“I am here for your every need, good sir.”
Shawn nodded and headed toward the receptionist at the front desk. The receptionist was an immaculately dressed young woman with long dark hair. Shawn was certain her smile damn-near sparkled and her nameplate read “Michelle.”
“How may I help you, sir?” she asked.
“I was recently invited into the Country Club.”
“Terrific, may I see your card?”
He showed her the silver card that he had. She took it while gathering information.
“Who was your sponsor?”
“Dr. Laura Daniels.”
“Terrific, I see your invite listed in our database. Are you Dr. Shawn Stevens?”
“That’s correct. And have I mentioned how smashing you look in those lovely glasses. I believe those are the newest pair from the Angleterre brand,” he smiled.
“Wow… yes… that’s right! Thank you Doctor Stevens,” she blushed.
She asked him for his address and occupation before handing him a brand new card. This one was gold and had his name print on it.
“Keep that in a safe place. And next we can get you into a Wilmot sports coat,” she smiled.
“That would be terrific.”
Another employee of the country club immediately walked up to Stevens. The employee said they were going to help him find a sports coat that fit him well but the receptionist insisted on doing the job instead.
“For VIPs, I help with the fitting,” she said, her grin as wide as ever.
“Why thank you, Michelle. That’s quite sweet of you.”
He followed her past the opposite side of the lobby near a waiting area occupied with furniture. They walked into a room that resembled a dry cleaning facility. There were numerous racks filled only with dark blue sports coats of varying sizes with the Wilmot insignia on the left breast pocket. Michelle helped him try on numerous coats until he found the perfect fit.
“I think this is the lucky one, here,” Shawn said as he tried on the jacket.
“You look terrific,” the receptionist told him.
“Thanks. With someone like you by my side, I’m sure I could paint the town red in a coat like this.”
She laughed and adored his attention.
“Alright, Dr. Stevens, right this way.”
She escorted him back into the lobby and lit up with glee when Shawn told her that he would be back to see her. He then entered the halls of the country club. The main hallway led to other areas within the vicinity. Shawn took the next hour to mingle with other club members, most of whom he thought were drab.
He did, however, enjoy strolling through the many rooms within the country club. There was the lavish Banquet hall where meals were served, a wine tasting room, a gym, a parlor, a library, a spa room, and a few other rooms that Shawn did not get to enter. He spent about twenty minutes talking to a gentleman named William Fitzgerald who worked as a lawyer. He too was new to the area. After going bankrupt he moved to Ashmore to start over. Shawn found him easier to talk to than the other patrons.
Their conversation was later disrupted when Shawn was tapped on the shoulder by Dr. Daniels. When they greeted one another, Dr. Daniels was quick to point out that she was one of few female members at the country club. Shawn assured her that the lack of female club members was quite ridiculous.
They spent the next couple of hours perusing the grounds, indoor and outdoor, looking for potential clients. While in the pool hall, Shawn began a game of eight-ball when Dr. Daniels introduced him to a part-time endocrinologist named Dr. Hank Keene who was searching for “great quality blow.” Shawn reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small plastic vial of white powder.
“Here’s a sample,” Shawn said as he handed him the small vial.
Keene looked around to make sure no one else was watching. He saw there was only one other person in the pool hall and that person was faced the opposite direction, paying them no attention. So he popped open the small vial.
“I’m always looking for good quality,” Keene told them. “There’s just a lot of bad shit on the market, you know?”
“I promise you,” Shawn told him, “this is the best you’ll find.”
Keene placed the small vial up to his nose and snorted the contents. He shook his head and wiped his nose. That was followed by a cough and a smile.
“Give it a minute to kick in,” Dr. Daniels told him.
He was silent for a moment. He looked all around, his eyes darting across the entire room before speaking again.
“Whoa… this is great. I need another minute but I like it. You got more?”
“Not in my pockets,” Shawn balked, “But I certainly have more.”
“That’s great, Hank,” Dr. Daniels said. “Now, if you’ll just turn us on to a few of your friends.”
“A few?” Keene laughed. “Half this club is looking for the same thing.”
CHAPTER 8
After an endocrinologist named Dr. Keene tried a sample of Shawn’s thrilling supply, they swapped contact information and Dr. Keene led Shawn and Dr. Daniels to another would-be client. That client was a lawyer. He enjoyed what they were selling and led them to a judge who did the same. The judge then recommended them to other clients who led them to other clients.
As dusk arrived, Shawn and Dr. Daniels had given small vials of cocaine to over a dozen potential clients at the Wilmot Country Club, all of whom were interested. Once evening hit, a new slew of individuals were being welcomed to the club for the monthly “Wilmot Meet and Greet”.
Before the gathering commenced at the large banquet room, Shawn went out to his car as Dr. Daniels followed him. He opened the back door on the driver’s side of his vehicle and pulled out a briefcase underneath the seat that required a number combination. He entered the combination and popped open the briefcase. Inside the briefcase were plastic bags of varying sizes bundled into balls.
“Nice work,” Dr. Daniels said. “You got one for me?”
“I wasn’t planning to give anymore away but I can make one last exception.”
