by Kyle West
Vivian is speechless.
Ronelle continues to explain, "See, Jesse hid everything with his music shit. You’d never know unless you was lookin’ for it. But it was right in the bag the whole time!"
Vivian mumbles, "…hard drives and CDs."
Ronelle continues, "I saw this kind of shit on MSNBC a few months ago. I'm thinkin' Jesse's dumb, greedy ass didn’t know he needed both the drives and CDs, that had the passcodes on it. Or he forgot where he put them. That’s why none of the money was transferred yet. Fedwire transactions are final and irrevocable they said. Oh, and you can’t withdraw from these accounts, you can only transfer. Jesse didn’t know any of this shit. If he knew that, he probably wouldn't have come back here to New Orleans. He wudda been long gone!!”
Vivian asks, “Well why didn’t the government just take their money back?” Ronelle replies, “They don’t want the money back! That’s the smoking gun, the proof and evidence to the snake shit they was doing! But they did need that money to disappear! So the way this is set up, they can’t just take the money back. These transactions, the Fedwire ones, are final and you can’t stop, or change them! So if you got the SWIFT messages, and the passcodes, you are ‘in it’! They can’t and don’t want anything to do with transfers after they send it out! Yea girl, those CD’s with the passcodes was everything and we got them right fuckin’ here! Shit!”
Vivian, under her breath says, “He didn’t know about the CDs?”
Ronelle continues, "Huh? Didn’t hear you. Whatever…so girl, we are the only ones who know about this money! Three hundred million!”
“Ronelle, and where in the world did you learn about all of this? Anyway, look Ro, this money cost a lot of people a lot…”
Ronelle interrupts, “I just knew you was gonna go there! You lost the most Viv, you lost a husband you loved with all your heart! Listen, I know how to do this! The C.I.A. carefully structured the payments to be diverted through reciprocal banks to cover the large payments for the larger, regulated beneficiary banks. They then sent false MT-202 messages, if they send any at all, to avoid the source of the money being tracked back to the U.S. Government.”
"So won't the government know where the money went? And who got it?"
Ronelle answers, "Yeah, but again, they probably don't want no parts of this blood money. They just wanna make sure it don't come back on their asses! But yea, you gotta transfer this money out of these set-up accounts one-time and transfer it where you want it to go, one-time, then disappear forever! One!”
“I’m going to have to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life!” She says under her breath…He didn’t tell me about all of this.” She is overwhelmed as she sits silently, gathering in the entire situation, and how this all connects to Jesse, his military partners, and the U.S. Government. She adds, "So Jesse and his partners got their hands on these flash-drives and CD’s and started killing each other for it?"
"No. Those crazy bastards weren't lookin' for this?! They went through Jesse's bag just as many times as you and Keith did! Just like the rest of us, they was probably lookin' for three hundred million dollars in checks, bonds, or maybe even a mad stacks in cold cash! I don't know! But everybody missed it, and we figured it out!"
"So you don't think Jesse ever told them about these flash-drives and CDs?"
"Remember now, we talking about your sorry ass, triflin', sneaky, bullshit ass…but pretty smart husband! Hell no, he didn't tell them about it!"
"I have to call Insp. Clark and tell him we found the money." Ronelle pushes Vivian's cell phone away from her face, "Sista girl. Wait a minute. Did you hear any of what I just said? This money is pretty much untraceable, except for the shady, criminal muthafuckas that sent it and they definitely don’t want it back, and have to answer for it! Wait Vivian.”
Ronelle, attempts to keep a straight face, then says, "That Jesse is a hell of a husband. Yes, I said it! He left this money for you! He died so you'd have this money! This is your money. He was a great husband." Vivian can't believe what she just heard out of Ronelle's mouth.
Vivian stares at Ronelle, "Don't even try it." The two women laugh together, then Vivian pushes Ronelle's hand away from hers and adds, “I have this under control.” As she continues making her phone call to Insp. Clark.
5:15 pm - Vivian tells Insp. Clark that she has the missing money. She tells him, "I'd feel real comfortable if I can just bring this to you as soon as possible. I'm already downtown near the F.B.I. Building, I can be there in twenty minutes or so. I just want this to all be over."
