Page 70 of Tinley's Daddy
“Oh, baby.” Josh placed my head on his chest and held me while I quietly sobbed. The chaos around us grew more intense. I wiped my face and looked around. The chaos had moved closer to us. Mr. Family Man was crying and pleading that he did nothing wrong. The bodyguards were talking to the police. Rayna was yapping and gesturing like a crazy person. Kyler tried to calm her.
“Ma’am.” The police officer approached Josh and me. “Can you tell me what happened?”
I looked at Josh.
“The gentleman said he knew you and was just saying hello when this woman” —he gestured toward Rayna— “attacked you both.” He read from a notepad.
“No,” I yelled. I had found my voice. “She didn’t attack us. She was trying to save me.”
“From what?” The cop looked around. “He said he was just trying to say hello.”
Josh stepped in front of me. “There is a lot going on here you don’t know about.”
“Listen, the girls are okay. He’s not going to press charges.” The cop flipped through the book. “Why don’t you all just go your separate ways and enjoy your day.”
Both Kyler and Josh stepped forward and the cop looked up and stepped back.
Two men in dark suits appeared next to us as if dropped out of the air with their badges out.
“Excuse me.” One of the guys bent down to read the cop’s name tag. “Officer Martin. We will take over from here.”
“This isn’t a matter for the FBI. I think we can handle it.” Officer Martin crossed his arms over his chest and turned to his partner. “Warren. Please take Ms.” —he looked at his notes— “Rayna Smith into custody and we will straighten all of this out down at the precinct.”
Rayna gasped.
Kyler growled and stepped in front of her. Josh stepped toward the cop. A phone rang and the FBI agent pulled it out of his pocket.
“Yes, sir.” He handed the phone to Officer Martin. “It’s for you.”
“Who is it?”
“The police commissioner.” The FBI agent shook the phone.
Officer Martin scoffed but took the phone. “Hello.”
It was silent on the street for a minute.
“Uhm, yes, sir.” Officer Martin stepped away.
“Mr. Grant.” He held out his hand. “I’m Special Agent Daniels. This is Special Agent Jensen.”
Kyler shook their hands.
“Which one of you is Tinley?” they asked.
I held my hand up.
“You must be Josh Burroughs.”
Josh nodded and shook the other agent’s hand.
“Don’t worry, Miss Smith.” Agent Daniels guided us down the street a little farther. “No one is going to haul you off to jail.”
An ambulance and a dark sedan pulled up at the corner at the same time. They parked at an angle and blocked a lane of traffic. Agent Stanley stepped out and adjusted his hat.
“Agent Stanley,” Rayna called out and smiled.
“Oh, wow.” He was taller than he appeared on the computer screen. “He does exist in real life.” I squeezed Josh’s arm.
