“A girl like that would fetch a good price,” Decker noted.
“Molly’s my niece, Captain. I’ll do whatever I have to, to get her back.” Peter’s voice was serious and determined. “I’ve done some investigative reporting on human trafficking and a bit of undercover work. If you’ll get me a small video camera, I’ll go into the spa as a customer and see if I can get the proof you need to bust these S.O.B.s.”
“I can’t have a reporter in the middle of an operation. I’d rather have one of my agents—”
“She’s my niece! Please, let me do this.”
“You’re asking too much,” Ellis insisted.
“I could just go in there on my own, as a potential customer, and see what I can find out,” Peter suggested.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Ellis responded.
“It’s what I do, Ellis. But with the right equipment, I could be a lot more effective.”
“What do you think, Detective?” Ellis focused on Colin, then turned to Chief Nelson. “Chief?”
“It’s your call, Andrews.” The Chief leaned forward in his seat. “You’ve got more experience with these big city crimes.”
Colin looked at Peter as he thought about it. “I think he can handle it, if you get him wired up and hooked up.” Colin crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Can you provide the equipment we need, Special Agent Ellis?”
“Yeah, I can get it, and more. Make a list. But if something happens to this reporter, it’s on your head. I’m not going to be hung out to dry over this.”
“I’ll take that chance,” Colin replied, standing his ground.
Captain Decker stood and leaned forward over the table. “When are you planning this little shindig?” He looked Colin in the eye first, then Peter.
“This evening, around five o’clock. That’s when the spa opens.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Ellis sat back. “We’ve been watching that place for a few weeks, working on gathering evidence of interstate prostitution. My people were actually planning a raid when Isabel called me.”
“But human trafficking, Ellis, that’ll be a much more significant collar for you than simply interstate prostitution,” Isabel reasoned.
“I can’t argue with that,” he agreed. “All I need to do is say the word and my people will jump into action.”
“Okay, then. Let’s stop wasting time and nail this plan down,” Decker ordered.
Emily began, “My idea was that—”
“Whoa, little lady,” Special Agent Ellis cut in. “We can’t have a civilian running the show.”
“Not a civilian,” Chief Nelson corrected, “a consultant.”
Emily flashed a slight grin in gratitude at the Chief for standing up for her before she turned her attention back to the smug FBI special agent. “I’m only sharing my thoughts, sir.”
“Well, consultant or not, I want to make one thing perfectly clear to all of you. The FBI is in charge of this operation and everything goes through me. Agreed?”
“Yes, everything goes through you,” Emily concurred.
With nodding of heads, everyone around the table agreed to Ellis taking the lead.
“Now, let Emily explain, Special Agent,” the Chief ordered, rising to his feet, “then you all can decide on the best plan of attack, but hear her out.” He glared around the table, almost daring anyone to contest his words. “Emily, proceed.” He motioned toward her with his hand and sat back down.
“All right. What do you got?” Ellis asked.
“Colin goes in first as a customer, wired and with a tiny video camera,” Emily explained. “He’ll try to get as many faces on that video as he can. If and when they offer sexual favors, he will decline.”
“I decline?”
“Yes, just listen,” she said before proceeding with her plan. “Then, a little while later, Peter goes in, also wired with a video camera, going through the same routine, but this time, when sex is offered, he’ll tell them he would like sex, but not there. He only wants it to be at a nice hotel. If she can bring the girl to him, he’ll pay more.”
“Explain how that makes them bring Molly to me?” Peter asked.
“Tell the woman you’re partial to American girls, especially redheads and blondes, and you’d be willing to pay more for one of them, especially if she’s young.”
“Why not just a redhead?”
“Don’t you think that would make them suspicious?” she asked.
“I guess, assuming they don’t also have a blonde hidden somewhere too.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Emily grimaced. “Geez, I hope not.”
“No, I don’t think you should say anything about blondes or redheads,” Decker disagreed. “That’ll make them suspicious and scare them off. Just tell them something like no offense to Asians,