by R. B. Conroy
Alex was a good friend, but Hawk was somewhat a friend of Louie’s also. He wanted to stay out of this if at all possible so, he stayed non-committal. “Is that right?”
“Yes, and last evening I was followed closely by a black SUV when I left the gym. The driver ended up ramming me in the rear when I exited to go home. It wasn’t the same vehicle that has been shadowing me; I think they may have brought in the CIA or something this time.”
Louie had seen Hawk several times around Rush Street in a large black SUV. And one evening over a drink, he had told Louie that the office in Chicago housed several such vehicles. Louie felt this was pretty much public knowledge and he felt he could tell Alex without betraying a trust. “I’ve seen Hawk around in a black SUV.”
“Hmmm….is that right?”
“Yeah, a couple of times. The FBI provides them to their agents.”
“That helps. It probably was this Hawk fellow and his friend again.”
“Be careful, Alex.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, Hawk is the best. He’s nobody to mess with.”
Neither am I. Alex thought. “Thanks for the tip, buddy. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Stay safe.”
Chapter 23
Louie poked nervously at the colorful screen once again. He squinted menacingly at the machine as an automated voice scolded him, “Please make another selection, the icon you selected is incorrect.” His frustration growing, Louie poked the screen again—this time with his knuckle. The annoying voice once again scolded him, “Please make another selection, the icon you selected is incorrect.” Beads of perspiration appeared on Louie’s forehead. Fist doubled, he fainted a punch at the obnoxious machine. Becoming more and more aggravated, he felt a sudden tap on his shoulder.
“Can I help you, Mr. Campano?”
“Oh…uh hi, Julie,” a red-faced Louie replied. “I’m trying to print some pictures from my cell phone.”
The slender girl stepped in front of Louie. “I know, Mr. Campano.”
Louie grinned sheepishly. It was the same every time he came in—one of the girls at the CVS ended up helping him download and print his pictures.
“You should ask one of us to help you. This thing can be tricky.”
Louie smiled as the young lady rapidly navigated through several screens.
“Six by four again?”
“Yeah.”
“Doubles again?”
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“There you go, Mr. Campano. Just call for me if you need anything else.”
Louie watched as the colorful pictures started sliding into the opening at the bottom of the tall machine.
“She makes it look so easy,” he mumbled.
A few minutes later, he gathered up the stack of pictures and stuffed them in the gold envelope with red lettering that Julie had left for him and started for the check-out line.
“That will be $12.95.”
Louie slid out a ten and three singles from his money clip and handed them to the checkout girl.
She waited for the receipt to print, took a nickel from the drawer and handed them both to Louie. “Thank you, Mr. Campano and have a nice day.”
“You too, Julie,” Louie said softly as he turned and pushed through the nearby doors and ambled toward his dirty pick-up.
Once inside the truck’s smallish cabin, he opened the envelope and balanced the pictures between his belly and the center bar on the stirring wheel. He flipped through the pictures quickly, laughing and shaking his head at some of the scenes. Suddenly, his eyes went wide. He grabbed one of the pictures tight and pulled it closer for a better look. He quickly tossed the others on the passenger seat and sat up, staring at the shocking image. He suddenly looked away and glanced out the driver’s side window as if taking a much needed break.
“On my mother’s grave!” he muttered as he went back to the vivid picture. It was one he had taken at the recent party at Tommy the Greek’s condo on Rush Street. It was a perfect picture of Ben Ramsey, President Moretti’s Chief of Staff, leaning over a well-lighted glass table with a small straw stuck in his nose and reaching toward a narrow line of a white substance. A sexy lady in an evening gown, with her ample breasts protruding, was laughing and leaning over the other side of the table with a straw in hand awaiting her turn. There was no doubt about it—Louie had captured one of the most powerful men in the world in the act of snorting coke.
