Savannah

29

Chapter Twenty Nine: Part 1: Arrests

The following morning, as Meriam was sweeping the porch, Lauren dropped by with Enrique. They informed her what transpired last night. Lauren informed the police about the Venezuelan women locked in the room. They raided the place, arresting over twenty people. They took the women to the detention center where they'll wait to be repatriated to Venezuela. Valentina at least knew the whereabouts of her cousin. She hadn't drowned, as reported on the news.

Enrique had followed the young Venezuelan women out the bar and saw them being hustled into a strange vehicle. As he attempted to reenter the bar, they prevented him from returning. He feared leaving Lauren inside alone and spent the entire time worried about her. Standing opposite the bar, he looked on, wondering what he should do. He paced the road until he saw her running out of the bar and ran to catch up to her. Together, they informed the police, who conducted the search and arrested the perpetrators. They were excited as they spoke and Lauren even showed Meriam how she ran out of the place, running in her front yard, as Meriam, Enrique, Talia and Bani looked on, laughing.

The people renting Aarav's house were in the front yard, packing things inside their vehicles. Meriam noticed Lauren froze as she looked at them. Bani returned inside the house to continue cooking, and Talia went to watch television.

Within moments, the men entered their vehicles and left Lime Street. They had clothes and towels drying on a line they'd tied, so Meriam knew they'd be back. As their vehicle exited the street, Lauren beckoned Meriam and Enrique closer. "Dat was de man I saw in de bar last night. The Venezuelan women left with him. He must be a client."

Meriam listened, shocked.

Enrique squinted his eyes, remembering something. He turned to Lauren. "Las mujeres entraron en ese carro."

She turned to Meriam. "The women entered that man's car last night. So they really are clients. Aarav is renting his house for clients. You must tell him, Meriam."

Meriam froze.

Five minutes later, four young Venezuelan women walked past in the direction the cars had gone. Meriam realized they were the same women she'd seen last time the men rented Aarav's house. Among them was the young girl she saw inside Joe Cooper's house the day she talked to Aarav's yard man. The short Venezuelan woman she'd seen standing in front of Joe Cooper's doorway was not among them. They called out, and Meriam and Enrique waved at them.

Meriam noticed Lauren turned away, her head to the side with her palm in front of her face, blocking it. As the women walked by, Lauren whispered to Enrique. "You recognize dem?"

He looked at the women again and recognition dawned on him.

Lauren waited until they were out of sight to speak. "Dey left de bar with dat man, the driver of the gold Nissan Sentra."

It shocked Meriam to learn that the men renting Aarav's house were clients of forced prostitution. She'd have to tell Aarav about it. "How come dey walking alone. If forced into prostitution, dey wouldn't walk alone. They'd be with someone they feared? Someone in charge of them."

Lauren considered. "Maybe one of them in charge. I'm betting iz de older Venezuelan woman. Last night she was speaking with de Trinidadian guy before the other girls joined. She must be in charge of dem, together with de bartender lady."

"She get arrested last night." Enrique said.

"Yeah. I hope dey throw away de key."

Chapter Twenty Nine: Part 2: Six Months

Later that day, Meriam, feeling bored, looked at her WhatsApp and noticed the woman who'd sent her the four-leaf clover hadn't come online at the same time as Aarav. Strange, but it was the first time she'd noticed that. Maybe they didn't chat on weekends, she thought. Aarav had been online earlier that morning, and later in the afternoon. Meriam's thoughts turned to him, and her heart bled. She felt like screaming. She missed him and seeing his house every time added to her pain. He was always on her mind. She forced herself to help Bani cook lunch. Forced, as she felt like doing nothing.