Tomorrow, It's Back To The Hood

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

My wife Sepia and I  and Attorney Robert Foxworth and his wife Bonita were out at a Tony new Bistro enjoying a delicious meal and drinks....This place was a little expensive for my tastes , but Robert was footing the bill...He had just made a killing on some big civil case...It was in all of the papers...He was a celebrity almost....

"Great meal counselor" I said....and I meant it...the food was worth every penny.

''Ouuu yes Robert...you ought to win more cases like this." joked my wife Sepia...

"Yeah, I know....I don't get cases like this that often....but when I do....I like to live it up." joked Robert Foxworth...

"Oh shut up Robert and stop bragging." joked his wife Bonita...

Sepia and I smiled... After our empty plates were cleared, We all wandered over to the bar and ordered drinks...Robert was putting it on his tab tonight...So Sepia and I indulged...While Robert and Bonita danced, Sepia and I stood out on the terrace of this great place...

"Wow, Kevin...it's so nice....Just for one night...Not having any worries....enjoying the good life...." she cooed.

''Yeah and tomorrow, it's back to the hood." I said and we both laughed...

II-

We partied with Robert and Bonita well into the night and then we adjourned to our hotel room...Yes, Robert had rented us and he and Bonita rooms at the spacious Hotel, across the street from this Bistro.....It was truly  nice and relaxing....Our room had a jacuzzi and Sepia and I made good use of it...Making slow simmering love in the warm waters all night long and then ordering two fruit salads and Mimosas, which we enjoyed in bed before we drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, I stood in the lobby, waiting for the valet to bring my car around....Sepia and Bonita were still upstairs....Robert Foxworth was on his android in the lobby...He looked troubled....He walked over to me and motioned me outside...

"What's going on counselor?" I asked.

''Ahhh nothin Kev...Well , yeah it is somethin." he said.   I knew that it was...

"Listen..when we get back to Philly, you feel like runnin something down for me?"He asked.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well...All of my cases aren't like that big civil case..I have a few I'd rather not handle....In fact..this was Chance Howard's client...You know Cakeman Raven?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've heard of him...Drug Kingpin....What about him?" I asked.

''Well ,Chance was on a retainer for him....Got him out of jail a couple of times..Also represented him on a couple of legitimate business deals..." said Robert.

"Damn man, you really ought to get a better class of client...You make enough money now...You don't have to rep that kind of lowlife."I said.

"I know...I know...But here's the thing...Cakeman was real rattled the last time he came to my office...Not his usual arrogant self..Kevin, the man was as white as a ghost, like he was scared....He had me and Chance write him a living will." said Robert.

''Yeah? So what?? Somebody probably has a contract out on him...In his line of business, that's not uncommon." I said.

"He wouldn't say anything, but we could tell that he was afraid of something or somebody." said Robert Foxworth.

"So what do you want me to do, find out who's got papers on him?" I asked.

"No...No..That's his business...I need you to find him!" said Robert.

"What?" I asked.

"He had a court appearence yesterday...He never showed up." said Robert.  I laughed...

"Robert...Robert...guys like him often do that....He's probably layin low...probably went to ground because somebody's after him..." I said.

"Thing is....Chance went to his house, went to Josie's, The Mermaid Club, Mulberry Street, the Strip club..all of his known hang outs and nobody's seen hide nor hair of him for close to three days!" said Robert.

''He might have skipped town." I said.

"Kev, his court appearence was just for child support....A guy like him doesn't skip town over child support..He's got money...No Kev, he was scared about something.." said Robert.

"Okay...Okay counselor...When we get back..I'll look into it...but young Chance Howard has done a pretty good job...I don't know that I can cover better ground than he..." I said.

"Well, ask around...You know people that he don't know...People that maybe know somethin.." said Robert.

"Okay...but why do you care? Was the money that good?" I laughed.

"Nah...I know what Cakeman Raven is...I know what he does....but he was kind of a nice guy...in a way...Every year around Christmas, he'd send me a nice Strawberry Upside down cake from that bakery that he owns.." said Robert..

''You mean that Bakery that he uses as a front to launder his dirty money." I said.

''Kev!"said Robert.

"I'm just callin it as I see it...besides..everybody knows the deal anyway...." I said.

"Yeah I know Kev....but he wasn't all bad...Could you just find him? I'm concerned...as a fellow human being." said Robert Foxworth....I gave him the side eye...

"Who are you man?" I asked...Robert Shrugged his shoulders.

III-

The next afternoon...Back in Philly....I was at Josies with Clerow and Sean Jackson and his Attorney friend, Conrad Nelson having a few cold beers and talking...

"Robert Foxworth's got me lookin for Cakeman Raven...Apparently nobody has seen him in three days." I said.

"Cakeman Raven has gone missing too?" said Conrad Nelson.

''What do you mean missing too? Who else is missing?" I asked.

"Two of my clients....Kornbread Earl Evans and Fly Tyrone Wallace have both vanished without a trace in the last month...Missed court appearences... Aint been seen in no bars, strip joints, restaraunts, nothin...Fly Tyrone Wallace bought a suit every Friday and always got a fresh haircut...His barber aint seen him..." said Conrad Nelson.

"Were they under indictment?" I asked.

"Nope...for a change...Kornbread had an assault beef I was defending him on....but he never showed up and Fly Tyrone had me on retainer..." said Conrad.

"You know , now that you mention it....Beautiful Bobby Hunter....the guy that took over Eldorado Mack's corners aint been around lately either." said Clerow..

''Funny thing Kev...The streets have been quiet...Too quiet..No gunplay...No shootouts...No nothing...Just quiet and cool." said Sean Jackson.

"Kinda nice aint it?" added Gus with a smile as he served us a second round of beers.

''Any major playas making noise?" I asked.

''A few small time guys, but they aint makin no noise." said Clerow.

''Hmmm"...I said as I sipped my beer and ate some peanuts....

I said my good nights to my guys and headed home...

It hadn't got dark yet and I drove home...The sun was getting ready to go down...I found Sepia, a few blocks away in the little park...I walked up behind her and put my arms around her...

"Is that a gun in your pocket or are you real glad to see me lover?" she laughed..

''It's both.." I said.

"You sure?  " she laughed slyly....

"Positive...What are you doing down here?" I asked.

''Mourning the end of summer...and the fact that...we are back in the hood, after living in paradise for a night." she sighed.

''Yeah, how about that?" I laughed.

(To Be Continued.....)

Minay's Loft

I was enjoying a nice healthy salad and some Ice Tea at a Tony outdoor cafe on one of the last nice days of late summer , when Joanne ''Sepia"Morris, My friend, Kevin's wife just happened to be walking by...

"Wow Ralph...Didn't think I'd see you eating at a rival restaurant...Dollar Bill better not find out about this." she laughed.

''He won't...Unless you tell him." I said and raised an eyebrow... ''Besides..it's my day off..and I wanted to try the place..Test it out..." I said.

''Test it out? You've got a big date coming up." she laughed.

"I might....uh...I aint sayin it's big or nothin like all that..." I laughed.

"With who...You gotta tell me." laughed Sepia.

"Nah...I think I'll keep this under my hat..." I said.

"Hmmm, you've slept with my girlfriends...Bernadette, Bonita.....You slept with my cousin, Mabel...You've slept with Debbie...Let me guess...Cherry Johnson from Victoria's Secret??" she laughed.

"No I'm afraid not...but you are close...She does work there now.." I said.

"Minay?? Minay Jordan?" asked Sepia...

"Yeah....She moved into that new loft that Chris and Chess bought and fixed up....and I uh helped her move in." I said.

''And then you moved into her right?" laughed Sepia.

''Actually I haven't...I haven't so much as kissed her." I confessed.

"Whatttt? , This is a first for you Ralph." said Sepia...she was right..she knew my track record...

''Well I helped her move in and I went over there with some wine and we drank two bottles and talked and I left."I said.

''You didn't try nothin?  Not even a little kissy kiss?" asked Sepia.

