This is after Devlin's been released, connected with Tawfi and been attacked in his hotel room. The police halfway suspect he set the supposed mugging up, but he wound up with a gash in his arm that suggests otherwise. It's now Saturday morning and the front desk woke him to let him know a Mrs. Colin Pope wanted to come up...
-----------------
I opened it to find my brother's wife looking at me with an expression that could be amusement or bemusement or a need to use the toilet, for all I could tell. She was in her casual chic mode and looked like she'd just finished prepping for a ladies' lunch, not spent all night on a crowded plane. I let her in with a growl of, "You got here fast."
"I was invited to a baby shower, Dev," she said. "I wasn't sure I could make it, but my mother changed her plans to watch the boys and Marci said, even though she's really busy, she'll handle Colin for Monday and Tuesday. So, here I am."
"Good ol’ Marci. No bags?"
"Downstairs. I’m staying with friends."
"You talk to Colin?"
"When do I not?"
Oh, shit, this was gonna be rough. "I'll order coffee."
"Tea, please." She looked at my arm. "Rough night?"
"My room got broke into," I said. "Not even worth Channel Four taking note."
She just nodded. Obviously did not believe a word I said.
I put in an order for a full English breakfast and the hell with the cost, then sat on the bed as she eased into a chair, her eyes locked on me. I'd seen that look before when I'd done something she didn't approve of, like a mother disappointed in her child. I took a deep breath, grabbed a pillow, and shifted to lie back, my eyes watching her eyes watch me. "Okay, let's have it."
"Glass always half-empty with you, isn't it?"
"Diana, I ache all over. I didn't sleep well. And I'm still freaked out at getting attacked, last night, so cut the crap and get down to -- "
"Some of our dealers have been interrogated by FBI agents,” she said. “About you. Two in Los Angeles. One in Chicago. Three in New York."
Shit. "Why?"
"The FBI’s questions were regarding an extortion racket, and FYI -- Griffin Faure is behind the complaint."
I laughed. "You’re not gonna tell me he came back to the States to admit what happened?"
"He’s been back a while,” she said, causing me to sit up. “And yes -- he’s telling his version, with the suggestion there may be others who've been, oh, caught in the same trap."
"Griffin Faure, bullshit; Papa's pushing this, and he’s just pissed 'cause golden boy and I had some fun,” I snarled, then added for good measure, “and I recorded it."
"I know. I know all about that.”
“How?”
“I know Rio, too.”
“He told you!?”
“He trusts me and he’s worried. Federal agents are trying to find out more about you and the Faure Group, and they are pushing hard. Hitting informants. Questioning how certain people got repaid for losses cause by that criminal family. They’ve even been to West Nyack. Lots of huffing and puffing, but no arrests. So far. But Rio wanted to talk to you...and when he couldn’t find you, he contacted me.”
That made me blink. “You haven’t seen the videos, have you?"
"You can be sure the FBI has. What's more -- I also hear a certain Congressman is helping the Faures push this.”
“Aw, fuck,” shot out of me, followed by, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be, Dev. It’s just you and me. Now...what you did with that shit, Faure -- I really don’t care. He stole from us and nearly drove Colin to suicide. He got off light. What I want to know is why this shit is coming down on us, now, and what you did to cause it."
That made me look closer. She had her mommy eyes on; I'd seen them when one of the kids was trying to pull a fast one. "How’d you find all this out, so fast?"
"I used to be a party girl in the city that never sleeps and could teach Vegas a thing or two about keeping it there. Once I make friends, they're friends for life. You never know who'll come in handy when you need some help."
"You think you can offer any?"
"Depends on how you answer a question."
"Oh, jeez, that crap, again?” I sighed and leaned forward. “Okay, hit me."
Her smile widened. "I just need to know -- did you ever know someone named Kenneth Tavelscha?"
Oh, son-of-a-bitch, it was worse than I thought. I just nodded.
She nodded back. "Have you kept up with him?"
"Not since college."
"He's that Congressman. Republican. Bought and paid for by the Faure Group, and they’ve been cross-referencing. Apparently, for a while, because less than an hour after you'd been arrested by the Metropolitan Police -- “ I shot a look at her. “Yes, I do know about that, too.”
“Christ,” shot out of me. “You didn’t tell Colin?”
“Devlin! And freak him out?”
“Right. Sorry. Guess I’m the one freaking out.”
“You should be, because Tavelscha had the TSA add your name to the no-fly list, and an hour after that, the FBI opened up that investigation into your blackmail racket."
