In the Still of the Night:Sexy Romantic Suspense (Book 2 The Blonde Barracuda's Sizzling Suspense Series) (19 page)

~~~

Brady’s voice rasped in Jake’s ear.

“Look, big guy. You picked a hell of a time to duck out to Washington. I just got out of a meeting with Dalila and Paul, and they told me on the qt that Peter Kim has called an emergency meeting of the City Council tomorrow. They assumed I knew, because while it is strictly hush-hush, our little hotshot is apparently the star presenter. The reason Dalila and Paul know about it is their boss man is tight with Peter Kim. So, big guy, time to tuck that pride in your jockstrap, and get the hell back here and out onto the court. Even if you two aren’t speaking—”

Jake’s voice was harsh.

“Stuff it, Brady. And get your ass over to Dan Rourke’s office. He and I have spent the last half hour working on a protective plan for the meeting tomorrow—”

“Wait, Jake. You mean you didn’t go to D.C.?”

“Nah. I got halfway to the airport then turned around and came back. Lexie accused me of lying. Said she was sure I wouldn’t go. That I’d be sneaking around trying to catch her doing something she shouldn’t. Guess she was right. As usual.”

Brady huffed. “Always said she was a smart woman. But to give you your due, Jake. You got a sixth sense for trouble, and we both know it doesn’t take much more than a little common sense to know our hotshot is playin’ in the big leagues, the big bad leagues this time around.”

“Yeah,” Jake groaned. “Dan caught me on my way back from the airport. Seems a certain Councilman called him to give him a confidential heads-up on the emergency session tomorrow. Said he expects a lot of press and possible attention from ‘interested parties.’ Thought Dan might want to be there with a ‘few of his men.’ Guess our Councilman is interested in more than getting in Lexie’s pants. Like the rest of us, he’s worried. And I tell you what, Brady, if
he’s
worried, we’re in even bigger trouble than we thought we were.”

Chapter 18

Jake’s heart banged against his chest. This was worse than he thought it would be. Traffic was backed up for three city blocks. Street cops were directing traffic as far as four blocks away, diverting cars to side streets. All of the parking ramps in the vicinity were filled. Every television station had a satellite truck on the main street, making it impossible for cars to get in or out. Each news outfit was allowed a maximum of four reporters inside the hearing room. This included camera men and technicians.

Two hours before the hearing was due to start, the room was filled to capacity. In the lobby below, a crowd of several hundred people and growing were clamoring to be allowed inside. Finally, the Council clerk arranged for the hearings to be broadcast over the closed circuit monitoring system in the building so that people in the lobby could watch. An hour before the hearing was to begin, the fire marshal stepped in and indicated no additional people would be allowed in the building no matter who they were.

Jake and Brady, along with Dan and several plain clothes policemen, waited in the Immigration Enforcement office. Dalila’s boss, Craig Spellman, had turned over the conference room to Dan and those with him. Craig personally invited Jake to join them. Spaces had been reserved for them at the hearing but pushy news people continued to commandeer the seats. Finally, the SFPD posted hefty uniformed cops at the ends of the reserved rows. Dan knew from their conversation the day before that Jake and Lexie were not speaking. He was astute enough to keep that information to himself but continuously updated Jake on her whereabouts. Apparently, Peter Kim had the foresight to bring Lexie to the Government Center three hours prior to the scheduled beginning of the session. Jake wanted to speak to her, but had not heard from her since he’d left two nights before. The fact that she hadn’t reached out to him was more painful than he could have imagined. It cut to the bone.

Thirty minutes before the hearing was due to start, Craig Spellman and Dalila came into the conference room. Craig was a tall, thin balding man. His deeply creased face and perpetual frown testified to a position that would sap the strength of the hardiest man. Spellman wasn’t that man. When they’d hired Jake and Brady, Craig detailed the issues facing the Immigration Enforcement agency. Few people knew how involved they were in the international human trafficking scandal. But some eighty percent of the exploited workers entered the country illegally—most often using forged documents. The issue was crushing an already overtaxed department. The agitated blond-haired man approached Jake.

“Can you believe this, Jake? It is a fucking circus. We’ve never seen anything like it. I understand that you and Ms. Beloi are connected. She is really something. Christ, you’d think it was Paris Hilton down there. Peter said they came in at eight o’clock this morning and the press was already arriving. And that was before she sent out press release describing what’s likely to go down. Amazing.”

Jake nodded. Knowing that Spellman was a friend of Peter Kim’s, he was careful not to betray his antipathy but wanted to get Craig’s read on the man.

“Tell me, Craig. In your opinion, what is Peter Kim’s interest in all of this?”

Spellman shrugged. “I’ve known Peter in various capacities for over five years. He’s one of the shrewdest businessmen I know. He must have a financial reason to be taking such a prominent role. Or, he could have learned that Ms. Beloi was about to drop some bombshells and he wanted to be on the throwing team rather than the receiving team. I’m not sure what this City Council stint is all about. But knowing Peter, it’ll pay off for him. I’m telling you the guy is masterful. I know Dalila invited you to our gala event tomorrow night. Hope both you and the Lt. Colonel will be my guests. Crazy coincidence, but the special award for businessman of the year is going to Peter. Hell, if I didn’t know better I would think he engineered this three ring circus just to boost publicity of the award. He’s that shrewd. We don’t mind. Our phones are ringing off the walls. The tickets for the gala are $1,000 for a table and up until today we were only three quarters sold. Now they tell me we’ve got an overflow crowd and the hotel is trying to figure out how we can stuff in 400 additional guests. I’m sure you know this Jake, but Dalila just learned that Ms. Beloi is coming as his guest. Hell, when that news hits we’re going to need the entire SFPD to guard the doors.” He sighed and rubbed his temples. “Like I said, Peter knows how to make a splash.”

Dalila had been standing off to the side, clearly listening to her boss, but not participating. When Craig mentioned that Lexie was coming with Peter, she jumped in.

“I was surprised to learn from Peter’s staff that Alexis is coming with him to the Gala. I had assumed that she would be coming with you, Jake.” She gave a cheerful shrug. “But it really doesn’t make a difference one way or the other. We’ll all be at the head table so it won’t matter who is bringing whom, correct?”

Jake didn’t dignify her snarky comment with an answer. He wasn’t sure what he could have said if he’d been capable of speech but the muscles in his throat were so tight, words weren’t a possibility.

A uniformed policeman stood in the doorway. When he caught Dan’s eye, he said, “Captain, they sent me to get you and your group. The hearing should start in about 15 minutes. We’ve shut off the ascending elevators for now. It’s only two floors up, but you’ll have to take the stairs.”

