Casualty of Glamour (part vi)
She knocks on the door twice. Moments later it clicks open.
The model entered a penthouse suite, spacious living--room, with a glamorous view of New York's skyline below. Beside her was another dark--haired woman, wearing a robe.
They walked past another vast room with a stairwell, backdrop and studio lights turned off.
Discreet clicks and occasional flashes revealed that a photoshoot was taking place in that room. As they approached the window, the woman in the robe spoke first.
“Baccino she's back. The bag is on its way over.”
“Sounds good.”
Indigo hues decorated the sky. The city was waking up.
She lowers her sunglasses for a moment... catching Baccino's eye, briefly. He cocks his head to the side, casually. A tense moment dissipates.. when he continues eating brunch. Calamari.
“Any news?” she asks wearily.
“A major A--list star is about to be completely destroyed.”
“Oh my God! Who? When...? Why?!”
“Powerful forces in the music industry conspired against them. This singer pissed 'em off when his success upset... started threatening the ego of another major artist.”
“Oh! That's terrible... but who is the A--lister? And who's their rival?!”
Back in Toronto, Detective Carver is looking carefully at the older officer.
They had been driving in silence for six minutes. Siren isn't on but the traffic's picking up. As they reach a red light and the car slows to a halt... his boss clears his throat. Hoarsely.
“When we get back. I'll have you re--assigned. My team. We'll get to the bottom of this.”
“Alright sir. What about Officer Ruiz?”
“Don't tell him shit. This is classified. You. Me. And the commissioner.”
“Understood.”
“Turn the siren on.”
At the station, Ruiz was lapping up adoration for bringing over the clue. The magazine he discovered displayed Baccino, the missing model, and a mystery girl on its cover.
Ruiz couldn't wait for the detective to get back. Today was the day he planned to suggest a promotion. Suddenly, a hush of silence sweeps through the station.
The heavy footsteps of the police commissioner carried a silencing--effect at the station.
A door opened and Ruiz saw the bald, dark--skinned police commissioner for the first time. Since Ruiz began, he never came to the station. Now he was looking right at Ruiz.
Ruiz couldn't believe his luck.
Commissioner Wallace was well into his 50s, and usually he could easily pass for an officer decades younger. Today was different.
The lines on his forehead were deep and twisted. “Where's Carver?” he said.
“I don't know. How can I help?”
The commissioner bent his head slightly in the direction of Carver's office.
Then walked over. Ruiz followed slowly. By the time he entered the room, Mason Wallace was sitting at the desk. There was an envelope in his right hand. It looked dense.
“Close the door. What's your name?”
“Isaac Ruiz.”
“Carver's partner?”
“Yes sir.”
The younger officer shut the door.
Then sat in front of Commissioner Wallace. His hands fidgeted inside their pockets as he waited for Mr. Wallace to speak. The air inside was thick, tense and full of suspense.
“There's a video going around. We'll have to have a press conference soon.”
“What kind of video?”
“Porn.” Mr. Wallace said flatly.
Ruiz exhaled softly. Then replied, “Whose?”
“A sex tape involving a president's daughter. Unfortunately, she got into uh nasty... entanglement with this---”
There was a knock at the door. Detective Carver opened it.
“Good morning Mr. Wallace.”
“I need the two of you focused on something. There's a Dark Web porn video going around of Odessa Kovalenko. Selling for 300K. Someone else is in the video... and it's not her fiancé. A guy in a mask. We need to know more. I'm re--assigning the two of you to this. We have a press--conference tomorrow.” He gestured to the envelope deliberately.
Ruiz and Carver shared a glance. The commissioner blinked slowly.
Then Mr. Wallace opened the thick envelope. Inside it were pictures, dozens of clandestine moments from the presidential sex tape.
Took out the one on top of the pile, slid it forward.
Detective Carver recognized the bedroom.
“She's a ballet dancer. No leads yet on the man.”
Wallace continued. “But with this war... uh the journalists will be brutal. You know, Canadian tax payers are sending way more than the States or Europe. And now this.”
“Sir, may I speak with you... privately? I was---” said Ruiz.