''Nope...I wanted to...I was real tempted, but I couldn't...I mean, she's been through a lot..What with her fiance gettin murdered and all and moving here, gettin a job, gettin moved in....I didn't want to throw all of that on her..." I said.

Sepia felt my head....

"You don't have a fever....I guess you're alright ."she said.

"Just takin it slow...." I said..

''When are you seeing her again?" asked Sepia.

''Tonight...I'm taking some Wine over and perhaps we'll talk some more...I aint rushin nothin." I said.

"Wow Ralph...Good for you.....I'm proud of you." laughed Sepia while giving me a side eye...

I finished my salad....

II-

The building that Minay lived in didn't look like much on the outside...but inside...Chris and Chess and whoever they contracted to do the work had done a magnificent job...and I told Minay so when I arrived with
Two bottles of Wine..

''Wow , you've got a great place Minay." I said...

"Thanks...Glad you like it." she said.  "Not like it's the first time you've been up here." she laughed.

"Yeah, I know...but it's the first time since you fixed the place up...You did a great job...You need to come and fix up my place." I laughed.

"I didn't cook anything...Do you mind if we ordered some Chinese take out?" She laughed.

''Oh of course not. Chinese Bob makes the best ." I said and I dialed them up on my Android...She gave me her order and I gave them mine.  I pulled out two tumblers and filled them with ice...and poured the first bottle of wine..

By the time our food arrived , we had already killed a bottle and a half and were both a little tipsy...We devoured the good hot chinese food and polished off the wine over good conversation...She was great looking and Sepia's words were coming back to me...I did want to try something as Sepia said, but I wasn't sure if Minay was ready....When had that stopped me before?

"Wow...we sure polished off that food.." I laughed

''Yeah and the wine too.." she laughed uneasily...

"Anything on Television tonight?" I asked...

"They haven't come to hook my cable up yet." sighed Minay...

''Wow..." was all I could manage to say...

"Ralph?" asked Minay with that sexy English accent of hers...

''Yes?"I answered..

"You didn't come over here to eat take out with me and watch Television did you?" She asked in a strangely sensual voice..

I stood up....Maybe too fast...she could see the huge bulge in my pants...Which was a little embarrassing..but she was walking around in a slip like dress , showing those shapely legs of hers all afternoon and I had a raging erection that I had successfully hidden up until now...She smiled at me...I pulled her to me and began kissing her passionately...

Minay had been waiting to release her passion for a long time I suppose...she kissed me like I have never been kissed before...I lifted her up and palmed her buttocks, feeling her silky panties and rubbing her legs...


"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ralph....Ohhhhhhh please...pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...take me...take meeee...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jesus take me..." she moaned...

I took her into the bedroom...she unzippered my pants  and just marveled at my largeness.....

"My..Myyyyyyyyyyyyyy...."she said with a big smile....I slowly took my shoes and socks off and my trousers...

She slipped her panties off and tossed them and ran into my arms....

Minay straddled me as I sat on the edge of her bed and lowered herself on top of me...She was incredibly wet...I liked that...

I grabbed her hips and began grinding into her with all I had...She began moving up and down and moaning...which made me even more excited....

"Ummm...." she moaned...

I entered her slowly , but deliberately...It wasn't long before I was laying flat on my back and Minay was on top ,riding me for all I was worth...

''Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh Rallllppppppppppppppph...I need you..I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed you..ohhhh my godddddddddddd....OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.." she screamed...She was a loud lover!

She began licking my neck and sucking on it,which made me begin moving deeper and deeper into her warm and wet lusciousness....Minay was a wild lover...she kept moving up and down and then from side to side...The bed was rocking and slamming against the wall...The best thing was ...There was nobody next door to yell "quiet the noise"....unlike at my place.

Finally ,I was sitting upright and Minay was going up and down....moaning with delight as I continued to ram into her as hard and deliberate as I could...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH RALPH,DON'T STOP...Pleasseeeeeeeeee don't stop, give it to me, give it to me ..ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." she screamed....

I was so excited then that I shot off like a gusher !!!

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH..." I shouted with joy....

"Ohhh Ralph." said Minay as we just held each other and kissed .......

I followed her into her shower ....She led me by my penis, which began to get hard in no time, just by her touch and as hot steamy water rained down on both of us...I lifted her up and began to kiss her passionately again....I entered her once more and she held on for dear life....

We made love in that shower until the water got cold...We didn't care...Nor did we notice...Finally, Minay came and when she did...it was furiously....She reminded me of Lois....in that she came so hard she was embarrassed by it.....I still continued to pump her hard until finally I exploded.....


We held each other tightly and staggered out of that shower and got under her covers , wet and naked....We slept for maybe an hour...I awoke and entered Minay again....

''Oh my goodness Ralph...you're a bloody machine..ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.."she moaned as I made slow sweet love to Minay in the missionary position for close to two hours this time....This time, Minay came slowly and powerfully....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu......." she moaned as I came myself......



III-

The next day, Minay and I walked into Bottom of the C together...She had her arms around my neck and was laughing....

Sepia was there with her husband, Kevin.....They were enjoying a meal as we came in......Kevin looked at us and smiled and continued cutting his New York Strip Steak...Sepia smiled as I walked by and whispered to me...

"Got them drawers didn't you?" she asked.

''Yeah." I said.

"I knew you would...That's the Ralph Scallion I know." she said and winked.

Cryin Time

Kool Kat and I stood in the empty living room of the house, Yvette "Gypsy" Blessings had been renting in West Philadelphia...The murder of Hugh Benet was now three weeks old....The police had not talked to her....They didn't know her name, yet she hadn't been at the Mermaid club or any of her usual haunts...and now, just like her name..She had vanished ,seemingly into thin air.

"Kev, we got that phone...and all of those calls and those text messages are damning enough..." said Kool Kat.

"That's not enough though...it's all circumstantial.." I said.

"You know she's probably ditched the knife by now." he said.

"Yeah..we gotta get her to talking." I said.

"Good luck with that." he snorted...

"I think I know a way to smoke her out." I said.

"How?" he asked.

"She doesn't strike me as a person with means...She's around.....The streets will know." I said with a smile...

"What you got up your sleeve?" asked the big man with a hint of a smile."


II-

We found one of Gypsy's "associates" , a hooker nicknamed "Teardrop" because she broke into tears during sex...Long story...Kool Kat told me about her...Although Gypsy wasn't a hooker, the two knew each other...They had a love hate relationship...Basically hate...Depending on the money...

We didn't have to pay her much for her to tell us where Gypsy was staying....I passed the information on to Peeping Tom, Lockpick Johnson and Sean Jackson...who got photo and video observation of the house... They also got inside and wired the joint for sound and video....But more important they got me the phone number!

After carefully watching the house..It wasn't long before Kool Kat identified her going in and coming out to buy groceries and cigarettes and beer.

"That's her Kev....There's a guy in there named "Pit Bull"..He's somewhat of a low level playa..No big deal...That's it...Just him and her..." he said.

I looked at "Teardrop"..."Okay baby, call the number and do your stuff." I said.

"Got'cha Kev." she said.

"Hello, who is this?" answered Gypsy.

"Heyyyy gurl...what's been up?" said Teardrop.

"Nothin...how did you get this number?" she asked...

"You get deeper things to worry about girlfriend." said Teardrop.

"What? Huh? What is you talkin bout?" asked Gypsy.

"That guy you was tellin me about....The half breed dude that you was ravin about, that had such a big dick and stroked you so good...the one that got stabbed to death..." she said.

Long Pause...

"What about him?" she asked...

"I was in his crib last week......I had this john....He didn't have enough money for a room, but I needed some money, you dig? So we squatted in that house...You know how that neighborhood is...Every other spot is empty...but his spot was the most livable."

"Get to the point Teardrop, what you want?" she snapped.

"Well...guess what I found...That  I'm bettin the cops aint find?" she said.

"What?" asked Gypsy...

"A cell phone with blood all over it..but here's where the story get's interesting...it's got about 26 calls from you on the phone and all these pathetic text messages from you, all made on the night he got aced...Come on Yvette...Was it THAT good??? My goodness?" she laughed..