Feeling warm and starting to perspire, Louie thought back to that evening. After relieving himself, he had stood in the shadows of the darkened entryway to the bathroom. With a drink in one hand and his cell phone in the other, he had taken several rapid fire pictures of the chaotic room—a nervous habit of his when he felt bored or alone. He didn’t remember taking any of Ramsey. He was stunned as he scanned the damning image. There was an unwritten code among all the big-shot party goers on the windy city’s North Side—just like in Vegas, “What happens at Tommy’s, stays at Tommy’s!”
Aside from Tommy’s hired “hostesses”, many of the party goers were married men or women looking for a quick lay. But regardless of their motivation, they all assumed the others would obey Tommy’s motto. The sight of the President of the United States’ right hand man snorting coke with a sexy lady in a posh condo on Chicago’s North Side would be a story of enormous proportion. All hell would break loose and a media firestorm would ensue. Every tabloid journalist in the country would be licking his chops at his or her opportunity to gain new insights into the juicy story.
Frightened by the possible enormity of the situation, Louie felt it was imperative for him to get rid of the photos. Although he was no lover of Ben Ramsey, he grew up with the President and was a trusted member of the Rush Street night scene. He knew what he had to do—he would hurry home and cut the radioactive photos into a thousand pieces and flush them down the toilet, never to be seen again by human eyes.
Placing the photos on the dash, he quickly scanned the remaining photos looking for other possible explosive scenes involving the charismatic Chief of Staff. Finding several, and with his hands shaking, he stuffed the pictures back into the envelope and turned the ignition key starting the truck. The engine revved loudly as he pulled out of the busy parking lot and gunned it down Harlem Avenue toward home.
Chapter 24
“How’s the weather in Scottsdale, honey?”
“It’s hotter than Hades out here!”
“Sorry to hear that. How are your meetings going?”
“Boring as usual, but at least I’ve played some good golf courses while I’ve been out here. We’re going to play a course at Desert Mountain early tomorrow morning before the heat suffocates us. Then our last meeting is in the afternoon. I will be flying out at 11:30 A.M. the next day.”
“Miss you.”
“Same here, pumpkin. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”
“Okay.” Lisa cringed, she hated the name “pumpkin”.
“Bye, Edward.”
“Bye.”
The light ahead turned green. The expensive gold bracelet slid down her slender arm as she reached for the turn signal and turned right off Meridian Street onto Market. Lisa Carl was on her way to her part-time job as a secretary-receptionist at a health spa. She had left for work early so she could make a stop downtown and talk with her investment broker. Guiding her Mercedes Roadster off North Meridian onto Market Street, she pulled into an open parking place.
“Lucky me,” she murmured. She filled the parking meter with dimes and hurried around the front of the building to the entrance.
Lisa was a wealthy woman and enjoyed a great deal of status in her hometown of Indianapolis. Well educated, and with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia, Lisa had never had a real job. Fortunately for her, she had married Edward Carl, owner of a local software company, right out of college. Edward Carl was twenty years her senior and one of the wealthiest men in Indianapolis. His hefty income was more than enou
gh to support Lisa in a fashion she never dreamed possible while growing up in a working class neighborhood on the city’s Southside.
Attractive and likeable, she had used her husband’s great wealth and notoriety, along with her involvement in many charitable and civic events, to become somewhat of a celebrity in the Midwest metropolis. A physical fitness addict, she had a firm and shapely figure along with striking good looks. Able to afford expensive clothes and fine jewelry, she was always dressed in the latest fashions. Lisa was the secret crush of many a man in the fast-paced business world of the dynamic state capital, but the achievement of which she was most proud was her invitation to join the Board of Directors for Midwest Consolidated Bank a few years earlier. To be on the board of the giant conglomerate was a wonderful achievement for a non-career woman who worked part-time at a health spa. Many, in the local business establishment, were shocked when the appointment was announced in the Indianapolis Star two years ago, wondering how a person of such limited achievement could be given such responsibility. As for her part, she jumped at the opportunity, and by most accounts, had become a competent and thoughtful member of the board.
