Capitol Rookie: Unveiling Shadows

In Part 4, A journalist's quest to uncover hidden truths about a nonprofit, a senator, and a gang leader at the dawn of the digital age.

Capitol Rookie is an 11-part crime fiction noir set in 2004 in Sacramento, California.

To catch up and read from the beginning, click here.

By Vince Wetzel

We were about eight years into the internet era, and I had a love/hate relationship with this phenomenon. On one side, there was no reason to subscribe to a newspaper when a reader could go to the website and read it for himself or herself. Of course, computers weren't exactly portable. You couldn't take the internet to the park bench or the coffee shop and read the latest news.

On the other hand, research was much more manageable. If it were on the internet, I would eventually be able to find information and data. I found out that the Valley Lobos was a street gang founded by Juan Villalobos in the early 70s, mostly selling pot and low-level robbery and loan sharking. Villalobos was killed in the mid-'70s, but the Valley Lobos remained and remained short for a time until the early '90s when Juan's son Jaime ascended into leadership, gave it focus and purpose, and began to outsmart and outflank rival gangs for product, territory, and influence. Rival gang leaders were suddenly dead or arrested, and the Valley Lobos absorbed their influence.

I wasn't sure going down this rabbit hole was worth it. I was making a giant leap to connect a gang leader with a member of a nonprofit board tied to Senator Florez. I even wondered if I was racist for making that connection. My theory was prejudicial for sure without more evidence. But if Jaime and James were the same people, then-Senator Florez was on a nonprofit board with a very smart and dangerous man. And if there was a hint of impropriety, that was certainly a story.

I also went on the state's Secretary of State website to track Senator Florez's political contributions and expenditures. Senator Florez's campaign account didn't have any irregularities. There were contributions from her donors in Fresno, along with special interests, including Pharma, doctors, hospitals, and nurses. Her expenditures, however, matched the records for the PAC, both with the note "outreach and advertising."

Anna had accused her boss of co-mingling donations from the nonprofit with her campaign, which was fraud, embezzlement, and a host of other charges. However, I needed to go deeper and search the Valley Health Foundation nonprofit and view its website. For such a large footprint, it didn't have much information on the organization. There were stock photos of people smiling in the park, at the doctor's office, and in the hospital. Apparently, the Valley Health Foundation manufactured smiles.

I clicked on the "Events" tab on the far right. There had to be real pictures of past fundraisers. There weren't, but there was a flyer for a fundraiser at the Senator's home in two days. I needed to be at this fundraiser.

I was prepared to make my case to Danny to allow me to go to Fresno to investigate the story. In my clandestine meeting with Anna, she intimated that Senator Florez may be using the nonprofit to circumvent campaign donation limits. These were serious charges - possible federal crimes - but I needed more information before slinging around accusations. As much as I didn't want to head to Fresno, I didn't know what else to do. I needed to get into that fundraiser.

"This is a gift," Declan said. Before taking this to Danny, I needed some advice. Despite picking off my story a few days ago, he knew how to play the game better than me. "I would typically say to call her. Catch her off guard. It could tell you a lot."

"Will Danny go for it? Let me go to the fundraiser and ask the questions?" I asked.

"It could, but I'm not sure you have that leash yet. You need more. Are there any angles you can work on in Fresno?"

"I have an old college friend who I think is an editor there," I said. We were more rivals, but I can meet him and ask him some questions."

"Try that angle. And use it to piggyback on the fundraiser. Otherwise, he will say you can do the same work over the phone. He's been getting a lot of budget pressure."

Danny strolled into the office on cue, his balding head reflecting the overhead fluorescent lights. He smiled and nodded to the cop reporter before heading toward the break room, his travel mug and sack lunch in his hands. Regardless of how I promised to reduce expenses, Danny was going to weigh the return on investment.

Declan looked from Danny to me before turning back to his computer. "Good luck, kid. I think you got a start of a real story. Keep after it."

I breathed heavily. Declan was right. This was a potential story that would bring me recognition, jumpstart my credibility among the local press corps, and put me toward Declan-level status without waiting ten years to get someone to call me back. Get this right, and I'd set my career. Get it wrong? My time covering the world's fourth largest economy might shift to covering the world's oldest profession two hours away in Reno.

"Hey Danny, got a minute?" Danny was sitting. Unlike me, his desk was immaculate. I could see the faux wood grain over the steel.

"Yeah, Alex, what's up? He tented his fingers over his dark goatee.

I went over what I knew about Senator Florez, the Valley Health Foundation, the possible link to Jaime Villalobos and OxyContin, the growing trend in overdoses, and the fundraiser tomorrow.

"You need more," he said. "And the Villalobos link is so weak, I'd rather be hanging by spaghetti."

"I know. I have a friend in Fresno. He's an editor there. Doug Davis. You know him? I could go there first, get what I can then crash the fundraiser and confront the Senator if I have enough."

"What's your friend going to know?"

"He will know more about the Valley Lobos and whether Jaime and James are the same guys. He can also tell me about Senator Florez, and if anything fishy is going on with the Valley Health Foundation."

"If they did, why wouldn't they report on it themselves?" Danny wasn't convinced. "Why don't you call your friend and see what's there."

"Another reason I need to go down there," I said. "I can learn more about this Villalobos and who are these donors. I can't do that sitting at my desk. I need to walk around. This fundraiser is a great opportunity to get a better understanding of what's going on. C'mon Danny. Give me a couple of days. I know I can find something. I'm hungry."

Danny sat there silent. He sucked in his lips and bowed his head. I knew that part of him was calculating the price of a trip and determining if I was the right reporter for the job.

"OK, go to Fresno. Talk to your friend. See what's going on. But if it's a nothing burger, I want you back here as quickly as possible to find a country music station."

Continue to the next part…

Side of Mustard

This week, I celebrated the first birthday of LOSE YOURSELF. In two weeks, my Award-Winning baseball novel will be released on Audible on April 15.

As always, you can purchase on Amazon, bookshop.org or Buy Direct!

“Wetzel brilliantly captures the magic of sport as well as offering up an often touching and sentimental study of family dynamics. A candid and vibrant sports drama.” - The Booklife Prize

“Lose Yourself features six interconnected stories centered around a thrilling chase for .400, and Vince Wetzel manages to go 6-for-6. is a baseball book that is so much more than a baseball book, beautifully showing the impact the game has on our lives.” - Scott Bolohan, thetwinbill.com

“A kaleidoscopic look at the power and beauty of the sport both on and off the field, Lose Yourself is ample proof that baseball is life.” - Mark Stevens, The Fireballer