Beneath The Glitter: A Monique and Reed Adventure, #2

By Roxanne Gail Hodge

BENEATH THE GLITTER Welcomes back beloved characters from THE LONG ROAD BACK. Join Monique and Reed, who are now husband and wife, as they once again give all they have to make the world a better place. This time, the couple, along with fellow agents of a satellite office of the Dallas Ft. Worth FBI, investigate crimes committed by men and women involved in human trafficking. The couple goes undercover to infiltrate a ring to save young girls and exploited men and women. Human trafficking is a tragic, real-world issue, not just in third-world countries. In fact, the United States is one of the more affluent countries that has adopted this heinous assault on innocent people. The powerful and wealthy politicians and corporate executives hide in the shadows and get rich off of the abuse and torture of their victims.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roxanne Gail Hodge
• Release date: Jun 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201277703

Roxanne Gail Hodge

ROXANNE GAIL HODGE - Author, Poet, Mother, and Grandmother writes inspirational books to inspire hope. Born in Kansas and raised as a military child, Roxanne Gail Hodge is a vintage soul with an honest abundance of empathy. She possesses wisdom based on vast experience. Her walk with the Lord has been her solace through many life-changing crises. She learned to thrive after surviving the worst of events. Roxanne has two daughters and four grandchildren who reside in Texas. Her passions are writing thrillers, poetry, short stories, reading, music, and painting. Roxanne published her much-awaited novel, THE LONG ROAD BACK, a thrill-seeking suspense novel in 2020. Roxanne has spent her entire life journaling both poetry and poetic words.  She accumulated some of her favorite life-altering poetry and created a one-of-a-kind systemic view of her own life in her own words. This poetry book reveals deep, heartwarming events throughout Roxanne's life to enlighten the truth that all things are possible through God.  THISTLES AND BLOSSOMS was released in the Fall of 2020. At the request of fans of THE LONG ROAD BACK, Roxanne Gail Hodge launched a sequel, BENEATH THE GLITTER Rescuing the Unseen, in June of 2022, a novel about human trafficking. Some of the beloved characters from the first novel are further developed in this sequel.  Ms. Hodge used her poetry and inspiration from God to create a 52-week devotional book, INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD, which launched in March of 2023.

Book preview

Chapter One

HEY, BOSSMAN! IT LOOKS like the house next door finally sold! I see ..."

Stop yelling. You’ll wake the girls and stop calling me bossman. It makes me sound like I’m in the Mafia or something.

Sorry, Frank, but isn’t it time for the girls to get up anyway? I got the cameras and backdrops ready for ‘em.

Frank went to the window when Stan yelled. He watched the activity at the house next door while he reprimanded Stan. The bossman hadn’t liked the idea of an empty house so close to his residence. There were many sleep-interrupted nights because he would get up at odd times to check for evidence that some law enforcement agency had set up surveillance. Now that there were new homeowners, he would sleep better.

Let them sleep. I’m not ready to deal with them. When is the mom going to be here?

Stan looked at the clock on the wall in the oversized living room. The clock was an ornate monstrosity rescued from a garage sale. It resided on a wall over a large divan which was equally gaudy with its red and blue worn plaid.

Soon.

Stan rarely questioned Frank’s decisions, but he didn’t like having the girls’ mother work nights and out of their sight.

It’s risky you should let her out in public. What if she slips up or gets away?

Don’t worry about it! I told you we got eyes on her. And besides, she knows what will happen to her daughters if she doesn’t behave.

The men heard a van pull into the driveway. Frank continued to observe the neighbors.

Hey, it’s your turn to bring her in.

Sure thing. I like touching her soft skin.

You pervert! Don’t touch, just make sure she gets here.

Geez, Frank, I was just kidding.

Stan went outside to escort an exhausted mother into the house. The night had been endless for Maureen. The constant helpless feeling in the pit of her stomach made an already long night almost unbearable. She endured for the sake of the girls.

Hypersensitive to any change in routine, Maureen immediately noticed that her daughters weren’t where they usually were. In her fear and anger, she made no effort to disguise her hostility.

"Where are Rose and Rona? They are usually up ... did something happen?

Frank ominously approached the woman until he saw her hostile look change to fear. He stopped and stared her down, emphasizing each word he spoke.

Don’t think you have a say about how we do things. I don’t answer to you about what goes on with the girls, or your life, or my plans. Do I make myself clear?

