“I do other things beside sell cosmetics, but I don’t want to get into that right now, let’s just enjoy our meal.”
Chapter 20: We're onto Something -
Not much happened during the rest of the week except Tiffany was able to find a sample of the cocaine Connie was taking up her nose.
“Brenda, Connie’s getting careless and I was able to snag a small bit of her coke,” Tiffany said.
“Be careful not to contaminate it, I’ll get it to Bill Cline for testing,” Brenda responded.
Tiffany handed a plastic bag with a zip top to Brenda. Inside was a piece of paper with powder residue on it, which Brenda assumed was the cocaine sample
“How are things going with you? Are things okay now?” asked Brenda.
“Much better since our talk. I’m trying to loosen up a little; I even went out with one of the models I met at a show, and the best part was that he’s gay and didn’t even try to touch me.”
“That kind of defeats the purpose doesn’t it? How are you going to learn to be more yourself?”
“It’s a start Brenda, it’s slow but I’m learning to like me. There’s another thing though, I feel like I’m being followed.”
“Are you sure? Maybe you’re imagining it?”
“Maybe, it might be my insecurities coming to the surface. It’s funny, the more I become Tiffany, the less safe I feel.”
“That’s probably what it is. I wouldn’t worry about it, just be careful.”
Brenda called Bill Cline and arranged a meeting to drop off the sample.
“Bill Cline.”
“Bill, hi, it’s Brenda.”
“Good morning Brenda, how goes it?”
“Fine, I have a sample of coke for you. Tiffany got it from one of the other models yesterday, where do you want to pick it up?”
“There’s a little bar on Fortieth Street, just off Sixth Avenue, I’ll meet you there at six.”
“I thought you stopped drinking?”
“I have, but old places are hard to forget.”
“I see. I’ll meet you at six.”
Brenda arrived at the bar and Bill was waiting for her.
“You beat me here for a change,” Brenda giggled as she spoke.
“I don’t like to keep pretty girls waiting.”
“You did when you drank all the time.”
“Not anymore, would you like something to drink?”
“Just a soda would be fine.”
Bill returned with a soda.
“Where’s the sample?”
Brenda opened her purse and handed him the bag.
“This hasn’t been contaminated has it?”
“No, Tiffany was very careful with it.”
“I’ll have it tested tomorrow and let you know right away what we find. I have to run now, I have a date.”
“Your mother again?”
“No, I have a real date, a woman I met when I started going to church again. She’s a widow, her husband died several years ago and she’s ready to start seeing men again. I was surprised when she accepted my offer for dinner.”
“Why would you be surprised? You’re a nice man when you’re not drinking.”
“I hope she thinks so. I’ll call you tomorrow Brenda, goodnight.”
“Goodnight Bill.”
Brenda finished her soda and walked out into the cool autumn air. She didn’t feel like going home yet, so walked up Sixth Avenue, lost in her thoughts. She had wandered for several blocks when she was brought back to reality when she heard her name.
“Brenda, what are you doing here?” asked Susan Marques.
“Susan, hi, I was just out walking. What brings you here?” Brenda asked.
“I had a sales call down here. Have you eaten yet?”
“No.”
“Let’s have dinner together; I’d like to get to know you better. There’s a quiet place right around the corner.”
“I’d like that. Is there always a place to eat right around the corner in this city?” Brenda laughed.
“Of course there is. Come on, it’s my treat.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s expense account stuff, don’t worry about it.”
Brenda followed Susan into the restaurant and they were seated at a table.
“Everything looks so good,” Brenda stated as she looked at the menu.
“Try the fish, it’s the best thing they serve here,” replied Susan.
The waitress took the girls orders and asked if they would like a drink.
“Just iced tea please,” responded Brenda.
“I’ll have a vodka cranberry,” said Susan.
“Very good, I’ll be right back with your drinks,” said the waitress.
“You can have an alcoholic beverage if you would like Brenda, I won’t think badly of you,” Susan giggled.
“Maybe later, I’m more thirsty than anything else,” Brenda said.
“How do you like working for Melissa? You’ve been at Universal for, what three months now?” asked Susan.
“Almost four. She seems nice and she pretty much leaves me alone. How long have you known her?” Brenda asked.
“Oh God, we go way back. I remember when she was a runway model and very popular. I have to give her credit though; she was smart enough to learn the business so when her beauty faded she had something else to fall back on.”
“Was she that popular when she was a model?”
“Very, if it hadn’t been for Christy Brinkley she would have been on top, but that’s the way it is in that world. I’ve noticed your Tiffany Rollins has had a lot of play in all the magazines lately, she might be the next big one.”
“I hope so. Tiffany’s a really nice girl.”
“She seems to be, but if she ends up on top that could all change. I’ve seen girls get popular and turn into the most vicious bitches you could imagine. I’ve also seen them destroy their lives with drugs and other things because of their immaturity.”
