Aidan’s face began to go pale.
Brendan continued, “We get you on the inside and not only can we save our client any further worry or embarrassment, but maybe we can take down this whole operation.”
Aidan’s face fell. That was not the answer he’d been hoping for.
“Wait, there’s a whole operation going on here?” Sofia asked.
Brendan grabbed his yellow legal pad and tossed it across the desk at them. Aidan went to grab it, but he struggled to get out of his chair fast enough, and Sofia got there first. Aidan sank back into his chair with a grimace. She’d told him he should keep wearing the shorts he’d used for the routine, but he’d declined. Now he was back in skinny pants that didn’t have a lot of room for air, and his freshly plucked marble pouch was paying the price for his pride.
Looking down at the pad, Sofia could see that next to every one of the Beef Cake Boyz’ stage names, Brendan had written their name, social security number and current address. On the second page, he had written: ‘MANAGER—STANLEY KERVIN. JACKET?’
In this case, Sofia assumed that ‘jacket’ referred to a criminal record and not a light coat. Underneath the question was a whole list of acronyms: MF; B&E; DOC.
Sofia knew a couple from working previous cases. ‘MF’ stood for mail fraud. ‘B&E’ was breaking and entering. ‘DOC’ was short for disorderly conduct. Sofia handed the legal pad to Aidan, who quickly scanned it.
“That phone call was Tom King, an old buddy of mine,” Brendan added. “He pinched Stanley Kervin back in the day for extortion and pandering.”
That made Sofia sit up and take notice. Blackmail usually involved a threat of revealing something about someone they didn’t want people to know, such as getting up close and personal with a male stripper when you were married. Extortion, though, usually carried the threat of violence. There was a difference between blackmailers and extortionists. Blackmailers might threaten violence if they were pushed too far, but usually didn’t go through with it. Extortionists were a different kettle of fish. This wasn’t looking great for Marcie.
“What was the case?” asked Aidan.
“He was shaking down strippers at a club he was managing downtown. They were paying to dance, but he was making one or two turn tricks and taking the bulk of the money. One of the girls at this club was seeing someone on the force and happened to drop it into their pillow talk. That was the end of that little revenue stream for Stanley.”
“So he’s a complete creep,” said Sofia.
“And a scumbag,” added Aidan.
“What about the other guys? Highlander? Jumbo? Anaconda?”
“Little things here and there. Possession. Jumbo has a DUI from years back. But Stanley’s the only one with a real record.”
“So he’s the one who put the idea in Python’s head?” said Sofia.
“Looks like it. But let’s keep our minds open,” said Brendan. “It’s never good to go in with your mind completely set as to who’s doing what.”
“Couldn’t we just let your buddy Tom deal with this? I mean if he already knows that Stanley has previous,” Sofia asked.
“It’s a little early for that. We’re going to need more. Otherwise if the LAPD pick them up, they lawyer up, there’s not enough to hold them on, and everyone has to back off them. The cops can’t just keep arresting someone without having enough evidence for the DA.”
“Maybe they’d back off Marcie if they felt some heat,” Aidan suggested.
“They might,” said Brendan. “Or they might just get some payback by calling Marcie’s husband, waiting for everything to die down, then starting up all over again with someone else.”
Brendan had a point. If the LAPD picked up Stanley and Jared and didn’t get anywhere there was every chance they would look for revenge. All it would take was an email with the video attached. Or a package left outside her house. And if Stanley had a record that included extortion there was a chance it might be worse than that.
No, thought Sofia. They had to get some more concrete evidence that meant they could keep Marcie out of the mix as far as possible.
“You’re right,” said Aidan, who was obviously thinking the same thing.
From the look on his face it seemed like any reluctance he had about the audition was outweighed by his desire to bring this creep Stanley to justice. It had been the same for Sofia when she had gone undercover. She hadn’t really wanted to pretend to be a hooker or a drug addict, but if that was what it took, she’d get on with it. Life wasn’t always about what you’d rather do.
“So how’s the preparation going for this audition?”
Aidan glanced at Sofia.
“Really good so far. Aidan’s been a trouper,” she told Brendan.
“Glad to hear it. Aidan? You think you have a shot?”
“I’m going to do my best.”
“Okay, great.” Brendan lifted up a file from his desk and opened it. “I have your undercover name and a social-security number all prepped here. I also had a couple of things placed online that will definitely make you more interesting to these guys if they run your name, which I’d expect they will.”
The internet had made background checks easy and inexpensive for all kinds of people, including employers. And, just like the rest of cyberspace, it was possible to game the results. Including creating a fictitious person and giving them the background you wanted.
Brendan passed the file over the desk to Aidan. “The new identity doesn’t have much of a social-media profile so if they ask about it you’ll need to have an explanation ready.”
“How about ‘I hate all that attention whoring stuff’?” said Aidan.
“That’ll probably work,” Brendan replied.
“It might be better to set up a Facebook account but make all the settings private so they can’t actually see anything,” Sofia added.
“Not a bad idea,” said Aidan. “I can do that this afternoon.”
