Counterfeit Lies

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Tommy Hwan and two members of Park’s crew were almost done loading boxes of counterfeit Rolex watches into the back of an old Ford Expedition. The SUV was packed and if Tommy was successful at entering the merchandise into the stream of commerce, as he had so many times in the past, a lot of people paying a discounted price for a Submariner or Oyster Perpetual Date Sea Dweller would be dumping good money into the coffers of Office 39 in the DPRK.

Most of Tommy’s imports would be sold on the street or online. The majority of consumers would know the watch was a knockoff because of the price and would actually prefer the cheaper counterfeit, hoping to fool their friends. Others would pay close to full price only to learn the return policy from the online vendor didn’t fulfill the Better Business Bureau truth-in-selling requirements.

Tommy’s entire initiative was focused on criminal behavior. Had he applied his intellect and sales skills to legitimate commerce he might be a candidate for the Fortune 500 “Entrepreneurs to Watch” issue. But Tommy liked to party and most of his profits quickly evaporated once the music started.

Jake walked into the warehouse through the alley entrance.

“Tommy, I need to see you before you pull out,” hollered Jake above the noise of Rain, Korea’s answer to Justin Timberlake. The rock star’s music was blasting through a stolen sound system.

The Korean “fixer” pointed toward his office and Jake made his way there as the crew finished loading the SUV.

As Jake entered the office he grabbed a Hite from the refrigerator, plopped himself in a worn leather chair, and began drinking the Korean beer. As he was staring out the window contemplating his approach, Tommy walked in.

“You wanted to see me?” said the criminal entrepreneur, grabbing a beer for himself before sitting down at his oversized desk.

Tommy flashed a counterfeit Rolex at Jake. “You want one?”

Jake smiled and slid his sleeve halfway up his arm, displaying a Rolex Oyster for Tommy to see.

“Is that real?” asked Tommy as he popped the tab on the Hite.

“Is that one?” said Jake, referring to the watch Tommy was holding.

“Nope.”

“This one is,” said Jake, then matter-of-factly continued, “Took it off a dead guy. He should have sold it and paid off the debt he owed my client. Said he didn’t want to part with a family heirloom. He lost his life and the watch.”

“Dead men don’t pay very well.”

“I was hired to send a message and I sent one.”

Jake had gotten the watch from the undercover inventory, but he spun the tale to reinforce his credibility as a hired gun — and because he liked screwing with Tommy’s head.

The Korean street thug, apparently unimpressed with Jake’s watch-acquisition story, said, “I let those guys go on. They’re taking the watches to some camel jockey who hopes to sucker his Dearborn rug merchant brother-in-law. What did you need to talk about?”

There was a sense of urgency in his voice when Jake said, “I need to meet Mr. Park.”

“I’m not sure I can make that happen. Why would he sit down with any white guy, especially you?”

“We’ve been at this for two months and you’re still ticking like a cheap Timex. I need to see him and I need you to make it happen.”

“Why?”

Jake took a long sip. “The ‘why’ isn’t important. ‘What’ is important. If I don’t meet him and people get killed, I’ll make sure the word on the street lays it all on your skinny little backside.”

“And that threat is supposed to make me want to help you?”

Jake offered an evil grin. “It’s your memorial service if you don’t make the introduction. Look, it’s important I meet with him. Make it happen and I’ll give you a twenty-five percent discount on your next container.”

Tommy shook his head slowly and deliberately. “That’s not much incentive. Park isn’t the type of guy you mess with. If I make an introduction and any of this goes sideways I might just end up as man-sushi.”

Jake laughed. “Sushi’s Japanese.”

“We all look alike to you anyway, and I’m not interested in being displayed on the Food Network as an Asian three-course meal.”

Jake leaned forward to convey sincerity and lowered his voice just a bit for effect. “Think of the money you’ll pocket.”

“But why?”

Jake leaned back in his chair. “Look, all I’ll tell you is somebody wants to shaft Park.”

Tommy raised his eyebrows and threw open his hands. “So let him. Don’t tell me you’ve grown a conscience.”

“No, but I recognize if you do big favors for important people, the returns have an exponential effect.”

“For a white boy who makes his living with a gun, you’ve got a pretty big vocabulary.”

Jake smiled. “I read a lot.”

“I just don’t know. It seems pretty dangerous.”

“You’ll save money. My fees eat into your profits.”

Tommy paused, maybe more for effect as well. He looked out the window and while taking a long gaze into the parking lot said, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“You won’t regret it.”

Tommy turned to Jake and now it was his turn to lean forward in his chair. “If you screw this up I won’t have time to regret it. Just keep me out of it once I get it arranged.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

“And I want a fifty percent discount.”

“A third,” countered Jake.

Tommy nodded.

Jake threw his hand across the table and the two shook.

“I’ll set it up for tomorrow,” said Tommy.