Nothin Good

Broad Street in Philadelphia

I sat on the side of Rell's bed in the hospital and held my newborn son in my arms.. He was so tiny, so cute and sleeping so well.. Little Charles "Chess" Parker Jr. She eyed me in a strange way, as if I was keeping a secret from her. At first I ignored her, then finnally I turned to her.

'What?" I asked.

"Chess, What did you and my brother do that night yall went out?" she asked.

" That was two months ago..why are you worried about that?" I asked.

" Did you know he quit his job?" she said.

"What?" I said. I had worked hard to get him that job with the city after he quit slinging drugs for Chris Thompson and now he had quit??

"Yeah, and he was packing his things, talkin about leavin town....What did yall
do? You all of a sudden got a lot of cash , to put down on a house...buying new
clothes, yadda yadda and he got all this cash and now he actin like he scared or somethin." said Rell.

"Look Rell, all I'm gonna say is this. I didn't do nothin but drive your brother to where he said he had to be..I didn't do nothin...but you know how your brother
is?" I said, lying a little bit.

"Well where all of that money come from?" she asked.

"Look Rell, there are some things you are better off not knowin...okay?" I said.
She knew not to press me anymore about it. I kissed her on her cheek and I kissed the baby and I left the hospital.

We had both graduated in May.....My son had come just four weeks after our graduation. I had banked most of the 50K that Billy Ray gave me and I had paid Chris Billy Ray's cut and assured Billy Ray his independence from Chris...but something was afloat, something was wrong on the streets..I could smell it..I could taste it.

I went looking for Chris Thompson...He wasn't in the Barber Shop, Wasn't in the Diner and wasn't at Josie's Bar either. Gus the Bartender, who knows everything told me that Chris had gone to ground....That a Player from North Philadelphia demanded that he pay him back the 150 G's one of his people stole from his card game. Of course Chris balked and this began a street war. Two guys went to one of Chris's girlfriend's homes looking for him...They mistakenly shot and killed Chris's girlfriend and her father. Then ,one of Chris's cheif Lieutentant's was ambushed and killed outside of the Barbershop just the week before. Chris Thompson didn't take this laying down...Two of Indian Joe's people were shot to death near the Italian Market a few days later and Indian Joe himself just barely escaped an attempt on his life by two of Chris's shooters
yesterday.

I had been oblivious to all of this..I needed to find Chris and talk to him. It didn't take long...Chris found me! One night I was on Broad Street about to catch the C Bus and he walked up to me...Just like that out of nowhere.

"What'cha know good Chess daddy?" he laughed.

"Man..I know you're in trouble and I feel like it's my fault." I said.

"How is it your fault? You aint done nothin." He said.

"Look Chris, I got 50G's that I'll gladly turn over to you-"

He held up both palms of his hands and stopped me-

"Freeze Chess...that's your money...that's for you and your woman and your new
baby....You didn't do nothin..I know all about that robbery of that card game that that asshole and his friends pulled..I knew about it days after it happened.
I don't care. Indian Joe or nobody else is gonna demand that I do anything.."
said Chris.

"Chris, that's his money." I said.

"Then he shoulda had better security..that way it would still be his money. I didn't tell Billy Ray and them boys to rob him.. I aint had nothin to do with that." he said.

"But now that you do know, why don't you give him back his money?" I said.

"Hah..I aint given Indian Joe a damn thing but a bullet...Don't worry about me
holmes...Take care of your family and keep ya nose clean..you aint involved in this. Read the papers..you'll see how this plays out. Be easy good brother" he said and he was gone just like, gone into the night.

I next went to look for Billy Ray. When I got to his apartment, it was empty and the landlord told me that he had cleared out just hours before I got there.
The night was cool..it was a rare cool summer night...As I walked down the street, I felt a very real uneasiness..

To answer Chris's question..Tonight , I didn't know nothin good, nothin good at all.

(To Be Continued......)

Three Way Split

I walked into the Barber Shop and there he was..Chris Thompson...getting his hair cut..The barber was just finishing him up. If you looked at Chris , you would never guess that he was actually a millionaire many times over. He didn't wear any jewelry, usually had on a sweat suit and sneakers..looked about as normal as any brother walking down a Philadelphia street. You also didn't know that he was a major narcotics trafficker either. Yet Chris was both of these things. He looked up when he saw me and flashed his kilowat smile-

"Chess..my man...whut up? whut up baby?" he laughed.

"What's happenin Chris?" I said.

"Chess...I know you don't come around me unless you need a favor, so
what is it? You finnally come to your senses and you want me to put
you on ,right?" he laughed.

"Come on Chris..you know I aint cut out for your business...but I am here cause
I need a favor." I said.

"You need some money? , You lean...??" he asked.

Chris would've given me money if I asked..We were kool like that..Only, I would never ask and he knew it. When my Dad was sick and dying of cancer....Chris sent money to pay all of his expenses by way of several other people...so it wouldn't look like it was him...He knew that I would have never excepted it had I of known. I wanted no part of his business and he understood that....Outside of what he did for a living, we still managed to be friends.

"No...I need you to give a guy I know, who owes you money time to pay you back." I said.

"Who is the guy?" He asked.

"Billy Ray..." I said.

"Billy Ray Jones?? That nigga owe me $50 G's man." said Chris.

"He told me it was twenty." I said.

"He messed up two of my packages man....He's about to be talkin to God soon, you know
what I mean?" said Chris.

"Look Chris..give him a few more days and he'll have your money..I'll see to it." I said.

"Oh you gonna see to it huh? That aint you Chess, you aint a playa...and what's
in this for you..He owe you money too?" said Chris.

"No. I'd just appreciate it if you'd give him some time." I said.

"He got three days...I'm only doin this cause you askin and you my boy...
but if he aint got my cash in three days..he's gonna miss Christmas..
believe that good brother." said Chris..

"Thanks Chris." I said as we embraced and I walked out to my car.


Three nights later, I rented a Black 2009 Ford 5000 and drove Billy Ray and his partner,
Little Ricky Waters to an old Warehouse in Germantown.

"Kill the lights Chess and just sit here and keep the motor running." said Billy Ray.

"You sure you want to do this ? These are heavy hitters.." I cautioned.

"Man Chess, you worry too much..I got this..The security is lax...We gonna hit these boys
so hard and so fast they heads is gonna spin." said Billy Ray.

Indian Joe was a major player who ran a floating Crap game that moved from place to place. All of the big time players took part in his card came and the pot was as high as $1.000.000.00 at some times. The location of each card game was usually a secret known only to the players themselves and Indian Joe moved from warehouse to warehouse or house to house. He had never been intercepted by the police and had never been stuck up. A talkative woman who had slept with one of the players had told Billy Ray about the location of tonight's card game.

Billy Ray had a shotgun and Little Ricky Waters had a .357 Magnum. I was parked a block away
with the lights off.. They were joined by a third man. The third man who met us there was a guy
Billy Ray had jailed with named "Half Nut"...I didn't ask and I didn't care to know what his nickname entailed.

From what I would hear later, here is what happened... Half Nut , carrying a little .38 snubnosed
revolver got the drop on the guy at the door...while Billy Ray and Little Ricky Waters stormed up the steps and took down the party...

"Give it up brothers, you know what time it is ." said Billy Ray to the stunned crowd of players.
He and Little Ricky Waters were wearing masks, but one guy kept staring at him.

"Hey man, you look familiar, don't I know you?" he asked...

Billy Ray shot him in the foot...

"That's for knowin so much.." he said.

Indian Joe looked at him hardly-

"Don't you touch my money.....you got a chance to back yo ass out of here and stay alive..."
he said.

"Nah Joe...That aint your money..money aint got owners..just spenders." laughed Billy Ray as he and Little Ricky Waters scooped up the cash and put it in a big bag.

"Nice doin business wit'cha partners.." said Billy Ray....

"You're a dead man, you hear me son.." said Indian Joe.

"Mista Chris Thompson of West Philly sends his regards." said Billy Ray as he exited.. Why would he drop Chris's name like that? Was he crazy???

From the time they backed out..things went wrong...One guy, Onion Thomas, pulled out his peice and fired once..The shot hit Little Ricky Waters in the back of the head and killed him instantly... Upon Seeing this, Billy Ray was so frightened...He grabbed the money and dropped his shot gun!!!!!! Now it was open season...Every gangster in the joint pulled out a gun and began
opening fire...Billy Ray ran past One Nut and said- "Come on man, let's go..they killed Little Ricky."

Didn't have to tell One Nut twice..He was fast on Billy Ray's heels...Another gangster,Pistol Packin Pete, let fly with a volley of shots and One Nut fell to the ground...as dead as dead could be....but Billy Ray got away and ran to my car...

"Chess, Chess..back this thing up and let's get the hell out of here." he screamed.

I did as I was told and tore down Germantown Avenue at top speed, turning at Johnson Street
and speeding to Lincoln Drive...I whizzed through the drive and on to City Line Avenue and back
to my West Philly digs, where I hardly ever stayed, now that I was involved with his sister.

When we got to my place...Billy Ray told me everything that happened.

"Why you drop Chris's name like that...that was crazy?" I said.