Insp. Clark responds, "Wow, really. I can't believe you found the money Vivian. Good job. Yes, I need to get that from you. I'm not at my office right now, I'm about an hour away at the Capitol in Baton Rouge. You should go back to your hotel. Safest place for you to be now. I'll make sure my agents are around to protect you. I should be there by 6:30 or so ok. Yes, you shouldn't be traveling around with all of that money, it’s just too dangerous."
Vivian tells Clark about the flash-drive and CDs, which surprises him.
Insp. Clark adds, “Very good. I will meet you at the hotel at half-past six. Please do not open the door for anybody unless you hear from me ok?"
Vivian then ends her call and tells an unresponsive Ronelle the plan. "What's wrong, Ro?"
Ronelle sourly responds, "I’m kissing that convertible Bentley coupe I always wanted, goodbye.” As she jokingly cries.
"Will you stop. I want all of this to be over. I need to go back to the hotel ok."
Ronelle calmly and softly asks, "Then what Viv? You go home. Oh wait, you don't even have a home anymore because of this shit. You go back to things like nothin' ever happened. You sit at home, at work, and wait for Jesse to call like you do every day and night. Watch Audrey Hepburn movies on Saturday nights. Let Fifi out at ten-thirty, in the bed at eleven. You need a life, and it's right there in the palm of your hand. You are still young, vibrant and beautiful. You got a beautiful heart. It’s your turn to catch a lucky star. You can live a life that people always dream about Viv, and if anyone deserves it, it’s you! So shit, shoot me! I just want my girl to finally have life go her way, that's all!"
6:42 pm
Ronelle and Vivian pull up to the Westin Hotel, Ronelle has given Vivian all of the flash-drives, hard drives, and CDs, "So you gonna be okay up there by yourself with all that money? You want me to come up and hang with you for a bit?"
"Girl, it ain't like it’s a big ol' bag full of money or something, plus Inspector Clark should already be here. I'll be fine girl. Thanks. After I give this stuff to him, I gotta meet Keith. I don't know how I'm gonna tell him I gave the money back to the FBI, or whoever's money it was."
Vivian gets out of the car and adds, "It's almost seven, I was supposed to meet Keith back at the Riverwalk like two hours ago. Don't you have to pick up Alex?"
Ronelle responds, "Yeah, I was supposed to get him to the dentist today. It’s ok, he’s still at school playing basketball, we had to handle this first. Damn, I got ten minutes to get there! Let me run honey. Hey, you sure you don't wanna come with me? I'm goin' to get me some shrimp pasta from Venezia tonight? We can hook up with the F.B.I. dude later."
Vivian starts to walk to the hotel entrance, "Girl, go take care of your business. I'll be fine. Them psycho dudes are long gone I bet, or ripping up my damn house still looking for the money. Nah, I’m done with all of this foolishness, this got out of control. I already spoke to my Mom. I think I'm gonna fly out up to Philly next week."
Just about to pull off, Ronelle responds, "It’s not too late to change your mind ‘Miss Pollyanna’, ‘always- wanna-do-right’. Call me if you need anything. You know I love you right, bitch?"
Vivian laughs, turns around and hits herself on her butt, "Kiss my ass."
Vivian walks through the bustling hotel lobby to the elevators. She clutches her bag ever so tightly under her arm, feeling that everyone in the lobby knows she has three hundred million dollars in her ba
g. She gets on the elevator, and gets off on the fifth floor, and walks to her room. She turns the doorknob on the unlocked door and enters the quiet room. Vivian lets out a horrific scream! On the couch she sees Starr, lifeless, bloodied, with eyes wide open! Starr is dead, with three gunshot wounds to his head and face! Suddenly the bathroom door swings open, and Vivian sees Keith rush out! He stands menacingly in the bathroom doorway! Keith and Vivian lock terrified eyes together for a few moments, before Vivian quickly turns and runs out of the hotel room with Keith running after her!
A screaming Vivian runs down the hall. Luckily the elevator is still at the fifth floor. As
Keith sprints down the hall towards her, Vivian frantically pushes the elevator button! The elevator door opens and Vivian jumps on the empty elevator, and then heads down to the lobby. Keith is not able to catch Vivian at the elevator. He stands at the elevator doors, pushing the buttons. Keith sees that the elevator is going down to the lobby. He continues down the hall to the stairway, then rushes, running and jumping, down the five flights of stairs to the lobby!
