Chapter Eleven
As Maya locks her apartment door, her phone vibrates with yet another text from Robbie. He keeps offering to pick her up, but she’s insisting on meeting him at the community center. She hates the idea of being followed and having FBI agents taking more pictures of them. She understands they’ll probably be inside the event, but prolonging their invasion of her privacy makes her feel a bit better.
Maya’s still torn about going to the event at all.
Tonight will be the first time she sees Robbie since John’s visit to her newsroom. If she’s being honest, that’s also part of why she doesn’t want to accept the ride; she’s a little nervous about being alone with Robbie.
Today’s date isn’t even really Robbie’s idea, it’s her editors. Chris Clark is joining Robbie for an afternoon of working in the soup kitchen and accepting clothing donations. The event’s taking place at a community center that Robbie’s responsible for funding; something Maya only found out when Robbie sent her an invitation for the event, after her editor had already assigned it to her. Of course, Chris beat Robbie to leaking the afternoon to the press. He wouldn’t be doing this if he couldn’t count on cameras documenting the entire ordeal.
For Robbie, like so many of his charitable efforts, today’s work and the entire community center aren’t about seeking credit or recognition. So, like most soup kitchens, Robbie’s church is the official sponsor. In this case, that means POTCH. The community center is decorated with their branding and poster, plus pamphlets lying all around, despite Robbie being the one actually responsible for most of the funding.
If Maya’s editor weren’t insisting, she probably wouldn’t have taken Robbie up on the invitation. She could have begged to swap assignments with one of her colleagues, but a part of her knows this meeting will have to happen, and she may as well get it over with. She still isn’t sure if she’s going to warn him about the investigation or try to learn more information that could help the FBI. Either way, the decision’s tearing her apart inside as she buttons up her coat and exits her building.
It’s only a few days past Halloween, still weeks away from Thanksgiving, but it feels like winter’s in the air. The chilly afternoon makes her regret wearing a dress, but she still has a desire to look nice for Robbie.
After less than a block of walking in her heels, Maya gives up on the walk and waits for a cab by the curb. Waiting for one to pull over, she considers turning around and going back inside. She has too many mixed emotions, today doesn’t feel right for facing Robbie.
Unfortunately, a taxi pulls up in front of her before she can turn around, forcing her to move forward with the plans. Opening the taxi’s door, Maya thinks bitterly that her editor better reimburse her for the cost of this ride. Even as they pull away from the curb, she’s still thinking about turning around and staying inside her warm apartment. After all, this isn’t even real journalism. To her, this is more of a photo-op and a puff piece for Chris. There’s no story she wants to write.
There’s also a rumor – no doubt leaked by Chris’s people – that he’ll be donating a large collection of suits to Robbie’s thrift store so that this afternoon isn’t a one-off charitable endeavor. It’s his attempt at helping the community. And Maya’s editor is playing right into his hand by insisting she report on it and write a small article for the paper. The exact kind of press Chris is looking for, and Robbie’s offering it to him so he can represent his investments. Everybody wins, except Maya and her readers.
As the cab merges back out into traffic, Maya tries to push the thoughts of Chris out of her mind. She needs to focus on Robbie before seeing him. She tries to remind herself that she’s never seen Robbie do anything suspicious and nothing he talks about worries her. If John hadn’t visited her, she never would have been suspicious. This is probably all just a big misunderstanding. Or worse, maybe Robbie’s being framed by a jealous rival. Someone like Gilbert Bell, a name she’s heard Robbie cursing a few times when he takes a phone call from work. Everyone’s always talking about how he’s the best and most respected in the business. Maybe someone’s jealousy finally pushed them over the edge and they’re willing to lie to the FBI?
But then again, what if it’s true? What if Robbie’s living a lie and the world’s falling for it?
While the taxi works its way through traffic, one realization worms its way into Maya’s head. What does she gain from warning Robbie? It’s a thought she can’t ignore for the rest of the cab ride.
Telling him about the investigation could upset him and result in a tantrum. Especially if she levels the accusation while he’s in the midst of helping the community.
What if his fund’s legitimate and the Ponzi scheme is a lie, but he thinks she believes it? What if it is true and he tries to blackmail or incriminate her to keep it quiet? Maya doesn’t fancy being the messenger he shoots.
There’s an alternative that’s much easier for her to fantasize about. If she doesn’t warn Robbie, she could spend the next few weeks or months trying to learn everything she can about him and whatever scam he’s running. It might be her civic duty to relay that information to the FBI, but the fantasies in her head focus far more on the wonders that information could do for her career.
Sitting in the taxi’s backseat, Maya can picture the front-page headlines with her name prominently featured beneath. Breaking a story like this would jumpstart her career. Right now, no one’s talking about one of Wall Street’s most respected fund managers being a fraud. But if it’s true, she could make it all anyone’s talking about. She would spend months talking about it on cable news and talk radio. Robbie could turn her into a celebrity. She tries to suppress a smile as the possibility of a book deal crosses her mind.
Or she could find out he is being framed. That would make almost as exciting of a story. A jealous rival tricking the FBI into investigating an opponent and smearing his immaculate reputation.
