Page 37 of Craving You
We are at the office, but we can’t get into the lot.The detective had to call for backup to help move people because none of our employees can park, nor can we.We watch as they move closer to the building, but it allows people to start parking.I have been keeping an eye on my emails this morning.I sent something out to all the floor managers and asked for an update on whether anyone was calling in or working remotely.I also expressed that we plan on having an all staff meeting today.So far, all the managers have reported that everyone is coming in.
We hang back and let our employees get in so they are not bothered before Detective Yotes comes over to us.Cam and Remy get out and come around to me and Tris gets out on my side.I have Cam on one side of me, Remy on the other.Tris is in front of us next to the detective, and we have another cop behind us.This seems excessive until we get closer to the building, and we are swarmed.Cam and Remy keep their hand on my back and walk close to me as Tris and the detective make a path.I don’t think the detective wanted Tris up there, but she is doing a better job moving them.Anytime someone doesn’t move, she simply shoves them out of her way and keeps walking.This girl is just as little as me, but will happily go toe to toe with a grown man.
“Ready?”Cam asks me, and I nod.
We stop in front of the door before turning to face the crowd.Remy keeps his arm around me, and Cam stays close as well.Tris is standing next to Cam, while the detective is standing off to the side to watch us.
“Good morning,” Cam says just loud enough that people shut up and listen.“I am Cameron Belmont.This is Remington Saltz, my partner, and our head of marketing, Beatris Cooper, and Lorelei Belmont.Lorelei is my little sister, Remington’s partner, and our COO.Yesterday afternoon, we received word that a handful of pictures and videos of Lorelei had gone viral.We took the evening to allow Lorelei to process this before we faced the media… For transparency reasons, we will be explaining the situation, but for the well-being of my sister’s mental health, Mr.Saltz and I will be the ones answering,” Cam says.“It was known to our family that Lorelei worked at Northern Lights Entertainment’s club, The Treasure chest, while in college.Rob Lasson was her manager and the owner of this club.Last night, he was arrested on fifteen counts of human trafficking for the events that took place in the club.No other arrests have been made.It is still an active investigation, and Lorelei is working with the police on this matter, as these things do not wrap up overnight.Now, to be specific, Lorelie worked at the club as a dancer but was a victim of trafficking.Rob Lasson has openly admitted to forcing the girls into the backrooms so that clients could pay to use them how they saw fit in.Lorelei is working through her trauma, and we are supporting her every step of the way.
“There have been statements made that she was using solicitation as a way to blackmail executives into doing business dealings with Saltz-Belmont Technologies, and I assure you that is wildly inaccurate.It is slanderous not only to her character, but to the character of our business as well.The individual making these claims is a client of ours, but we are under contract.We have every intention of honoring this contract, but as her brother and Remington’s partner, we will be conducting business in a way that protects her.
“Lorelei is a brilliant woman who is wonderful at her job.It is disgusting that anyone would think it’s okay to release photos and videos of her like that.It is sexist on many levels that she is being shamed and questioned, but the other individual is not.With Rob Lasson in custody, we are urging everyone to respect Lorelei’s wishes and respect her privacy moving forward.Remington and I will continue to support her, and none of this has any bearing on how we conduct business.
“If Lorelei chooses to make a statement, it will be at a later date,” Remington says simply before we turn to go into the building.Insults are hurled at me like weapons from a group of protesters off to one side, and Cam grabs Tris and pulls her into the building before she can say anything.
“Fucking ridiculous,” Tris grumbles.
“We have a last-minute meeting with our clients and board members,” Cam says to Detective Yotes.
“I would love to join, if you’ll have me,” he says coolly.
“That’s not a problem,” Remy says.I, on the other hand, get pissed.When we step into the elevator, I turn and snap at him.
“Are you investigating me?What reason do you have to attend this meeting?”I ask.He looks at me for a second and doesn’t say anything, so I roll my eyes.“Whatever.”
“Why are you acting so defensively?”he asks.
“You are really fucking annoying, you know that?”I ask, glaring at him.
“You and my ex-wife would get along wonderfully,” he says with a smirk.“Bluntly?”
“Yes,” I say with a frown.
“I think you, those other girls, and Rob are all full of shit,” he says.“I think all of you were willing, and Rob is taking the fall so that you girls don’t get in trouble.”
I say nothing because he is right.I am a shitty liar, and he sees right through me.He sighs and pulls the emergency stop before turning to me.“Detective,” Cam says with a warning in his tone.
“Relax, big brother,” Detective Yotes says, making Tris chuckle.“Lorelei, I can help you, but I need you to tell me the truth.The full truth.I have no interest in throwing a bunch of people in jail when no one is getting hurt.My job is to catch and shut down trafficking rings.If that isn’t the case here, I need to know.”
I shake my head and back myself into the corner.I slide down the wall to sit and Tris glares at Cam and Remy until they back up.The detective comes over and sits beside me.“I can’t,” I whimper.
“What can I do to earn your trust?”he asks.
“Go away,” I sniff, and he laughs.
“Well, I can’t do that.I’d love to explain more, but I need for you to be truthful,” he says.“How about this… How about I tell you what Rob told me when I told him of my suspicions that he was lying to help you girls?”
“Okay…”
“He said he was guilty, and I couldn’t prove otherwise,” he tells me.“Now… I have been doing this a long time, and I have talked to many individuals guilty of running girls… He is the kindest and most considerate trafficker I have ever met.Weird, huh?”
“Mhmm…”
“When I asked what kind of punishments he’d give for running, not paying their cut, unsatisfied clients, and so on, he shut down.He couldn’t say one thing he had done to you all… I asked the girls the same thing, and nothing.No one is going into detail,” he tells me.“Lorelei… I know the truth, and honestly, I don’t need you to confirm it.I like for you to admit it because there are things I need to explain, but I can’t if you are sticking with the story that Rob made you.”
“I’m not going to jail,” I say.
“You won’t go to jail.You won’t be getting charged.My boss has expressed that they knew about this club and that it wasn’t trafficking, so no one has tried shutting it down.”
