Velvet Mafia

by Lydia L Watts

  “Is that so, Dr. Rhodes?” Lance said, slightly laughing as he turned and walked away. “Well, I’m not you, and it’s not your wife laying in the morgue dead, is it? So, if you can refrain from giving me your opinions, I’m ready to go when you are.”

  The next day, Lance and Basil went to the District police headquarters as planned. Two detectives met with Lance in one of the interrogation rooms while Basil stayed in the lobby. As Basil waited, he was no longer concerned about Lance. Instead, the image of Kennedy now preoccupied his mind.

  Although he had never met her, Basil had felt connected to her. Over the last few weeks, Lance had shared his soul with him and at the core of his existence had been Kennedy. More than anyone, Basil knew what Lance was going through.

  As Basil sat in the lobby, he overheard the two officers talking as they came out of the interrogation room. From what he could tell, Lance hadn’t given them anything incriminating, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet. “He’s all yours Special Agent Walls,” the officer said as he looked back at Lance. “I don’t think he’s your guy,” the officer said. “He’s too weak of a man to pull this shit off.” “Thanks for the heads up,” Walls replied as he entered the room. “Mr. St. John, my name is Agent Jason Walls and I’m with the FBI. I know this is a difficult time for you, but I have one more question to ask you. Do you know who the woman is in this picture with your wife? And if so, what their relationship was?”

  Immediately Lance recoiled. Every officer in the room, including those standing behind the two-way mirror, could tell he knew who the woman in the picture was.

  “No, I don’t,” he said. “Now, may I go? I have funeral arrangements to make.”

  “Yeah, you can go now,” Agent Walls said. “If we need anything, we know how to get in touch with you. I’ll walk you to the lobby.”

  Without saying anything, Lance got up and headed to the door. By now, everything he was thinking and feeling showed.

  “Again, Mr. St. John, we’re sorry for your loss. If you think of anything that might help us solve your wife’s murder, here’s my card. Please let me know.”

  “Oh, I do have one question,” Lance said. “When do you plan on releasing her body? I have funeral arrangements to make.”

  “Due to the nature of the crime, it will probably be a couple of days before we can release her. Our office will contact you when she is ready.”

  “Thank you,” Lance said. “And if anything comes to mind, I will let you know.”

  Basil saw Lance emerge from the back of the station and could tell he was emotionally drained. In the little time he had spent inside the interrogation chambers, he had aged. He now looked like a man who had been beaten down, so much so that he no longer looked like himself.

  “How did it go?” Basil asked.

  “It was terrible. They showed me pictures of Kennedy in the abandoned building. No one should have died like she did. No one! Can you believe it, Basil? Her neck was broken and she was mauled. Mauled! Every inch of her had been viciously chewed except for her face.”

  By the blank stare in Lance’s eyes, Basil could tell the death of Kennedy had taken him to a deep dark place. After having watched him attack Teddy, he knew what his friend was capable of doing. He had to warn Teddy. He had to let her know that Lance was emotionally unstable and in light of his state of mind, she should initiate all the necessary precautions they had planned.

  “Hey, Charlie, this is Blake. We need to talk. Call me when you get this message.” It was hard for Blake to sit and wait for people to call him back. It was a role he was not used to. Usually when he reached out to someone, they made it their business to respond immediately, but Charlie was different; sometimes he would just disappear. As Blake waited for Charlie to call, he couldn’t help but think that soon it would be all over. With everything working as planned, it wouldn’t be long before Teddy, Basil, and Lance took the stage and exposed what they knew. They had enough evidence to prove the conspiracy not only existed, but they could also expose some of the key players involved, including Guy Yeager.

  For Blake, justice for Devon’s death would be satisfying. But until then, Teddy was his main concern. Kennedy’s death was a sign that the Velvet Mafia and whoever they worked for knew the antidote had been developed. Now it was game on. He was sure there would be more deaths; that meant Teddy and the others were in danger.

  “Damn it, Charlie, this better be you,” Blake said, reaching for his phone. “Charlie!” he said.

  “No, Blake, this is Basil. We got trouble, man, and Teddy really needs you.”

