The Conglomerate: A Luxorious Tale

by Santiago, Danielle

  “Nice to meet you too.”

  “Y’all come on up to the section. We’ll pop a couple of bottles, and discuss a few things.”

  “Ok,” Kisa followed Joey. “Mish is going to stay, but I have to leave in forty-five minutes.”

  “Why?”

  “I have to pick Sin up from the Air Center. He’s coming in from Amsterdam.”

  Heads turned when the three ladies entered the VIP area, all eyes were mainly on Kisa and Mish. Although their section was filled with pretty, scantily dressed women, Tony and Rico almost tripped over one another trying to get over to Jason to find out about the two jaw dropping beauties. Sitting next to Jason on the couch, Cee laughed as the brothers stumbled toward them. Holding up her hands she halted them.

  “We already know what you want,” Cee announced. “That one,” she pointed at Kisa. “She’s very married and the other one… we don’t know who she is, y’all are going to have to ask Joey.”

  Both drunken brothers made a beeline for their sister-in-law. Inebriated and drained, Zay flopped down on the couch next to Cee and Jason.

  “What are those two drunk niggas,” he nodded toward his older brothers, “up to?”

  “Trying to find out who shorty with Joey and Kisa is,” Jason replied.

  Studying the unfamiliar woman. “I don’t know her, but she is bad,” Zay admired.

  “Yo,” Cee squealed, elbowing Zay in the ribs. “Your wife’s best friend is sitting here.”

  “Ain’t nothing wrong with looking, and I see you sitting here with Jason. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

  “No you are not interrupting a thing! Jason and I are just friends I don’t know why y’all don’t believe us.”

  “Y’all might just be friends right now... We can all see you both want more than friendship though.”

  Joey walked over and took a seat on Zay’s lap. “Are you guys happy with the way the party turned out?” she asked Zay and Jason.

  Nodding his head, Jason raised a pink bottle of Ace toward her. “You did a great job sis-in-law!”

  “You sure did baby,” Zay told her. “Thanks for making this happen for my brothers. They’re having the time of their lives.”

  “That’s all that matters.”

  “Is that one of Kane’s cousins?”

  “No, that’s the person that I called about Evan’s problem.”

  “What is she going to do?” Zay asked skeptic of the brown beauty.

  “Kane said she’s one the best hitters that she knows. I’m going to chop it up with her in my office in a little bit so that she can track this clown ass nigga down.”

  “I hope that she is that good, I’ll pay her whatever. She don’t even have to kill that nigga, just find him and bring him to me.” Zay slipped his hand beneath her tiny dress and massaged her inner thigh. “What’s up with you though?” He kissed the side of her neck.

  “I’m good,” she blushed biting down on her lower lip.

  “I want to go home and do some things to you.”

  “What kind of things?”

  “Things like this,” he pushed her thong to the side and tickled her clit with the tip of his finger.

  Creamy liquid rolled down Joey’s walls as pleasure sparked through her body. Panting in his ear she asked, “I thought y’all were going to the strip club?”

  “I was going with them until I saw you in this dress. Ever since the dinner I’ve been thinking about how good you look in this. I’m ready to get you out of it.”

  “Hmm, and I’m ready for you to take it off of me.”

  A VIP bouncer tapped Joey on the shoulder.

  “Yes,” she said over her shoulder.

  “Joey, security down at the entrance needs you. There is somebody named Iwan asking for you.”

  “Tell them to let him in I’ll be right down. Baby,” she said to Zay. “I need to run down to the door. I’ll be right back.”

  “Nah yo, let somebody else handle whatever it is.” With the tip of his finger he circled her opening.

  Joey’s body shuttered, she eased his hand from beneath her dress. “Baby, I have to go, but I promise I’ll come right back.” She rushed down to the lobby and found Iwan nervously pacing.

  “Hello Iwan,” Joey greeted him with handshake. “What brings you here this late?”

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your event. I tried calling your cell and I thought that you needed to see this right away.”

  “See what?”

  “It took me all day, but I got to the bottom of your security camera issue. You were not hacked. Someone edited out hours of surveillance and fixed the time stamps so that the interruptions wouldn’t be noticed.”

