While I'm Trying To Sleep '12

I want to hold you
want to kiss you
want to undress you
want to hear you moan too..
what I won't do..
is sit by the phone
wishing you were here
while my neighbors bed rams into
the wall of my room..
and I sit here surrounded by four walls
of gloom/

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....ummmmph...ouuuuu...ohhhh baby..."


"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU....."


"Come on girl...ohhhhhhh..."


"Oh God...Oh God...Oh God, this is so goooood..ouuuuuu."

/Don't waste any more time on the phone
grab a taxi..I'll pay the fare..
just get here soon, I don't care..
I'm jealous of the hours my neighbor
and his girlfriend keep..
while I'm trying to sleep
while I'm trying to get some sleep../

"Ohhhhhhhhh baby, don't stop....don't stoppppppppp...ouuuuuuuu.."


"Oh girllll...Ohhhhhh....ohhhh good lord this is sooo good..."


"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh...don't stoppppp.."

/you see he's
holding her tight
doing her right
his kissing her
caressing her
all through this night..
and she's starting to moan..
you could be sounding like that too..
if you weren't still on the phone
that could be my bed ramming up against the wall
of his room../

/put down the cell phone
grab a taxi...
I'll pay the fare
just get here soon..
I don't care..
I'm jealous of the hours my next door neighbors keep
when I'm trying to sleep
when I'm trying to get some sleep./

(Reposted...Originally published on October 17, 2008)

I Won't Sweat You

What it comes down to..
Well let me lay it all out for you.
I'll make it very plain..
I'll take this time to explain..
There won't be any pressure..
I'll give you time to measure.../

The Tall and the short of it...
the decision isn't mine or his
it's all on you.
to make up your mind as to what you want to do...
and if that choice doesn't happen to be me...
I'll be gone baby.... total history.

I won't sweat you about it girl...
I won't be like those other guys...
you turned down before..
knockin at your door...
cryin please baby please..
I'm on bended knees...
while you're tryin to sleep.../

It's not like you haven't seen me everyday...
It's not like you didn't know what I was going to say...
I'm not one to beat around the bush..
and I'll never prod or push...
If your choice isn't me...I'll walk and wish you the best...
If your choice isn't me...I won't hang around like the rest../

Because I know you're trying to sleep..
Your I-phone won't vibrate or get a beep..
I won't be outside your door on my knees..
beggin please baby please...
wakin up your neighbors as you try to sleep...

The Tall and the short of it...
the decision isn't mine or his
it's all on you.
to make up your mind as to what you want to do...
and if that choice doesn't happen to be me...
I'll be gone baby.... total history.

I won't sweat you about it girl...
I won't be like those other guys...
you turned down before..
knockin at your door...
cryin please baby please..
I'm on bended knees...
while you're tryin to sleep.../

Retribution Song

From my days as an NCIS investigator, to my days now as an investigative reporter and private investigator I have learned one thing...Always be observent of everything around you...Everything!

That's why when I woke up this morning and looked out of my front window...I noticed the white 1967 Thunderbird sitting across the street from me.  It's a classic car and I would have noticed it anyway...but I especially noticed the gentleman with raybans on sitting in the car ,with no radio on...Just sitting.

When I walked  out of my front door,  He pulled off!  So When I went to Dunkin Donuts to get my coffee and then to Krispy Kreme to get some doughnuts...I didn't find it strange that the same 1967 was sitting outside of these places, with the same guy , wearing rayban sunglasses just staring.

Now I'm on the expressway headed to another part of the city and guess what? This same car is about two or three cars behind me...Yeah,I don't miss a trick!

I got a text message from Laura saying she wanted to see me...I smelled a trap..and I should have called Clerow or Owen Todd or Kool Kat...but i didn't...If this was in fact a trap and I somehow get out of this alive...They're going to be pissed that I didn't call them ,I thought as I headed to Laura's apartment.

I was packing...I had my . 22 in the small of my back....and my .38 smokeless on my shoulder holster inside my suit jacket.

I arrived at Laura's apartment...I looked around...I saw no signs of the car...I preceded inside.

II-

Laura was inside her apartment...I knocked on the door...She told me to come in without answering...I walked in...She was packing..packing everything...

''Going somewhere?" I asked...even though that was quite obvious.

"I'm leaving Philly." she said.

"Oh?" I said.

She tossed me the glossies...The photos of Ray and Inger in the hotel room having sex, Kissing outside the bar...Making out on the corner of the block...

"That was you wasn't it?" she asked dryly.

I said nothing.

