Duncan (The Protectors #3)(44)
“Now, boss…” Sid began, but stopped at Sloan’s sneer. “You were saying?”
“There are more pictures of Duncan, Jared, Slade, me, your mates, the half-breeds and this one is my favorite.” He handed one to Jared. “Hope you have a good excuse for this one.”
Jared’s eyes darkened as he looked at the picture of him and Vicky, one of the female vampires the Warriors fed from standing close together looking as if they were having a secret meeting. Both wore smiles as they stared at each other their heads bent toward one another. She was excited because she was finally getting out of working for the Council, and was opening her own candle shop with a friend, but the picture made it look like they were having a secret lover’s meeting.
“Not so funny now, is it?” Sloan glared watching the expressions cross Jared’s face. “We are under the microscope more than ever now, and I don’t think I need to tell you how important it is to watch yourselves, and your actions, because it doesn’t seem like their interest concerns just Pam.”
Duncan looked through the pictures finding at least ten of Pam, but the one that froze him was of her staring out the window. If a photographer got this close, so could Kenny.
“Next on the list.” Sloan sat down running his hand through his hair. “Our girl Jill stumbled on something last night. After interviewing the vampires we took into custody, we didn’t get much out of them, but the girl had plenty to say. Sid, fill us in since you interviewed her.”
“Her name is Janie Sandfoss. Three of her human male friends were looking to make some good money by selling her to the vampires last night, who are part of a human trafficking ring, here in Cincinnati. She was to be sold to the vampires last night, who would then take her to an undisclosed location to be sold at auction to the highest bidder. Seems overnight, the need for human women has become highly profitable. Once sold to the highest bidder, they will be turned into half-breeds to breed. Pam’s pregnancy has started this new trend.”
“And she knew all of this?” Duncan asked.
“Yeah, she said that her three friends, who she named - we have our people, plus local law enforcement looking for them - were starting a new business and everything was discussed in front of her during the trade.”
“Had the money traded hands yet?” Duncan asked.
“Yes.” Sid frowned looking at each of them. “Ten thousand.”
“Shit, that’s enough for them to hide out for a while,” Jared cursed. “And enough for a father to turn over a daughter, or a husband a wife. Does it ever end?”
“No, it doesn’t,” Sloan sighed. “Not only are we fighting the blood trade, we are now fighting human trafficking. We need to get those half-breeds trained fast. We are drowning here boys. We need all the help we can get.”
“The last thing I have is this bullshit with Kenny Lawrence.” Sloan shuffled some papers around until he found a folder. “Everyone in this room, except for Slade, knows that Kenny Lawrence killed Sheriff Bowman. Most of you witnessed it. Tomorrow, I have an unscheduled appointment with Detective Ferguson.”
“Unscheduled?” Slade asked.
“Yeah, means he won’t have time to figure out a lie,” Sloan replied. “Have you talked to Pam about the charges being dropped and him being a free man?”
Duncan looked at Slade before answering. “Not yet.”
“Well you need to, soon,” Sloan ordered. “I’m going to raise all kinds of hell and stir up shit Ferguson thinks is buried. If I can get the charges reversed and put back on Kenny, she may have to testify.”
“I don’t want to do anything that could upset her until after the baby,” Duncan replied again looking to Slade.
“I agree.” Slade nodded. “She really shouldn’t be put under any stress right now.”
Sloan sighed nodding in agreement. “Okay, one more thing. What about Jill?” He looked around at the group. “Did anyone talk to her about what she heard last night?”
All eyes went to Slade. “I took care of her injuries, that’s all.”
“Sid, go get her.” Sloan ordered.
“Isn’t she with Nicole and Tessa getting everything ready for the baby shower?” Damon spoke up.
“I just saw her on my way in here.” Sid headed out the door. “I’ll get her.”
Everyone was quiet as they waited. Sloan broke the silence. “California seeing any of these problems?”
Slade nodded. “Crimson Rush is the main drug on the streets. Actually, I had heard of Nicole before coming here. She’s well known for her work in trying to put a stop to the blood trade with children.”
“I’m not surprised.” Damon’s smile was full of pride.
Sid walked in with Jill following. She slowed when she saw everyone, her eyes avoiding contact with Slade.
“Jill is there anything that happened last night that you can fill us in on?” Sloan didn’t beat around the bush. “The woman was being sold by her friends to the vampires.”
Jill frowned. “Why?”
“From what she said and heard, she was going to be sold at an auction to the highest bidder.”
Jill thought for a minute. “The one who seemed to be the leader was pretty excited that I was a half-breed, and said something like he thought it was going to be a light night, but they were going to make bank with me, which I guess is a lot of money,” Jill replied, then her eyes widened. “They were going to auction me off?”