Episode 4

"HAVE YOU ALREADY HANDED OVER the apartment?" Cesar Junqueira, the Chief of Police of Rio's Federal Police, went to Hugo's desk."He asked the question playfully."

"Not yet…" Hugo answered dryly, because he was concentrating. He was typing something on the computer. "Only this weekend."

"But already?"

"Damn it, Cesar" Hugo chuckled and continued: "I received a Transfer Order in the forty-fifth minute of the second half, before going on vacation… And I already have a date set to move, to get rid of everything here… It's a mess!"

"But is everything going well?"

Hugo noticed a slight concern in his tone of voice.

"Yes, it is."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course" Hugo emphasized. "At first, it was all a mess, but luckily I managed to get rid of a lot of things. The rest will be with the moving truck."

"Have you already gotten an apartment and everything in Sao Paulo?"

"Thank God. I'll only worry about setting up the whole apartment when I get back."

"Why don't you hire a local Organizer?"

"I need to leave someone in charge… Wait a minute" Hugo had an insight. "You just gave me an idea."

Hugo picked up his cell phone, writing down in his notepad exactly what he intended to do. Reading, he noticed that the idea could be much better in practice. And he smiled.

"Cesar, my love, you're a genius!"

He took the delegate's face in both hands, kissing his forehead.

"Okay, okay, okay…" Cesar laughed, but patted the boy's shoulder. He changed the subject: "I need to tell you something very serious about this change."

Hugo pulled himself together.

"Go ahead."

"You're going to enter a case that could be delicate."

"Delicate how?"

They both sat down in their chairs.

"I'm not one to make assumptions" Cesar continued ", but a very suspicious disappearance has fallen into the hands of the PF there. You'll probably be dealing with Human Trafficking."

"How did you find out about this?"

"It's not certain. It may or may not be." Cesar raised his palm. "But one thing is certain: whatever the case, you will help."

"Got the message."

"I can't say anything else."

"Okay" Hugo shrugged.

That subject was about to rent an apartment in his head.

...****************...

"SO YOU WILL FOLLOW the lead, then." "said Alex. The two had finished lunch at a bistro. Pedro beckoned to the nearest waiter."

"Really?"

"Could you bring me the bill, please?"

"Of course. Just a minute."

The boy left.

"Yes, I'll follow" Pedro stated. "I'll go to the address the missing girl's mother gave me shortly. It's a closer friend, who can probably answer some questions for me."

"The expectation is that the answers will provide some direction for this case."

"Exactly."

"The sooner you discover a lead, however small, the better."

"I'm on it."

The waiter brought the bill. They split it in half with a ten percent tip for the boy. They left the restaurant.

"So that's it" Alex headed for his car. "You're going out in the field now, right?"

Pedro took the piece of paper out of his pants pocket.

"I'm going to this address here. Look for a certain Eliza."

He also got into the car.

...****************...

HUGO WAS IN A break room. He was watching some YouTube videos about International Human Trafficking. He noticed that the common thread in several cases is the false job offer, outside Brazil, with tempting promises: a quick financial return, with high earnings. Victims of human trafficking can be underestimated for slave labor in any segment, the most common being prostitution.

He read a recent case about slave labor in the textile industry: a victim was subjected to slave labor as a seamstress, earning only 2 dollars per piece produced and working 16 hours a day. When she was rescued, she was on the verge of exhaustion.

While watching the video, he received a notification on the shopping app: another product leaving. The customer wants to arrange the removal of another piece of furniture from his apartment.

"CESAR?" Hugo opened the door a crack, standing in the doorway. The delegate merely raised his head, looking at the boy. He was leafing through a thick folder.

"Is it important?" His tone was playful.

"Can I go out to solve something? It's about the apartment."

"Are you doing anything important right now?"

"Not at the moment."

"Take an afternoon off. You're free to go."

"Thank you…"

Hugo left. Cesar went back to his analysis.

...****************...

"THIS IS IT…" PEDRO HENRIQUE parked the car in front of the store that matched the address on the paper. Carefully, of course, he got out of the vehicle and climbed the three steps leading to the establishment.

It was a women's clothing store. A boutique, to be exact.

He looked at the clothes on the racks scattered at the entrance. In the middle, there were clothes piled up on top of each other with a huge sign that read “PROMOTION: EVERYTHING FOR 9.99.” He found it interesting.

"Good afternoon…" a medium-height girl came to attend to him with a friendly smile. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can" Pedro smiled back, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm looking for Eliza… Does she work here?"

"She's right over there, at the counter."

"Thank you. Excuse me…"

He went to the service counter, where there was only one girl — brunette, with wavy hair; she had just finished serving a customer.

"Come back often…" she said. As soon as she looked at Pedro in front of her, her tone was cordial: "Can I help you?"

"Eliza?"

"Yes…" The girl frowned. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, you can" Pedro displayed his Federal Police Investigator badge. "It's about Janine's disappearance" he paused dramatically and concluded: "Janine de Freitas."

...****************...

"THERE YOU GO, DELIVERED." Hugo watched the removal of the sofa he had just sold. The customer requested freight collect.

"Thank you very much for the good deal" the customer was a middle-aged man, who offered his hand in greeting. Hugo reciprocated. "My wife will love this sofa. It's beautiful."

"I'm sure she will" Hugo just smiled.

"Is everything okay with the payment?"

"All right."

"I'm outta here…" The man walked away. "The delivery guy is a friend of mine and he still has a route to follow. See ya!"

"See ya…" Hugo waved.

With his hands in his pockets, he let out a breath. The truck had just started up. He stood there for half a minute, watching the calm movement of the street.

"Hugo?"

He turned around. He froze when he realized who had called his name.

"You?"

David, until then a friend of Aron's — his ex — was standing there. He was also surprised and carrying a bit of tension — as if he wanted to say something.

"Do you have a minute to talk?"

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