Slaves in the Shadows

By Rosalyn L.K.

Owen Smithfield lives a very normal life. He grew up knowing the dangers of the world, his dad being an FBI agent. But he never expected they would strike so close to home. Owen finds himself wrapped up in human trafficking investigation, hoping to find the girl he loves after she was betrayed by a friend. Will he ever find his love again, or will the slave owners continue to reign in the shadows?

"Slaves in the Shadows" is a thriller that sheds light on human trafficking, something most of us avoid thinking about. The reality is it happens. This is a story about what a normal person would do when the impossible becomes his reality.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098338718

Book preview

©2020 Rosalyn L.K. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN: 978-1-09833-870-1 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-09833-871-8 (ebook)

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Prologue

Sweat had gathered around my lips, forehead, and nose. Actually, my whole body was drenched with sweat. The attic I was thrown into was bursting with heat.

I banged on the door of the attic and my chest was tight.

I was trapped.

I needed to get out and stop the guy who threw me here in the first place.

That traitor … I thought bitterly, he will pay for what he did!

I continued to bang on the attic door, but it was useless. It was sealed shut. I wiped my forehead, smearing sweat onto my wrist. My chest was still tight, and my breathing was heavy. Trying to break out was making me even more worn.

Feeling defeated, I sat back and recalled everything that had happened in the last two bright hot summer weeks.

So much…. I took a gulp of hot muggy air. Too much … for a sixteen-year-old boy….

Chapter 1

O wen Smithfield!

My mom called me from the kitchen.

Upstairs, I was finishing some homework; I had a big chemistry test coming up the next day and I wanted to do well.

Be right there, Mom! I called from my bedroom. I needed a break anyway.

Yes, ma’am? I looked at her and I instantly knew what she wanted.

Will you help me? she glanced at me with a calm expression, but her eyes held her worry. My mother took a knife from the drawer and began to cut some vegetables. Your father won’t be home till later. Chief Wilkins asked him to stay at the station to help out…. There’s this case that they’re working on. Although, your father wasn’t assigned to it originally. So, I need your help with dinner.

My father. The man I looked up to. The kind of man I wanted to be one day.

Sure, Mom. I said as I started to chop veggies with her.

Mom smiled gently at me. Well, Owen? she asked, moving past the hard subject of my dad’s job. You got school the next couple of days, so do you want to still go to the youth group on Wednesday?

Yeah, yeah. I can still go, I said as eagerly as I could. The truth was I was absolutely tired and desperately wanted to go on a vacation. But I could never bring myself to tell my mother, for some weird reason.

Are you sure? Mom asked with a concerned look on her face. I know how tired you’ve been lately, with school and church and, well, just everything. So, if you want to stay home, you can. It wouldn’t hurt to take a week off to get some rest. She patted me on the shoulder and despite me feeling pinned down, I couldn’t help but grin at her. She was a caring godly woman, and I loved her for it.

Then the doorbell rang. I’ll get it, Mom.

I went to the front door, already knowing who was there. I swung the door open, and there was my little fourteen-year-old sister, Susanna. With her earbuds in, blasting her music, and smacking gum.

Probably some new rock band she’s discovered, I thought as I rolled my eyes and let her in.

Her bronze hair was flying about as she made her way to the kitchen. She kicked off the same purple hi-tops she always wore and slid her backpack to the floor.

Hi, Mom, she said as she put her earbuds in her pocket. Dad coming home later, huh? His car isn’t in the driveway.

Mom nodded and I barely caught her wince. Yeah. You and Owen can help me with dinner in the meantime. Then it’s straight to homework, okay?

Okay, Mom, Su and I said in unison.

We quickly got to work as fast as we could. Susanna told Mom about her day; I listened in. She said she had met a new guy who was crush material, but not exactly.

He had just missed the mark, she had told us. My sister was so boy crazy sometimes. It was disgusting for me. Ugh.

Hey, Mom? I interrupted Su.

Yes? she closed the oven after putting the casserole in.

Joanna is coming in two weeks, right?

My older sister, Joanna, who was nineteen, looked just like me and people wondered if we were twins. We both had the same dark features we inherited from our dad, and I always seemed to look older than I was. Susanna had the same bronze hair as my mom.

I missed my older sister and wished she would visit more. Joanna was away, out of state at college. She was very passionate about learning new things and helping others. I admired her for that. She was off learning how to be a biblical counselor, which was something she wanted to do for a long time. I was glad she was taking the steps to fulfill her dream and glorify God.

Yeah, should be, Mom responded. She has been working really hard with school. I’m proud of her.

Yeah. We all are, Su added. Keep an eye on the casserole, her hazel eyes looked pointedly at me, and snuck a thumb to point at our mother. We both knew she was always very worried when something big was going on down at the station with Dad. I’m gonna go get started on my homework now, she said loudly for Mom’s ears.

With that she escaped upstairs to her room.

********

Later that night, my dad finally came home. I came downstairs in my pajamas, to hear what he would say about the case. He wouldn’t say much, not really being able to, but he would tell my mom or me just the jist of things.

Hey, Honey. My dad kissed my mom.

Rob, I made a casserole dish tonight, Mom’s tone was like she was scolding him, but that was her anxiousness talking.

Hmm. Sounds good. He went into the kitchen, my mom following close behind.

I rolled my eyes. Hi, Dad, I said as I came all the way down the stairs. How was work?

"It was work, Owen. He said after taking a big bite of casserole and salad. The new case Chief Wilkins has me working on is another tough one. I can’t say much, but there was this girl who went missing about a week ago. Chief has me working on it mainly because the girl’s parents are breathing down Wilkins’ neck. He took a gulp of water and then sighed. The girl actually went to your school. Having to make my rounds and question some people. He shook his head sadly as he took another gulp. Too many kids and teenagers are going missing these days."

We live in Atlanta, Georgia. And I knew he was implying that that girl had been trafficked. Atlanta is the capital for human trafficking as of now for the U.S. I know it’s not great, but I have lived here all my life and I understood all the basics of human trafficking.

And with my dad working for the FBI and with the police, I knew.

I went to bed that night pondering what my dad had pointed out. I prayed a quick prayer before I finally fell asleep.

Oh, Lord. Please keep my dad safe while he works. And keep my sisters and my mother safe as well. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Amen.

********

The next day, I readied myself for school. I yawned as I stretched and I made my way to the bathroom, passing Su as she frantically tried to fix her crazy morning hair. I suppressed a grin and turned to my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My short dark