"I don't know Chess..I was in the moment baby...It don't matter, Indian Joe aint gonna step to
Chris with no nonsense...he'll be deader than a doorknob if he do. Oh ,man that was a crazy
scene back there...they killed Rick and Nutt....my homeboys...I can't believe it...you got anything to drink in this bitch?" He said.

"Yeah, there's some Vodka and some Henny over there..take your pick" I said.

"Look here Chess..Take this...you was a real stand up guy tonight." he said.

He handed me Fifty thousand dollars .

"Here is the Fifty thousand that I owe Chris...and I got another 50G's for myself....Baby, we hit
the jackpot tonight....You know what?? I'm gon get out of this crime business Chess..I'm gon bank this and get me a straight job like you man..No more slinging drugs..This just bought me my freedom....When you and my sister gettin married?" he asked as he lit a cigarette and poured himself a glass of Grey Goose.

"Next month..after we graduate." I said

"That's kool, that's real cool Chess." He laughed as we sat there in my barren apartment amongst all that money.

(To Be Continued....)

Chess and His Games

My name is Charles "Chess" Parker. Nobody calls me Charles...Everybody calls me "Chess". There are people on the street who I am sure, don't even know my given name. Today I own 18 units of Apartments that I rent out to low income families. I also own a gym. A gym I bought from a guy who was about to lose it. I drive a Black 2007 Nissann Maxima...All things I acheived in the past year. I didn't get these things the normal way and unfortunately, somebody had to lose their life in the process...This is my story.

I'll tell you how I got the name first. My Father was a Navy man...and he learned how to play Chess while he was on a ship. He got good at it and when he got his discharge, he brought his big wooden Chess board home with him. He and his older brother, my uncle would play into the wee hours of the morning . My uncle would come over on a Friday night and my mom and my aunt would fry fish and chicken, fix potato salad or macaroni and cheese and sweet potatoes and some Home brewed Ice Tea and we would all sit and laugh and talk, while these two played chess. I learned from watching them and as I got older, I even beat my dad and my uncle eventually. I began collecting chess boards and playing the old men in Fairmount Park, who used timers to time how fast they could make a move.... Soon people around the neighborhood began calling me "Chess" for short and the name stuck. Even my teachers called me that.

I met my son's mother the day I graduated from Philadelphia Community College...She had a figure on her and some tight jeans to match...I had seen her off and on for close to two years and had never said anything to her....Finnally, after we had both got our diplomas and was standing outside on Broad Street taking pictures I walked over to her....

"Where have you been all of my life love? or at least for two years of it." I said.

"Come again?" she said and wiggled that neck and head the way sisters do.

" My name is Chess...and I've been seeing you off and on for two years now." I said.

"And you just now sayin somethin to me? When I've graduated?" she said, then she laughed..

"I been wantin to holler at you...but I was tryin to stay focused on my studies..you know? A pretty girl like you would've kept me from gettin my learn on." I said.

"Oh my God, I don't believe how corny you are.." she said. "My name is Shirelle...Shirelle Jones, but people call me 'Rell' " She said.

That's how we met....She lived in North Philly and I lived in West....but that didn't stop me from seeing her at all...I was up in North Philly so much that people in the neighborhood thought that I had moved up there...We dated for close to a year before I found out that she was pregnant...
I decided to do the right thing and ask her to marry me..She accepted...Life was good.. We both had enrolled at Temple University and we both had a year to go before we would've gotten our bachelor's degrees...We were gonna live in her duplex until we could get our money together and get a larger place...That's around the time her brother, Billy Ray came home from Prison.

Rell never talked much about her older brother Billy Ray, except to say that he had dropped out of High school in the 12th grade and had went on the corner to sell drugs for Chris Thompson, the local drug lord. Him I knew, Chris Thompson and I had grown up together..had been the best of friends..Had graduated from High school together....but while I had gone on to college..Chris had graduated to slinging first weed, then Heroin and finnally Coke and crack in the neighborhood. In four short years, He had moved up to being the boss of West and Southwest Philly. Chris no longer stood on corners and sold anything.. In fact, you never saw Chris. He had people doing that kind of thing for him ...He drove a big Black Escalade and
could usually be found either in Josie's Bar or in Slim's Barber shop or at Fat Mary's Diner...He never touched or went anywhere near any drugs or a gun..Had people to do that. Chris also had managed to never get arrested either. He didn't even have a juvenile record. The police didn't know him...He was just a rumor...but everybody in West and Southwest Philly knew that Chris
Thompson was the power! Everybody feared him except me....I knew the boy too well and he knew me too. In a sense, we were brothers..we just took different paths in life.

One night, Me and Rell were lying in bed listening to the "Quiet storm" on WDAS-FM, when the door bell rang.

"You expecting someone?" I asked...

"No Chess..you?" she said.

"Let me see who it is." I said. I looked out of the upstairs window and into the street and there was Billy Ray.

"It's your brother. " I said.

"Oh ,what in hell could he want?" said Rell.

I walked downstairs and opened the door.

"Hey Billy Ray, what's happening man?" I said.

"Chess..you just the one I wanted to see." he said.

"What's goin on?" I said.

"I screwed up bad man... I messed up Chris's package.. man...I owed these other guys some money and I couldn't pay em, so I gave em what I had...and Chris come up short. He'll kill me
if his money aint right." he said.

"How short are you?" I asked..

"20 G's man." he said with his head bowed down.

"TWENTY G's!!!!! You messed up his whole package..are you nuts??? What can I do, I'm not involved in Chris's business like that." I said.

"Keep it down man, I don't want my sister to know what's going on...I can get the money back,
I got a big money scheme..I just need your help and to buy me a little time with Chris, since you
know him." said Billy Ray...

Knowin what I know now...I should've told Billy Ray no.


(To be continued........)

Deep

ART: Title & Artist Unknown

/It's Just my love,
when I look into those pretty brown eyes
and see that it's no surprise..
that I know exactly where I should be...
and that wherever that place is..
you're there with me..
that's when you smile and say-
"There you go again, tryin to get deep"/

/But it's just my love
that's just my feelings
unexpressed..
and like the still waters are met
they run deep./

/It's just my feelings,
After I've made love to you
and been satisfied
through and through...
Then I start talking to you...
about the "Meaning of Love"
and that's when you smile at me
and say-
"baby turn over and get some sleep,
there you go again,trying to get deep../

But, baby it's just my feelings
unexpressed
and like the still waters at rest...
they run deep./

Bed

I've waited for this moment from the time we first met..
anticipating and waiting for the good loving I kew I was gonna get
Close the door and unscrew that white light...
replace it with red
we are going to make sweet love tonight...
and let's get to know each other better in bed...
let's find a whole new world beneath the sheets in bed../

/You look so delicious in your lacy lingerie,
my mouth is wide open,but no words can I say...
honey close the door,turn the music down low..
let me work you soft...,
while you do me slow..
right now no words need to be said..
pull back the sheets and just get in the bed..
let's find a whole new life in bed.../

/Call your job,tell your supervisor you won't be in...
what we've got going on here is so good
to stop now would be a sin...
so honey close the door...
come and get what we've both been waiting for...
and let's find a whole new world beneath the sheets
beneath the sheets in bed.../

/I've dreamed about this moment,
from the first time I laid eyes on you..
and even though you won't admit it now..
I suspect that you felt the same way, for a long time
too.
didn't you?
Right now, in the quiet of the night...tonight
this night, everything is alright...
because we are discovering a whole new world in bed...
we're falling in love all over again...
in bed./

Sweet Aftermath

ART: "Point Of No Return" By Ibe

I stumbled into my house at about midnight....it was dark...I was bone tired and visibly shaken from the activities of the past few days... I was surprised to see Sepia was still up and sitting at the table. She was wearing that pink sheer nightgown that I had bought her from Fredericks of Hollywood. You could practically see through it. It was dark,but I could see the brown silhouette of her body through it...voluptuous hips...large firm breasts, shapely legs...She wasn't wearing anything at all under it. She poured me a glass of Henny and I sat and slugged it down
hard...I had never drank the way I had been drinking today before...

"You alright Kevin?" she asked?

"Yeah baby." I said.

"I was worried about you." she said.

"I know...thanks for calling Agent Cotton,
you probably saved my life and my freedom.." I laughed..First time I had really laughed in as many days.

She came and sat on my lap...She reached for the bottle and poured herself a drink...I wrapped my arms around her waist and buried my head into her breasts...as she drank a few gulps from
her glass.

"Ummmm, what is that I feel up under me? ooouuuuuu...I'm surprised you're even in the mood after what you must have gone through.." she giggled..

I picked her up and eased her up against the wall and began kissing her deeply, passionately...
she put her arms around me and began returning the kisses...she cupped my butt cheeks and began to grind slowly in rhythm with my body.....

"Ouuuu, ohhh I've missed this so much Kevin." she said.....

"So have I...it's seemed like such a long time." I said..as I cupped her buttocks and attempted to lift her up..

"No...wait...wait a minute." she said. She unzipped my pants and waited, while I wiggled and wiggled and worked my way out of them and then she got down on her knees, took my full erect
penis into her mouth and began to gently move her head back and forth, back and forth for what
seemed like an eternity... she kissed it up and down and then licked the base...I moaned silently
and then lifted her up and deposited her softly on the living room couch..I spread her thighs and then kissed her on both sides of her inner thighs until I got where I wanted to be.. I allowed my tongue to tease her and then I began extending it and exploring and darting in and out softly at first and then hungrily.....she let out soft moans and then loud guttural moans ,the like of which I
had never heard before...

