Velvet Mafia
Page 42
“I know, Reverend,” she said, placing her hand on top of his. “But it wasn’t time. I wasn’t in a good place and the work hadn’t been done. But now, things are different. I’m healed, saved, and well equipped to take this thing as far as it needs to go.”
Both Blake and Wiley hung on to her words as if they had been hypnotized. Teddy had a sense of confidence about her that was unwavering. It was as if she knew they were at the end of their journey and she was ready for the outcome, even if it meant she too would become collateral damage.
Blake remained silent. He understood where Teddy was coming from. She had done the work she needed to do and in doing so, realized the work was much bigger than just exposing the conspiracy. She’d had to work on herself to be fully engaged in what she had come to believe was her life’s mission. By her letting them know where she stood, both men also knew that if they hadn’t already turned their lives over to God, they had better. The road map that led to the end of this journey was laden with death and if they were going to take the journey together, they needed to get their affairs in order.
Wiley spoke first. “So what is it you want me to do?”
“That’s simple,” she said. “I want you to go to the airwaves. I want you to make sure this story stays front and center. Are you familiar with the DaKira Papers?”
“Why, yes, I am,” Wiley said. “Who isn’t?”
“Well, one of the architects of those papers is going to work closely with you. He will help you shape your position. Eventually you will hold a press conference and will cite the DaKira Papers as the reason why there needs to be a federal investigation.”
Wiley said, “You know, Teddy, people will think I have finally lost my mind, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. At first they will think what they always do: that you are just looking for attention and this is a marketing campaign of some sort. However, there will be others who will know what you have to say is true and will think that, not only do you know something, but more importantly, you have access to the antidote.”
“What antidote?” Wiley said.
“We have developed an antidote that will not only reverse the disease, but also prevent it from mutating.”
“Who is we?” Wiley asked, now looking in Blake’s direction. “And did I hear you correctly? Did you say you have a cure for AIDS — or whatever you are calling it?”
“Yes, Reverend, you heard me correctly,” Teddy said. “I have a team that has spent the last several months developing and testing the antidote,” she said. “And you should know it’s 100 percent effective. You should also know that time is running out. We have to force this issue because the weapon is rapidly changing and we need you to get that message out.”
“So, Blake,” Wiley said, “what is your connection to all this?”
“Well, sir,” he said, “Teddy and I were brought together by Isabella. I met Dr. Cardosa and a colleague of hers a few weeks before she was murdered. Apparently she had found out that a project she had worked on was, in fact, AIDS. So, before she died, she left behind instructions for Teddy to contact me and she did. When Teddy and I finally met, I shared with her that I had a friend who was murdered because of things he witnessed and knew. And I believed that the people responsible for his death also killed Dr. Cardosa. I also explained to her that I had a vested interest in what she is doing, and my access to people and places, as well as my financial resources, could help her.”
“So, Teddy,” Wiley asked, “do you believe these are the same men who killed Whitherspoon and the others?”
“Yes!”
“Well, who are they?”
“They go by the name of the Velvet Mafia.”
“So why hasn’t there been any press on these guys?” Wiley asked.
“Because they are protected by the Illuminati and they appear to have their minions everywhere. The only way we can breach their veil of silence is to break this case wide open, and I believe that once you start talking, they will make their move. But first, they have to get the antidote and the formula used to create the antidote. Then, once they have them, they will come after everyone they believe has information that can tie them to the conspiracy.”
“So that means they will try to kill me, too,” Wiley said.
“No,” Teddy said. “I don’t think they can afford to harm you, because if they do, it will suggest that what you were saying had merit. It would bring too much attention to AIDS and if you have noticed, since it’s been categorized as a chronic disease, it doesn’t get too much attention these days. No, they will wait and then, at the right moment, they will go after your credibility and publicly try to ruin you.”
“Well, so much for their originality.” Wiley laughed, the laugh of a giant.
“I promise, Reverend, that no harm will come to you or your family if my plan works.”
“Trust me,” he said. “I’m not worried. So what’s your plan?”
“It’s simple: heal infected people with the antidote and let the science do the talking. The science will prove that the disease was manufactured. Once proven, the other pieces will make more sense and this whole conspiracy thing will be plausible in the minds of many, especially as more and more people become angry about the fact that the death and mayhem brought on by the weapon was because people wanted to get rid of the world’s so-called undesirables.”
“Well, Teddy I must say you have done it this time. Whatever you want me to do, I will do it.”
“I know, Rev, and that’s why I love you. Right now, all I want you to do is read the DaKira Papers and think about what I have shared with you so that you can be proficient when the media begins to ask you questions. My colleague, Dr. Basil Rhodes, the author of the DaKira Papers, will need complete access to you because he will be your coach. He’s in Chicago now and once I let him know that you’ve been briefed, he’ll contact you. You should also know that he and another colleague of mine have created the antidote and the world will owe them a great deal of gratitude when this is all over. Anyway, once you are proficient with the material, I will contact you with our next steps.”
Before Wiley could respond, he was interrupted by his chief of staff.