Vivian rushes off the elevator, into the crowded lobby, pushing her way to the front desk! Vivian frantically tries to get someone's attention at the busy hotel front desk, to come help her! She looks around thinking the F.B.I. agents that are supposed to protect her are nearby, but no one assists her. Vivian then hears a heavy door open, she quickly turns and sees Keith standing at the stairway door! Vivian takes off out the front door of the hotel, with Keith running after her, pushing through the crowded lobby. Hotel security yells for Keith to stop running, but the crowded lobby makes it hard for security to catch him. Vivian runs to the curb and jumps into a cab. With terror in her voice she yells to the cab driver, “Quick! Pull off! Go!”
The cab driver sees an angry looking Keith running towards the cab, so he speeds off South, down Loyola Ave. Vivian calls Ronelle and tells her, “It’s Keith! He killed someone up in the room just now!” Ronelle tells her that she is turning around and heading back to the hotel to get her. She adds, “I’m calling the police right now. Don’t go inside. Just wait outside for police Viv! Call Insp. Clark right now! I’m on my way!” The traffic is slow on Loyola Ave., as Vivian is about to end her call, Keith runs up on the cab in the middle of traffic and tries to open the cab door! Vivian screams in fear! The cab driver is equally startled and quickly pulls off! Again, the traffic is slow moving so Keith runs behind the cab.
Vivian calls Insp. Clark, and tells him that Keith killed Starr at the hotel. He tells Vivian that his agents are in the hotel, and that she is safer back at the hotel. Vivian tells him that Keith is trying to kill her now. Insp. Clark tells her to take the cab to the F.B.I. building, but the traffic stops on Loyola Ave., and Keith is hotly pursuing her. The cab is stuck at Loyola and Bourbon Streets. Vivian yells at the cab driver, “Let’s go! Get through, c’mon!” The cab driver tells Vivian that the traffic is at a standstill and there is nowhere for him to go! Vivian looks back and sees Keith a few car lengths away, quickly running up on the cab.
Vivian sees a traffic officer directing traffic, so she swings the cab door open and runs up to the officer. A terrified Vivian tries to tell the officer that she is being chased. She pleads for his help but the officer, busy trying to keep the extensive traffic from gridlocking, yells at the cab driver, “Hey! Move that thing outta here! You’re blocking the traffic! Then yells at Vivian, “Lady, get back in the cab or get on the sidewalk! Let’s go!” The officer never hears a word Vivian says to him! Vivian now sees Keith about a hundred feet away, making his way through the masses of people, coming towards her.
Vivian runs down into Bourbon Street, trying to lose Keith amidst the crowd of party revelers. It is Mardi Gras season and the French Quarter is packed shoulder to shoulder! New Orleans is preparing for the Krewe du Vieux Parade, blocking various streets and sidewalks in the French Quarter. There is a lot of commotion in the French Quarter this early evening. Keith is trying his best to make his way through the congested streets, as he continues chasing after Vivian. As Vivian is running a drunk gentleman, Troy, grabs her by the arm and in a slurred voice says, “Hey little lady, you should have a drink with me and my friend Melvin here!” As Vivian is pulling her arm away from the two drunk men, Keith runs up on the situation. A quick thinking Vivian tells Troy that she is willing to have a drink with them and that Keith is a stranger who is stalking her.
Melvin sees Keith coming towards them and says, “Who this guy? Hey buddy, the little lady is with us! You need some help finding your way home fool?!” Keith tells Melvin, “You don’t want to do this big man, it’s not gonna be your night tonight.” Troy then sucker-punches Keith in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground. As the two men start to kick and punch Keith, Vivian takes off running down Bourbon St. past a number of loud bars, strip clubs, and even louder people!
Back at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann Street, Keith continues to be pummeled by Troy and Melvin. Now a huge drunken melee has broken out around them, at least fifteen men are brawling in the middle of the street. Keith is on the ground, in a fetal position, covering his head so not get kicked or stepped on. About twenty policemen, on foot and horseback, converge on the drunken chaos. The police start clubbing and beating the brawling men, and throw most of the street gladiators into the police bus, arresting them. Keith is attempting to crawl away from the skirmish, when two police officers grab and pick him up to his feet. They see that Keith has been bruised and battered in the street fight. The policemen let go of him and Keith simply drops to the ground. The officers yell out to nearby E.M.S. workers to come give assistance to Keith, as they go back to battling in the Mardi Gras melee.