I climbed up on the couch and then entered her softly...she squealed at first and then cupped the back of my neck and arched herself so that she could be totally open to me as I began stroking her harder and faster...

"Ohhhh....ohhh my god...oh my godddd...this is what I was waiting for...ohhhh..ohhhhh..." she screamed... It wasn't quite what I had heard coming from that room in the hotel in Chinatown
hours ago...but it was just as good, just as satisfying ,I know.

We went on like that, ,making sweet love well into the night....and when we were both spent...we
lie on the floor.. sweating....Her head was on my chest and I had my arms around her.....

"You know I love you baby.." she said..

"I was hoping you did." I said.. as I drifted off to a sweet and peaceful sleep.

Last Hand

Patricia "Big Nasty" Porterhouse, the voice on the other end of my cell phone calls stood in front of Josie's Bar looking as sexy as she ever did...Nice pair of tight jeans , Low cut black top and a shoulder hoster with a deadly .45, just as I instructed. Her Car was parked in the alleyway nearby.

"Hi ya Handsome..what did you bring to this party." she laughed.

I opened up my trunk and pulled out my riot pump shotgun. Big Nasty's eyes got as large as saucers and she smiled that sexy smile of hers with her lips curled up.

"Ohhhhhh Kayyyyy, let's get this party started." she laughed.

"You fill that car up with gas?" I asked.

"Full Tank" she replied.

"Okay..Here's the address..it's a rooming house in Chinatown...You ready?"

"Yupper...I'm gettin rather tired of the man and I aint never met him." she replied.

We got in her car and we took off... Philly's Chinatown is about a square mile of blocks, located in
the center of the city...It's mostly Restaraunts, Video stores and open markets where Fish and
Produce are sold..It's a far cry from what it used to be and it never was anything like San-Francisco's famed Chinatown.

We parked the car in a side alley and we walked to what turned out to be a very stylish restaraunt with rooms for rent directly above it. We entered from a side door on the street, so as
not to attract any attention and then walked down what seemed like a maze of hallway with several different entrances. This all seemed too easy and a bit strange. When we got to the room that Slaughter was supposed to be in , we heard an unexpected sound...the sound of lovemaking.

"Ohhhhhhhh...ohhhhhhhhhhhhh...me so hornnnny...me love you lonnng time...ohhhhhhh...."

"Ummmmmmmphh,come on girl...give it to me..give it to meeee...ummmmphhhh."

"Ohhhhhh, Reverend....Reverend....ohhhhhh me soo horny....love you longgg time."

The bed was squeaking and it sounded as if the headboard was slamming against the wall.....

Big Nasty giggled....

"Looks like old Eric is puttin his thang down...and doin it well the way old girl is screaming in there...almost a shame to drop a man after he gets off like that...wanna wait til he's finished?"
she laughed.

Nothing was funny...She said "Reverend" and the voice of the man didn't sound anything like Eric Slaughter. I had talked to him on the phone, I knew his voice...This was a damn trap....
We had to get out of here....unfortunately, it was too late.

I never saw the .45 muzzle that tapped Big Nasty's skull.......and by the time I turned around , he
had another .45 trained on me as well.

"Easy does it nigga...one false move and sugar britches here gets her brains spilled all over this bad carpet in this hallway....and then I'll finish you off by myself..." said Eric Slaughter himself.

"So at last we meet huh? I gotta tell ya E., Can I call you E.? I didn't think you were capable of doing what homeboy is in that room doing to that woman..You always seemed kind of weak in the manhood department to me." I joked.

"oohh..ohhhhhh gawdddddd...ohhhhh reverend...me sooooo hornyyy...me love you so lonnngg
,so lonnnng...longg timmmeee..ouuuuuuuuuu...ohhhhhhhh reverend.....bless me....ohhhh...."
came the voice from inside the room...

We all turned and looked upon hearing it...and it gave me just enough time to pull my shotgun from underneath my coat and aim it at Eric Slaughter's head.

"Let her go and me and you can settle this man to man....it's me you want anyway right Eric?"
I said.


"Nah nigga, I aint lettin her go..I'm gon kill you both and from this angle I won't miss." he snarled.

"I'll cut you in half....with this shotgun." I said.

"Think so?" he asked.

"One way to find out...but wait...I wanna know something....Who set me up?" I asked.

"Jean and me been plannin this for months....She gave me all the information I needed as to where you work, where you live, where Cock Robbins lived...everything...She got it from her daughter when she came to visit. Your girlfriend had no idea that the things she was tellin her mom was being used against her and you and Cock...She thought her mom had forgiven her and you for puttin her in jail. Not so. I hadn't heard from Jean in years, but when she contacted me
I was more than happy to put in work for her. We gettin married just as soon as I tie up this business." he boasted.

"You're a fool...Jean Cokely is using you...she can't marry you..you did all this for nothing, you're
a lovesick old fool...you, the big time gangster that strikes fear in so many hearts..a love sick fool
"I laughed...

I looked at Big Nasty and said-"Hit him low olive oil."

She knew just what I meant...she raised her left foot and brought it up fast and hard in his groin!

"Ugggggh" he groaned and she grabbed his one hand and slammed it against the wall....I let a blast from my shotgun rip and it spun him around...

"Uhgggghhh.." he groaned as he fell up against the wall....He was going in his pocket to pull out
another gun when we heard a familiar voice behind us....

"It all over Slaughter....drop your weapon" said FBI Agent Frank Cotton...

"Cotton....I should have known you were in this somehow....I'll see you in hell you son of a bitch"
snarled Eric Slaughter...

Agent Cotton pulled out a Glock Nine and fired twice....That was all he needed to do...Eric Slaughter fell backwards and hit the ground...

"I don't believe it....I've been shot..." snarled Slaughter...and then he died. Seemed like he was the second person in as many hours to say that. What was not to believe?

I looked at Agent Cotton...

"I guess I'm under arrest." I said.

"No. Go home Kevin...take your lady friend....this is finished here." he said.

"You knew didn't you? You knew all the time....your boys fed James "Have Mercy" Kersey information on my whereabouts didn't they?"I asked.

"Yeah, we did...We thought we could nab em both in one night...just didn't work that way. Your
girlfriend was worried about you...she called me and gave me this address....but I came alone.I
kind of figured what you had in mind...I was just glad I got here and helped finish the job. Do you know how many times I arrested this guy? Do you know how many witnesses were killed or vanished or refused to testify against him? Ya know how many times this peice of human excrement has walked? No, tonight ..the people of Newark and Philly got justice...I'll clean this
up and I'll write this up. Clean the fingerprints off that shotgun and hand it to me." he said.

Just then the door to the room opened and a very voluptuous Asian girl ,wearing only a Yellow
Babydoll peeked out....A tall thin Black man wearing absolutely nothing came to the door behind
her... It was Reverend John Struthers!!!!

"Kevin? Kevin is that you?" He asked astonished.

"Pastor Struthers??" I exclaimed in shock.

"Uh...Uh er ruh..Ah haven't seen you in church lately." he said.

"I'll be sure to be there this Sunday Pastor." I said.

"Uh, er..uh...I was just paying this young woman a visit....She needed counseling..a laying on of hands , uh,you understand?" said Reverend Struthers.

"Yes...I..I perfectly understand Pastor." I said.

"Well ,it's cold out here Kevin...uh I'm goin on back into the room and I'll see you Sunday." he
said and closed the door.

"No more...no more....I've loved you long time all night..me so tired...ohh, noo moree.."
came the sound from inside the room.

Agent Cotton smiled for the first time... Big Nasty was trying her best not to crack up...I for some reason just stood there in utter amazement...

"Go Home Kevin" said Agent Cotton- "It's Chinatown."

Have Mercy

Agent Frank Cotton and his partner wired me for sound and they put a vest with a trauma plate
under my clothes. I put on a nice white shirt over it and my leather trenchcoat. They gave me a
black leather fedora to wear on my head that looked stylish...It was partially laced with kevlar, which made me feel good...Well, a little better. Then I drove over to Josie's Bar where I talked to
Gus. I told Gus and Honey Brown to put the word out to Eric Slaughter that I was coming for him and that I wanted to talk to him. I gave Honey a number he could reach me by. Honey knew a lot of nefarious types , so I knew that word would get back to Eric Slaughter soon.

It only took about four hours and my cell phone buzzed.. It was an "Unrestricted number"

"Hello"

" You are one dead son of a bitch nigga...you know that?" came the gravely voice.

"You must be Eric Slaughter, right?" I laughed "Sorry about your brother." I laughed again.

"Oh you think you funny nigga? You won't be laughin much longer, I promise you that.' he said.

"You know, The Undertaker and Angel thought the same thing...How are they doing?" I said
enjoying taunting such a dangerous man."

"Keep laughing ..keep runnin that mouth you little son of a bitch..you be dead soon." he snarled.

" Listen...Mr. Slaughter, I don't know you...what have I ever done to you?" I asked trying to
reason with him..

"It don't matter if you know me... you put Jean Cokely in prison for the rest of her life...
that was the only woman I ever loved...you gon pay for that nigga." he said.

"Man, you really need some joy in your life really....She had several people killed..she was
gonna kill me." I explained ,realizing how futile that sounded to him.

