Chapter 5

• “Invited you in like a vampire,” Seth said.
• “Now that’s not very nice, Seth,” Agent Bell said. “I am your guest and you are my host. We are just having a friendly visit to clear up any misunderstandings. Remember?”
• Seth cleared his throat and then hacked a few times like he was choking on his own spit. Seth said, “Maybe you tell me the names and I see if I can get back to you on the details?”
• “Maybe.” Agent Bell stared for a moment. He looked down and took out a small notebook chewed around the edges from being in his pants pocket. Eva saw a flash of his gun again. Cain Bell flipped through the dog eared pages with notes and pen scratches on them. He said, “Let’s start with Connie Strovet, Hilda Cornov, and Melinda Trigette. What can you tell me about them?”
• Seth squinted and looked down at the floor. “I help a lot of men and women around the world find love matches. I might need to do some searching to find details on those three.”
• “I can help you look,” Agent Bell said.
• Seth looked up, but stared at the agent’s chest instead of meeting his eyes. “I’d rather you didn’t.”
• “I insist, Seth. It will be my thanks for inviting me in. I’d hate to put all this work on you.”
• “I really would rather you not, Agent Bell. I’ll find what you need on those three and send it to you. Can I have your number?”
• Bell tilted his head. “It’s more than three, Seth. Those are just the first three.”
• “Well, give me the rest of it then.”
• “Here’s the rest of it,” Agent Bell said. “We think you are fudging details on visa applications. By think, I mean that we know you are. We think you are in violation of several counts of immigration fraud statutes by gaining permission for aliens to stay in the States by arranging marriages. We think you might be in violation of prostitution statutes by taking extra from the men for guaranteed sex and paying the women a cut for taking care of the men. We think you might need to come down and sit in a cell since we have enough for an arrest. If you are under investigation, we might need to look into your relationship with Eva as well.”
• Eva stepped forward. “No, please, Agent Cain Bell, I will tell you anything you want to know. I’ll do anything. Don’t arrest me.”
• Agent Bell cut his eyes at Eva and smiled.
• Seth said, “Shut up, Eva. There is nothing to tell.”
• Bell looked back at Seth. “Afraid of what she will tell?”
• Seth blinked and licked his sweaty lips. “There is nothing to tell. You have her scared because she comes from a country where soldiers don’t follow rules. They make up lies and take what they want including favors from the women in the houses they invade.”
• Bell shrugged. “Sounds like an awful, lawless place.”
• “Doesn’t it?” Seth said.
• Eva took another step forward. “Please, don’t arrest him. I’ll do anything you want. Please.”
• Bell sighed and said, “That sounds a lot like bribery. Maybe even some of that prostitution we think you may be involved in. Remember what I mean by think?”
• “I do,” Seth said.
• “Anything, Agent Cain Bell.” Eva stepped up and dropped to her knees beside Agent Bell with her hands out and open like she were begging for mercy.
• “Eva, shut up. You’re making it worse. Don’t be scared.”
• Agent Bell glanced down and stared into Eva’s cleavage in her tight, black dress. “No, Seth, you guys should be scared, believe me. Let your lovely wife talk. I am interested to see what she says – what she offers.”
• Seth sighed and said, “She is not good with English, Agent Bell. She does not understand our customs and laws. By taking advantage of her fear, background, and ignorance of the situation, that wouldn’t be hard to prove as entrapment.”
• “Look at you, Seth,” Agent Bell said. “You are a smart guy that clearly knows how to get around the law when he needs to, huh?”
• “Anything you want.” Eva clasped her hands together in a classic portrait of begging.
• Seth closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. His jaw flexed, but Seth said nothing to stop her this time.
• “Maybe I hear what she is offering and if I like what I hear, we might work out a deal. After all, this is a friendly meeting. I am the guest and you are the host. It is customary in America to offer your guests something to make them feel comfortable and welcomed, right? Let’s see what she is offering me as your guest and maybe I just might feel welcomed enough to end our visit on a good note. What do you say, Seth?”
• Seth opened his eyes and blinked up at Agent Bell. His voice sounded small again. “Okay.”
• They both looked down at Eva and she looked back and forth between their eyes. She did not know what they wanted her to do.
• “Well?” Agent Bell asked. “What will it be, girl?”
• Seth licked his lips and nodded. He said, “It’s okay, Eva. Do whatever you have to do. I love you.”
• Eva said, “I … what?”
• Agent Bell rolled his eyes. “Every suspect wastes my time one way or the other. Turn around and put your hands behind your back, Seth. Don’t go running off anywhere, Eva dear. We’ll be coming back to talk to you soon.”
• Seth held up his hands. “Wait. Please. Eva, for God’s sake, help me out here.”
• “Don’t make me hogtie you both,” Bell said.
• Eva lunged forward from her knees and grabbed the front of the agent’s belt over his crotch. “No, please, I’ll do anything you want.”