAPTER 10
THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS

R
iding back to the Parish compound, I study the photo of Lily. She standing by a tree and it looks like a warm day. She is dressed in a cute, blue sundress and a red bow tied around her head. She looks happy and carefree.
 

I know that
Lily was taken when she was 16 so the photo was taken two years before her abduction. I wonder how much her appearance has changed. I am betting not too much if James still carries her picture. 
It’s all he had left, before me
.
 

As I near the compound
, I start to tremble. I feel different after last night. Going back to the Parish compound, voluntarily, is a strange feeling. I can feel Eva start to shrink back, and hide, as Sophia emerges from the dark. Surviving this world has meant that I have had to create this other person and it is bittersweet to need her again.
 

I take my hair and tie it up in a bun and tuck the picture in it. I can’t think of anywhere else it will be safe. Felix loves to inspect me when I come back from dates and after last night I know that he will be especially curious.
 

Jumping out of the cab a block away I quickly walk up to the gate. Usually clients drive me back to a meeting spot
, or Alexi picks me up. I had to wing this one. My heart is pumping and I try to calm my nerves.
 

“Hi
, Alexi. I took a cab home. Our client passed out. He asked me to leave and gave me some cab money.”
 

He opens that gate while snickering at me. “Ah poor Sofa, can’t keep your man awake? Did you bore him to death?”
 

I shrug, “I guess so
, Alexi.” I  try to be as passive as I can. I need to skate through easily and make it up to my room fast.
 

“Felix will want to see you. I will let him know you are here. Don’t move.”
 

Damn it!
Please, don’t find the picture. I should have left the picture there with James. If I did, it would be difficult to explain her looks to Gabi.
Damn it all to hell!
 

I stand there and try and look casual but as every minute passes I can feel my nerves take over.
Calm down, Eva. You can do this. Give Felix what he wants and get the hell out of here.
 

Standing outside in my boots and dress from last night’s date with James trepidation crawls up my spine. It is sunny out but cold and I am grateful of freezing temperature. I hope that I can pass off my trembling nerves as a result of the weather.
 

Felix walks outside and motions to me to come into the house. The Parish has a three story apartment building on the lot with a small house tucked off to the side of the building. It almost looks like it was once a motel the way the place is laid out.
 

I walk slowly and try and build up my confidence. I smile at Felix as I walk across the gravel lot and meet him at the front door.

“Comes in
, Sophia, and close the door.”
 

“Hi
, Felix. Sure thing,” I reply casually. The fact that I am back here alone with him makes me nauseous.
 

His slicked-back hair looks greasy, accenting his sleaziness. Wearing a blue tracksuit with the top unzipped halfway, you can see he is shirtless. A hand towel is around draped his neck as if he is working out and sweating.
Yeah, right.

“So, you make client happy last night? You sleep over and fuck his brains out. Yes?”
 

I just nod and smile.
 

“Don’t be so shy. Tell Felix details. Is he kinky? Not a cop, no?”
 

All of a sudden I feel a rush of calm sweep over me. Thinking about James gives me strength.
You can do this. You are loved. You will get out of here.
 

“We went out for drinks and then he took me back to his other apartment instead of
The Benson. He was bored with the hotel.”
 

A brilliant
but bold idea pops in my head and I know how I can get Gabi out of here too.
 

“He watched me take a bath and then we fucked. He slept for a few hours and then he woke me up to party with him. We had sex again in the living room.”
  
 

Continuing to give him the blow-by-blow
, I see him eating it up. “Mr. Hunter told me he wants me to bring another girl next time. He wants a Mexican or Latino girl. He gave me cab fare and kicked me out before passing out.”
 

“Ah, so he wants another girl and you next time? This is good.” He starts for slide his hands up my dress and I force myself not to move.
 

“If he asks for you, I will ask him about ‘nother girl.”
 

“He may not remember, he was pretty messed up.” I try to say this causally and I think I nail it.
 

There is only one Mexican girl who I can think of, Gabi Garcia. I pray that the odds are with me that this will work. At this point, it is my only play to get her out of here with me.
 

“Nice
.  Making more money for us.” He laughs and pinches my butt.
 

“Yes.
I hope this makes you happy, Felix.” I smile trying to do anything I can to distract him from touching me further.
 

“Yes
.  What also pleases me? Touching your pussy. Let Felix check and see if you really did come through for us.” He sticks his cold hand inside my panties and he feels rough. I want to slap him in the face and tell him to get his fucking hands off me but I can’t.
 

“Good, sweet Sophie. You feel nice. He starts to stick his fingers in me faster and I mentally try and escape from it.
This is happening to someone else. Not you Eva.
 

Thank goodness I hear a knock on the door and he stops moving his hand but does not release me.
 

“Yeah.” He yells at the door and I hear Gabi from the other side of the door talking to Alexi.
 

“Hey, it’s Alexi. Have you heard from Matt? Gabi hasn’t heard from him about tonight.”
 

