It started out as a private New Years party at the beachside resort Villa Del Sol involving employees of Artists Unlimited as well as big shots from an important client, Pepsi-Cola. But it had morphed into a scandal that involved high ranking members of Congress and the Senate who also happened to be there, but for different reasons. It wasn't the first scandal to hit Hollywood or the corridors of power in Washington. But it turned out to be that rare instance when it involved powerful (and near-powerful) people and institutions on both coasts. Not to mention me.
So it's probably best to start from the beginning.
As I remembered it, we were giddy with excitement at how well our work with Pepsi had gone. They invited us to a New Years bash and also included their newest spokesperson, Sofia Vergara, whom I'd had a rather nice private celebration with once the party had ended. This was one of those rare occasions where I lost count how much I drank. I think she did too. No worries, we weren't driving or anything so the rest of the night was certainly memorable.
I'd gotten rather good at keeping secrets and kept my memories of the party "in the vault" as it were.
But apparently the resort, or someone at the resort, had other ideas. It was when I returned to LA from back east that everything came out and I found myself in the eye of the hurricane.
Chuck Tyler was livid at the thought of his company being dragged into another scandal as a result of me. Our attorney, Michael Baldwin, reassured him that my presence on the resort's security system was of no concern, or so we thought. A high ranking Senator, known for his tenacity on issues unearthed additional footage previously unseen, and tried to put the pressure on me to name names.
With his usual three piece pinstripe suited bravado, Michael Baldwin breezed into his spacious office having returned from another successful morning in court. He dropped his designer briefcase on a chair and settled in behind his desk to check his stock portfolio (or his fantasy football league standings for all I knew) when he saw me sitting across from him.
There was a moment of awkward silence as we stared at one another.
"And good morning to you, too." He said in usual nonchalant manner.
"I just had a rather strange meeting." I said
"Oh, yeah?" he replied "With who, Marvin the Martian?"
"Try Pat Geary, Senator Pat Geary." I said, emphasizing the "Senator" part, like he did.
"HIM?" he said in disbelief "What's he doing out here?"
"I don't know but this Villa Del Sol seems to have grown tentacles since we last met."
"What do you mean?"
"That security tape footage we saw? He's got some better photos that clearly show me."
"How'd he get them?"
"I don't know, maybe he's got some connections at the CIA." I replied "it gets better."
Michael began jotting down notes as we spoke
"He's also got photos from a camera at the bar that clearly shows me with a certain friend of ours."
"Wonderful." He muttered without looking up
"I'll tell you this guy scared the hell outta me. I think he and Marty were old friends too."
Michael had the same reaction I did at the mention of Marty's name.
"What should I do?"
"OK" he said taking a deep breath "Do exactly what you did last time, lay low and shut up. I've gotta make a phone call." He said as he reached for his phone "...to West Virginia."
"Uh, should I leave?"
Michael thought for a moment
"Jim, this is one of those times where the less you know the better. I'll call you in the morning."
I turned around to leave, and then looked back at Michael
"Who told you about Marvin?"
"Like I said, the less you know the better." He replied with a small smile.
Lay low. OK, I guess I can do that.
I went back to the office and returned to the normal, uneventful life I led.
The Villa Del Sol scandal was still on the mind of the news media and Chuck was keeping his PR staff busy trying to deflect whatever new revelations arose; I wisely stayed out of his line of fire in the days that followed.
A new email provided a welcome distraction. While I was attending the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance Car Show back home in Connecticut, I was reunited with an old friend, and agency client, Blake Lively. But at the show, my eyes were taken by a vintage VW Microbus and its owners, a pair of pretty ladies named Kim and Elena. Our meeting was brief but I was intrigued enough by their car and story that I wanted to photograph the car further and get to know them too.
Kim's email provided me with contact info for them and just as I was about to respond my cellphone rang, it was Michael calling.
"Jim, has anyone been following you?"
"Uh, no. Why?"
"I made a few calls to some contacts, Geary has fast-tracked this investigation. He might have some G-Men following you."
"Are you serious?" I was stunned "How can he do that? Is it legal?"
"Right now, I can't be sure" he continued "I'm waiting to hear from a contact in the Justice Department."
"Jesus..." I muttered
"I'm just giving you a heads-up on this so you're not surprised."
"Well, you're wrong there 'cause I AM surprised!"
"OK, take it easy, Jim..."
"Why am I the one being followed?" I said nervously
"I would guess it's because of the mutual friend of ours."
"Well, uh, what should I look for?"
That was a pretty dumb question!
"I can't say, they don't advertise, obviously. For now, I'd just say keep your eyes open."
"OK, I guess that's all I can do, thanks."
I hung up the phone and sat back in my big chair, looked out at the vastness of LA and pondered my next move.
As I drove out of the underground garage and proceeded home I looked in my rearview mirror and saw it. A nondescript Ford Crown Vic sedan in battleship grey was following me. It attempted to blend into traffic but I could still see it. All the way home it trailed me. When I arrived home, I peeked through the curtains and there it sat, two men inside, occasionally looking through binoculars from across the street.
Leaving town for awhile might be good, but looking over my shoulder all the time didn't seem like much fun as the men in the grey car were always around. Back at work I went read Kim's email again. She listed all the info she had about the Microbus and included some recent photos and some from many years ago. It had certainly seen its share of good times. Though grainy I could make out some details about it, the people there really seemed like a fun bunch. Kim had a caption on the photo;
"Richie, Jimmy, Kim, Sophie, Elena and Big Mary at the beach 1971"
I started to look closely at one photo. It showed a bunch of people standing against the VW, the ocean behind them, the girls were topless, the guys all holding beer cans and big laughing grins. One girl had thick brunette hair, another was a redhead, and they looked so much like the pair I saw at the show, their parents, perhaps?
I looked closely at another redhead in the photo. There was something odd about her, she seemed older than the others. Her hair almost seemed like something out of suburbia, circa 1970-something.
Where had I seen her before? I started to think, what redheads had I seen lately? I know, pretty dumb thought process but it seemed so recent. Where had I seen a redheaded girl? An older redheaded girl, where had I seen one?
I began to wander around my office, thinking. I glanced at the TV, the sound was muted but I could see Senator Geary was on CNN, doing some kind of press briefing. Behind him were some Senate colleagues and a...REDHEADED GIRL!
That's it! His assistant from the limo! The one he said was his own "Liz Ray"!
I ran to the computer and forwarded the photo to Michael Baldwin with a note;
"Michael, look at the redhead in the photo, the older one on the end, she's the girl that was in the limo with Geary. He said her name was Mary Delaney. I think this is her from years back. I think there might be something here."
I hit "send" and sat back in my chair.
I still had the Federal boys to deal with as they followed my every move. After three days of this I'd had enough and decided to take action.
One of the lasting legacies of my late partner had been his white Porsche he'd left to me. It was source of never-ending uncertainty for me. I loved the car and it gave me many happy memories of my friend, but I didn't know what to do with it now that he was gone. The tax bill was a yearly reminder that I had to do something about it. For now though, it was stored by our friend Joey Cortez at his garage, safely covered and sitting next to the wreckage of other vehicles.
Calling his number, I got a blast of salsa music and his fast talking wife Estella
"Thank you for calling Pancho's, is this for pickup or delivery?"
"Estella, it's me..."
"Hey! Hollywood" she said before slipping into a sultrier voice "Como esta' baby?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her greeting
"I'm good, I need to talk to Joey."
"Uno momento...JOEY!!!" I heard her yell, followed by some arguing in Spanish between them
