Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
“ W hat did you think of the boss?” Josh asked as they made their way across the backyard.
Providence considered the question. She’d be giving a very different answer to Tempest later because she was one hundred perfect sure the women would ask her when they got her alone.
“I thought he was very nice. He seems to care a lot about you guys.”
Josh nodded. “He does. I feel the need to warn you, he’s not as laid back as he appears today. The man can bust ass so fast your head will spin. Though I don’t suppose you’ll ever experience him like that.”
“I can hope anyway. He’s not my CO. I think I’m safe.” At work anyway. Providence still felt the tingle in her fingers from their brief touch. It had been too long since she’d had sex with anyone other than Earl, her battery-operated boyfriend. Thank goodness they made them rechargeable now. Getting replacement batteries at sea had been a nightmare earlier in her career.
“Probably, but knowledge is everything. Right?” Josh stared at her like he was trying to ferret out any secrets she might have.
Not that he’d be successful. She’d learned long ago to lock her feelings up tighter than a steel drum.
“Sure is. Knowledge is power. But I have nothing to fear from Tony. I doubt I’ll see him very often. It’s not like we’re working together. The base is enormous.” Providence crossed her fingers behind her back. As her grandma would say, “No need to borrow trouble.” Tony lit her insides up like a Christmas tree. Steering clear of him would be her best option.
“Finally. I thought you were going to be stuck with Tony all day,” Tempest said as she pulled her away from Josh. “You boys go have fun. It’s girl time.”
“Fine, but don’t forget to put out the desserts or I can’t promise we’ll leave you alone for long.” Josh kissed Tempest’s forehead, then walked over to where the rest of the team was lounging on the deck.
“Were you really worried?”
“That he’d bore you to death, maybe. He’s a great CO, but I doubt he’d be any good at small talk,” Tempest said. “Harmony and Grace are waiting in the kitchen. Grace just put Hope down for a nap.”
“Margarita time?” Providence held up her almost empty glass.
“You bet. I made this batch and went a little easier on the tequila.” Tempest winked.
“Thank the dear lord. I wondered if I was going to have to Uber home.”
“Nah, one of the guys would have taken you if it came to that. You’re part of the family now and we take care of our own.”
Warmth filled Providence’s chest from Tempest’s words. It had been more years than she wanted to remember since she’d been part of a family of any kind. As much as she loved the feeling of belonging, could she really be part of this? She didn’t work with them, but maybe just having a group of girlfriends for the first time since high school would be enough.
“Did you struggle to stay awake?” Harmony asked.
“We’re surprised you made it so long without abandoning ship,” Grace said.
“Wow, you don’t have a very high opinion of the commander, do you?”
“Well, from what we’ve seen, he’s pretty boring to be around. Or maybe it’s just because he’s afraid to piss off our guys? I don’t know.” Tempest shrugged, then took Providence’s glass and dumped it into the sink before refilling it. She topped off everyone else’s glass, then raised hers. “To family.”
Providence joined in with Grace and Harmony. “To family.”
“Now, spill the tea, Providence. What did you two talk about?” Grace asked eagerly.
“It really wasn’t that exciting…” Providence said before Harmony cut her off.
“See, we were right. He bored you to tears.”
“No, not at all. We’ve talked about where we’ve served and why I’d chosen Norfolk for my last duty station.”
“Yup, boring,” Grace said.
“I don’t know. I enjoyed chatting with him. He asked if he could take me to dinner, too.”
The women exchanged glances and then grinned.
“Seriously? He asked you out?” Tempest asked.
“As friends. Neither of us has time to date, and at my age, I’d say it’s even a ridiculous thing to think about.”
“Why? You’re not old,” Harmony said, putting her glass down. She almost missed the edge of the island. Only Grace’s quick reflexes kept it from hitting the floor.
“I’m forty-four, hardly a spring chicken.”
“You don’t look near that. And you’re not much older than either of us. Harmony is the only baby here,” Grace said.
“Maybe not, but after all I’ve seen, I’m definitely not looking to have a family. I can’t imagine getting married and raising a baby.”
“One isn’t always part of the other,” Tempest said. “Besides, there are so many older children in foster care who’d love to find a forever home.”
Providence nodded. It seemed like the perfect opening to talk to Tempest about her suspicions regarding the nail salon.
