I Want Her to Know What Love Is

In this chapter, the teams start cleaning up Lake Street, getting several hookers to agree to leave the business. They think their work is over, but when leaving to visit Cherry the next day, Hoán and Sharonda are followed and attacked. They realize some of the women are being targeted. This chapter is light on sex, heavy on action. My thanks to JohnnyGalt for his editorial assistance. This is a copyrighted work, and not to be edited, altered, changed or published in written or any other format without the express permission of the author. ©️Copyright 2025

I Want Her to Know What Love Is, Ch. 24

I Want Her to Know What Love Is, Ch. 24

Clean Up On Aisle Lake Street

Clean Up On Aisle Lake Street

After eating, we met everyone at Lake Street Plumbing at the appointed time. Peter had six other BCA officers with him, which meant we could have one for every vehicle, five making the approaches, and one in the roving support vehicle, with Peter setting up at the main, midpoint motel where Beth planned to oversee the trafficked women. That was good. Dan was going to provide a third plumbing van. Larry looked a little lost. Pretty much everyone was bigger than he was. We put everyone in a group text to communicate all at one time. We laid out the plan.

"Roberta and Sahar are going to concentrate on the suspected slaves," Edgar said. "We couldn't get in touch with any of them, so they won't know what's going on. One of the girls will set up shop next to a slave/hooker. We believe that the human trafficked women have to meet certain monetary quotas or face punishment. Some other woman setting up next to them will cut into their income, so they'll call their protection to get them off their corner. When the heavies come, the girls will give the assholes some lip, hoping to provoke violence. We'll be recording the transaction. If in fact, violence is initiated, the women will take the men down hard. When they do, one of the cops will exit the vehicle, put the cuffs on them, initiate an arrest, and get them gone. The hooker will be taken to one of our motels and questioned as to her status. If she's not human trafficked, she'll be given $500 for her trouble and a brochure asking if she wants to get off the street, then released.

"If they were trafficked, the FBI will be notified tomorrow. We've got a good working relationship with them due to previous engagements with traffickers. They'll be taken off the streets and provided with shelter and protection, including for any children if they have them. In addition to an arrest for any violence by the thugs, we can add human trafficking to the arrest charge.

"Our plumbers and engineers will be working primarily with women who've already expressed an interest in getting out of prostitution. We'll start with them. Approach them for sex, either in one of the plumbing vans or asking for them to go to a motel, but refuse to pay, promising future payment after the holidays because you're broke, but if they tell you to leave because of non-payment, you won't go. You'll hang around pestering them and keeping other business from approaching until they call for their protection. We expect a thug to come demanding payment. Don't fight with them. You're not trained for it. One of our guys will be nearby and when the thug approaches, beat it. Go back to your van or car. We'll handle the muscle.

"When we think we've got all of the thugs under control, we want you to hit up every other hooker on the street. Give them a pamphlet, give them $500 dollars, and ask them if they are hooking voluntarily, or forced into prostitution. Anyone who says they were forced, the police or Beth will question them about the circumstances. Then ask if they know of anyone else who is doing it because they were forced. Get names, phone numbers, addresses, if known. The rest, you'll let them get on their way after telling them that Greg and his thugs have shown no compunction about beating the hell out of Cherry Shannon and it was believed that Denise Setterberg was beaten to death and her body dumped at the airport. Tell them you're worried about their safety, and encourage them to get out now before some other pimp takes over the street. We've got these details written down. You can review them as you're driving around.

"You'll all have one section of the street to cover. Known locations of hookers, suspected slaves, and thugs have been marked on a map. Stick to your area so we don't waste resources. The thugs may be in vehicles, so their location won't exactly be known. Don't think they'll approach from one direction, when they may drive up behind you. Stay loose, stay alert, and know we've got others supporting you. Any questions?"

"Who's going to be with who?" Frank asked.

"With three plumbing vans, I was thinking we put a plumber in each of them, with a police officer in another plumbing shirt driving the van. That way, you guys can pop out and hit on the girls, or just hang out the right window and chat them up, see if you can get them in the back of the van. In the back of each van, we'll have one of the military guys with one of our ladies, helping to identify possible problems, help allay any fears the hookers might have. Frank, maybe we'll put you in another SUV without a plumbing shirt, just doing random stops. I'll put Ethan and Thomas with you, along with another of the police officers. We want one of the officers and two of my guys with each of our fake hookers. They'll be dropped off but closely watched from fifty to sixty feet away."