“Reverend,” the man said, “sorry to interrupt, but you have a 6:30 flight and it’s 4:30.”
“Okay, thank you,” Wiley said to the man as he shut the door and left the office. “Listen, I’m sorry I have to cut this meeting short. Can we pick up where we left off later tomorrow?”
“I wish we could, Rev,” Teddy said, “but I have a meeting in the morning and then I must get back to the East Coast. You have all the information you need right now.”
“Okay, Teddy,” he said. “Now, as for you, Blake, I’m glad you’re on her team.” The minister stood up from his desk to shake Blake’s hand. “Watch after her, you hear me? I don’t want any harm to come to her.”
“No problem, Rev. She’s in good company,” Blake said.
Chapter 20
AFTER THEIR MEETING with Wiley, Blake wanted to discuss their plans for the evening. He wanted the evening to be perfect, and he was trying to see if he could do anything to make it work the way he wanted it to. There were some sites he hoped they would be able to see after dinner; however, Teddy wasn’t giving up any of her control.
“Listen, Blake,” she said, “I’ll meet you at your hotel around 8:00 PM. From there we’ll go to dinner, and after dinner, I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh,” Blake said with a smile. “Do I need to dress in any particular style?”
“I’ll leave that up to you,” she said, “but you will need a jacket for dinner. After that, you’ll just need your imagination and your ability to envision what fun looks like with me as your date.”
Blake caught himself before he put his foot in his mouth, as he could tell by Teddy’s expression that she was waiting for him to take the bait. It was a good thing he’d talked to Charlie because now the last thing he wanted to do was expose his vulnerabi
lity. Teddy had him wrapped around her finger, but he refused to let her see he was completely taken by her. Not yet, at least.
“Imagine what fun looks like with you as my date?” he said. “Oh, you got jokes. If it is anything like our flight up here, then there’s a great possibility it will start out rocky.”
Blake’s comment was not what Teddy had expected. She couldn’t believe he had brought up what had happened, especially after she’d apologized. “Under any other circumstance, Mr. Jones,” Teddy said, “I might be offended by the fact that you obviously didn’t take my apology this morning seriously. Because if you had, you wouldn’t have reminded me of my indiscretion.”
“Well, that’s a matter of opinion,” Blake said. “Maybe, just maybe, you think too much of yourself. And as a result, you cannot recognize a joke when you hear it.”
“Whatever.” She turned away. “Anyway, I will pick you up at your hotel at 8:00 PM.”
Before Blake could have the last word, Teddy jumped in her car and headed south, leaving him standing out front of the headquarters of People’s United, waiting on his taxi.
By the time Blake made it back to his hotel, he had about four hours before he had to get ready. Since he had only brought one change of clothes, it wasn’t as if he had to make any major decisions about what he was going to wear. After all, it wasn’t as if she were taking him to a black-tie event. In the meantime, he decided to go to the workout room and take a swim. Since Teddy had a way of getting up under his skin, and vice versa, he wanted to make sure he was completely stress free, and a good workout would guarantee the outcome he needed.
By the time Teddy reached her family home, she still had one more thing to do before she could rest. There was no doubt Blake had again, upset her, but what troubled her the most was why she allowed him to do it. She couldn’t figure out what it was about him that made her feel the way she did. Moreover, she didn’t understand why she had any feelings for him in the first place, considering the fact she was gay.
Just then, Teddy’s landline rang.
“Hello. May I speak to Ms. Alexander?” the caller said. “Ms. Teddy Alexander?”
“Yes, this is Teddy Alexander. Who might this be?”
“This is the United Center Ticket Agent 2567. I am calling to let you know that Lauren Jordan has left you two tickets for tonight’s concert and they will be waiting for you when you arrive. Please come to the southwest side, Door 7, and the ticket booth will be the first thing you see. Also, since these are VIP seats, please make sure you bring identification with you.”
“Great, thank you,” Teddy said. “What time do I need to pick them up?”
“You can pick them up any time or if you would like, we can have our concierge services deliver them to you,” the ticket agent said.
“Wonderful!” Teddy said. “Why don’t you just deliver them to me? It will save me a lot of time.”
“No problem, Ms. Alexander. Just remember to show your identification to the driver. Also, since this is a specialized service, we do accept tips. The standard tip for this type of service is twenty-five dollars.”
“Gotcha,” Teddy said. “About how long will it be before the driver is here?”
“Once you give me your address, I can send a driver out immediately.”
Teddy couldn’t have asked for anything better. She had now added more time to her schedule by having the concierge service deliver the tickets. With dinner at 8:30 and the concert at 11:00, she’d known that if she had to pick up the tickets before she picked Blake up, she would be cutting it close. And the last thing she wanted to do was pick him up late.
As Teddy entered the hotel lobby, she could feel all eyes upon her.
“Good evening,” said one male admirer as she passed by. Another simply smiled. Casually acknowledging their gestures, she continued through the lobby. Although she was used to the attention, she wasn’t comfortable with it. By the time Teddy reached the desk, there was Blake waiting for her and without even thinking, she greeted him with a kiss on his cheek. She couldn’t believe how beautiful he looked. In fact, he looked like royalty, the epitome of both style and grace.
