dressed in rags. Her parents didn’t seem to be anywhere nearby.
Eliza stiffened. “There.” She smiled at Jack. Nothing but happiness, she told herself. Keep smiling. Their lives were on the line here. “By the swings.”
Jack slowed and led her to a nearby bench. The seat had a perfect view of the playground. “Tell me what you see.”
“They’re about to capture the girl on the swings.” Ten feet away from the men, two older teenage girls stood together, nervous, unsure. “And those girls are already being trafficked.” She laughed, like she was saying something funny. Anything to keep up the act. “Watch them. They’re waiting for a signal from the men.”
He pulled her close and kissed her cheek this time. Both of them looked straight ahead, like they were trying to see the beach past the swings. Sure enough, the men suddenly backed away from the younger girl, leaving her alone. And in their place, the older girls stepped up, suddenly all giggles and grins.
“That young girl has maybe five minutes.” Eliza had seen this played out too many times to count. Times when she was the one convincing an unsuspecting child that all her dreams were about to come true—if only she would follow Eliza back to the Palace.
No! Eliza’s heart raced. No, not here. Not now. There was still time to save this one. She stood and pulled Jack to his feet. Then without waiting for him, she half ran, half skipped to the swing set. Like she was a child herself. “Hey, girls!”
The two older teens looked at her and then at the child. They moved closer to the girl. Eliza could only imagine what terrible things would happen to the teens if the little girl got away. Things Alexa and Rosa had told her about.
“Honey!” Jack was at her side. “Want me to push you?” He grinned at the older girls. “It’s our honeymoon.”
The teens weren’t smiling. Instead they glanced over their shoulders at the men waiting near the trees. They shifted and took a few more steps toward the swing set. Eliza had seen the look in their eyes before. They weren’t going to stand by and let Eliza ruin this for them.
She leaned her head back and kicked her feet to the sky. “Swings… right by the beach!”
Jack gave her a light push. “Anything for you, baby.”
From the shadows, the two men started to approach. Not today, you monsters. Eliza clenched her teeth and jumped off the swing, all while maintaining her smile. She hurried to the younger girl and crouched down in front of the child’s swing. “Want some ice cream? I saw your mama over there.” Eliza stood and pointed down the beach a ways. “Come on, sweetie. I’ll race you.”
The child looked confused. But at the mention of ice cream she was off her swing and running beside Eliza. Jack took the rear, jogging just behind them. Eliza had never felt more safe.
“Hey!”
From the corner of her eye, Eliza saw one of the men start chasing them. But then the other grabbed his partner’s arm. The second man scowled and shook his head, as if to say they’d get the next one.
But they won’t take this one. Eliza reached for the girl’s hand. “What’s your name?”
“Bella.” She looked up, clearly concerned.
“I’m Masey.” Eliza stopped for a moment and bent down to eye level with the girl. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
They took Bella to the nearest ice cream stand and bought her a vanilla cone. Then Eliza put her hands on her knees and dropped to the young teen’s level again. “Where is your mama, little one?”
The girl only blinked and ate her ice cream. After a few seconds she shrugged. “I don’t have a mama.”
Jack put his arm around Eliza and joined the conversation. “We’re going to get you help. Where do you live?”
The girl was Hispanic. No telling how she got stranded in the Bahamas. “Down there.” She pointed to a street that headed inland.
Eliza couldn’t believe it. Wherever the child lived, her guardians didn’t care if she roamed the street. It took all her energy not to look furious. Whatever the girl’s prior situation, it was going to change today.
The men were probably still watching. Eliza took Bella’s hand again and faced Jack. “We have to get her out of here.”
“I know.” Jack nuzzled his face alongside Eliza’s. His voice was little more than a whisper. “Follow me.”
Jack hailed a cab and he and Eliza and Bella stepped inside.