Dead Man Walkin

"Kevin, I'll tell you this much" said Gus.

"If you're gonna go up against Jack Diamond and
his co-horts, you're gonna need some muscle..
you can't just go up to his place and start
askin questions." said Gus.

"Okay, so you got any suggestions?" I asked him.

"Yeah...You come around here later on and I'll
have two guys who can help you out." He said.

That was good, because the wheels of my mind were working..I had a plan..a good plan that just might work. I drove over to Clerow's house and chewed the fat with him.
He was as I had said before , a good man to have in a pinch..but along with him, I needed a more potent weapon...His sister in law and one time lover, Mabel Jenkins!!
She had a pair of hips on her that few men could resist, plus, from what Clerow had told me..She was good with a gun. I had gotten her a job..so I figured she owed me a
favor.

Two hours later, I drove up to Josie's Bar. As promised..Gus had two guys waiting for me..Eddie Martin and Albert King...both tall well muscled black men, both ex-Marines...handy with a gun and willing to do whatever, provided the money was on the table. I had a comfortable bank account and I was able to let go of a few dollars for
their services...I thanked Gus and I got in the Black Range Rover with them, While Clerow and Mabel followed us in His yellow Cooper.

The Range Rover parked across the street from Jack Diamond's house. We watched the
activity in the house for close to two hours...One guy would leave the house to go to the chinese store and get food...Another guy would let him in...From what we could
see..There was only two men in the house at least. Then we got the break we were looking for..The bossman himself drove up or was driven up in a Black 2008 Ford 300.

Jack Diamond was a skinny little runt of man, not much to look at and certainly not intimidating at all, but from his rep...not one to be taken lightly.He walked up to the door and was let in by the guy who had gotten the food. I called Clerow on my cell phone and put my plan into action.

Clerow's yellow Cooper drove up behind the Ford 300. Clerow got out and walked over to the car. He tapped on the window. The window on the driver's side came down..Clerow smiled and in his most countryish voice said-

"Hey brother..what's shakin?"

The guy looked at him like he was crazy and said-

"Beat it Hayseed.."

"Awww now you ought not be talkin
to me like that.." laughed Clerow

"Nigger,I'll whoop yo-" said the driver..

"Ahhh I think you'll put yo hands where
I can see em, shut yo mouth and allow
my friend over there to tie you up
and put you in the trunk of this car."
said Clerow ,still smiling and holding
a very loaded .45 in his hands.

That's exactly what happened...Clerow held the gun on him and Eddie tied him up and
put him in the trunk of the car. Next..Mabel Jenkins ,wearing one of her tightest and most revealing dresses walked up to the door and rang the bell. The first guy came to the door and as soon as he saw her, he got the biggest smile on his face-

"Lawd Jesus,ah done died and gone to Heaven
looka here, looka here, what can I do for a
fine young thing like you..?" He said

"You can put your hands up, shut the hell up
and let my friends in sucka." said Mabel, who
was holding a very hot .38 snubnose at the man's
privates.

One thing about Mabel, she was direct and to the point if not anything else..My kind of girl.. With that, Me, Eddie and Albert stormed the house and got the drop on Jack
Diamond and his one remaining goon.

"What the hell is this?" asked a startled Jack

'Hi ya Jack, you don't know me, but you
got someone I want" I said, holding a
.45 to his adam's apple..

I was right...Laura Valley was right there in the living room, bound and gagged.

"Who the hell are you?" He snarled.

"Nobody you need to concern yourself with...
the lady is coming with me..and you are going
to tell me what you did with Zeke Porterhouse..
now spill it Jack..don't make me lose my temper..
my hands might get to wigglin..gun might go off."
I said..

Eddie untied her and Albert was looking at me and just laughing to himself. Jack Diamond was puzzled-

"You lookin for him too? That's what we
were doing..He owes me 6 G's man...I wanted
my money...That's why we snatched old girl."
He explained.

He had a gun on him, he was surrounded and outgunned..I don't think he was lying.
I motioned for Eddie to escort Laura out to the car. I looked at Jack and I said-

"I been lookin for him for about a week
if you see him..save some of that chizzler
for us..but the lady don't know nothin." I said.

Jack Diamond thought that we were gangsters looking for Zeke too...plus he just wanted those guns off of him.

"Hey, if I find him, there won't
be enough of him left for you guys.."he nodded.

I smiled and I backed out of his house, covered by Mabel Jenkins, Eddie and Albert.
I motioned for Clerow to let his guy out of the trunk of that car and we got in both of our vehicles and pulled off. It had been quite a day..I paid Mabel and Clerow and thanked them profusely for their help. Eddie and Albert drove me and Laura back to Josie's where we got in my car and bid the two soldiers of fortune good bye.

On the drive to Laura's house, I looked at her..Jack's guys hadn't harmed her..but she was obviously tired. I let her out in front of her house and I walked her to her door.

"Okay Laura..where is he?" I asked.

"Where is who?"

"Zeke? I know you've been driving his car
all week...A man isn't going to give any woman
his car and his credit cards and go without nothing."
I said.

"Kevin, I hired you to find him, paid you good money, In fact, I
still owe you money.." she said

"Yeah, I still don't know why you did that..
if you knew where he was all along.." I said..

"Kevin..I don't know what-" she started to say...

Then I heard a raspy voice that I had never heard before-

"It's okay Laura..You can tell him now.."
came the voice....

I spun around and there he was...The man I had been chasing all this time-

ZEKE THE FREAK!!!!!!! And he was holding a gun on me!!!!

(conclusion tomorrow)