"Oh, fuck! Papa Faure’s attack dogs’re barkin’, loud and clear.”
Fortunately, room service arrived and I was able to shift focus away from my inner chaos. I let them set everything up, signed the bill and tipped them and got them out, the whole time trying to figure out what I should and shouldn't say to her. Didn't do any good; she had her mommy eyes on me the whole time.
She calmly poured out tea for herself and coffee for me, then set up a chair beside the tray, took a slice of toast and piece of bacon, and sat back in her own chair.
I kept standing by the door, unable to move, my brain spinning.
After another minute of watching me and sipping her tea and nibbling at her food, she said, "Devlin -- you know how Colin and I met, right?"
I had to nod. "He...he got lost and you...uh, you found him. Brought him home."
"You know where I found him?" I shrugged a yes. She smiled. "I always thought it interesting you never said anything."
I sighed and glanced at her, my mind beginning to focus. "I didn't need to."
Her smile widened. "Y'know, the only reason I approached him was, Rio'd heard my usual connection got busted, and that I should assume the new guy's a cop. So when I saw Colin, no way did he belong in that neighborhood. Fuckin’ rookie, was my first thought, so I went over to play with him. Be a real bitch. But he looked at me with those lost, dark, lovely eyes, and the first words he said were, Oh my god, you're so beautiful.” She sighed. “I wasn't. I was at the tail of a party weekend. But his attitude...his whole manner...it was so simple and straight and honest and sweet, I fell apart. Sobbed. He said he was sorry and gave me a handkerchief. Cheap white cotton. Buy 'em by the half-dozen. I still have it. Wouldn't part with it for anything."
I turned to her. "You're good for him. For both of us."
"Thank you for that." She smiled and pulled out a tissue to dab her eyes. "It took me ten minutes to find out he'd met with a client and parked his car in a cheap lot to save a few bucks, but couldn't remember which one and was close to falling apart. I offered to call someone but he panicked and said you were at school and your father off on business and no one could know how he'd screwed up. So we went to every lot I knew -- and found it at the fifth one. By that point he was shaking so badly, he couldn't drive, so I got behind the wheel. And I stayed. And we have three beautiful perfect sons." Then she looked straight at me to add with a near growl, "And I will never, never, never let anyone -- anyone at all -- hurt him or them. So if you don't give me the complete and absolute truth, I'm here to have fun at a baby shower for an old friend, and then back to New York.”
Where they would build walls to protect the business, and I'd be fucked.
-----------------
I opened it to find my brother's wife looking at me with an expression that could be amusement or bemusement or a need to use the toilet, for all I could tell. She was in her casual chic mode and looked like she'd just finished prepping for a ladies' lunch, not spent all night on a crowded plane. I let her in with a growl of, "You got here fast."
"I was invited to a baby shower, Dev," she said. "I wasn't sure I could make it, but my mother changed her plans to watch the boys and Marci said, even though she's really busy, she'll handle Colin for Monday and Tuesday. So, here I am."
"Good ol’ Marci. No bags?"
"Downstairs. I’m staying with friends."
"You talk to Colin?"
"When do I not?"
Oh, shit, this was gonna be rough. "I'll order coffee."
"Tea, please." She looked at my arm. "Rough night?"
"My room got broke into," I said. "Not even worth Channel Four taking note."
She just nodded. Obviously did not believe a word I said.
I put in an order for a full English breakfast and the hell with the cost, then sat on the bed as she eased into a chair, her eyes locked on me. I'd seen that look before when I'd done something she didn't approve of, like a mother disappointed in her child. I took a deep breath, grabbed a pillow, and shifted to lie back, my eyes watching her eyes watch me. "Okay, let's have it."
"Glass always half-empty with you, isn't it?"
"Diana, I ache all over. I didn't sleep well. And I'm still freaked out at getting attacked, last night, so cut the crap and get down to -- "
"Some of our dealers have been interrogated by FBI agents,” she said. “About you. Two in Los Angeles. One in Chicago. Three in New York."
Shit. "Why?"
"The FBI’s questions were regarding an extortion racket, and FYI -- Griffin Faure is behind the complaint."
I laughed. "You’re not gonna tell me he came back to the States to admit what happened?"
"He’s been back a while,” she said, causing me to sit up. “And yes -- he’s telling his version, with the suggestion there may be others who've been, oh, caught in the same trap."
"Griffin Faure, bullshit; Papa's pushing this, and he’s just pissed 'cause golden boy and I had some fun,” I snarled, then added for good measure, “and I recorded it."
"I know. I know all about that.”
“How?”
