The Ghost of Coral Gables

My wife, Sepia had just recently gotten her Real Estate licensce and had actually sold a few houses for her company. She was doing good. Chess had also thrown her a few properties he was no longer interested in her way and so had Clerow... I was happy for her. After the death of Malik Lockjohn..I had chilled out considerably...I was back to writing my two blogs...and working on stories for my magazine, Hype. My name is Kevin Morris...This is another one of my stories!

For the most part..I worked from home...Writing ,Blogging on my computer and e-mailing the stories to the office. I would drop by my office twice a week, get updates from Sean and Sheila and mostly keep things low key..No more sleuthing..in fact ,I felt as if that part of my life was possibly over and done with. I liked living a normal life...Working , waiting for my wife to get home from work and ravishing her...before we either went out for dinner or ordered in..

This one particular night though..She came home more excited than usual. She kept talking about this property out near Ocean City called "Coral Gables"..It was a bed and breakfast that
a guy named Van Peters wanted her to sell for him. I asked her if she had even seen the property..and she told me she hadn't...which was how we wound up driving up there the next morning.

Coral Gables was a seaside town ,much like what you've seen on Television...There were a lot of
properties out near the ocean...there was a sandy beach and one main street where all of the businesses were.. A small town of mostly retired folk and folk who didn't want any bother out of the outside world.

"You sure this is the town Sepia?" I said as I took out a map and peered at it.

"Yeah ,this is it?" she said.

"Well did this Van Peters tell you to meet him someplace?" I asked.

"Well,I didn't exactly talk to him....Robert Foxworth, the attorney spoke with him." she said.

"Robert Foxworth?? I should have known.." I said. He was a nice enough guy, but a real shyster if ever there was one. He had an eye for the ladies and I didn't like the sly way he eyed my wife when he was in her presence...and plus, if he was the middle man in this deal, there must be a woman involved in this somehow and somewhere.

Sepia and I went into a little diner where we were the only African-Americans ,except for the cook in the diner and we ordered Pancakes and Sausages and Orange Juice and Coffee..As we sat at the counter eating our food, the old Black cook happened to be walking around and he said to us-

'Wow..it aint too often I see my own kind in this town...what brings you out here? You can't be vacationing in this dump."

"I'm selling a peice of property out here you have....Coral Gables" said Sepia.

He looked shocked, then he said-

"C-C-Coral Gables- that old Bed and Breakfast?" he said.

"Yeah...what's up with that?" I asked.

"That place..uh....that place aint far from here...it's over by the lighthouse...a few blocks away..
Where you folks from?" He asked.

"Philadelphia." I said.

"Then you need to turn around and go on back to Philly..and forget about Coral Gables." He said.

"Oh,let me guess...It's haunted right?" I laughed.

"Well, another fella was up here a few days ago from Philly...a lawyer...He come up here with a woman..She was so freaked out, she caught a cab to the nearest town and caught the Greyhound back to Philly.." said the cook.

I smiled ,I looked at Sepia who looked a little freaked out by his talk and then I said-

"This lawyer fella, he have a name?" I asked ,still laughing...

"That's him, coming in the door right now...apparently, he didn't get enough...He'll tell ya the rest." said the Cook.

I looked up and there was Robert Foxworth, attorney and lothario coming through the door...and looking shaken,like he'd seen a ghost.

"Kevin...Sepia...I'm so glad to see you....oh my God...that place....that place...Something aint right about it Kevin..something aint right..." He said.

"Robert...What are you talking about? I came here to meet with you and Van Peters." said Sepia.

"Yeah,well I called him two nights ago and the operator said that his line has been disconected.
I haven't heard from him since then." said Robert Foxworth.

"I heard you ran another woman away from you ..huh?" I said ,laughing and playfully nudging
Robert.

"Nah man..it wasn't like that at all...We stayed up there...you know...Got some drinks and some Crab legs and ate and you know...started making love....I'm in mid stroke and I hear a scream..."
said Robert.

'Uh ahh Robert...I get it...I know you had the girl screaming....come on man, my wife is standing right here..show some respect.." I said.

"No Kevin...it wasn't my girl and it wasn't that kind of scream...it sounded like somebody was being beat...it sounded like a woman was being beat...it was a horrifying scream,like I never heard before in my life." said Robert.

