“So now every country in South America is the same? That’s such an American attitude about the world.”
Josie sighed openly. “Selena, I’m sorry. I’m not handling my questions well. Of course I realize Venezuela is quite different from other countries in South America. But you traveled to the U.S. from far away, facing all kinds of obstacles that I can’t know about. You may have a better understanding about what this woman has gone through than I do. It seemed reasonable to ask you if you’d heard anything around town about women traveling through the area. I certainly didn’t mean to offend you.”
Selena turned from Josie and stretched her long legs out in front of her, staring ahead at the shelf full of hair products across the room. “I hear drama all the time.”
Josie shifted to examine the woman’s profile more carefully. Her arms were crossed over her abdomen and her sulky pout had turned into a frown. She looked like a stripped-down version of the model she was ten minutes before. Josie felt like she was finally talking to the real Selena.
“About what?” Josie said.
“About girls leaving their families. The U.S. is riches and happiness.” Selena turned back. Her brows were drawn together in frustration. “That’s what I thought I would get here. That’s what I was told I would get here. Look at me. I’m living in the middle of the desert with no man, no riches, and no fame and fortune.” She appeared to be debating whether to continue, so Josie remained quiet. “Can I tell you something, without you repeating it?” she finally said.
“Of course you can. I’m not here to make trouble for you, Selena. I just need your help.”
Her expression had become softer now, absorbed in her own story. “I left Venezuela when I was twenty-two and went to San Antonio. It wasn’t human trafficking. It was me, a young girl with big plans about making a name for myself in the world. I’d been told how beautiful I was my whole life. My grandma used to tell me, ‘Those men in the States, they’ll adore you with your big blue eyes and ebony hair.’ So I came.” She shrugged it off, as if it was just part of her life experience. “But there’s lots of beautiful girls. You know?”
Josie lifted a shoulder. It wasn’t something she thought about much.
Selena smiled and then laughed. “You’re so funny. You don’t care about beauty and riches.”
Josie tipped her head, acknowledging Selena’s assessment. “It’s not that I don’t care about it. It’s just that beauty and riches aren’t something I have much experience with.”
Selena seemed shocked, and Josie figured she was mocking her.
She held up her hand, feeling the interview starting to derail. “Let’s get back to San Antonio. You came here to make a name for yourself as a twenty-two-year-old. What happened?”
Selena made an exaggerated dismissive face and said, “What do you think? I traveled here through an employment service. Men took advantage of me. I learned lessons the hard way, and I escaped. The American way. Right?”
“How did you end up in Artemis?”
“After several months in San Antonio I realized the only person looking out for me was me. I eventually saved up enough money on the side to take a cosmetology course, and a kind man, believe it or not, took me under his wing and helped me get board-certified. My trip to Artemis involves two other men and a story that’s too long for now.”
“But it looks like your story turned out okay.”
She shrugged again. “I’m okay, yes. But some of these girls are fourteen or fifteen years old when they get here. They spend years trying to find a way out. At least I was old enough to figure out the system before it destroyed me.”
“Are you aware of any trafficking operations coming through our area?”
She frowned deeply and shook her head as if it were a ridiculous question. “Why would they bring them to Artemis? There’s no jobs here. They take them to big cities where they can put them to work, where the girls blend in and don’t draw attention. A trafficking ring here would stand out. They’re smarter than that.”
Josie thanked Selena for the information and asked her to call if she thought of anything else.
“If you need help with the girl—” Selena stopped and appeared to rethink what she was about to say. She finally took a deep breath and continued. “If she needs someone to talk to, and you think I can help, call me.”
SIX
Josie had felt her phone buzz in her pocket while she was talking with Selena. When she walked outside she saw she had a voicemail from the trauma center.
“Josie, this is Mark. Dr. Brazen is done with the patient. He said he could talk to you if you make it over here in the next few minutes.”