Silence Shattered

By Larissa Self

Billy Watts and his team are determined to put an end to human trafficking. However, the traffickers are equally persistent in their endeavors to preserve their lucrative business of selling human beings. The war between the two sides has been nonstop, and though there have been numerous victories over the years, the team's fortitude is failing.

While home for a much-needed break, Billy gets drawn into another case, one that could be his toughest yet. A fourteen-year-old girl has gone missing, and the perpetrators this time are two billionaires, Bode Horowitz and Sebastian Drakos. The silken web of depravity these two men have spun has been impenetrable. Surrounded by influential friends of great wealth, authority, and intelligence, the elite pedophiles have been allowed to travel openly with their victims. The fact that they believe themselves to be untouchable enrages Billy, and he calls his team together once more--this time, stateside.

A plan devised to chip away at the world of horrors these billionaires have created has Billy and his team going after Horowitz's right-hand man, Mark Kennedy. A family man himself with two teenage girls, Mark has been indulging in the same perversion as his boss...and all without his wife's and daughters' knowledge. What Billy thinks is a race against time for one missing fourteen-year-old girl turns out to be a deadly race to save a pedophile's family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798889435594

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Silence Shattered

Larissa Self

Copyright © 2023 by Larissa Self

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 publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Any biblical references are from NIV or CSB translations.

Cover Design by: Keith Silvas

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

For Rebecca Bender.

You are a true inspiration and proof of God’s amazing love, and because of you, this third book was written.

Thank you for all you do.

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—because of You, my life is full.

To my husband, David, thank you for allowing me to follow my dream. Your love and support over these thirty-three years has astounded me. I love you.

To my children, I love you dearly, and being your mother has been my greatest reward.

To my mother, Ann Daniel, thank you for your love and support.

To Sandy Armstrong—this is it! The last of this series. I cannot express my gratitude to you for all that you’ve done for me over the years. Your friendship has meant the world to me. Thank you for all the time and hard work you put into editing my work. Saying thank you doesn’t seem enough.

To Debbie Stallsworth, your friendship is beyond measure. Starting off in a new place is hard, but you opened your door to me, and I have been blessed ever since. Even knowing how busy you are, you still managed to find the time to edit these stories. Thank you will never be enough to convey my gratitude.

These women will forever be acknowledged in my books—Sheri Bryant, Annette Cotterell, Tami Foshee, Shannon Lassetter, Carrie Prestage, Brandi Pyle, and Susan Rolfsen. As I’ve said before, you ladies have made my life fun and this writing journey a reality. I’m not sure how, but I will find a way to send you all future manuscripts. Writing them without your stamp of approval just doesn’t seem right. I love you, and I thank God for each of you every day.

To Jenny Este and Gay Chambers, I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me. I have learned so much from you both. Your suggestions, corrections, and guidance over the years has been greatly appreciated. I never knew how much fun critiquing could be. Thank you for everything.

To Tracy Pietila and Debbie Stallsworth, thank you for sharing your love and passion for Jesus with me. You’re living proof that God gives us what we need at that absolutely perfect moment in time. I love you, and thank you for allowing me to travel with you on your quest for a closer relationship with God. I’ve learned so much from each of you and can’t wait to see what awaits us down the road.

To Keith Silvas, thank you for your incredible artistry. The three book covers are where they should be…together. Thank you for working with me to get my idea from my head onto paper. You’re amazing and just an all-around great guy. I’m so blessed to call you friend, and I wish you success and happiness in everything you do. You’d think I could find better words to express my gratitude other than thank you. You’re the best! You can find Keith at www.keithsilvas.com.

To Rebecca Bender, when I thought about writing the Open Your Eyes Series, I wasn’t sure how to approach the topic of human trafficking. Hearing you speak in Bakersfield opened my eyes to a different side of modern-day slavery that I wasn’t aware of and am forever grateful to know. You are the inspiration behind Silence Shattered, and I hope, though it’s fiction, that I was able to point out some of the injustices revolving around prostitution in our country and the stigmatism that follows those forced into it. I am profoundly sorry that you had to experience such horrors, but I honestly believe that God is, and has been, using your suffering to educate others, me included, so we might know how to help others to break free from bondage. You are God’s beacon of hope to those who still seek freedom and proof of His profound love. God bless you and the work you do. Check out Rebecca at rebeccabender.org, and her book—In Pursuit of Love: One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant.