"Oh really?...Who was screaming, her or you?" I said, still laughing.

"Nah man,it wasn't like that..She made me throw on my robe and investigate...I combed the entire house and couldn't find nothing...Then I swear ,I saw a bright light and saw a naked woman run past me...I swear..I ran after her and then saw a naked man..I follwed em both and found nothin...Then all the lights went out..
Me and my girl were really spooked now...Then they came back on...Doors started opening and closing on cue...and more screams were heard....Man..we got the hell out of there that night...
I been staying at a motel outside of town... My girl left me." He said.

I was laughing my head off at this preposterous story....

"Oh my God...are you for real? Sure you and this girl weren't smoking some hash before you got busy?" I said.

"Kevin...man, you know me...I aint like that....I know what I saw...I saw a naked man and a naked woman run by me and then vanish into thin air!" he said.

"Come on, get in my car, we can at least check the place out.." I said.

"Why do you want to check that place out,after what I just told you?" he said.

"Well if naked people are up there running around...I want to see it..why should you have all of the fun?" I laughed. Sepia nudged me playfully-

"Didn't you have fun chasing me around the house naked last night? Why you gotta see more naked people?" she said ,pretending to be mad..

"I'm just kidding baby." I laughed.

"Okay, you better be" she said. She wasn't smiling this time and I let it go.

Sepia and Robert got in my car , a little hesitantly and we drove up to the Bed and Breakfast known as "Coral Gables" It was a very nice looking property...The wooden floors had been recently sanded and buffed..They practically shined and every room had a nice modern bed
and clean sheets....The place smelled great and there was no sign that there was anything out of the ordinary about this place.

Sepia and I walked around the hallways, inspected the rooms and even the attic and the bathrooms with Robert walking a step or two behind us...Then the fun began...Doors began closing...then opening....then the electricity went off...We heard footsteps...then banging and then
blood curdling screams... I told Robert and Sepia to get down, stay by the wall.. I pulled my gun out and headed for the sound of the screaming...I saw nothing...Then ,I saw from a distance what
looked like a naked woman being chased by a naked man ...I called out to them and ran towards them ,only to find ......well ,not a thing...At this point..I heard footsteps running behind me...I loaded my pistol and cocked it...only to run into Robert and Sepia!!!!

"I told yall to stay down and stay low...you could have been shot..." I said..

'Honey, let's get out of here..." said Sepia.

"Kevin, for cryin out loud...man..let's go...screw this house...I'm calling Van Peters and telling him to find another lawyer and another agent..we don't need this crap!" said Robert...

I didn't argue...We headed for the door and the door was locked solid...Wouldn't open..We frantically pulled on the door..Then the electric came back on...Radios blaring, lights on and a blood curdling scream again.. To our amazement..the door opened and the three of us flew out of that house..got in my car and drove back to the diner.

The old Black cook and the manager, a reed thin White man in his early forties didn't seem surprised to see us..

"I guess you guys went over to Coral Gables huh?" said the old Black cook.

"ya think?" I said, looking as disheveled as the rest...

"I'm getting on the phone and calling Van Peters" said Robert Foxworth as my wife Sepia looked
on.

'Who did you say you were calling?" asked the white man.

"Van Peters..He's the agent that asked Mr. Foxworth to sell the property.."said Sepia.

"Yeah,I tried to get him yesterday and they told me that his phone was disconected." said Robert.

"Disconected??? I'll say it is...I don't know who you talked to son, but you didn't talk to Van Peters." said the Old Black Cook.

Now I was intrigued..

"Van Peters has been dead for about ten years...I tried to tell you before the three of you drove up there...He murdered his wife and her lover and then killed himself...They say his ghost can be seen chasing their naked bodies through the corridors." said the old Black cook.

"What?" I said , almost incredulous.....

"He's been dead...I don't know who your wife and your boy were talking to on that phone, but it wasn't Van Peters." said the Old Black cook.

Just when I try to get out of this stuff and lead a normal life...Here I am ,pulled back into another
mystery...and one I planned to get to the bottom of, real quick.

(To Be Continued......)

