Chapter 8

The next morning things began in earnest planning the invasion of the asshole’s party. Every trusted agent of the cabal Joe worked for that resided reasonably close was brought into the plan, unfortunately including Jim who was at least as important as Joe in the organization. Only Harry and Gene could be trusted as far as the LVPD was concerned, at least those who would invade, but Gene managed a discreet discussion of the cop who’d gotten turned by the abuse his girlfriend suffered to become their own real inside. Not sure where he’d be placed, the cop said he’d try for either inside or outside the front door. He’d text where just as he’d be texted when the raid was on.

Casing the mansion and the area around it, a large home was found within the mile proximity they needed and agents made a generous offer to its occupants, including putting them up wherever they wanted. Joe and Estella became the primary couple there, his rental the one in the garage. One more car arriving and parking in the driveway wouldn’t cause much suspicion and Maya’s spacious Lincoln Continental became the car of choice, agents, including Jim, arriving with her. Keiko came too, but mostly kept away from the planning and would not be part of the invasion. The inevitably suspicious van that would be part of the plan waited to appear once the party had become in full flower. Before that it sat at the access road to the mansion documenting the incoming cars.

Meanwhile Honey drove Jolene to a safe house in LA where they awaited being contacted by the sleazy agent. Plans had been made if she weren’t chosen, replacing one of the ones who were with her, Jackie keeping track of these things. But Jolene’s portfolio proved irresistible even if the agent might have been a little confused about remembering her. Honey insisted that would not be a problem for several reasons, including the guy often had a lack of memory of the several girls he encountered and a laziness that had him substitute a colleague or even his secretary doing the meet and greet.

Seeing the plain yellow school bus at the departure point, Jolene muttered to Honey, “You’re kidding.”

“Not a surprise kid. Combine a low profile and no one giving a shit about the talent, and voila.”

Getting out of Honey’s car and adjusting the white sheathe dress, she leaned back in to put on her denim jacket and grab her clutch purse and with a sigh headed to the bus. An older woman who unlike Honey wasn’t growing gracefully out of her sordid past looked at Jolene sourly. She asked her name and found an envelope with her name on it. “Find a seat,” she grumbled.

A thickset pock marked older man gazed at her appraisingly from the driver’s seat giving her the creeps before she headed back to join the young women already seated. Maybe a third were bottle blondes like her, but the group had its variety, with a lighter skinned mulatto, a redhead, an Asian and a couple Hispanic women, none appeared all that much older than her. An African American with rich dark skin and close shorn hair, another Asian and a final blonde arrived after her before the bus finally took off, the unpleasant woman greeter settling behind the driver. “Keep it quiet,” she growled.

The redhead in a school girl outfit moved to sit beside Jolene. “Rita,” she said, lifting her hand for a shake.

“Jolene,” Jolene replied.

“First time?”

“You can tell?”

“My Gypsy blood. Like I can tell you’re actually a redhead.”

“Gypsy?”

“One side partially. A bit of Jewish too. But really you have the skin for it and I can see some roots,” the young woman giggled. “I wanted blonde but my hair wanted redhead. So I went for it.”

“It looks good.”

“Thanks.”

“My ... uhm ... mentor I guess, she was angry I dyed my hair.”

“Kind of a darker red?”

“Auburn I guess you’d call it.”

“Mmm. She may be right. Blonde’s a dime a dozen if you don’t mind me saying.”

“Mom always wished I was Dolly Parton I guess,” Jolene shrugged. “Like with the name?”

“What about it?”

“Never mind.”

“I always thought Dolly was a bit too much. I mean with the big tits and the big hair.”

“It’s just her way of nipping it in the bud.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean she’s a strong woman in a man’s world you know? They’re already going to look like her like she’s a chick, like someone to fuck, so why not just go with it. She’s too pretty to ugly it up, and of course she has to go on stage and such. So why not go to the extreme, making it a performance rather anything to hide?”

“If you say so.”

“So you’ve been on one of these buses before?”

“A couple times. First time going all the way to Vegas though.”

“So mostly for Hollywood parties?”

“Yeah. I’d prefer Hollywood though, just because...”

“You might make a connection.”

“That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“Vegas isn’t all that far. Maybe there’ll be people there.”

“One can hope.”

“Yep.”

They kept quiet for a while, but it was a long trip. So Jolene let Rita open up about whatever was on her mind, which turned out to be mostly gossip about actors and rock stars. Nothing interested Jolene, and she noticed nothing touched on the personal. But at least it helped the time pass.

During the planning at the borrowed house, Joe had a hard time hiding his anger with Jim who became head of the operation, to the point that Estella had to take him aside. “You’re going to have to settle down Joe,” she told him. “This is his town and thus his operation.”