  “Is there a way to find out who did it?”

  “That’s what I wanted to show you,” he held up an IPad. “She thought that she’d deleted the surveillance, but I was able to pull it off the hard drive. I compiled the missing clips into one video.” He tapped the play symbol and handed the IPad to Joey.

  Staring at the screen Joey’s jaw dropped and her heart skipped a beat or two, when she saw Isadora sneaking into her office and other offices that she wasn’t supposed to be in. The video ended with Isadora entering the security room where the surveillance equipment was housed.

  “Is this all?”

  “Yes.”

  Joey held up the IPad. “Can I hold on to this until tomorrow?”

  “Sure.”

  “Thank you Iwan, you probably just saved my life.”

  * * * *

  Angry that his demand for money had been refused, John Doe planned to snatch Joey, Cee, or Evan from The Luxe Enclave. His plan had been thwarted by all the extra security on the property. Since his kidnapping plans had gone awry, John Doe decided to make noise in a different way. In the dead of the night John Doe stood in the middle of the street outside of Dorenda’s Dilworth home. All of the lights were off, everything in and around the house was quiet. John Doe dialed Dorenda’s home phone and let it ring.

  A few Moments later, the darkened house lit up. John Doe ended the call then pressed the smart phone’s camera icon and began recording. He aimed the Desert Eagle that he held in his right hand at the house, he pulled the lever, and sprayed the home with all nine bullets. Seconds after the shots stopped blood gurgling screams came from the home. His job there was done.

  Tucking the burning hot pistol, walking briskly, he cut through the backyards of several homes until he reached East Blvd where his car was parked. Hopping in the car, he quickly ducked down to avoid being spotted by one of the police officers in the eight caravan of cars that were flying up East Blvd with their sirens blaring. Once the police vehicles were in the distance, John Doe sat up, started the engine, and calmly drove away.

  * * *

  “I know who took the pictures from security cameras,” Joey told Zay out of breath, she’d damn near sprinted from the lobby through the packed club up to the second floor.

  “Who is it?” Zay asked instantly sobering up a little.

  “You’ll see soon, just get Cee and Jason up to my office and wait for me.”

  Joey went over to the pop up burger joint and told Evan, “go to my office, I have something to show you and bring him too,” she pointed at Reza. Suspicious of Evan’s guy she wanted to see his reaction when she revealed Isadora as the mole. Next, Joey went to Isadora, who just happened to be in the company of Tony and Rico. Poker face on, Joey smiled ever so politely.

  “Hey, I don’t mean to interrupt, but um, Isadora I’m about to entertain some of the special guest in my office and I need you to bring up a bottle Ace, a bottle of Hennessy Privilege, and a bottle of Ace Rose.”

  “Damn sis-in-law,” Rico said. “We not invited to the private party?”

  “Of course you are,” Joey covered quickly.

  “I’ll go grab those bottles for you,” Isadora interjected before turning to leave.

  Rico grabbed Isadora’s hand. “When you bring those bottles to her office, I wa
nt you to stay and finish our conversation.”

  “Sure,” she smiled sexily then switched off.

  Disgusted, Joey rolled her eyes and with her brother-in-laws in tow she headed to her office, grabbing Mish along the way. Those who’d already gathered in the office were talking amongst themselves when Joey entered; wasting no time she got right to the point.

  “Iwan, the tech guy, came by. He figured out how this person got the pictures from the security feed. It was an inside job.”

  “By who?” Evan wanted to know.

  Joey held up the IPad and just as her finger hovered over the play icon, her office door opened. Carrying a tray with two bottles of champagne, Hennessy Privilege and a magnum of ice, Isadora sashayed in.

  “Wow,” Joey said surprise. “You got here fast.”

  “I pulled these from the stock on this floor. I figured it would be quicker than getting it from the club level and having to move through the crowd.” Isadora sat the tray on atop of Joey’s desk.

  Joey went and stood next to Isadora. Placing her hand on the middle of Isadora’s back Joey patted her and said.

  “Thank you so much Isadora. You always go over and beyond your duties.”

  “You know I don’t mind Joey.”