I'll Take That To Go

My name is Chance....Chance Howard....That's actually my given name...Most people don't believe me when I tell em that...but it's true. I just recently got my Masters degree and am working on my J.D. I live on the top floor of an Apartment building owned by a friend of a friend, named Chess...I've been living there since I came back to Philly. Got my Bachelor's degree at Morehouse...Lived in the Atl for a spell....Then ventured to D.C. , Got my Masters at Howard...Did the D.C. -Maryland thing and then came back here to Philly. My mom was dating some rich dude named Rollie Rollerson...and as a favor to her, he pulled a few strings and got me into Penn Law School....I presently work for a cat named Robert Foxworth....damn good lawyer...pulls a lot of babes too! I hope to be like him one day....Maybe if I'm lucky.

When I first came back to Philly, Chris Thompson, Chess and Fathead took turns showing me around and showing me where to go and where not to go...Who was cool and who was uncool..Once I got the hang of things..I pretty much had the scene down pat... Chess showed me this hot soul food joint called "Big Poppa's" off of 52nd and Locust streets..Where I found myself
this fine rainy Friday...ordering up some ribs.....

I couldn't believe who I saw in there.....Sheena.....Sheena Pearson... We were practically engaged for a time and then we broke up...we tried to be friends...but that didn't work out...We hadn't seen each other for close to a year...maybe over a year. She was sitting at a table alone...waiting
for her order.

"Do you mind if I sit down here?" I asked.

"Actually I do mind." she said.

"Well, my feet are hurting and it may take them awhile for my order,so I'm going to sit down."
I retorted.

'Suit yourself." She said.

"Sheena ,it's been over a year...how long you gonna be mad at me? I had thought that we could at least be friends." I said.

"I'm not mad...I don't think about you anymore." she said.

"Sure you do...that's why you're mad." I laughed.

"Don't flatter yourself Chance." she said.

"Is their a point to your hostility?" I asked.

"Nope, just like their is no point at all to you even trying to hold a conversation with me." she said.

"You still dating that married guy?" I asked.

"I'm not dating you....and that's all you need to know." she said.

"I take that as a yes...You know that that's not going anywhere...He sees you at his convienience." I said.

"Don't worry about it." she said.

"I'm not worried about it." I said.

"Good ,don't." she said.

"I'm at Penn you know....working on my JD." I said.

"How nice...I got my MBA last spring....I'm working at BioTech..." she said.

"Oh yeah? The guy I work for is representing someone from that company...It's a pretty big case. So, you might see me over there .." I said.

"Not if I see you first." she said.

Our last year at Howard, Sheena had started dating a married guy named Faunteroy Jackson. She had confided in me. I had casually mentioned it to another girl, who unknown to me was also sleeping with Faunteroy. She told Faunteroy's wife about Sheena...but of course failed to mention her part in the drama. Faunteroy's wife kicked him in the groin and then chased Sheena twelve blocks, vowing to kill her. I gotta admit..I kind of enjoyed hearing about it, since I was still hurt that Sheena had broke off our engagement and was hot and heavy with married dude. Sheena never forgave me for leaking that information to Faunteroy's other jump off. She never believed he was seeing anyone else. She instead chose to believe that the other girl was simply jealous!

"Okay Sheena, you know what? Forget you...We don't ever have to be friends..but know this..Faunteroy has a wife ...a wife that he goes home to every night...and he has another girlfriend...who he sleeps with...whether you want to believe that or not..and you know what..When I leave here I have a young lady coming over that will more than likely spend the night with me...What you got? If Faunteroy is coming up this weekend..you got a night or two,then nothing..." I said.

Just then, a waitress brought out her food on a steaming hot plate...She looked at the waitress and said.

"I'm sorry...I know I told you I was going to eat that here...but could you make that to go please?" She said.

Just then my food arrived, to go!

"Have a good life Sheena and tell Faunteroy ,I said- 'What up?" I laughed as I left out.

"Screw you" she said as she looked at me in disdain.

I kept laughing as I walked out of "Big Poppas" and down toward the avenue!

U Do The Math

Something don't add up
Something don't add up
Somethin don't add up...
you'd better think before you act...
there's someone you'd better subtract.../

The other night we were out for drinks
and you got a text...
You picked up your blackberry ,
you were a nervous wreck..