~~~

The other eight Councilmen were sitting at the dais in the front of the room when Peter Kim entered with Lexie at his side. Jake couldn’t stay seated. Not with every nerve ending in his body firing at full throttle. Ignoring Brady’s frown, he went to stand by the back wall on the aisle. He didn’t want anything or anyone to block the exit if there was an emergency. At this point the only emergency was the rapid beating of his heart. He didn’t know how much strain it could take, but he had a feeling he was about to find out.

Jake managed not to react as Kim guided Lexie to the witness table, his hand on her elbow. When he dropped it to the small curve of her back, Jake wasn’t sure he was going to make it.

Brady’s cautionary nudge reminded Jake that his friend had stationed himself next to Jake. As with most things that Brady did, it was probably a good move on his part.

Craig Spellman was correct. Peter Kim was masterful. He presented a dignified, compelling picture of how the international sex trade had affected his business, his District, the City and ultimately the country. His statistics were frightening. He concluded his introductory remarks by referring to the fifteen unsolved murders of young Korean streetwalkers in his District.

“I was asked by a fellow councilman whether this hearing was necessary.” Gazing out into the audience he said, “When we are finished I will allow you to be the judge. I have given you a picture of how this issue affects all of us financially and socially. But those issues pale in comparison to the women who are affected. I want to introduce a young woman who is almost singlehandedly taking on this hideous issue. She is a nationally recognized expert on violence against women and an internationally recognized martial artist. Using her considerable talents, she created an enterprise called Strong Women Survive. But Alexis is not content to work on a small stage. She knows that to make a difference in these women’s lives requires us
all
to participate. Particularly those of us in the public trust. People call her a crusader as though that is a negative term. After you hear her presentation you can decide. In my view, Alexis Beloi is the champion and voice for women who can’t speak for themselves. Some consider her a thorn in their sides. After today more people and agencies will feel that way. Alexis has information that affects all of us on this Council and in this room. We have an obligation to listen to her and then to respond. It is my privilege to introduce Alexis Beloi.”