“I know,” Joe sighed. “And honestly he’s much more the commander type. I’ve mostly been the soldier. But I still can’t help distrusting him. What is his agenda killing off those who sidetracked this asshole’s operation?”

“You don’t actually think he’s complicit?”

“I mean I know that Gene and Harry have known about these parties for a while and the blue shield protecting the asshole. And it’s hard to believe Jim wasn’t at least aware of that, if not through the detectives, at least through Jack. It just gives me a lot of questions. I mean, none of this would happen if Jack hadn’t been almost killed stumbling into this shit.”

“How much do you know about Jim?”

“Nothing really. I know Jack from jobs outside Vegas. I’d visit him here for him to show me the town in his own unique way.”

“And he had Honey call you.”

“Yeah.”

“What if we find out from the lion’s mouth?”

“We can’t leave here.”

“But Keiko can. She’s here only because Maya’s here.”

Joe nodded. He headed back to the planning while Estella talked discreetly with Keiko. A few minutes later Keiko interrupted. “I need some groceries. Anyone need anything?”

She collected a couple requests before heading out.

Maya burst out as her girlfriend left, “I forgot something.”

“What, a goodbye kiss?” Jim snarked.

“She needs keys,” Maya muttered.

Keiko didn’t, but it was an excuse.

“What’s going on?” Maya caught Keiko at her car.

“Can I even trust you now?” Keiko sniffled.

“Woah, babe,” Maya murmured and pulled her into her arms. “Why don’t you get into the driver’s seat?”

Keiko obeyed and Maya sat in the passenger seat. Maya had her phone call Honey.

“Everything okay?” Honey asked.

“Has Jack ever said anything about why he had you call Joe instead of Jim?” Maya asked.

“Jack hasn’t said much that was lucid. They’ve kept him pretty sedated. They also suggested I not discuss things with him.”

“About the case?”

“That’s what was implied. But there was a moment.”

“Go on,” Maya prompted.

“He had me come close, and it was whisper I could barely understand. He asked if Joe was there and I told him both he and Estella. He asked who else and I mentioned Gene and Harry and that Harvey was taking care of Sylvie and the boy. He was okay with all that, but when I mentioned Jim, he said No and soon after one of the nurses came in and sedated him.”

“Shit,” Maya muttered.

“Yeah. Jack never liked Jim much, like he was a necessary evil or something is how it felt like to me.”

“Do you know if Jim ever met Jolene?”

“Not as far as I know.”

“What are we going to do?” Keiko asked.

“Hey Kei,” Honey said. “I’ll let you guys talk,” and she ended the call.

“We’ll figure it out,” Maya smiled and gave Keiko a kiss. “Go shopping.”

“What about talking to Jack?”

“I don’t thing visiting him would be a good idea even if he could talk which I doubt.”

Keiko nodded and Maya got out of the car.

Maya joined the planning keeping her emotions at bay, which she did much better than Joe.

When Keiko returned, Jim and his colleagues there hardly cared if Estella joined her in the kitchen, their sexist values, and adding to that Estella’s South American and most likely political heritage, giving her little value or even perhaps some added distrust.

Things broke up when Keiko had the dinner ready, and no one questioned the two groups created to eat. Jim’s group and Joe’s had a natural division already. Joe, the detectives and the ladies still kept it fairly quiet while eating in the family room while Jim and company ate in the dining room where the planning was happening.

Immediately after they settled into their seats, Gene chuckled. “You really don’t trust that guy.”

Joe chuckled too, a little more sourly. “I’m glad you caught on.”

“I had to give up our inside cop,” Gene pointed out.

“He’s needed to prepare the raid,” Joe agreed. “But you noticed Jim never gave up his other inside either.”

“So you think they’ll be warned?” Harry asked.

“I’m certain of it.”

“They’ll have to have their sacrificial lamb,” Maya speculated.

“My money’s on the ADA. He has the least to lose,” Estella figured.

“They’ll want him dead,” Joe muttered.

“What’s their escape?” Keiko asked.

“A backyard that large?” Estella suggested. “A helicopter.”

Maya smirked. “Make our excuses, Joe. Estella, want to come?”

“We don’t know if it’s a helicopter,” Joe pointed out.

“Either way,” Maya grinned.

“Can’t you finish the dinner?” Keiko asked.

“Sorry babe,” Maya apologized and she and Estella finished before taking off out the back door.

Maya had Estella drive towards the mansion while contacting someone via text. “There,’ she pointed at a quiet edge of the golf course and Estella drove into it and parked. Popping the trunk, the two got out. “Strip,” Maya ordered.

“We have time for that?” Estella snickered.