127
Thursday, September 23rd, 1988, 2:29 P.M.
It was the day after Belinda’s miraculous escape from the Kaiser Mental Institute and Charlotte was now sitting in her office talking to her main financial advisor and an investment banker from First National of Los Angeles. It took everything she had to focus her attention on her two office guests, as she knew that Belinda was free from her containment, and could be creating havoc at this very moment.
“I converted some of your bonds into precious metals yesterday… I’m assuming you don’t have a problem with that?” asked Henry, her advisor.
“Huh?” Charlotte grunted.
“I said— I sold some of your municipal bonds yesterday… Are you alright, Charlotte? You seem distracted.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Henry… Yes, I am a little.. out of it this morning… I hope you’ll forgive me.” Charlotte didn’t even realize that it was two-thirty in the afternoon. “How are the markets doing at this moment?” she asked.
“The markets have been closed for an hour-and-a-half, Charlotte… It’s two-thirty,” informed Henry.
Charlotte laughed and covered her face with embarrassment.
“Would you like to continue this meeting tomorrow?” he asked.
“No, no, it’s alright,” Charlotte stammered. “Go ahead, continue.”
“You know, Bill Gates wants to buy back all of your shares… He was hoping I could pressure you into doing so.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen,” stated Charlotte. “I talked to Bill last month and I told him I liked my position right where it stands… He likes me… He’ll wait.”
“You’re playing with fire, Charlotte,” Henry teased.
“You let me worry about that,” instructed Charlotte. “I like playing with fire.”
Charlotte’s intercom momentarily interrupted their conversation. Charlotte pressed the button.
“Yes?”
“Jennifer Ju-Ju-Bee on line one.”
“Thank you, Sheila.”
“Jennifer Ju-Ju-Bee?” inquired Henry. He was understandably intrigued by a woman with such a delightfully strange name.
Charlotte was reflexively embarrassed and did not want the two men sitting opposite from her knowing anything about Jennifer, or anything about the conversation that was about to take place for that matter.
“Uh, yeah.. it’s sort of a.. rock and roll thing,” Charlotte spit out. “Would you gentlemen excuse me, I really have to take this call… We’ll conclude this meeting at a later date.”
“Sure thing, Char… Come on, Bob, I’ll buy you a drink,” offered Henry.
The two men left Charlotte’s office and disappeared from sight. Charlotte picked up the phone and characteristically turned her chair around to face the wall.
“Hello, Jennifer. What have you got for me?” asked Charlotte in a lowered tone.
“Hello, Miss Caffey… I’m afraid I don’t have anything for you just yet,” answered Jennifer, nervously.
“That’s not the answer I want to hear,” said Charlotte.
“I know, I’m sorry… But we’ll find her… I’ve got all my top lieutenants working on it.”
“You know.. the sooner you find her.. the bigger the bonus there is for you,” informed Charlotte.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t disappoint me, Jennifer.”
“I won’t… I’m sure you’re aware that it was Miss Schock who helped spring her… It’s all over the news,” said Jennifer.
“I didn’t know that was confirmed,” said Charlotte.
“Oh, yes ma’am… The security cameras at the hospital picked her up right away… I think she’s in a significant amount of trouble as well.”
“Well, well, my two little fugitives running all over the countryside… Hiding out in dark caves I hope.”
“Yes, ma’am,” returned Jennifer. “You know… I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, Miss Caffey… but you and the other Go-Go’s are a serious bunch of weirdos.”
“Thank you for reminding me, Jennifer… I’ll be in touch… I want her found, Jennifer, do you hear me?”
“I’m on it,” Jennifer assured her.
Charlotte hung up the phone and stared straight ahead. Initially, she wasn’t sure if she had chastised Jennifer enough for calling her and the girls a bunch of weirdos. After all, she still loved them with all her heart. She couldn’t help it if her other personality was the reason for all of this insanity.
Charlotte decided she had to find out what was going on in the news. She got out of her chair and exited her office. She hustled down the short flight of steps into the reception area and walked past Sheila.
“Sheila, I’m going to be in my apartment for a while. Hold all my calls.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Charlotte unlocked the door to her apartment and closed it quietly. She walked over to the coffee table, picked up the remote, and turned on the television set. She instinctively hit the buttons to turn to channel seven wondering if the story was interrupting the regularly scheduled broadcasts. Sure enough, there was Paul Moyer sitting at his anchor desk, reporting the juicy story in the middle of the afternoon—
“Once again, our top story this afternoon, Belinda Carlisle, famed singer of the rock group, the Go-Go’s, escaped from the Kaiser Mental Institute last evening, in what hospital officials could only describe as gross negligence on behalf of both the nursing staff and security in and around the building. We go “live” now to Tawny Little, who is on special assignment at the hospital… Tawny, what have you got for us?”
“Thank you, Paul… I’m standing outside of an employee entrance area here at the Kaiser Mental Institute, where it’s believed that singer Belinda Carlisle simply walked out of— wearing some gym clothes, and accompanied by the drummer of the band, Gina Schock, who appeared to be dressed in a housekeepers uniform, worn by the staff here at the hospital… It’s unknown at this time just exactly how Miss Schock obtained the uniform that she used to complete her disguise, but all indications are— that this was the way that Miss Schock gained access into the ward by which Miss Carlisle was being held, and assisted in her escape… Now, most Americans already know Miss Schock and Miss Carlisle from the hit television series, The Go-Go’s, which just concluded it’s sixth and final season back in March of this year… Security cameras here at the hospital easily identified Miss Schock, who made no attempts to shield her face in any way, and even gave the middle finger to one of the cameras in a brazen display of venturousness and audacity…”
Charlotte stood there watching the broadcast, nervously chewing on her bottom lip and flicking her fingernails.
… “At this point,” Miss Little continued, “security cameras lost sight of the two escapees… but it’s believed that they made their way over to this parking lot where Miss Schock had presumably parked her car.. and the two of them took off down Figueroa Terrace here… A security guard in the guard shack over in the parking lot, reported hearing the sound of a car collision, and yelled for the driver to stop… but the driver roared past him in a red Corvette, turned left down Figueroa Terrace and disappeared from sight… Our KABC channel seven investigation into this matter, discovered that Gina Schock does indeed own a red, 1986, Chevrolet Corvette, and that it was this car that was allegedly involved in the accident…”
“Gina, you idiot,” Charlotte muttered to herself.
… “Now, it’s uncertain at this moment,” Miss Little continued, “exactly what charges will be brought up against Miss Schock, but the police have issued a warrant in her arrest, and aiding and abetting in an escape attempt from a medical facility, will most likely be included in those charges… Now, some of you may remember that Belinda Carlisle was admitted to this hospital under suspicious circumstances, back in June of this year, allegedly by a powerful, outside source, as it was reported that Miss Carlisle did not surrender herself voluntarily, and no criminal charges were ever brought up against her… According to sources, it was believed that her husband, Myles Morganstein, an influential executive over at CBS, may have had something to do with her incarceration… but that was never confirmed by anyone close to the situation… We reached out to Mr. Morganstein earlier today, but he was unavailable for comment… Reporting “live” from the Kaiser Mental facility in Los Angeles, this is Tawny Little… Back to you in the studio…”
Charlotte turned off the T.V. and tried to gather her thoughts.
A “powerful, outside source,” she thought to herself.
Charlotte was starting to feel like she was dead meat.