Page 22 of Tinley's Daddy
“And she just found her way into your room?” Agent Sparks had not joined us. He mimicked my stance. “How did that happen, sir?”
“Josh Burroughs.” I dropped my hand and leaned against the table. “I guess you could say I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
“And thank God you were. Can you paint the picture for us?” Agent Dan smiled. He was the good cop in this conversation. If Agent Sparks was the bad cop, what did that make Agent Nelson?
“According to the security camera, you rode up in the elevator with two of the men who brought the women here. And you spoke to them in the hallway.” Agent Nelson was the fact guy.
“I spotted the two guys in the lounge in the lobby arguing, then a third person joined them. They continued arguing. They aren’t our normal demographic of guests, so I followed them up in the elevator.”
“They were from Budapest. And don’t speak English,” Agent Nelson added and turned to me. “Do you speak Turkish, Mr. Burroughs?”
“I don’t speak Turkish, but when I encountered them, they spoke heavily accented but perfect English. I just mean, our hotel is geared toward couples and families and two men arguing in my lobby seemed out of place.” I rubbed my chin. “If nothing else, I wanted to see if I could assist them in any way.”
“You always take such a keen interest in other hotel guests, Mr. Burroughs?” Agent Sparks asked.
“Uhm, Jack.” Agent Nelson glared at him.
Jack held up his hand.
“It just seems convenient that you would get off the elevator with them. And the woman entered your room without hesitation.”
“Jack.” Agent Nelson grunted and grabbed Agent Sparks’s arm.
“Mr. Burroughs here is the COO of Grant Enterprises.” He looked in my direction.
“What does it matter what he does? I’m trying to ascertain how he happened to get involved.”
“Jack,” Agent Dan chimed in. “He owns this hotel.”
“And fourteen others around the world.” I smirked and hopped onto the conference table. This wasn’t going anywhere good and I had to get back to Tinley. “Listen. I understand this has been a long night for you guys. And if you haven’t had a chance to speak with Agent Stanley, I understand. We have worked with the FBI before in Las Vegas and New York, trying to do what we can to shut down these human traffickers. I’d like to help you guys in any way we can. I take it as a blessing that Tinley didn’t see me as a threat and might speak to how desperate she was to throw herself into the unknown to get away from what I can only imagine is the unspeakable horror she’s been through in the last two years. She is willing to talk, but I imagine that will be more difficult as time goes on.”
The men went back to the other end of the room and huddled and chatted. Agent Dan came back to speak with me.
“You’re right. Let’s speak to Tinley and then we’ll have a better idea of what we’re dealing with.” Dan shook my hand.
“Can I ask if you’ll please remove your coats and have a seat when she walks in? She’s spent the last two years being passed around and ordered around by men. If you could try to look a little less intimidating, that would be great.”
They all nodded. I left the room and went back up to get Tinley.
I knocked on the door.
I heard a squeal and what sounded like a muffledshit.
“Tinley, it’s me, Josh.” I knocked again. “Are you okay?”
The door swung open. She blinked rapidly and then turned back to the room. A splotch of pink stained the comforter.
“I’m so sorry.” She ran into the bathroom and grabbed a towel. “I’m such a klutz.” She proceeded to wipe up the stains and it made it worse. “OMG.” She rubbed at it with all her might.
“Tinley.”
She continued to rub the stain. Tears ran down her cheeks.
She was so upset about a stain.
“Tinley.” I stepped toward her, and she flinched and fell on her side. She stood up and flopped onto the bed.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do anything right.” She sobbed. “I’m broken.”
