Robert’s voice broke completely. “Because my grandson told me last week. He’s eight. Bradley had been grooming him. When my grandson finally told me, I started investigating. I found six other kids. All being abused. All too terrified to speak up.”
“Then why didn’t you go to the police?”
He looked at Tina. “I knew you were one of his victims. I recognized the signs. The way you’ve changed in the past six months. The weight loss. The anxiety. I’ve seen it too many times.”
“So you kidnapped her?” I asked, my voice hollow.
“I created a scenario where she’d have to tell the truth. Where Bradley couldn’t get to her. Where the FBI would be listening.” He gestured to the recording equipment the agents had brought in. “Everything Tina just said is being recorded by federal agents. Bradley can’t make this go away now.”
Tina crawled across the floor to Robert. “He saved me, Mom. When he took me from school, he told me he knew about Mr. Bradley. That he was going to make sure Bradley never hurt anyone again. I wasn’t kidnapped. I went with him because I knew he was trying to help.”
Agent Morrison stepped forward. “Mr. Mitchell, we need Tina to make an official statement. And we need the names of the other victims.”
Robert nodded and handed Morrison a folder. “Everything’s in there. Six kids. All their statements. Photos of bruises. Bradley’s trophy collection—pictures he took of the kids. I broke into his house last night and found them hidden in his garage.”
“You broke into—” Morrison started.Continue reading…
