“And after you started with us, I watched you first hand before I ‘joined’ the staff. My interest in you was stretching beyond your work at SNAP.”
I could feel a low hum coming through the earpiece. I knew he could turn the glimmer up for impact; the hum was a sign of truth-telling. Like a cat’s purr, it was involuntary.
“I can’t begin to tell you how glad I am that you’re not Johnny Lew from the south and how eternally happy I am that you’re not gay,” I said quietly into the phone.
This time the tone of his voice told me he was tickled. “It’s amazing that that seed of disinformation made it as far as it did. Jazz is a good conduit and we can use her. How well do you work together?”
“Very well. I like her; she’s efficient, anticipates things, handles routine decisions on her own, keeps me scheduled, goes beyond, like setting up the personal shoppers and arranging for my furniture delivery. She’s been with SNAP long enough to know where most of the bodies are buried and watches for my missteps. I guess I was hoping she knew everything about you vampires. It would be comfortable to have a confidant.”
There was a subtext to this. It would be wonderful if I could share things with someone who knew about the vampires, but wasn’t one of the family. I wasn’t about to swap confidences with Carola or Mira or, God forbid, Pen.
When I moved back to L.A. I’d looked up some of my friends from college and earlier in my career. I had two women I could go to lunch or dinner with and one closer friend, Donnell, who was always up for a girly day at the spa.
They’d gone on with their lives. Donnell was divorced and worked for a PR firm in the Valley. She worked hard, long hours, but would always fit me in. Krista and Holly were married with kids. Krista was a family law attorney and I marveled at her staying power after watching other marriages fall apart with anger, nastiness and violence. Holly was a real estate agent who worked part-time. She’d married well, a client to whom she’d sold a $4 million house. She was available between tennis lessons, play dates and carpools.
None of these women could ever know who Jean-Louis really was. I could, and did, regale them with stories of my travels and celebrities but as I grew closer to the vampires, I was growing away from these women.
CHAPTER FORTY
It was after 10 when I woke. The sun was burning through drifting morning fog and later would drag people to the beach like a magnet.
For now, though, I could get some exercise. I wasn’t dedicated. When I could, usually two or three times a week, I’d do a walk/run for a couple of miles; just enough to work up a gentle sweat. The last time I exercised was my walk to the stream in Hungary, and that didn’t work up much of anything.
I pulled on a pair of shorts, t-shirt, socks and running shoes, finger-combed my hair into a loose ponytail and started out. Smack into Carlos’ chest.
Rats, I’d forgotten my attendant.
“It has to be OK if I go to the beach for some exercise,” I started. “After all, the sun’s out.”
“It’s fine, as long as either Paco or I are with you.” I loved the demon sense of humor.
“Well, which one of you wants to go?” I snapped, heading for the elevator.
Carlos and I trotted outside into wispy fog, crossed the block and walked out onto the sand. I gave myself half an hour and set out on a slow jog along the tide line, where the sand was firmer. It seemed out of place to have a big man dressed in a black suit keeping an eye on me through binoculars, but, oh well.
Being out doors felt good. One of the things I missed hanging around with the vampires was fresh air and sunshine. I could indulge, just not with Jean-Louis. This morning it was a high tide, so my path was parallel, close to the street and south of the pier. In fact, there was enough mist that its shape was shadowy; I could only glimpse it occasionally though I could hear the surf washing against the pilings.
I’d gone about half a mile and was turning around when a dog chased a ball in front of me. I slowed and glanced through a patch of fog to spot his owner. Something hit me from behind and I smacked face-first into the packed sand, knocking the wind out of me. I pulled my arm in to push myself up but hands grabbed both arms, wrenched them behind my back and whipped a plastic cuff around them.
“What the hell...” I started as a hand jerked my pony tail and pulled my head back. I was trying to spit out a mouthful of sand when something dropped over me and the sunlight disappeared. The cloth smelled dirty and musty as though it’d been stored at the bottom of a gym locker; it was beginning to make my nauseous. I was kicking out, trying to find a body part I could hurt, when I was suddenly hoisted up and thrown over a shoulder. My ribs were going to crack from the force of landing on bone and my lungs were fighting to get air.