"It's okay...truth is truth...Ray is a user...a player...I think I always knew that...I just hoped he had mellowed, I see he hasn't... " she said.

I hung my head...I still said nothing...

"You know...he asked me to uh get him the addresses of all of the witnesses against him...Even though they're all in Prison....and he asked me to steal the case evidence against him...I was almost crazy enough to do that...but I didn't...I'm not going to jeapordize my entire career for a man like him...." she said.

"Good Girl." I said.

"I resigned my position as Judge of the Federal Circuit court yesterday." she said.

"What??" I said.

"I'm going into private practice...Ive got a few friends in Atlanta...That's where I'm going Kevin..Someplace far from here, where the drinks are cold and I don't know the playas..." she said.

She passed me an envelope.....

"You give this to Special Agent in charge, Frank Cotton..He'll have more than enough to put Ray Kind back behind bars where he belongs." she said.

I took the envelope....

"I'm having most of my stuff shipped to Atlanta...I was wondering if you could give me a ride to the Airport." she said.

"Sure Laura....I'm so sorry it had to end like this." I said.

"This is the only way this could end Kevin. It's okay...but  know that I'm happy for you Kevin...You found somebody worthy of you...Your wife, Sepia...She's a good woman." said Laura.

"I know that." I said.

"Be good to her." she said. "She's a lucky woman...she doesn't even know how lucky she is...She has a man that she can depend on...A man who....who is who he says he is...I coulda had that...I made the wrong choice.   Now I have to live with that...Be good to her Kevin." she continued...

"I will."

After she packed...I drove Laura to the airport......

"You know...I sent Ray an envelope too." she said.

"You did?" I asked.

"Yeah...I sent him copies of those photos with a note that said- "Drop Dead!" she said and laughed...We both laughed at that...

As she boarded the plane , she turned and looked at me one last time...

"Have a good life Kevin." she said.

I smiled and waved as she got on the plane and flew out of my life again.

III-

Back in the city, I ran into Kool Kat and Owen Todd...They motioned me over to their jeep.

"Kev you got problems." said Kool Kat.

"Yeah tell me about it." I said.

"Nah..you got life threatening problems... I was talkin to Roscoe yesterday..He told me that Ray has put the word out that he needs a hitter....A guy named Lenny Dukes..from D.C. is in town..I think he took the contract .Kev...Ray has a contract out on you..." said Kool Kat.

"That explains the white car." I said.

''What white car?" asked the big man.

"There has been a white thunderbird following me all day....This guy has been shadowing my every move."I said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there is a GPS tracking unit under your car." said Owen Todd.

"Probably...He's trying to shadow my movemants...He could have hit me at anytime today...He's looking for the perfect place.....And what's the best place to hit me? Outside Josie's where I always go to drink?" I said.

''So don't go tonight?" said Owen.

"Nope..I want to go. Let's go to those apartments across the street and see if anybody has rented a spot recently." I said.

I parked my car in front of my house and rode with Kool Kat and Owen Todd. We went to the apartments across the street from Josies... We found out that a man who said he was from D.C. rented a room , right across the street from Josies...just two days before...

"Funny thing" said the landlord...

"What's that? I asked.

"He didn't have no luggage." he said.

Kool Kat ,Owen and I looked at each other and smiled......

"He put this into motion two days ago....right after his lawyer took a dive in the nude...He was through with me then." I laughed.

"Yeah...and now that his girl has flipped on him...he's really pissed." said Owen.

''What are you talkin about?" I asked... I hadn't told Owen and Kool Kat about Laura.

''Man...Some photos of him and his babe arrived with a note written in lipstick that said "Drop Dead loser." Whoever his babe is...She looked like a half breed..She cussed him out at the Aqua Bar last night and told him not to call her again..You have anything to do with that Kev?" asked Owen.

I laughed...Kool Kat shook his head....

"Nah...not me." I said.

"Liar" laughed Kool Kat.


IV-

That night We were all in Josie's...My birthday was the next day..but I wanted to celebrate with my friends... Chess, Chris Thompson, Donald Smooth, Reed Nelson, Debbie, 88, Mabel Jenkins, Rob Brown, Delores, Harry Charles ,Bernadette, My wife,Sepia, Robert Foxworth, Bonita, Sean Jackson, Sheila...Chance, Cole, Paris,Blake, Anita, Cherish,Clerow and Corabeth....The whole crew was there as well as people I hadn't seen in a minute, like Eddie,Andrew and Big Nasty...Gus brought out a cake and we had a high time....

I took a peek outside...That White Thunderbird was parked down the street!!!!!!