Author’s Notes

Human trafficking is an epidemic that has spread across the globe at an unprecedented rate. While doing research for this book, I was astounded by the amount of money being made at the expense of our children: $150 billion a year while the overhead cost for the traffickers is zero. They take our women and children at random. While our hearts break, our children are being abused, their self-worth destroyed, and they are, at times, killed. Though the characters in this book are fictional, I based the storyline on modern-day heroes who fight every day to stop trafficking. There is an amazing group of people who have made it their life’s mission to fight against such atrocities. Rebecca Bender, rebeccabender.org; Magdalene Hope, magdalenehope.org; and V4CR (Vets for Child Rescue), vets4childrescue.org, are three such notable organizations.

The Lord has made them the covenant for the weak and the oppressed: I am the LORD. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness from the prison house (Isaiah 42:6–7 CSB). I hope you’ll check them out and give them your support. Our children are the ones at risk. Help stop slavery—end human trafficking.

—Larissa Self

If you or someone you know is being trafficked, you can call in an anonymous tip for immediate help to The National Human Trafficking Hotline in the United States: 1(888)373-7888.

Chapter 1

Charlotte ran out of her bedroom and downstairs, grabbing her backpack off the last step as she hurried to the kitchen. A stack of toast caught her eye, and she slid to a stop before colliding into the table. Instead of taking one from the pile, she snatched a slice off her younger sister’s plate that had already been slathered with butter and grape jelly.

Hey! That was mine, she yelled. Make your own!

Heaving her bag over her shoulder, she winked at her little sister.

Come on, Charlotte, sit down and eat, her mother begged.

Without so much as a glance at her mom, she took a bite of toast, opened the refrigerator, and grabbed a soda with her free hand. I can’t. Dad, I need money. Glass jars rattled when she shut the door with her foot.

Sorry, I need what I have for my trip. Mark glanced at his watch. I gotta go. Aubrey, do you have cash to give her? He downed the last of his coffee, kissed his youngest daughter on the top of her head, and then placed his mug in the sink. Has anyone seen my keys?

Ignoring her husband, Aubrey eyed her oldest. I gave you forty dollars yesterday.

Yeah, well, I owed Bella for the movie and dinner last weekend.

Kid, you’re going to break me. My purse is in the office.

You’re the best, Mom!

The heavy backpack slapping against her back didn’t hinder Charlotte’s speed as she raced down the hall. Once in the office, she scanned the room for her mother’s purse. Spotting it in the corner, she grabbed it and ran back to the kitchen.

Thanks, honey. Aubrey unzipped her handbag and took out her wallet. How much?

A hundred? she questioned with a smile.

Good grief! Why so much?

Bella and I are going to the mall after school. I told you about the dress I want to buy.

Can I have a hundred dollars? Everly asked.

No! Mark and Aubrey said in unison.

Gosh. No need to snap, Everly muttered while adding jelly to another piece of toast.

You’re only fourteen and aren’t allowed to go to the mall without your mother, her father reminded her. He shook his suit coat and heard a jingle. Found them!

Then can Skylar come over and spend the night Saturday?

Sorry, kiddo, I have to work all weekend, and with your dad gone, there’s no one to watch you.

Mark smiled at his daughter while picking up his briefcase. I gotta go, but I promise when I get back, Skylar can come over and spend the night. She can stay the whole weekend if you want. He kissed his youngest on the head again before making his exit.

Remember, Mark, I’m leaving for New York the day you get back.

He hollered back, Skylar and I get along great! I’m okay with her staying when you’re gone. The front door closed with the last of his words.

Charlotte gave her mom a quick kiss on the cheek and announced, Dad’s a freak.

