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television journalist can have.”
    “It was a tough
story to do. Dangerous too, I suppose. But we managed to relocate over two
hundred women and children, who had been brought here from the Far East with the
promise of a better life.” Luke’s jaw tightened. It was the kind of story that
stayed with you. “Instead, they were being held against their will, and sold to
the highest bidder.”
    “I saw part of
the series,” Fiona told him. “It took a lot of courage for those women to come
forward, to be interviewed.”
    “They’re the
ones who deserve this award,” Luke said, “not me. The sad part is that even
though we got a couple of hundred to safety, more women, more children are
brought here every day to take their place.”
    “Isn’t there
anything that can stop it?”
    “Yeah. Getting
to the kingpin, the guy who makes it all work,” Luke said. “Everyone knows who
it is, but without hard evidence he can’t be touched.”
    “How awful. So
he gets away scot-free?”
    “So far. But it’s
only a matter of time until he bullies the wrong woman. I’m not going to stop
until I find a way to nail Mr. Eddie Rivers.”
    Fiona froze. “Eddie
Rivers? He’s involved in this?”
    Luke gave her
a hard look. “How do you know about Eddie Rivers?”
    Fiona stared
out of the window, trying to get her emotions under control. “We’re about to
cross the Delaware River. We must be heading into Pennsylvania.”
    “Fiona? Do you
know Eddie Rivers?” Luke pressed.
    Fiona
continued looking out of the window as the train sped onto the bridge without
slowing down. “Look how the river is churning, seems threatening somehow.”
    Those were the
last words either of them said before the train car began to shimmy violently. Fiona
was thrown out of her seat, but Luke managed to grab her and keep her from
hitting the floor. He held her tightly as the train rocked violently from side
to side.
    “ What’s
happening?”
    Fiona’s words
were drowned out by the terrible screeching of brakes. People around them were screaming.
    Fiona clung to
Luke, filled with fear as the train car left the tracks. And then they were
falling…falling into empty space.

TEN
    The
empty wine bottle lay on its side next to the bed. The curtains were closed,
and the only light in the room came from the flickering images on the muted
television set. In the darkened room Hayley’s slender body barely made a ripple
under the down comforter.
    “Hayley!” The
door to the bedroom burst open, the overhead light was switched on, and the tranquility
was shattered by Mikey’s booming voice. “Hayley! Where the hell are you?”
    He turned to
go back to the living room when there was a moan from under the bed covers.
    “Hayley?” Mikey
unceremoniously threw off the bedclothes to reveal his sister, a tiny lump of
misery, curled up on the bed.
    “Go away.” Hayley
pulled the duvet back up over her head.
    Mikey plopped
down on the bed, munching on a chicken leg he had purloined from her
refrigerator. “What are you doing in bed? It’s only seven thirty!”
    “Just let me
die in peace.” She groaned. “But first, can you get me some water?”
    Mikey picked
up the empty wine bottle, and laughed. “Somebody got themselves sloshed! Hayley
girl, I’m proud of you!”
    “Shut up.
Water.”
    “Say please.”
    “Go to hell.”
    “That’s
better.” He laughed. “Now you’re showing signs of life. Water coming up.”
    He went into
the bathroom and returned with water in a toothpaste-tinged glass. “What you
really need is a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich, and a Coke. Best cure ever
for a hangover. I know these things.”
    “Please don’t
discuss food with me right now,” Hayley said, emerging from under the covers.
She drank the glass of water in one gulp.
    He stared at
her. “My God! What did you do?”
    “What?”
    “Your hair is
gone! What did you do with your hair?”
    Hayley pulled
the duvet over her head again. “I don’t want to