Page 71 of Tinley's Daddy
“Hello, everyone.” He nodded at each of us with his hand firmly in his pockets. “I hear there was some commotion on thestreets of New York and figured it was a fifty-fifty chance Rayna Smith had something to do with it.”
“Agent Stanley.” She giggled. “I was just protecting my new friend.”
“Tinley. It’s so good to meet you in person.”
“I thought you were only the man on the computer screen.” I held out my hand and he shook it.
“We are going to straighten all of this out, but, Tinley, I was hoping you could help me out.” He tilted his head and smiled.
“I can try.”
Josh’s hand slid down and took mine and squeezed.
“Tell me, where do you know Mr. Crawford over there from?” He pointed to Mr. Family Man.
I looked around and the crowd around me stepped back. Josh stayed next to me.
“He was one of the men who” —I hesitated on the word— “bought me for three weeks.”
“Do you know which country you were in when you met him?” He tilted his head the other way like he was encouraging me.
“Somewhere in Turkey.”
“Good girl.” His smile broadened and then he turned toward the other agents. The three of them walked over to Mr. Crawford. His pasty pale skin had turned beet red. He had been explaining himself to an officer but closed his mouth when Agent Stanley stepped in front of him.
“Mr. Crawford.” Agent Stanley pulled out his phone. He took a photo of Mr. Crawford and then typed something while he spoke. “We are taking you into FBI custody in relation to criminal activity that occurred in Istanbul, Turkey, on or around June 2024.”
“What are you talking about?” Mr. Crawford stammered. “I-I’ve never been to?—”
“Please.” Agent Stanley held up his hand. “Let’s not start this conversation off with a lie. Mr. Gregory Crawford of Morristown, New Jersey. Wife’s name is Carolyn, daughter, Kimberly, fourteen and son, Gregory Jr, sixteen. Maybe I should ask them about your travel schedule in June. Every year for the last seven, if my quick research is accurate.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you.” He stepped back into Kyler’s security guards.
“We’re going to the FBI office a few blocks down the road.” He pointed. “And talk about your trips to Istanbul.”
“I want a lawyer,” Mr. Crawford yelled.
“Well, sure.” Agent Stanley smirked. “Go ahead and call him.” A crowd had formed. A few had cell phones out and were recording. “You might want to call your wife, too.”
“Leave my wife out of this.”
“Sure, I just think it would be a sad thing to have your little girl find out her father is a sexual predator on Tikky Tok.” Agent Stanley took out his phone.
“Sexual pre—” Mr. Crawford turned toward me. “Because I fucked some whore on vacation?”
“Hey,” Rayna yelled.
I gasped.
Josh leaped for Mr. Crawford, but Kyler held him back. Agent Stanley pushed him toward his car, and the other agents put him inside.
“Asshole,” Rayna whispered. We both looked at Kyler. It was the one time he didn’t correct her for using bad language.
Kyler whispered something to Josh and his face softened. He walked back to me and I hugged him around the waist.
“Tinley.” Agent Stanley returned. “I can hold on to Mr. Crawford for forty-eight hours, but not any longer unless you are able to tell me what he did to you. You understand?”
“Yes.”