I slipped outside...  Owen Todd was wearing the exact same thing I had on... He got in my car and pretended to start it...I slipped up the back stairs of the Apartments across the street where Kool Kat and Clerow were waiting...I nodded and the big man knocked the door down...The hit man,Lenny Dukes was setting up...He was astounded to see that big door falling down...He attempted to pull another gun out of his waistband...but Clerow,Kool Kat and I pulled our pistols and opened fire on him...He was hit at least nine times!!! He spun around like a top and tossed his gun up in the air...

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH....I don't believe this...I've been shot!" he screamed as he pitched forward and fell out the window and into the streets below!!!

Kool Kat nodded...I looked at Clerow and nodded..I looked out the window...Owen Todd gave us the high sign. Lenny Dukes, suspect in close to 28 contract killings would kill no more!! He was dead!

"I'm going to the Aqua Bar...." I said.

"What? " asked Kool Kat...

"I'm going to finish this." I said.  "Clerow..you and Corrie take Sepia home...Tell her I'll be home late." I said.

An hour later, Kool Kat and I walked into the Aqua Bar...Ray Kind had been laughing and talking with some guys..They saw us coming and they got up and moved away..... Ray was shocked to see me coming towards him...For the first time..He didn't have that sardonic grin on his face...  Kool Kat and I aimed our pistols at him and moved forward...He desperately looked for a place to run, but there was no where to go...He just stared ahead...

"Got a message for you Ray....Next time you hire a hitman...Hire someone who can shoot!" I said.

He was speechless...But so was I when FBI Special Agent Frank Cotton walked in with about six FBI agents....

"Hi ya Ray." he said and smiled. "Looks like I got here just in the nick of time...Although part of me wants to walk out of here and just let nature take it's course..Lucky for you...I can't do that." he said.

"Heyyy what is this..Old Homes week?" he snarled.

"It's the night I came to arrest you for obstruction of justice.." he said..."Put the cuffs on him boys...This time you stay in jail until your trial and no judge is going to spring you this time." he said as they read him his rights and handcuffed him...

"I don't beleive this...I'm GETTING ARRESTED! he yelled.

"Even your luck runs out eventually Ray." I said..

He looked at me with pure hatred....

"You think you've won, you just delayed what's inevitable...You and me? We'll dance again...Believe that." he said to me...

"Save it for the judge you cheap punk." I said as the FBI men hauled him away...

Kool Kat laughed and patted me on the back..

"Game set match." he said.

"I believe so..." I said.

EPILOUGE:

Tomorrow was my birthday!, Tomorrow was his birthday too.  He was going to be spending his in lock up. Ray Kind was held until his trial..He was convicted of conspiracy in the jewelry store heists and sentenced to 12 years.  He was convicted of obstruction of justice and sentenced to an additional 6 years..all in Federal Prison. He is awaiting trial on State Charges of conspiracy to murder me!! All in all..He's going to be off the streets for years!!!

The next night..Sepia told me to go up to our room, take off all of my clothes and to close my eyes...

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Oh just do it...It's your birthday silly...I've got your surprise." she said.

I got naked and sat on the bed...

"Okay, open your eyes." she said.

There she was , Naked and with a blue bow tied around her!!!!

"Oh my goodnes...Ohhh lawd!" I exclaimed as I looked at her....

I pulled her toward me as she giggled...

"This isn't much of a gift...but...it's what you wanted." she said...

"I''ll say." I said as I slowly took the bow off and began to kiss her from her neck to her waistline...

''Ouuuuuuu..." she moaned as I slowly layed her on the bed and began kissing her behind her ears and on her neck....

"Ohhhhhhhhhh.." she moaned as I crawled up on her and began to mount her slowly..

I smiled...I thought for a second of Laura...She had told me to be good to Sepia... I certainly planned to tonight!!!!

Lawd have mercy!

Always A Woman!

The next morning, Sepia and I were joined by Attorney Robert Foxworth and his wife Bonita at our favorite coffee shop...We were all drinking tall hot steaming tumblers of coffee and munching on freshly baked doughnuts, laughing and talking...
Robert glanced at the newspaper...

Of course the news of Ralph "Pretty" Penny's death the night before was all over the paper as well as a rather gruesome photo of the SUV that his body crashed into , after he leaped 22 stories to his death toavoid being arrested as a suspect in the deaths of three girls...including my wife's friend..Jewel Gardenor.

"Wow...I knew Ralph Penny...Good Lawyer...He usually took on some pretty slimy clients...Who knew that he was a closet freak all this time...Killing girls?" mused Robert Foxworth...