I thought I overheard you saying-

"Didn't I tell you to call me when I got home..?
Didn't I tell you that tonight I wouldn't be alone?"

Guess you momentarily forgot about your drinks
and who was paying../

Seems like you've found a new fool..
but playa you better go back to school
because you and me and he makes three
and that's not the equation I'm trying to see../

U Do the Math
somethin don't add up
somethin don't add up
somethin don't add up..
baby think before you act
there's someone you should subtract./

You may be running around with your new guy
laughing and thinking that I'm your little fool...
But I'm getting tweets and e-mails from Cindy
and Susie..
just to show you I can be twice as cool...
If you thought you was a real playa...
then you'd better back up and enroll in my private school.../

Because just like you can play...
I can play this little game too...
U do the Math...
because me and you and she makes three...
Is that the equation that YOU want to see?
U Do the Math!/

Losing

ART: "Intense Thought" By Laurie Cooper

You
you don't love me
I was just something to do..
is that what you tell your girlfriends
when I'm not around?/

and you're not the least interested
baby..
but who are you trying to fool?
is that why you don't speak
when you see me with another girl...
and turn your smirk into a frown?/

I
I don't love you...
you're just something to do...
that's what I tell my friends
when you're not around..
and I'm not the least bit interested
baby...
but girl ,who am I trying to fool?
I'm just trying to be down.../

because I dream about you
throughout my lonely nights..
every night...
kissing you, holding you tight
and really I know.../

I feel something for you
you feel something for me too...
even though you pretend you don't..
and I certainly don't want to..
I'm fighting what I feel for you..
but I'm losing...
I'm losing that battle too...
and so are you.../

I don't need you
you're just someone with whom I was biding my time..
that's what I say when other people ask me what's goin
on...
and you tell the world that you could have anybody
else you want...
but baby when you see me, and I see the way you
won't look at me..
we both know that that's wrong..../

and I bet you dream about me..
every other night...
I bet you wake up hating
that we were making love and holding each other tight..
but girl you know, just like I know../

That I'm feelin something for you...
even though you say you don't want me to...
I'm fighting what I feel for you...]
but I, just like you
am losing...
losing that battle too!/

Unlikely Bedfellows

ART: "Cherishing The Moment" By Fred Matthews

Cherry Johnson was certain that she was un-noticed....She was in a crowd of people at the University that was watching as Chess received his Master's degree in Business Administration. It was an amazing acheivement. The entire time she had been involved with him she hadn't known that he had been a college graduate. She felt bad that she didn't think he was even a high
school graduate!

Not to get her wrong..She loved Chess..then as she admittedly said to herself now...but he had seemed so street, so tough and gritty..that she had never figured him to be the studious type..but here he must have had a bachelor's degree when she knew him, that hadn't been displayed in his apartment at all. Chess had now earned his bachelor's degree and was surrounded by his friends as they all wished him well.

There was his baby momma, Rell, who she was finnally getting to see for the first time...the other woman...the woman who he had always been so torn between when he was dating her.
She was a pretty woman as women went..She could see why Chess would go for her..and his son..
Little Chess, who looked so much like him...he couldn't deny him.. They were hugging him and kissing him and congradulating him. There was also his gangster friend, Chris Thompson, who was there patting him on the back and smiling. Him? No way he was a college man...even if he had given up his gangster empire to work with Chess and help him run his business...

Also there was another former lover of her's...Fathead Newton...a stone gangster and to her, the dumbest of them all...She wouldn't be the least bit surprised if one day, she read about them finding his body rotting and decomposing in an old building...the subject of a mob hit..the way they found those other two gangsters a few weeks ago....Sonny Templeton and that crazy hit man, Malik Lockjohn...but that was his problem and his destiny...not hers.

Fathead still called her and texted her, telling her he was divorced and wanting her back..asking her what she was wearing and begging her just for a little of her time, lunch dates, dinner dates,
booty calls ,whatever...She never returned them.

Then there was the case of her boyfriend, kind of, sort of...He was a musician... a Trumpet player
named Reed Nelson....He was constantly on the road. She had seen him twice this summer, she thought. Once ,after he got back from Los Angelas and once before he went to New Orleans.
He was in New York now...Close enough...but do you think she had gotten one phone call?? One text? She was thinking of breaking it off with him when he and his band returned to play at Josie's next month.

