but this is my business to handle. Of course the authorities should be brought in, when I have more to give them, that is. At this point, it’s simply my word against whose? Shelby Parker’s?”
He drains his glass of wine in one long swallow. If I didn’t know better, I might think he’s getting pissed. “That’s the name you give to the police. And her address we now have. They can take it from there. You don’t need to play detective here, Princess.”
“That’s nothing,” I snap, “I need to talk to her, to get the full story. There’s a reason she dropped out of school. She knows the identities of who calls the shots in this thing. If the police call on her, she’ll clam up because there’s no proof. But if I talk to her, there’s a better chance she’ll give up some information.”
He’s about to argue with me about it when the front buzzer rings. “That’s our food. We’ll talk about this when I get back.”
He isn’t kidding about that. All through dinner, Krew lectures me. But it does no good. My mind is made up to talk to Shelby. I have her address and I’ll go by myself if I have to, I inform him. And that’s when he gives in.
“I’m not letting you go there by yourself. Promise you’ll wait until I can go with you,” he finally concedes.
“If you insist,” I tease, knowing that nobody ‘lets or doesn’t let’ Carson Matthews do what she sets her mind to do.
15
Fine Art
Knowing that Shelby evidently works night shifts and parties for the Sanctuary, I figure the best way to catch her is to stop by her place around noon during the week. This poses a problem with my class schedule, but time is of the essence, so if I need to skip a class or two, that’s just how it has to be.
On Monday evening I call Krew to see if he’s available on Wednesday around noon to drive me back to East Harlem. He assures me he’ll make himself available.
Afterwards, I get an idea to do a property record search to see who owns the building that houses the Sanctuary. It’s owned by DKA Holdings, LLC. I search the Secretary of State’s website to find the name of the owner or officer of DKA Holdings, and the only name is that of a New York attorney.
“Hiding behind a mouthpiece I see,” I mumble to myself. “Worried about liability?”
Okay, so now I’m talking to myself.
But the truth is: I am consumed by this and I have every right to be. This is deplorable and it makes me sick when I reflect back on what I witnessed that horrible night last Halloween.
“DKA, DKA,” I repeat over and over again in my head.
Dan.
Kandy--Kandace?
ARMENTROUT!
Oh. My. God.
Professor Armentrout and his wife – Kandace? How can that be? It’s not possible. It has to be a coincidence, right?
I go into the ACRIS website to see any and all of the properties held in the name of DKA Holdings, LLC in the five boroughs.
I pull out the notebook and open it to where I jotted down Shelby’s address in East Harlem.
Boom!
Recorded owner is DKA Holdings, LLC. There’s another property located in The Bronx belonging to DKA - the party house. It has to be. I scribble that address down so that I have it to provide to the police after I shake down Shelby.
Geez, which one am I? Cagney or Lacey?
Even I have to chuckle at that one.
I pick my cell up and call Krew again.
“Hey Princess,” he says and I can feel his smile over the phone, for some reason, my belly tingles.
“Krew, you won’t believe what I’ve found out!” I practically scream. “Are you still at the club?”
“I am,” he replies, “But getting ready to close up. Want to grab an Uber and meet me here. I’m about ready to go upstairs and hit the shower.
“Upstairs?” I ask.
“Duh, yeah, upstairs. It’s where my apartment is Princess.”
I guess I’d never given any thought to where Krew lived. “Oh, I didn’t know that,” I reply, “That’s convenient right?”
“It is for me,” he says, “Come on by. I’m anxious to hear about what you’ve found out, as long as you didn’t find it out by going anywhere.”
“No worries,” I say with a laugh, “Google is truly my friend right here safely tucked away in my dorm room. Be there in a bit.”
When I get to the club, Krew is standing inside of the lobby.