I rubbed Sepia's arms...and smiled at her...She was still torn up over Jewel's death...

"Well...he won't hurt anybody else Sepia... Jewel has been avenged." I said...

She smiled at me and said nothing...She just sipped her coffee..

"You know Kevin...He was your boy, Ray Kind's lawyer." said Robert.

"Not anymore he's not." I cracked...I wondered what Ray was thinking about now...He must know and this definitely was a set back...

"What do you think he's doing now Kevin?" asked Robert.

"Looking for a new lawyer." I said.  This drew laughter from both Sepia and Bonita..
They high fived each other...

"I know that's right." they both said in unison...

Robert smiled too, then he said-

"No really?...He's probably thinking about cleaning up." he said.

"Cleaning up?" I said.

"Yeah...Tying up loose ends...getting rid of anything or anyone that can hurt him.." said Robert Foxworth.

"You're right...Jennifer Maclin is the main witness against him, but she's in Federal custody...He can't get to her.....Then there's Memphis Slim and his Nephew...They're in State Prison in Tennessee...They can't hurt him because they really don't know much..." I said.

"The main evidence against him is the video and audio tape evidence you have of him taking the diamonds out of safe deposit box...Barbara's safe deposit box...and of him trying to fence the goods to Slim and of him cofessing to masterminding the heists.That's the case." I said.

"Where is that evidence?" asked Robert Foxworth.

"The Feds have it...I don't know exactly where it is." I said.

"If I were you...I'd find out and I'd make sure it was secured...Without that and if by chance he convinces Jennifer to back up on her previous testimony...He walks...and it doesn't matter who his attorney is." said Robert...

He was of course right...and the fact that he had a federal judge in his pocket made that an even more certain scenario.  How could Laura sell herself so cheap?,I wondered.

As we sat there..Sean Jackson and his wife Sheila walked in and joined us at our table...

"Ohhhhh, look who it is?" I said laughing and patting Sean Jackson on the back...

"Somebody has a tan." laughed Sepia as she and Bonita looked at Sheila...

"We just got back from Puerto Rico...We had a fabulous time there." said Sheila...

"Oh wow...that's nice.." said Sepia.

Sean Jackson looked at me and pulled out some photos..

"What are these?" I asked.

"When Sheila and I were at the airport yesterday, when we returned...Guess who I saw? Your boy Ray Kind....I thought he was cooling his heels in a Copenhagen Jail? he's free and back in the city." he said.

"Yeah, I know...he's been here...He bribed the officials in Copenhagen, then fled to Amsterdam where they weren't so accomodating, they picked him up and turned him over to the FBI in London who brought him back here...Where a judge let him out on bail." I explained.

"Well he's back...and he aint missin a beat..Look at that woman he's with?  He's back in action." laughed Sean.

I looked at the photos...He was seen kissing a light skinned Black woman....It wasn't Laura Como..I kept looking and then I realized where I knew this woman from!!...This was his girlfriend from Copenhagen..The beautiful multi-racial girl he was living with....Inger something or other...He must have sent for her...

Ray was apparently just using Laura....or both of these women...He didn't care...I was certain that Laura had no idea he was in fact seeing this woman....I was going to make sure that she did!

"Sean..You got some spare time today?" I asked.

"Yeah...I suppose so." he said.

"Bring your best camera..We goin fishin." I said and smiled.

"Fishin?" said Robert Foxworth, then he smiled..."Ahhhhhhhhh..." Sepia ,Bonita and Sheila just looked at me and shook their heads.

II-

It wasn't hard to locate Ray Kind...He usually hung out at the Aqua Bar...today was no different.

 With Owen Todd driving... We parked across the street from it..We caught Ray coming out arm and arm with Inger from Copenhagen...Kissing constantly... They stopped at the corner near the alley and he practically grinded her into the wall...Kissing her with wet sloppy kisses and running his hands up the very short and tight mini dress she was wearing...

"Ohhh Ray...Ray....When I heard you were free...I thought about the last time we were together...and I just had to see you again...Thank you for sending for me." she said in between moans... He looked around and unzipped his pants and pulled her hand close to his zipper...Inger looked around and snatched her hand back.

"No...Nooo baby...not here...Let's go to a hotel." she said.

'I don't know if I can wait." he said as they kissed some more.

Sean Jackson got every bit of that corner action....He was just snapping away.

We followed them to a Hotel,  a cheap joint  in the neighborhood  that had little or no curtains in the windows.and photographed them going into a room....We got a stroke of luck and were able to get into a room across the street from them..Sean's super lense was able to get a good photo of them making love...