Both versions of the story are prime headline material. Maybe she could be saving Robbie by not telling him about the investigation and conducting her own quiet investigation to clear his name? What better gift could she give a man than clearing his name with the FBI while bringing down one of his rivals?
The fantasies comfort Maya as the cab pulls up to the community center. Telling Robbie creates chaos and anger, a scenario she can’t fully plan out. Not telling him turns her into either a hero or a celebrity, both of which would improve her career.
Maya’s not sure if she’ll tell the FBI anything, but her conscience is resting clearer as she convinces herself that not telling Robbie is for the greater good.
Walking through the community center’s foyer, Maya finds the decision a lot easier to make than she did back at her apartment.
She undoes her jacket and texts Robbie to let him know she’s here. Maya pulls her dress down to stretch out any wrinkles in it and increase her cleavage. She wants to look nice for Robbie and doesn’t want anything to raise his suspicions. She knows it’ll be easier to keep him calm if he’s distracted by looking at her.
Catching a reflection of herself in a window, Maya smiles. It’s a relief for her to return to old worries about her appearance with her mind now made up on whether or not to tell Robbie.
Appearing through one of the back doors, Robbie meets her in the foyer. Sure enough, Maya watches his jaw drop slightly as he approaches her before a smile spreads across his cheeks. She’s happy to feel his approval as his eyes run up and down her body. Maya returns his smile and slips the rest of the jacket off her shoulders.
“You look great,” Robbie says as he steps forward to kiss her cheek and wrap an arm around her back.
“I know,” Maya responds, trying to portray confidence to mask the jitters in her stomach.
She holds her jacket wrapped over her arms, hoping to mask her shaking hands. Cursing under her breath, she tries to will her nerves to steady. She reminds her body that she’s interviewed many criminals before, both guilty and innocently
accused. But it’s no use. She knows none of them have ever trusted her as much as Robbie does. The deceit is what’s making this so difficult. Her conscience doesn’t like it.
“How was your weekend away?” Maya asks in hopes of distracting him from looking at her while she tries to calm her nerves.
“Long,” Robbie sighs. “Teddy thinks I’m no longer committed to my spiritual journey. He’s serious about me rededicating myself to my success plan. Those classes can last for thirteen hours a day and there’s no good food or drink in sight once they finally let out. It’s nice to be back in a suit and satisfy my hunger.”
Robbie looks into the same window Maya was using and tightens his tie. She can tell he feels comfortable in his suit as he adjusts his cufflinks. Now that she thinks about it, she’s never seen him wear anything else.
“They don’t let you wear a suit?”
“It’s traditional to wear white robes while we’re on campus. It helps create a distinction from the outside world so we can focus on our spirit, not our appearance or ego. It also cuts away our outside status, so that our POTCH membership is all that matters.”
“Are you going to be back on the recruitment trail after your intense weekend?”
Robbie laughs the question off, but his lack of an answer doesn’t do anything to ease Maya’s concerns. He nudges her forward with his arm and they start walking back to the door he emerged from earlier.
As they enter the kitchen, he offers to hang her jacket up. Unable to think of a suitable excuse, Maya reluctantly gives up her shield.
Hoping to calm down, she grabs a glass of water off the counter. She takes a quick and holds it for only a few seconds before the shaking returns. She makes the quick decision to ditch the glass on a nearby counter, her nerves are too obvious with the waves spilling over the sides. She knows even a distracted Robbie would notice something is wrong.
Luckily for her, this is a very distracting afternoon for Robbie. He isn’t accustomed to having so much media around the community center. Chris certainly didn’t clear the leak with him beforehand. And now, he doesn’t know where Chris has disappeared to, leaving him to look all around the cafeteria for him while also ensuring everything’s running smoothly with his other volunteers.
If he can’t find Chris, he can’t achieve his main reason for being here in person today, more face time with him. While Maya must be here because her editor insists something newsworthy could happen, Robbie’s trying to close the deal on having the Clark family’s trust invested in his hedge fund. Plus, of course, he’s trying to feed and clothe those who are down on their luck and need some help.
As far as Maya’s concerned, she would much rather write her story on Robbie and the charity he’s bringing to his community. But, as always, her editor is insisting her work needs a political angle.
“What does the ‘C’ stand for anyway?” Maya asks as they walk along behind the line of volunteers serving food at the front of the kitchen. The more Robbie has on his mind the less likely he is to notice her anxiety.
“The ‘C’?” Robbie asks, clearly only half-listening to her.
“The ‘C’ in POTCH. You told me it stands for the Power of Thinking and Hard work but none of those words have the letter ‘c’ in them. And don’t make any jokes about it standing for Captain Ahab.”
“I don’t even know who Captain Ahab is, remember?” Robbie chuckles.
Maya’s starting to notice he laughs a lot when POTCH becomes the subject of a conversation. She can tell he takes them very seriously, so he’s not laughing about the group. Maybe he’s trying to laugh her questions off.
She continues to look at him as he tries to scan the cafeteria, wanting to make it clear she’s legitimately curious and won’t be moving on. After a moment, Robbie accepts that he needs to answer her question. Her reporter instincts won’t let her drop it.