"You're lying?" Gypsy snapped.

"How would I even know about it? I'll bet the cops don't know about it....And if they did ,it might shine a light your way." she laughed.

"You bitch....What do you want?" asked Gypsy.

"Just one G.." said Teardrop....

"One thousand dollars...I don't have that kind of money." she snapped..

"Yeah, but Pit Bull does....Get it from him....I know you screwin him in order to stay there..He'll pay it." she said.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU." screamed Gypsy...

"Look...just drop the money in that alley....the same alley where dude got stabbed....
The cell phone is in his crib on the sink....I cleaned the blood off of it for you...And just to make sure you don't try nothin funny....I won't tell you where I hid the doorkey until I have the money." said Teardrop.

"How do you have the doorkey?" she asked.

"He wasn't from Philly...Like most out of towners..He left a spare key on the porch under the mat.....What a jumolke..That's some TV crap like a mug aint it? " said Teardrop...

Gypsy laughed.....

"It sure is..." she said.

"I need the money by midnight, tonight.." Teardrop said.

"You fiend..." said Gypsy.

"It's a recession baby...We all gotta get our money anyway we can!"

Click!

Kool Kat looked at me and smiled...

"Kev, you brilliant..You would have made a great criminal." he said.

"That's why he's so good at catching them." said Lockpick Johnson.

"Hold up you guys..there's more talk from that house...She just told her boyfriend, about her predicament." said Peeping Tom.

"Sounds like a trap to me." said Pit Bull.


"Nah, it sounds just like something that trick would do to get money." said Gypsy.


"Oh yeah? Well...Pass me my gun....Tricks are for kids....When she picks up that dough..I'm gonna blow a hole through her head." he laughed..


"What about the key?" asked Gypsy...

"You won't need no key...I'll jimmy the lock and break in there and get that cell phone myself..." said Pit Bull,.

Teardrop began crying upon hearing the transmission...

"Oh my god....they gonna kill me." she said.

"Relax....they aint killin nobody....They about to get the surprise of they life." laughed
Kool Kat.

III-

Midnight! The so called witching hour...The hour I was about to make something happen. Like clockwork, Pit Bull and Gypsy showed up at the very place that Hugh Benet had met his end...They dropped a bag containing $1000.00 in it right where Teardrop instructed them to. Then they drove off...Clerow follwed them..They parked about a block from the drop site...Pit Bull cocked his gun...and then traveled by foot back to the alley just in time to see Teardrop pick up the dough...He aimed , smiled and then heard the click of a much larger gun to his back....

''Drop that heater Bull." came the voice of Kool Kat , who had a .357 magnum aimed at the back of his head...  Pit Bull was no fool...He dropped the gun and Clerow , disarmed him of any other weapons he had, blindfolded him with a tampon and tied him up!  For the record...We gave him his money back...Which he would discover whenever he got out of his ropes which weren't tied that tight...We moved him farther down the alley out of sight.

We had Teardrop call Gypsy's cell phone.

"Hello."

"Thought you was slick huh? Sendin your man around here with a gun to kill me huh?   I figured as much, so I brought somebody to watch my back...." she said and began bawling like a child...."Why can't- you be trusted?Huh?" she wailed.


''Oh stop cryin..you got your money...Now where is the key?"asked Gypsy...


"It's under the mat. Don't you even care about what happened to Pit Bull...you heartless husssy...." cried Teardrop...At this point, even I was getting tired of all her crying and wailing...


"Did you kill him?" asked Gypsy.


"I'm not like you....He's alive...He's sleepin..." she said....Gypsy hung the phone up.....

Now we watched as Gypsy walked up Hugh's steps, fumbled around for the key and entered the house.  The cell phone was right where Teardrop said it would be....She picked it up and immediately went to erase the numbers and text messages on it only to find...

''There's nothing on this cell phone."she balked.

It was then I turned the lights on....

"No, but there are plenty of numbers and texts on THIS one!" I said, Holding Hugh Benet's real cell phone in my hand....

"Who are you?  This was a trick!" she said.

Clerow, Kool Kat,Sean Jackson, Minay, Teardrop and Lt. Sissy Van Buren, three detectives and three uniformed Philadelphia Police Officers stood behind me...

"Yeah Yvette, I suppose it was....Why did you do it?" I asked.

"Don't say anything else until you are advised of your rights." said Sissy Van Buren, but Gypsy just waived her off...

''I've been arrested enough times to know em... I don't care at this point.... I did it....I stabbed Hugh Benet..because I was tired of guys just using me , saying anything to get me in the bed and then afterwords just discarding me , like I wasn't nothin.....NOTHIN....That man made me feel things in the bed that I'd never felt before or since....I called and called and called him....He never returned my calls...He just tossed me aside ,like a used condom..." she said.

"Ah know that feelin gurlllllllll." wailed Teardrop....The cops,Gypsy, Kool Kat,Clerow, Minay and Sean Jackson all turned and gave the crying Prostitute the side eye...I wanted to laugh, but now was not the time... They handcuffed Yvette "Gypsy" Blessings and hauled her off to the paddy wagon....

''Wow Kev...You was right....Looks like you cracked another one man." said Kool Kat....

There was more wailing from Teardrop....

"She was my closest friend....awllllllllllllllll...Ah knew her since second grade....We lost our virginity to the same playa...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!"

Kool Kat shook his head , exasperatingly...Clerow,Sean and I just laughed...Minay ,understandably looked
bewildered!


EPILOUGE:

Yvette "Gypsy" Blessings was convicted of Manslaughter in the stabbing death of Hugh Benet and sentenced to 5-15 years.  Her new home is the Muncy Correctional Facility for Women for the time being...

Pit  Bull woke up with his $1000.00 in tow...He untied himself and went home, unharmed and only short a girlfriend and oh yeah, two guns...All in all, he didn't make out that bad! Coulda been a lot worse.

Kool Kat, Minay and I sat inside Jake's Hot Dog joint enjoying his delicious Hot Dogs and some Cokes...

"Kevin, Walter, I can't thank you enough for solving Hugh's murder." she said as she chowed down on the Hot Dog..."Oh my God , this is delicious." she said.

''So what's next for you Minay?" I asked.

''Guess it's back to London for you huh?"asked Kool Kat.

"No....I see what Hugh found so fascinating about this place.....I might just stay here...I already have a job...and I just put a down payment down on an apartment....and I met a nice guy...a cook named Ralph..Ralph Scallion.." she said.

I nearly spit my coke out....Kool Kat burst into laughter...Minay smiled ....

"You Philadelphians and your private jokes..." she laughed...




(For Carleen)

Call Me

Sepia and I sat in Mabel Jenkins's Soul Food Joint having coffee....The boss lady herself, Mabel Jenkins's , my former employee..(Used to write a cooking column before she started her own restaurant) and one of the sexiest women in this part of Philadelphia , next to my wife Sepia, who is as it turns out, her first cousin..was sitting with us...

"So Kev....No luck on who killed Hugh Benet yet huh?"asked Mabel..

"No not yet, but I've got a few more people to interview." I said...Which was a lie...I had interviewed all but one person and I wasn't any closer to cracking this case than the police...and it was already a cold case for them...What homicide detectives call a "Who done it..."

I also knew that there was a chance that I might not crack this case....That Hugh might have been killed by a lone nut or an angry would be robber/drug addict who came upon him and realized he was broke and vanished into the streets...Yet something about his stab wounds seemed so personal....I couldn't explain it ,but they did...

I had talked to Millie, the last woman he had been with, Valerie Brown, another woman he had been with and they were all pretty satisfied with him...They had no reason to kill him....and they weren't scorned women...I talked to Joe Willis , the angry, spurned lover....I liked him for the crime...He had motive...but he was too big and he was right handed..and he had an airtight alibi.

As we continued to drink coffee...His lovely fiance, Minay entered the restaurant ,saw the three of us and sat down with us.....

''Hey Baby, how you holdin up?" said Mabel..

