Velvet Mafia

by Lydia L Watts

Love,

  Lauren

  Teddy fondly recalled that besides her father, only two other people had ever called her by her given name on a regular basis. One had been brutally murdered and the other one was about to perform before a crowd of screaming fans.

  The first band, Passionate Kiss, played for a good solid hour before Deep Diamonds came to the stage. Based on the crowd’s energy when Lauren’s group appeared, it was evident they loved them. When the lights went down, they immediately began to chant “Diamonds forever!” And people held up their lighters as if they were in Grant Park at midnight, listening to a summer headliner.

  Once Lauren and her band took the stage, the club was on fire. The music was more than rhymes and rhythm; it was riveting. Each chord played was synchronized and all the musicians had their own personas. Not only were they good at what they did, they knew what the crowd wanted and were willing to give them everything they desired.

  And Lauren was the crowd’s favorite. She played her guitar as if it were her lover. She caressed, she toyed and she conquered. When she played, she commanded attention and the crowd gave it to her. She was in her element! Unlike the other individual solos, Lauren’s was not accompanied by any other instrument; she was simply left to do her thing and that’s what everybody wanted to see. Lauren was a master, with or without a band.

  But tonight, the audience was in for a treat. Without apparent reason, Lauren placed her guitar on the ground and headed to the back center of the stage where the drummer sat. When he got up and she sat down, the crowd erupted as if they had been waiting for this performance all night.

  From where Teddy was sitting, you could not help but be mesmerized. The Roulette’s VIP lounge was directly above the stage and she could see everything, including the sweat dripping from Lauren’s face to her neck to her breasts. Teddy could see the power in her shoulders and forearms as she gently spoke to her cymbals, even as her leg pounded the bass in order to enhance the anticipated musical climactic interlude.

  Just like the screaming devotees on the main floor, Teddy was also a fan. Like a proud peacock, she too allowed the tempo to consume her. But before she knew it, it was over. The cymbals came to a quiet end and Lauren said, “Good night, Chicago, and thank you!” Then the lights went up and the band left the stage.

  But the crowd was still engaged. Leaving was not part of their agenda, at least not yet. In a matter of seconds, they began to chant “Encore, encore!” and “Diamonds forever!” And then the lights went on as they had when Deep Diamonds had first hit the stage.

  It was then that Teddy made her move. If she left while the crowd was calling for more, she could slip out unnoticed and shake her unwelcome follower.

  Chapter 5

  STILL IN BED, Taylor was finally about to open her eyes when she heard her private phone ring. Who could be calling me this early she thought? As she scrambled to make her way to answer before it went to voice mail.

  “Hello,” Taylor said.

  “Good morning, Ms. DuBois. I hope I didn’t call too early or wake you up.”

  “Who is this?” Taylor asked still somewhat in a fog.

  “This is Councilman Jeffries.”

  Now with both eyes open and her feet on the ground, Taylor knew this was no social call.

  “Oh, good morning, Councilman. How did you get my private number?” she asked as she made her way to the kitchen to turn on her coffee maker.

  “Come, come, now, Ms. DuBois. I’m a sitting councilman in the nation’s capital. There are very few things off-limits, if you know what I mean.”

  “Yes, I do,” Taylor said as she forced herself to control her tone. “So, what can I do for you so early this morning?”

  “Well, I’m glad you asked. If you recall our last conversation, you wanted to discuss your future endeavors and you were looking for a sponsor. Do you remember our conversation?”

  “I’m listening,” she said.

  She could hear in his deliberation that he was trying to stroke her. He wanted something and whatever it was, he felt he had to set the stage in order to snag his desires. Power, no matter who wielded it, always carried a hint of intoxication and even on the phone, Taylor could smell Jeffries’s hot morning breath as if he were lying in bed right beside her. It stank. But, at the same time, she knew the current predicament was her fault. She had moved too soon and now that he thought there was something worth catching, he was fishing. So, instead of leading the charge, she had to take a backseat while making sure she got her share of the catch, whatever it was.

