The Conglomerate: A Luxorious Tale (12 page)

             
Pulling into the parking lot of Vinnie’s Raw bar, Joey spotted Evan conversing with a scruffy, gray-haired, bearded older white man with whom seemed very familiar. Rhamel was sitting in the driver’s seat of Evan’s Jag looking on. Joey backed into a parking space that faced where Evan and the man stood. She watched as the man handed Evan a large manila envelope then went on his way. To Joey this was certainly weird by all appearances. The sound of Joey’s ringing cell filled the car, when she saw her husband’s face flash onto the screen she quickly answered.

              “What up babe?”

             
“What up babe,” he shot back sarcastically. “Where the hell you at?”

             
“I’m at Vinnies. I came to meet Evan for drinks and to talk.”

             
“What happened to us going to get drinks?”

             
“We still can, meet me up here.”

             
Zay scoffed at his wife’s suggestion. “One, I don’t want to be around phony ass Evan, that’s your people. Two, I wanted to go in one car. And why you take your new car just to meet Evan?”

             
“I drove the car ‘cause its mines and I wanted to drive it at least once in case I have to sell it.”

             
“Why would you have to sell your car?”

             
“What if my business doesn’t recover from what has happened?”

             
“Man, go ahead with that. Luxe is straight and as long as I’m straight you don’t have to sell shit. You got me?”

             
“I got you,” she smiled to herself, loving the surety that her husband brought to her life.”

             
“So how long are you going to be at Vinnies?”

             
“I just got here, but this shouldn’t take longer than an hour. I have to rap with Evan for a minute.”

             
“Make it fast or I’m out.” With that he ended the call.

             
Joey entered Vinnies and found Evan sitting at the rear of the bar.

             
“What’s good lady?” she greeted taking a seat at the table opposite Evan.

             
“Nothing much,” she responded while scouring over the contents of the manila envelope. “I already order two rounds of martinis.”

             
“Un huh, this shit must be real serious you got drinks on deck.”

             
A perky blonde in the bar’s uniform, a barely there tank, and cut off short denim booty shorts came over. “Here you go,” she set four martinis down before them.

             
“I see you ordered my favorite,” Joey said lifting the martini glass filled blue cheese stuffed olives.

             
“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked.

             
“Yes,” Evan said, “a bucket of oysters with hollandaise sauce and you can put in for another round of drinks.”

             
“Sure thing,” the waitress smiled before prancing away.

             
Evan continued to study the papers. Joey took a sip of her drink then asked.               “Who was the old white dude that you were talking to outside?”

             
“Hmm I didn’t know you saw that,” Evan replied laying the papers down on the table. She took a sip from her glass. “That was a private investigator that I hired to find out who’s been stalking me.”

             
“So you are being stalked?”

             
“Yes, but by who I don’t know. At first I thought it was girlfriend or a wife of someone that I had dated. Now...I think it’s much deeper than that.”

             
“What do you mean?” Joey quizzed.

              Evan gulped the rest of her drink down and placed the glass on back on the table. “When I was in college, over those four years I worked with Gage to set up a good number of drug dealers and I’m not talking regular drug dealers. I’m talking about dudes that were getting major paper the upper hundred thousand to millions.”

Joey shook her head in disbelief while listening to her friend talk. She suddenly felt pissed at herself for not listening to Zay all those years ago. Q
uietly drinking martini after martini and eating oysters for more than hour Joey listened as Evan recounted her secret life with Gage. Although Evan came clean about many things she didn’t tell the complete truth about the final robbery. Evan did admit that it was a robbery gone wrong versus a drug deal gone as she had told Joey and Cee when they came to get her. She also failed to tell Joey that she had actually killed both men that night. Nor did she reveal the amount of money that she received that night.

             
At the end of her bold revelations Evan held up the envelope. “This is information on the dealers that I robbed. Not surprised most of them are dead. The others are dope fiends or cracked out. But, there are three that I believe are very capable of stalking me.” Evan looked to Joey for a response. Sitting tightlipped with a poker face Joey gave none. “Alrighty then,” Evan quipped. “I’m flying out in the morning to see them. I’ll be gone for two days. Three days max.” She studied Joey’s face once more to catch a glimpse of emotion to no avail. “Don’t have anything to say?”

             
“Oh I have a lot to say,” Joey chuckled. “But I’m going to keep it short and sweet, for now. First do you think your stalker is the shooter?”

             
Evan shrugged, “Honestly I don’t know.”

             
“Well I do and I also think that you’re the most selfish, self-serving, manipulative bitch that I’ve ever known.” Joey got up pulled some cash out of her bag and tossed it on the table. “Years ago I was warned about you! I defended you over and over and now I feel like a fucking fool.” Joey walked away angrily.

             
Evan pulled out what she knew was more than enough to cover the bill and tip. Tossing it on the table she chased behind Joey catching her in the parking lot.

             
“Aye Joe wait.”

             
“Leave me alone Evan,” Joey said over her shoulder.

             
“No wait a minute,” Evan caught up and grabbed Joey by the shoulder.

             
Joey turned around and swatted her arm away. “Didn’t I say leave me the fuck alone.”

             
“I’m not leaving you alone!
You
wanted to have this conversation now you running!”

             
“Bitch ain’t nobody running I’m trying hard not to punch you in your fucking face. So I’mma keep it moving ‘til I sober up and calm down.”

             
“Punch me for what? Admitting that I made some decisions over a decade ago?”

             
Completely disgusted, Joey looked Evan square in the eyes. “I’m angry at you for so many reasons that I can’t even think clearly.” She took a deep breath to collect herself. “I’m mad that you called us to a robbery, lied about it, and then kept us in the black about it all these years. I’m mad that you didn’t come to me weeks ago when the stalking started. But you couldn’t without revealing the truth. I’m mad that your
so called
dumb decisions ten years ago more than likely cost our best friend’s husband and our employee their lives.” Joey got right in Evan’s face. “Most of all I’m mad that you’re not the person that I believed you to be. I’m about to black out so I suggest you talk to me when you get back from doing what you need to do.” Joey got into her car and peeled away leaving a stunned Evan standing in the middle of the parking lot.

             
Watching through high powered binoculars from a few blocks away, Evan’s stalker saw the confrontation between the two best friends. He didn’t know what had been said, but he was pretty certain that the chain of events he’d set off was causing the rift amongst them. The discovery of the rift also confirmed his belief that Joey was tied to Evan’s robbery schemes back in the day. Since he now had that confirmation it was time for Joey catch some of the wrath that had been previously reserved for Evan. Although with Joey he had no plans on wasting time with mind games. Everything with Evan was personal because she had played him. Since he felt that Joey had benefited from his money, it was time for her to pay up plus interest. And he knew just how to get it.

***

              Cruising down I-77 south Joey was unable to think straight she was having a really hard time putting the things that Evan had confessed to in perspective. Needing to talk she called dialed Zay’s number, even though she knew that she was facing a huge
I told you so.
Joey called three times before reaching him.

             
“Yo,” Zay answered above the loud music in his background. Joey frowned at her phone. “Where are you?”



            
 
“I’m at Jason’s bar.”



            
 
“I thought you were going to wait for me at the house.”

             
“You said that you would be home in an hour. That was two hours ago so I bounced. Meet me over here I rode with Jason.”

             
“I’m almost home, I’m buzzed, I’m tired, and I don’t feel like driving all the way back across town. I do need to talk to you though. How long do you are going to be?”