"Since Larry is my employee," I said, "I want to be in the vehicle with him, and we'll probably use his, but I'll drive. I'll take Tank with me and a police officer. Since Preacher has already got some charges against him, I'd like to keep him away from any other potential problems as much as possible. I'd like him with Peter and Beth at the motel. Hopefully, they'll have fewer possible problems occurring there, as there won't be confrontations with the muscle, just a few ladies we're questioning."

"Right, and if you have any doubts about someone being trafficked, get them into a vehicle or one of the motels. We'd prefer if you could get them there, so we can do a full body scan, looking for slave tattoos and brands. We can't leave them on the street. Even if we have to apologize profusely and let them go later if they're not, don't take chances. Trafficked women tend to disappear if their owners suspect their identity is about to become known," Edgar said. "Some slaves in LA were about to get taken out into the desert and buried there, including one owned by a county commissioner and his wife. We can't mess around with this."

"Each of my guys knows the tattoos or brands we've run across before on slaves, which is why we have one in each vehicle," Beth said. "If you have any questions, and one is out of the vehicle at the moment, send a photo to the group text and let one of us look at it. There are at least a dozen different ones we've run across. If they have to show skin, let the women look or take pictures. Try to be as friendly as possible. Try not to intimidate them.

"We've got women who speak Arabic, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Sudanese with us. Call and we can put one of them on the phone if we need to. If you have suspicions about someone, ask them to read some English. If they can't, but speak it well, they're probably trafficked. Owners don't care if you can read or write, only that they can understand what you say and obey."

"If you're going to pull up on a hooker, don't do it with four guys in the car," Sonia said. "No more than two, with the others close by. Some might agree to a party with more than two, but it would only be with some finagling, maybe with more girls or muscle. We don't want to finagle. This has to be quick. We might have a hundred different hookers out on New Year's Eve, and we don't want to spend more than ten or fifteen minutes with each one, or we won't get to all of them. If we're going to end this, let's get most of them off the street."

"Good point. I'm sending everyone a picture of Cherry Shannon," I said, "taken right after she went to the hospital. I want you showing it to everyone in Greg's stable so they know what kind of low-life bastard they're dealing with. If you run into any not belonging to Greg, give them a pamphlet and the money anyway."

"Good luck out there," Edgar said. "Let's do this."

Larry and I joined with Tank and one of the officers, a female named Virginia. She'd been relatively quiet during the briefing, following Peter's lead in listening, not talking. I had my gun permit and had a nine-millimeter with frangible ammo in it. I wanted it to break up if it hit anything, and not go through into someone else. Hopefully, Virginia would be doing any shooting if it had to be done.

Our section was further down Lake Street, near where Sonia used to put out her sign, thus familiar to Larry as well. I drove, dropping off Virginia and Tank right before we hit the first of our hooker stops. They strolled down the street like a couple.

"Remember, Larry, try to get her to a motel if you can."

"Okay."

We pulled up next to the first one, Larry rolling down the window, Tank and Virginia about a hundred feet away. According to the map, this was someone named Shirley, although I didn't know for sure.

"Hey, you want to party?" she asked.

"I'd love to party," Larry said.

"Just the one of you, or both?"

"Both if you have the time and inclination," I said, "but just Larry if you don't."

"It's extra if it's both."

"Not a problem," Larry said, flashing some of the 500-dollar bills we had. "Do you do anal? My wife won't do anal."

"Where?" She asked. "Not that little car?"

"We have a motel about a block away," Larry said.

"Just you two? I'm not doing a gang bang."

"Just the two of us," Larry said. "Hop in."

She looked at the two of us, wondering if we were serial killers. One had to be careful.

"My friend, Larry, here, used to get blow jobs from Star. Do you know her?" I asked. "He said her blow jobs were the best."

"She got out of the business. Getting married, I heard."

"Too bad."

"It will be two thousand for both of you."

"As soon as you're in the car, I'll give you five hundred," Larry said. "Don't want people to see us exchanging money. We'll give you the rest at the motel."

