The Carlyle in Midtown housed some of Atlanta’s most wealthy and famous citizens. The skyscraper displayed magnificent views of the city’s landscape. And I was eager to take them in. At three fifteen, I stood in the lobby of this building waiting to be granted access to the penthouse. I shifted my feet. I was ready to get out of my pantyhose and get rid of my pumps as well as my business suit.
But first, I had to interview Elena’s boyfriend. Old Man Calloway made it clear that Deebo either knew something about Elena’s disappearance, or he was responsible for it. Personally, I was skeptical. But for fifty grand, I wanted to take a peek and find the teen alive and well.
I mean, Elena had made the dean’s list every semester of college. So why had the popular student fallen off the face of the earth? Why would she ditch her family? I’d checked her X, Instagram and TikTok accounts. All of them had gone dark. I had to admit that it seemed strange. Young rich girl like that disappearing without a trace. It made me wonder if she’d had help. Perhaps Deebo helped her. After all, he was a multimillionaire. Maybe he’d helped her ditch her family.
The concierge wearing a gold jacket spoke into a black telephone while he described me to someone on the other end. “Hold on,” the concierge said. He put down the phone, whipped out his own cell phone, and snapped a picture of me.
I frowned.
But he held up a hand then fiddled with his phone before scooping up the black landline again. “Did you get it?” He nodded a few times. “Fine ain’t she? So, send her up? Okay.” He smiled and winked at me. “Take the first elevator. Deebo’s expecting you.”
I boarded the elevator and listened to one of Deebo’s tunes all the way to the penthouse floor. When the doors opened, a pair of burly Latinos greeted me. One of them attempted to pat me down, and I stepped back. “Not a chance. You can tell by looking at me that I have nothing to hide on my person.”
He snatched my purse, opened it, and plucked out my Glock. He removed the clip. “Nothing to hide, huh?”
I shrugged. “I forgot.”
He placed my Glock inside his waistband. “You’ll get this back when you leave.”
The other bodyguard escorted me inside the palatial unit, which was a mess. Pillow cushions were haplessly strewn about, and plates of spoiled, uneaten food stunk up the joint and littered the coffee and end tables and tiled floor. Beer bottles were overturned, and the scent of marijuana wafted throughout the penthouse.
The bodyguard led me through the living room, out onto the terrace where a pool party was going on. Gorgeous, scantily clad and nude women bounced and gyrated to a Deebo tune thumping outside in the stagnant summer air.
I followed the bodyguard to a chaise lounge chair on which Deebo was stretched out smoking a bong. I took in his nose ring and hoop earrings. His bony body left a lot to be desired. He was nude save for a black washcloth covering his manhood. Thank goodness. I wondered what the women were going crazy about. Why throw their panties at a man with no real form to his body? I guess it was the celebrity and fame that turned them on. Personally, I needed something to hold on to.
Deebo indicated the chaise lounge next to his. “Bitch, get up. Let her sit.” The nude teen vacated the seat and scurried away. Deebo pointed his bong at the chaise. “Have a seat. They said this is about Elena.”
“Yes, Deebo, I was hoping you could help me.” I perched myself at the edge of the chaise and took out my recorder. “You mind?”
“Sure as fuck do.”
I dropped the recorder in my purse and produced a notepad and pen. “This okay?”
He took a draw on the bong and blew a curl of smoke. “Proceed.”
I wrinkled my nose at the skunky, musky smell wafting from the bong then fanned myself. “When was the last time you saw Elena?”
He squinted at me and shrugged. “Shit, I don’t really know. I mean, we were all right.” He shrugged. “Then we wasn’t.” He took another pull from the bong.
I waited, but he said nothing. “Did you quarrel?”
He frowned. “What?”
I shrugged and asked, “Did you guys have an argument? Did you fight?”
He squinted then shrugged. “What couple don’t?”
I stopped scribbling and gazed at him. “So, you were a couple?”
A hard smile crossed his lips before he answered: “She one of my bitches, yeah.”
I scratched my head. “So, you’re still a couple?”
He smirked. “Soon as she comes to her senses. She’ll be back.”
A fake smile crossed my lips. “What makes you so sure?”
He scowled and said, “She’ll be back. She got somethin’ of mine, and I ain’ lettin’ her get away with it.” He took another pull from the bong and blew curls of smoke into the sky.
What could Elena possibly have of his? Or was Deebo lying? He could have been lying. Nevertheless, it was worth asking him about it. I cleared my throat. “What does Elena have of yours?”
He rolled his eyes then squinted again before breaking into another hard smile. “Something that lasts forever. We’re long-lasting. She know that. I know that. And that son-of-a-bitch of a grandfather know that.”
My body posture perked up, and I tilted my head to the side. I softened my voice and asked, “What about the congressman?”
“He foul as all get out. Elena left him, not me,” he sneered.
I wrinkled my nose and wondered what to make of what he’d just said. Had Elena left her family? Or, just her grandfather? “What do you mean that she left the congressman?”
He blew smoke in my direction, and I turned away. He chuckled and said, “She had problems at home. She can’t stand that motherfucker. I don’t exactly know why. I just know she hates his scandalous ass.”
“How’s he scandalous?”
Ugly laughter overcame Deebo. His body quaked, and I feared the washcloth would slip from its place. Now that would be a sight.
“If Elena want nothin’ to do with him, then he scandalous ’cause she worshipped the ground he walked on before she left.”
I looked around. I nodded at some of the nude women bobbing in the kidney-shaped swimming pool. “Was Elena close to any of these women?”
“Huh?’
“Were any of these women her friends?”
He took a long pull from the bong. I waited while he blew another curl of smoke. “Naw. She hated these bitches. I told her that this was part of the show. My entourage. But she possessive and shit. Thought maybe she’d go all Glenn Close on me or something.”
I frowned.
“Yeah. I saw that movie, Fatal Attraction. Bitch was crazy. But, naw. Elena’ll be back.” He gave a strong, decisive nod.
I regarded him closely. He seemed sure of himself.
He eyed me. “What, lady? You want some of this?” He removed the washcloth, revealing his hardness. Even hard, his penis maybe grew five inches.
I smirked then burst into full-throated laughter. I covered my nose with a hand then guffawed more until tears oozed from my eyes.
Deebo eyed his hovering bodyguard and snapped his fingers. “Get this bitch outta here.”
The bodyguard jumped into action. He scooped me up with one hand and carried my giggling ass into the penthouse through the living room and deposited me at the elevator. His partner handed me back my Glock then its clip. When the elevator door opened, the more burly one who carried me through the penthouse shoved me inside. I turned and stared at him.
He smirked then grabbed his crotch. The elevator doors closed.
I’d expected to get a clue as to where Elena was. Deebo was no help. I guffawed again then shook my head, sobering up quickly. Finding Elena was going to be more difficult than I’d initially thought.
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