Dark Moon Read Online Free PDF

time. We’ve got to bring you up to speed on everything we know about Del Conte,” Decorah said. “But one thing I want to say to the group before we break off. There are women who come to the ship from foreign countries who serve as hostesses. Some of them disappear, and we have to assume that either they were forced into a sex game that got them killed—or they were sold into slavery. Not the pretend slaves on the ship.”
    Emma gasped, a look of horror blooming on her face. “Killed? How?”
    “Some of the guests come to the Windward because they like to engage in questionable activities, away from the prying eyes of the authorities. The Windward is closer than some of the Asian countries where they can indulge their tastes. If one of them got carried away, he could kill his partner. Or maybe there are special girls designated for death scenarios.”
    Emma’s face contorted. “That’s sick.”
    “So is the human trafficking angle. God knows what happens to those women.”
    She shuddered, and Cole could see that the information was churning in her mind. Suddenly the idea of sending her into that nest of vipers made his stomach knot.”
    “Leave Emma out of it,” he heard himself say.
    Decorah swung toward him, a surprised look on his face.
    “It’s too dangerous for her. I can handle it on my own.”
    Decorah’s expression turned hard. “You aren’t superman. You need a backup.”
    Emma fixed her gaze on Cole. “I don’t want you taking this on alone.”
    He had already said that he didn’t want her going in at all. Short of quitting, he knew he was stuck with an assignment he hated. And if he quit, he was afraid from Emma’s reaction that she would take the risk anyway.
    Feeling trapped, he asked, “When are we leaving?”

 
    CHAPTER FIVE
    Karen was sitting hunched over, trying to make herself as small as possible when two burly men stepped up to the door of the cage.
    When one of them punched an electronic keypad, she shrank back.
    The guy stood looking at her for a long moment that made her stomach tighten into a painful knot. She wanted to plead with him, but she knew it would do no good.
    “Come on,” he growled.
    When she didn’t step forward, he strode into the cell and grabbed her arm. I said, “Come on.”
    “Where?”
    “You’ll find out.”
    Never in a million lifetimes would she have thought she could end up in this situation. She’d had a wonderful life. Was the operative word had ?
    Were they going to kill her? Rape her? Or what? She struggled not to cry as they marched her out of the cell, past the potted greenery, down a set of stairs, along a corridor, and into a suite of rooms.
    Everything was so totally different from her cell that she blinked as she tried to decide if it was real or if her mind had stopped coping with reality.
    It looked like she was in the mauve and silver waiting room of an upscale beauty salon with comfortable couches and glass-topped coffee tables with current women’s magazines. Well, come to think of it, not quite like any salon she’d been in. Also on the tables were bondage magazines, judging from the covers. And big glossy books with pictures of naked men. As well as illustrated guides to tattooing and body piercing.
     Along the far wall were shelves of high end hair and beauty products mixed with shelves of what looked like sex toys.
    No other patrons were in the waiting room, but two women in black uniforms stood near the wall. One was a tall, willowy blond whose name tag identified her as Allison. The other was a stunningly beautiful, petite Asian woman. Her long dark hair was artfully streaked and her nails were a bright crimson. She wore a name tag that said she was Anna.
    She seemed to be the one in charge. Raising her chin, she addressed the guards. “Wait outside.”
    “Mr. Del Conte’s orders . . .”
    “I must have complete access to our guest.”
    The man glared down at the tiny woman. “The master will hear about this.”
    She