“I know Rio, too.”
“He told you!?”
“He trusts me and he’s worried. Federal agents are trying to find out more about you and the Faure Group, and they are pushing hard. Hitting informants. Questioning how certain people got repaid for losses cause by that criminal family. They’ve even been to West Nyack. Lots of huffing and puffing, but no arrests. So far. But Rio wanted to talk to you...and when he couldn’t find you, he contacted me.”
That made me blink. “You haven’t seen the videos, have you?"
"You can be sure the FBI has. What's more -- I also hear a certain Congressman is helping the Faures push this.”
“Aw, fuck,” shot out of me, followed by, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be, Dev. It’s just you and me. Now...what you did with that shit, Faure -- I really don’t care. He stole from us and nearly drove Colin to suicide. He got off light. What I want to know is why this shit is coming down on us, now, and what you did to cause it."
That made me look closer. She had her mommy eyes on; I'd seen them when one of the kids was trying to pull a fast one. "How’d you find all this out, so fast?"
"I used to be a party girl in the city that never sleeps and could teach Vegas a thing or two about keeping it there. Once I make friends, they're friends for life. You never know who'll come in handy when you need some help."
"You think you can offer any?"
"Depends on how you answer a question."
"Oh, jeez, that crap, again?” I sighed and leaned forward. “Okay, hit me."
Her smile widened. "I just need to know -- did you ever know someone named Kenneth Tavelscha?"
Oh, son-of-a-bitch, it was worse than I thought. I just nodded.
She nodded back. "Have you kept up with him?"
"Not since college."
"He's that Congressman. Republican. Bought and paid for by the Faure Group, and they’ve been cross-referencing. Apparently, for a while, because less than an hour after you'd been arrested by the Metropolitan Police -- “ I shot a look at her. “Yes, I do know about that, too.”
“Christ,” shot out of me. “You didn’t tell Colin?”
“Devlin! And freak him out?”
“Right. Sorry. Guess I’m the one freaking out.”
“You should be, because Tavelscha had the TSA add your name to the no-fly list, and an hour after that, the FBI opened up that investigation into your blackmail racket."
"Oh, fuck! Papa Faure’s attack dogs’re barkin’, loud and clear.”
Fortunately, room service arrived and I was able to shift focus away from my inner chaos. I let them set everything up, signed the bill and tipped them and got them out, the whole time trying to figure out what I should and shouldn't say to her. Didn't do any good; she had her mommy eyes on me the whole time.
She calmly poured out tea for herself and coffee for me, then set up a chair beside the tray, took a slice of toast and piece of bacon, and sat back in her own chair.
I kept standing by the door, unable to move, my brain spinning.
After another minute of watching me and sipping her tea and nibbling at her food, she said, "Devlin -- you know how Colin and I met, right?"
I had to nod. "He...he got lost and you...uh, you found him. Brought him home."
"You know where I found him?" I shrugged a yes. She smiled. "I always thought it interesting you never said anything."
I sighed and glanced at her, my mind beginning to focus. "I didn't need to."
Her smile widened. "Y'know, the only reason I approached him was, Rio'd heard my usual connection got busted, and that I should assume the new guy's a cop. So when I saw Colin, no way did he belong in that neighborhood. Fuckin’ rookie, was my first thought, so I went over to play with him. Be a real bitch. But he looked at me with those lost, dark, lovely eyes, and the first words he said were, Oh my god, you're so beautiful.” She sighed. “I wasn't. I was at the tail of a party weekend. But his attitude...his whole manner...it was so simple and straight and honest and sweet, I fell apart. Sobbed. He said he was sorry and gave me a handkerchief. Cheap white cotton. Buy 'em by the half-dozen. I still have it. Wouldn't part with it for anything."
I turned to her. "You're good for him. For both of us."
"Thank you for that." She smiled and pulled out a tissue to dab her eyes. "It took me ten minutes to find out he'd met with a client and parked his car in a cheap lot to save a few bucks, but couldn't remember which one and was close to falling apart. I offered to call someone but he panicked and said you were at school and your father off on business and no one could know how he'd screwed up. So we went to every lot I knew -- and found it at the fifth one. By that point he was shaking so badly, he couldn't drive, so I got behind the wheel. And I stayed. And we have three beautiful perfect sons." Then she looked straight at me to add with a near growl, "And I will never, never, never let anyone -- anyone at all -- hurt him or them. So if you don't give me the complete and absolute truth, I'm here to have fun at a baby shower for an old friend, and then back to New York.”
Where they would build walls to protect the business, and I'd be fucked.
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