She watched as Gus, the bartender and owner of Josie's came by and shook Chess's hand and others that she knew vaguely like Kevin Morris, Clerow, Sean Jackson, Paris , Blake and the lawyers, Conrad Nelson and Robert Foxworth all stopped by his outdoor table and congratulated him on a job well done. Just seeing Chess and knowing that he had earned a Master's degree made him that much more attractive to her...but she knew that she had had her chance and she had blown it...He was far out of her grasp now. She was fortunate that he allowed her to live in one of his Apartment units nearly rent free.

"I haven't seen you around...you come around here often?" came the voice.

"Oh puh-lease...you can't come up with a better line than that?" she said as she turned and saw
a surprisingly handsome, yet slender brown skinned man...He was smoking a Newport and letting it drag long and hard.

"Is my smoke bothering you? If so..I'll put these away...I don't need to be doing this...Smoking you know....I keep saying that I'm going to stop." he said.

"No, it's okay...you got another one?" she said.

"Yeah....here you go.....My name is Bobby...Bobby Sanders....and you are?"

"I'm Cherry...Cherry Johnson" she replied.

"That's your real name? Cherry?" he said almost laughing...

"Yeah, what about it? " she said.

"Oh nothin...it's pretty...it's different...it sounds like a stripper name though." he said with a smile.

Normally,she would've gotten angry, but she liked this guy for some reason and she laughed ,despite herself at what he said.

"I used to be from here...but I left a long time ago and settled out in Cali." he said.

"Oh yeah?? I'm from Cali...Where do you live?" she said.

"I live in San-Francisco...Hunter's point right now...but I'm trying to move to Daly City or maybe even Berkeley when I get my money straight." he said.

"I'm from Oakland...Small world aint it..?" she said.

"Yeah, aint it?" He laughed.

"What brings you home, family?" she asked.

"No....I left here cause I was running from a real bad scene...I had some un-finished business
to attend to...Now that that has been taken care of...I'm going back to Cali in a few days." he said.

"Funny, I came here because of a bad scene in Cali....and my bad scene followed me here." she laughed ruefully.

"I'm guessin that was a husband right?" he said.

'Yeah, was a husband...He came here and got the shock of his life and now he's in prison for the rest of his worthless life and I am happily divorced." she said.

"So if your business is cleared up..why do you stay here...why don't you go back?" he said.

"I keep asking myself that everyday...I miss the Bay area." she said.

"You got somebody here who is keeping you here don't you?" he said.

"Kind of sort of...but it's not that serious...it could end any day now." she said..staring at his pretty hazel eyes..

"Okay Ms. Cherry..Why don't you and I go somewhere , get some drinks, maybe some dinner
and uhhhh, well, let's see how the night develops?" said Bobby.

"I think that's a great idea." she said as they got up from the table and left the area.

They went to a nice restaraunt in Old City and had dinner and lots of wine. They talked about California and people that they both knew and places they had both been..He told her of his time
in the Marine Corps and Iraq and of his paintings and his attempts to get his paintings sold and
they laughed a lot...He didn't mention the childhood tragedy or the killing of Malik Lockjohn that brought him back to Philly.

They finnally went to his hotel room.... He offered her a glass of wine..but she demurred...

'What ? Are youn trying to get me drunk ,so you can get some ?" she said with a bit of a smile.

Bobby looked at her and then shook his head....

"No, I didn't think I'd have to resort to that." he said.

"You don't." she said as she leaned in and gave him a long and sensuous kiss... They stood up and
he leaned into her and began to kiss her just as passionately as she had kissed him. Bobby took
his free hand and cut off the light in the middle of the ceiling...This just left the small lamp on by the side of the bed...

He lifted Cherry up and took her to his bed and laid her down gently...She watched as he slowly
took his clothes off and began to ease on to the bed...next to her...He began sucking her earlobe
gently and began to open her blouse...

"Wait a minute" she said and she got up off the bed...She unbottoned her blouse and casually folded it, as he had his clothes and then she unclasped her bra....She giggled at the expression on his face ,upon seeing her breasts...She was used to it...She removed her skirt and slowly,teasing ly eased out her panties and then returned to the bed....She climbed on top of him and began kissing him again...taking her hands and rubbing his penis up and down as he moaned pleasurably...He grabbed her buttocks tightly and eased her over to him...