  “Slow down, slow down! What are you talking about, Basil?”

  “Kennedy’s dead!”

  “Yes, I know,” Blake said. “How is Lance taking it?”

  “Not good,” Basil replied. “That’s why I’m calling you. I think he is going to kill her.”

  “Who’s going to kill who?” Blake replied.

  “Lance!” Basil yelled. “Lance is going to try and kill Teddy. I can feel it. After what I saw yesterday and what I saw today, he’s on the edge of darkness, man.”

  “What happened yesterday?” Blake asked.

  “He tried to strangle her,” Basil replied. “If I hadn’t been there to pull him off her, he might have killed her right then. You and I both know Teddy can handle herself, but when it comes to Lance, all her defenses are down. She feels guilty about what happened to Kennedy and she blames herself for everything. That’s why she puts up with Lance’s outbreaks. She feels responsible for ruining his marriage. Anyway, with her defenses down and her guilt heightened, it’s hard to get across to her that he is more of a threat to her than the Velvet Mafia.

  “Listen, Blake, my plane is going to be boarding soon and I’ll be in Chicago. Lance is still in DC. He decided to go back to his own place for a while. But I know, eventually, he is going back to the safe house. He doesn’t care about the conspiracy anymore; he wants revenge.”

  “Okay,” Blake replied. “I’ll take care of it and thanks for letting me know. But you should know that Teddy hasn’t said anything to me about it.”

  “She wouldn’t, Blake. In her mind, it’s her fault and the last thing she would want to happen is to have someone else she cared about hurt because of what she feels is her fault. We only have a few more weeks before this is all over and we have to make sure we keep her alive. I trust you, Blake. Take care of Teddy, man. Listen, I have to run because the gate is about to close. I’ll see you in Chicago at the press conference in a couple of weeks.”

  With the safe house empty, Teddy could finally mourn the loss of her lover and with every sound of the second-hand ticking, she was sinking. She had been down this road once before, and the pain and the guilt were overwhelming. She knew she needed help, and that if she didn’t get help soon, then guilt, grief, and despair would take her out and she would be no good to anyone. She sat in a corner on the kitchen floor, rocking back and forth, tears rolling down her face like water needing a waterfall. The pain was taking over and she was back to questioning God again.

  Please, please, Lord. Help me! Look what I’ve done. I’ve caused so much pain, and now Kennedy is dead and it’s all my fault. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t have the strength. It hurts so bad. Oh, God, it hurts so bad.

  Bending over her knees, all she could do was wrap her arms around her stomach as if she were having a violent physical reaction to something.

  If you love me like everyone says you do, why do you take away everyone I love? Why do they have to suffer because of me? That’s not love. That’s selfishness. Kennedy didn’t need to die. She was innocent. And to have her found on the day of Isabella’s death is simply cruel! If it was me you wanted, why didn’t you just take me? Answer me, damn it! Answer me.

  In a furious rage, all Teddy could do was scream. “I —”

  Right before she finished her statement, she found the inner strength not to say what her heart was feeling. She was definitely angry, hurt, and disappointed and
she needed to blame somebody, but she knew she had gone too far.

  I’m sorry, Lord. Please forgive me. It was my raw emotion speaking. You must know that I don’t hate you. I love you and I am sorry. I just don’t understand why you would let all this happen. Please, Lord, forgive me. Please, Lord, don’t leave me.

  Completely spent, Teddy curled up in the corner of her kitchen floor.

  By the time she awoke, evening had not only arrived but settled in. The house was pitch-dark; the only illumination was from the streetlight through the kitchen window. She couldn’t believe she had fallen asleep on the kitchen floor and been there for most of the day. But, though she was stiff, sore, and hungry, she was at peace, and no longer angry or remorseful. Inside, she knew that Kennedy’s pain was over and she was, in fact, in a better place.

  It was as if, while she had slept, she had gone on a remarkable journey and when she awoke, she found comfort in knowing God had called Kennedy home. As a result, she was no longer mad at Him. Instead, she was at a place of acceptance. She understood that her suffering was inconsequential to God’s plan and His intended purpose.