''Hi Minay" said Sepia...

"Hello you all, I'm doing the best I can, I suppose.....The reason why I'm here is because I just remembered...I was getting Hugh's things together and removing them from his house and I remembered that I had his cell phone...I never turned it in to the police or the investigators...I thought that maybe this might help you." she said as she passed it to me....

"Did you look at this phone?  I hope you didn't erase anything??" I said.

"No...I didn't even go into it...." she said.

I tossed a few dollars on the table , Then I made a phone call.....I excused myself-

"Ladies...this may be the break I need." I said... I kissed Sepia and then rushed to my car.


II-

I drove to Peeping Tom's house......He and I went through 26 messages......all from a "Yvette Blessings"..Here was a name I had never heard mentioned at all by anybody, Not Dollar Bill, Not Gus, Not Joe Neptune, Not anyone!!!!

Tom and I looked at the text messages-

"Hey Hugh, just calling to say that you were fantastic....I can't believe I was actually thinking of not giving you any..Call me...G."

"Hugh....Come back...I don't have to work tomorrow...Come back and get some more of this good lovin. G."

The two texts and close to 15 calls were all within 15 minutes apart....The night before Hugh was killed... and there were more...

"Hugh ,I know you can't be asleep already...You've got to be thinking about the whammy I just put on you. Call me.. G."


''Hugh, okay, really I'm thinking about what you just put on me...I think I'm addicted to your penis...anyway,i need , want more..please call me..I need it..badly..Your sexual slave, G."

This was just one minute after the last call. Same night.

The next day, the day Hugh died there were 9 calls...All in the morning... The texts got more desperate-

"Hugh, you've forgotten me already?  Call me.  G."


"Hugh...I need you...I'm offering you this good lovin....don't blow it. Call me.G."


"Hugh Please...call me...G."

Then there are no more calls until two in the morning....

"You scum, you're just like all the other guys....You just wanted to get me in the bed...You got what YOU wanted and now you're just like movin on right?"

"Hugh, I didn't mean that...I need you to call me............Okay that's it...I'm done..and so are you."

That was the last call and it was made at 3: 15 am...Just 15  minutes before Hugh was stabbed to death...

Tom looked at me....

"Kevin , these calls were made from all over the map...but this last one was made just a block from Hugh's house." he said.

"Then this Yvette Blessings is his killer...but Tom, that's impossible...He was with a girl named Gypsy that night...Unless he's superman...No way he could have banged both broads in one night in the same time period...Wait a minute.. Wait a minute....This person signed off by saying..."Call me.....G." I said.

''Kevin, you're right....Gypsy is probably a nickname.....Yvette Blessings and "Gypsy " could be one and the same." said Tom...

"Well, only one way to find out...Thanks for your help Tom." I  said.

III-

Clerow, Kool Kat and I went back into the Mermaid Club....Joe Neptune was serving beers...I asked him if he knew Gypsy personally...

"Yeah..She used to be a barmaid here at one time....but she works over at Victoria's Secret in the mall now."he said.

''When is the last time you saw Gypsy?" I asked.

"You know...Now that you mention it...I haven't seen her since Hugh died...That's been about three weeks now and she always used to come in after work and have a cold one." he said.

''What is Gypsy's real name?" I asked...

"We called her Gypsy, because she never stayed no place too long, always breakin her lease, livin with a girlfriend here, a guy there...Her name is Yvette....Yvette Blessings....but we all called her Gypsy..." he laughed.

"You got an address for her?" I asked.

"Here's one I got...Good luck if you find her there." he said.

"Thanks Joe...It would help if I knew what she looked like." I said.

"I know what she looks like...I've seen her around." said Kool Kat...

"Okay babe...This could be the break in this case we been lookin for." I said.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)

The Left Hand of Murder

Clerow, Robert Foxworth, Kool Kat , Chance Howard and I all met at the Coroner's Office the next morning.

''Here's some photos of the body ...see the wounds?  The abdomen...the chest and the neck.....What do you think?" said the coroner...

Robert, Chance and I studied the enlarged glossies just fine......I looked at the way the cuts were administered..

''Left Handed...Who ever killed him was left handed.. They also were swinging wild.....I don't think the person was taller than Hugh either." I said.

"VERY GOOD KEVIN...Very good...I thought I was the only one who noticed that...I had to tell the Homicide detectives the same thing..They didn't notice that...but I picked it up right away that the killer is a lefty." he said.

Robert Foxworth smiled, so did Chance Howard....Kool Kat and Clerow seemed baffled.

''How inebriated was he?" I asked.

''Oh hell... He had six times the legal limit for alcohol in his system...We also found a huge amount of marijuana......He was high and drunk enough that he probably didn't feel too much pain at the time of death.." said the coroner.

"Okay...thanks man." I said and we all walked out...

"Well Kev...you know as much as the cops know." said Robert Foxworth...

"Well I had to start somehwhere to get a feel for which way I wanted to go....Gus and Minay both said that Joe Willis seemed to be giving him the chills...Seemed to be everywhere he went...." I said.

"Joe Willis? The developer?? He's one of Rollie Rollerson's pals...I can't see him even hanging out in this part of town...He's kind of hoity toity." said Robert Foxworth...

"Yeah, but he was....and his name has come up too many times for him not to be a person  of interest....I've got to find him and talk to him." I said.

"It aint like he's hiding out Kev, I have his phone number and his address and his work number and work address." said Chance Howard..

Robert laughed....I looked at Chance.....

"Damn man, who are you?" I asked... Clerow and Kool Kat busted out in guffaws of laughter...

"What?" asked Chance sheepishly.

II-

"You know Kev...I asked myself the same thing...Why was a guy like Joe Willis drinkin in my bar...I mean, I aint tryin to put my spot down...but neither me nor Gus attract cats like him with six figures." said Joe Neptune, the bartender and owner of the Mermaid Club, where Kool Kat, Clerow and I found ourselves drinking cold beers a few hours later.

"So he was in here?" I asked...

"Yeah..a couple of times....and both times...that guy, Hugh Benet, who got killed was in here....He was in here the night Hugh came in here with Millie....That was the night Hugh got killed and he was in here the night before that when Hugh was in here with Gypsy." said Joe.

"Gypsy??", Who is that?" I asked.

"Sexy little number.....She is a regular....Hugh met her in here , took her home ,banged her brains out!" said Joe Neptune..

"How do you know?" I asked .

"Cause she told anyone who would listen, how huge he was, how long he could stroke and how she had multiple orgasms and how nobody ever made her feel like that and how she wished he'd call her back...She made us all sick.. that next morning." he said.

"Did they meet again?" I asked.

"I doubt it..he was in here with another girl the very next night and of course he got killed that night." said Joe Neptune.

"She sounds like someone I need to talk to." I said.

"Funny thing, Gypsy aint been around since Hugh got killed..." said Joe.

"Hmmm." I said.

III-

Clerow drove up in front of the High Rise where Joe Willis lived...If this was some gangster, We would normally have parked a few blocks away...but for all intents and purposes, Joe Willis seemed like a normal citizen... I told Kool Kat to hang back .  I got on the elevator and went up to see Joe Willis myself!

I rang his doorbell and to my surprise, a sexy young woman answered the door.It was Valarie Brown..I defintely knew who she was...But I could see that she didn't remember us meeting about a year ago in the offices of Hype Magazine where I work.

I smiled sheepishly....and then I introduced myself..

"Hi ,Ms. Brown, is it?  my name is Kevin Morris, I'm a private investigator....Is uh Joseph Willis here? I asked.

She looked a little strange....Then she looked around outside...She motioned me inside....

"Look , I suppose you're here about Hugh Benet's murder huh?" she asked.

''Yes...but what have you got to do with this?" I asked.

"My name is Val...Valerie Brown and I remember you...You work at that magazine that Rollie sits on the board of directors for...We met!  Last year I believe! Kevin right?"

''Yes, that's right...I didn't think you remembered me." I said.