She waited for an opening and then ducked inside the fast-moving revolving door and hurried inside the busy office. Claudia, the receptionist, smiled at her, and then stared openly at Lisa’s short tight skirt and see-through silk blouse, which was all the more revealing because with Edward out of town, Lisa had chosen to go braless. Finally, looking away from Lisa’s barely covered chest area, the stunned receptionists muttered, “Oh hi Lisa, how are you today?”
Unabashed and smiling broadly, Lisa replied. “Fine, thank you.”
“Are you here to see Mr. Taglioni?”
“Yes, and he is expecting me.”
The red-faced receptionist pushed the direct line to her boss. “Mr. Taglioni, Lisa Carl is here to see you.”
“Send her right in.”
Lisa quickly lifted a small mirror from her purse, fluffed her blond hair and checked out her make-up. Apparently satisfied, she stuck the mirror back in her purse and smiled at Claudia.
“It’s okay, Lisa.” The secretary pointed toward Vito’s office.
“Thank you.”
Vito was fumbling nervously through one of the many stacks of papers on his desk when Lisa walked in. His eyes grew wide; he gawked at her unfettered breasts as they bounced under her transparent blouse.
“Why…uh hello Lisa. How are you?”
She reached her hand forward, “Just fine thank you. So good to see you again, Vito.”
Vito straightened his tie and laid his reading glasses on the desk top. He took her outstretched hand and cupped it firmly between both of his, extending the greeting for as long as possible. He attempted to look at her face, but his eyes kept wandering down to the extraordinary scene below. He looked at the back of the room to be sure the door to his office was closed. “Th…thank you for stopping by,” he said awkwardly.
“Oh, no problem. I don’t have to be at work for an hour, so we have plenty of time to talk or whatever.”
She arched her back and lowered her firm backside slowly to the edge of the leather chair. Lisa felt naughty and a little guilty. She wasn’t sure why she became such a vamp whenever Edward was out of town, but it always seemed to happen. Oh well, theirs was a marriage of convenience anyway. They weren’t very close; she gave the old man a trophy wife to show off to his friends and he gave her all the security and material things she would ever want. On top of that, she had learned, just a few days earlier, that Vito was the one who had convinced Barnes O’Brien to add her to the Midwest board. She was hoping that her meeting with the handsome Vito would allow her the opportunity to show her appreciation. There had always been an animalistic energy between her and the charismatic securities dealer.
Vito turned his back slightly and took a quick shot of breath spray. He hurriedly jammed the small canister back in his pant pocket and smiled. “You look lovely today, Lisa.”
“Thank you.”
“And how is Edward?”
“Oh he’s fine. He’s out in Arizona right now.” She crossed her legs very slowly giving the very attentive Vito a great view of her upper thigh area in the process. You naughty girl! she thought.
“Oh…uh well…uh, that’s good.” Vito was trying desperately to compose himself. To have a beautiful, successful woman like Lisa walk into his office in an outfit like that, was a dream come true for a man like Vito. His fantasies were running wild.
“What can I do for you, Vito?’ she smiled flirtatiously.
“Well, Barnes…uh wanted me to talk to you about the bailout situation at Midwest Consolidated. Being Chairman of the Board, he didn’t feel it was appropriate for him to talk to you.”
Lisa glanced down; the cool air-conditioning in Vito’s office had caused two protrusions to pop out on the front of her blouse. She looked over at Vito and smiled. He was literally shaking in his boots. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the ever improving vision in front of him.
Lisa arched her back a little more. “I haven’t quite decided yet—I may need a little more convincing.” In reality, Lisa had studied Alex’s proposition carefully to repay the TARP money and had decided to support him. But her sexual energy was on high alert and she didn’t want this moment to end. A little white lie wouldn’t hurt at a time like this.
