35. Evie

"We"re going to arrest you and lock your ass up if you don't stop creeping around where you don't belong. How many times do we have to tell you? You're messing in a rattlesnake pit! And they will kill you. Go home and let us do our job."

"That's just the thing,Officer Bellow, you are not doing your job. My sister has been missing for nine frigging months, and you don't even have a trail to follow. Who always calls the police and tells them I'm still hunting for my sister?"

"Look, Evie, I don't want to say this, but it's most likely your sister is dead. We have no trail to follow. The grocery store had no cameras. We have nothing; it's like she was abducted by aliens from outer space. Her purse and phone were found next to her car. No one in the store saw anything. No one in the parking lot saw anything. It's like I said, we have nothing," the Officer said in that same arrogant voice they all use when talking to me.

I said nothing; I turned and walked to my vehicle. "Evie," he called out, "I know you want to find your sister, but you don't understand what is out there. There is so much evil you wouldn't understand it," he tried to explain.

"I know about everything that is out there. I've been hunting for my sister for nine months, and you think I haven't seen the evil. That's why I'm desperate to find Kylie because I've seen what is going on and no one is trying to stop it," I growled low in my voice and kept on walking.

Once I got inside my car, I allowed the tears to fall. I felt so damn guilty for my sister being taken if she wouldn't have stopped for my birthday cake, she would still be here with us. Of course, I thought that she might be dead, and from what I've learned of the underground human trafficking, I didn't know if she would ever be the same when I do find her.

I hated going home; my mom had a heart attack when Kylie was first taken. That's why I sold my home and moved back in with my parents. My dad missed so many days of work taking care of Mom; his job laid him off. They had no income, so I paid off their house so they wouldn't get kicked out of their home.

Now, dad and I both took care of mom. She was getting better but it was taking so long. Both of them were upset that I paid off their home; I had to make sure there was food and shelter. They still sat around and don't talk much; each of us has Kylie in our minds wondering what she is going through.

I drove to the bad part of town; I've been hanging around there more and more getting information about the cartel, and where they take their victims. "Why do you keep coming here? I've told you a hundred times it's too dangerous for you. Do you want the cartel to take you? If you saw your sister she would be unrecognizable; they feed their trafficked women drugs to keep them from fighting."

I looked over at the woman who I've talked to a number of times; she says her name is Lucy. "How do you know so much about the cartel, Lucy? Did they ever take you?"

"No, they don't want me; I'm too ugly. I hear everything from the women they finish with and leave on the streets. You see those women who are passed out on the streets, the ones bent over vomiting in their own laps. The ones people cross the street to get as far from as they can. Those women were missing sisters, they were mothers and daughters. They don't want to be reunited with their families after the human traffickers got finished with them," she said, turning and walking away.

Maybe I should talk to some of those women, and see if they saw Kylie. I made my way to where the people were on the sidewalks. I walked three feet from them and turned around; the smell made me gag. I headed home, where Mom and Dad were waiting to ask me dozens of questions about if I had news on Kylie.

I wondered if they even knew the chances I take to find Kylie. Do they know the police hate me, or do they know I hang out with the drug-addicted people on the streets? Do they care where I am? Sometimes I'm gone for days following a lead.

My Dad met me at the door. "The police have been here; they said to tell you to stop digging for information about the cartel and the human traffickers. What the hell is wrong with me that I let my daughter try to find information from the cartel, on her own. We could have lost you too. I don't want you going out there again. It's over; Kylie is gone, we have to face it, she won't be returning."

"Dad, don't say that. The police are angry because I do more work than they do. I'll keep hunting for my sister until I find the truth. I'm okay; I don't take chances."

"They said you hang out with the homeless drug addicts that are littered on the sidewalks. Don't go anymore. I refuse to discuss it again. We would never survive you being taken also."

"I'm going to make dinner after I shower; how is Mom."

"Mom is fine," my mother said walking into the entranceway where Dad and I stood. She glanced at my Dad. "Did you talk to her?"

"Yes, and she agreed with me. Why are you on your feet, the doctor said for you to rest in bed."

"Come on, Mom, I'll walk back to your room with you," I said putting my arm around my Mom.

"Evie, if you were taken I would die for sure; please stop taking chances with your life. I know you miss Kylie, but we can't lose you too."

"I know Mom, I won't take chances with my life anymore," I said as an idea popped into my head. If they didn't take Lucy because she said she was ugly then they won't take me because I'll be super ugly."

"I almost forgot this message was left on the front door for you," my Dad said walking into the kitchen where I was making dinner. I glanced at the paper and knew who it was from. "Thanks, Dad," I said stuffing it into my pocket.

"How about if I make the salad," Dad said opening the fridge. "Evie, I just realized that I've been leaving you to take care of everything, you sold your home, to pay ours off you left your job, we've taken advantage of you, and I'm so sorry."

"Dad that stuff means nothing to me; it"s all material things. I don't care about material things anymore. All I care about is my family. My sweet little sister is missing I would give my life to save hers."

"Don't you ever say that! Do you understand me? I would never give the life of one of my daughters for the other one. I love both of you equal," he said before pulling me into his arms.

I rested my head against his chest and relaxed. It seemed this was the first time I've relaxed since Kylie was taken. "Thank you, Dad, that hug felt really good."

"I'm going to be giving you more hugs daily, from now on. I love you Evie; I'm sorry for ignoring you for the last nine months," he said kissing the top of my head.

I didn't look at the message until everyone was in bed. I didn't like this person showing up at my house and taping a message to our front door. I took it out and I felt like I would vomit; I hated following their instructions. First, they told me how to get on the dark web where I need to be to send the email.

Who is Reaper? Why are they having me send this message? Is Reaper dangerous because I'm sending this message into the dark web? But they keep telling me Kylie is still alive. I'm not supposed to tell anyone about this. I sighed, who would I tell anyway? The police wouldn't believe anything I told them. I sent the email. Then I went to bed.