Before we start to head inside, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I stand, help pull Mi up with one hand, and pull my phone out with the other.
I’m expecting Ron or Dale.
It’s neither.
Unknown number: Don’t keep my prize from me too long, Levi. She’s going to get me a lot of money that someone owes me.
Micah has gotten to the door, so I call out to her. “Mi.” She turns back to me. “Tell Zant to come out here.”
“Sure thing.” She walks in and shuts the door.
“What’s up man?” Zant steps out the back door and sees my phone in my hand. I turn the phone around to show him the message. He reads it a couple times before looking at me. “I can only imagine what he means by that.”
“What does he mean?” I don’t have the slightest clue as to what he’s talking about, but I don’t like the tone of his voice or the look in his eye.
Zant runs his fingers through his short blonde hair and looks at the ground. I know he doesn’t want to tell me, but knows I need to know.
“Spit it out, Z.”
“He’s probably going to sell her if he gets his hands on her.”
“Sell her?”
“Human trafficking. Sex slave. There are several things going on in Martinsville from what I heard.”
I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me. I don’t live in a hole. I know what those things are, but I’ve never known anyone that has been in there or related to it. Kathleen is beautiful, and I can only imagine the things that someone as evil as those monsters could do to her. My blood runs cold and I feel like I’m going to puke. Knowing that I literally ripped her out of the arms of Satan himself makes my knees week. I think I may pass out, but as soon as that passes, I feel rage.
It starts to consume me, and I feel Zant behind me. “Stay in the light Levi,” I hear him say. He’s known me long enough to know what is coming and I don’t know if I can stop it. I feel myself slipping.
Chapter 18
Kathleen
Sitting on the couch, I’m completely engrossed in playing babies with Nova when Zant comes in and touches my shoulder. “Hey,” he says. “Can you come with me?”
I look at Nova and tell him yes. I’m not sure what he would need me for, but I have a feeling like it’s a good reason. “I’ll be right back Nova.”
“Ok, Ms. Katie. I’ll feed your baby for you.” I smile at her and follow her dad to the back door. Before he opens it, he turns and faces me.
“I don’t know if this is going to work, but I need to try.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s Levi, he needs your help.”
I immediately feel my heart start to beat faster. What’s wrong with Levi? And what could I do to help him?
I do know one thing… whatever it is, I’ll do it.
“Ok,” I say and Zant opens the back door that leads to outside. By this point, the sun is going down and the sky is a beautiful orange and blue color. Zant is sitting on the ground with his back to us. I have no idea what I’m walking into, but by the look on Zant’s face, it’s serious.
“What am I supposed to do? What’s going on?”
We stay close to the house and whisper. I don’t know why I’m whispering, it just feels right.
Zant lets out a deep breathe before he speaks. “Levi has a lot of demons that he fights daily. I don’t know how much you know about him, but Levi did say you’re a racing fan.”
“I am. I only know what y’all have told me and what I have read in articles.”