."..The police have already been here, but I lied...I told them that I didn't know Hugh...and Joe said that he didn't know him either...but that's not true...I lied because Joe was here and he's very, very jealous...but I was uh, ruh, kind of with Hugh two nights before he died." she said.

"You were?" I asked... Man, this guy got around...He had a bangin fiance, slept with a gorgeous woman the night he died and possibly the night before that and here was another woman he was with the night before that!!!!!  If these girls had boyfriends....the suspects wanting to kill Hugh Benet was many, I mused.

"Look...I shouldn't even be talking to you about this...and you can't tell Joe...he'd kill me...He already suspects that Hugh and I did something and like I say..he's very jealous..." she said.

"What happened?" I asked.

''Hugh was a sound engineer...He was doing the sound and mike check for Downtown Rob Brown...who was doing a set for Rollie Rollerson...Joe had kind of pissed me off that night and he was missing in action all night...Hugh was checking me out...We were kind of flirting with our eyes....Hugh bought me a drink..we got to talking..one thing led to another and we wound up upstairs in one of Rollie Rollerson's huge rooms for a quickie....only it wasn't hardly a quickie....we were going at it hot and heavy for two hours...whoooooo, that man could go.....but uh, I guess you don't need to hear all of that huh?" she said.

"You were missing for two hours in Rollie Rollerson's house and you don't think anybody saw or missed you??"I asked.

"Rob Brown was still playing when we came out...you know?  I don't think anybody noticed...but Joe aint been the same since that night..He's been cold to me and he's made little snide remarks and he's grilled me about other men over and over and he's probably had me watched too..." she said.

"You think Joe had a motive to kill Hugh?" I asked...knowing the answer...Of course he did..that's why he was following him to places he would never hang out.

"I don't know..Like I said ...He is very jealous." she said.

"Where is he now?" I asked...

"He went out to get some groceries...He should be back any minute now..." she said...

''Well...here's my card...tell him to give me a call...I really need to talk to him....and don't worry...your secret is safe with me." I said.

"Thank you....I feel very bad about what happened to Hugh...he seemed like a nice guy....That was the first and last time I ever saw him." she said.

"Okay Ms. Brown." I said and walked out of the door...I felt something akin to an explosion that hit my jaw no sooner than I opened the door....Joe Willis had cold cocked me...!!! To say that I saw stars was an understatement...I went flying.....

He was a big man, six feet three and athletic looking, not terribly muscular....He charged toward me..I got to my feet, but not before I absorbed another punch from him..a body blow that damn near folded me over..I sucked it in and returned with some blows of my own...about ten lefts and ten rights to his jaw that were snapping his head back and forth !!!

"Joe stop..stop...what has gotten into you?" screamed Valarie....

Joe tried to charge again..I hit him with several more lefts and rights to his body, then and uppercut and then
several more lefts and rights to his face, which sent him flying and into the wall..His lip was bleeding and blood was gushing from his nose..He got up and like a punch drunk boxer stumbled towards me and then fell flat on his face... Kool Kat and Clerow came running around the corner with guns drawn...

Valarie screamed....I held my hand up for them to halt... I helped Joe Willis get to his feet and the four of us walked him into his condo and sat him down...

''What was you niggas doin in here with my woman?" he screamed.

"Man , you better sit down and let us do the talkin...Cause the kind of beatin I'll put on you is far worse than what Kev here already put on you." said Kool Kat... Joe looked at the Big man and his common sense ruled the day...I had already tied fire to him...He really didn't want a worse beating.

''Alright, what you want?"he asked.

"Hugh Benet?" I asked.

"What about him? He dead aint he?" he asked... He reached over with his right hand and picked up a glass of water and took a swig.

"You didn't kill him did you?" I asked. Kool Kat looked puzzled at the way I questioned Joe Willis. I already had conclusions of my own that I had now come to.  Clerow looked puzzled also.

"Hell no...I followed him though...I took photos of him and two of his trollips...I showed em to my girl here, who called herself steppin out with him at Rollie Rollerson's party, like I wouldn't know..Like somebody wouldn't tell me what yall was doin in the coatroom." he snapped.

''Joe I-" she said.

"Shut up, don't lie to me anymore...STOP THE LYING!" he yelled. For some reason, Clerow and I both looked at each other and smiled...The big man, Kool Kat..saw no humor in the situation..He was seething!

He went in the drawer and with his right hand he pulled out the glossies....Look, there is your boyfriend....Night after you gave him your good good...he had forgot all about you..There he is with some babe at the Mermaid club....There he is making out in the parkin lot of Josie's with yet another babe and leavin with her...That's your boyfriend..!!!!!.You was just another piece of ass to him!!" he yelled...

''Joe,I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry." she cried...

''So then you killed him!" yelled Kool Kat.

"I didn't kill him...I already talked to the cops...They said he was killed at three in the morning...I was here all night..She can testify to that...if you believe anything that comes out of her lyin mouth." he spat.

Valerie nodded her head in agreement.

"Okay...that's good enough for me..Sorry for all of this trouble ." I said and Kool Kat, Clerow and I left.

''Kevin, you're just leavin? He's lyin...he followed Hugh and he stabbed him to death." said Kool Kat.

''Yeah boss...Did you see his babe? If I had a babe like that and some dude pushed up on her...I might kill over it." added Clerow.

''Yeah, but he didn't do it." I said.

"How can you be so sure?" asked Kool Kat.

''Because...He's right handed..When we fought tonight..he lead with his right...He picked up that glass of water with his right hand...He pulled those photos out and handed them to me with his right hand...Plus he's too big!!..Our killer is shorter or at least Hugh Benet's height and is definitely left handed. The Medical Examiner said as much." I said.

"So we got nothin right?" said Kool Kat.

"We have someone else to talk to...This Gypsy person...The other girl he was with...She might know somethin useful." I said.

Kool Kat grimaced....

''Alright Kev... I'll follow your lead man." he said as we walked to my car.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

Anatomy Of A Homicide!

I sat in Mabel Jenkins's Soul Food Joint in a booth...Drinking Coffee....I looked out the window and I saw my friend, Kool Kat with a very attractive young woman walking towards the restaurant...It was not the same woman he had been with two days before...That would have been Minay, the fiance of the dead, Hugh Benet...and she was definitely a "ten".....This woman with Kool Kat was right up there with her....If this guy, Hugh Benet was with her also..I had to take my hat off to him...He didn't deal with slouches...At least not in the looks department.  This was one time I was glad that I was by myself!

Kool Kat spotted me as soon as they walked in and he and the young lady walked over to where I was sitting.

"Hey Kev...This is Millie...Millie Wilson....The girl Gus told you about who was with Hugh Benet the night he got killed." said Kool Kat...

''Pleased to make your acquaintence" I said.  She smiled and nodded and sat down.

Baby Phat, the waitress came to our table...

"Can I get you something?" I asked Millie.

"Yes.. I'll take a coffee, extra cream, extra sugar." she said.

"I'll take a large coffee, black!" said Kool Kat, even though I wasn't making the offer to him!

"Millie, I understand that you were the last person to be with Hugh Benet?" I asked.

''Next to last." she said.

"Oh?" I asked.

"Me and whoever killed him." she said.   Kool Kat tried, but he couldn't hide the smile that was on his face. I smiled myself...

"Well can you tell me how the night went?" I asked. "Oh and excuse my manners...My name is Kevin Morris, I'm a private investigator." I said.

"I know who you are...I read the magazine that you edit...and I know of your side gig...Helpin people...Hugh read your magazine too...bein that he was close to the music business and all..."she said. "But to answer your question...I met Hugh in the Mermaid Club oh maybe two or three weeks ago...We hit it off real good..He gave me his number and I gave him mine...I was with three of my girlfriends at the time.  He bought all of us several rounds of drinks...I mean he was spending money and he was telling jokes, making us laugh and all...and then finally as the night wore on...he started talking to me...telling me how fine I was, how much he'd like to date me and all...I told him that I couldn't go with him that night, but to call me later.... Later turned out to be the night he died unfortunately...  We met up at the Mermaid club....had a few drinks." she said.