Shawn picked out one of the smallest bags and Dr. Daniels immediately cuffed it into her jacket pocket. They returned to the banquet hall and mingled with the other patrons. Shawn made the rounds while hors d’oeuvres were being served by a dozen well-dressed bow-tied waiters.
Dr. Daniels went around and introduced Shawn to many of the club members. He shook their hands but was quick to abandon their chatter if they didn’t strike him as interesting. Throughout the night, Shawn would leave the banquet hall for several minutes at a time. He met up with other club members in rooms that weren’t being occupied. While alone, he would open the briefcase and give them a specific size bag of powder cocaine in exchange for a roll of hundred dollar bills.
The recipient would then look around in a paranoid manner and stuff the balled up bag into their pockets and leave. This went on for roughly a dozen times throughout the night. But halfway through his commitments, Shawn returned to the ballroom and ran into a familiar face.
As he was speaking discreetly to Dr. Daniels about his terrific sales, Dr. Stacy Hines approached him.
“Hi, Stacy! What are you doing here?” he asked, genuinely surprised to see her.
“I was going to ask you the same thing. I’m apparently one of the few female members here,” she smiled. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, Dr. Daniels invited me here. I’m officially a member now.”
“That’s terrific, Shawn. I’ve been so busy with my three kids. But we haven’t spoken in over a week! I really wish we could spend more time together.”
“Oh, I’ve been awfully busy as well,” Shawn told her truthfully, before adding a lie. “I’ve been knee deep in research work. I think it’s my strong dedication and work ethic that brought Dr. Daniels to invite me here.”
“Oh yeah,” Dr. Hines said in a sincere tone, “Only the most dedicated and hard workers get invited to a country club as pre
stigious as this one.”
“That’s what I’ve been told. So ah…”
“I would really like to see you more often, Shawn. My kids are spending the next few days with their father. Are you busy this weekend?”
“Oh, ah, well…” Shawn stammered. “Y’know, actually my mother is visiting this weekend. How would you like to meet her? We can all have lunch together.”
“That would be amazing!” she said excitedly.
“My mother doesn’t like going out to restaurants but I’m thinking of one she wouldn’t mind.”
“How about I cook for you then?” Stacy suggested.
“Wow… that would be amazing. I mean, if you don’t mind!”
“Of course not,” she laughed. “That’s why I suggested it.”
Shawn felt he handled the situation quite well. His mother planned a hasty and unexpected visit for Saturday while Stacy Hines was disappointed with their lack of time spent together. And now he was able to satisfy both of them. His mother would get to see him while his ‘girlfriend for practical purposes’ would get to meet her. This would make Stacy feel special and assure his mother that he was in a good relationship.
“Genius! And this is why I am unrivaled,” he said to himself after Stacy Hines left to speak with other patrons.
Sales for his first day’s work were phenomenal. By the end of the night almost half the contents of his briefcase were sold and he estimated he made roughly $30,000 but didn’t have the chance to count every dollar. At any rate, it was far more than what he expected to make in a single night.
The country club rendezvous was winding down when Shawn decided to call it a night. But before he did, there were a few more things to take care of. First, Shawn told Dr. Daniels how good their sales were and promised to bring her 10% of what he made the next time they met at work. She told him he did great and emphasized the importance of remaining as discreet as possible.
Before leaving at eleven p.m., Shawn made his way back to the lobby of the country club. Sitting behind the front desk was the same receptionist that greeted him earlier in the afternoon.
“Why hello, Michelle,” he smiled.
“Hi, Dr. Stevens. It’s good to see you.”
“Please, call me Shawn. I see you’ve been terribly busy all day.”
“Yes, I work long shifts!”
“Michelle, would you like to unwind at my place?” he asked as charmingly as possible. “I insist… fore I am a mere moth, hopelessly drawn to a flame as exquisite as you.”
“I’d love to,” she blushed.
Moments later she signed out and left the reception desk with Shawn by her side. On their way to his car, she noticed the briefcase.
“What’s in the case?” she asked.
“Oh, nothing much. I suppose I’m just the type of man that brings his work home on occasion.”
***
Shawn awoke the next morning in a haze, unable to remember exactly what happened after bringing Michelle to his place. She was lying next to him completely unclothed, snoring while white powder lied around her face. He looked across the bed and saw three empty bottles of wine on the floor and next to the bottles was his briefcase of cocaine. The briefcase was open and he realized at least one small bag had been consumed by the young woman he brought to his house.
He looked at his watch, the only thing he was wearing, and noticed it was eleven a.m. in the morning. He stared at the mess in his bedroom for a moment and then it dawned on him. His mother would be visiting him at any moment.
“Shit!” he said aloud. “Michelle, wake up!”
He shook her and she began rubbing her nose. Her eyes could barely open.
“Ugh… I’m still sleepy… I need more coke…”
“No, woman! Get the hell up… You’ve gotta go!”
Shawn hopped out of bed, placed on a pair of pants, and attempted to help Michelle wake up. He shook her as she began coughing in his bed.
“No, Shawn… not getting up…”
“How much of my coke did you take!?”