Responding to the tease from the seductive beauty, a thrilled Vito ambled over and locked the door to the office. Returning to his desk, he flipped on the inter-com. “Claudia, we are discussing an important project. I don’t want to be disturbed.”
“I understand, Mr.Taglioni.”
Inside the office, Lisa spoke softly, “Do you have a copy of the proposal I can review?” The rich board member batted her eyes.
This was a play to get next to Vito and he loved it. “I believe so,” he replied. Growing more and more excited, his eyes darted back and forth from her thigh-high skirt to her see-through blouse. He fumbled clumsily for a file—any file. He slid one off a nearby pile and scanned the label. It read: “Miller Trucking Company.” “Yes, yes. Here it is. The bailout file.”
“Can I come around and take a look at it?” Not waiting for an answer, the shapely vixen once again unwound her legs, sinuously giving Vito an even better view this time. Then she slowly stood and gyrated around Vito’s desk, forcing her excited breasts firmly against his shaking shoulder.
“This must be hard for you,” she murmured.
“Yes I am hard…uh,,,uh I mean, yes it’s really hard filling in for a man like……” Breathing heavily, he failed to finish the sentence.
She smiled and rubbed the back of his head, running her fingers back and forth through his curly hair. Without missing a beat, she carefully slid her hand across his shoulder toward his chest.
Vito was completely helpless—he didn’t move.
Then, she loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top buttons on his shirt, gently sliding her hand under his shirt and caressing his chest. “You have such beautiful pecks!”
“Momma Mia!” Vito moaned as he suddenly jumped to his feet and swiped his desk clean with a wild swing of his arm. File folders, supplies and an empty coffee mug went crashing to the floor. He turned and grabbed Lisa by the waist, gently lifting her and laying her on the desk. His hand shaking, he slowly unbuttoned her delicate blouse exposing the partially hidden treasures he had been ogling for the past several minutes. He quickly kicked his shoes off, slid off his trousers and jumped aboard. Bare legs and groping hands were soon flying in every direction as the two lovers wrestled frantically on the oversized desktop.
………
Outside, the straight-laced Claudia suddenly stopped what she was doing and listened intently at the moaning and groaning now coming from Vito’s office.
“You animal!” Lisa shouted.
Realizing that Vito and Lisa’s business meeting had evolved into something much different, she quickly leaned down and turned up the music on th
e inter-office sound system. The increase in volume caught the attention of some of the clerk typists. They paused and looked over at the slightly embarrassed receptionist as Olivia Newton John belted out her famous line, “Let me hear your body talk, body talk!” on the blaring speakers. Muffled laughter filled the room as Claudia tried desperately to ignore the growing chorus of groans and exclamations coming from inside Vito’s office. Finally, in desperation, she put her hands over her ears and sat motionless, staring down at her desk.
………
Straightening his tie, Vito could hear Lisa grumbling in his poorly lighted bathroom. A short time later, she emerged. Several strands of her rather long, blond hair were shooting straight out from the back of her head. Her mascara was slightly eschew and her lipstick was pushed high on the right side giving her mouth a quivering look.
“Vito dear, you may want to invest in some better lighting for that bathroom!”
“Sorry, I guess I never really noticed.”
She frowned. “I must be going. I have a couple of more errands to run.”
“Oh…uh Lisa, I hate to bring this up at a time like this—it seems kind of inappropriate.” Vito struggled to say the words, “But it’s about the TARP money.”
“What about it?”
“Well…uh have you made up your mind now?”
She shrugged, “My, how delicate of you,” Does he really think I would make my decision based on what had just taken place?” Lisa was feeling guilty and embarrassed. Flirtatious and sexy by nature, this was the first time she had ever done such an outrageous thing in her life. Oh, she’d had her share of trysts along the way, but never on a man’s desk in a crowded office in the middle of the day. And to top it all off, the ever sophomoric Vito was now asking her if their shallow, juvenile act of a few moments earlier had somehow influenced her vote on one of the most important issues to ever confront Midwest Consolidated Bank.