“I don’t think that will happen to Tiffany, she’s pretty grounded as a person.”
“Things can change. You’re not from around here, are you Brenda?”
“No, I’m from California. Does it show?”
“Most definitely, you’re so trusting and it’s refreshing to meet someone like you.”
“Were you born here?”
“No, I was born in Atlanta, but moved here years ago. I consider myself a native New Yorker.”
“It’s so exciting here, all hustle-bustle. Where I came from, they rolled up the streets at ten o’clock.” Brenda giggled.
“I’ve always been a person on the go. I don’t think I could live in a town like that. Do you have a boyfriend Brenda?”
“I’ve been seeing a guy that’s delivers for the UPS in our building.”
“Mario, I know him, a real looker. I wish I was younger and I’d be after him myself.”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“Kind of, it’s complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s in jail. I visit him once in a while.”
“Who is he?”
“Do you know Ron the building engineer where you work?”
“Of course, he hangs out in our office everyday, why?”
“His older brother is my boyfriend.”
“Ron didn’t say anything about having a brother.”
“That’s because he’s mad at him. Ron got him the job as an assistant engineer and then Lon got in trouble and ended up in jail. Ron was so mad he hasn’t talked to him since.”
“That’s sad, what did he do to get in trouble?”
“He was selling small amounts of drugs to make a few extra dollars. He was stupid and sold some coke to an under-cover cop and when the cop identified himself, he ran away. The cop ran after him and caught him after running a block. Lon was never very fast, or smart. He turned and shoved the cop back and they called that assaulting an officer, so they put him in jail for selling drugs and assault.”
“You must have been very disappointed.”
“I was, but I love the dumb lug so I keep going back to see him.”
“Where do you live Susan?”
“I have a townhouse down by the Hudson.”
“My goodness, selling cosmetics must be very lucrative.”
“It pays the bills, with some extra help.”
“Extra help?”
“I do other things beside sell cosmetics, but I don’t want to get into that right now, let’s just enjoy our meal.”
So that’s it, Brenda thought. Susan had almost admitted that she sold drugs to supplement her income. The investigation was finally coming around.
“Do you see much of Ron?” asked Brenda.
“No, not really. After Lon went to jail we pretty much avoided each other.”
“Why’s that?”
“He blamed me for Lon selling the drugs. I never had anything to do with it, but Ron wouldn’t listen. So needless to say, we don’t get along.”
“Why would he think you were involved?”
“Because I used to do coke, but stopped after Lon got in trouble. It wasn’t worth it.”
“Was Lon giving you the drugs?”
“No, I had another source and that’s how I met Lon. You know, birds of a feather and all that?”
“I’m glad I didn’t start that stuff. I tried it once and had an allergic reaction to it and almost died.”
“You poor thing, it really is fun to do.”
“All I ever do is drink and hardly even do that.”
“Stick with me and I’ll corrupt you,” laughed Susan.
“I’ll probably do enough of that for myself,” giggled Brenda.
Brenda was starting to like Susan. She was open about her life and from what Susan had said, it had been a bit bawdy. From what she had said, it looked as though she might be the drug source for Melissa. She wanted to pry a bit deeper but if she did it might spook Susan and then if she were to flee, the investigation would be over without the arrests they needed.
As the evening wore on, Brenda learned more about Susan’s life. She had run away from home when she was sixteen and traveled to New York City and had been here ever since. Her first job was with the cosmetics company and learned about the modeling field at a young age. She had started in shipping and worked her way into sales. She had been working for the same company for thirty years and was still four years shy of fifty. She liked younger men, kept herself fit and was still pretty wild. Lon was ten years her junior, but the two were apparently very much in love.
It was becoming hard for Brenda to gauge Susan, she seemed nice enough and yet she had definitely been around the block so to speak. She had had a hard life and had done things she wasn’t proud of in the distant past, but now she didn’t seem to be the type of person to be selling large quantities of drugs. Yet she did mention making money from other ventures. Brenda was going to have to know Susan better if she were to find out more about drugs from her.
“Susan, I had a wonderful time tonight, we’ll have to do this again,” Brenda said.
“It was fun Brenda, why don’t we make a date for next week? Same time, same station?”
“Same time, same station?”
“It’s an old saying. In other words, I’ll see you here next week at the same time.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then and thank you for dinner.”
“It’s the least I could do for you. It was nice of you to put up with an old bag like me and listen to my stories.”
“You’re not that old, you make yourself sound ancient.”
“Believe me dear, when you get to my age you’ll feel ancient.”
Brenda and Susan hugged with the traditional air kiss and departed. Things were getting more involved now and Brenda didn’t know what to think. Was Susan the source, or was Ron? As much as she hated to think admit it, Mario couldn’t be ruled out either. She would have to wait until more evidence presented itself.
