Untangling the Black Web

by T. F. Jacobs

  A burly man with a military haircut steps out in sunglasses and a black suit. Probably security detail. He watches the crowd, then steps forward.

  I notice the senator behind him a moment later.

  He is a tall mocha-skinned man with short, buzzed, black hair; square cheekbones; and a radiant smile. He’s wearing an expensive gray pinstripe suit and holding the hand of his daughter, who can’t be older than five. His blonde wife steps out behind him, wearing a pink church dress and white shawl.

  I make my way toward them.

  “Senator,” I call through the chaos of churchgoers. He’s shaking hands with a graying older man.

  The security guy steps in front of me as the senator turns.

  He’s still smiling, but not from recognition.

  “David Higgins,” I add.

  “Ah, David, yes.” His voice is deep and booming. Like a movie announcer. “It’s okay, Jeff, I have a meeting with him this evening.”

  The security guy steps aside, sunglasses aimed at me.

  Senator Ford reaches his hand out, and I take it. It envelops mine for a brief shake, one he’s perfected after years of practice.

  “Hello there,” I say to his daughter.

  “Don’t leave us, Daddy,” she whines.

  He lets out a jovial laugh. “I’m sorry, Sarah, but Daddy has a meeting. I’ll be home in time to read you a bedtime story.”

  She pouts.

  “Sorry, Sarah,” I say. She gives me the stink eye.

  “Duty calls,” he announces to his wife.

  She leans in for a kiss, and he plants one on her.

  I look away.

  “Jeff, I’ll be all right, go ahead and stay with Molly and the kids.”

  Jeff nods, then ushers them to the right.

  Ford stands shoulder to shoulder with me and waves as his daughters turn back for another glance, Sarah with tears in her eyes.

  “Kids,” he says as they continue down the sidewalk and out of sight.

  “You have a beautiful family.”

  “Evening, Senator,” says an elderly woman as she steps past us.

  “Have a lovely night,” he calls, smiling wide.

  If he’s faking his sincerity, then he is a grade A actor.

  “You have kids, David?”

  I laugh. “No. Just me.”

  “Ain’t nothing wrong with that, my man. Shall we head out?”

  “Let’s do it.”

  We take a cab back to my hotel and sit down for dinner at the hotel restaurant, Randal’s.

  It’s a five-star American fusion, boasting a dark ambiance and southern flair. The cheapest item on the menu is the butter pasta with a price tag of eighty-six dollars.

  We each order whiskeys, while working on an artisanal breadbasket.

  “David, my man,” he says after the small talk comes to an end. “What happened to Kevin?”

  My phone is recording in my pocket.

  The candle between us illuminates his face in the darkness. And there’s that smile again. I can see why the camera and the voters like him. General John McMahon would be a fool not to put him on the ticket. Even I already like the guy, and I’m not a fan of politicians.

  Part of me wants for him not to work with me. Not to take the deal I’m going to offer him.

  But I need this. A senator and potential VP getting wrapped up in what I am about to throw him into will surely make waves. Waves that can send American True Care into a real tailspin.

  I swallow a bite of bread, then respond. “Frankly, I don’t know. They figured it was best to let me pave my own path. Start a new page.”

  He nods long and slow. “Man I miss that guy. We had some good times.” I can hear it in his voice—he’s genuine.

  Rebecca didn’t tell me anything, which makes me curious about what Kevin could have offered to make the senator so fond.

  “Senator, I want to assure you that I am also here for you. American True Care wants to be in your pocket, and as a token of good faith, I am here for whatever needs you may have. Need a memorial in your state? Help with campaigning? You got it. I’m a lawyer by trade, so my clients’ interests always come first. And in this case, I consider you a client.”

  He nods for emphasis. Happy with my response. “That is great news. Really great news. Kevin wasn’t afraid to go there either. I really respected that about the man. Good times.”

  What the hell did Kevin do? The senator makes him sound like Jesus.

  “So I do what you want, you do what I want. That sum it up?”

  Gold. Exactly what I need him to say.

  I consider calling it off just so that he can save himself, but this is going exactly the way I need it to.

  I nod.

  “I’m surprised you’re bothering me instead of working with the current White House. Why not work to keep them in place? I thought you guys helped a lot of that go down.”

  My head tilts to the side as I think about what he just said.

  Is it true?

  I can’t play dumb; otherwise I’ll risk looking like I am out of the loop.

  “We want to work with whoever is in the White House. No matter which party. I think there is always a way for us all to work together.”

  He bows in agreement.

  “Okay, okay. What can I do for you then?” He gives me that same million-dollar smile.

  Takes another swig of his whiskey.

  “We hope to have you on our side now and into the future, if you know what I mean.”

  “I think I do. I assume you are referring to the Vice Presidency.”

  Blunt. I like it. Helps my recording immensely. Not my fault if he’s not careful with what he says.

  He continues. “General McMahon is still vetting, and he’s got a couple people left. Should make his decision in two or so weeks. Either way, I have your back as long as you have mine. Am I right?”

  “You are indeed, Senator. We want this to be a mutually beneficial relationship.”