What do you mean?

With Skylar. I have to go too, or I’ll miss my ride.

Perplexed by Charlotte’s comment, she looked at Everly, who shrugged her shoulders. Then coming to her senses, she yelled, It’s a school night! Come home when the mall closes. I mean it! The front door shut without a response. Aubrey released a frustrated sigh. I don’t know why I bother making breakfast. No one eats it.

I do.

Her daughter’s sweet voice brought Aubrey out of her funk. Thank you for that. Okay, let’s hurry up and eat. I have a meeting, but I need to drop you off at school first.

The mansion, as all multimillion-dollar houses were, was big. Why she chose the word big to describe it, Mia didn’t know. Monstrosity seemed more fitting, but she liked the simplicity of the word and left it in her notes.

Sebastian Drakos, a Greek shipping tycoon, owned the house that reflected his Grecian heritage in both architecture and design. Statues of nude men and women welcomed visitors as they drove up the drive, along with an array of unique plants not indigenous to the United States. Adding to its grandeur was the manicured lawn, perfectly sculptured bushes, and colorful flowered vines that crawled up to the roof, flawlessly accentuating the house.

She noted that the front gate opened at six o’clock each morning and normally stayed open during the day, allowing Drakos’s guests easy access. Even when it had been opened, Mia couldn’t see beyond the trees, hedges, and shrubs. She wished there was someplace for her to stake out the property from the back side, but it butted up to a private beach with no hiding places.

Watching the house for the last two nights, Mia hadn’t seen anything except the cars that came and went. Even though she wasn’t able to get pictures of the men driving them, she did get shots of the license plates. Because she had, she would have a face to go with each vehicle soon enough.

Ugh. I gotta pee. She looked at her watch and wrote down the time in her small notebook. It was six twenty-five in the morning, and the gate was still closed. She was sure the cars that hadn’t left yet would be leaving soon. Even with all the license plates either photographed or written down, she wanted to record the time each vehicle left before she called it a day.

Just as she put the cap back on her pen, the gate slid open. Instinctively, she sank low in her seat. She didn’t worry about seeing the whole car because she knew the make and model of each one that had arrived two nights prior.

Mia grabbed the pad again and flipped to the page with the vehicle’s information and scribbled down the time it left. A second car drove out behind the first, then a third and fourth followed. She quickly flipped the pages, found each one, and logged their departure time.

Instead of the gate staying open, it closed after the last car exited. That’s odd. She recorded the change in routine. The black Mercedes and gold Lexus are the only two left, but I can’t hold it any longer.

The car engine rumbled with the push of the Start button. Mia flipped the left blinker on, looked over her shoulder, and then forward again before pulling onto the street. She took one last look at the house as she drove off. What kind of sick perversion goes on at Drakos’s place that would warrant grown men to have a sleepover?

Disgusted by the various scenarios floating inside her head, she groaned and pressed the accelerator. It took a few minutes to reach the convenience store that was a few blocks away. When she got out, she noticed she’d parked next to one of the vehicles from the Greek mansion.

The red convertible BMW M4 sports car simmered in the early morning sun. Mia had looked up the model on line and was surprised by the price tag. The M4 started at seventy-six thousand and went as high as ninety. She glanced over at her used Toyota. It had cost seven thousand dollars, and though she hated parting with the money, she needed a car.

She wanted to see the face of the man who drove it, but she had to go to the bathroom first. Unable to wait any longer, she headed inside the store. A man in his mid- to late-fifties bumped into her when she entered.

Geez, mister!

Watch where you’re going!

Judge Landers?

The man stood next to the red sports car with its door open but didn’t get in. Do I know you?

Not personally. I’ve been in your courtroom a few times as an expert witness. I’m Mia Nichols.

Computers?

Yes.

Watch where you’re going, he snapped and got in his car. The judge didn’t waste any time backing out. A horn blared as he sped out of the convenience store parking lot, cutting off another motorist.

What a jerk! Mia said, regretting taking the time to talk to him, but she couldn’t worry about him or his manners. Her bladder screamed for attention, and she took off running toward the women’s restroom.