"I don't give a merry damn about you..." he said.

"Well Listen, I'll be at the Northeast Mall in a few minutes...I'm alone..I'll have on a
Leather Trenchcoat..Let's meet...just you and me..I'll buy you dinner, we can talk
this over...Come on ,what have you got to lose?" I said.

"Nigga ,you must think I was born yesterday..." he said.

"Well look,send a car for me then...We can meet somewhere else and talk this
thing over. I'm waiting here now..." I said.

Click!

He hung up.. Agent Cotton said to me... "We got it..We know where he was... I got agents
on their way to him now... Sit tight, "Have Mercy " is on his way...Just be kool." he said.

I walked in Boston Market and ordered a Coke... I walked outside....I was nervous...I was
a sitting duck for a cold blooded killer, again!!!!!!! It didn't take long...A tall muscular Black
man, with a bald head entered the parking lot.. He moved like a Panther...I turned around
and he was gone. I looked a third time and there he was moving in between the cars with
a silver plated .44 magnum.. He had on dark shades...Nigga please, it's night time..

He was getting ready to aim when I hurled the ice and soda at him...He dodged it and
Agent Cotton and his partner stepped out of the car and shouted-

"Freeze Kersey....FBI...You're under arrest." he screamed.

Was Kersey out of his mind?? He fired wildly at both agents who ducked down.... I had seen enough..I pulled out my pistol and fired at Kersey, hitting him under his left arm pit...He grunted....Then Agent Cotton and his partner and another agent opened fire on him...hitting him at least 14 times...He spun around and leaned up against a car, coughing and holding his chest as blood poured out of him like a siv. I had a feeling that they never intended to let him
surrender... I also had a feeling that James "have mercy" Kersey knew them and that he didn't intend on surrendering either...That just came from being Black in America and not trusting White agents on the Government.

"ughhhh,I dont believe it....
I've been shot....
I aint never been shot before..
uggggggh, it hurts...ohhhhhh,
I'm scared..I don't wanna die..have mercy,have mercy,lawd have mercy.."

Those were the last words he uttered ,because he fell to the floor and died almost immediately.
A man who had never had any mercy on any of his victims cried for mercy himself in his last minutes of life.
Police ,other FBI agents and an ambulance came and a small crowd gathered around. No one realized that one of the most ruthless killers on the FBI's ten most wanted list had just met his end. A young sandy blonde haired FBI agent ran up to Agent Cotton..He was shaking his head ........

"He called from a phone booth at a gas station...he was long gone
by the time we got there." the young agent said. Frank Cotton pounded his fist into his hand..His prize catch had gotten away. "Have Mercy" Kersey was just the boobie prize. Another hit man dead, and this psychopath still on the loose and madder than hell because I had taunted him...What a waste, I thought.

"Sorry Kevin...we missed him..The old man is one crafty bastard..
but we'll get him...He's got nowhere to go.." said Agent Cotton.

I did not feel releived...or safe, but at least I knew that Eric Slaughter was running out of time and resources. Word would get out that he'd lost another man...and his street credibility would be sinking to zero...maybe this would flush him out..I didn't know. I accepted their ride home
and I opened up a bottle of Hennesey and poured me a glass. I put on a Miles Davis CD- Sketches of Spain."

Sepia came home , followed by Eddie , who poured himself a glass of Hennesey...and sat at the
table..Sepia handed me a peice of paper.

"What is this? " I asked.

"Momma gave me this address...This is where he stays in Philadelphia...whenever he comes here..This is the best chance you have at getting at him." she said.

I looked at the address..it was nowhere near the Northeast.. It was in Chinatown ,but it was all we had. I didn't like this man and I had no more sympathy for him. I made a call on my cell phone.

"Hi ya handsome...didn't think I'd hear from you."

"I think I know where he is."

"Yeah? Where?"

"I'll tell you when I see you..meet me in front of Josie's...
fill your car with gas. Bring your .45."

"You don't have to do this. I can take care of this myself."

" I want to do this."

"Oh....okay...I'll meet you there playa. Let's do this."

Click.

I told Eddie he could go home and I called Albert to tell him that his services would no longer be needed. They protested but I insisted.. I told them to tell Gus thank you and that I would be
seeing him later. After they left, I got my riot pump shotgun and put it in the trunk of my car.

Sepia ran after me...

"Where you goin Kevin?"

"To finish this..." I said coldly.

"Kevin, no....just call the FBI, let them handle it.." she pleaded..she was crying now...

I kissed her.....

"The Feds already played their hand.....now I'm gonna go and play mine."


(Conclusion tomorrow..)

My FBI Agent

Sepia told me that she was going to drive up to the prison to see her mom today. I told Eddie to ride with her. He didn't want to, he was concerned about me. I showed him my shoulder holster and my gun and told him not to worry. My boy, Clerow was going to be with me most of the day.
That's what I thought. My doorbell rang. I looked out the window and I saw two well dressed white men. They were wearing trenchcoats and wingtip shoes and had crew cuts. They had on black shades. One guy pulled out his badge.

"Mr. Morris, could we have a minute of your time....FBI." said the shorter man. I looked at his badge closely and opened the door. Eddie and Sepia looked at them and stepped back as they walked into my house. After going over their credentials ,I was satisfied that they were who they said they were. I motioned to Eddie to start my car and I kissed Sepia and whispered to her to go on and that I'd see her when she got back.

They left and I sat down in my living room..I was pretty sure I knew what this was going to be about.. The taller agent said nothing...But the shorter agent extended his hand and shook mine
and sat down across from me.

"Mr. Morris...I'm pretty sure you think you know why we are here,
but you don't. I'm not one to beat around the bush,so I'm going to
get right to it...You and I have a problem...that problem is one ,Eric Slaughter."

"Oh yeah, how is he your problem?" I asked very non-chalantley...."He's trying to kill me and I don't know why...I don't know him and I haven't done anything to him." I said.

" Oh we know that....but somebody is knocking off his goons left and right.
Would you happen to know who that might be?" he asked.

"Nope..don't have the slightest idea." I answered.

Now the FBI agent smiled..He didn't believe me, but I don't think he cared. I certainly didn't care if he believed me or not.

"Allow me to introduce myself..I'm agent Frank Cotton, Violent Crimes Unit.
I've been trying to build a case against Eric Slaughter and his Newark operation
for years...We recently built a RICO case against forty two of his associates in
Newark for Drugs, Gambling,Prostitution and even numerous homicides...but we could never get anything on him, his brother, Angel and the "Undertaker". Then we hear your name and some ex-jock named Cock something or other on our wiretaps and the next thing we know, his brother, who was a top ten fugitive til yesterday when he met his untimely demise, Angel and The Undertaker all began winding up dead and the taxpayers were saved a lot of money." he said.

"Yeah..so what has this got to do with me?" I asked.

"Glad you asked. Kevin...The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Can I call you my friend?" he asked.

"You can call me whatever you like boss man?" I said.

"He is scared to death right now...He's got no muscle and most of his organization is gone.. nobody fears him anymore and yet he's still making calls to find somebody to kill you guys...We got enough on our wiretaps to arrest him right now and charge him with conspiracy to commit murder...two counts...I been waiting for this for ten years...you don't know how bad I want this guy." said Cotton.

"So arrest him then..do us both a favor." I said.

"That's the problem....I don't know where he is... We had an undercover man who cloned one of his cell phones...We are waiting for him to start talking again, so we can pinpoint him..We know that he is somewhere in the Northeastern part of this city. Just from the transmissions we heard last night..We also know that he's called in a big time player from out of New York named James "Have Mercy" Kersy to do you and your boy Cock Robbins. We've been wanting to get our hands on Kersy for awhile...You help me get Kersy and I'll take Eric Slaughter out of your life forever...I mean he goes down hard for 25 to life..." said Cotton.

"You want me to be a decoy?" I said.

"That's the hard part, but yes...you'll have agents all around you, I promise..
we'll give you a vest...Don't you want this mess over? Aren't you tired of looking over your shoulder?" asked Cotton.

"Cool, I'll do it." I said.

"What?, you will? " he said, astonished...He expected a big fight from me, but I was tired and weary...and I wanted this mess over.

" Kevin....I'm your new best friend pal." said Agent Cotton.

I smiled...yeah, my new best friend...a G-man with an agenda.

(To be continued ........)

Friends and Killers

ART: "Black Man In America" By Laurie Cooper

We returned in two cars and with a plan of action. Eddie Martin would stay in my house with me and Sepia and Albert King would stay at Cock Robbin's house with him and Vanessa. In addition to that, Clerow, Deacon Larry Weatherford and Sean Jackson regularly drove by our houses.
They communicated with cell phones and Blackberry's. Even our friend's Paris and Blake shadowed us in the coming days.. Still nothing. We all went to work, came home, hung out at Josie's and followed each other home. We kept in constant communication just making sure that each of us made it to our destinations. It was good to have friends.

I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to ask her before...or why she hadn't asked me ,but I finnally asked Sepia about Eric Slaughter.

"Sepia, aren't you wondering what all of this has been about?" I asked one night while we were
laying in bed.

"I have to admit I have been confused about all of this..and you haven't exactly been Mr. talkative ,Kevin...What is this about..who is trying to kill you?" she asked.