“Uh, just… a… small… bag,” she slurred, still half asleep.
“Alright, I need you up. I’m expecting someone here soon, Michelle. You’ve gotta get out of here!”
“I just wonna sleep… for a few more years…”
“Years? Don’t you mean hours?”
“Yeah, a few more hours… is what I said…”
“How can I get you up?” Shawn asked as he slapped his hands against his head.
“Told you… need… blow,” she said as slowly as possible.
“Goddamn!” Shawn was close to ripping his hair out.
He took a few breaths and reached for his briefcase. After putting everything back in its place, he returned to the briefcase and opened one of the bags of cocaine. He placed a small amount of the powder onto a credit card and placed it in front of Michelle’s nose.
“Alright, this is what you want, right?”
She arose from her stupor with her eyes still closed. She took the card and snorted everything on it before sticking her tongue on the card to make sure there was no residue left.
Seconds later, her eyes not only opened but widened to the size of silver dollars. She hopped out of the bed sans clothing and Shawn demanded that she get dressed.
“If you want to come over again, don’t be so difficult!” he told her.
“You got to screw me,” she said, “So it’s not like your whole night was wasted, Casanova!”
While she was getting her stuff together, Shawn called a cab. He had to get ready for his mother and didn’t have the time to drive Michelle back to her own place. He then hung up the phone and quickly cleaned up the mess in his bedroom. Michelle was half dressed and her hair was completely untidy when the taxicab pulled into Shawn’s driveway.
“Alright, Michelle, I’ve got a taxi ready to take you wherever you want.”
He gave her a hundred dollar bill and sent her on her way. She smiled and told him that she couldn’t wait to see him again. Shawn, however, had no intentions of seeing her again until he had to return to the country club.
Over the next two hours, Shawn was able to shower, get tidy, and clean up his bedroom and the rest of the house as best as he could. He placed on a white dress shirt and solid silk tie. Nothing too flashy- he didn’t want his mother questioning his finances. He even took off the Rolex. If his mother saw it, she would inquire about his credit and then become worried that he’d be unable to pay his balances.
Shortly after noon, his mother pulled into his driveway in the same old car she had driven for the past fifteen years. She got out, looked around the neighborhood, and was wowed by houses. Shawn’s neighbors had some of the largest homes she had ever seen in person.
“How do you like the neighborhood, mom?” Shawn asked as he greeted her outside.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said. “I’ve never seen a neighborhood with so many large two story houses! My boy has done so good for himself! I’m proud of you.”
“And I’m proud that you’re proud,” he returned her joyous attitude.
“Now take me inside!”
Shawn’s mother moved slowly as she entered his home. Once inside, her amazement continued when she saw how large and spacious the house was. He showed her various rooms throughout the house and she was taken aback by the many empty ones.
“You could use more furniture,” she told him, “But this is a beautiful start.”
They entered the dining room and his mother immediately sat down. Shawn sat at a seat next to her and they began catching up for several minutes.
“I couldn’t be more proud of you! Your sister visited me just two weeks ago. All the way from Virginia. Barely anyone has time for me anymore.”
“No, mom. We’re just busy adults now.”
“Well I miss my babies who would spend all day with me! And not just once in a while but every week.”
“Surely you’ve found something fun to do with your time,
mom?”
“Well,” she sighed, “I am in a book club. And I play bingo each week. I won two hundred dollars the other day. And I enjoy the slots too. But it hasn’t been the same since my friend, Gertrude, passed away last year.”
“Yeah, ma, I know that was difficult. So… uh, how is my sister Leann doing in Virginia with her husband, Mason?”
“It’s not Mason, her husband’s name is Mark. But Leann is doing well. Her husband is working with the government up there. They make good money but I’m not so sure they are doing as well as you. This house is just so big!”
“Well hey, I earned this stuff. I didn’t get my PhD by charm alone,” he laughed.
“And the woman you are dating also has a PhD, no?”
“Yes, her name is Dr. Stacy Hines.”
“Speaking of her… where is she, Shawn?” his mother said while looking all over the dining room where they sat.
“She should be here any moment now. She was just a little busy this morning.”
“This place is so nice, Shawn. And so large. I was wondering if maybe I should move in,” she said as if the decision was solely up to her.
“Oh, well… it is very nice. But I think this city is just too busy for you, mom. You’d prefer to live in a nice quiet place. There’s just so much commotion going on with the big university here and whatnot.”
“Well I suppose you’re right,” his mother surrendered. “I certainly prefer to live in a quiet place. Not with the infernal racquet of those young people.”
“Oh yeah, they get pretty wild,” Shawn said with relief.
“Tell me about it! They are all just so immoral. Parties every weekend with sex and drugs abound! Back in my day, people had the decency to settle down. That’s why I’m so excited to meet this wonderful lady!”
Shawn smiled and assured his mother that she would get along with his girlfriend quite well.
Stacy Hines arrived at the house about ten minutes later. She brought a big bag of groceries with her and was wearing a long floral dress that would please any mother who wanted her son to be with a decent girl.
“It’s nice to meet you, Stacy,” his mother said after Shawn introduced them.
The Hedonist Page 7