"We got enough Kev?" asked Sean Jackson...

"Yup..this is enough?" I said.

''What are you gonna do with these? Aint no law against him gettin his freak on." said Sean.

''Sure aint...but I know somebody who would be real interested in these photos." I said.

"If you say so." he said.

III-

The next day I stopped by the Federal Building....I stopped in the office of FBI Special Agent in charge, Frank Cotton...

"What can I do for you Kevin?" he asked.

"The evidence in the Ray Kind case...Where is it?" I asked.

"It's in "Evidence" downstairs below the courtrooms." he said.

"Evidence is in evidence...that's hilarious!" I laughed. "Look..do me a favor..get that file...that stuff I gave you and move it...lock it up in your safe or something." I said.

"Why?  Do you know something that I don't?" he asked.

"I don't know anything...I just don't want any chance of it being compromised." I said.

"Way ahead of you Kevin...I moved it the day after he made bail...along with all of our information on his case...I smell a rat...I don't want to say just yet...but we are watching this case pretty close." he said.

I didn't like the sound of that...It meant that they already knew about the connection between Ray and Laura....I certainly didn't wish for her to get in any trouble...but afterall she brought this on herself.

"Is that why you came down here today...To ask me to move his files?" he asked.

"Pretty much." I said.

"Then why did you stop by Judge Como's office?" he asked.

"You don't miss much do you?" I said.

"No, I don't...I know that she and Ray Kind had a relationship years ago...I also know that you and her had a relationship too...And I know that she has been seen in his company more than once....I could have her removed from her position on that alone...but I'm not...As long as she doesn't completely overstep her bounds...She's in the clear...but if I suspect that she's doing anything for him related to this case..I'm going to bust her....I know she used to be your girl Kev...but that's my job....And she should know better than to be a federal judge consorting with a known felon. She should know better."he said.

"I know man...I tried to tell her...I hope she listened." I said.

''I hope so too."he said. "I'm trying to look out for her because in case you haven't noticed, there aren't a lot of people who look like me and you in these courthouses sittin where she's sitting...but she's wrong on so many levels...so many." he said.

He was after all right..I couldn't argue with that.

Laura wasn't in her office...I had slipped the photos under her door...I left Agent Cotton's office and I walked down the hall..I saw Laura getting off the elevator..I ducked into one of the empty offices...I didn't want her to see me or know I had been here. She sure looked good.

She and her administrative assistant were walking down the hall and talking-

''You had an expensive bottle of champaigne and a Steak Dinner waiting for him and he didn't show?" she said.

''No...I waited until 1:00 am. No call, no nothing....I had on some new lingerie I bought from Victoria's secret,had his favorite fragrance on too..but nothing.." said Laura.

''Did he call?"asked her assistant.

"No and that's not like him...This past week he's been so distracted...and I guess with his lawyer dying and all, he's just been depressed." said Laura.

"Too depressed for a steak and good sex??  I don't know Laura!!" said her assistant.

''What are you trying to say?" asked Laura.

"I don't know this boyfriend of yours...but he could have another woman in the mix." she said.

"Nahhh not Ray...he's crazy about me and for what I'm doing for him...There can be no other woman." said Laura.

"Oh? What'cha doin for him?" asked her assistant.

'Never mind.." said Laura and they both laughed and went into the office.

"'Looks like somebody slid an envelope under the door...It's addressed to you." said her assistant..

"Hand that to me...Hmmm looks like photos of some kind." said Laura.

I listened as she walked by and I watched her walk into her office... I knew it would only be a few minutes before the explosion....

"WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT??????? OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDD...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...Why that two timing, low down nasty dog.....Oh I don't believe this.....No wonder he didn't answer his phone all yesterday....OHHHHH MY GOD!!!!!!!  " came the screams from her office...

A female administrative assistant looked at the photos..

" What's the matter?  Are you alright?" she said.

"Look at these photos?" she screamed...

"That's...That's your boyfriend isn't it?   Ohhhhhhh...that aint you." she said.

"NO IT'S NOT ME!!!!! Dirty low down cheatin dog...OUUUUUUUUUUUU!" said Laura.

"Men!" said the administrative assistant...

''I know right?"screamed Laura.

I tipped towed to the elevator....I know this is bad, but I couldn't help from laughing...

Sean Jackson sure took good photos!

(Conclusion Next!)

Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer

I sat outside of her condo and snapped photos...Photos I hoped I would never have to use...but photos I could use just the same...Photos of Ray Kind and her, arm and arm...going inside of her condo...and hours later, Ray Kind...leaving her condo....