“Just cool, it,” a spidery voice said. “I’m not going to hurt you, just deliver you.”
My kidnapper hadn’t taken more than two steps before I landed back on the sand again, thrown down with Spidery Voice on top of me. A second later, his weight was off and there were distinct sounds of hurt coming from him.
The cloth over my head was jerked off. A distraught Carlos leaned over me. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry. Jean-Louis and the Baron will punish me for this.”
The moist, salty air smelled like a rose garden after the gym socks or whatever had covered me. I sucked it in and sucked it in and finally got enough in so that my heart stopped hammering. “What happened?” I gasped and tried to stand up, damned difficult with my hands cuffed behind me.
“Let me get that plastic off. Should we take you to a hospital?”
“No, no, I think I’m OK. Let me just breathe for a minute, I had the wind knocked out of me. Who did this? Was it a Huszar? But it couldn’t have been! It’s bright daylight.”
Back on my feet, I saw that Paco had a man in a hold and was talking quietly and earnestly at him. He was a short, slight Hispanic man in his early 20s with slicked-back hair and a small chin patch.
“Who is he?”
“Some gang member from East L.A.” Carlos’ voice was disgusted.
“Why was he after me? Was he just going to grab somebody off the beach for ransom?” I was gasping out the words and beginning to shake. Being knocked flat and mauled around a block from my house and in the day frightened me way more that I wanted to admit. Being attacked by Huszars scared me but I could stay out of places where they might be. This attack might mean I wasn’t free to go anywhere, even at high noon.
“Let’s get off the beach so we don’t attract attention,” Carlos said and turned to Paco, motioning him to bring the man. Fog still swirled enough that our strange procession—two big men in black, a rumpled, sandy woman and a skinny gang member—wasn’t clear to passers-by. We managed to reach our elevator without fuss. Carlos and I went into my condo while Paco hauled the gangster off to the demon’s one.
Before I could stop him, Carlos was on the phone with Jean-Louis. “I’m sorry to wake you, but we had an incident. Maxie was walking on the beach and was attacked.”
Jean-Louis’s voice came through but I had no idea what he was saying. Carlos said, “She’s not hurt. She doesn’t want to be checked.” Noise from the phone then the demon said, “It was a gang member from East L.A. He has a Surenos 13 on his neck and a tear at the corner of his eye.”
More unintelligible words from Jean-Louis.
“I’m concerned, too. We need to have him tell us,” and Carlos handed me the phone.
“Are you really alright?” A trace of impatience came through the concern.
“I’m still shaky but I’m fine, not hurt anyway. I had the wind knocked out when he tackled me. The sand is a lot harder when you hit it face first then it is when you’re walking on it.”
“How’d he get to you? Wasn’t Carlos there?”
“Carlos was there, watching me. I figured I was safe, it’s broad daylight. Sunny, with patches of fog. He’d thrown a ball for a dog, knowing I’d slow down with the fog in front of me. If I hadn’t slowed, if
he’d just made a grab, Carlos would have had him first.”
A sigh was in my ear. “I don’t like this,” Jean-Louis’ tone was adamant.
“I don’t like it either. If I can’t even go for a walk, I’m just not happy about this.”
“This is way beyond your walk. If Carlos is right, and the guy is a gang member, a Surenos, with a tear, no less, we’ve got troubles. Did he say anything to you?”
“He said be quiet. He said he wasn’t going to hurt me, only deliver me. That’s why I think he was just going to grab anyone, shake them down or try to get some ransom.”
“That’s an interesting theory. You know what the tear means... it means he’s been in prison for killing someone.”
“So? Why wouldn’t he just grab me for money?”
“It’s money, but it’s not ransom. It’s a contract. Guys like that can be hired. It doesn’t faze them to kill. That’s why this is a bad sign.”