Chapter Two

REED TURNED OVER, GROANED, and then he heard the chipper voice of his bride singing in the shower and groaned louder. It was way too early for such a cheery voice. He turned his head towards the clock—the shock of seeing just how early it was drove him back under the covers. Reed Thomas and his new wife Monique Thomas (formerly Yorkshire) were on their honeymoon. In Reed’s mind, the couple should both be under the covers, snuggled up close. They still had two more days of honeymoon time before they had to check into work at the Texas branch of the FBI.

Reed heard the shower stop and took advantage of the lull.

Hey... you in there! What possessed you to leave your side of the bed cold and empty so early in the morning?

The door slowly opened, and a drenched nymph wrapped in a plush towel gracefully floated through the door and stopped just out of reach of her new husband.

"I, my dear, am not ‘hey you.’ It’s Mrs. Thomas, thank you very much. And in case you don’t remember, we only have two days until our vacation is over. There is still so much to get done."

Reed took in the sight of this remarkable woman and his appreciation for her left him momentarily speechless. The silence amused Monique.

What? Nothing else to say?

The young man quickly rebounded. He pulled her onto the bed, into his arms, and gave her a sensual kiss. Monique responded willingly and enjoyed the closeness, but only briefly. Before Reed could loosen the towel, she pulled away from the comfort of his embrace and smiled sweetly.

That will have to do until we finish unpacking our boxes and setting up our house. You can lie there a while longer while I finish with my hair and make-up.

Reed chuckled as his new wife quietly closed the door. He stretched and reminisced. A little over two years earlier, Reed was undercover with the FBI on a mission to expose a terrorist cell that planned an attack in the United States. He had just rescued the terrorist’s family from kidnappers when Monique and her boss approached the rescue team. Monique worked for the CIA, and it so happened that they were on a rescue mission of the same family.

During the brief confrontation the agents realized they’d been after the same terrorist group. Monique suggested the innovative idea that the two agencies should collaborate instead of waging a competition. She argued that eliminating the threat would be assured if they worked together. Reed, the FBI’s lead investigator, recognized the wisdom of her suggestion and, with some expert urging, Monique and Reed convinced their bosses to agree.

The two agents worked closely on the joint task force and learned to respect their differences. Monique was focused and purposeful in her actions. Reed had a relaxed, calm way of interacting which worked well for him in his chosen profession. The two discovered their differences combined to make a uniquely effective team. Together with the other FBI agents, they successfully interrupted an attack on the United States soil and arrested the entire terrorist cell.

The success of their mission came with a great sacrifice. Monique was seriously injured at the climax of the investigation and faced many months of rehab. By the end of the mission, Reed was forced to confront the fact that his feelings for Monique went beyond respect. He also knew how difficult it would be for her to be benched and made it his objective to be there with her through the long healing process. Sometime during those months, they fell in love.

Being in love was the easy part. The challenge came from working for competing agencies. When Monique was released to return to work, the couple faced a difficult career decision. Who would sacrifice a personal, professional goal so they could pursue more than a casual relationship? Monique resisted changing her profession initially, but her logical nature prompted her to be realistic with her loyalty to the CIA. After many intense discussions with Monique’s boss and Reed’s boss at the FBI, she changed her allegiances to that agency.

Reed mentally shook his head as he remembered their whirlwind wedding. The couple had been content to enjoy a long engagement period, at least until Reed received transfer orders to relocate to the FBI office in Texas with only a three months’ notice.

It was only because of Monique’s ability to strategize and organize that they managed in three short months to plan a wedding, pack, and get ready for a relocation and a new life.

Monique opened the bathroom door, leaned against the door jamb, and marveled at the sight of this handsome man with dark hair, brown eyes, and a well-toned body. This was her husband!

Reed, stop daydreaming. Your turn in the bathroom, and please hurry.

Reed shifted his attention away from his memories.

Don’t be in such a rush, my dear. We have the rest of our lives to work but only a few more short hours to hold the world off. Let’s say we stay here and enjoy ....

Reed! No! You’ll mess me up.

Reed attempted to distract his wife with a passionate embrace, but Monique was not dissuaded. She gently but firmly resisted Reed’s dramatic pout and stayed on track with her plan.

There is nothing I would rather do than stay here and enjoy each other’s company. But, honey, we have to get this list of things completed. We start on a new case in two days, and I don’t want the distraction of organizing our new home to get in the way.

All right. Okay. I’ll be ready in a jiff. Let’s grab a quick breakfast at that little café downtown, and then we can go to the mall.

Reed gave Monique one last long kiss before he headed to the bathroom.

Monique busied herself mentally reviewing her checklist as she tidied up the suite. Somewhere on that list was communicating with Torrie, her sister, and Constance and Steve, her mom and stepfather.