  “Great. See, I knew I liked you. You got that cool beach-blond look and a calm, do-what-you-gotta-do demeanor. You ever think about politics? Face and voice like yours could do well.”

  I flush. Flattery never hurts no matter the situation. I still can’t tell if this guy is just genuinely nice, or if he’s buttering me up for something more.

  “I don’t know about that. I am pretty happy here with American True Care. They treat me well.”

  The lie rolls off my tongue effortlessly. In law school we used to practice for trial by taking stances opposite to whatever we believed in. We learned how to lie so well that even we started to believe the falsehoods. Can’t hate a good player. Hate the game.

  “American True Care is good people. Real good. Man, I still can’t believe Kevin is gone.” He takes a bite of bread. “So what do you got for me today, my man?”

  Perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better scenario than this. The senator is literally asking for it.

  “We have a great bill that would look really good coming from someone trying to get into the second highest office in the land. This one is special for you. Progressive family man. Someone who bursts with charisma as you do will surely get this through.”

  A little flattery right back at him. He smiles wide.

  “You are too kind. Too kind.” He’s loud and jolly. Takes another swig of his whiskey, and the waiter brings him another. Thirty-one dollars for two fingers. Gotta love New York luxury.

  “Thanks, my man.” He turns back to me. “So what do you got?”

  I place the envelope—sixty pages of documentation inside—on the table. And yes, I made copies that currently sit inside my fridge. I don’t know why, but Brit insisted on it before, so there must be a good reason.

  “What if every citizen had six thousand dollars in tax credits to pay for health insurance? I’m talking every citizen. Think of the coverage. On average, most people pay a little over five thousand a year for insurance as we speak.”

&nbs
p; He’s nodding through every sentence. He’s eating out of the palm of my hand. I’ll say it again: I should have been a fucking courtroom lawyer.

  I continue. “We could insure the entire country.”

  “You’re speaking my language, man. Tell me, there’s gotta be a downside. So give it to me,” he says coolly.

  I’ve got him. It’s a done deal.

  “Here’s the downside. They can only choose between the Big Two players in the game. American True Care and the Inner Medical Association. The other insurance companies aren’t eligible.”

  I have to guess that the two insurance companies cowrote the bill, trying to consolidate the industry even further.

  “Ah. There it is. And let me guess, because they aren’t eligible, they start to lose business. To flounder.” He’s using his hands while he talks.

  “More or less. But consolidation is a good thing.”

  I know it isn’t, but what the hell.

  He nods some more, puffs out his lower lip in thought.

  “I think I can get behind that, my man. Just gotta make sure you behind me.”

  At times I notice he speaks like he grew up in the hood, but in actuality I know he’s long past those days. He can change his language with the flip of a switch to appeal to whomever he wants. He thinks acting cool is the way to win me over. On camera it’s a whole different story.

  “And we are behind you.”

  “No, no. I mean you. I want to make sure I got you behind me. Pulling those strings. Not just American True Care.”

  “Don’t worry about that, Senator. I’m here for you.”

  I raise my glass of whiskey and hold it up for him.

  “Cheers.”

  “Cheers,” he repeats. He clinks his glass against mine.

  We drink.

  Couldn’t have dreamed in a million years he’d be so willing to cooperate. I have to keep reminding myself he is just one casualty in a sea of big fish. His family will be fine when it all blows over.

  We eat our meals over more small talk about his basketball days. He has the lobster risotto topped with specks of ricotta cheese and white truffle. I have the lemon honey-glazed chicken breast served on a bed of asparagus.

  After five rounds of whiskey for him and three for me, the bill comes to $411. I slide the waiter my card.

  “Thank you, my man. What a great meal,” the senator says, his words starting to slur. His skin is flushed red from the booze. He’s vibrant and full of energy.

  “Thank you, Senator. Really glad we could do this. I’ll have to let you get back to your wife and kids now.”

  He looks up, surprised.

  “Get back? No, my man. We still got three hours till bedtime.”

  “Oh,” I reply. I don’t hide the surprise in my voice. “What do you have in mind?”

  “They put you up in a suite? They always used to put Kevin in the nicest suites here. Posh stuff.”

  “Yeah, they did. Really nice.”

  His question seems peculiar.

  “Let’s have a drink upstairs. Maybe catch a basketball game on television.”

  “Okay. Great,” I say with enthusiasm.

  “I may have a friend join us. That cool?”

  I consider it. “Sure, Senator. Whatever you’d like.”

  . . .

  Upstairs I open the door to my hotel room. The crystal chandelier glistens, and the view into the Hudson is majestic.

  “This is ritzy. I think this might be the same one Kevin stayed in. Good times.” He slaps me on the back and takes a seat on the couch. Flips on the television.

  I like this guy. He feels like an old college buddy. Someone who can relate to an average Joe like me. I know from my research that he’s nine years older than me, turning forty in a few months. But he’s got something I envy—the ability to connect.

  I saw this type of charisma in law school all too often, and many times those were the students who would perform well in court but couldn’t pass the bar. Ford’s not one of those people though, because according to my research online, he not only passed the bar, but was first in his class at Harvard.

