Concealed Cargo

by Philip Eliot | Jun 5, 2026 | Crime Fiction | 0 comments

When Special Agent Clay Jennings and his K9 partner, Ranger, take to the streets of Denver to fight human trafficking, he is shocked by the inordinate number of stolen innocents who’ve been forced into the sex trade. With each new face, his resolve to help these children escape their personal horror grows stronger.El Clark, a social worker who dedicates her life to rescuing exploited kids from the streets, works valiantly to locate their families or find them a safe place to live while they recuperate. She understands the plight of these young victims more than anyone knows.When these two champions of enslaved children team up, they discover a web of deviant corruption that reaches into the upper echelons of US politics and society. Adding to the nightmare, a vicious serial killer focused on murdering female prostitutes threatens to pull Clay and El away from unearthing the man behind the treacherous, Colorado-based, child prostitution ring.For Clay, working to solve these crimes is like taking one step forward and three back until El shares her story with him. Inspired by her bravery and fortitude, he is re-committed to the fight for justice. Clay and El battle against a mountain power and money the height of which they’d never conceived and end up building a strong bond with one another along the way. El teaches Clay that every life they change matters—that they must do what they can, even when it’s only one child at a time.

Review Gold mine of a story”This is the first time in reading this author with the title catching my eye. Since I do live in the corridor that is part of the trek for human traffickers and recently some children had been rescued in a container this is another reason it caught my eye. The down side though I caught this one in the third one in the series. Special Agent Clay is getting a bit of a big picture on just how extensive it all is with the children and trafficking. El also is going hard at doing what she can in the aiding and fighting of the innocent that come back at times not innocent. She too is a fighter for them and the 3 together have all our attention when it comes to the fight. On top of that there goes a serial killer that needs to go down. I did not have any edge left to my seat. I wanted the killer caught and the one behind the ring strung up. The other thing though too is the matters of the heart you get in this one along with the focus it takes. This does give us a gold mine of a story.” ~ Denise Van Plew ?????Good Story–Rough Subject”A very well written story about a rough subject. Her ability to weave a romance between telling of the horrors of sex trafficking was amazing. It brings the victims to the forefront and reminds us that even when they are rescued their lives are still irrevocably damaged. I enjoyed the happy ending but realized there would still be lots to overcome. I wouldn’t mind reading a sequel to this story. How did their lives turn out. Did Candi and Tom get to meet up somewhere down the road?” ~ Grannyjotx ?????Great story by an excellent writer…”I’ve always been appalled at the news articles I’ve read about human trafficking. This book by Jodi Burnett is so true to life. I know it’s fiction but the author makes everything and everyone seem so authentic. She really does a wonderful job.” ~ Bonny French ?????Five out of Five!”This is the first time in reading this author with the title catching my eye. Since I do live in the corridor that is part of the trek for human traffickers and recently some children had been rescued in a container this is another reason it caught my eye. The down side though I caught this one in the third one in the series. Special Agent Clay is getting a bit of a big picture on just how extensive it all is with the children and trafficking. El also is going hard at doing what she can in the aiding and fighting of the innocent that come back at times not innocent. She too is a fighter for them and the 3 together have all our attention when it comes to the fight. On top of that there goes a serial killer that needs to go down. I did not have any edge left to my seat. I wanted the killer caught and the one behind the ring strung up. The other thing though too is the matters of the heart you get in this one along with the focus it takes. This does give us a gold mine of a story.” ~ Denise – a Goodreads Reviewer ?????Riviting Read”I love reading this author’s work, and this did not disappoint. Human trafficking is a tough subject, and I’m awed by her courage in tackling it with heart and humanity. It certainly opened my eyes. I can’t imagine how difficult the subject was to research, yet she handles it masterfully with characters you can’t help but root for. Clay is a charming ladies’ man, yet I liked him from the get-go because the author skillfully infuses him with depth and heart. With his amazing K-9, Ranger, what’s not to fall in love with? El is sympathetic, vulnerable, yet strong and tough with a huge heart as she tackles this seedy underworld, saving one soul at a time. She’s Clay’s match, and I enjoyed the chemistry beteen the two as they fight the good fight. The novel is suspenseful and at times heart-wrenching, but the author does a wonderful job blending all of that together with lighter moments. I found it hard to put down and highly recommend reading it.” ~ Daydream Believer ?????