"Eric Slaughter" I said. I waited for a reaction. Sepia's eyes grew big and she looked as frightened as I've ever seen her.

"Kevin...How do you know Him? How did you get mixed up with him?" she asked.

" I don't know him...I am not mixed up with him...but you and Cock Robbins seem to know him,
I was hoping you would shed some light on this guy." I said rather tersly.

She hung her head low....it took her awhile to compose herself, then she began to tell me the
story.

"Momma.......He's a bad man Kevin...Not one who you want to cross...He's pure evil...I haven't seen him in years...I thought he was dead.. He and my momma, they had a thing...years ago..
before I was born..It was a hot and at times turbulent relationship...He said that he loved her,said that she was the only woman he ever really loved...but Momma wouldn't marry him.
Momma married my Father. He said that if he hadn't of married her, he would have killed my Father. He backed off for a time, but all during my childhood, he would send my mother expensive birthday gifts, expensive Christmas gifts...send me things...just to try and show up my Father. My Father despised him..but he didn't dare cross Eric Slaughter...not with "Angel" and
"The Undertaker" working for him. They were his enforcers..even some of the cops were afraid of them." said Sepia.

"Yeah, well nobody has to fear them anymore...they're both dead." I said.

"They are??" she asked.

"That was the undertaker lying on the pavement in front of our house a week ago...and "Angel"
was dropped in front of Cock's house." I said.

"Oh my God...Y-you had them killed?" she asked.

"Nope...but someone who was looking out for me took care of them." I said.

"Who?" she asked.

"Nobody you need to know about." I snapped.

She looked surprisingly hurt and all at once I was sorry about what I said and the way I said it
to her.

"So what happened with Slaughter and your Mother?" I asked.

"Well, after my Dad died of cancer...He just knew that he was going to move in...but my mother
had other ideas...She got to seeing another man...a guy named Donny...He was tall,muscular good
looking and too vain and arrogant to know that he was in over his head. Eric came calling and told him to beat it...He beat Eric up pretty bad...Big mistake...They found his torso on the highway and his head and feet buried in a feild about a year and a half later....Courtesy of the Undertaker"...Me and my mom moved out of Newark after that to West Orange...and that's where we both got involved with Cock Robbins. Eric Slaughter threatened him too, but Cock paid him no mind..He sent "Angel", but Cock beat the daylights out of Angel...sent him packing.
For some reason they didn't retaliate..but a man like Slaughter never forgets and sooner or later
he gets around to evening things up. My mom didn't have to have all of those people killed..She could have told Eric and he would have gladly done it for her at no cost..But she was afraid of him. He eventually put a contract out on Cock..but Cock was in New York City mostly where Eric
couldn't reach him. By the time the Undertaker got the contract....We were all in Philly and involved with you." she said.

" So your mom has recruited Eric Slaughter from prison eh?" I asked.

"No...I doubt it. she's as afraid of him as is everybody else. He must have found out all of the particulars about her going to prison..He's after Cock Robbins because of he was involved with my mom and he's after you because you sent her to prison. But his two goons are dead. Maybe he'll go away." she said.

"Not Hardly...guys like him don't budge.. Tell me...Has he got any other muscle that I should be
worried about?" I asked.

" One guy...I haven't seen him in years...His brother, Pete Slaughter...a sociopath if ever there
was one.." she said.

"Okay, where do you think a guy like Slaughter and his brother would hole up?" I asked.

"Oh Kevin, he could be anywhere...I have no idea." she said.

"You think I could get in contact with him, talk this out....clear this up?" I asked.

"He won't talk to you.." She said.

" But he'd talk to you, he wouldn't hurt you....He knows you." I said.

"I could try, but where would I find him?" asked Sepia.

Just then my phone rang.

"Hello."

"Hey handsome...I got some good news for you.."

"Oh yeah..what is that?"

"Some cat named Pete Slaughter was in town...he roughed up a couple of people ,trying
to find you and was asking a lot of questions."

"So how is that good news?"

"Well, he roughed up the wrong guy...He beat up P.R. Santiago.."

"First of all, I don't know him...and so what?" I said.

"Well ,he runs with the Diaz Brothers and they don't know Eric Slaughter or
care about him...They killed Pete Slaughter and dropped him in the Deleware
River....I saw the whole thing..I laughed my ass off because I was gettin ready
to put two hot ones in him and they got to him first. Just thought you'd like to
know you got one less person to worry about. I think old Eric Slaughter is going
to leave Philly soon...He aint havin the best luck here..."

"Hmmm, doesn't seem like he is. Hey look..you hear things..you got a line on where
he might be?"

"If I did, you wouldn't have to worry about him...but nah Kev, I have no idea.
Your boys ,Eddie and Albert are looking for him and so am I..He's in the wind
now..but he'll surface and when he does, it's all over....Kiss that woman of yours
and make sweet love to her tonight...I just wish it were me you were with...hahaha
am I'm not kiddin...take it easy Kev."

"Thanks-"

click !

Sepia looked at me with a puzzled look.

"Well, Pete Slaughter is dead..."

"What?"

"He ruffled the wrong person's feathers I suppose....Look, strange as it may sound...I don't
want to see any more senseless killings..if you can help me find him Sepia, please do so..
Talk to your mother...I'm trying to save his life." I said.

"Kevin...if somebody wants to kill him...if somebody can kill him...let em..he's as evil as they
come." said Sepia without a hint of sympathy.

I felt a chill like I'd never felt before.


(To Be Continued.....)

Soldiers of Fortune

Gus's cabin didn't look like much on the outside....but inside it was something else..Carpeted floors ...a small living room with a Flat screen TV and a dvd player on the side..and a cablebox.
There was a bathroom and a half bathroom and two bedrooms and a very nice kitchen, which included a refrigerator filled with wine and beer, but no food. It didn't matter..There was a market a few blocks away and I walked to the market and bought a few things so that I could cook us a proper meal. I didn't know how long I was going to have to hole up here.

When I walked back to the cabin, Cock Robbins had found a bottle of Hennessey and was helping
himself to a glass of it. He had the radio on...Jill Scott was singing something...I had heard the song before but couldn't recall the name. My cell phone vibrated...The number was "restricted"
I immediately picked it up.

"Hello."

"Hi ya handsome, how are you holding up?"

"Well, if this isn't another country heard from." I said.

"Gee, you're welcome would be nice."

"It didn't take me too long to figure out that it was you Patty..." I said.

"Please...no names on the phone...you never know who is listening Kev... Listen, I got a
line on the street that a player from Newark named Eric Slaughter was looking for you
and your boy...so I looked into it...When I heard who was lookin for you, I had to get involved. I was coming to your house to warn you and to tell you to watch your back and
the punk ass tried to get smart with me..called me a bitch."

"I know, I heard that part of the convo..."

"Yeah, so I dropped his ass...he won't call no one else a bitch."

"I guess I should thank you..but you just dropped two heavy hitters girlfriend, and people think
I did it. I don't even know this guy,Slaughter...what he want with me and Cock?" I asked.

"I don't know...but he wants you dead...I dropped his boy as a little extra...He didn't do nothin
to me, but I figured he wasn't up to no good, seein as how he was tryin to jimmy the lock over
at Cock's house...so I put two hot ones in his ass too for extra measure."

"Killin don't bother you do it?" I asked.

"No...not when they deserve it. From what I hear, them two killed a plenty of people..they
had it comin."

" Well your secret is safe with me...I owe you from the last time you saved my life..What do I
do now?"

"I don't know....Eric Slaughter is tearin the city apart lookin for you, but the guys he got lookin for you are such lightweights...your people could take care of em..If I was you,I'd
head on back home..He's runnin scared...He thinks you're more dangerous than you are,
especially since you took out his two top guys."

"I need to find him, find out what this is all about...I'm telling you, I don't know him, I think he's
made some kind of mistake."

"You can't reason with a guy like Eric Slaughter...it doesn't matter if he's made a mistake..if he
wants you dead, then you're dead..that's all there is to it. Don't worry Kevin, I got your back..
He doesn't know who I am or that I even exist...I got your back...If I see him first, he's as good
as dead...Get some rest...and come on back home...your woman misses you."

"Okay..I'm thinkin about it...where can I contact you?"

"You can't...I'll contact you...see ya around sweets."

click!

I smiled...I wasn't going to tell Cock or anybody what I knew....but we were going back home...I
was tired of hiding.

Just as I walked into the kitchen...there was a knock on the door.

"Cock, kill that radio...toss me a gun." I said.

Then I heard the sound of a key in the door and before either of us could do anything...Gus walked in.

"Hey man, don't just come in like that, you could have gotten hurt." said Cock Robbins.

Gus looked at Cock and smirked, then just dismissed him.

"Hey Kevin, I see you found the place and are doing well..." the old man said.

Gus had brought some help. Eddie Martin and Albert King, the two heavily muscled ex marines
that I had worked with before on the "Singing Blogger" case.

"You said you needed muscle...so I brought my two guys along. You know Eddie..?" he said.

"What's up brotha?" said Eddie, who was about six five and rippling with muscles and carrying
a .44 magnum.

"And you know Albert? " said Gus.

"What's Happenin?" said Albert ,who was an inch shorter, but with a big bald head , an earring in his left ear, as heavily muscled as Eddie and who carried two nickel plated .45's on him.