He takes his hand out of my panties but pulls my dress up and snaps his towel on my bare thighs.
OUCH!
I bite my lip, holding in my scream. It hurts like hell and I know it will leave a mark.  
 

“You did good
, Sophie. Now get the fuck outta here before I do something else.”
 

I open the door and give Gabi a look of gratitude before walking quickly into the apartment building. My picture is still safely tucked into my hair and I am conscious of keeping my head up as I take the steps up to the
front door.
 

After stashing the picture in my room, I practically jog down the hall with a towel and robe to shower. I need to wash off Felix’s nasty hands.

The hot water stings on my skin where he slapped me and I feel tears esca
pe. I know it will leave a mark—I can already feel the welt forming.
 

Returning to this place is more difficult than I thought. How easily I succumb to the shame and self-loathing. It is suffocating.
 

I want to surrender to the sob that is forming in my chest but can’t. I have to pull myself together. I am nearing the end of this nightmare. Soon
, I will be back with James. Gabi and Lily will be safe-and-sound and I will get to meet my Aunt Patti.
 

First things first. 
I need to talk with Gabi. Walking down the hall, freshly sanitized from Felix’s nasty paws, I feel rejuvenated.
 

“Gabi?” I push the door open and she is not there. My heart sinks. Is she still down there with Felix? Oh, I hope that her saving me didn’t result in her own punishment.
 

“Yeah. In here.” I hear her whisper from across the hall.
Thank goodness.
 

“Hey
, Gabi. I have so much to tell you. Where do I start? First things first.  Thank you.”
 

She gives me a wink, “No problem
, E. I’ve got your back.”
 

“Well
, Gabi, I have yours now. We are getting out of here. I just need your help first.”
 

I pull out the picture tucked behind the peeling wall paper and show it to her.
 

“Do you recognize her? Her name is Lily.”
 

“Why do you have this? What are you involved in?” She’s all attitude and she folds her arms and raises a brow.
 

Watching her do this makes me laugh. “Oh
, Gabi, I love your spirit. Don’t worry about me.”
 

“Girl, you are into some crazy shit with this prince charming, right?”
 

Giving Gabi too much information could endanger her more. I will tell her everything when we see James. That is if the plan to get Gabi and I out of here works.
 

Pausing for a quick second I form my question carefully.
 

“Do you recognize this girl? She works for Chase
Polski. She is here in Portland—has been here about five years now.”
 

I don’t say anything else and wait for her response. Watching her study Lily’s picture I see a flash of recognition on her face.
 

“Okay, so what if I do know who she is? You need to tell me more. Give it up
, Eva.”
 

Gabi can be stubborn when she wants to be but I know that I can’t give in. The less she knows, the better. Now that I think of it, not just for her sake, but for everyone involved.
 

“Do you know where she is?” Nervously my voice cracks at the end of the question.
Gabi, please know where to find Lily.
She is my only hope.

Gabi has street smarts. She has been here since she was 14 years old after living on her own for two years prior.
 

She has connections and knows how to work it to keep herself safe. If it wasn’t for Gabi taking me under her wing and showing me how to navigate this nightmare I would have ended up with some disease and hooked on drugs.
 

If anyone knows where Lily is, it is Gabi. I wait for her response and cross my fingers.
 

“Actually, I think so. If she is working for Chase then she is probably in one of his drug houses on Killingworth.”
 

“Why do you think that?”
 

“Well, if she is part of Chase’s drug smuggling group, and she’s only been here for about five years, then the timing would fit.”
 

“You pretty sure? Like 50/50 or hundred percent sure?” My fingers are still crossed as I use my hands to gesture as I talk.
 

“Shh
! Eva.  I know that you are excited, but keep your voice down and stop crossing your fingers like that. Tell me what this is about.”
 

“I asked first
, Gabi.” I uncross my fingers and cup my hands around my mouth like I am yelling, but the words come out as a whisper instead.
 

“Fine. Well, I am about as certain as I can get,
” as she raises her eyebrow at me with attitude. “It was about four years ago when Chase came back from Mexico.  Started running the drugs here in Portland.”
 

“Thank you
, Gabi! How did you know about Chase?”
 

“There was a girl here that was used to work with Chase before she came here to the Parish. She was quickly moved downstairs to be a street hooker.”
 

“Oh. Were you friends?”
 

“Yeah. S
he was a cool kid. I heard that she overdosed a couple of years back. It sucks but it’s better than living that life. Working the streets is tough, I know.”
 

“Sorry
, Gabi.” I give her a big hug and we sit embracing in silence. In this place, the only comfort that I have found is in our friendship. I would have never forgiven myself if I didn’t come back to get her.
 

“My turn. What in the hell is going on with you
, Eva?”
 

“Gabi, I can’t tell you yet. I am hoping that soon you will get your answers.”
 

Wanting to tell her everything is tough. We share all of our secrets but my gut is telling me not to divulge too much. We just need to get through this.