Three days before the Super Bowl, Moses was in his office reviewing Alchemy’s schedule and what would be the best time for him to take a long vacation. His phone beeped with a text message from Sidonna Cherry, whom they now kept on retainer. “Go outside. Now. Open the package in your office.” A messenger, standing astride her motorcycle, helmet still on, handed him an envelope, which contained a burner phone and a piece of paper with a handwritten note.
It’s a free country if you can pay for it.
After the 2000 election, American democracy is in a struggle for its survival.
America has aided and abetted the overthrow of at least a half dozen legally elected governments since 1953.
The Pasadena IVF
Miranda Wright
He recognized the phrases as comments he’d made while teaching at SCCAM and the name of the clinic where he had his sperm tested. Miranda Wright meant nothing to him. A few minutes later, Cherry called on the burner.
“Moses, the Committee on Anti-American Activities has been holding covert investigations, and you and your brother are among those on their hit list.”
Naïvely, he had never fully comprehended the breadth of the CAA’s audacity.
“How do you know? Why are you telling me?”
“Because I’m getting a goddamned subpoena.”
“What the hell? Are you sure? Why?”
“They don’t have to tell you that. But Parnell Palmer, the CAA chief investigator, and his creeps are not nearly as stealthy as they think they are. They started sniffing around me because I’m working for you. I sniffed back. They won’t get shit from me.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t tell me any more. Talk to Alchemy. Toss the phone. I’ll send another one next week.”
The next day, Moses went to Cedars-Sinai to take his required every-six-months blood tests. Then he and Alchemy met for lunch at the Pig ’n’ Whistle.
“Mose, how’d it go? That’s doozie of a bruise on your forearm.”
“Yeah. Happens. No results yet. I’m feeling okay. Lately the void is emptying into a bigger void. And this is why.” He showed him the paper Cherry sent over. “According to Cherry, the CAA is investigating us. Who is Miranda Wright?”
“No one you need to stay awake worrying about. I also talked to Cherry yesterday.”
“Maybe the CAA knows about the Pasadena IVF, the doctor who tested my sperm before, or the doctor who injected the sperm?”
“So what if they do? The Pasadena clinic has no connection to me. And my doc never knew I gave him your sperm. Mose, this is terrific. My — our — approval ratings are through the roof. Those appearances with Louise definitely helped. Cherry is right, we are scaring everyone.”
“They’ve scared me back.”
“Intimidation is their business. I won’t blink first.”
“Should we ask Cherry to do more recon?”
“Hold off. You rest. I’m going to need you more than ever. And don’t worry, I got this.”
79 MEMOIRS OF A USELESS GOOD-FOR-NUTHIN’
Dancing in the Dark, 2018
Me, Lux, Silky, and a few friends been jamming at the Echo, billing ourselves as the Ables ’cause we’re working on touring together in the summer. We asked Laluna. She ain’t into it. I’m hoping she changed her mind when she calls me the Friday before the Super Bowl. I ain’t going to their party, ’cause I don’t want Carlotta to work for Alchy (I want she should quit altogether). It’s real curious when Laluna asks me to meet the next day in Elysian Park at Fix for coffee.
I get my double espresso and stroll to the patio, where Laluna is singing and playing behind a paper sign that reads NOW PLAYING — MARIA. This Maria got long blond hair, sunglasses, and no piercings in her lips. Not doing our stuff but some trad Gypsy music. She warns me off with a shake of her head. I sit alone. I give a coupla youngsters an autograph and take a pic with them. Most people in L.A. are cool about leaving you alone after that.
Laluna don’t take off her wig when we walk down Echo Park Boulevard. I ask why the hell she’s in disguise and say if she wants to play we can all jam, with or without Alchy. Again, no thanks, and she tells me she enjoys the anonymity. She’s done “being a ‘star.’ ”
“Laluna, what’s Alchy say?”
“Call me Maria.” I don’t know if she means just for now or forever. I ain’t going there. “I don’t need his permission.”
Her phone rings and she looks unhappy and declines. It rings again two minutes later. “Jack, I can’t talk now … All is good. I’ll see you at the party.” She shoves the phone back in her pocket. “Ambitious, stop making that face. I’m exploring many new things and kinetic m-edit-ation is one of them.”
“Lal — Maria, I don’t know Crouse and I ain’t as smart as you or Alchemy, but that fucker Barker is a con man supremo. Alchy can blind you with his spieling, but he is genuine. He ain’t no scambooger.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I didn’t ask you here to discuss that. Do you know any woman or women Alchemy was in love with?”
“Nope.”
“Never in all of those years?”
“Nope.” She seems like she don’t believe me. “Only him, best I ever met at keeping secrets.” Except maybe Laluna. “Is Alchemy fuckin’ around on you?”
“No.”
I eyed her.
“Ambitious, I am certain he is not.”
I buy that now because he’d never risk losing Perse. She, more than Salome or Laluna, is his kryptonite.
“What do you know about Absurda’s abortion?”
“Just that she had one when she was sixteen and still living in Fond du Lac.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes. What’s goin’ on?”
We walk a bit without her answering. I figure she’ll talk when she is ready, which she does. “Nathaniel donated his papers to Magnolia College, and Salome couldn’t bring herself to look at them, so Alchemy and I dug our way through thousands of pages. He never threw anything out.”
She hands me a crumpled piece of paper from the Riverhead Abortion Clinic, dated November 13, 1996, and the name Amanda Akin is typed on the top. I’m guessing Laluna don’t know that is like six weeks after we broke up.
“Look at the emergency contact.”
It’s faded, but it reads goddamn Nathaniel Brockton?! That makes no sense. She never would’ve fucked him. Or him her. “You show this to Alchemy? He say it was his?”
“He was there when I found it. He and Absurda weren’t ready to raise a kid. Because of the publicity, Nathaniel went with her.”
Damn it. After all the time when he finally convinced me the shit between us was my fault, he was fuckin’ lying to my face. I wanna go crush the bastid’s head.
“Why you showin’ this to me now?”
“Just come to the party tomorrow.”
“Where the fuck is he?”
She clamped my wrist. Held it tight. “He’s out of town on political business for the day. Please, please don’t contact him before.” I’m sizzling and she can see it. “Come late if you can’t control yourself. We’ll talk after everyone else leaves. I need to settle some things once and for all.”
“You ain’t the only one.”
80 THE MOSES CHRONICLES (2018)
At Close Range