  “Well… I do,” Joey snatched up the bottle of Privilege and with brute force bashed Isadora over the head. The bottle shattered soaking Isadora’s hair and face with cognac. Moaning in pain and eyes burning, Isadora crumpled to the floor.

  “Ayo What tha fuck?” Rico gasped totally taken aback. He looked over at Tony, who was staring at Joey in disbelief.

  Joey knelt down, grabbed a handful of Isadora’s hair, and yanked her head from the floor.

  “Who sent you bitch?”

  Dazed, but aware Isadora cackled wickedly. “Fuck you.”

  Joey slammed Isadora’s face against the floor then lifted it up. “One more time, who-tha-fuck-sent-you-bitch?”

  Blood gliding from her nose over her mouth, Isadora smirked. “Ya dead grandmother.”

  Joey angrily slammed her head against the floor several times until she lost consciousness. Standing up, Joey examined the blood that had splattered on her. “Fucking idiot bitch! My damn dress and shoes are ruined.”

  Mish came and stood next to Joey. Looking down at Isadora, in a spanish coated southern accent she said, “I believe getting answers is more my forte than yours, would you like for me to go to work on her?”

  “Sure would.”

  “Are there any tools in this building?”

  “Yeah, go out of here make a left and at the end of the hall the maintenance closet is the last door on the right. The maintenance staff tool boxes are inside.”

  Mish left the office, Evan and Cee began bombarding Joey with questions.

  “Who is that women?” Evan asked

  “Someone that is going to help us get down to the bottom this bullshit that you’ve dragged us into.”

  “Joey,” Cee said. “How do you know Isadora has something to do with it?”

  “Get that IPad off my desk.”

  Cee got the tablet and held it up for all to view it. While everyone watched quietly, Joey explained what Iwan had told her. She kept a keen eye on Reza, judging by his expression he seemed to be just as surprised as everyone else.

  Mish returned with a red metal tool box. She picked Isadora up and sat her upright in a chair. Using cable wires that she’d found in the maintenance closet, she tied Isadora’s wrist to the arms of the chair, and she bound her ankles to the chair’s legs.

  The room was completely silent as everyone watched to see what was about to happen. Zay told his older brothers, “Maybe y’all should go to back to the party.”

  “I’m good,” Rico replied taking a seat on the mint green leather couch. “I want to see what this chick about to do,” he pointed at Mish. “And I want to see how long she’s going to hold up,” he said nodding toward Isadora. “What is this all about anyway?”

  “It’s a long story,” Jason replied, joining Rico on the couch.

  Soon all five men were seated. Evan and Cee stood off to the side and Joey stood a few inches behind Mish. Mish uncorked a champagne bottle, placing her thumb over the opening she shook it vigorously, and then sprayed the bubbly in Isadora’s face.

  “Wake up-wake up!” Mish said.

  Isadora bolted awake, stunned from the liquid that shot into her face she gasped for air.

  Holding her hands behind her back Mish spoke calmly to Isadora. “My friend here,” Mish cocked her head towards Joey, who was standing over her shoulder. “She has some questions for you.”

  “Fuck you and your friend!”

  “Wrong answer,” Mish shoved a towel into Isadora’s mouth, brought a hammer from behind her back and whacked the right side of Isadora’s collar bone so hard that it cracked audibly.

  Everyone in the room cringed. Grimacing in pain, Isadora bit down on the towel as tears dripped from the outer corners of her eyes.

  Mish snatched the towel from Isadora’s mouth, “Let’s try this one more time, Joey wants to know who sent you.”

  Deeply in pain Isadora winced, breathing heavy, she looked at Mish through squinted eyes. “Fuck you, fuck her, and the rest of these muhfuckas.”

  Again, Mish plugged her mouth with the towel and this time she struck Isadora’s left collar bone. Soaked in a mix of liquor and blood, Isadora nearly blacked out from the pain, but she still had no intention of giving up a name.

  Zay and Jason’s phone buzzed with text notifications. They both opened a message that was an identical message: Don’t want to pay me… Okay!

  A video message popped up on the phone, recognizing the still image of their mother’s home they pressed play. Zay’s heart dropped at the sight of a gun aimed at the house. When the gun on the screen began firing shots Zay’s phone fell from his palm. In less than a second he’d gotten off the couch zoomed by Mish, grabbed Isadora by the throat, and squeezed it cutting off her air.