“You’re right, of course. But none of this is relevant right now. I told him we could go out as friends.”
“Oooh, you put him in the friend zone.” Grace laughed.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s like the ultimate putdown. Even I know that.” Harmony nodded.
“Really?” Providence hadn’t realized that. She put all the men she worked with in the friend zone. It was safer.
“Yeah, pretty much. I guess you don’t date much being at sea all the time,” Tempest said.
“No, not usually. I’ve spent a few years here and there on different bases, but it seemed safer to stay away from people I worked with. I never had much time to make friends outside of work.”
“That sucks,” Grace said.
“I guess it did. But I love what I do. I have missed having girlfriends, though.”
“You’ve got some now and we won’t let you wither away in your office. Will we girls?” Harmony asked.
“Nope, not at all. We’ll have to plan for girls' nights as soon as possible.” Tempest nodded.
“Actually, I have an idea for a girls’ afternoon. Maybe next weekend?” Providence suggested.
“What are you thinking?” Tempest asked. “Can we get into trouble?”
“There’s always that possibility, I suppose. But it shouldn’t be too dangerous, unless they go overboard clipping our cuticles.” Providence grinned. “I was thinking we could go to my nail salon.”
“Oh wow. I’d love that. I can’t remember the last time I had a mani-pedi.” Harmony grinned.
“Me either, actually,” Tempest said. “I know you haven’t been in a long time either, Grace.”
“Very true. Let me see if Lucky will be home and then I’m a definite yes. But, I have a question. Honestly, I can’t believe I’m saying this before Ms. Naval Intelligence Woman does, but I’m getting vibes that this isn’t just about getting our nails done. My spidey senses are tingling.”
Providence laughed. This day was nothing like she’d expected, and she really liked these women. Grace was exactly as Tempest told her, and Harmony, she was just so sweet. Hard to believe she was married to a Navy SEAL.
Tempest grinned at her sister. “It’s not like you gave me the chance. But yeah, I was getting the same vibe. What’s our mission?”
Harmony giggled.
She was such a sweet woman.
Did Providence want to drag her and Grace into this mess? It was possible she had the wrong idea about what was going on in the salon, but she didn’t think so. As she glanced around the island at her new friends, she nibbled on her thumbnail. How much should she tell them?
“I don’t know that I’d call it a mission, but definitely reconnaissance.”
Tempest quirked an eyebrow, but the others didn’t react.
Providence took a deep breath and a sip of margarita. She couldn’t let those women suffer if her suspicions were right. Just thinking about her technician’s little girl made her mind up. Now she’d need to pray that if she was right about the salon that the team of SEALs sitting outside wouldn’t kill her for involving their women in something dangerous.
“Have any of you been to the Lotus Blossom Salon on Pacific Avenue?” Providence asked and watched their reactions.
“Not me.” Harmony shook her head.
“Me either,” Grace said. “The last salon I went to was in DC before I adopted Hope.”
“I don’t think I have either, or at least I don’t remember. I’ve been here a little over a year and I’ve gone for a couple of manicures, but nothing stands out to me,” Tempest said.
“Okay. I found it the first week I was here while waiting to move into my base housing. I was staying in a hotel and asked at the front desk. Since I’d just spent two years on a ship, I figured it was a perfect way to spend the afternoon.”
The women nodded and waited for her to continue.
After tucking her hair behind her ear, Providence continued to explain while praying she wouldn’t regret not keeping this between her and Tempest. “What I’m about to say is mostly supposition on my part. But I think the shop is using trafficked women to work off their transport.” There, she’d said it. As her gaze shifted from one to the other, she watched her words sink in.
“Oh no,” Harmony exclaimed.
Grace’s cheeks flushed with color, and her eyes squinted. The woman was livid. But it was Tempest who spoke.
“What clued you in?” Tempest asked.
Relief that they didn’t tell her she was crazy and would listen to her concerns, made Providence feel a lot better. When she’d gone to the police with her suspicions, they told her unless she had proof there was nothing they could do. But she could tell they thought she was just imagining the whole thing. But deep down, she knew these women needed rescuing and she would make sure it happened. Whatever she had to do.