“That will have to wait, Ruiz. I believe I have a strong lead on the leak.”
“Just wait outside Ruiz.” Mr. Wallace said, reclining in his seat.
Ruiz left the detective's office without another word. Another embarrassment. So much for that promotion. He decided to go home early for lunch. It was noon.
After leaving the station, he entered a convenience store first and bought cigarettes.
He thought about the case. He knew Ms. Kovalenko had recently become a high society it--girl, during her whirlwind romance with a pop--star. People around the world had been eagerly anticipating their glamorous wedding photos after she started walking around with a thirteen--karat engagement ring, courtesy of her new A--list beau.
An American matinee idol, touring singer and award-winning songwriter who walked a razor--thin line between fame and infamy... ever since he burst on the scene as an unruly teenager.
After a sensationalized stint in rehab, Ruiz remembered his pledge to clean up his act.
But this leak could unravel the redemption story the press and his PR team had been spinning for months. He wondered if he could get an autograph for his sister. As he exhaled smoke, he realized it had been almost a week since he checked on his little sister. Ruiz finished his cigarette quickly then started heading over to the U of T dorms.
A few hours later, thousands of miles away, Baccino's phone rang.
It was the recipient of the black Chanel bag, sounding grateful and considerably upbeat. They discussed the next step. The model was sitting next to him, looking out at the view.
She recognized the voice and smiled to herself. Soon, she'd earn a bag of her own.
“Just make sure to download Tor before you upload the second video.” Baccino said.
After hanging up, he turns to the model.
Noticing the gleam of mischief in her eyes. “How was your flight?”
“Good. Seems you're taking down Kovalenko's boyfriend.” she said with a knowing grin.
“Fiancé.” he began.
Then chuckled to himself.
“Ironic... she'll tell anyone who listens that she posts for herself. As if, she can't decide to save those pictures for her camera roll instead joining the Vanity Fair. See the difference between this wannabe--siren and her fiancé, an addict in recovery, itching to become a respected performer one day, is only one of these people... has to mean what they say.”
“Do you think he has what it takes?” she asks.
“Who cares?”
Ruiz sat inside the empty dorm room. There was no sign of his little--sister.
She was nineteen, in her second year of U of T. He asked other students if they'd seen her today, questioned a janitor on the 10th floor. Nothing. Not even a single hair on her pillow.
He turned it upside down, then inside out.
Suddenly a black iPhone tumbled out of the pillow case.
He grabbed it and turned it on. The lock--screen almost gave him a heart--attack.
It was a picture of his sister.
Topless, smirking, holding an issue of Playboy magazine.
She was seated, wearing a skirt he recognized as part of her high--school uniform. There were two dark mirrors behind her. It wasn't clear who took the photo and where she was.
Ruiz's first attempt to unlock it was desperate and unsuccessful. Then there was a tense moment of echoed silence as his thoughts raced like lightning.
Next, the policeman's chest starts heaving.
He types in the date of his sister's birthday. Ruiz gulps.
It unlocked with an ominous click.
Strangely, the phone was devoid of the usual apps.
Giving more space to a home--screen image he found even more confusing.
The only app he could see was two files titled "For Ruiz" and "Erotic Art From Baccino". The sight of those pixels gave him a shiver. He exhaled sharply. "Dios Mio."
He didn't even know anything about his sister's tattoos, but when he finally worked up the courage to tap the eponymous file, he found himself wishing he hadn't.
Because once the video started, Ruiz couldn't look away.
He saw the missing actress with his sister posing together in what looked like a photography studio. There was a backdrop and a couple studio lights were on.
Everything else he saw went wrong.
It began with the blonde actress wearing a robe. His sister was dressed for a school she had already graduated from. It was almost nostalgic, except for an uncanny air of ceremony.
Then, the missing person started undressing Ruiz's sister, before leaving her there.
Almost nude. Then it cuts to black.
Ruiz clicked the second video. From the shadows Baccino emerges...
A moment later his sister follows. Topless.
Breakfast of Champions - Cino Sundays 004
See what happens next inside the Mirror Room
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