Laura...Laura Como...who I once loved....A Federal Judge....consorting with Ray Kind...the mastermind of several jewelry store heists...one which resulted in three people's deaths....A man who had jumped bail once before and was captured after an extensive FBI manhunt was now free on bail and awaiting his trial...which could be anywhere from six weeks to six months....because of her...because she granted him bail... and here she was sleeping with the defendent...I'm sure this was ethically and morally wrong on so many levels...

Yet...because of the past we once shared...I  hoped I wouldn't have to use these photos against her..It could ruin her career...I wanted more than anything to wipe that self satisfying smirk off of Ray Kind's face...but I wondered was it because he was a bad man or because ...He was with her???

II-

I remembered the last time we had made love....It was in San Diego...a warm summer night ,years ago....She had already broken off our engagement because there was another man...she had broken my heart...I had left town, to join the Marines...she had left to go to college.....I was now an NCIS investigator....I had just cracked a murder case at a Naval base in Southern California and I was cooling my heels in San Diego for a little while before I returned to my next assignment...We just happened to run into each other one night....She was a US Attorney with the Justice Department by now... and living in San Diego..We had had much to drink at two or three bars and we wound up at her beach side house that she was renting...


Our lovemaking was slow and deliberate. There was no rushing or need for it. This wasn't an affair. We were not married to other people and sneaking around. We lived in different cities, Her in San Diego and me in Richmond,Virginia at the time...Different parts of the United States with completely different degrees of commitments. We have not figured out how to blend our lives, in fact, according to her, that wasn't going to happen...she was still in love with whoever this mystery man was...This was just a one for the road...one last time arrangement...Maybe she felt like she owed me...because we knew each other back in Philly...I don't know.

Her body was glistening as she stepped out of the tub,she was stacked..a brickhouse as Lionel Richie would say. I wrapped her wet but hot body in a towel, and we slow grinded to the beautifully appointed king-size bed overlooking the beach and city of San Diego, California, that takes your breathe away. I'm talking and whispering and laughing as I step out of my clothes...My erection just raging..She looked at it and her mouth just opened...''Oh My God Kevin...Oh My goodness...you are huge!!...Ohhhhh myyy" she gasps. I love the way she looks naked..every last curve... I love the way she smells.

I walk her over to the bed whispering how much I missed her, She seems lost in thought,like she wishes I wouldn't say that. She kisses me, deeply,passionately wrapping me in her arms tightly. I move my hands up and down her sexy body as if I am remembering something , reconnecting. I pull her close... She is already wet. I'm as hard as a rock...

"Ohhhhhh Kevin...Oh Godd...I want you inside me now..." she moans.

I know that and I enter her and begin to thrust deeply. I catch my breath, she wraps her big legs round me as if I was falling off a cliff. We quickly get a nice deliberate rhythm. I just want to go hard and fast, but she slows us down. I can barely stand it. I slow it way down with deep, long strokes that make me feel like I'm losing my mind...

''Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...Ohhhhh Kevinnnnnn..ouuuuuuuuuuuuu." she moans.

We make sweet love well into the early morning...we both climax in each others arms furiously....She's crying as we both come...

"What is it..What's the matter Laura?" I ask...

"Oh Kevin..this was so good...so damn goood....but we can't do this anymore...I'm sorry." she said.

''What do you mean?" I asked...

"Kevin ,I can't." she said.

"Is it this guy?  The one who broke off your engagement?" I said.

''Yes...YESSS....We still see each other...We still love each other ...He still comes out here....We are trying to work things out. I shouldn't have done this." she said.

"What is there to work out? He dumped you ...I'm here, I'm here now...We can get married..We can be together Laura.. You and me." I said.

"No Kevin...No we can't...I'm...I'm sorry..." she said.

"So this is it huh? This is goodbye?" I asked.

"I'm so sorry Kevin....You're a good guy....Really." she said.

"But not the right guy huh?" I said.

"There's somebody out there for you....She doesn't even know it yet...you'll find her...it's just not me." she said.

I got out of bed... I went in the bathroom, washed up slowly , Slowly put on my clothes and looked over at her...I shook my head...She pulled what was left of the sheets over her as if she was blocking me from looking at her naked body any further.

''Have a good life Luara..." I said as I walked out the door....That was the last time I saw her...Close to 12 years ago.





III-

After I was certain that Ray was gone...I entered the condo and went to Laura's room...I rang the doorbell...
I heard her from inside the room...

"Ray my God...Didn't you get enough? You are such a horndog." she said ,only to open the door and see me standing there....She was stunned and in her nightgown....She was very embarrassed.