  Jeffries continued. “When we last spoke, you said that Yeager was up to something and it was big. Have you found out anything? My sources confirm that Yeager is getting a little cozy with one of his constituents. And, um, well, if you want me to entertain your future endeavors, Ms. DuBois, you must be willing to share with me what you know. And remember, someone will soon have to announce his candidacy for the mayor’s office and if that someone should be me, my ability to help you navigate your career will be predicated on the relationship we establish from this point going forward. Am I making myself clear?”

  Now Taylor knew what it felt like to be pimped. The question was whether she would be his top or bottom bitch.

  “So, Ms. DuBois, what do you have to tell me about the testimonial meeting yesterday and the private meeting that followed directly afterward?”

  Coffee in hand, all Taylor could do was sit down. She hated the situation she found herself in, but for now, all she could do was follow his cues.

  “As you know, we are preparing for next month’s hearing in front of the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection. Several vendors were saying they were being singled out for receiving no-bid contracts. According to them, they had actually been instructed by Councilman Yeager not to participate in the bidding process and instead, pursued their contract personally through the director’s office, at his request.”

  “Go on,” Jeffries said.

  “Well, Eli Edelstein attended the meeting and when we broke for recess, I informed Councilman Yeager that Edelstein was in the meeting. The Councilman then told me to let Edelstein know publicly he want-ed to see him when the meeting was over.”

  “So what happened after you told Eli that Yeager wanted to see him?”

  “Well, that’s just it. He responded in the affirmative immediately. No hesitation, no frustration in his voice or his disposition. It was as if he had known I would tell Yeager he was at the meeting and Yeager would ask to meet with him. In a strange sort of way, it was almost as if he expected Yeager to grandstand.”

  “Well, my dear, who wouldn’t expect that from Ms. Yeager?” Jeffries asked mockingly. “A queen will always be a queen, even when they are pretending. So, what was the meeting about?”

  “Now this should surprise you, too. Yeager didn’t allow me to attend. It was a one-on-one meeting — just the two of them. No witnesses and no note-taking. When the meeting was over, I overheard Yeager tell Edelstein he had until 8:00 am today to respond.”

  “Respond to what?” Jeffries asked.

  “I don’t know,” she replied. “I told you, I didn’t attend the meeting and when I tried to inquire, Yeager accused me of spying on him.”

  “Well, even I would be surprised if you hadn’t,” Jeffries said, laughing. “After all, it’s your uncanny skill in securing information that makes you a valued employee.”

  “Thanks, Councilman,” Taylor said while shadowboxing in her bedroom suite, pretending she had just knocked Jeffries out and was now dancing to the crowd’s approval.

  Jeffries believed he had Taylor where he wanted her. In his mind, a simple affirmation was all she needed in order for him to get control of the situation.

  “So, what do you think Yeager is up to?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, now somewhat out of breath. “But whatever it is, he wants me to get everything I can on Edelstein.”

  “Really! That’s an interesting twist.” What is Guy u
p to? “Well, Taylor, I have to go. But remember, as soon as you find out anything, I better be the first person you call. Are we clear?”

  “Oh, we’re clear all right,” Taylor said, hanging up on Jeffries before he could say anything else.

  Jeffries may have thought he had snagged him a fish, but he needed more than false bravado to knock Taylor off her block. What she shared with Jeffries had all been public knowledge, except for the fact that she wasn’t in on the meeting. So, contrary to what Jefferies was thinking, she was still the puppet master.

  Several weeks had passed since Councilman Grey Jeffries’s chief of staff, Hilario Cruz, had been arrested. Rumors had surfaced that Cruz was working with the Feds and that he had been offered immunity for his testimony. At the same time, Jeffries was being pressured by the FBI to meet with them. To someone looking in, Jeffries’s house of cards was tumbling.