"Just you and Hugh?" I asked.

''Yes..then we left at about midnight...We bought some weed off this guy named Chink Bob and some wine and we drove to Josie's...Hugh wanted to catch Reed Nelson's last set...We were high and we sat in the parking lot and smoked and drank the bottle of wine and we made out, you know...Then we went in Josie's..We caught Reed Nelson's set....Funny thing...There was a guy in there...a guy named Joe...He was a real high rollin, sophisticated type...didn't look like the kind of guy who would be hangin in Josie's...He kept starin at Hugh....Or at least that's what Hugh thought." she said.

''Was there any words between them or an altercation?" I asked.

"No...In fact, the guy was gone long before we left." she said.

'' What happened next?"I asked.

"We left Josies, We finished off that wine...We bought some more weed...from a guy around my way...I forget his name...Anyway...we wound up at my place....We made love for several hours.....I was exhausted by the time we finally finished....Hugh put the cover on me and kissed me on the cheek...He tossed his condom in the trash can and told me he'd definitely call me later....Oh yeah, he asked me for a bus token..I told him there was one on my dresser....He left and that was the last time I saw him.  That was around 3:00 in the morning." she said.

"And you drifted off to sleep?" I asked.

"Yeah....I called Hugh later that day, but I didn't get an answer...I didn't think nothin of it...Then two days later...I hear that he was dead...He was murdered." she said.

''Wow." I said.

The three of us drank our coffee and was silent.

II-

Hours Later, Kool Kat and I were following the route Hugh Benet must have taken from Millie's house.. We followed the Bus route to where he might have gotten off at. I stopped my car and looked.

"If I had just been out drinkin and having sex all night with a babe like that and then riding the bus early in the morning...I'd be hungry, wouldn't you?" I asked Kool Kat.  The big man smiled..

"Sounds like something I'd say Kevin." he said.

"Look around here....I know this neighborhood...Nothing around here would be open this time of morning except-?" I said.

"JAKE'S HOT DOGS" we both said in unison....

I parked the car and we both went into Jakes and had one of his world famous hot dogs with all the fixins, mustard,ketchup, his specially seasoned relish and two large Cokes to wash them down...I motioned Jake over to where Kool Kat and I were eating.

''Hi ya Kev...Hey Kools" he said.

"Hey Jakey." said Kool Kat.

I showed Jake a photo of Hugh Benet...

"Yeah Kev..I figured you'd come around askin about Hugh sooner or later...I'll tell you what I tole the cops..Yeah, he was in here about 3:30 in the mornin....I was just comin in...My night manager and the girl that works the shift with him served him...He had a Hot Dog and a Coke..I remember because he was short of cash..and I told him that it was cool because I knew he was good for it..He always paid up...He left and , you know he was still very high, he stumbled the three blocks to his house.." said Jake.

"Was anybody else around or in here?? Like a well dressed man...the kind of man that say, would look out of place around here?" I asked.

"Nooo..wasn't a soul out on the street  Kev...It was three thirty in the mornin...This aint New York man." he said.

Kool Kat laughed- "I know that's  right Jake." he said.

III-

We next walked the few blocks that led up to Hugh Benet's house....There was still a trail of blood that had not been cleaned up....Blood splatter on the walls and on the ground on the block just before Hugh would have turned the corner to walk to his house...



"See this Kool Kat?" I said pointing to a terrific amount of blood and splatter at the corner...

"Yeah man." he said.

"This is where it happened...Must have...Look at all this blood...Every other house on the street is empty...Half of the street lights are out.....There is no Crime Stopper camera on this block...It's a perfect place to kill somebody." I said.

"But a killer would have had to of known he was coming this way...Had to of set up...."said Kool Kat.

"No...maybe they had been to his house,knew he wasn't there and was leaving....You gotta go through this block to get to the bus stop or the main street if you're in a car.....I'm thinking they were on foot...They run into him...Right here...and this is where they got him...The police didn't find the murder weapon because the killer kept it on them....Whoever did this probably has disposed of the weapon now." I said.

IV-

We finally got to Hugh's House.. The crime scene tape was still there!  There was blood splatter all up the steps and in the door way...I was in no way in Lockpick Johnson's leauge, when it came  to jimmying locks...but I knew enough to know how to get into a house like this. I got Kool Kat and myself inside Hugh's home in no time flat....There was blood still on the kitchen floor..

"And this is where he died... He was sooo high and drunk...He didn't realize how badly hurt he was...He might have fumbled for a cell phone and dropped it....but by the blood splatter here, it's obvious that he died
right here." I said.

"Okay Kev...So we know that he was at The Mermaid Club with babe...They bought some weed, drank some wine, went to Josies and then her place, then he went to Jakes and walked the rest of the way home and that in between Jakes and his house, he got stabbed....Coulda been a robbery." said Kool Kat.

''A robbery? He was flat broke...He had to borrow a bus token from Millie and he couldn't even pay Jake for a Dog and a Coke...Nah, this was personal..." I said.

"So what do we got?" asked Kool Kat.

"About as much as the cops know..." I shrugged.

"Damn!" said Kool Kat...

"Cheer up big man...tomorrow's another day...Tomorrow, we go to the Medical Examiner's Office and Homicide and then we get back on the streets and find this Joe Willis charactor." I said.

Kool Kat smiled!

(To Be Continued...)

The Committee

''How's your food Kevin?" asked my wife Sepia.  We were at Bottom of the C.  ,Dollar Bill's joint in mid day enjoying a meal...I had a Cajun Steak seasoned well with Red Beans and Rice ,green, yellow and red peppers and onions... and a Corona to wash it down... Sepia was having a New York Strip Steak and a Baked Potato...  Today was a rare day that neither of us went to work at our perspective jobs...Mine at a very hip Magazine and She at a real estate office...

"It's Great Sepia...How bout yours?" I asked.

"Very Good...I swear, Ralph Scallion out did himself in the kitchen today." she laughed.

"Well then, you had better stop ribbing him so much." I laughed.

''Never that!" she laughed.

Life had been good lately...We had an assignment in New Orleans...and Sean Jackson, His wife Sheila, Sepia and I and Harry Charles and Bernadette all went and had a great time....Within a few weeks, Sepia and I and Robert Foxworth and his wife, Bonita were all on a trip to Hawaii...Another good time....Since we had been back in Philly, I had spent at least three days a week at the office, writing articles, editing them, approving Sean's photos and handling business....The other two days, I worked from home on my blogs and our on line services...Sepia and Bonita worked everyday at the real estate office...At night we made love well into the early morning hours...Life was routine, but good. I almost half heartedly wished to be on the streets with Clerow, Kool Kat and the gang cracking a case...Guess you should be careful what you wish for!

Just as I was paying the bill and getting ready to leave with Sepia, Kool Kat and a young lady I had never met came walking in. Sepia smiled ,but gave him the side eye...She had become pretty good friends with his girlfriend of note, Chelsea...I could see on her face that she was suspicious of this woman.

''Whoooaaa, look who it is!" I laughed...."I thought you had fallen off the face of the earth good brother Jones." I continued...but Kool Kat was surprisingly not laughing. Uh Oh..Something was up!

"Hey man...I been lookin all over for you..I thought if all else failed...You might be here..Hey Sepia." he said.

"Hi Walter." said Sepia.

"This here Kevin is Minay, Minay Jordan...Her ex-fiance was a good friend of mine...His name was Hugh Benet'... He was stabbed to death a few weeks ago.....Cops can't find a murder weapon or a clue as to who done it." he said.

''And you think that maybe I can huh?" I said.

"Please Mr. Morris...I'm willing to pay money if you could look into it." she said.

"People will talk to you Kevin, People that won't talk to the coppers." said Kool Kat.

"Okay...First thing tomorrow...I'll get on it." I said.

"Oh thank you Mr. Morris"..She said. She gave me a piece of paper. "This is my address and my cell phone number if you need anything." she said.