“I haven’t been to a beauty parlor since I left Mississippi years ago. It was just a small town with a little storefront. More gossip went on there than manicures, and haircuts, but it was something to do and cheap fun.”
“Wow, I haven’t heard it called a beauty parlor in forever,” Harmony said. “I came from a small town in Iowa.”
Tempest laughed. “I’ve never heard it called that. I learned something new today, too.” She elbowed Providence. “Go on, don’t leave us hanging.”
She nodded and continued, “A man runs the salon. He’s very rude to everyone. I couldn’t figure out how he kept the shop open at all with his attitude, but the women are wonderful.
I brushed it off the first time I went, but the second time, he was screaming in Russian at a technician. She burst into tears and ran into the back. He followed her and a few minutes later, she was back at her station waiting for her next client.”
“The salon I went to outside of DC had a male running it too, but I don’t recall ever seeing him scream at anyone,” Grace said, as she clenched her hands around the edge of the island. This was probably bringing back memories of rescuing Hope.
“I gave him the benefit of the doubt at first. I didn’t like it, though. I tried to ask my technician, but she wouldn’t talk to me about it. She changed the subject and had me pick out colors. Weird, right?”
“Yes, that is strange. Did anything else happen while you were there?” Tempest asked.
“Not that time, but the next time I went in the technician who’d been yelled at wasn’t there. They’d replaced her with a new woman who looked even younger.”
“Do you always have the same technician take care of you?” Grace asked.
“Yes, I use Mary, but I’d bet good money that’s not her real name since they all speak Russian to each other.”
“Did you ever see that other girl again?” Tempest asked.
“No, she never came back, and that was over two months ago. But that’s not the worst of it.”
“Oh no, this is going to be bad. I can tell,” Harmony whispered.
“Last week I showed up for my appointment and the guy, I think his name is John, was outside talking to someone in a black sedan. I tried to see inside, but with the tinted windows, it didn’t happen.”
“How do you know they were speaking Russian?” Tempest nodded.
“I learned it when I was younger. I don’t remember most of it now, but enough to recognize some words at least.”
“Sorry to interrupt. Go on.”
“I figured while he was outside, I might get Mary to talk to me. I wasn’t sure how much time we’d have, but I needed answers, you know?”
Her friends nodded; their attention fixed on her face.
“He was only outside for ten minutes, but it was enough to get a little information. It turns out they’re keeping her ten-year-old daughter to make sure she cooperates. She’d used all her savings to bring them to America for a better life. Instead, she’s slave labor, and only gets to see her daughter, Aleksandra, once a week, and only if Mary doesn’t cause any trouble. Or they don’t blame her for anything.”
“Holy fuck,” Grace murmured.
“Fuck is right,” Tempest agreed.
“I’m not sure what he’s holding over the other women, and I don’t really care. We need to help them.”
“Of course we do. I’m in,” Tempest said.
Grace and Harmony nodded their heads.
“Do you know anything else?” Tempest asked.
“I did a stakeout one evening. I parked in the lot across the street to see what happens after the shop closed. I ended up going back a few times to verify.”
“You’re lucky no one saw you in that car,” Tempest said.
“Yeah, I know, but I made sure I was mostly in the dark and parked across the way. I went a few days later and the same thing happened. A white van pulled up in the parking lot behind the strip mall. John herded the women in, and it pulled away. There wasn’t enough traffic for me to follow them in my baby without someone noticing.”
“Yeah, no kidding. That bright red sports car is like a beacon.” Tempest grinned. “Okay, all joking aside. How do you want to handle this? Do you have a plan, and are we going to involve the guys?”
Tempest asked all the right questions, questions Providence had pondered and ached over since she’d found out about Aleksandra—Sandy. It tore her up that she wasn’t any closer to a solution.
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to come up with a plan for the last week, but I don’t know how to get Mary alone so I can talk to her. I keep thinking we need a distraction. If we go in together, do you think we can do something to give me time to talk to her?”
Tempest nodded. “That will work. I think I know how to do it too. Let me think about it and get back to you in the next few days. I need to make sure I won’t get a mission before then too.”
“Thank you. All of you. I’m probably going to catch hell from your men, but if we can save six women from traffickers, I’ll take anything they want to do to me,” Providence said. Then she lifted her glass to toast their little rescue team.