He let Wyatt inside, along with a man in a suit. “This is Special Agent Wilkins from the FBI office in Harrisburg.”
“We’ve been monitoring human trafficking through this area, and when I heard of your discovery, I requested to be included in the interview. I had asked that he be brought to our office, but I was overruled.”
“And I would have advised him to refuse to come anyway,” Atlas said, crossing his arms over his chest as they talked quietly. “This is a man who has been through hell, and the entire time, he tried to protect the women with him. He doesn’t need or deserve to be scared out of his wits by sticking him in an interrogation room.”
Wilkins slowly shook his head. “You locals have no idea about the threats to this country.” God, he was one of those.
“Oh, we know plenty, enough to tell you this isn’t the place. Do I need to get him a lawyer?” Atlas asked. This asshole was trying to accuse a victim, and Atlas wasn’t going to have it.
“Wilkins, dial it down. This isn’t your case and you need to play nice,” Wyatt told him. “I’ll lead the conversation.” He met Wilkins with a steely gaze. “Remember, this is someone who has been trafficked.”
“It’s more likely someone hid him in the group to try to get him in the country. How better to play on sympathy if they’re caught. He seems to protect the women, and you all fall for it.”
Atlas stepped forward, nose to nose with this idiot. “What sort of law enforcement agent are you? We follow evidence, not baseless theories. I bet you’re the incompetent one on the team. The guy everyone passes around to get rid of.” The slight flinchtold him he was right, and he smiled. “So back off.” He stayed where he was, letting Wyatt into the living room. “We’ll stay here, and you can bet your chief is going to get a phone call, maybe two. And you might be looking for another new team pretty soon.” Now that he had the guy’s number, he knew exactly how to deal with him.
Wyatt sat down across from Chris and Bazel, with Evie sitting at Bazel’s feet. He asked basic questions and then asked about his journey, where he’d been, and who he might have seen. But he got no more information than Atlas had.
“He knows more, I know it.” Wilkins stepped into the room, but Atlas stopped him from going farther.
“Of course he does. But he doesn’t trust any of us yet,” Atlas said softly. “These men promised to bring him to America, and they did that. I know they’re protecting people we want to catch, but they see some of them differently and don’t want to hurt them. So it will take a little time.” Atlas led the way in. Bazel immediately looked at both of them and switched to Georgian, speaking quickly, in essence cutting them off.
Wyatt stood. “I think he has information, but I don’t know if it’s what we hope it is. I think we need to give him time.” Bazel watched him closely as Atlas stood between them and Bazel.
“I’d suspect you’ll get a lot more information from the driver. You have him in custody, and he speaks English. He also wasn’t stuck in the back of a truck for days.” Atlas rolled his eyes.
“We’ve interrogated him, and we will again. We were hoping Bazel might have seen something or someone.” Wyatt added, “But you’re right. These are people who were taken advantage of, and if Evie here hadn’t found them, god knows where they’d be right now.”
“Give them a chance to recover from their ordeal. Bazel might have more information yet.” And then again, he might not have any useful information. Atlas escorted the others to thedoor and let Wyatt and the federal agent out. God, he hoped the FBI sent someone better the next time.
“I’d say that was about as pleasant as a trip to the dentist.”
“The one make you mad,” Bazel said. “Why?”
Chris leaned forward, and knowing her, she was studying him. “He wasn’t doing his job very well,” Atlas answered.
She sat back a second before standing. “I’ll let you get to the stores today. Call me if you want me to take anything over to the women.” She tilted her head toward the door, and Atlas saw her out. “Don’t think you can pull the wool over my eyes. ‘Not doing his job very well.’” She snickered.
“He wasn’t.”
“Probably, but you had your ‘protect and serve’ shields set to max. You like him, and you want to help him.” She grinned, and Atlas growled.
“I do not. I….”
“Can’t stop watching him.” She patted his cheek.
He rolled his eyes and pulled open the door. “Get out of here and get your eyes checked. You’re starting to see things.” He waited as she went to her car. Then he closed the door and peered into the living room at Bazel. He was just doing his best, and that was all. Sometimes Chris could be a real pain in the butt, especially when he thought she was right.
Chapter 4
“I DON’T KNOWanything,” Bazel said. He was so confused, and more than a little scared now. He had heard some of what the fancy man said. He had also heard Atlas stand up for him. Evie rested her head on Bazel’s lap, and he petted her slowly. She was a good dog; he knew that now.
“Maybe you know things you don’t realize. Think about what you saw or heard. Maybe even smelled,” Atlas told him, but Bazel honestly didn’t understand.
“Why you upset? We want come to America and we here.” He shrugged.
“Yes.” Atlas sat down across from him, his face serious, lips in a tight line across his face. “Do you know where you were going? To New York?”
“Yes. Big city where we find work and make home.” It sounded so simple.