  “Thank you, Lord,” she said as she stood up and headed to her room.

  Sitting in the tub was just what Teddy needed. The house was quiet and the only thing moving, other than the bubbles in the tub and the waves in the water, were the rustling leaves in the tree outside her bathroom window. Before long, she would be asleep again.

  “Wake up, Teddy!” a voice said. “I forgive you, Teddy. Now get up and forgive yourself.”

  Suddenly, water was gushing down her throat. As Teddy struggled to get her bearing and catch her breath, she scanned the room, looking for the person who’d warned her. Based on the amount of time it took her to get her breath, she knew she’d been totally submerged and had it not been for the voice, she would not be alive.

  As she climbed out of the tub, she couldn’t help but laugh. She knew exactly what it was that God was telling her and He had made it literal enough for her to understand. He wanted her to move on and not get weighed down in the guilt. But first, she had to get up before she drowned. Even in a time of great sorrow, Teddy could see that God had a sense of humor.

  Finally in bed, Teddy still couldn’t get over the fact that she had almost drowned in her own bathtub and that God had saved her. She was so grateful and at the same time, tickled at His methods. He definitely knew how to get His message across.

  Awakened by the phone, Teddy reached for it, assuming it was Lauren.

  “Hey, girl,” she said as she turned over on her pillow, trying to get comfortable. “I’m so glad you called. I have so much to tell you.”

  “Teddy, is that you?”

  Not expecting to hear a male voice, Teddy now sat completely up. “Yes, this is Teddy. Who is this?”

  “I just talked to you on Thursday and now you don’t recognize my voice. I’m heartbroken.”

  “Oh, Blake, I’m sorry,” she said as she fell back on the bed. “I was expecting someone else.”

  “Yes, I can see. Well, I hope my call is not a disappointment.”

  “Of course not. Why would it be?”

  “Well, let’s just say that you don’t seem as enthused to talk to me as you did your friend Lauren.”

  “Well, Mr. Jones, I think you are reading too much into things. You have a habit of doing that, don’t you?”

  “I do?” Blake asked, surprised.

  “Yes, you do,” Teddy said. “For example, when we first met and you asked me if I flew and I said no but I wanted to do it someday, you assumed I had a bucket list and made it a point to share with me that you had one, too.”

  “Oh, yeah, I remember. That was the first time you shut the door on me.”

  “And knowing you the way I do, Mr. Jones, it will not be the last time either.” Teddy laughed.

  “Aw, come on, Agent Alexander,” Blake replied. “Why are you so mean to me?”

  “Mean to you?” Teddy said, still laughing. “If you think this is mean … well, you might as well throw in the towel.”

  “I don’t give up that easily, Ms. Alexander. You should know that by now.”

  “I wouldn’t expect that you would.”

  “You just like to spar with me, don’t you?”

  “Well, actually, I think I do. There is something about you that says to me, ‘Spar with Blake.’”

  It was as if their world were suddenly simple and before they knew it, they were talking on the phone for hours. Surprisingly, Teddy found it easy to share with him her feelings about Kennedy and the fact she felt that her death was her fault. She also felt comfortable talking with him about her feelings and her relationship with God. She even told him about her bathtub incident and how God had spoken to her. When she laughed, he laughed and when she spoke, he listened. Then, when it was his turn, he shared everything he could about his life — everything except for the truth.

  After hanging up, Blake returned Charlie’s call. Charlie had rung twice while he’d been on the phone with Teddy, but he just hadn’t been able to pull himself away long enough to take another call.

  “Hey, Charlie,” Blake said.

  “Hey, son. I’ve been trying to reach you,” Charlie said. “What time is it and why didn’t you answer the phone?”

  “It’s Sunday morning and I was talking to Teddy.”

  “Uh-huh,” Charlie said. “Well, listen, I have been meaning to call you to let you know —”

  “Charlie, we have got to make the safe house safer. Teddy is very vulnerable right now, and I’m afraid that if we don’t do something soon, she could be in real danger.”