Monique was thankful that Steve was part of their family. He had first become acquainted with Constance while Monique was in a coma from an attempt on her life while on her last case. Steve was the hospital chaplain and had ministered to Constance and Torrie in those dark days. His quiet support and gentle guidance touched Constance’s heart, though Torrie, not so much. Torrie made it known that she had no use for clergy. Amazing but so Steve-like, he never allowed her hostility to stop his determination while walking through the trauma alongside the small family.

The chaplain was the catalyst for significant changes in Monique’s family. After she miraculously woke from her coma, Monique recognized the budding relationship between her mom and Steve. Eventually, he connected to Torrie in a way no one else had been able to do since their dad died. 

Torrie was Monique’s older sister, and the girls were so different they could have come from separate families. Torrie’s complete transformation brought the girls closer to each other. Six months ago, Torrie redirected her career goals to include full-time ministry, packed up, and moved to Texas to attend Southwest Theological Seminary.

No one could have predicted Monique and her new husband would make the same trek to Texas.

Two hours later, the young couple had finished their breakfast. Monique was ready to leave, but their server came by right when she was about to suggest as much.

Would either of you like more coffee?

Reed sat relaxed with one leg crossed over the other.

Sure, another half cup, please.

His wife sighed.

I suppose it won’t do any good for me to list all of the things we have to do today.

Not a bit. I want to sit here, gaze into your deep blue eyes, admire your long blonde hair and perfect face.

Monique smiled, tried to match her husband’s unhurried manner, and made small talk.

You know, I’m glad we were both assigned to the same place. Can you imagine living in two different time zones and trying to manage a marriage? I’m anxious to find out what our mission is.

Reed honored Monique’s attempt to project patience.

No surprise that we received the same assignment.  I only agreed to relocate as long as you were part of the deal. Either that or I would tender my resignation.

Monique was surprised.

No way! You told them that? What would you have done if they had taken your threat seriously?

I was serious, and I would have resigned. I had gotten used to your impeccable and analytical mind as we worked on the terrorist case.

Reed’s eyes sparkled, and he grinned as he completed his thought.

Oh, and also, I happened to fall in love with you.

Monique gave an exaggerated breath.

It’s a good thing you added the love thing. If I thought all of this was just because you wanted my mind, I think I might have had to find an attorney and annul this marriage. Are you ready to go yet?

Sure. Let’s do it.

I want to go to the appliance store first thing. Hopefully, we can get a delivery date for tomorrow.

Reed gave an overstated sigh.

I know what’s in my future. Putting together unassembled items, unloading boxes, and arguing with the delivery men on what their responsibility is after they make a delivery.

Chapter Three

MAUREEN PACED THE FLOOR of the small dark bedroom and raged at her captors. The fear she had for her daughters’ safety, coupled with her room’s stuffy, rancid smell, made her nauseous. Rose and Rona were her twin daughters, and her blood boiled anytime she thought about what these monsters might be doing. The men did not allow the family to interact with each other. In fact, the only time she saw the girls at all was right after she came in from working all night, and then only from a distance. The last time the mother spent any amount of time with either one of her daughters was right after they arrived in the states. Rona had been sick, and Frank was obligated to take Maureen with him when he rushed the child to the emergency room.

Suddenly exhausted, the troubled woman plopped down in the chair in front of the desk. There wasn’t a clock in the sparsely furnished room. The only furniture was a twin bed and this desk—no lamps, no pictures, no source of entertainment. The fan in the room served more as a noisemaker than a cooling device. Someone had boarded up the windows so that she couldn’t see anything outside. 

She listlessly looked at the scant breakfast. A bowl of cereal and a serving of milk was all she got every morning. Maureen sighed and took up the spoon to choke down the food and get some rest. She had to stay healthy. One day she would find a way to escape this hard life that was their fate.

Chapter Four

MONDAY MORNING ARRIVED. Monique and Reed had mixed emotions on this first day with the Texas FBI agency. They were sorry to see an end to their honeymoon, but the excitement of a new case spurred them into the day. Thirty minutes later, they had only traveled maybe a hundred feet when the traffic report mentioned an accident on the highway they were on.

Reed, I think I should call someone and let them know we’ll be late. We are barely crawling, and I know we won’t make it by 9:00.

Reed caught Monique’s I told you so look. Earlier, he had rebuffed Monique’s suggestion to allow ninety minutes to get from home to the bureau. He expected that she would exercise her rights any minute.

Okay, go ahead and call ... but please, I don’t want to hear you say the dreaded ....

Monique laughed before Reed could finish his sentence.