She paused again, but it was a good sum and she saw Tank and Virginia and figured if she screamed loud enough they'd hear, if they'd do anything.

"Sure."

I unlocked the door, she got in and Larry handed her a bill. We headed straight to the motel. When we got there and opened the motel door, Fatima was there. We pulled the hooker inside.

"Is this a bust?"

"Nope," I said. "Are you Shirley?"

"Yes."

"Are you hooking because you want to, or because you don't feel you have any choice? Are you from this country?" I asked.

"What's going on here?"

I showed her the picture of Cherry. "I'm the guy that Star is going to marry. Your boss, if it's Greg Hudson, is a murdering son of a bitch. We want to put him out of business permanently. This is a picture of what Greg's thug, Lewis, did to Cherry Shannon before my friend killed him. Another one of your sisters, named Denise Setterberg, got beat to death and dumped out by the airport. We're almost positive it's Greg who ordered it done, because she looked like Cherry when she was dumped.

"If you're happy hooking, you can keep your five hundred and we'll give you a pamphlet with some info on it in case you ever change your mind. If you want out, now's the time to get out. You'll be provided with a place to live, education, counseling, whatever you need to change your life. If you want out, talk to this lady here. She's a former slave and knows what it's like having no control of her life. She can tell you how to get out now. If not, walk back to your frigid hooker corner and keep selling yourself for a bastard who doesn't give a shit for you, or someone just like him. Come on, Larry, let's find another one."

We left, letting Shirley figure out what she wanted to do. I told Larry to drive, so I had easier access to my weapon, but he still needed to make the initial approach to the hookers because he didn't look like a possible killer.

"By the way, since the others aren't in the car at the moment, how did Violet do after her blowjob training?"

"She did great. Practiced twice that night, and again the next morning, then gave me one just before I left the house today, to remind me I didn't need blowjobs from hookers anymore."

"Did you thank her appropriately?"

"Sure did. I never made her cum that hard before."

In a couple more minutes, we were hitting another one, supposedly named Anika. Tank and Virginia were loitering nearby, looking like they were talking to each other.

We drove up, and Larry rolled down the window.

"Hey, you want to party?" she asked.

"How much for the two of us?" Larry asked.

"Sucking or fucking."

"Fucking."

"$500 apiece."

"Climb in," Larry said. "We'll head to a hotel. It's too fucking cold out to fuck in the car."

She got in without any reservations. I wondered about that. The last girl had at least hesitated before getting into a car with two strangers. She didn't even ask for the money first.

"How much for anal?" I asked.

"$700 apiece."

"Do you go ass to mouth?" I asked. Larry stared at me.

"Another hundred apiece."

Beth was at the Courtyard, and this one seemed hinky to me. I remembered what Beth said about the hookers who took the worst, most offensive clients.

"Head to the Courtyard," I told Larry.

"The other one is closer."

"I like the Courtyard better. This one needs special treatment."

"Oh, okay."

I sent a group text out.We might have a slave. Going to Courtyard.

I got a text from Virginia and Tank saying they'd stop in a diner and have a coffee. Let them know when we were back.

We got to the Courtyard, and she still hadn't asked for money, and seemed perfectly content to go into a hotel room with two relative strangers. I realized I was good-looking, but I was a bruiser. Maybe Larry's trustworthiness was bleeding over onto me.

We knocked, and as soon as the door opened, I pushed the hooker in so she wouldn't bolt on seeing the three other people there, including Peter with a badge.

"Going by what you said about hookers taking shit clients no one else wants, this one agreed to go ass-to-mouth for an extra hundred."

"What's your name?" Beth asked.

"Anika."

"Where are you from?" Beth asked.

"Minneapolis," she said.

"Excellent." She handed her the front page of the newspaper. "Read this to me."

"I can't. I'm illiterate."

"Where are you really from, Anika? You're a slave, aren't you?"

"Please, let me go. If I don't earn at least a thousand tonight, I'll be punished."

"No, you won't," Peter said. "Those bastards will never hurt you again. Where are you really from?"

"Serbia."

"Is Anika your real name, or was it given to you so you'd fit in here?" Beth asked.

"It's Anja."