“I’m still not following you.” The adrenaline from the scene on the beach was draining away; now I was definitely feeling nauseous. I needed a long, hot shower and a cup of tea before I was ready to go anywhere, let alone outside again.
Carlos had gone next door. Now he was back, waiting patiently for me to finish with Jean-Louis so he could report.
“What it may mean is the Huszars have gone to the open market for help. They have enough money to hire themselves some gangsters for assorted odd jobs. A grab and delivery is probably cheaper than a murder, but they could find anything they need.”
“If you’re saying that the Huszars have teamed up with an L. A. gang...,” I couldn’t keep going. This was getting horrifying. It was one thing to have bloodsuckers and shape shifters after me. Those guys hunted at night and with all the surveillance and demons, I felt secure. But if they’d paid some gangsters to hunt me during the day...that put a different spin on it. I handed the phone to Carlos, went into the bathroom, locked the door and slid to the tile floor.
If I wasn’t safe even in L.A., even in my own home, even in the daytime, I’d have to weigh what I wanted in life. Could I give up SNAP, Jean-Louis, all of the perks and extras that this brought? On the other hand, could I give up my heritage, the freedom to be anonymous, the ability to make my own decisions and do what I wanted?
Carlos knocked on the door. “I’ll be next door for another 15 minutes.”
“That’s fine. I’m going to take a shower and get ready to go in.”
“Then please stay in the bathroom with the door locked until I knock.”
Even though I’d spent a lot of time and energy telling—or face it, arguing with—Jean-Louis about not wanting to be watched, I had no problem obeying the demon. Regardless of the road I chose to take, right now somebody was after me. And they’d hooked up with some of the nastiest folks in Southern California to help them.
.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
On the way to the office, Carlos and I had a chat.
“I know you and Paco talked to Spidery Voice. What did he say?”
“Spidery Voice? Why do you call him that?”
“When he told me to be quiet, his voice sounded like he had laryngitis or something. It’s was eerie.”
“His voice is odd. When he finally opened up, he told us that he’d been choked in a prison attack. He was in the infirmary for a couple of weeks and it damaged his vocal chords permanently. Surenos use him for times when they want to spook a target.”
“So he was really sent out for me. Who hired him?”
“He said two guys approached the Surenos for some one to do a grab, but that the grabber had to be frightening. They assigned Spidery Voice, whose street name is actually Voice, because he’s small and doesn’t look intimidating. Until you get up close and see the tear, but then it’s too late. He never saw the guys who hired him, he was just assigned.”
“Where does that leave us, then?”
“Oh, I’m sure it was the Huszars Voice was given a phone number and the name Matt to call when he had you safely tucked away, then he was going to hand you off. We checked the phone number; it’s a voicemail box that forwards messages. One of the forwarding numbers is in Hungary.”
“Did you let him go? What’s next?”
“We let him go. After meeting us, I don’t think the Surenos will take on a job for anyone from Hungary again.”
“My God, how badly did you hurt him?”
“Not bad. It was what we said, what we showed him, not what we did to him.”
I was silent. What did they show Voice? The gangs in L.A. were sure of themselves; this was home turf for the Crips, Bloods, Nortenous, Surenos and other Mexican Mafia groups. They beefed with each other and occasionally with the cops. I doubted they’d ever run into demons before.
Jazz had coffee, messages and notes ready when I walked in to my office, leaving Carlos to peel off to his cubicle.
“OK.” I took a sip of coffee. “What’s the book on the new SNAP girl, or girls.” I was pretty sure that Jazz had the inside track on rumor and she didn’t disappoint.
“The blond, the one without implants, will be offered an exploratory contract tomorrow for a shoot at Disneyland and three club appearances. What’s Anderson Cooper call them? ‘Show ups and throw ups?’ The two dark girls will get makeovers and a modeling contract for six months. They’ll be tracked for any other buzz generated, and then evaluated.”