  The councilman knew the only way he could deflect the attention away from him was to find something more salacious than what the Feds thought they had and his target of interest was Guy Yeager. It was Yeager who leaked the bribery story and implicated him. He couldn’t prove it, but he had done enough dirt with Yeager to know when he had his hand in something. Yeager had to pay and if Jeffries had his way, he would use Taylor DuBois, Yeager’s own aide, to bring him down. After all, imitation was the greatest form of flattery.

  Jefferies’s main goal was to keep his foot on Taylor’s neck until he had her properly trained. Under Yeager, she was still her own woman and played the game like a chess master. And she kept her hands clean. Taylor was like Teflon and that made Grey Jeffries nervous. If he wasn’t careful, he could become a victim in his own scheme. Handling Yeager was one thing, but controlling Taylor was another, especially since he didn’t have any real information or secrets he could hang over her head for collateral.

  The second part of his plan was to control the outcome of the Cruz story and that meant he’d hired Jentzen Hubberman, an associate, to represent Cruz.

  Jeffries grabbed the ringing phone and said, “Hello, Jentzen. What took you so long to get back to me?”

  “No, Councilman, this is not Jentzen. This is Bart Connelly from the Washington Daily News and … .”

  Looking at his phone with contempt, Jeffries was beyond himself. It wasn’t often he was taken by surprise; it was usually the other way around.

  “Yes, yes, Mr. Connelly, I know who you are and who you work for. What is it I can do for you?”

  Connelly could tell by his tone that Jeffries was disappointed it was him rather than the one he’d expected. And like a good reporter, he would be sure to follow up with his sources to find out who this Jentzen character was. The only person named Jentzen he had come across lately was Jentzen Hubberman, Cruz’s attorney. And, if it was Cruz’s attorney, why would he be calling Jeffries?

  “As you know, sir, the Feds will soon be announcing their indictments and my sources tell me your name has been listed as one of the officials who will be indicted. What do you have to say about that?”

  Jeffries laughed. “Mr. Connelly, you of all people know that politics is a combat sport and whenever an aide to a high-ranking official has been arrested and charged with a crime, typically there are reports like the one you just mentioned that allude to the fact that other officials are listed in the indictment. Well, for the record, I have not received any indication that would make me believe I should be worried about anything. Did I answer your question, Mr. Connelly?”

  “Yes, I think you did,” Connelly said, sensing he had rattled a snake. “But to make sure, let me ask the question another way. Are you saying you have not been contacted by the Feds to meet with them to discuss the allegations that implicate you in a pay-to-play scheme?”

  Jeffries weighed his response. He knew he was being pressured to meet with federal agents but he hadn’t officially been asked to do so. And he knew that if he wasn’t careful, Connelly would have this conversation on the front page of the Washington Daily News.

  “Mr. Connelly, if you are asking me if I have met with the Feds, the answer is no.”

  “But, sir —”

  “I have to go, Mr. Connelly, and thank you for calling.”

  Jeffries knew Connelly wasn’t going away. When it came to a story, especially a good story, he was relentless. He would follow the tale to its logical conclusion, and based on his record, it usually meant someone would be indicted, charged, arrested, convicted and jailed.

  After her conversation with Councilman Jeffries, Taylor was furious. The arrogance! But she knew she couldn’t stay emotionally distracted for too long. She had to figure out how she was going to control what she herself had started. The one thing she knew for sure was that regardless of how Yeager and Jeffries felt about each other, they would not hesitate to band together to destroy her if they had to. So, for now, feeding Jeffries information would be in her best interest.

  But finding out all she could about Edelstein would be tricky. Like his mentor and business partner, Blake Jones, he too was somewhat an enigma. Regardless, she had to move quickly. If not, Jeffries would try to flip the script if he didn’t start receiving some dividends from their new relationship. He had nothing to lose, so failure was not an option for her.