"Were you given a brand or tattoo when you were made a slave?"

"A tattoo."

"Come into the bathroom and show me." She turned to me. "Good catch. Go back and break some limbs, would you?"

"I'll do my best."

"She was a real slave?" Larry asked as we left.

"Looks like it."

"Shit!"

I texted that we were on our way back. Tank and Virginia were loitering near our next stop when we got there.

"Listen up, Larry, we're fairly close to where one of Greg's thugs is supposed to be hanging around. For this next one, I want you to do all of the talking. She's one of the hookers who's in on our plans. Get out of the car and keep pestering Flo about fucking you, and just promise to pay after payday on Friday. She should call for help from her thug if she's still playing along. When he shows up, just back away. I'm going to stay in the car as long as possible so he doesn't see how big I am."

"Okay."

Flo was actually busy blowing a guy in his car. We could see her head bobbing up and down in the car pulled into a parking space near her spot. Larry waited until she finished up, and he got out of our car when she climbed out, approaching her for sex. I had my window open so I could hear.

"What do you want, cutie?" Flo said.

"I want to fuck you, but I don't have the money now. I'll pay you Friday."

"Sure you will, honey."

"I'm with Star. You want to get out of hooking, don't you? Call your protection."

"I don't think you can handle him. He's bigger than you."

"I've got help nearby. Don't worry. I'm just supposed to look harmless."

"You're doing good. I think I could take you. Fine, I'm calling Bobo."

Good, Bobo. I wanted to meet that son-of-a-bitch.

"Bobo, I've got some scrawny little nobody here pestering me about a fucking that he can't afford. Says he'll pay me Friday when he gets his check. He won't leave, and he's keeping away other business. Great, I'll see you in a couple." She hung up. "He's on his way."

"Should I be kissing you or groping you when he shows up?" Larry asked.

"I don't know. How good of a groper are you?"

"My wife doesn't complain."

Before she could respond, I saw a car turning into the lot and I ducked down momentarily. A big guy got out of the car and approached Larry. I slipped out my door and noted Tank and Virginia were walking along the sidewalk behind me and veered in my direction, Tank recording on his phone.

"Hey you, you little fucker, get lost before I crush you," Bobo said. "If you can't afford her, get the fuck away and let her do business."

"Hey, Bobo," I said from behind him.

He turned and saw me coming up behind him.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Your worst nightmare."

I kept walking up to him, starting to get in his personal space and he took a swing at me. I blocked his fist, grabbed his arm and twisted his shoulder out of his socket, dislocating it.

"What do you know, fucker? I'm not some poor woman you can slap around or beat up. Virginia, slap your cuffs on him. I hope it hurts."

"Face down on the ground. Put your hands behind your back," she said.

"He dislocated my shoulder!"

"Sounds like you shouldn't have swung on him. You get that on video, Tank?"

"Sure did."

"I guess I can add provoking a public disturbance to your assault charge."

She wasn't too gentle getting the cuffs on. She walked him around the corner and called for a squad car, no lights or siren.

"Here you go," Larry said, handing Flo a five-hundred-dollar bill and a pamphlet. "For your trouble. Thanks for being a good sport. I really hope you get out of the business. This seems to be a good time for it, since you're losing your protection. Take the night off, enjoy yourself, and call the number down at the bottom tomorrow. Get out now. There'll never be a better time."

"This is serious. I'll have a place to stay with my kid?"

"Absolutely," I said. "If we get enough people here, we can open a new shelter; otherwise, you might have to relocate, but it's a serious offer. You'll be taken care of."

Flo looked at us, thanked us so softly I couldn't hear the words, then she left her corner for the last time.

******

All in all, Larry, Virginia, Tank, and I hit fifteen different prostitutes. We found one more trafficked slave, this one Sudanese and Muslim. Her brother had come to the US five years ago, and she tried to follow him around two years later, but the person who promised to reunite her with her brother sold her instead. She hadn't spoken to her brother in over three years, just before she was taken and sold, and worried what he would say about her fall from purity. She had a half-white child, now eighteen months old. She couldn't say for sure who the father was because a lot of white men fucked her bareback when she was first sold here and still nearly a virgin, including Greg. All but one of the hookers we approached wanted out of the business.