  “I’m not going to play this game with you!” he exclaimed through closed teeth, “Who shot up my mother’s house? Tell me or I will kill your hoe ass,” he applied more pressure. Veins popped from the side of Isadora’s head and her eyes bulged from the sockets as she gasped for the air that she was totally separated from.

  Joey moved in and tried to remove Zay’s hands from Isadora’s neck.

  “Baby listen to me. I know you’re pissed, but if you kill her we will never know who’s behind this.”

  It took some seconds for Joey’s words to register with Zay. Once they did, he slowly slid his hands from Isadora’s neck.

  Jason stared at the video for a second time in utter shock with his mouth wide open. He felt a slither of relief that his daughters were not at home, but he couldn’t be overjoyed since he knew that his mother was. The video disappeared as his phone rang and “Mom” appeared on the screen. He hurriedly answered.

  “Hello Ma, hello?”

  Hysterical Dorenda cried, “Jason, I’ve been trying to reach y’all. My house has been shot up. Frannie got shot.”

  “Is she alive?”

  “They just took her back for surgery.”

  “What hospital are y’all at?”

  “Carolina’s Medical Center, but Jason why would someone do this to my home? Why?” she pleaded.

  “I don’t know Mama; just hang on one of us will be over there.”

  Angrily glaring down at Isadora as she coughed uncontrollably in dire pain, Zay asked Jason. “What did moms say?”

  “Her house was shot up and Aunt Frannie got hit. She’s in surgery”

  An already real situation got extra real for everyone in the room, especially for Tony and Rico. The clouds of liquor that the brothers’ minds were engulfed in suddenly started fading away. Rico stood up.

  “Mom’s house got shot up? The fuck is going on around here?”

  “No more stalling Zay,” Tony walked over to his brother. “What the hell is this all about?” he
demanded.

  Zay cut his eyes over at Evan. Ashamed, she looked away. “Let her tell you,” he pointed at Evan. “I don’t feel like telling nobody that dumb shit right now. This is her bullshit anyway. We’ve all just been pulled into it.”

  Tony and Rico turned their attention to Evan.

  Joey picked up Zay’s cell and began the video as it came on she had a thought. “Hold up, I know how to find out who sent her, but before you start talking to them,” she spoke directly to Evan. “Tell Rahmel to take a couple of guards and go over to the CMC for my mother-in-law.” Joey flew out the office, in her heels she sprinted to the office that Isadora and Bev shared. She looked behind Isadora’s desk and spotted the brand new $14,000 pink Ralph Lauren Ricky bag that she’d complimented Isadora on earlier in the evening. At the time it hadn’t ran across Joey’s mind. She’d never seen Isadora carrying a bag that cost more than thirty-five hundred dollars. Joey had wondered if Isadora had purchased it or if it was a gift. Now, she knew that it was more than likely bought with the proceeds from the robbery.

  Joey opened the purse and took out what she was looking for, Isadora’s iPhone. She knew that like everyone else in the modern world, a person’s entire life could be found on their smart phone. Joey pressed the phone’s home button only to find that the phone was locked and could only be unlocked with Isadora’s fingerprint. With Isadora’s personal items in hand, Joey rushed back to her office.

  “I got her phone,” she announced, entering through the door. Joey handed Cee the purse. “Go through her bag to see if it’s anything in there that can tell us something.”

  Feeling the onset of defeat, Isadora frowned and dropped her head.

  Joey held the phone next to Isadora’s right hand that was still bound to chair arm. “Press the button,” she told Isadora.

  Isadora closed her hands into a fist and squeezed them tightly.

  “Yo open ya fucking hand, ’cause I’m not about to struggle with you.”

  Refusing, Isadora squeezed her hand tighter. Mish stepped back in and slammed the hammer against the top of Isadora’s hand twice. Howling in pain Isadora involuntarily uncurled her hand. Joey grabbed her index finger, and pressed the phone’s home button instantly opening the phone. Telling the story of her shady past, Evan stood in semi-circle surrounded by Tony, Rico, Jason, Rez, and Zay. Joey went over to them.