I don’t have to say it. You’ve been torturing yourself, waiting for me to say something ever since we left the house. This is much more satisfying!

Monique dialed the office phone number while she razzed her husband.

Hello, may I please speak with Mr. Warner? I’m Monique Yor ... I mean Thomas.

Reed listened to the one-sided conversation and tried to piece together what Monique heard.

Good morning Mr. Warner, this is ...

Oh, sure, okay, good morning, Paul. Reed and I seem to have gotten ourselves trapped in traffic. I think the news said this accident is causing a delay of an hour or more. I’m sure we won’t be there until close to 11:00 ....

Reed noticed Monique’s grin in his peripheral vision.

I see. You are a wise man. We’ll see you soon.

Okay, what did he say? I think he told you to call him Paul?

Yes, and he had planned for a delay on our first Monday morning. He scheduled a luncheon meeting to introduce us to the branch, and right after that, we will get details on our – Reed! Look out!

Reed had been creeping down the highway when a Dodge Ram with extra huge tires cut in front of him to get into the exit lane. He expertly averted disaster when he swerved just enough to miss the truck.

That was close! I thought dodging terrorists was a challenge, but driving in this traffic is a close second.

Reed took a deep breath and brought up a topic to discuss while they inched their way to the office.

I think it was thoughtful of Paul to find us a house so we wouldn’t have to take time to look. I’m sure it is a cumbersome endeavor.

Monique smiled at Reed’s naivety.

It was nice, and he certainly found one to satisfy my idea of a home, but don’t be fooled by his gesture.

Reed was surprised by his wife’s comment and glanced her way.

Why would you say something like that?

Oh, it isn’t that I want to dilute the gesture, but I suspect we will find out soon that there was another motive behind his generosity.

If I didn’t know you better, I would say your statement was cynical, but that isn’t you. So, I will reserve judgment until later.

Finally, the traffic began to move at a good pace, and they made it to the office right before the luncheon meeting.  Paul acted like a little kid on Christmas morning when they walked in the door. His jovial demeanor surprised the couple because, typically, the heads of the various FBI offices were intense and serious.

After a brief visit with Paul, the three made their way to the conference room. They breathed in the savory smells of the catered lunch from the best BBQ chain in Texas. The conference room was the center of conversation and enjoyment for the next thirty minutes. Shortly after everyone had their fill, the caterers removed the spoils from the room, and most agents grabbed a drink before the meeting began. Minutes later, quiet anticipation replaced the relaxed lunch.

Paul approached the podium.

Good afternoon. I want to introduce you all to the newest additions to our special team, Monique and Reed Thomas, who incidentally used their honeymoon time to relocate. Come on up you two and say a little something.

Reed and Monique didn’t like being the center of attention but knew it was expected. Besides, the sooner they got this out of the way, the sooner they could get details on their assignment.

Reed took over from Paul and began the brief introduction while Monique quietly stood by his side.

First, I want to thank everyone for your hospitality. The traffic, however, I’m not so crazy about.

Reed paused a moment to allow the chuckles to subside.

Monique and I are happy to be here. To quote an analogy I’ve heard for years, ‘your welcome is as big as Texas,’ Thank you. We look forward to getting acquainted with everyone. However, we are eager to hear more about our mission, so we will take our seats and allow our esteemed leader to continue. Oh, by the way, we did not spend every moment moving. We did some honeymooning in between.

Monique’s fair complexion turned red as laughter filled the room. Reed was glad he was on his way back to the assembly because, truth be told, he had embarrassed himself with his words.

After they sat down, Monique gave him an almost imperceptible punch.

What possessed you to say such a thing?

Reed felt the punch but almost missed Monique’s words because she said them quietly. He didn’t, however, miss the amused hostility in her voice.

Thank you, Reed, for those truly inspiring words.

Again, there was appreciative laughter, and then Paul began the session.

Most of you have heard rumors about a special task force out of this office. Today, I am going to confirm some of the speculations. Anita, can you please start the slide show?

Anita turned on the computer and loaded the presentation’s first slide, which showed people of all ages in heavy chains. Silence fell over the room as Paul began his narrative.

"A malady has crept into our society, affecting the most vulnerable population. Major crimes labeled as Human Trafficking or sometimes Sex Trafficking have invaded countries worldwide. The most alarming is that these scandalous offenses have permeated our country in the most pervasive way.

"As you can see in this slide, no one in our society is exempt from the dangers of these crimes. For this presentation, I pulled information from an article on the results of a research project by ‘The Guardian Group.’ Their research revealed that trafficking crimes are promoted significantly through the escort businesses. At least 90% of escort ads are fronts for prostitution, and the ratio between advertisements for escort services across the nation directly correlates with the number of victims.