“So,” said Brendan, “the background story is you’re trying to become an actor, and you think this might be good experience. Don’t say anything about being in trouble with the law unless they bring it up. In fact, with these guys, the sketchier you are on details about everything, the more likely they are to let something drop that we can use.”
“Got it,” said Aidan.
That worked, thought Sofia. People breaking into the industry often took on all kinds of crazy jobs to get some kind of experience. When they learned a little more about how things worked they tended to keep quiet about them, especially if the gig was in any way risqué. Whatever people outside thought about Hollywood being an immoral cesspit, the studios and agencies still liked their talent to be fairly wholesome so as not to alienate the broader audience.
“So, I’m a guy who’s had a few run-ins with the law and is now trying to make a few dollars while I try to break in as an actor,” said Aidan.
“It’s pretty credible for LA,” said Sofia.
Brendan put his hands palms down on his desk, signifying that he wanted to wrap things up. “We all good?”
Aidan and Sofia nodded.
“Great. When’s this audition?”
“Tomorrow afternoon,” said Sofia. “We’re going to run through a couple of things with Aidan tomorrow, then I’ll drive him down there.”
“Sounds like a plan. Sofia, you’d better check in with the client. Make sure she’s holding her nerve.”
“I will, and I’m going to let her know we’re making some real progress in getting a handle on who these guys are.”
“Good thinking,” said Brendan. “The more we can reassure her, the better for everyone.”
34
“Hey, Mom, I need to speak with Marcie. Can you call her or go round there and ask her to phone me at the office as soon as she gets a chance?”
“I can do better than that. She’s right here. But I warn you, she’s kind of losing it.”
“Did something happen?” asked Sofia.
“The strain is getting to her. You think I should give her some more Xanax?”
“No! No more drugs. And no wine either.”
“Okay,” said her mom, sounding a little crestfallen. “That doesn’t include me, though, does it? I mean, I can still have a glass?”
“Sure,” said Sofia, checking the time and seeing it was only a little after four in the afternoon. She didn’t need to have that conversation with her mom right now, on top of everything else.
“Okay, I’ll put her on.”
Sofia took a deep breath. Aidan was studying a video of a male dance group on YouTube and jotting notes. She had to hand it to him, once he’d gotten past his initial reluctance he’d really taken this whole audition thing seriously. If nothing else, once this case was finished he’d have some serious moves to bust on the dancefloor.
“Hi, Sofia,” said Marcie.
Her mom had been right: she sounded terrible. Her voice was all raspy, like she’d been crying.
“Hey, Marcie,” said Sofia, doing her best to sound upbeat. “I have some updates for you on the case.”
“Okay.”
“We have a new line of investigation going.” Sofia paused. She decided not to tell Marcie about Aidan going undercover. The fewer people who knew that, the better. “ And we’ve gathered some very interesting background information on the manager of the Beef Cake Boyz. Information that we think we can use to bring this whole thing to a conclusion without Wade finding out or you having to pay them anything.”
“That’s good, because I’m not sure I can take much more of this. Wade’s real suspicious. Last night he even asked me if there was something I wanted to tell him.”
“You didn’t, did you?” said Sofia.
“I just said I was feeling really run-down at the moment.”
“Okay, good.”
“It’s just that every time the phone rings, or Wade comes in from work, or someone comes to the door, my heart’s in my throat.”
“I know, Marcie. It’s nerve-wracking. But, remember, they don’t get their money if they tell Wade, so they’re not going to do anything like that unless they absolutely know they’re not getting paid, and maybe not even then.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. Just hang in there. With a little bit of luck we can get this situation resolved sooner rather than later.”
“I will. Hey, Sofia, your mom wants to speak with you again.”
“Okay, put her on.”
She heard Marcie pass the phone back.
“Is someone going undercover?”
So much for keeping things secret. “Mom, why are you asking me that?”
“Don’t I have a right to know? I mean you wouldn’t even have this case if it wasn’t for me.”
Sofia really didn’t have time for this. But her mom wasn’t likely to let it go until she knew. “Yeah, we’re sending Aidan in.”
“Aidan?”
“He’s going to audition to join the Beef Cake Boyz.”
“He is kind of a beef cake.”
“Yeah, anyway, that’s who’s going in undercover,” said Sofia, trying to wrap it up.
“Huh,” said Janet, a faraway tone entering her voice. “Is he going to be naked?”
This was creeping Sofia out now. “What kind of question is that?”
“I saw on some cop show that if a police officer gets naked and tries to solicit someone it won’t stand up in court. No pun intended.”
What? “For a start Aidan’s not a cop anymore. And he’s not soliciting anyone. It’s two totally different scenarios.”
“So he’s not going to be naked?” asked her mom.
“I have no idea. Why are you so interested?”
“I’m just taking an interest in your work, darling.”
“In Aidan’s work, you mean.”
“I could have gone undercover for you. I think I’d be pretty good at that kind of work.”
Not this again. Sofia had already had to explain to her mom once already why she couldn’t go undercover. “Tell you what, if things don’t work out with Aidan we can talk about it.”
