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.When the investigator came into the interviewing room he had a smirk like he knew that I would eventually talk.I was fine with that but I wasn’t talking unless I knew it was worth it to me.I said, “I’ve gotten a lot of death threats.”“Understandably so.”My attorney spoke.“What’s the deal if she talks?”The agent said, “Five years’ probation.”“What about protection?”“We can offer witness protection.”“For how long?”“A year or as long as she needs it.”“Are you telling me that I may have to live with an alias for the rest of my life?” I asked.My attorney said, “It’s possible.”I wasn’t sure what was worse.Didn’t know if it was wiser just to see what kind of sentence I would get or live in fear for the rest of my life.I wondered if Ramon planned to be by my side through all of this.There were so many what-ifs circulating through my mind.My attorney said, “So is there anyone in particular you want?”“No, we just want to know who her clients are.”“So you are asking me to admit that I even have clients.”“Look, Ms.Reed.We know you have clients.”“Because of Ervin Calhoun.That doesn’t mean anything.I hooked him up with a friend.”He laughed.“Ms.Reed, the evidence from the Ervin Calhoun case is pretty incriminating.”My attorney said, “Tell us what you have.”The agent stood up.“I’ll be right back.”He left the room and I couldn’t imagine what he could have.I wondered if Taina had sent them some evidence, because she had gone a lot more quietly than I had expected.Here we were a year later dealing with this bullshit.The agent came back in the room and popped a CD into his laptop.It was my voice talking to Taina.We were in her apartment and I was explaining to her that men who pay for sex aren’t going to make you their woman.I explained that Ervin Calhoun had threatened me and it was my responsibility to protect the girls who worked for me.I took a phone call in the middle of the conversation with Taina.I arranged a hookup.My entire body was trembling.It had to be Taina.She was the only one there that night.I said, “Where did you get this?”“An undisclosed source tried to sell this information to a tabloid last year, but Calhoun wasn’t in the position he is in at that time.They tried again when Calhoun got the job, and there was a bidding war.They got off with a lot of money.”“And how did you get it?”“The Internet, where we get most of our evidence nowadays.”“You can’t believe everything on the Internet.”“Voice recognition.Are you telling me this isn’t you?”“No.It’s not me.”He showed me pictures of me walking out of Taina’s place carrying her bags.“So is this not you too?”My chest caved in.Since all this had been leaked, a piece of me had assumed it was Taina, but if she was in the pictures, who had taken them? My head was pounding.Ramon had been around through that whole situation, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe that he was a part of this.I tried to focus my attention on what the detective was talking about but still I couldn’t help wondering who had sold this evidence.Thorne couldn’t have done it because it could take him down too.My attorney looked at me and whispered, “We should take the deal.”I didn’t know what to do, but I wasn’t ready to talk.At least not yet.I wanted someone’s advice and not just Ramon’s.I wasn’t sure about him either.The detective said the offer wouldn’t be on the table long.“How long do I have?”“Maybe until the end of the week.That’s if I’m in a good mood.”“I hope you are.And one more thing, how can I protect my business?”“I don’t know, that’s something you’ll have to figure out.”My attorney and I left the building.We spoke outside about the next steps and he inferred that it would be in my best interest to tell everything.My stomach was in knots because I really didn’t want to do it.I stood there after my attorney pulled off, staring aimlessly, thinking no one understood.Finally, I got in the car with Ramon.He put his hand on my thigh and I pushed it away.He said, “What’s wrong?”“Nothing, I’m just not in the mood.”I called the manager on duty at Unleashed.“How are things there?”She said, “Pretty hectic.We’re getting a lot of calls.There are no dogs here today.We’ve been getting threats.”“Why don’t you lock up and go home?”“How are you?” She spoke with such empathy.“I’m holding up.”“You’re strong.You’ll come out of this even stronger.”“Thank you, Bethany.”“Whatever you need, I’m here.”“I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the hotel now that all of this is going on.Hopefully we can ride the wave.”“I hope so.I really like working for you.”She had been one of those to answer my ad on Craigslist.When I saw how frumpy she was I knew she could never work in the business.So I hired her to do what the job specified.“And I really like you.I may have to sell the hotel.I’m not sure, but go ahead and close up.Let the other employees know that we’re going to be closed for the next seven days.That should be enough time for the dust to settle.”“I hope so.”I prayed so, but I knew better.I knew this was much larger than that.Ramon looked at me.“Where to?”“Back to the hotel.”“So what did you tell them?”“I didn’t tell them anything.I needed to see what they could offer me.They are asking for my entire phone book and I just don’t know if it’s worth it.”“It’s not worth your freedom?”“My freedom at what cost?” I snapped.“Look, I’m just saying…”I heard my mother’s voice.Women always have to sacrifice.I didn’t know if this sacrifice made sense.I wanted to be sure that I didn’t hurt anyone else the way I’d been hurt.I called Kari because I knew she was concerned
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