"Escort services provide companions for men, well, usually men anyway. Their services are supposed to adhere to the confines of legal entertainment, which means paid sex, which is actually prostitution, is not allowed.

A little-known fact is that prostitution allegations aren’t dependent on an exchange of money or even physical contact, at least in Texas. If there is proof of a verbal contract for payment of a sex act, then the District Attorney can draw up charges.

Excuse me, Paul? May I ask a question?

Sure, Gloria, go ahead.

The young up and coming agent stood to address her superior.

What happens if a legitimate escort is sexually attracted to her client during the progression of the event and ends up having an encounter? Would that be legal?

Excellent question which addresses the complexity of the law and the prosecution of the accused. The encounter can be considered prostitution when it takes place during a paid event. It’s hard to present support that the activity wasn’t part of the payment terms. Still, it is equally challenging to offer enough evidence to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that it was a paid service.

Paul looked at his agents, anticipating additional comments, and Reed did not hesitate to insert an opinion.

It sounds a little like Russian Roulette. Taking the escort services to an illegal level on the chance no one can collect enough evidence to prosecute.

Exactly. One reason escort services don’t go away is that the business is lucrative, and the ones with the money and power are cushioned by the minions taking the risk.

Paul paused longer in case someone else had a comment or question. When none came, he continued.

"The study mentioned above took thirty-two cities from ten states across our nation. This next slide describes three demographic categories and the population which defines each category:

Town = 10,000 to 100,000 people.

City = 100,000 to 1,000,000 people.

Big City = 1,000,000 + people.

"The population of each geographical category determines the number of escort services, and each escort ad represents a victim of trafficking. For instance, Anita, next slide, please.

The ratio of a town is 1:20, with one escort ad per 20 people.

The ratio of a city is 1:10, with one escort ad per 10 people.

The ratio of a big city is 1:3, with one escort ad per 3 people.

"For example, let’s look at the numbers from Dallas-Ft. Worth area population.

"According to the population chart Dallas-Ft. Worth is considered a big city. However, the report was from a survey done in 2015 – 2016. Undeniably, the numbers are considerably higher by now. 

"Studies show that at least 3% of all victims of human trafficking are minors under the age of twenty. You will be shocked by the next slide. Again, let’s use Dallas as an example. 

Using an estimated population of 28,000,000 and the state ratio of 1:10, you end up with 2,800,000 escort ads. Of the 2,800,000 ads, 3% or 84,000 minors fall victim to trafficking.

The numbers for minors affected is outrageous but consider this: the 2,800,000 ads represent a total of 2,716,000 adults, male and female."[1]

­­­­­­­­­Paul paused again, this time to allow the statistics to sink into all their minds. This was a general meeting to let the entire branch know about the special task force. The next meeting would consist of only those on the task force.

Does anyone want to comment or ask a question before we dismiss?

The room was quiet.

Then we will adjourn. Thank you for your attention. Everyone make Reed and Monique feel at home. Reed, if you two would, please reconvene here in the conference room in about thirty minutes. That should give you time to find your offices and regroup for the next phase of introductions.

Chapter Five

REED AND MONIQUE WERE back in the conference room. The former CIA agent felt her anticipation grow. The last case she worked on was before her transfer to the FBI, and that operation was fraught with complications. The many months of rehab kept her from work. Her career change from CIA to FBI caused additional weeks of inactivity. Finally, the time off because of her wedding and move put the last active case too long ago.

No one else had arrived yet, so Monique took advantage to comment on the lunch meeting.

So, the meeting was certainly informative. I can’t imagine that many victims.

Reed’s response was not heartfelt because he was distracted by his disappointment.

Yes ... I agree, uh .... Did you find your office? Well, not office but your desk. I don’t consider a cubicle an office. Much different than where we came from.

Yes, I found my desk. You sound frustrated, but if you think about it, we probably won’t spend a lot of time here, and it certainly isn’t cost-effective to have rooms with nobody in them.

Monique took the conversation in a new direction.

What about that lunch? I hope they don’t have large meals catered in too often.

Didn’t you like it? Someone told me it was the best BBQ food in the state.

Paul pushed into the room and interrupted any response Monique might have made.

Well, you two. I say again, welcome. I wanted a word with you before everyone else got here. The task force pulls from the outside communities to work with the FBI. You two will represent the FBI. Now, I need to clarify something, and please don’t be annoyed.

Monique and Reed looked at each