  To pull this off, Taylor needed help, someone she could control. Since Edelstein lacked his own street credibility, she had to figure out what her angle would be. Beyond his affiliation to Blake Jones, there was basically little known about him. So, instead of focusing directly on Edelstein, Taylor turned her interest to Jones. She believed that if she focused on Jones, she would find out everything she needed to know about Edelstein to satisfy the thirst of both Yeager and Jeffries. And if she found out anything extra, especially as it related to Blake Jones, she would parlay it into a bargaining chip if and when she needed to.

  But who would she get to help her? She needed somebody who had no problem bending the truth, stretching the details and fabricating the toxicity of a story. Someone who, once they took a bite, would not settle for a nibble. Someone who had to be convincing enough so that others would take interest in the story, even if it was entirely created through the proverbial façade of the “unknown source.”

  With that in mind, Taylor knew only one person who fit that description: Stan Lewis, managing editor of The Cutting Edge. Despite its reputation as a paper that twisted the truth, people loved the soap opera. She also knew that if she made the call to the paper, they would think it was on behalf of Councilman Yeager. To the staff at The Edge, especially Stan Lewis, Yeager was their hero, their mascot and their deliverer. Whatever he wanted, he got.

  By the time Taylor reached her office, she had her plan outlined. She would call Stan Lewis and have him do research on Blake Jones and his associate Eli Edelstein. She would tell him that the success of this endeavor could put him in position as the next press secretary for the mayor, a position that every gay boy coveted. He could be the voice for the nation’s capital.

  “Good morning, Ms. DuBois,” Adrienne said. “Your messages are on your desk and —”

  “I have some important work to take care of this morning. Please hold all my calls.”

  “What about your meeting?” she yelled as Taylor continued to walk down the long hall towards her office. “Should I cancel it, too?”

  “What meeting?” Taylor said, turning toward her assistant. “I don’t have anything scheduled on my calendar.”

  “Well, you didn’t until Councilman Jeffries’s office called. They said they were confirming your meeting with the councilman at noon.”

  “Oh, yeah, I forgot,” Taylor said, the heat from her thick body causing her face to flush. “As I said before, hold all my calls.”

  As Taylor continued to her office, she could not believe Jeffries had been so crass, so brazen and so rude. She would deal with him later. But right now, she had to put her plan in motion.

  “Hello, Stan —”

  You have reached Stan Lewis, managing
editor of The Cutting Edge. I cannot come to the phone right now, so please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will return your call within twenty-four hours.

  “Hi, Stan. This is Taylor DuBois. When you get this message, call me. I need to speak to you as soon as possible.”

  With only four hours until her meeting with Jeffries, Taylor was still hoping she’d have the opportunity to talk to Stan Lewis before she had to face the councilman. She knew that if she could get Stan on board before her meeting, it would be easier for her to control her anger. She was still fuming over the fact that Jeffries had called her at home on her personal line. And now he had successfully convinced her staff to change her work schedule. She had to get control of the situation and Stan was critical to her strategy. Where was he and why hadn’t he called her back? It was unlike Stan not to respond and of all days, it had to be the day when she needed him most.

  While Taylor waited for Stan’s call, she busied herself to keep calm. She knew that if Jeffries had gone through the trouble to adjust her schedule and convene a meeting, he either had something to share with her or he was flexing his muscle. Neither made her comfortable. She didn’t trust Jeffries and his most recent tactic reminded her why: he played for keeps. So, despite her feelings, she had to be prepared. And no matter what, she had to convince Jefferies she was committed to their agreement.

  With the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection hearing coming up soon, Taylor had plenty to do. If anything could take her mind off Jeffries, it would be Yeager and the needs of the committee. Eventually, Yeager would be looking for his talking points and if she didn’t have them ready, she better have a damn good excuse. If not, she would have hell to pay. “Hey, Taylor! Are you watching the news?”

  “No! I’m finally working on the complaints against the councilman. Why?” Taylor asked, obviously annoyed, as she picked up her TV remote and turned on the set.

  “You won’t believe it,” Adrienne said. “They just announced that Councilman Jeffries will be indicted.”