Billy Watts, a ruggedly handsome black man, was forty-nine years old, highly intelligent, well-built, and a skillfully trained former Marine, who, at this very moment, was wearing a hole in the carpet. Lost in thought, he silently debated whether or not he wanted to work this case. He had been back in the United States barely a week and had hoped for more time off. Since Savannah’s homecoming almost a year ago, he had taken one case after another. Some were successful and others were not. The toll from working so much weighed heavy on him, and he desperately needed a break.

Because of the prolonged stress and fatigue caused by working so much, he was constantly having to remind himself why he joined the fight to end human trafficking. After his military career ended, Billy got a call from a buddy who needed help finding his fourteen-year-old daughter. She had fallen in love with a loser she’d met online, who lured her into running away with him and then forced her into prostitution. As hard as her father tried, he couldn’t find her and called Billy. Of course, he agreed to help.

The cesspool of pedophiles he had to wade through while searching for the teenager was so disturbing it made him angry. He decided right then he had to do something about all the creeps who preyed on the innocent. It was this decision that ultimately brought him to Harper’s Ministries—Save a Child and to its founder, Linda Harper.

Being a victim of human trafficking herself, Linda didn’t fear much. She wasn’t like most survivors he had met over the years. Her character was such that she didn’t have a problem standing up to the bullies of this world. Her worry stemmed for others, like Mia, trying to do it. This case had the potential to expose a huge underground trafficking ring, right here in the United States. Because it did, and because of Mia’s unrelenting need to snoop into the lives of dangerous people, she needed him on this case.

Linda held a thin folder in her hand, waiting for his answer.

Taking in a deep breath, he pointed and asked, Is that all you have on this case?

A sigh of disappointment escaped when she answered, Yes, I’m sad to say, it is. Mia has worked on this nonstop. However, she lacks some of the skills you have, and personally, I don’t like her going on stakeouts alone.

He took a moment to consider what she said. What kind of skills, and what do you mean stakeouts?

She’s been keeping tabs on a nightclub owner, Austin Kress. It’s all in the file. He has upscale nightclubs in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and a small one in Fresno and Sacramento. He’s also the proud owner of a few sleazy joints like the one in Bakersfield.

He’s trafficking?

Mia says yes. She had eyes on one fourteen-year-old but lost her. Some billionaire walked in and took the teenager with him. Mia never found out where he took her, but the girl’s gone.

Billy’s brow lifted. A billionaire?

Linda opened the file and flipped through its pages. Let’s see. I know the name is in here somewhere, I just saw it. Oh, here it is—Bode Horowitz, a banker and financier. Owns several banks on the east coast, in Los Angeles, and in San Francisco. He has a lot of friends in high places.

Billy motioned with his right hand for Linda to give him the file. She gave it to him, still opened to Horowitz’s bio. Scanning over the information, he whistled. Where’s Mia?

On her way here.

No sooner had Linda said those words and the door to her office opened. Hey, guys, how’s it going? Mia asked cheerfully.

Hey back. We were just talking about you, Linda said.

About me or the file you’re holding?

Billy glanced down at the folder, and then closed it. Tapping it against his free hand, he asked, This Horowitz guy…are you sure he’s involved and not the girl’s relative?

You mean like an uncle? Horowitz is an only child and not married. There are no records of him siring an offspring either. Besides, what loving relative leaves a fourteen-year-old girl with a disgusting pig like Austin Kress? And at a nightclub, no less.

Okay, you have a point. But what makes you think he’s involved?

Honestly, I don’t have any reason to believe he is, except for his connection to Austin and another guy, whose house I watched this weekend—Sebastian Drakos.

The shipping tycoon? Linda’s voice cracked.

Yeah.

The muscle in Billy’s jaw flexed. Mia, no more stakeouts. These aren’t the kind of people you want to get caught by snooping around. Drakos can make you disappear without a trace. Promise me?