Gus handed me a riot pump shotgun.

"This will stop anybody coming your way Kev...." said the old man.

"Gus, what's the word on the street?" I asked.

"Slaughter is spinnin his wheels, he can't believe he just lost two of his best men...He still wants
you dead, but after those two went down..he's havin a hard time findin anybody that wants to
do the job..You sure you never had no dealings with him?" asked Gus.

"I'm positive Gus...That's why I'm going home tomorrow." I said..

"What?" said Cock Robbins.

"We can't stay in hiding like this...this aint no way for a man to live Cock..." I said.

"Kevin, he wants us dead." said Cock.

"I know...We're gonna flip the script on him...find him first and get to the bottom of this."
I said.

"Awwww, you got a plan, right?" asked Cock.

"No I don't...but Philadelphia isn't that big...how many places can this guy hide? We got enough
muscle here to flush him out...Whoever this guy is...let's see if we can flush him out."I said.

I made a big pot of Jambalaya and smothered some turkey wings. Cock, Eddie, Albert, Gus and
I sat at the big table in the living room and enjoyed the food and the safety of each others company. Between the five of us, we downed two more bottles of Hennesey that we found.

(To be continued.....)

Nasty Peice of Business

Of course I gave a statement to the Homicide Detectives that came to my house..So did Cock Robbins. We had no idea who these gentlemen were or who killed them. I found out quick enough.

"This gentlemen here in front of your house Mr. Morris is none other than John "The undertaker" Francis. A real nasty peice of business. He's a suspect in close to twenty two contract killings. If somebody sent him at you...then you've pissed off somebody really important son." said the Black Homicide Detective in a the nice suit, trenchcoat and fedora
hat with a feather in it.

"But who? I don't do anything but go to work and come home..who would have it in for me?"
I said.

"I don't know, but somebody put out a lot of money..this guy is one of the best...Was one of the
best...Somebody ended his career. He was a stone cold killer, a psychopath...We been tryin to put him away for years...but we couldn't make anything stick. Somebody saved the taxpayers a lot of money. Whoever put four hot ones in him is alright with me." said the Detective.

"What about the white guy at my spot?" asked Cock Robbins, who was visibly shaken.

"Now him? He was another peice of work..That was Peter Grissom....better known as "The Angel of Death", another high class, high paid hitman. He's also tied to a number of murders.
You two are either the two luckiest guys in the world or the unluckiest in that you have a determined enemy who is gonna stop at nothin to get rid of you both." said the Detective.

"Well, My girlfriend and his wife are staying somewhere safe..and me and him are gonna lay
low until we get to the bottom of this." I said.

"Let us handle this guys...this is what we get paid for. If you're gonna do a powder, keep in touch. Here is my card...you hear anything, you call Philly Homicide, ya hear?" he said looking
at me.

"Sure...of course." I said as the Detective and the other policemen pulled off.

I got in Cock Robbins car and we drove over to Josie's Bar where we were met by Gus. Gus would know what to do. At least I hoped he would. I always went to him for sage advice over the years.

"Kevin, what you done got yourself into now?" said the old Bartender.

"I don't know Gus..I was hopin you'd know somethin." I said.

" Kevin...Eric Slaughter is after you...you don't know?" he said, surprised that I didn't.

"Who the hell is Eric Slaughter?" I asked...I had never heard the name before. Cock Robbins sat up...He had obviously heard of him.

"He's a nasty peice of business Kev...He's a big time gangster out of Newark.." said Cock Robbins.

"I never heard of him or those two men." I re-interated.

"Yeah " said Gus. "And them two guys he sent at you.....the best in the business. If they're after
you, you might as well get a gun and shoot yourself. Now they dead....hahahaha Kev, you sure put a scare in old Eric, he probably wonderin what to do next."

"Gus...I didn't do nothin...I don't know no Eric Slaughter, I wouldn't know him if I tripped over him in the street and I didn't kill his hitmen...I don't know who did us that favor."I said.

Gus didn't look like he believed me but he said-

"Well, he knows you and he wants you dead..both of yall...He's had people askin around about
both of you for days now...I been trying to get in contact with you to tell you to watch your back." said Gus.

"Gus, I need help..I need some muscle." I said.

"Kevin, nobody is going to help you, everybody is scared to death right now. Here's some keys ..
I got a cabin, right outside town...both of you can hole up there for a spell..maybe he'll get tired
of lookin for you and leave town." said Gus.

I took the keys...Cock looked frightened out of his mind. If this guy Slaughter spent that kind of money and hired that kind of talent...He wasn't going anywhere. I had to have time to think of how to get at him.

"Thanks Gus...but I don't think he will...but it's better if we get the hell out of here right now"
I said as Gus gave me the directions and keys and the two of us got in the car and pulled off.

(To be continued...)

Straight Deck

Funny, the little things that happen in the course of a day that a person remembers as significant that aren't and the things that happen that really are significant that we pay no attention to at all. Today was that kind of day. My name is Kevin Morris..I'm a Blogger and a Writer. Writing is how I make my living. I write for "Hype" Magazine..A Hip -Hop lifestyles magazine in Philadelphia. I have two blogs that I update nearly daily. I make a pretty good living. I mostly work from home, but two to three days a week, I stop by the office. This was one of those days.

I didn't notice him at all...not at first..A tall, well dressed..I should say impeccably dressed Black man who looked like he was my father's age standing by the Dunkin Donuts where I get my morning coffee with a deck of cards... I walked in got my coffee and my Banana Nut Muffin and walked out..He was shuffling the deck of cards and he said something like- "Are you playing with a straight deck homie?" As I got in my car. I put my seat belt on, looked at him and then said tersely- "Are you?" He said- "The question was posed to you good brother...are you playing with a straight deck?" I rolled my windows up and pulled off...I had no time to entertain well dressed fools...I barely noticed him laughing as I pulled off. It just didn't register that it should
have.

I sat in my office and looked over some papers and jotted down a few notes for things I had to look into regarding stories...I saw Mrs. Tate walk by. Fine ass Mrs. Tate...Her husband was a lucky man to have such a shapely woman to sleep with every night. She was the Associate Editor's assistant....I had lobbied, unsuccessfully to have her as my assistant. If I had of succeeded..I would not be working at home , ever. Of course I'm kidding...I live with my girlfriend, Sepia, who is no slouch herself...Practically every guy who meets her is jealous of me and is almost certainly secretly wondering how I was so lucky. Sometimes I wonder myself.

"Hello Mrs. Tate, that's a nice skirt you're wearing." said Terri Evans, a young copy assistant.

"Oh this old thing? Thank you for the compliment" said Mrs. Tate.

" It is kind of out of style, now that you mention it....but it does look good on you." said Terrie rather cattily.

I put my hand over my mouth...I didn't want either of the women to know that I'd heard that exchange. I can imagine that that remark didn't go over well with at least one of them. I chuckled to myself at how catty, women could be. Then my phone rang...That would probably be
Sepia.

"Are you playing from a straight deck my brotha?" came the strange voice that I didn't recognize.

"Who is this?" I said, then I heard a click...Whoever it was had hung up. I didn't think at that point about the well dressed man with the deck of cards who was standing outside the Dunkin
Donuts this morning. Didn't think of it until I stepped out of my office and saw a deck of playing
cards on the floor.

"Mrs. Tate....Did you see who dropped these?" I asked as she walked by.

"No Kevin...I haven't seen anyone."

"I saw who it was...It was a tall black gentelmen, had on a nice suit..He was shuffling those cards..I asked him if I could help him and he dropped the cards and walked out." Said Terri Evans.

I picked up the cards....The Joker card was on the top....The Ace of Spades was on the bottom. Was this some kind of joke. I put the cards in my pocket and forgot all about the peculiar events. I drove home and parked my car in the garage of my home and walked up the stairs into my living room. I peered out the window. Nothing and nobody strange in the neighborhood.
I heard a key in the door. I turned around slowly. It was Sepia.

"Hey baby..I didn't see your car" I said.

"I parked it around the back" she said.

"What you do that for?" I asked.

"Kevin...are you in some kind of trouble?" she asked.

"No..what are you talking about?" I asked.

"Today, some guy was waiting outside my office when I came to work...I had never seen him before..He had on a nice suit..." she said.

"An old Black man right?" I asked, now curious...

"No, he was white and he had a deck of playing cards.." she said.

"He asked you were you playing from a straight deck right?" I asked...

"No, he asked me if you were playing from a straight deck and he put the deck of cards in my
hands and walked away." she said.

The cards she had were identical to mine...The Joker card was on the top and the Ace of spades were on the bottom. Now I began remembering it all..The man outside the Dunkin Donots , The
man who came to my office and now some white guy shadowing Sepia. Somebody wanted to see
me...but, who? and furthermore....WHY???

Sepia was creeped out, so was I...before we could even discuss what was going on..we heard a commotion coming from outside-

"I don't know who you are bitch, but you better mind your business,
this is not your concern..you could wind up dead-" came the voice...

There was two shots, then four more shots in sucession...then a slump...and the sound of a car pulling off. I told Sepia to stay down....I opened my front door....There was a man lying on the sidewalk .....blood was running from his body into the street....there was no need to check him..he was very,very dead....It was the well dressed old Black man who I'd seen on the corner
this morning and who fit the description of the guy who had come to my office and dropped the
deck of playing cards....he had a pistol with a silencer on it in his right hand. Had he come here to kill me? If so, why? What had I done to anyone???And who had intervened on my behalf and taken him out???

