14. Phoenix
PHOENIX
Grandma didn’t play around when it came to business.
Even my uncle had shown up to the meeting in slacks, not to mention the fucking tie he kept fiddling with.
Aspen had told me to keep my hands off the leather one I wore, after he’d smoothed it back into place for the sixth time.
Having him in the dressing room with me while I’d been trying on slacks and dress shirts, had only proven to me how little about clothes I knew.
Apparently, tight enough to see the ridges of my abs was not the way a shirt was supposed to fit for a business meeting.
Slacks were weird and would take some getting used to, but I’d bought three pairs, and three dress shirts, so I’d have something for the quarterly meetings grandma insisted on.
Tattoos peeked out from beneath silk sleeves and collars, and most of us with long hair had shown up wearing it tied back, even the ladies, who’d arrived in business attire as well, a few with colorful vests and stylish boots that added inches to their heights.
There was an assortment of food on the buffet table along the wall opposite the giant display stands that held all the renovation mockups we’d put together for today’s presentation.
“Well,” Grandma said once we were all seated at the table with the presentation packets in front of us.
I noticed that no one had gone near the buffet table yet, though coffee was rapidly being drained from the line of carafes that ran down the center of the conference table.
“As pretty as all of this is, I hope you intend to start by explaining to me what the hell you knuckleheads have allowed to happen around my club? These incident reports are unacceptable. We have never had this many instances of violence, let alone damage, in a single quarter.”
Mutters of agreement and complaints went around the table as many of the gazes shifted their focus from her to Uncle James.
“You can thank Phoenix for pinpointing who was responsible for allowing a flood of questionable clientele through the door,” Uncle James explained.
“After Glenn and I did some digging and questioned him, we discovered that he’d gone into business for himself and was accepting donations from folks to let them bypass the line. ”
“And who was responsible for hiring Big Jim?” Mz. Ginger asked.
She was seated to the left of my grandmother at the table and looked as regal as ever.
“I was,” Uncle James replied. “And his employment has been terminated.”
“I trust you’ll be more careful of who you bring in from here on out,” Mz. Ginger admonished.
“Phoenix will be in charge of all security hires from now on, in addition to everything else pertaining to the security aspects of the club,” Uncle James explained.
“You’ll find a section in the proposal packet outlining the changes he’s suggested for both our video monitoring system and the interior and exterior security teams.”
“Then let’s flip ahead in our packets please, and go over those issues first,” Grandma declared. “Since that is the most urgent matter. Phoenix, if you will please break it down for us?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, having to suppress the urge to fiddle with my tie as I reached for the papers in front of me.
At least I’d gotten my stitches out several days ago, or I’d have felt even more self-conscious. Every page sounded like gunfire as I flipped through them, and I winced and tried to flip quieter, despite the voice in the back of my head screaming at me to hurry up.
Finally.
I’d added a bold, blue header to the top of the page, which stood out as soon as I reached it.
“The current monitoring system is a decade old,” I began.
“When the cameras were added, the backstage expansion hadn’t taken place yet, so the rear corridor only has one camera, positioned on the exit.
I’d like to add cameras at each end, as well as ones trained on the doors of each locker room, so they have a clear view of the area in case someone tries to slip back there.
I’d also like to have them installed in the employee parking lot too.
Adding the gate between the alley and the parking lot, as well as the rolling security fence, keeps impulsive idiots from getting back there, but it won’t keep someone out who is hell-bent on doing damage, especially ones who are going to be pissed about the new changes at the door.
In addition to the cameras, I’d like to propose adding three new lights down the center of the lot, the wide ones with six bulbs on each side.
I researched the lights, permits, and installation, which are listed along with information regarding the camera upgrades, including three more cameras at the front of the building, two on each corner, directed toward the door, and two mounted on the ledge along the side of the building where the line forms, so whoever is manning the security office can help keep an eye on what’s going on out front.
The upgrade would mean the camera above the door would be replaced as well, but in addition to that, I think we need to move away from having one guy on the door outside of Fridays and Saturdays and have two guys manning it every night. ”
This time, when the murmurs came, they were accompanied by nods of agreement.
“I’d like to schedule a paid training session for all the bouncers, specifically going over signs and behavior that would be red flags to watch out for. Uncle Glenn has agreed to run it, and I know he plans to ask a few of you to come in and add your experiences as well.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Uncle Glenn nod. “We’d like to get that handled sooner rather than later, since we have some fairly green guys on the crew.”
“I’m thinking Tuesday afternoon if that’s not too short a notice for anyone,” I said.
Around the table, some checked their phones, others jotted notes on the corners of their packets.
“You’ll have enough bodies,” Grandma said, shooting pointed looks at everyone.
“I’d like two guys in the security room too,” I said, enthusiastically continuing with the presentation now that they were on board with the changes.
“With the rear door and fences to contend with as well as being an eye in the sky to monitor everything happening inside the club, one guy already has his hands full. Adding the camera to monitor the line will split their focus too much. I feel like it’s grown into a position that requires two at the very least, though ideally, I would prefer to have a three-man team in there. ”
“Sounds like you’ll need to hire a few more bodies,” Grandma said.
“Yes, ma’am, I’ve got a numbers breakdown on the next page.
I’d like to bring in four more bouncers to help cover the new zones I’ve drawn up within the club, and then one extra person for the door and two more for the security office.
I’d like to offer the head office position to Titan, now that he’s home.
I’m afraid that putting him out front with his, well, presence, would be inviting trouble. ”
For the first time since the start of the meeting, Grandma’s visage changed from one of grim disappointment to pleased, before she turned to look at Mz.
Ginger, who nodded, her features having softened as well.
Titan was her grandson and a former military police officer until he’d been injured in a jet ski accident while stationed in Key West. He’d returned home scarred and in a wheelchair, and had been struggling to find employment ever since, from all I’d heard.
“Have you talked with him about this?” Mz. Ginger asked.
“Yes, ma’am, he’s the one who helped me revise the zones and adjustments to the interior security camera placements,” I explained. “He’s already agreed to take the job and run the security booth if the new positions were created.”
“I like these new zones,” Grandma said. “Though I’m curious to know what made you think of them?”
“An incident that almost took place between two of the dancers,” I explained and held up the page with the diagram I’d drawn.
“While Malachi and I were hurrying to get from here to here, it was frustrating how many obstacles there were. Having bouncers in the center zone, instead of being wallflowers waiting for signs that something is kicking off, would be more beneficial to the dancers who rely on us to get to them quickly if someone gets out of line, as well as to patrons whose interactions have grown heated. I don’t know why jealous idiots think coming to the strip club with their significant other is a good idea.
For that matter, I have no idea why people with jealous significant others would stick around and put up with that behavior, but before the Big Jim situation, that’s the kind of drama we dealt with most.”
“If everyone has had the opportunity to look at the price breakdown sheet and purchase orders for the security portion of the presentation, I would like to move this forward to a vote. This is the kind of problem-solving I can appreciate and back wholeheartedly. Had you two shown up here telling me you would look into things, I’d have been looking into replacing you both. ”
Oh, shit…I guess my new position was official enough that I was now officially at risk of losing it if I didn’t deliver the way she needed me to.
Deep down I’d known that would be the case when I’d spoken to Uncle James about stepping up, and I was good with it, despite the sudden surge of fear that tore through me at the threat.
It was like I could hear Aspen’s and Parker’s voices in my head, telling me to focus, breathe, and not get spun out, that I could handle the tasks I’d volunteered for.
Besides, I had them to bounce ideas off whenever I needed to.