Keith gets to his feet and stumbles around, as the E.M.S. workers Romy and Edwin, grab him by his arms and rush him over to the ambulance. As the E.M.S. workers stand outside their ambulance attending to Keith's cuts and bruises, Keith tells Edwin that he's fine.
He adds, "I just need a few Band-Aids guys." Both E.M.S. workers see the deep gash in Keith's head and apply gauze and bandages to the wound.
Romy tells Keith, "Okay tough guy, you need a few stitches to your noggin. You're gonna take a ride down to 'the shop' with us. Sew you up real quick." They lead him into the ambulance.
Keith is adamantly telling Romy and Edwin that he doesn't need any assistance. They now have Keith lying out on a stretcher. The ambulance door closes shut, and starts easing through the masses of people on St. Ann Street.
Keith has calmed down to where he is letting the E.M.S. workers tend to his injuries. After ten minutes or so, the ambulance is still making though the traffic and proceeds down Decatur Ave., heading to Urgent Care on Decatur. Romy is telling Keith to relax and asks him what the big fight in the street was all about.
Keith tells her, "The cops were practicing their baton swinging and choke holds, and I guess we all got in their way." Keith sits up in the stretcher and again tells Romy that he is fine. Keith looks out of the window and sees Vivian briskly walking past St. Louis Cathedral heading down to Decatur St. Keith tries to stand up, but Romy forces him back down onto the stretcher.
Romy explains to him, "Keith, you've lost a lot of blood. You need to sit, and stay down! You need to be stitched up! Your brain is going to fall out of your head if you don’t!"
Keith watches Vivian walk past the ambulance, walking up Decatur and again tries to get up from the stretcher. Still in traffic, Edwin who is driving the ambulance, puts it in park, unbuckles his belt buckle and steps back to assist Romy in subduing Keith. Edwin grabs Keith around the waist and a struggle ensues between the two men. Keith is fighting to get out of the ambulance to pursue Vivian.
Keith and Edwin grapple all over the ambulance, knocking into the medical supplies and equipment, breaking lots of glass in the process. Romy is hanging on Keith's back, beating him on his back with her fists. Edwin punches Keith in the face, knocking him to the floor of the ambulance and is about to stomp him.
Keith
sees the fire extinguisher next to him, picks it up and sprays it in Edwin's face, blinding him momentarily. Romy is against the side of the ambulance, throwing glass vials, syringes, rolls of bandages, anything she can reach, at Keith. Keith opens the back door of the ambulance and jumps out. He is weakened by his blood loss and tries to keep his balance as he struggles to turn and run through the busy French Quarter traffic.
Vivian has run up Decatur and ducks into a souvenir shop, ‘A Tisket A Tasket’. There are only about twelve patrons in the colorful, eclectic store. A panicking Vivian, unzips her purse and reaches in for her cell phone. She starts to make a call, but her phone battery is dead.
An older lady Barbara Jean, the owner of the souvenir shop walks over to Vivian and casually asks, "What can I do you for you ma’am?"
Vivian nervously says, "Phone! Do you have a phone I can use?! It's an emergency! Please!"
Barbara Jean tells her, "Phone is in the back sweetie. You ok?"
Vivian rushes to the back of the souvenir store, and calls Insp. Clark from a pay phone. The call goes right to his voice mail. A frustrated Vivian panics and hangs up. Vivian doesn't know Insp. Clark's office number by memory, so she dials 411 and asks for the number to the FBI building downtown. She is connected and asks the building operator for Insp. Clark's office, to where her call is then directed.
Vivian speaks to Insp. Clark's assistant Claire, "Insp. Clark is in a late meeting right now. Can I take a message?”
Vivian takes a deep breath of relief as she is excited she caught Insp. Clark at his office. She expected to just leave him a message, assuming the inspector was still on the road, heading to meet her back at the hotel.
Vivian tells Claire, "Thank God! Listen, Insp. Clark knows what this is about. I just spoke to him a few minutes ago. Tell him that Vivian Baylor is on the phone please! This is very important. He'll want to take my call!"
"Can I tell him what this is in reference to?"