"I'm gonna drop her off at her spot and then I'm going home....Chelsea called me a few minutes ago." said Kool Kat....At the mention of Chelsea's name...I could see that Sepia felt better...It was obvious that there was no monkey business going on between him and the dead man's fiance.

II-

A few hours later, I was in Josies with Attorney, Robert Foxworth and Chance Howard having a couple of cold beers...They were talking about this guy, Hugh Benet, Same guy Kool Kat and this girl had come to me about...They told me about how much of a fun guy he was...How he was a real ladies man, but was otherwise harmless and how it was a shame that someone had stabbed him and his murder was unsolved...I could see that this guy, Hugh Benet had affected every life he had touched....I was surprised that our paths had never crossed.  Even Gus got into the discussion..

"Ya know Kev..Hugh was in here the night he died....He was here with this chick, Millie Wilson....I got her address,you might want to talk to her...I'm certain she was one of the last babes to see him alive."He said.

"Well Since we are on the subject Gus...Did anything weird or unusual happen in here that night?" I asked.

"No, not really but uhhhhh...there was one thing...He asked me about Joe...Joe Willis...." said Gus.

"Joe Willis?  The Developer?? One that has that fine supermodel for a girlfriend named Valerie, Valarie Brown? "I asked..  I had met them both through Rollie Rollerson....Valarie seemed a little too flirtatious to me to be anything more than a plaything of Joe Willis.

"Yeah, that Joe...He was in here that night...Hugh thought that he was given him the evil eye for some reason." said Gus...

"No offense Gus, but why would Joe Willis, someone like him, be in here hanging out.?" I asked.

"None taken Kid...I wondered that myself...He was in here, everytime, Hugh was in here the last two weeks..but he always left long before Hugh did...You know Hugh...Well you shoulda.." said Gus.

"Yeah man, Kev that cat could drink us all under the table and then screw five, six women, He reminded me of me before I got married." chimed in Robert Foxworth.

Gus, Chance Howard and I all looked at Robert Foxworth with a side eye ...Robert looked at me and shrugged...

"What?"  he said... Chance snickered, I laughed and Gus shook his head...

Well, at least I had a base to start from...People to talk to.

"Okay you guys...you have given me a starting point...I'll look into it." I said as I tossed a couple of bucks on the counter and left.

III-

Later that evening as I approached my home and was about to walk up the stairs, I saw what looked like a small committee, Pastor John Struthers, his wife, Deacon Larry Weatherford and his wife, Victoria and new deacon, Basil Robinson and his wife! all walking towards my house...I turned and greeted them all..

''Hey Pastor, deacons , missuses.." I said with a smile and a wave.

"Hey Kevin" said the women...

"Brother Morris" said Deacon Weatherford..

''What's good Kev?" said Deacon Basil.

''Kevin, the reason we are here is to ask a favor of you....A young man was brutally murdered a few weeks ago and well, while he wasn't a church goer, he was much loved in the community....and he leaves behind a grieving fiance who was just devestated by his loss and-" said Pastor Struthers before I raised my hand up to stop him.

"I take it you're talking about Mr. Hugh Benet, correct?" I asked.

''Yes...How did you know?  Did you know him?" asked Pastor Struthers."

"Nope...wouldn't know him if I tripped over him in the streets...but so many people have asked me about him today alone that I feel like I do know him or at least should have...Starting tomorrow...I'm going to look into it." I said.

''Oh , well..Well uh...Thank you brother."said Pastor Struthers...

"You're quite welcome." I said as I bid them all good night and went inside my home.

Sepia and I lay across the bed a little later ,just talking-

''Kevin...you really think you can get to the bottom of this Hugh Benet business?" she asked.

"I'm not as confident as everyone who has asked me to look into it...but who knows...I've cracked some tough nuts before." I said.

''Police have better resources than you do and they are stumped...plus Bonita told me that his father hired a team of French investigators to come here and they couldn't find anything either." she said.

''That's because nobody will talk to them. People will talk to me...At least in this community." I said.

Sepia didn't say anything else...Neither did I..We just lay there on the bed...From the streets, we could hear cars driving by...Radios playing, people talking softly and then the sounds fading away into the night!

(To Be Continued...)

Northern Lights

My funeral.......It's so weird watching it.....My Father is so distraught....My Mother!!! So out of it...It's the first time these two have been together in the same place in years....My Mother and her new husband , A Black man this time...and my Dad and his latest girlfriend..also Black....Interesting...those two!

Valerie is there!  Wow! I was only with her once!  Just that one night and I made that much of an impression...

Millie was there...The very last person I had sex with....and she was at my funeral...I am touched beyond words....

Gypsy.....Oh Gypsy....she was there and sobbing uncontrollably...Probably the most out of everyone...Like Valerie , it had only been one night!!

And Minay...my lovely Minay, the love of my life I suppose...She sat in a corner of the funeral home and cried for what might have been....but what probably was better that it hadn't been...She'd understand that one day...There is a bright future ahead for her!!

Gus ,from Josie's was there, as was Dollar Bill, Ralph Scallion, Chris Thompson,Chess, his wife, Rell, Donald Smooth , Bone Hampton, Meek Rollins, Reed Nelson, Debbie, Downtown Rob Brown, Delores, Mabel Jenkins, Clerow, Corabeth, Anita Jenkins, Victoria and Deacon Larry Weatherford , Symphony Sam,Chance Howard, Paris,Blake, Cherish....They were all there, dressed to the nines....

I felt bad for them...They had no idea that actually I was just fine...In a sense, better than them...No worries, No cares, No pain....For me, the rat race was over....I still seethed that the Police still had no clue as to who had ended my life....I wanted that last piece of business taken care of before I actually departed...

Oh yeah....I'm not going to hang around here for all eternity....I've been here done that...There is something beckoning me that I must go to...I'm sure when you guys meet your end...you'll be able to share the same experience...

Kool Kat and his girlfriend, Chelsea entered the funeral home...Man that guy can dress...He had a beautiful dark, Italian cut tailor made suit on and a Black Homburg hat...He was wearing Dark Aviator shades and had on Black wing tops...The man could dress.. I could tell by the way he carried himself that he didn't take fools lightly and that he wasn't one to mess with...The short time I'd known "Kools" as his closest friends called him, I had liked him.

As they wheeled my casket out of the Funeral home to the hearse, Kool Kat approached Clerow...Who I had only met in passing just once and spoke to him.

"Man Cle...This is messed up...Man gets all cut up and his block which has a crime stopper camera can't find nothin..." he said.

"I know man...It don't make sense...and the cops can't find the murder weapon." said Clerow.

"The more I think about it..the more I feel like callin Kevin in on this." he said.

''Yeah...this is right up ole Kev's alley..Thing is..I hate top bother Kev...He's been so laid back and relaxed lately..Him and Sepia....They been away on two mini-vacations...and they been goin to work and been lookin so happy and all." said Clerow.

"Bet he's bored right about now...and would be lookin to shake things up on the streets a little bit." said Kool Kat.

"Ya think" laughed Clerow with a toothy grin...

II-

Sometime later, Minay had come from my burial and had skipped going to the repast, which was held at Mabel Jenkins soul food joint...She instead sat on the steps of the church crying her eyes out... Three Black men approached her...One was Pastor John Struthers, who I didn't know...the other was Deacon Basil Robinson, a former playa who had found the lord...The third man was Deacon Larry Weatherford.



''Thought I'd find you here...Why don't you come with us and get you somethin to eat little lady?" said Deacon
Weatherford.

"I'm sorry guys...I just don't feel like eating...I'm just too upset at Hugh being dead ...It's just so unfair." she moaned.

"Life often is unfair." said Basil Robinson...

"Look here....I know a guy...He helps folks...Folks that sometimes needs to go beyond the police...His name is Kevin...Kevin Morris.....If you like ,I can get him to see if he can dig up Hugh's killer." said Pastor John Struthers..

"You think he could get to the bottom of this?" she asked.

"He's cracked some seemingly dead end cases....That's what he does." said Struthers.

"Is he a cop?" she asked.

''Nooooo, he's a private investigator." he said.

"I don't have any money." she said.