  He turns on the Knicks game as I make my way to the mini bar.

  I scan the options.

  A couple merlots from the nineties.

  Irish cream.

  A bottle of brandy with a label that reads “Ford.”

  It’s meant to be.

  “How about some brandy? Ever heard of Ford?” I call over the noise of the game.

  “That is good stuff. A couple fingers would be great,” he answers.

  I bring over two glasses, then take a seat next to him on the stiff, expensive-looking white couch.

  I raise my glass to his, and we drink.

  The burn is robust. There are hints of chocolate and something smoky.

  It goes down smooth.

  A knock at the door draws our attention away from the game.

  “I’ll get it,” he says.

  He gets up from the couch and sets his glass on the wood coffee table.

  I gaze back to see who it is.

  Maybe another political friend? A buddy from school?

  But it isn’t.

  I’m surprised when a young brunette walks through the door.

  She’s model gorgeous, with bangs across her forehead and bright blue eyes. Her full cheeks compliment her round face well, and she’s wearing a tan overcoat.

  Who the hell is she?

  The senator puts his arm around her as she walks in, her eyes taking in the magnificence of the room.

  I sit up. Confounded.

  “Rachel, this is David Higgins,” he says. He’s smiling from ear to ear, overly buzzed from the expensive alcohol.

  “Hello,” I say.

  She smiles at me and sets her black leather bag on the entry table.

  “Care for a drink, Rachel?”

  “I thought this was a work meeting,” she says with a hint of sarcasm. Her voice is proper. She’s beautiful and dignified, but she’s young. Maybe early twenties at most.

  He pours her a hefty portion of the brandy.

  “It is a work meeting. But have a drink anyway.”

  She giggles as she takes a sip.

  “I used to drink a lot more in my freshman days. That’s been two years, so we’ll see how I do with this,” she says happily.

  Looks like I was right.

  The senator rounds the couch and takes the seat beside me.

  Rachel sits next to him. He raises his arm and slips it around her shoulder.

  And now I see the connection. Rachel is his side piece.

  The family man isn’t a true family man at all. What a great actor indeed.

  “How do you guys know each other?” I ask.

  They’re both nursing their drinks while absentmindedly watching the game.

  Ford turns to me. Looks into my eyes.

  “Rachel is my intern. I thought I’d call her up to show her what it’s like to hang with a lobbyist. You know, give her the ins and outs of that whole game.”

  He gives me a telling look, one that implies there’s more to what he’s saying than he’s actually said.

  My perception of the man has completely plummeted. He seemed like such a good guy too. One that I’d even vote for.

  I give him a quick head bob in return.

  He sets down his drink, then leans over Rachel and kisses her.

  This isn’t good. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Clearly this isn’t something new—they’ve done this before. Should I try to slip out?

  She pulls back slowly, then looks over at me, and immediately I divert my eyes down to the floor. Try not to make eye contact. I can’t condone this.

  “Senator, I have to ask. How am I looking for that senior intern spot now?” Rachel asks, a playful edge in her voice.

  This is sickening.

  “I think you are looking very good for that spot right now.”

  She grins a girlish smile.


  He takes that as an invitation. He leans back in to kiss her. She kisses him back, long and hard. Passionate.

  She sets down her drink, and they don’t stop. They’re only a couple feet away, and suddenly I feel very out of place.

  But this is my moment.

  I stand, then reach to pull out my phone. I need to get this on camera, but without them seeing.

  “Wow, my man,” Ford says as he comes up for air. He turns to look at me getting up from the couch.

  “Sorry, I thought I would just let you two be. You can have my room actually. Not a problem with me.”

  My head feels hot. The room is spinning slightly and my body is tingling. I’ve had too much to drink.

  “No, my man. We wouldn’t do that to you. Sit,” he says in that loud sports announcer voice.

  I do.

  “Relax a little,” he says.

  Rachel giggles as she takes another sip of her brandy.

  I sit back, but relaxing is the last thing on my mind.

  I need to record this and get out of here.

  “I like him,” Rachel says shyly.

  I turn to meet her eyes. Her index finger is tickling her lip, teasingly.

  I stand.

  “I should really let you two be.”

  “David, sit.” The senator isn’t playing around anymore.

  I take my seat.

  “Good.” He pauses for another sip. “Now, you said you would get behind me, however I wanted, right? I mean Kevin and I used to have some real good times. You know what I mean?”

  And now everything makes sense.

  This cannot be happening. I need to get the fuck out of here.

  He grabs my hand and pulls me toward them. I try to resist, but his hand is powerful and strong. He moves it toward Rachel and sets it on her lap. She’s still wearing the heavy tan overcoat.

  I pull back. My head spins some more.

  “I really should get going, Senator. I think you two will be better off without me here.”

  His face leans in closer to mine.

  “If you want me in your pocket, then you ain’t going anywhere.”

  He grabs my hand again and sets it back on Rachel’s lap.

  She lets out a girlish laugh.

  She slides her hand under mine. Her smooth fingers are warm, sending a tingle along my back.