you cannot. Madam will bring you the girl available.”
“That’s too bad. I’d like to ask for you. You’re doing a very good job. Can’t I at least get a first name?”
“No,” she whispered.
“The way she glanced around, she must suspect she’s being watched,” Ellis noted.
The girl massaged down his back and his extremities. “You want to turn over and I do the front.”
“This should be interesting,” Isabel remarked, glancing around to the others in the van.
Emily held her tongue, wondering what he would do to keep from giving her and her fellow van members a peep show.
“I think I’d like to stay on my stomach. I’m so relaxed that I feel like going to sleep.”
Emily and the others watched the monitor, seeing the girl look at the door, then look around the room.
“Mr. Colin—”
“No, just Colin.”
“If you turn over, I can do much more for you.”
“What do you mean?” Colin asked.
Emily and Isabel held their breaths as their attention was glued to the monitor. The men also seemed to be silent and drawn to the video.
“If you let me massage the front too, I think you will have much pleasure.” She glanced toward the door again.
“She’s trying to excite him sexually, isn’t she?” Emily squirmed in her seat.
“It appears to be what she’s expected to do before offering him—”
“Sex?” Emily cut Isabel off. A little embarrassed by her outburst, realizing Colin probably heard her. She lowered her voice. “Poor girl looks nervous.”
“No, I’m happy with the back massage,” Colin responded.
“There seems to be a thought-out plan the madam enforces for her girls to stimulate clients toward wanting sex, at a price of course,” the special agent remarked.
“Are we done?” Colin asked.
“I do good job. Please, Mr. Colin. You will like it.”
Emily felt a knot twisting in her stomach at the girl’s pleading. She reached out and grabbed Isabel’s hand to steady herself. It was clear this young girl was expected to push the male clients to have sex with them. She wondered what the consequence was for failing. Was this what Molly could be facing if they can’t find her in time?
“Guess that’s what I have to look forward to.” Peter sat back and crossed his arms, an uneasy smile quivered on his lips. “Glad I got to observe what I’m getting myself into.”
“I thought you had undercover experience.” Ellis shot a questioning glance at Peter.
“Undercover investigating, not investigating under the covers.”
“Sorry, no,” Colin replied. “Not this time. But don’t worry, I will be back.”
The masseuse wiped her oily hands on a white towel, her head hanging down as if she had failed somehow. “Thank you, Mr. Colin. You very nice. Please, come back. Please.” She turned, her shoulders slumped, and she walked out the door.
Colin pulled the towel around his waist and carefully climbed down off the massage table. Turning the buttons on the vest away, he grabbed his clothes off the chair and quickly pulled them on. As he was buttoning the vest, there came a knock at the door.
The four in the van watched the screen intently.
“Come in.”
The door opened and the madam stepped into the room, leaving the door open. “I just want to make sure you are happy with your massage?”
“Yes, very happy.” Colin faced her and his camera caught one of the young masseuses walking past. The girl briefly looked toward the open door.
“That’s definitely the one from the hotel.” Emily gasped as she lunged forward, toward Special Agent Ellis and the microphone.
“Are you sure?” Ellis turned to face her.
Emily nodded.
The older woman moved farther into the room. “You still have time you already pay for, but you are leaving early. I want to make sure everything okay?”
“Yes, great.” Colin fastened the last button on his vest.
Emily instructed Colin, through the earpiece, to make sure the woman knew the girl did everything she could for him.
“Your girl did an awesome job. I feel very relaxed.”
“But you have more time. She can do more for you.”
“I have to get to an appointment, ma’am, so I’ve used all the time I can spare. But I will come back again another time.” Colin skirted around her and backed toward the door. “She was very good with her hands. I simply need to get going.”
“Okay. I want to make sure you are happy.”
“Very happy.” Colin backed all the way out the door. “Thank you.” He turned and made his way to the front area.
“As you can all see, I’m out of that place and on my way to