CHAPTER 1
PRESENT DAY
Milo sat in a federal penitentiary thinking about the night he and his family had left Miami for good. His facial hair was now salt and peppered because of the gray that had grown in over the years. His build was slightly slimmer than it usually was. Crow’s feet had formed just between his temple and eyes on each side, showing his mature age.
He waited patiently for his visitor. It had been years since the last visit, so he was excited for today. The guest list said his visitor’s name was Dana Cook, but that wasn’t the case. He watched a beautiful young lady approach the opposite side of the glass. Before she sat, she looked at him and her face lit up. The sight of her brought warmth to his heart and a smile to his face. She took a seat and picked up the phone that allowed them to talk through the glass. He did so as well.
“Hey, baby girl,” he said. It was his daughter Ashton. She had to sign in with an assumed name because of her felony conviction. Felons weren’t allowed to visit other inmates in federal prison, so she had to do what she had to do to see her father. She hadn’t seen him since they were arrested together years back.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said as tears began to form in her eyes. She was so glad to see her hero. He had aged over the past few years, but his eyes never changed. She had been anticipating today for years and exhaled deeply now that she was there. The tension that had built up in her chest instantly eased. Her stint in Miami had been so life changing and dramatic. Now, she just needed her father. Seeing him did wonders for her soul; and at that moment, she realized how vital he was in her life. She didn’t know exactly what to say to him, considering she was the reason he was in prison in the first place. The day that had changed everything flashed before her eyes yet again, a point in time that replayed in her mind constantly.
* * *
The tension was thick and steadily growing by the second. The young woman’s anxiety was building inside of her chest, creating uncomfortable, sporadic flutters. Sweat beads formed in her palms as she stared at the clock on the coffee shop’s wall. It was the top of the morning and the city’s early risers moved around the downtown district of Dallas, Texas. This spot was strategically chosen because there was no camera inside and the entrance was outside the scope of the surrounding businesses’ cameras too. The shop was half full. A few baristas worked hastily behind the counter as they scrambled to make espressos and lattes for the line of customers. The chatter was constant throughout the shop and everyone seemed to be in their own world as they got their morning fix of caffeine.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
It seemed like the clock’s hand ticked a tad bit slower than what she was used to, like time was moving at a snail’s pace. She was ready for this meeting to be over. She looked down at her foot that nervously tapped the ground inside of her red stiletto heel. Although she was a wreck on the inside, her facial expression was that of a calm businesswoman. Her navy-blue Versace pantsuit was the perfect fit and her hair was neatly pulled back with her baby hair resting on her edges. Her nonprescription glasses sat on the bridge of her nose as she tried her best to look as nonthreatening as possible. Ashton LaCroix was her name and she was having the most interesting eighteenth birthday one could imagine.
She looked at the older man who sat across the room reading a newspaper. He had deep, dark skin and his neat salt-and-pepper beard revealed his maturity. He lowered the newspaper slightly and his eyes peered just over the top of it. He locked eyes with Ashton and showed no facial expression. He then slowly nodded, offering her calm. As always, it seemed to work almost immediately. Ash’s heart rate began to slow as she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled.
The older man winked, doubling the feeling of stillness only he could have provided. The man, who was thirty years her senior, was none other than Milo LaCroix, her father. He also was the mastermind behind this blackmailing scheme.
As the clock struck high noon, a fifty-odd-year-old man walked in. He was tall, slim, and had a head of white hair that was balding near the crown of his skull. His pale white skin and oversized glasses matched the description of every other financial broker in town. His frame didn’t seem to have an ounce of muscle on it; he was as intimidating as a fluffy white kitten.
He seemed to be in over his head and a fish out of water. As a partner and top broker at the biggest brokerage in Texas, he always was in a position of power and privilege. However, now he was putty in the hands of unknown con artists. He had never been threatened with blackmail before and Ashton knew he had too much at stake to risk not paying. He had to give in to their terms.
