Southern Comfort - Fern Michaels [73]
“Yeah, he would. He probably won’t say anything, him being such a hermit all these years, but he really could use some female companionship. He didn’t come right out and say it, but I’m his brother, I’ll say it for him. I know these things.”
Kate had the grace to blush. Sandy laughed until tears streaked her cheeks. “I do believe you’ve embarrassed Kate. She’s never been very composed around men, just so you know. Not that experienced either. You might want to mention that to your brother. I’d hate to see him take advantage of her, especially since he’s in the need of some female companionship.”
“I didn’t mean that. I said he needs . . .”
“You’d better zip it up while you’re ahead, little brother. I mean it.” Tick had emerged from the shower smelling like Ivory soap and Old Spice.
“Would you all please stop?” Kate grinned.
“I second that. I don’t need my little brother to . . . never mind.” Tick gave Pete a scathing look that would surely kill if he stared a second longer. “I think I should check on my guest. It’s about time she woke up,” Tick said.
“I’ll go to bed with you,” Kate blurted. To cover her faux pas, she quickly followed Tick to his bedroom before Sandy or Pete had a chance to offer up another one of their unsolicited comments.
Rosita was wide awake and looking at the remote control in her hand like it was a foreign object. Kate guessed it was highly possible, given the appalling circumstances in which they’d found her, that she hadn’t a clue what the contraption was or what it was used for.
Kate made her way across the room to the king-size bed. Being in such intimate surroundings with Tick made her heart race. She plastered a bright smile on her face, then sat on the edge of the bed next to the child. “Morning, Rosita. I hope you slept well.”
She nodded, then carefully placed the remote on the night-stand. Kate observed her. Rosita appeared to be frightened. “I came to see if you’re hungry.” At the mention of food, the little girl’s eyes sparkled like diamonds.
Tick remained in the doorway, shifting from one foot to the other. “Yeah, we’ve got breakfast.”
Lame, Kate thought, then smiled. He acted almost as though he was embarrassed to be in his bedroom with her. She visualized him standing in the doorway, totally nude, and grinned again, only this time it caused butterflies in her stomach and her heart to race a bit faster than normal. Catching him staring at her, she quickly directed her attention to Rosita. “Sandy and I looked through our clothes, and we picked out a few things that might fit you until we can get you some new clothes. Want to come see?”
Brown eyes glowing, Rosita jumped to the floor, then expertly made up the bed as though she’d been doing this her entire life. Sad, Kate thought. If her suspicions were true, and there was human trafficking or slavery going down at that compound, it was likely that poor Rosita had been farmed out to work in a hotel or as a maid at a private residence. Exactly how the compound fit into the scheme of things she’d figure out soon enough. Her gut instinct clicked in, telling her she was right on the money, but she’d need more evidence than gut instinct.
If so, then who is behind it all? Who would take a child of no more than ten or eleven and treat her like a slave? Kate didn’t know. But when she found out, she promised herself, she would personally see that they were prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law no matter how many favors she had to call in.
Chapter 16
They’d just finished their breakfast and were preparing to sit down to speak with Rosita, who was busily attacking her plate of eggs and bagels, when a loud knock on the door surprised them.
“You expecting more company?” Pete asked Tick.
Tick cast a wary glance at the door. “No. Either of you?” He glanced at Kate and Sandy.
“If we were, they