“The ‘C’ is up for a bit of a debate within the group. I choose to believe it stands for caring. Everyone knows I care about people and want to leave this world a better place than I find it. Not everyone agrees with me, but the group also has a lot of passion and I think care is a good way to describe it.”
“Why don’t they agree?”
“They have their own interpretations of it. Plus, while I care about my appearance and enjoy wearing this suit, other members disagree with such superficial thoughts, hence the white robes.”
“What does Teddy tell you it stands for?”
Before he answers her follow-up question, Robbie spots Chris standing in the back corner of the kitchen. Marching off, he forces Maya into a light jog to keep up. She doesn’t mind him ignoring this question. The questions she really wants to be asking aren’t about POTCH.
While they cross the kitchen, she contemplates his answer. Robbie certainly does care about people. His stellar reputation is built on that care and the effort he puts in, since he resists the constant interview requests or photo-ops. Unlike Chris, he doesn’t do this charity for goodwill or acclaim. Maya believes he wants to leave the world behind a better place, something that’s at odds with the FBI’s accusations. How could both be true?
Approaching Chris, Maya can’t resist the urge to roll her eyes. In the back corner of the kitchen, he’s standing far away from any of the homeless people he’s supposed to be feeding. Instead, he’s holding a ladle over a cold pot of soup while two photographers snap pictures of him. His assistant is directing the entire scene, each movement and angle carefully crafted.
As casually as she can, Maya pulls her phone out and takes a few pictures of the full scene. If her editor wants a political story about today, she’s happy to deliver a true behind-the-scenes look at Chris’s version of charity.
“How’s my favorite future senator?”
“I was better a minute ago, Robbie,” Chris says as he puts the ladle down. “I see your annoying reporter friend is joining us again this afternoon.”
“Oh, I didn’t bring her. I ran into her out in the cafeteria and invited her to join us. I thought you’d like to have someone other than your personal photographer document your presence here today.”
“My editor insists on me attending your events,” Maya adds, deciding to play along with Robbie’s lie. She figures he needs Chris to like him and doesn’t want to be blamed for ruining this relationship. Plus, the more she helps Robbie and his business, the more likely he is to open up with her about his work.
“Well, Robbie, I’m less comfortable with her presence. Sweetie, the press isn’t welcome behind the counter. Your kind can collect over there,” Chris says condescendingly as he points to the cafeteria full of homeless people. “Feel free to join the line if you’re hungry. I’ll be happy to serve you a bowl.”
“Looks to me like you’re not serving anyone back here except yourself.”
Chris’s jaw clenches as he glares at both members of the couple. No part of him is relishing this interaction.
“A momentary break suggested by my team for some better pictures. Our social media director’s been asking for them. I assure you, I’ve spent plenty of time feeding people and will be returning to the front shortly.”
Maya rolls her eyes at his excuse but decides to be the bigger person and not continue the bickering. She’s sure an argument in his kitchen won’t help Robbie’s case with Chris.
“Thanks for trying, Robbie. I’ll go join my kind.”
Maya does a small curtsy before walking away. She hopes Chris recognizes it as a sarcastic gesture, she certainly has no respect for him.
The Clark’s are only rich because their grandfather took advantage of poor people and swindled his way to a fortune. Maya believes every rumor she hears about Chris descending from bootleggers or snake oil salesmen. This generation’s only known for squandering the family fortune and owning a collection of run-down apartment buildings that recently settled a lawsuit accusing them of racial prejudice with their leasing applications. Maya doesn’t consider there to be any honor in that bloodl
ine and finds nothing respectable about their money.
It’s still a year out from the election and Chris’s final opponents have yet to be determined, but Maya’s confident she’ll be voting for them. She can’t stand the thought of another spoiled heir buying his way into a powerful political position. She covers enough of them already. It doesn’t matter what any of his stances are on the issues, she’ll never be able to support the man behind the positions.
“I saw a poll this week that makes the future look mighty bright for you,” Robbie says as he steps past the photographers. He doesn’t watch Maya walk away, despite his body urging him to. He doesn’t want to tip off any relationship to Chris.
“We still have a long way to go but I feel confident,” Chris grins. Humility isn’t in his vocabulary; hubris is.
“Is your confidence prompting you to start making plans yet?”
“Robbie, do you ever just enjoy an afternoon? Look at all the good we’re accomplishing here today. Let someone take your photo and give you some credit for once.”
Chris wraps his arm around Robbie’s shoulders and motions for the photographers to continue taking pictures.
“It’s just a question,” Robbie says as he turns to face the cameras and offers them an awkward smile. “I’m not one to beg and I’ve never solicited for an investment before. People are knocking down my door begging me to take their money and invest it for them. But I like you, and when you’re fighting for our great state in the Senate, I want you to rest easy at night knowing your family’s future is in good hands.”
“You know, I’ve heard that. I’ve been asking around and no one’s ever heard you ask for a contribution before. Your clients always approach you. So, what makes me so special?”
“I just told you, I like you.”
Robbie's Scheme Page 9