"Come over here..." he commanded. She wasted no time easing herself on top of him and working her body up and down in a rhythmic motion... They both were enjoying themselves and neither of them wanted this to end...It wasn't wild sex, just nice easy and cool kind of sex....
She hadn't felt this good or this kind of release in months.....Not that Reed wasn't a good lover, he was...but he hadn't been around in awhile...She felt absolutely no guilt about what she was doing with Bobby...

Cherry turned around and placed her ankles on Bobby's shoulders and her entered her from the
back...He plowed into her much harder now and this began to get wilder and faster...

'Ohhhhhhh Bobby, don't...don't stop...please don't stop....ouuuuuuuuuu..." she screamed as he continued on like this for awhile...He finnally made his way on top of her and made love to her slow and easy until he could feel her reaching her climax....several times... He on the other hand seemed as if he couldn't reach his...She couldn't believe how hard and long he could go until he finnally exploded and collapsed on her in a heap of sweat....

"Wow...that was....that was something else.." he said exhausted....She felt the same way. To her surprise..he didn't go to sleep, the way most men did after a session like that...He held her in his
arms and stroked her hair gently...until she fell asleep.

**************************

Cherry woke up the next morning to find Bobby up and dressed and staring at her.....

"I didn't want to wake you...you were so beautiful lying there." he said.

"Oh Bobby, you are sooo sweet." she said.

They exchanged numbers in their respective Blackberry's and they went to an outdoor cafe and had a delicious breakfast that consisted of Omelets and Bacon and Mimosas...They said nothing.
Cherry didn't know how long she'd stay in Philadelphia and she hated that Bobby was leaving, but one thing she knew that morning...Her relationship with Reed Nelson was definitely over...
He just didn't know it yet...and this man, this man here..she was going to see again...even if it meant going back to Cali or paying for him to come to Philly!

(For Caroline and Diane)

Three Little Boys in a Playground

I sat in a mid town coffee shop with Fathead's main man, Ralph Mole a few days after Malik Lockjohn got picked up by the FBI and we enjoyed two hot steaming tumblers of coffee and some Apple danish.. Ralph Mole, a short chubby brown skinned man who still wore his hair in a gherri curl from the 80's and was always wearing sunglasses looked at me and smiled as if in seeming amazement and said-

"Kevin,I gotta tell ya...The streets is talking bruh..Every major player in town wants to shake your hand for standing up to that freak,Lockjohn and getting him put behind bars. Chris Thompson said the other day that you got a pair on you larger than anyone else he knows. Fathead is tickled pink.. Man, we are all breathing easy." He said as he slurped his coffee.

"I wouldn't get too relaxed Ralph...He's gotten himself a fancy lawyer and they're saying that there isn't much evidence he committed the two murders he was charged with...and little to none that he had any weapons, since he was the only one that got shot. All that's going to hold up is the attempted kidnap charge and breaking and entering of my house, which I do intend to press." I said.

"Well at any rate..He'll serve the the last six of his original ten year sentence..and maybe you can tack some more years on that , so that the next time he gets out of jail...he'll be too old and feeble to raise any hell." laughed Ralph.

"We can only hope " I laughed.

"Guess you didn't hear ,did ya?" came the voice from behind me. It was a tall, slender Black man, the color of a brown paper bag, whose clothes seemed to just droop off of him.

"That cat made bail today.....the guy you were talking about..Lockjohn...It was on the news."
he said.

A look of horror came across Ralph Mole's face...I looked at the gentleman talking and said nothing.

"Excuse my manners...My name is Bobby...Bobby Sanders....I was looking for you. A couple of people told me that you might be here..I wanted to shake your hand Kevin..I heard you stood tall against that freak Lockjohn and you almost killed him...I sure wish you had of..He's a mad dog and he needs to be put to sleep." said Bobby. he turned to me and said-'Hey mind if I smoke?"

I looked him over then quietly said -"Nah , go ahead.." He pulled out a pack of Newports and lit one up..he took a long drag and then began to talk.