His eyes quickly scanned the room, his jittery hands holding a small leather briefcase. His uneasiness was written all over his face as he spotted Ashton, who sat in the corner of the coffee shop. Ashton gently touched the red rose brooch that was on the lapel of her jacket. The man slowly approached her and took a seat across the table from her. He looked at the young African American woman and a wave of disgust came over his face.
“Why are you doing this to me, you slimy bitch? You have no idea who I am and who you’re fucking with!” he harshly whispered as he stared a hole through her. He had rage in his eyes, along with worry.
“Oh my, Mr. London,” Ashton said as she smirked and gently touched her chest again. It seemed as if all the tension left her body once she spoke. “This is not personal. It’s just business. Moving right along…” Ashton reached down into her briefcase at her feet and pulled out a large envelope. She sat it on the table and folded her hands on top.
“In this folder is your freedom. It contains various video clips of you going to meet an eighteen-year-old male intern. I counted around nineteen times from the months of September through January. It also has the hotel records that were purchased with your credit card for each visit. Not to mention, the raunchy text screenshots and photos of you in drag. You’ve had a steamy past six months, don’t you think? You like them lace panties, huh?”
Ashton calmly laid out the mounds of photographic evidence of infidelity and homosexuality. She stared at Mr. London and the embarrassment seemed to be almost instant. His pale white face turned plumb red and he quickly flipped over the pictures, nervously looking around. He didn’t want anyone to know his deep dark secrets and for that reason, he was being blackmailed by a complete stranger.
“How did you find out this information? How do you even fucking know me?” he questioned through clenched teeth as he intensely stared at the beautiful young woman in front of him.
“That’s information I can’t share, Mr. London. What I can tell you is if I don’t get a money transfer by two P.M. today, all these photos and videos will be on your church members’ Facebook pages. Plus, your wife will get a special delivery. Not to mention the email blast that will be in each and every one of your colleagues’ inboxes. Now, I know you don’t want that to happen; and to be quite frank, I don’t either.”
“You dirty bitch.” Mr. London sneered as he gathered the pictures and stuffed them into the envelope.
Ashton smiled. “Here is the bitcoin address that I need the funds wired to. Exactly $400,000, and this problem will go away.” She slid over an index card with a series of numbers and letters.
“How do I know these are the only copies you have?”
“You can rest assured that this little problem will go away as soon as I get confirmation of the funds. We have no desire to prolong this any longer than we have to, sir. Once I confirm the funds, all of this will be destroyed.”
“This is bullshit,” he whispered harshly, hatred in his eyes. Veins formed in his forehead, a mixture of fear and rage all over his face. After an intense stare down, Mr. London broke eye contact and then reached for his phone in his inner jacket pocket. Ashton sat there patiently with her hands collapsed inside one another. She glanced over at her father who studied them closely, watching over Ashton as she committed her first crime. It was his youngest daughter’s rite of passage and entry into the family business of white-collar crime.
Mr. London snatched the card with the bitcoin address on it and stood. He shook his head just before he exited the café. Ashton closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The intensity of the exchange was newfound territory for her. She looked over at her father. He smiled and winked at her, letting her know she had done a good job. She watched as he slyly stood and gathered his newspaper. As always, he was cool as a cucumber, calm and collected. He neatly tucked the paper under his arm. There was a ding, which prompted him to look at his cell phone. He smiled after staring at his screen for a few seconds. It was a notification the funds had transferred into his ghost bitcoin account. He glanced over at his daughter and discreetly nodded, letting her know that their job was done.
Almost instantly, Ashton felt relief as she felt the tension in her shoulders slowly begin to melt away. She had just completed her first mission and she couldn’t be prouder of herself. She couldn’t wait to get home and celebrate with her three older sisters and father. Ever since she’d learned what type of business her family was in, she’d wanted in. On that day, she had finally gotten her wish and she couldn’t wait to see her favorite sister, Sutty, and get her approval. Her father’s and Sutty’s approval were what she longed for and in that moment, she felt like she had finally arrived.
She watched as her father casually exited the place and just as planned, she would wait a few minutes and then leave after him. Ashton heard her phone vibrating and quickly reached down into her Louis Vuitton bag that sat in the chair next to her. She pulled her phone out and saw she had gotten a text from her sister Luna, whose nickname was “Gadget.”