There was a rush of applause as Lexie walked to the podium, that even the sharp gavel of the Council chair couldn’t quiet. The government officials and the press who couldn’t applaud made just as much noise talking and whispering among themselves. It was hard to dispute Craig Spellman’s Paris Hilton analogy. Hilton couldn’t have received a warmer welcome than Lexie. As she always did, Lexie stole Jake’s breath. She chose to wear a bright red knit sheathe. It skimmed her body, accenting her voluptuous curves, and ended at mid-thigh. Her five-inch high-heeled shoes put her at almost head level with Peter. When she wore those outrageous shoes with Jake, she actually made it to his chin. Her long blonde hair hung in gold streaked waves down her back. Cameras rolled and shutters clicked as she made her way to the podium. She stood for a moment, organizing her notes then thanked the Council for agreeing to hear her and thanked Peter for calling the special session.

Like the true performer that she was, Lexie’s first bombshell was hard cold facts. She pointed to the map of the District, now visible on the monitors positioned throughout the room.

“We have identified 110 illicit massage parlors in the area outlined in white. While I interview my first witness we will run video footage of the prostitutes and their clients as they go in and out of each of these illegal parlors.”

Kurt Masters, Lexie’s most virulent detractor on the Council, called for a point of order.

“I request the record to show that Ms. Beloi has not proved that these establishments are illegal.”

Peter Kim broke in. “Perhaps we should let the pictures tell the story. If the Councilman agrees, I recommend we wait until we’ve seen all the evidence before we decide whether it should be admitted to the record.”

Masters didn’t hide his contempt, but conceded the point with a disgusted shrug.

As the video footage began to play across the multiple screens, Masters leapt to his feet and roared, “Stop! Now!”

At his shout, the technicians paused the presentation in mid-screen. Captured on the multiple monitors throughout the room was a nervous-looking white man looking over his shoulder as he entered the Golden Dragon massage parlor. At the doorway, the back of a mini-skirted woman teetering on high heels could be seen along with two large Asian men smoking cigarettes and leaning against the outside wall of the massage parlor.

Kurt Masters pounded on the table and turned in fury to the Council Chair, Mike Adams.

“Dammit, Mike, you need to stop this sideshow NOW! Do you realize what she is doing? She is showing men entering these parlors and implying that they are ‘johns.’ Do you understand what that could do to their reputations? It’s an invasion of privacy! We could have hundreds of lawsuits… we… we’ll be in court for years to come because of her. I demand—”

Mike Adams pounded his gavel.

“Order! Order. That’s enough, Kurt. Please sit down.”

As the harried-looking Council Chair glanced in desperation at Peter Kim, an anonymous voice called out from the audience, “What’s the matter, Kurt? Scared you might be recognized?”

A roar of laughter from across the room competed with the hammering of Mike Adams’s gavel.

“Order. Order!”

His face as flushed as Kurt Masters’s, who was literally vibrating with anger, Mike Adams barked into his microphone, “Order! I will have order in this hearing room or I will ask the security to clear the place. Is that understood? One more outburst and I will empty this room—and that includes the press.”

As the laughter and chatter slowly subsided, Peter Kim leaned into his microphone.

“Mr. Chairman, may I speak?”

Mike Adams put up his hands in surrender. His flushed face was tight with strain.

“Yes, you called this hearing. You have the right to speak, but understand I am close to shutting it down.”

Peter’s voice was calm, almost pleasant.

“It would be a travesty to close this hearing. I also appeal to the audience for quiet. Ms. Beloi has important information to convey to the Council. It is essential that she be allowed to speak. As for the video footage, at this point we have not ascertained that it represents illegal activity. That will be something for the Department of Health to sort out. Moreover, I believe that the videotape that is on the monitors has been distributed to the press, prior to this hearing which means that the information is already in the public domain. If individuals who appear in the videos have an issue, my recommendation is that they speak with the news outlets. Which I might add have a pack of lawyers who salivate over issues that involve freedom of the press.”