Devil in Disguise (29 page)

The realization was quickly settling in that unless I wanted to spend the rest of my life wandering the woods alone, I would eventually have to rejoin society. Given my current appearance, I wasn’t real sure how to do that without raising suspicion. For about
two seconds, I toyed
with the idea of calling my brother. I tossed the thought aside,
knowing I’d put him at risk if I did and got caught.

I debated my choices for days—maybe it was weeks. My mind raced round and round. I didn’t know if anyone was looking for me or if my story had made the news. I knew I’d die before I let anyone take me back to that place. I was afraid to hope for better. So I just kept walking.

And then the solution presented itself when I stumbled across a field full of day laborers. I stood at the edge of the woods, watching them for a bit.

A Hispanic woman working the patch of ground nearest to me locked eyes with mine. She gave a small, knowing smile and a barely perceptible nod to join her. I didn’t question her motives; this was my best chance.

The day was hot and long; the work was hard. Neither of us spoke, but it felt good to be in the presence of another human again. My stomach clenched in a knot when the foreman came to check on our progress, but he didn’t look past my dark hair and eyes to see I
wasn’t part of the small Hispanic group that had worked me into their mix.

I didn’t know where I’d go next, but at least I had a couple of dollars in my pocket now. It was a start. When the woman who’d introduced herself as Anjelita invited me home, I followed. They gave me a hot meal and a couch to sleep on. More importantly, Anjelita and her family welcomed me into their fold without
question. I found myself no longer alone.

I’VE PUT OFF WRITING THIS
until the very last second because I so badly want to be sure the words are right. Human trafficking matters at every level, but there’s something especially urgent about
our need to protect our children. One statistic I came across said in the United States, the largest newly trafficked demographic is American-born girls between the ages of twelve and fourteen. As a
mother, an
aunt, and a human being, I find this beyond horrifying. I’m
desperate to change those numbers.

Many things about this book are fiction. I’ve only read about contact lenses that act as cameras; I don’t know if they truly exist. I’ve never actually ordered another human being, so I have no idea
how accurate the description of Rachel’s time undercover was. That said,
the premise of this novel is eerily similar to the first case worked on by Project Liberty, a task force dedicated to ending human
trafficking. When I write about abductions, the stories are based on real ones, with names changed to protect the innocent.

Another difference between my novel and reality: In a romantic suspense novel, the people fighting trafficking have unlimited funds to aid their fight. The real warriors on the front lines are often there at their own expense, living on meager rations while they use their resources to recover girls who’ve been trafficked.

Sadly, a very real fact from the book is that most police
departments are understaffed and undertrained in the area of human trafficking, leaving them ill-equipped to take on this national crisis. If a girl is
considered a runaway and a police department doesn’t have the resources to find her, they won’t look. I have heard stories of this
from investigators I work with.

I also did not make up the fact that human traffickers often use social media forums to find their victims. Our teenagers and young children need to understand this, and we as parents should also be careful what information we share online, keeping in mind that any trafficker has the computer savvy to bypass privacy settings.

We are only beginning to wrap our minds around the vastness
of this issue. Groups like Project Liberty out of Lansing, Michigan work with law enforcement to recover victims and train law enforcement agencies. There is a desperate need for more groups like
them, and for existing groups to coordinate their efforts. There’s always a need for more funding.

Another side of this issue is what to do with victims who’ve been recovered. When I first began my journey to end human trafficking, I was told there were fifty beds in the United States to
house recovered
victims. (Keep in mind that while we have no idea how many victims we’re truly dealing with, the numbers are in the tens of thousands.) Many rescued girls find themselves in juvenile detention
centers or living undercover with no assistance in the recovery process. Groups like The Covering House are working to change this, but they need your help.

If you want to learn more or join the fight, find me on the Web at
www.heatherhuffman.net
. 

Tumbleweed

Ring of Fire

Jailbird

Throwaway

Suddenly a Spy

Ties that Bind

Roses in Ecuador

Fool’s Game

Waiting for You

Heather Huffman calls the beautiful Missouri Ozarks home. When not writing, this homesteading mother is busy raising three boys or
tending the family's myriad of animals, which includes goats,
chickens, dogs - and a horse for good measure.

Huffman's optimistic and somewhat quirky view of life often finds its way into her novels. Heather is the author of ten novels, including:
Throwaway
,
Ties that Bind
,
Jailbird
, and her latest release,
Waiting for You
. Find out more about her family's adventures as they strive to live off the land, as well as her writing and charitable work, on
www.heatherhuffman.net
.

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