By His Side

Chapter 4

La Fritte is a hotel notoriously known to be the hot, safe spot for crime lords and assassins. So, it's no surprise that I'm able to get a room there at last minute's notice seeing as I had once saved the owner of the hotel's daughter when she was kidnapped when she was 5.

My eyes droop tiredly as the adrenaline in my bloodstream dies off but my curiosity of the contents of the files Todd tossed to me earlier get the better of my exhaustion. Grabbing what I hope is the oldest of the files, I flip open the dust-caked cover of the ring file.

January 2001:

Abigail Tureen, 5......Sister Alberta's Orphanage

Braxton Ugarary, 3......Children's Home for Hope

Carla Maxwell, 3 ......Sister Alberta's Orphanage

Dennis Loong, 6......Chicago's Home for Abandoned Children

Emilia Jennis, 7......Christian Home for Lost Children

Frankie Illions, 4......Sister Alberta's Orphanage

George Tureen, 3......Chicago's Home for Abandoned Children

...........

.............

.................

My heart races as I look at the long list of children coming from various orphanages, flipping through the pages, I begin to see the pattern that Sangue Nero uses that has made their child trafficking works unnoticeable. Twenty-six children, their names following the alphabetical order from all over Chicago. How psychotically systematic...

"They have more files back in their archives," Todd says suddenly as he slows the SUV to a stop behind a line that leads to the front entrance to La Fritte. "From 1980 to 2000."

Nodding silently in acknowledgement, I take all the files, wrap them in my bloody shirt, and take it into my arms just as I leave the vehicle. The doorman at the entrance to the hotel doesn't give a second glance to the bloody, bulky shirt in my arms instead he opens the double panelled glass doors with a smile.

"Welcome back to La Fritte, Ms Ootori," He greets me, suspiciously eyeing Todd who follows me into the hotel. "Enjoy your stay."

The second my last name leaves the doorman's mouth those standing near the door turn to look at me, lips whispering about the price on my body and my loved ones. Another reason why La Fritte is a good place for criminals to hide out at, there's a 'No Harm' policy on all of the hotel's guests.

Assassins, mob bosses, and if it so happened, mafia leaders present here tonight are not allowed to touch a hair on my head and step into my room with the intent of hurt or kidnapping me unless they want the hotel's security who are known for their brutality to personally take you to the hotel's basement.

From what I've heard, no one ever leaves the basement...in one piece that is.

"So, when was the last time you were the topic of the room?" Todd asks casually as I take my room key from the manager at the front desk.

"Taiwan, when I ran away with Eugene," I reply coldly, warning him that I am in no mood for a conversation. "The other times that I've been in a room full of people, the people didn't have their tongues for much longer than they were whispering about me."