"Kevin....Kevin?  I uh er wasn't expecting you." she said.

"I know you weren't....I suppose you were expecting Ray huh?" I said.

"Kevin, I don't like the tone of your voice.." she said.

"Laura...Laura how could you?? Him???  I didn't know he was my competition back in the day....but I know who and what he is now and you must know too...He's a criminal...and you were the judge that was hearing his case...and you freed him and God knows what else you've done with him." I said.

"Okay...Okay...I'm not going to have this conversation with you.....Whatever I've done with Ray is none of your business." she said.

"You've been a fool...and that's kind of my business...Whatever feelings I still have for you, I would hate to see your professional career ended because of what you're doing...You know this is wrong..It's wrong on so many levels." I said.

"He told me that you have been persecuting him for no reason...That you blame him for your friend's death..He wasn't responsible...He barely knew those guys..." she said.

"Do you hear yourself??" I asked.

"Kevin, are you persecuting him because you want to see justice or is it some sick revenge?? Because I chose him over you?" she asked.

"Is that what you think?" I asked...

Just then....My android went off....It was Clerow!

"I gotta take this call." I said.

"It's a done deal boss...Lt. Sissy Van Buren came by Josie's looking for you...the DNA was a match...Ralph
Penny is our man...He's the serial killer..She's got the warrant...If you like..It's about to go down in about an hour.." he said.

"Thanks Clerow...Good work." I said and hung up.

I looked at Laura one last time....

"Have a good life Laura...I hope you know what you're doing..." I said and left.

IV-

Kool Kat, Owen Todd and Clerow were waiting for me when I arrived at the High Rise where Ralph "Pretty" Penny, the lawyer lived...


"Yo Kev...He just went in about a half hour ago with a babe..." said Kool Kat.

Lt. Sissy Van Buren, three Detectives and six Uniformed Philadelphia Policemen arrived minutes later and we followed them inside and up to the penthouse floor...

As we got to his room we heard the bed squeaking and the sounds of lovemaking..

"Unnnnnnnnnn..Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ouuuuu dadddy give it to me...ohhhhhhhhhhhh"

"Come on girlll...give it meeeeeeeeeeee...ohhhhhhhhhhhh...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." came the  sounds..

Sissy Van Buren knocked on the door...

It was quiet...Then came a voice...

"WHO THE HELL IS IT?" said Ralph...

"Police Ralph...We have a warrant for your arrest." said Sissy Van Buren...

''Arrest?? For what??" he screamed....

"Let's try murder in the first degree, three counts...Open this door." she said..

There was an eerie quiet....Then the sound of a woman screaming and then the sound of glass shattering...

The cops broke down the door...The woman was screaming and pointing  at the window....

Ralph "Pretty" Penny had jumped out of the window nude and plunged 22 floors down !!!!!! His  naked body crashed into the top of his SUV on the street in front of the building.!!! People on the street ran for cover and screamed!!!

''Damnnnnn!" said Owen Todd...

Kool Kat , Clerow, The uniforms and the Detectives were all stunned...They weren't expecting this...

Sissy and I looked at each other...

''Wow Kevin...You've helped us crack some spectacular cases...but never with such  a splash." she mused..

I looked at her-

''Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." I mused.

(TO BE CONTINUED....)

Strippers ,Lovers and Lawyers

For the next two days...either accompanied by Kool Kat , Clerow or Owen Todd, I visited all of the known strip joints I knew...There wasn't a lot of girls or owners that wanted to talk to me....but with the help of Rollo Jones and Melissa "Aunt" Jemima...they finally came around...

They told me about the other two girls and how a man, about five foot seven, well dressed and definitely looking out of place amongst the hipsters and young punks who frequented these places took a liking to certain girls....

''He tossed a lot of cash around and acted like he owned the joint." said most of the girls....

The "word" was that this man was connected  and he was not to be messed with....Which was why he wasn't touched. They were told to give him whatever he wanted. The bartenders even gave him free drinks.

 I got a good photo of Ralph Penny and showed it to the girls....as well as the guys...They all identified him as the man who was in and out of these clubs and with the two girls who got murdered.  I already knew that he was one of Jewel Gardener's last customers...and I even got lucky and found a video ,taken from a Wawa of Jewel and Ralph on the last night of her life...She was buying cigarettes and gum and she got into his car!

None of these people, all close to or on the wrong side of the law themselves were the types that would talk to the police and this video proved little...only that she was with him...but it was enough in my mind to tag him as my number one suspect...

II-

Clerow and I were having a hot dog at Jake's Hot dog joint , when he asked me...