“Hey, Blake,” Teddy said with excitement. “You look great and you smell good, too. All this for me?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “All this is for you.” He smiled, even as he tried to hide the true meaning behind his response.
“I love the ensemble,” she said. “I would never have imagined that olive and caramel would look so good and so natural together. On top of that, you coordinated your jacket, belt, and shoes as accent pieces. So, tell me: did you really put this together or did one of your servants do it for you?”
“Come on now, Teddy,” Blake said. “By now you should know that I have my own personality. And I don’t need help dressing myself! My taste can be an acquired taste. I dress to please me and if I’m happy with the way I look, I’m sure that whoever is enjoying my company is happy, too. Look at you; you can’t take your eyes off me.”
Before Blake let his words settle in Teddy’s mind, he changed the subject and focused on her. She was breathtaking. “Now, let me look at you,” he said as he gently grabbed her hand and turned her around so he could get a panoramic view. “Unbelievable! In all my years, I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you, Ms. Alexander. And your dress is absolutely splendid. So I’d better apologize now.”
“Apologize?” Teddy said, trying to hold back a smile.
“It will be difficult for me to concentrate on my meal this evening because all I will want to do is look at you. There is something about you, Ms. Winifred Theodora that makes anyone in your presence want more, and I am afraid to admit that I, too, have fallen for whatever it is.”
For a brief moment, time stopped for Teddy. Blake had called her by her given name and she didn’t want to interrupt the sound of it playing over and over in her head.
“Stop it, Blake,” she said, as if she weren’t completely enamored with his compliment. “We have to go now or we’ll be late. I have reservations at this wonderful restaurant and I want us to be able to enjoy our meal before our next destination.”
Feeling the sudden awkwardness, Blake knew Teddy understood the intent behind his words and he now regretted he had let his intentions be known. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Charlie was right. This wasn’t the time.
“You know, Teddy,” Blake said, smiling as he opened the taxi door for her, “the worst thing that can happen when you are looking good, smelling good, and in good company is to find yourself eating bad food. So I hope this restaurant you’re taking me to will satisfy my palate. Because if it doesn’t —”
“Trust me, Blake,” she said before getting into the cab. “You will love the food.”
“Well, I’d better. I’m a man and I need to eat and I need to be able to taste what I am eating.”
“Shut up, Blake,” she replied, laughing as he tried to put on his best tough man swagger.
Blake and Teddy arrived at Carnivale and Teddy could see he loved his first impression. The ambiance and the service were impeccable and she knew this was exactly what he’d been hoping for.
“So,” she said, “have I disappointed you?”
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I love the décor in this place. How did you know I liked authentic Latin soul food? I hope the food is as good as the ambience. If so, guess what?”
“What?”
“We’ll be eating pizza.”
Within minutes Teddy and Blake had been seated and their waiter was taking their drink orders.
“So, what’s good here, Teddy?” Blake asked.
“Everything.”
“Well, if you’re that sure of yourself, why don’t you order my meal for me? I like everything, and I’m willing to experiment with my taste buds. But, remember: if you’re wrong, it’s pizza.”
“You’re on,” she said.
Soon the waiter was again at their table. “Are you ready to order, sir?” he s
aid.
“The lady will order for me.”
“Yes, of course,” the waiter said, smiling as he turned toward Teddy. “Do you know what you would like?”
Much to both men’s surprise, Teddy began to order their meal in Spanish. Her words were so clear that anyone listening could tell she had complete control of the language and culture. By the time she had finished, it was evident that both her fluency in the language and her beauty had resonated throughout the restaurant. It wasn’t often Blake felt insignificant in public, but this evening was different and he understood why. In his company was the most beautiful woman in the restaurant. And just like him, without pause or hesitation, everyone else wanted to be in her company, too.
As the evening progressed, Teddy lost track of time. They had shared cocktails, enjoyed a great meal, laughed, and even had a cup of espresso with the owner before she realized it was getting late and they had to move on to their next destination.
“I had a wonderful time, Teddy,” Blake said. “The restaurant, the meal, and the company far exceeded any of my expectations.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed our dinner, Blake. It was fun for me, too.”
“It was great, Teddy, and when you dropped your second language, it was as if the whole place caught fire. So much so that even the owner came out and had coffee with us!”
“Third language,” she said. “Don’t forget, I also speak Japanese. And as far as the owner goes, he wasn’t just interested in coffee.”
“What do you mean by that?” Blake said, now looking over in the owner’s direction.
“He only charged us for one meal: yours.”
“That figures,” Blake said. “What else did he say in his native tongue?”
“Me dijo que parecías ser digno de mí, pero, si aún no habías pedido mi mano en matrimonio, me lo ofrecería de inmediato”.
Amused by her charm and wit, all Blake could do was laugh. “Okay smart ass, in English, please.”
“He told me that you appeared to be worthy of me, but if you hadn’t yet asked for my hand in marriage, he would offer his to me immediately.”