My cell phone was buzzing....I looked...It was Cock Robbins, what could he possibly want???

"Hello.. Cock, this isn't a good time-" I said...

"Kevin...Some White guy in a very expensive suit knocked on my door and somebody shot him dead..." said Cock...

"What the hell? Some cat just got taken out over here too!" I said....

"This guy gave me some playin cards a few days ago, asked me if I was playin from a straight deck or somethin or other...I didn't pay no attention to it, I thought he was crazy..then I got a
phone call today ,askin me the same thing...I come home and this guy tried to get into my house,
but somebody took him out...what's goin on?" said Cock.

"I don't know, but get your wife and get out of that house...I'm taking Sepia over to one of Clerow's spots..Then we'll meet at Josie's and try to get our heads together" I said.

"Kev, I know you rattled, but this aint no time to drink." said Cock Robbins.

"I'm not talkin about drinking you idiot..We'll meet there,compare notes and see if we can make some sense outta this." I said.

"Oh, okay Kevin.." said Cock as he hung up.

I looked over at Sepia.....

"Pack a few things...I'm going to take you to one of Clerow's rentals...I'll get to the bottom of this"
I told her...If only I was as sure of that as I sounded.


(To be continued.......)

And If

ART: "Behold III (Our Love)" By Wak

Baby you've got skin that's softer than a Rose petal
and a smile that's warmer than the sun that made it grow.
and after the first time we made love
I just had to let you know
that you were more than I ever expected..
and I think it's high time that you and I got connected./

/And if it feels like Heaven to you..
the way it feels to me..
then we are destined to be together,
you see...
just you
and just me...
And if this feels like Heaven..
my mind is telling me so..
Then it feels like forever
and by now I hope you know./

/Girl , remember when I used to watch you walk down the street
back in the days before I got to know you?
There was never a question in my mind
I wasn't going to waste another minute of my time...
I was sold on you..
because , I knew then positively-
that there was a special feeling that you were giving me../

/And if this feels like Heaven
the way it feels , when you're with me..
then we're destined to be together you see,
just you, just me..
And if it feels like Heaven
I hope your heart is telling you so...
Then it also feels like Forever
and by now you ought to know.../

I've Dreamed of Midnight

ART: "Body Heat" By Williams

I saw you last Friday around 11:59
you were coming from the Chinese take out store
and I was talking to a friend of mine...
I took one look at you girl and cut my conversation short..
I don't get that many chances to talk to you..
I don't get too many chances to court../

/I've dreamed of midnight
lying beside you..
kissing you gently
making sweet love to you..
you probably don't give a guy like me
a second thought during your busy day..
but I've often dreamed of midnight..
when you might see things my way../

/You said that you've seen me
seen me around the way..
Yes,I'm that guy..
That guy that used to talk to Renee'
but that's been long over and I'm here to see
if there is maybe half a chance....
That I can make something happen between you and me?/

/I've dreamed of midnight
with you lyin near
with the sound of Anthony Hamilton on the IPOD
playing a soft soulful love song in our ears..
I've often tried to talk to you,but you've never had the time..
it's a nice quiet night out baby, it's 11:59.../

Girl, I've dreamed of midnight
lying beside you
kissing you softly
making sweet love to you.

Can't Stop Thinking About You

ART: "Bed of Roses" By Michael Bailey

You're the friend of the girl I've been dating for awhile
but ever sense I laid eyes on you I've been enchanted
by your smile..
I find myself thinking of you, even when I share her kiss
Maybe I've made a mistake here..
Maybe it's you I should be with../

/And I,
can't stop thinking about you
and I try..
but it doesn't matter what I do..
and I don't know why...
Girl I,
can't stop thinking about you..
I know it's wrong..
but what am I supposed to do?/

/The way you dress, the way you wear your hair..
has me so spellbound..that even when I'm with her,
I stop and stare..
You've caught me a couple of times..
so how could you possibly ignore..
that it's more than just lust behind all of those silly smiles I wore?
One feeling I know that I can't resist..
is the one that tells me you're the one that I most want to kiss./

And I-
Can't stop thinking about you
and girl I try-
No matter what I do...
I can't stop thinkin about you
and you know what?
I find that I don't want to../

/If you tell me that you don't feel the way I do..
I'd reluctantly walk away from you
but you have a sympathetic look in your eyes
that sometimes seems so reluctant to tell me goodbye....
but oh I-
Can't stop thinking about you...
and girl I try...
I can't stop thinking about you
what am I supposed to do?
Because I find that I....
don't want to./

This Aint Love

ART: "The Dance" By Frank Morrison

Every night around about a quarter of eight
just before sundown....
just before it starts getting a little late
I walk through your neigborhood
because I know you'll be sitting on the steps
and for some good reason it makes me feel good
to know that there is still some natural beauty left./

I see you sitting in your shorts,talkin on your cell phone...
I don't know if you've ever noticed me...
but I've always noticed that you're always alone.
So Honey if you don't have a man, have I got a sweet deal
for you...
The other guys only talk about it..but I want to be real for you../

/This Aint Love
so somebody please tell me what is this I feel?
Am I crazy?
not offering you much of some kind of deal,
girl I'm scared...
but I'm compelled to talk to you this way...
I'm contradicting myself I know..
but I just can't have you sitting there alone
and not have something meaningful to say...
to let you know...
that I'd like to have you for my own..
but this aint love, no this aint love../

Maybe we could go out...there's a lot of good movies to see
or I know a couple of restaraunts..you look like you might be hungry
to me..
You don't even know my name and I'm not sure right now
if saying this is too kool,
The other guys just dream about you, but Honey I'm
all about making dreams come true../

This aint love
don't get it twisted..
This Aint love
I just can't put my finger on it..
This Aint love
but I can't resist it..
This Aint Love...
or maybe I've missed it./

And Never Let Go

ART: "Embrace" By Edward Clay Wright"

If I had one wish girl
just one wish in the world..
it would be for you to know
how much I want you so..
You'd think that you'd see it in my eye
or hear it in the uncertainty in my voice
yet you've seemed to always pass that by
and converse to me about another choice../

/But oh if you would touch me
hug me
hold me
notice me...
make my fantasy a reality
how happy I might be..
and oh if you should happen to know
that I wish to hold you and never let go...
then please don't hesitate to say so.../

/You mean the world to me baby
and this could drive a sane man crazy
it seems like I go far out of the way..
just to find something clever to say
Hope you appreciate the effort that goes into
what I go through just to walk beside you../

/And oh if you would touch me
hug me
hold me
notice me..
make a fantasy a reality
how happy ,maybe you could be..
and oh if you should happen to know...
that I wish I could hold you and never
let you go..
then please don't hesitate to just say so.../

girl,I don't-
ever want to let you go..
just thought that should know that...
feel me?/

If Sex Could Make You Stay

Chocolate Sister Graphics

Anita and Carlton did not leave her bedroom for close to two days.. They made love, they'd drift off to sleep, make love some more...watch Sportscenter on ESPN, make love some more, take turns going to the bathroom, then make love again...They were both oblivious to the outside world. When they finnally did agree to shower and venture out into the city streets of New Orleans on the third day..it was as if Carlton had just arrived in town.

"You gotta leave, the day after tomorrow..don't you?" asked Anita, knowing the answer.

"Yeah..I gotta try out with the Sixers."

"Oh, I wished you could stay." she fake pleaded.

"I wish I could stay too..but in a few months..you gonna be coming up, and I'm gonna be there in
Philly for a spell and we gonna have a good time." said Carlton.

"Yeah, but then you'll be gone again...on another team in another town." said Anita.

"Well yeah, but I live in Philadelphia..that's home and with you livin there, I got more of an incentive to come home." he laughed.

"Carlton, how long you figure you gonna play semi-pro ball and float from team to team like that?" she asked.

"I don't know..I never gave it much thought..I figured I'd have been picked up by a team by now. Cock Robbins was in the same situation...He teaches school now and coaches a bunch of kids." said Carlton

"That how you think you'll end up, Carlton?" asked Anita.

"Nah, when I get out of the game, I'm out....I aint coachin nothin...I could go back and finish my
journalism degree, get a job writing a column or being a commentator." He mused.

"I just want to know if it'll be worth my while waiting around for you. Assuming we gonna have a
future." she added.

"Oh yeah....we gonna have a future...if you aint in school or workin, I'm gon take you with me on my next stint." said Carlton.

"You sure are full of a lot of promises Carlton.....I don't want to go with you to no other town...
I just want to know that you're all mine , when you come back to your town." she said.

"If I wasn't before , I am now...I l-"

"Don't say that...you don't...we don't know each other that well yet...When I get to Philly, We will
have plenty of time to get to know each other...and then we'll take it from there...but for now..let's just live in the moment." said Anita.

Carlton put his arm around her and they walked down the street, enjoying the warm sultry Louisiana morning....