Gadget
Good job Ash. Just got confirmation. The bag is in. $
Ashton
OMG. That was tense. My heart pounding … smh
Gadget
Welcome to the big leagues. Oh yeah. HBD Bitch! Lol.
Ashton
Love ya
Gadget
ILY too. See you tomorrow
Ashton smiled from ear to ear and quickly pressed Send to text her sister back. She couldn’t wait to get home and celebrate her first caper with her family. They had a rule to always wait twenty-four hours after a job before they met, just to ensure if they ever were tailed by the authorities or a disgruntled victim, they wouldn’t lead them back to the family. Throughout the years, she had watched her father groom her older sisters into con artists; and because she was the youngest, she never got to participate. However, on that day, she had arrived. It was so hard for her to keep her cool while in front of their target. The adrenaline rush of getting six figures from blackmail was a new feeling for her. She then understood why her sisters were addicted to their family’s secret hustle. Her father, Milo LaCroix, was a mastermind and set up the perfect play for Ashton’s initiation.
What the fuck? That pale mu’fucka looked like he had smoke coming from his ears, Ashton thought as she took a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes and tried her best to slow down her rapid heartbeat that was caused by the intense exchange. She felt anxiety inside of her chest and felt her internal temperature begin to rise. She sensed her forehead begin to sweat and quickly stood up to go to the bathroom to gather some type of composure. She stood in front of the mirror for a few moments then turned on the faucet, dipped her head, and splashed the cold water in her face. She stared at herself in the mirror as she patted herself dry with a paper towel and felt a sense of pride. She thought about the smirk on her father’s face just moments before and couldn’t wait to meet up at home to get his feedback. She was a daddy’s girl and she wanted nothing more than to make him proud, even if by way of white-collar crime.
Ashton headed out and stopped at the counter to purchase a bottle of water. The nerve-wracking experience had her mouth dry, her tongue feeling like sandpaper. After she downed the water, she gathered her things and headed out the door. She couldn’t wait until the next day when she could celebrate with her loved ones. She’d sacrificed her birthday for the family business and she couldn’t be happier about it. In her eyes, she had officially become a woman.
The following morning, Ashton was heading into the upscale subdivision where her father resided near downtown Houston. His home also acted as their hub and meetup spot after a job. Ashton pulled into the circular driveway at her father’s immaculate home. She saw her sisters’ cars there, too, so she knew they were present. As she parked, a swarm of police cars pulled into the driveway. She never saw them coming. Federal agents then surrounded the car, screaming at her.
“Put your fucking hands up now!” one police officer shouted as he approached the car with his gun drawn and pointed directly at Ashton’s head. Ashton quickly threw her hands up, her heart racing rapidly. She didn’t know what was going on. It all began to make sense when she saw her father getting brought out of the house handcuffed. Two federal agents escorted him, one on each side of him. Ashton was yanked out of the car and handcuffed as well. Just as quickly as her career as a criminal began, it ended. She would later find out that the bottle of water she’d purchased at that coffee shop had linked them back to the crime. Mr. London had gone to the authorities and told them everything that had happened. A small mistake had landed her and her father in jail for years, the job blown all because of her carelessness. If she hadn’t purchased that drink, they would have been in the clear. She gave the authorities a paper trail that led straight back to them. It was the beginning of a domino effect that would crumble their family for years to come.
* * *
Milo placed his hand on the glass, knowing what his daughter was thinking about. He saw the guilt in her eyes. Ashton placed her hand on the opposite side of the glass as well, aligning it with his.
“It wasn’t your fault,” he whispered, as if he could read her mind. His words soothed her, and she took a deep breath and exhaled. She closed her eyes, feeling relieved he wasn’t disappointed in her. A weight lifted from her shoulders. He had taught them so well and she knew better than to leave any evidence or links that would eventually put her or her family in harm’s way. Ashton nodded and tried her best not to drop a tear.
Copyright © 2020 by Ashley Antoinette Coleman and JaQuavis Coleman