"I know that freak...Well, let's just say..I knew him....I haven't seen him in years...See, me and my friend Calvin , we called Calvin "Booby" was in the second grade with him at William Dick Elementary school in North Philly, 1973...He was a bully even then, nobody liked him, everyone was always afraid of him and if you didn't give him what he wanted..you could have a "mysterious' accident..get hurt...He was a slick bastard even then.. One morning he stopped us as we were about to buy our lunch and demanded our lunch money..I gave him mine, but Calvin wouldn't...and Calvin fought him back,
beat his little ass good too....Hours later...They found Calvin in the playground dead...He had been beaten to death with a Baseball bat. There was a witness...Little Nicky Hilton...who told the cops he had seen Malik Lockjohn commit the crime. Only thing was...Little Nicky Hilton went missing twenty four hours later... No witness, no evidence...Lockjohn goes free .It would be a year before they would find what was left of Nicky Hilton... They found his body in a drainage ditch, rotting away...He had been bludgeoned to death. We all knew that Lockjohn did it. Nobody said anything and worse..Nobody did anything. They did expell him and force him to go to another school.

This was probably his first murders..Nobody ever came forward.. Lockjohn was never charged....I was too afraid. I had moved away from Philly for years...but I never forgot...It always haunted me...I came here last week to attend Calvin's mother's funeral....and I heard that Lockjohn was out of jail and that you had had two run ins with him and almost killed him...I jumped for joy...I been wantin to meet you and shake your hand man." he said.

This was the murder that Sissy Van Buren had told me about, two unsolved murders linked to him as early as when he was in Second Grade. Nobody knew who his real parents were. Lockjohn had been in one Foster home after another and had been kicked out of every school he had been in until he got to high school. He did finish up at Simon Gratz High school.

The psychologist in The Marine Corps labeled him a "Dangerous Sociopath" and reccomended an immediate dismisall from the Marines . That says a lot right there .

Now he was back on the streets..Out on bail..I wondered who was bankrolling him..Somebody too afraid of him to say no,no doubt. My phone went off. I answered it.

"Hello"

"Kev...This is Sissy Van Buren"

"I heard that he's out.." I said.

"He's not only out...He's kidnapped your friend.." she said.

"What? Who?"

"Gus...the bartender at Josie's...A person resembling Lockjohn grabbed him and put him in a car at gunpoint this morning, according to witnesses...I told you to leave this guy alone,I told you that you were in over your head...Now don't do nothing..We are on this...Go home ,sit tight and wait for us to call you." she said.

I dropped my blackberry on the ground.

'What happened bruh?" asked Bobby.

"He's kidnapped my friend" I said.

"Oh crap....this guy just won't stop." said Ralph Mole...

"That's how he do.....if he can't get you, he'll get someone, anyone close to you...damn man.." said Bobby Sanders who banged his fist in his hand.

My Blackberry went off again... I knew who it was....

"Hello Mr. Kevin...I aint forgot about'cha....I got your buddy here with me...Gus? I beleive you know him....I aint killed him yet....I got a sweet deal for ya...Come to the Aloquin Hotel....Yeahhh, that empty spot you thought we was gonna make a truce at...Come alone.. If I sense any cops or any of your fellas..I'll kill him....This is between me and you..No friends,no cops..ya feel me boy? You got one hour." said Malik Lockjohn.

"That means you won't have anybody else there either?"I said feebly.

Click!


"What's up bruh?" said Bobby Sanders..

"I gotta meet this freak alone at the Aloquin..or he'll kill Gus." I said, not feeling all that great and not having a plan...I hadn't planned on him making bail.

"You need some back up? I'm down" said Bobby Sanders.

"No..I gotta go alone." I said.

"Don't be Crazy...Let me call Fathead, Chess, Chris and Smooth..they'll ride with you." said Ralph Mole.

"Uh...Uh....This is on me...all my responsibility...I'm on this." I said.

"Sure ,you don't need any help...I know that freak...He aint to be trusted..." said Bobby Sanders.

"Thanks man..I got this." I said and I left the diner and got in my car. It would take me about 45 minutes in mid day traffic to get to the old empty Aloquin Hotel...I had two guns...A .45 and a snubnose revolver hidden in the small of my back under my shirt. No vest, no trauma plate. I was as vulnerable as could be.