I thought back to my talk with Jean-Louis last night about Jazz. She was too valuable at SNAP to jeopardize any need I may have for a friend or confidant. Regulars made up more than ninety percent of the worldwide staff at SNAP and I was one of the few employees who were expected to bridge the groups. Jazz’ ties to the L.A. gossip vine was a way to keep on top of things.
“Thanks. I know I can count on you to keep me in the loop.” I smiled at her. Today she wore a short, straight skirt and layered a long tee and an over-sized shirt. She looked young, hip and urban professional.
“Have you ever had a makeover?” I appraised her and watched for a reaction.
She shook her head. “No. I kind of hinted to your predecessor, but he didn’t take the hint.” She pursed her lips and shrugged.
“Well, you’re getting one now,” I announced and watched her eyes round with pleasure. “Find out when the two new girls are scheduled and I’ll make sure you get added. Also, how about a shopping trip?”
I had to do this carefully. I wanted to reward her for being so aware of my needs, but not so much that her perks were noticed and commented on. If she got eliminated from the rumor stream, it wouldn’t help me and it would hurt her.
“It’s a bonus for keeping things together while I’ve been away. You’ve done a super job and I’m grateful.”
“Thank you, Maxie!” she was enthralled. The pay and bennies at SNAP were above the industry standards and that tended to hire and keep top people even though the hours were long. Watching Jazz while she watched the shows, or looked at layouts of celebrities, though, made me realize that a little glamour could go a long way toward personal as well as brand loyalty.
My cell did its swooshing number and I saw Chaz’ ID. When I hit talk, he said, “I need to see you in my office at 5. And don’t make a note about it.”
Hoo, OK. That wasn’t his usual style, curt with an order. And in his office, to boot. Most meetings were more casual, gathering in my office or one of the small conference rooms, or even in the break room. This was the first time I’d gotten a demand for a formal appearance.
As I headed out, I waved at Jazz and just said, “I’ll be back in a bit.” She stopped typing and muttering in her earbud and watched me head through the cubicles to the elevators, her brow wrinkled. I usually told her chapter and book where I’d be and this was out of the ordinary.
The desks in front of Chaz’ office were empty. I wondered where the assistants were and whether Chaz didn’t want this summons remarked on or remembered. I tapped, opened the door to find Jean-Louis, Mira, Carola and Chaz o
n sofas, looking at me. Was I the guest of honor or the meal?
“Come in, Maxie,” Chaz waved at a chair. “We need to discuss something.”
I’d been nervous my first week or so at SNAP, but once I’d learned the ropes, I felt confident and could hold my own with anybody. This was different. It frightened me because I had no idea what was going on. Had the vampires gathered because I was being fired? Had I overstepped some boundary? Had I become a liability and was no longer an asset? I felt the blood draining from my face as I took a seat.
Suddenly, Jean-Louis smiled. “You look like we’re going to eat you! Relax. We just want to talk to you about this morning and tell you our ideas.”
Well, guess I wasn’t the main course, but I was sure going to be castigated for getting too far away from Carlos on the beach.
Chaz looked at me, his face somber. “We’ve been talking about this between ourselves and the Baron and we think you need to leave SNAP, at least for a bit.”
Leave SNAP? I was being fired. “I’m sorry about this morning, I thought it was safe in the daytime. It never crossed my mind that the Huszars would hire somebody, a gang member, to kidnap me!” I was horrified and started groveling. “I promise I won’t let it happen again; I’ll stay close to Carlos or Paco or whoever else is supposed to be guarding me. I won’t go anywhere without letting someone know!”
My outburst stunned them as though I’d flashed a crucifix.
“Maxie...,” Chaz began, Carola and Mira were making sounds and Jean-Louis said, “Love...” My head clamored with sounds and images. Losing my job meant losing my life. All I’d worked so hard for. My position, my condo, my independence, the travel, the glamour...I flashed on the irony that I’d just offered Jazz a small piece of the glamour, never realizing that I was losing mine. Suddenly, Jean-Louis’ voice echoed. He’d said, “Love...” Love, what?
SNAP: The World Unfolds Page 17