Well, everything about him shouts human trafficker. I mean, perverts come in all shapes and sizes, and I’m talking wallet sizes. Just because he’s rich doesn’t mean we should give him a pass.

We won’t let them get away with anything, but we need to be very careful, Linda cautioned. Money buys a lot of friends.

All right, no more stakeouts. It’s too hard on my bladder anyway, not to mention my stomach from all the junk I ate just to stay awake.

Grinning, Billy asked, Now that’s settled. Did you learn anything new?

I’m not sure, but I think Drakos is also involved with Austin Kress.

He doesn’t strike me as someone who would be into clubbing, especially at strip joints, Linda stated.

There’s nothing that says he can’t be a silent partner or the club’s financial backer, Billy offered. They launder money through legit companies all the time.

Both Horowitz and Drakos are billionaires, Mia reminded them. They’re not doing it for the money. It’s the thrill of the girls. I think they like them young.

She had a point, and both Linda and Billy knew it.

Okay. So these men have a sick fetish, Billy said. I’ve taken victims from wealthy people numerous times but never brought one down. I’m going to need help from people I can trust.

I want to work this case! Mia practically yelled.

You know she’s good at gathering intel, Linda said, siding with Mia. It’s what she does best. And if I remember correctly, she was a huge help with your last two cases. You’re going to want her on your team for this one.

Hesitant to answer for a split second, he heaved an exasperated sigh. Yeah, sure.

Placing a hand over her chest, Mia said, Phew, thanks. Then, opening her purse, she dug around and pulled out a small spiral notebook. When I was snooping around, I came across a name. She flipped several pages, stopped, and read, Mark Kennedy. He popped up while researching Horowitz. He’s a high-ranking employee of Bode’s. He’s wealthy, but not anywhere as rich as his boss. He has two teenage daughters and is married to an ad executive here in LA. Mia looked up from her pad.

And? Linda asked.

I know this is going to sound weird or just hard to believe because the guy’s married with two beautiful girls of his own, but he’s a pedophile. A friend of mine at the FBI said Kennedy has been on his radar for a while, but he’s smart and never falls for any of the sting operations or any fish netting they’ve set up online.

Linda’s forehead creased. Fish netting?

It’s a term used by the FBI, Mia explained. They cast out an imaginary net online to catch predators who are into child pornography and other disgusting stuff.

There are too many avenues for these monsters to use to prey on kids, Linda stated. Okay, so then how did Mark Kennedy get on the FBI’s watch list?

The victim went to her school counselor and said he had been one of many who…well, she claimed he never had full-blown sex with her, but Kennedy made her do things. Then she recanted.

Billy’s eyes narrowed. You’ve got to be kidding?

I know. Weird, right? Another odd thing, the counselor who reported the girl’s complaint to the police quit her job and miraculously fell off the planet. And you know it’s impossible for anyone to hide from me, but I can’t find her anywhere. She used to be active on social media, and she hasn’t posted a thing in eight months or engaged on any of her friends’ posts. None of her credit cards have been used, nor has she written any checks. She hasn’t made any withdrawals from her bank accounts either. Her life just suddenly stopped.

Seriously? Linda exchanged glances with Billy.

Oh, one more thing, she added. The teen in question is now going to a different school. Nothing about any of this smells right.

Linda groaned and asked, Did your friend happen to give you the victim’s name?

As a matter of fact, he did. This is the creepy part. She’s the best friend of Mark Kennedy’s youngest daughter.

How do you know that?

Eyeing her boss, Mia said, Social media, of course.

Oh.

You said the girl recanted. Do you know why? Billy asked.

Yeah, the same time the teenager retracted her story, someone high up in the food chain squelched the charges before the paperwork could get filed. A detective working the original case called my friend at the FBI because she didn’t like that the case got dropped. Clint, my FBI buddy, did some quiet digging.

Elite pedophiles, Linda whispered as she took a seat behind her desk.

Both Billy and Mia followed and sat across from her. They watched as she mentally worked through something. A moment of clarity flashed across her face, and she locked eyes with Billy. Whoever you need to work with on this case, get them here. Harper’s Ministries will pay. Madison Richards has been the driving force behind our donations lately and the ministry has the money.