"He's a friend....you let me worry about any fees...But even if he does solve this...What are you gonna do with your life?  Baby..you got to live for you...for now....Hugh's life is over....You've got to find some kind of peace somewhere and let him go..." said Pastor Struthers...

Minay began to cry...

"But I can't let him go....I loved him so much........" she wailed...

Basil took her into his arms and rocked her...

"It's going to be alright...come on baby..Come on with us and get some of this good food...It's gonna be alright." he said.

She got up and the three of them walked toward Mabel's Soul Food Joint...

I'm gonna miss her good cooking....I'm going to miss Minay, Going to miss it all, but like I said...It's time...Time for me to go....I see my Grand parents and all of my uncles and aunts and a few of my friends who have passed on before...They all look so young, so vibrant, so good...They're calling me...They're beckoning me into a bright light.....I have to go toward it.....

This Kevin guy....I never met him....I wish I had...but if anyone can get to the bottom of my murder...He can!!
I'm straight....I walk towards the light.....I feel so warm, so good, so comfortable....so welcome, so at peace.....wow....nothing in life ever felt this good....This is great man...wow is all I can say.....into the light!




For SLC!

The Last Night

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMuah...ohhhhhh, Hughhhhh, ohhhhhhhhhh." moaned  Millie....a cute little number I met in the Mermaid Club....We'd had a few drinks and scored some good weed and were in her car in Josie's parking lot kissing mad passionately....I had already slipped her panties down and had unhooked her bra and was getting ready to mount her....

"Uh...Uh...Nooooo...Not outside here like this." she said.

"Come on baby, don't leave me like this...come onnnn." I begged while still kissing her...

"Nooooo, we can't do that...stoppppp." she said...

She began stroking my penis gently and slowly and continuing to kiss me....I was rubbing her breasts softly and slowly also...We kept this up for a long while until finally I came like a gusher all over her front seat...

"Ouuuu, you come a lot.....like a gusher.." she said ,matter or factly.

I straightened my pants up...and my shirt...She slipped her panties back up, put her bra back on and repositioned her skirt....She fixed her blouse and her hair...She took several napkins out of her glove compartment and wiped the seat...she turned on the radio....

"Got anymore weed?" she asked..

"Nah, that was it." I said.

"You okay?" she said...

"Yeah,I'm straight." I said.

"I didn't want you to have blue balls...Guess I'll have to take a rain check on the sex." she said.

"I'm looking forward to that." I said in all sincerity.

We both got out the car and entered Josie's together...Reed Nelson and his band was playing tonight...The joint was jumping...especially since "88" , his original keyboardist was playing with them also.  It was a magical night...Downtown Rob Brown and Bone Hampton was setting in with them and the place was going crazy...People were clapping and drinks were flowing...

Millie bought the both of us drinks...From the corner of my eye I saw Meek Rollins and a woman I think was his girlfriend...I wasn't sure. Chris Thompson and his partner Chess was there...Chess was with his wife, Rell, who was pregnant again...I wish I could tell Chess that they were going to have a girl...I'd already met her..a beautiful soul...When you're dead, you get to meet those who are about to be born for a split second...

I saw another group of people I had recently met there too...Paris, Blake, Anita Jenkins, Cherish, Blake's Girl,Chance Howard, the young attorney and Delores, Rob Brown's girl and Debbie, Reed Nelson's girl...They were all having a great time...I couldn't know that this would be the last time I would be amongst them alive..They were so much fun, so electric!

II-


My android was ringing off the hook....It was Gypsy.....I didn't answer...I hated a woman that was too needy. It had only been a night....What could she possibly want?  Well it was obvious what she wanted...but I had already sampled her goods... Time to move on..

Then I saw that guy named Joe...He was here!!! Was he following me?? He stared at me....I stared back..He got up and walked away...I walked over to Gus who was tending bar and listening to the cool sounds of Reed Nelson and company...

"Hey Gus....Do you know who that guy is?" I said pointing at the guy named Joe who was now dancing with a hot young thing.

"That's Joe..Joe Shill..." he said.

"What's his story?" I asked.

"He's a high roller...He's slumming here of late....I heard he broke up with his chick and he's been kind of pissed about the breakup...Why do you ask?" he said.

"No reason...just seemed like he was staring at me..." I said.

"You? For what?  You don't know him do you?" asked Gus.

"Uh...No...Never seen him before." I said.

"Then don't worry about him...he's just a little loopy." said Gus.

"Yeah...you're right." I said. I paid for two drinks and I left.

Millie and I drank and danced and then returned to her car for a repeat of the make out session..I tried hard to get her to let me mount her, but she wouldn't...We wound up driving to her house.. We stopped first before we got there and bought a bottle of wine and some more weed.

III-

Within an hour the bottle was empty and we had smoked up all of the weed...I had Millie in her bed , naked and on all fours...with hands gripping the sheets and me pushing from behind with a steady thrusts...deeper and deeper.

"Oh it feels good... oh it feels so good. Ouuuuuu, Hugh....ouuuu" she moaned.

I was transported to another realm of being. The pleasure from this encounter with Millie was driving me crazy. She was panting, trying to slow my pace. Trying to hold onto this great feeling. I was so close to the edge of any reality,between the wine and the marijuana...it wasn't funny.

"My scream is building inside. I can feel it racing up through my throat. I can feel my heart racing faster faster faster. Ohhhhh faster, harder, ohhhh baby, ohhhhhhhhhhhh Hugh." She was moaning..

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmph, so you're a poet!" I said as I thrusted into her sweet vagina even harder...

"I want you to slam into me with everything you have...harder...harder..ohhh."she said.. I obliged.

Her back was arched, Her nice round bottom was in the air

" I am losing my mind Hugh...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it's soooooo damn gooood...ohhhhh........babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...darlinggggggggggggg...loverrrrrrrrrrrrr..ouuuuuuuuu." she cooed.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I yelled as I exploded with a wild abandon.

"Oh Hugh, that was sooo good, she cooed.....If I had known it would be this good...I would have let you do me in the car or hell in front of my parents for that matter." said Millie...We both laughed...and just like that, Millie drifted off to sleep!...I couldn't believe it.

I pulled the cover over her naked body, I deposited my condom in her waste basket....I put my clothes on and let myself out....I felt good...I had drank some wine, had smoked some weed and had had three sexy women within three days...I felt great...I took a bus halfway across town and then decided to grab something to eat..

Mabel's joint was closed...It was 3:30 in the morning...I found an all night joint and had a Hot dog with loads of relish, mustard and ketchup and a Coke....Mmmmmm, I sure will miss that...Jake's Hot Dogs...The absolute best!

IV-

I was about a block from my house.....The street light on this block was out...It was very dark...My block had a crime stopper camera...This block had nothing....I turned the corner....

''Heyy..." came a voice.

"Huh?" I said.

"You think you can just throw people away ,like a used condom?"

''What?, What are you talking about?  In fact, how did you know where I live?" I said.

I didn't feel the first knife thrust that pierced my torso, near my abdomen....I wasn't even shocked as a gusher of blood poured out of me...In fact ,I laughed...

The second knife thrust pierced my chest....I felt that...I tried to turn and run....and then the final blow hit the side of my neck....That could have been the fatal blow....Blood poured out of my mouth.....My attacker, turned and walked away..

"You Black whore!" was the last thing I heard my attacker say...

Wow...Way to ruin a great night..uh morning...I stumbled all the way to my house..leaving a trail of blood...I fumbled with my keys and finally got inside...I locked the door...Didn't want my attacker coming back...
Whooo.....I fumbled with my phone...I think I called 911...I'm not sure...I was starting to get dizzy...I fell to the floor...Blood was running across my kitchen floor like an ocean...I began to get dizzy...I coughed up blood...I began to chuckle lightly.....

I felt no pain after awhile...I began to have a floating sensation...I felt like I was rising above everything...I could see my body lying in a pool of blood....but I felt no pain...I felt timeless, light as a feather..warm....That's how I knew that I was dead!

(Conclusion Next...)