her arms. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. The important thing is that you got away from them. That was brave.”
“Well,” Regina said, empowered, “it was staying with my master for six months that helped me get away. So it wasn’t all that bad. I mean, like I said, he treated me pretty good and all. I was allowed to shower every day, and I got to eat what I wanted. He didn’t let me out of the hotel room, but he did let me watch television.”
Alessa gave her a warm smile. “Did you ever think about running away from the hotel room when he wasn’t there?”
“No, I knew they would find me and bring me back.”
Alessa was confused. “So how did you know they wouldn’t find you this time?”
Regina blushed. “I didn’t, but when my master told me they were coming to get me, I decided I’d rather die than go back there.”
“Why do you call him your master?” Alessa asked curiously.
“Because he never told me his name. He told me to call him master. So I did.”
Alessa wished all the bad people could burst into flames and disappear from this earth. There were so many who inflicted so much pain.
“Anyway,” Regina went on, “I found the name of the shelter in the phone book and went there. Then you showed up.”
“We need to let your parents know you’re okay. They’ve probably been searching for you since you went missing. Okay?” Alessa asked.
Regina shook her head. “Not yet. You said I could stay here for a couple of days. Can we call them after that?”
Alessa agreed but reminded her that after two days, they would have to contact her parents.
That night, she called Ebby to give her the information she had gleaned from Regina. Ebby was sad for the teen but not surprised. She had stopped being surprised by the horrors people laid on other people.
Alessa felt they should contact Regina’s parents the next day. “She wants the two days here that I promised her,” she explained. “She is going to need therapy, though. She has a lot of guilt and shame over what happened to her in the last three years. From what I gathered, she comes from a pretty wholesome family, and she’s afraid her parents won’t want her back now. I know they’re going to be thrilled to hear that she’s alive and safe, but they need to take this really slowly with her.”
Before they hung up, Ebby cautioned her. “Listen, you need to be careful because we don’t know if these guys will come looking for her. I think you’re okay for tonight, but tomorrow, we get the police involved. In the morning, I need you to get as much information as possible about the location where she was held. There may be other kids still in there. Regina is one of the lucky ones.”
Ebby was pleased that Regina had escaped her captors. She was happier still that Alessa had proved her right by getting the story out of the girl. She knew Alessa would be a great therapist one day. She had a way of gaining people’s trust by being herself. Once Regina was back with her parents, Ebby planned on telling Alessa what a fine job she’d done handling the whole situation.
The next morning, Remo made breakfast for the four of them, while Alessa talked to Regina again in her bedroom. Lucy was unaware of the reasons that had brought the girl to their home for two days, and Alessa intended to keep it that way.
“Regina,” Alessa said, “we need you to describe the place where those men kept you after you were kidnapped. It’s important because you said there are other kids trapped there, too. We want to make sure that the police return them to their parents and that they catch the men who did this to you.”
Regina’s eyes widened, and she gave her head a slight shake. “But if they find out I snitched on them, they’ll kill me and my family.”
“No, they won’t,” Alessa said firmly, sitting close to the girl. “The police will protect you. This is a chance for you to help others. You want to help them, right?”
Regina didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I do,” she said, “but I don’t know where the house is. The only thing I know is that it’s on Dauphin Street.”
Alessa’s palms were instantly moist, and her skin felt like it was on fire. She had the irresistible urge to run and hide someplace, where no one would ever find her. Then she reminded herself that Harlin was still in prison, and Dauphin Street was one of the worst areas in the whole city anyway.
“Do you remember any of their names?” she asked quickly. “You know, of the men who kidnapped you?”
Regina shook her head. “They always called each other ‘dude’ or ‘man.’ They never used names. I do know what they look like, though, at least the ones who watched us at the house and a couple of the clients who did the bidding.”
While they were all in the kitchen eating breakfast, Alessa got up and went back into the bedroom to call Ebby and tell her what she had found out.
Ebby detected the note of panic in Alessa’s voice right away. “Alessa,” she said gently, “it’s going to be okay. Harlin is serving a full sentence in prison. He won’t be released for another year. I’m sure he has moved on by now anyway. But you must relax because if Regina senses your fear, it will only scare her further.”
Alessa cried. “It scared the shit out of me when Regina mentioned Dauphin Street. I haven’t thought about it in a long time. It freaked me out, that’s all. Don’t worry, though. I’ll keep my shit together in front of Regina. When will the police be coming over?”
“I want Regina to meet with the police at the shelter,” Ebby told her. “We don’t want to establish any connection with where you live or leave any trails that can be followed. Truth is, we don’t know who these people are or what they’re capable of. They may have other houses in the city like the one Regina was in. So I want you to bring her back here at two o’clock this afternoon. I’ll call the police as soon as you get here.”
Alessa was always more relaxed after talking to Ebby. Somehow, it made her less afraid. “Okay, Ebby,” she said, steeling herself for what lay ahead. “We’ll be there at two.”
After they hung up, Alessa showered and dressed. When she got back into the living room, Remo was playing Monopoly with Lucy and Regina. They all looked up as she walked in.
Remo could tell something had happened. “What’s up, Alessa?” he asked.
Alessa looked at Regina. “We need to be back at the shelter by two o’clock today. The police are going to come and talk to you. Then they will contact your parents. Today is a big day for you, Regina. You’re going to be back with your family again.”
The girl smiled, thinking about seeing her family. “Okay, Alessa.”
Alessa reached her hand out to the teen. “Come on. Let’s go take a look in my closet and see what you can wear for your homecoming.”