Who’s Madison Richards? Mia asked.

Dumbfounded, both Linda and Billy stared at her.

The actress? Linda answered and questioned at the same time.

Unbothered by their looks, Mia asked, You’re friends with an actress?

Yeah, Billy said. Without going into all the details, she and her family are huge advocates for victims of human trafficking. She and her husband have been actively involved with Harper’s Ministries and Save All Daughters and Sons for almost a year now. I’m surprised you didn’t know that.

Dealing with donors is Linda’s job.

Better her than me, he said.

You both need to handle this with absolute professionalism and thoroughness, Linda cautioned. I can’t stress enough the importance of crossing every t’s and dotting every i’s. Check and recheck sources. Absolutely no assumptions. Do I make myself clear?

Yeah, sure. Of course.

Mia shrugged her shoulders. That’s all I do anyway, so like Billy said, yeah, sure.

These elite pedophiles are men of great wealth, authority, and intelligence. The underground world of human trafficking gets extremely dark when they’re involved. Far worse than all the Brian Gallaghers and Olsen Popovas in the world combined.

Those were tough cases, Mia recalled.

Yeah, they were, Billy agreed. A lot of good people died taking Gallagher down, and we didn’t make any mistakes. We just weren’t fast enough. They were always two steps ahead of us.

Consider these people to be twenty paces ahead of you with high-ranking law enforcement officials, judges, and congressmen in their pocket. You name the title, and I’m sure you’ll find several involved in child exploitation. Mia, while you’re on this case, you do as Billy asks. No more solo stakeouts. I can’t stress enough how careful you need to be.

Yeah. No…I promise. Um, you should know, I’ve already identified one judge involved.

All eyes were on Mia, but she said nothing more.

Her extended silence made Linda snap, Seriously, do we have to ask?

Oh, sorry, yeah. I bumped into the guy this morning at the gas station. My bladder was about to explode—

Mia! Linda barked.

Judge Landers.

"What? That can’t be right. I’m good friends with his wife. Are you sure?"

A red convertible BMW M4 left Drakos’s house at—she flipped through her notebook—six twenty-seven this morning.

Tossing the pen she held in her hand across the desk, Linda slumped in her chair. Billy caught it and kept it just in case she decided to throw it again. The stillness in the room weighed heavy on everyone.

Janis said he was going through some kind of midlife crisis when he bought the sports car. She laughed about it. Linda let out a frustrated breath. This is too close to home, Billy. The Landers are personal friends and donors to Harper’s Ministries.

Understood. I’m going to ask Patrick and his team to join us. They’ve worked on the last couple of cases with me.

Didn’t one of the them get married? Linda asked.

Yeah, Connor did. And Niall’s father is sick. Neither can help with this case. Harry and Gerard will come with Patrick. We’ll keep it tight. I’ll ask Lizzy to give us a hand. With them and Mia, I’m confident no mistakes will be made. With what Mia just gave us, we at least have someone to start with.

She gave us a lot of names. Who are you going after first? Linda asked.

Mark Kennedy.

Aubrey Kennedy had an air of confidence about her that stemmed not only from her beauty but also from her intellect. Neither made her pretentious. She wasn’t an ostentatious dresser, though she liked to dress nice. Her makeup was always in earth tones and never screamed, "Look at me!" Whenever a friend or coworker complemented her on how nice she looked or how they envied her long, thick, brown hair, she seemed genuinely surprised. She would simply smile, thank them, and quickly move on to something else.

Though her last birthday had propelled her from thirty-nine to forty in a nanosecond, she was convinced she had the same energy and drive she did at twenty. Despite the lack of exercise in her life, the years had been good to her. However, what had been firm at twenty wasn’t so much at forty.

She loved her job, and, until her oldest daughter Charlotte came along, work had been all she lived and breathed. Both she and Mark doted over their baby girl and managed to work together as a team to raise her. Then beautiful Everly came along. Having a great system already in place, she