  Charlie listened as Blake told him about Kennedy and what Basil had told him about Lance attacking Teddy.

  “Listen, son, I have been trying to tell you that I finished securing the safe house. That’s why you couldn’t get in touch with me. I have cameras everywhere, watching anything and everything moving in and around the house.”

  “Well, why didn’t you say something?”

  “I tried, but you didn’t give me a chance,” Charlie said. “I’m worried about you, Blake. You need to slow your roll. Teddy is a seasoned agent of the law and eventually — between her skills, her woman’s intuition, and God — she is going to pull things together. So don’t worry about her because she can handle herself. I’m serious, Blake. You have to let it go before someone gets hurt.”

  “All right, Charlie. I hear you loud and clear.” Blake knew Charlie was right. Teddy could handle herself. But it still didn’t change the fact that he felt a need to protect her.

  Charlie went on. “Now, listen: the moment Lance comes around, I will have everything on camera and if anything happens that she can’t handle, I will jump in. But the key for you to know is that she has to handle it herself or else our cover is blown. The last thing Teddy needs to know is that you’ve been working behind her back with a federal agent. Now, on another note, when did you start falling in love with her and does she know how you feel?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, old man.” Blake sounded amused at the thought.

  “Yes, you do, son,” Charlie said. “And it’s okay if you don’t want to share what you’re feeling. In fact, I would prefer that you don’t share your feelings right now anyway. It will only complicate things. We’re too close and I don’t want to see you or Teddy make a mistake you might regret simply because your head wasn’t in the game. When this is all over, you’ll have all the time you need to tell her how you feel. Until then, this is a direct order: stand down.

  “Oh, yeah, one last thing. I know you didn’t ask, but I’m going to say it anyway. She’s a fine young lady, and I think that if it were to work, you two would make a great couple. But you must never use her past against her. If you’re uncomfortable with the fact that she has spent her entire life loving women, then you should leave her alone. But if you can love her without trying to change her or judge her, then you have my blessing.”

&nb
sp; “Okay, pops,” Blake said, surprised Charlie had come on so strong. “I hear you loud and clear.”

  Teddy was awakened early by the phone ringing and this time, she looked at the number before she answered. She’d had enough surprises.

  “Good morning, pumpkin,” Lauren said. “How you doing?”

  “Great, now that I am talking to you,” Teddy said, stretching as the sound of sleep still resonated in her voice. “I have so much to tell you. So much has happened.”

  “Well, I’m all ears, so start talking.”

  Lauren and Teddy talked for hours, and they both had plenty to talk about, from the Black Eyed Peas concert to Kennedy’s death, from Teddy’s indiscretion with God to Blake. For this precious time, they were two close friends sharing emotions and secrets, grateful they had each other in their lives.

  “Hey, Lauren, there is one other thing I need to talk to you about before you go.”

  “What’s that?” Lauren asked.

  “I have to make an emergency trip to Chicago and I would like for you to meet me at the house. Can you meet me there in the morning?”

  “Sure,” Lauren said, “but it has to be early because we have the concert tomorrow night and I have a lot to do to get ready. Are you coming to the concert?”

  “I wish I could, sweetie, but it’s a short trip,” Teddy replied.

  “Okay,” Lauren said, somewhat disappointed. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  After saying good-bye, Teddy had to figure out how to get to Chicago and back to Beaver Park in one day without too much fanfare and she knew the only person who could make that happen for her was Blake. She also knew him well enough to know that if she didn’t bring up why she had to go to Chicago, he wouldn’t ask. That was just the kind of man he was.

  But before she called him, she had to get everything packaged for the trip. Basil had been clear when he had initiated the necessary precautions. Once Teddy and Basil realized that Isabella and Lance had developed a secret way to protect their work, she and Basil decided to do the same thing. They knew early on that they had to protect everything they were doing. So, for every discovery made, they had developed a secondary set of doctored research documents and placed them in the safe at the safe house. That way, if the material and the antidote fell into the wrong hands, they could not be used or replicated. And as much as she didn’t want to believe it, she had agreed with Basil’s assessment. With Kennedy dead, Lance couldn’t be trusted.