“I’m sure they’ll be guarded.” Brody stroked her hair. “Douglas and his team are working with the FBI and Border Patrol, plus a host of other agencies who specialize in investigating human trafficking. Homeland Security could get involved. They are taking the girls’ safety very seriously. In fact, Douglas said if you want to see Jewel, I mean Jenna, then you’d better go today. She’ll be moved soon to a secure location.”

Hannah wiped her eyes. “OK. Give me twenty minutes to get myself together.”

Within an hour they were back at the hospital.

Douglas ushered Hannah into the hospital room and stepped out. “The two girls seemed to have bonded, so we’re keeping them together. It’s important to call her Jenna. She needs to regain her sense of identity. That’s one thing traffickers take away early, along with hope and dignity.”

A very pregnant teen slept in one bed. Jewel, no, Jenna sat in the bed near the window.

“Hi, Jenna.” Hannah approached the bed. “I’m glad you’re OK.”

A tear rolled down the girl’s cheek. “Thank you for everything.”

“It wasn’t me.” Hannah shook her head. “You saved yourself, and it looks like you saved someone else, too. Two someones.”

Brody filled a Styrofoam cup with coffee in the waiting area. “What will happen to these girls?”

Detective Douglas popped the tab on a can of Diet Coke. “Jenna has a mother, but I don’t know that she’ll go back home. The mother’s pedophile boyfriend was picked up for violating the terms of his parole, but Mom is unstable and unreliable. Besides, we need Jenna as a witness. We want to keep her safe, and if we hold on to her, she’ll get the help she’s going to need.”

He had the haggard look of a man who saw dozens of dead teenagers the previous day and just couldn’t process the sight.

“Can you keep her safe?”

“The girls will probably go into safe houses. We’ve dealt with this before. Witnesses tend to disappear in any case even remotely related to a Mexican cartel.”

“This isn’t over.”