Trafficked by Kim Purcell Read Free Book Online Page B

snack?”
    â€œIf I don’t go,” Paavo laughed, “Rena will kill me.”
    Lillian and Sergey laughed a little too forcefully at that, which made Hannah curious about this Rena. She was glad Paavo was leaving. He reminded her too much of the bad agent. Her foot started to twitch under the table, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
    As they said good-bye at the front door, Paavo’s voice boomed loud and clear down the hall, as if he wanted Hannah to hear, “Make sure you get her documents. Don’t let her rip you off like Alexei’s girl. And Lily, you lay down the rules. Be tough at the start or she’ll walk all over you.”
    Hannah listened to the quiet creak of their slippers on the wood as Sergey and Lillian walked back down the hall toward the kitchen, and she discreetly let her hands drift down to the bottom of her button-up shirt, making sure the pouch with her documents was safely hidden.

Chapter Eight
    H annah ate in the kitchen. In the other room, Sergey and Lillian were talking in low voices, probably about getting her documents. Hannah tried to listen, but she couldn’t catch what they were saying. At least she was still wearing the pouch with the documents hidden around her waist.
    She’d already made the mistake of giving up her real Moldovan passport, the only document that proved who she really was. If she didn’t want to give them the Russian documents, she’d have to lie, though the thought of lying more, especially to Lillian, made her sick to her stomach. Katya was a better liar—she’d know exactly what to say and how to say it. She always said a good lie needed just the right amount of details, and it also had to have some truth in it.
    Hannah sighed. Her eyes felt heavy and her whole body ached. Now that she was sitting down, all the traveling and the lack of sleep hit her. She finished the chicken and took a bite of the potatoes, but she was too tired to chew. She pushed her plate away, folded her arms in front of her, and rested her head.
    Just for a minute. They’d never know.
    The smell of the chicken brought back a memory of her mother cooking in the kitchen in Chişinău, wearing her sunflower apron. She was singing a Russian folk song, flipping a cut-up chicken with potatoes, carrots, and onions sizzling in the same pan. Her long dark hair was swinging down to the small of her back, as her thin body swayed back and forth. Hannah was drinking tea, reading a book, not even really appreciating the moment. She didn’t know it would be the last time she’d hear her mother sing.
    Hannah was jerked awake by the sound of a door sliding open and male laughter. The whole family was looking down at her. She sat up, blinking.
    Sergey laughed. “The poor girl, she is too tired.”
    Hannah rubbed her eyes. How long had she been asleep?
    Lillian was frowning. “All that good food.”
    Hannah reached for her fork. “I’ll eat it.”
    â€œWe’ll save it for you.” Lillian took Hannah’s plate away. “You need to sleep. But first, why don’t you give us your documents and your plane ticket? We’ll keep them in a safe place.”
    â€œNo,” she burst out. They stared at her. What had she just done? Her brain felt groggy. She wanted to trust them, she really did, but she didn’t want to make another mistake. If she gave them the documents and the plane ticket, she’d have no way to leave if she didn’t like it here.
    â€œI can’t,” she stammered. “I lost them.”
    â€œWhat?” Lillian glanced at Sergey.
    Hannah stared at her suitcase, remembering that the plane ticket was in the suitcase, not in her pouch. She felt ill that she hadn’t thought to hide it, but it was done now. She had to go on. “I left my purse at the airport. It had everything.”
    Lillian squinted at her in disbelief, then looked down at the suitcase.
    Hannah