Across town at Rita Sue Gaskin's apartment......Hot water poured over both of them in the shower as she laid her head on Floyd's chest...He took the bar of soap and built up a nice lather in
his hands as he rubbed it all over Rita Sue's body...she giggled as she felt his erect penis behind her..She turned around and took the soap and began to lather his legs, between his thighs and
around his chest...They laughed and began to kiss each other passionately..as the water from the
shower head came down...Floyd backed Rita Sue against the shower wall, lifted her up and entered her...Rita Sue sighed deeply and Floyd lifted her up and brought her down on himself again and again...She wrapped her arms and legs around Floyd and continued to kiss him deeply and pasionately...and he returned her passion..thrusting with a slow and steady authority....
This went on for close to thirty minutes.....Neither of them noticed that all of the hot water had run out and that the water was now cold...both were caught up in orgasmic pleasure as Floyd exploded...Rita Sue's head flung backwards and she let out a guttural yell....Floyd's chest heaved
and he moaned loudly and trembled as he experienced the most intense orgasm of his life...
He turned the water off and put Rita Sue down...He was spent...He wrapped the towell around him and collapsed on her bed.

"Don't fall on my bed, you're all wet Floyd." she laughed..

"Rita Sue...come over here a minute girl, I wanna talk to you." he said.

"I'm stayin right here...I done already gave you some...All last night and just now in the shower,
you got what you come here for...you got to get your clothes and go on now Floyd." she said.

"Rita Sue, I want to come home.." he said.

Rita Sue was taken aback..a little shocked, she hadn't expected to hear that-

"This aint your home Floyd, it hasn't been in a year now.' she said.

"I want to come back to you, let's try again...my mind wasn't right before." he said.

"Floyd..Floyd..Floyd..we just had some good lovemakin...that's what got you talkin crazy, you don't really want to come back..a day from now you'll be runnin after Sweet Dick Jenkin's daughter again." laughed Rita Sue.

"Nah, I'm done with her....she aint my type..." said Floyd.

"She dumped you, didn't she?" said Rita Sue...

Floyd laughed...

"Never could fool you, could I?"

"Nope....I don't know why I'm gonna do this, but look...we can try again...but if I let you stay with me...it's got to be about me...and only me...all of your side trippin, all of your whorish ways
have got to go...You screw up one time and you and me is through for life...you hear me Floyd Gaskins.?" she said sternly.

"Rita ,I won't, I swear...I'm tired...aint nothing out there for me...Let's get married."

"Again? Let's see how you do, just being my boyfriend for a little while, then maybe we can think about that." said Rita Sue.

"What kind of deal is that honey? You got me hotter than a-"

"Take it or leave it.." She said cutting him off.

"Okay...I'll take it...Can I go get my things?" he asked..

"Sure..I'll go with you..I know you needs help."she laughed as she got dressed.

"I can handle gettin my things..I aint an idiot." said Floyd..

Rita Sue looked at him, then smirked..

"Give me the car keys..He meekly obeyed...Just as they walked out the door, He pulled her to him and kissed her for a long time..

"I missed you Rita Sue." he said.

"I missed you too.." she admited.....

Two days later at the Airport, Anita Jenkins was seeing Carlton off-

"Sure you won't change your mind and stay another day?" Anita joked....

"I sure wish I could, but I gotta go make this paper dollface." said Carlton..

"I know, I know...it's just that I had such a good time and I'm a miss you boo." said Anita..

Carlton grabbed her around the waist -

"I'm gon miss you." he said..

"Take your hand off my butt, we in public......is that all you gon miss?"she teased.

"Well, uh no, but I can't front...it's a big part of what I'll miss." he laughed.

"Yeah, but sex can't make you stay..you gotta get that money." She said..

Carlton paused, then sighed.....They kissed again for a long time and then they heard his flight being announced..He grabbed his one bag and hurried off to his plane as Anita stood in the corridor and waved.

(For Ebonne Jones)

Peaches,Coffee & Coitus

ART: "Intimate" By Laurie Cooper

"Gaskins.....Let's go...you're outta here." said the guard. Floyd Gaskins had fallen asleep on the small cot in his jail cell. He had been there all night after he
had knocked the rear view mirror off of a man's car..A Man who he mistakenly thought was the lover of his latest, ex girlfriend..Anita Jenkins. He quickly got to his feet and rushed out of his cell and down the hall to the processing room, where the officer gave him back his belongings.. A money clip with $1000.00 in
twenties on it. (Used for show to impress the ladies.. A ballers version of the old Kansas City Knot.), His Wallet with his credit cards and about $500.00 in cash,
His belt ,Blackberry, Bluetooth and car keys.

"Yo car is out back" said the guard.

"Who paid my bail? Ah didn't get a chance to call anybody last night." said Floyd.

"Yo wife." said the guard.

"My wife?? I'm not marr--oh whatever..just show me the way out." said Floyd.

Floyd walked out into the sunlight and as he squinted...There she was..Rita Sue Gaskins. A healthy woman with shapely hips and ample breasts. She had been his wife, but she wasn't anymore..They had been divorced for close to a year. He sheepishly waved at her...

"Hi Rita Sue..How you doin babe.?" He said.

"Better n you." She said. "What happened to your face, it's all swollen.?"

"Aww nothin honey...I had a little rowdy dow in the French quarter last night..some buster tried to get all up in mine, you know what I'm sayin? but I handled my business baby..Kicked his ass good. You know how I be bringin it."
bragged Floyd.

"Yeah? You look like the other fella brung it to you." laughed Rita Sue.

"Nah...He put up a good fight, but I laid into him good, woulda hurt that boy, but the law showed up and arrested me." said Floyd.

"Oh, they jus arrested you huh?" she said dryly.

"Well , you know how much hell I can raise..." he protested.

"Just take me home, you big liar..I don't believe a word you sayin. You can thank me later, when you pay me back and you pay that fella back for knockin his rear view mirror off of his car...Why did you do that anyway?" asked Rita Sue.

"You don't wanna know. Who tole ya?" asked Floyd.

"Etta Mae Jackson and Her Husband was comin out the bar and they saw you..
and they saw the big northerner who took the bat out your hand and clocked you good. Why you always lying Floyd?" she asked in consternation.

"Well ,one thing I aint never lied about Rita Sue..I sure do love you." said Floyd.

"Oh stop it..stop it..stop lyin...You was just out with Sweet Dick Jenkin's daughter, Anita a few nights ago...I guess you loves huh too, huh?"she asked.

"You knows the whole deal huh?" said Floyd.

"People see you, people keep me informed on yo comins and goins, whether I wants to know or not..dey tells me." laughed Rita Sue.

"Well Rita honey...I'm kinda low right now...Could I stop by your place for some coffee and some breakfast?" asked Floyd

"You is out yo damn mind..I aint yo wife no more...I just bailed you out cause I felt a little sorry for your dumb ass.." she spat.

"Or maybe...you still got feelins for me, cause I sho got feelins for you...my mind wasn't right before Rita Sue,but my mind is right now..honey,I swear fo God."
said Floyd.

"You shouldn't take the Lord's name in vain like Floyd." she said.

"Well, here we is." He said.

Rita Sue looked at him, then finnally said-

'Alright, come on in...I'll fix you some coffee, then you out of here."

Floyd followed her inside and watched her as she opened up a can of Maxwell
house and proceeded to fix a pot of coffee. She still had a bottom that could cause a traffic accident he thought..and those breasts, just jumpin up and down
like that...Why did he cheat on her? She had been a good woman, a good wife, but he was always out lookin for somethin better,somethin more...when all he ever needed was right her..The one person who really knew him, who wasn't fazed by his bullshit.

"You want some Peaches?" she asked.

"Ah want some of your peaches" he said leeringly...She half smiled, but she caught herself.. She grabbed a white step ladder and opened up her cubbard to get a can of Delmonte' Peaches...Floyd just staired at her...

Floyd walked over to where she was and slid his hands under her dress and began rubbing her buttocks...At first Rita felt anger..Some nerve, that's all he come over here for she thought, but then she felt a tingling..a desire..a hunger.
It had been awhile..

"What do you think you're doing, move your hands, it aint that kind of party." she said.. but Floyd slipped his hands into her panties and was now fingering a
familiar place and it was feeling good to her...She didn't want him to stop. She hated herself for feeling that way, but she did.

"Ohhhhhh, ouuuuu...Floyd..stopppp...ouuuu...stop it now..oh my God...ouuuu
Floyddddddd...." she moaned.. He eased her slowly down the ladder and turned her towards him...He began kissing her up her neck and finnally made his way to her lips...She resisted at first, but then began kissing Floyd back.., She unzippered his pants and began playing with him...Floyd slipped her panties
down, lifted her up on the counter and dropped his pants around his ankles..
He entered her at first with a quickness, like he had always done..but she put her forefinger to his lips and said softly...

"Take it slow...slow it down...you're going to love me right for the first time in your life...just take it slow.....it's okay.." she cooed.. and Floyd began to move slower and slower and Rita Sue began to moan and toss her head back as he
began to move slower and slower...eventually his thrusts began to get faster and harder and she began to cry out for more of him and he obeyed...sweating and
grunting and thrusting until he exploded and let out a loud yell....Rita came too
and trembled as she held him...

Floyd lifted her up and walked her to the bedroom, the bedroom they used to share.. He took the rest of his clothes off and she took hers off and they got under the covers.. They made love again...this time longer and much more comfortable... That coffee never got drank and that can of peaches still remained on the counter.

(Conclusion Tomorrow...)