''So Boss...all we know is that he was in those joints and he might have been with those girls...So was a lot of guys , How you gonna make a case out of what we got? None of them people are gonna talk to the cops or testify in front of any jury." he asked.

"No...but his DNA and the video of him in the Wawa with Jewel on the night she went missing is enough to get him indicted, if his DNA is a match." I said.

"How you gonna get his DNA?" asked Clerow...

"Glad you asked?" I said as Kool Kat and a tall, six foot seven man walked into Jakes...

"Kevin...This is Tree Top Perkins.....You might remember him?" he said and laughed.

"Sure do...I used to take my girl to your basketball games...Everytime you played our high school, we were there...You used to kill us." I said.

"Yeah..Yeah...them was some high times...How you doin Kev?" he said

"I'm good....Hey what happened with you?  I heard some NBA scouts were lookin at you.." I said.

"They was...but I tore my acl that summer...Freak accident in a pick up game....Pretty much ended my NBA hopes...I'm a bouncer at the Strand...." he said.

"Yeah? No kiddin?" I laughed...

"I hear you been lookin for Ray Kind and his jive ass lawyer, Ralph Penny....Well I'm your man...He meets and drinks at my joint at least two nights a week...I'm pretty sure he'll be there tonight...I guess they talkin over Ray's trial strategy...." he said.

"Okay then Treetop...I need a big favor...Anything he eats off of...or drinks out of ..A glass, a fork, a spoon, a bottle...You get it and you put it in a plastic bag....My man Clerow will be over to collect it." I said.

"Just Ralph or Ray too?" he asked.

"No...Just Ralph." I said....

''Got'cha Kev." He said.

Kool Kat tapped me on the shoulder... Just then...Ray Kind and Laura , walking arm and arm walked into Jake's...

Seeing me there was a shock for all of us!!!!  I didn't say anything... Laura's eyes got as huge as saucers...

"Uhh Hi Kevin...Fancy meeting you here." she said.

"You know this guy?" asked Ray.

"Y-Yes...Kevin and I are old friends from way back." she said...I could see she was very uncomfortable..  Seeing me again...

Old Friends?  Is that what we were? Old friends? Old friends with benefits? Interesting! I mused.

'Well Ray...What are you doing, slummin?  This aint your type of joint." I said.

"Everybody knows that Jake's makes the best dogs in Philly." he smirked.

"You two know each other?" asked Laura...

"Unfortunately yes." smirked Ray.

"So Ray...How long you in town for huh?  I hear there is a spot waitin for you at Club Fed." I said.  Kool Kat, Clerow and Treetop sat in the background...laughing...I wished that I could be a spectator laughing too instead of the focus of this little mini-drama...

"Don't think I'll be making that trip Kevin...See I got a good lawyer." he smirked.

'Think so huh?" I asked.

"Oh I know so..." he said.

"Yeah...He's good at cleaning scum up, making it look better than it is." I said.

Ray just laughed..."I'm not even going to comment on that." he said.

Wonder if he knew that his attorney was suspected of raping and murdering at least three young women and if he did know , did he even care?

I said nothing...Laura held her head down and walked to the counter with Ray...I hung my head down!

As they walked out, Ray Kind looked at me and smiled...

''We both have a birthday coming up soon Kevin." he laughed.

"Yeah, how about that?" I smirked.

"Maybe, I'll come by and enjoy a bit of cake with you." he laughed.

" Don't bet on that." I said.

"I didn't" he laughed as he and Laura left...She couldn't even look at me!!  It was true...He was the guy she left me for...She was the judge that was in his pocket...and with Ralph Penny or not...Ray still might very very well walk on all of his charges...Damn!

'Hey Kev...Don't let him bother you...you got a good plan man...Treetop and Clerow will make sure of that." said Kool Kat.

'Thanks man." I said.

III-

Later that afternoon, I was at home watching television with Sepia when my android went off...It was Clerow.

"Heyy What's up man?" I asked.

"It's all done Boss...Ralph and Ray were both here...but Ray left...Ralph drank about three beers and two glasses of wine...Treetop bagged them and gave them to me and I took them to Sissy Van Buren for a DNA analysis...I gave her the video too....She said for me to tell you thanks." he said.

"Good Work Clerow.....If there is a DNA match...we've got our Serial Killer." I said.  "Thanks man."

'No problem boss." he said.

Sepia walked into the room as my call was ending..

"A break in your case?" she asked.

I put my arm around her...

"Maybe. One battle half won... but the war goes on." I said.

(To Be Continued.)