“Really?”
Her mom sounded super-excited. That was worrying.
“Sure.”
“I’m here if you need me.”
“Just try to keep Marcie calm for us. The cooler she stays the easier this will go.”
“But no Xanax?” asked her mom.
“And definitely no wine. Or any kind of alcohol. Booze loosens people’s tongues.”
“No kidding,” said her mom. “It was her tongue that got her into this mess.”
35
Six in the morning. Sofia was out of bed and in her kitchen making coffee before the alarm on her phone sounded to wake her up. Today was game day. At two o’clock this afternoon Aidan had his audition to become the newest member of the Beef Cake Boyz. They’d had very little time to prepare.
She walked over to the front door, and propped it open, letting in the cool sea breeze. Fred was hanging out on the front porch. She walked back into the kitchen, put some lunch meat on a saucer, grabbed her coffee mug and laid Fred’s food in front of him.
Another gull tried to swoop in from behind him but Fred scared it off with an impressive flapping of his wings. Sofia didn’t know if there was such a thing as an alpha gull but if there was Fred was it.
The vast blue ocean was calm below a thick marine mist. All over Nirvana Cove people were waking, getting ready to start their day. She could see Tex, identifiable by her luminous Lycra outfit, already out for a run on the beach. Two of her neighbors, an older couple, scooted past on a golf cart. They waved, and Sofia waved back.
She stretched out, putting her arms above her head, and yawned. She was starting to have second thoughts about Aidan auditioning. What were his chances of landing a gig like that when there could be dozens of younger men, in great shape, who could actually dance? Some who’d maybe been dance students for years. Or some who had done that type of work before.
It was a long shot. A really long shot. And if Aidan didn’t make the cut that would leave them in the exact same place as before. Worse, if you considered every day that slipped by made the blackmailer or blackmailers more likely to throw Marcie, and her marriage, under the bus.
On the other hand, if Marcie didn’t want to go to the cops, they didn’t have a whole bunch of options. Sofia guessed they just had to find a way to make this work. But how?
She thought back to her own auditions. But that didn’t really help. For someone who’d had a successful acting career, she hadn’t auditioned all that much. It was her sister Emily who had really wanted to be an actress. Sofia had landed the starring role in Half Pint Detective when she’d been hanging around as Emily went for the part.
It was a testament to how great Emily was, and how close they were, that her sister had accepted this cruel twist of Fate with grace, but it must have been devastating to want something so bad only to have your little sister fall into it with no apparent effort.
Sometimes life sucked.
She tried to remember any auditions when she’d had to go all out to win a role. But there weren’t many. Once you had an agent, even one like Jeffery Weiner, and you were on television every week, people knew if they wanted you for something or not.
Emily had gone on a lot of auditions. But even now that she had given up acting Sofia didn’t want to call her sister and ask about them. It might open up old wounds.
There had to be something. Some tip or trick. Something they could use to increase Aidan’s chances of getting on the inside of the Beef Cake Boyz operation.
Finally she knew what she’d do. She couldn’t ask Emily but she could call round some of the actors she’d worked with and ask them. She still had a couple of dozen numbers.
But it would have to wait until a little later. Actors might be happy to share their success stories of triumphant auditions with her, but not before seven in the morning.
&nbs
p; Sofia trotted back inside her trailer as Fred scarfed down the last of his breakfast and took flight in search of more easy pickings.
36
Shower-fresh, teeth brushed and ready to face the day, Sofia sat in her living room with a notepad and pen and began to make calls. She started with some of her old colleagues on Half Pint Detective, then called some actors she didn’t know as well.
After the first four conversations she was exhausted. She was starting to remember why she had given up acting. It wasn’t that she didn’t like these people, she really did, but they couldn’t understand that there was any world outside the business.
Pretty much everyone’s reaction to hearing from her was the same. Squeals of delight, even from the guys, quickly followed by asking if her call meant she was ready to return to the business.
One of her old co-stars even said, “Oh, thank heavens! Word was you were a drug-addict hooker.”
“That was the word,” Sofia answered cheerily. “But I was working undercover for a private investigator in Malibu.”
“Oh, right, yes, of course. I mean, I never believed it for a minute. Let’s be real, you’re way too boring to get into any of that stuff.”
Sofia wasn’t sure what offended her more. The idea that she’d been a drug-addled prostitute or that she was too dull to be one. She tried to move the conversation on and ask about auditions.
By the time she’d talked to a dozen actors, she had a dozen completely contradictory pieces of advice about how Aidan could improve his chances of landing the job. Make them know how much you want it. Don’t appear too keen. Try to psyche out the competition while you wait. Be really nice to everyone else auditioning in case they got in and could recommend you for another part.
As Sofia went to make a few more calls there was a knock on her door. She put her phone down and went to answer it. It was still early.
Jeffery Weiner stood on the porch. He was holding a huge bunch of flowers.
She opened the door.
“Congratulations, Sofia!” he said, with a huge smile. He handed her the flowers.
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