Terri bellied up to the bar and ordered a hoppy IPA. Not her usual. But today called for something with bite. Something to keep her sharp.

The twenty-something couple to her left engaged in a lively conversation. Ultimately, the attractive female blonde flung her purse over her shoulder and left in haste.

A female suit with a laptop sat to Terri’s right. The woman shot her a quick glance then went back to pounding on her keyboard.

Terri took a slow deliberate sip of her ice cold IPA then spoke to the dude. “What pissed her off?”

He picked at the label on his lager. “My luck with women sucks.”

Sensing a moment of vulnerability, she turned toward him. “Any theories as to why? Name’s Terri by the way.” She held out a hand. One she wasn’t happy showed more of her age than her face.

He shook it with that of someone who wasn’t accustomed to the greeting. “Daniel. Nice to meet ya.”

His tatted fingers felt limp in her firm grasp. Despite her typical intent, she loosened her grip to match his.

“You, too. So, Blondie. What was her deal?”

Daniel leaned in to Terri. “I just got outta prison. Turns out doesn’t sit so well with the ladies.”

Curiosity piqued at what his answer would be to her next question. “Why tell ’em? A guys’ gotta right to privacy.”

“Doesn’t work. Eventually they go searchin’ the inter-web. I just figure might as well tell the truth on the front end.” Daniel downed the last of his lager.

Terri smiled at him. “What a guy. Not many honest ones out there anymore.” She swapped her smile for a serious gaze. “Now for the million dollar question. What gotcha locked up?”

Daniel held up his empty bottle to signal the bartender he was ready for another. “Shitty public defender. Probably barely passed law school.”

“Man, that’s rough.” Out of the corner of her eye Terri noticed the suit take a sip out of a wine glass. She offered her a slight nod. “You still didn’t answer my last question.”

Daniel took a huge drag of his vape. “Connecting people that wanna buy something with people that got something they wanna sell. Should be considered a win-win. Not in the eyes of the good-ole-fucking-law.”

Terri pulled out an old Chipotle receipt from her purse and scribbled a number on the back. “I get it. You’re only trying to help. Here, if you ever need to talk. A good guy like you needs friends.”

He shoved the receipt in his pocket. “Thanks. No one gets it. Gotta coupla girls right now. Need cash quick. Upcoming evictions and shit. But once your in the system, your’e always on their radar. Whatever. I help people. It’s my nature.”

Terri eyed the suit who was now emptying her wine glass. The signal.

She patted his tatted hand. “Daniel, you don’t need to worry about a thing. This time, you won’t get out so soon.”

A look of alarm shot across Daniel’s face, then settled. He nodded and polished off his beer. “I see. Well, played. Can I take a piss first?”

The suit next to Terri interjected, “I’ll escort you. Then we go out the back. No need to cause a scene.”

Officer Terri and Detective Faller waited outside the men’s restroom for Daniel. “How’d you know?” Terri asked.

“When a bad guy thinks he’s a good guy, that’s a recipe for a rinse and repeat. Five years his first sentence. Should get up to twenty this time. Still not long enough.”

Daniel excited the restroom still zipping up his jeans. “Well, Ladies. I guess you got me. Let’s do this.”

Terri made one last comment, “That number I gave you. It’s your new shitty public defender’s.”

Then she and Detective Faller each linked arms with Daniel to ease him outta the joint with as little fanfare as possible.

But both knew the gravity of the arrest. Every time they got a child porn seller locked up, it got them one step closer to saving kids that often didn’t know they needed saving.

If you believe someone you know is a victim of internet sexual exploitation, please call the Cyber Tipline at 1-800-422-4453

We are here to help. You are not alone. – Cyber Tipline