I didn't see any signs of anyone else in the old place. It had been closed a year and a construction crew had gutted it out completely...you could hear echos and hear wind blowing all through it. It was spooky at night and still spooky during the day. I climbed the steps with my gun cocked and ready to go off...When I got to the third floor..I saw Gus , tied and bound in a chair. His eyes grew as large as saucers when he saw me and he jerked his head from side to side as if to tell me to turn around or back up...I had seen enough movies to know exactly what he meant..I hit the floor and rolled and took cover behind a concrete beam...the first three shots bounced on the floor and hit the wall....Never one to be out done..I aimed carefully and fired...just missing the elusive man with the cat like reflexes...

"One of us is going to die Lockjohn...no way both of us is walking out of here" I said, as he fired a shot that just missed my head.

"I can't believe you have the nerve to threaten me...do you know who I am? didn't they tell you who the hell I am?" he screamed....

"The question is...Do I care?" I said.

"I'm gonna close that smart mouth of yours." he said , almost screaming with rage.

"You might want to close yours...did you brush your teeth today? your breath smells like you'd rather be alone." I quipped and fired another round at him that just missed him.

" You have no respect for who I am....That's why I can't let you live." He barked.

"Who are you? A psychopathic loser who has wasted his life building a reputation that frankly ,I think is way, way overblown...They told me you was a badd man, and I gotta tell ya Lockjohn...I just don't see it..I mean really...." I said.

"Don't disrespect me BOY....DON'T DISRESPECT ME...I AM NOT A LOSER, I am LOCKJOHN!!!...." he screamed to the top of his lungs..


While he was talking, I saw a light fixture hanging over his head...I aimed at the light and fired..
Glass went flying all around him and in his confusion he spun around...I fired again and hit him in his shoulder..Then I fired one more time and hit him in his side..He fell up against a table as blood poured out of him like a stream....

"I- I -I don't believe this.... I don't beieve this....I've been..."

"Oh please..will you knock it off...yeah, you've been shot...end of the line for you...no more killing." I said.

He was still recovering from the last time I shot him....He was now too weak and had lost way too much blood to be a threat now and he knew it...He was coughing blood and breathing heavy and holding on to that table to steady himself...

"Looks like you win punk...what are you gonna do..hold me for the cops?...I know your punk ass called them...I hope they hurry up...argggggggggggh, I need medical attention...I'm hurt bad....ohhhhhhhhhhhh." He said as he spit and coughed blood and tried to steady himself on the table.

Then I heard the loudest noise behind me ,I'd ever heard in my life...It sounded like an explosion! Lockjohn's eyes opened up wide..His mouth opened up and blood just poured out of his mouth and he fell to the ground... I kicked the gun out of his hand.....but it didn't matter..he would not be using it anymore...He was dead!

I untied Gus immediately.....

"Wow Kevin...you sho is a good shot... and a smart one too...I knew you would bring some back up with you." he said.

"Back up? I didn't bring any back up..I came alone." I said.

'Alone...well how did you get past the guy he had downstairs?" said Gus.

"What guy?" I asked.

'Sonny Templeton" he said.

"Sonny Templeton? That old bust out? He was workin with him?" I asked..

"Yeah..It was him that kidnapped me..He was supposed to get the drop on you and bring you to Lockjohn." said Gus.

"Gus...There was nobody here when I got here." I said.

"Well ,somebody was here besides you...Looks like they blew the back of Lockjohn's head clean off." said Gus.

We walked downstairs and we saw a pool of blood running from inside to the back of the hotel. We followed the blood and there lying in the weeds was the body of one should have been retired gangster...Sonny Templeton...Somebody had blown the back of his head out also...but who?

"Let the cops sort this out..Gus...Let's get the hell out of here." I said as we got in my car and drove off, leaving the two dead bodies of Malik Lockjohn and Sonny
Templeton inside the building.

It would be at least a week before the bodies would be found decomposing in that building..The Police were so glad that they both were dead that I doubt if they even bothered to investigate the circumstances.

A few weeks later I was in front of my house washing my car, when a familiar figure walked up to me...It was Bobby Sanders, the slender brother I had met in the diner the day Lockjohn got killed.

"Hey man...I heard you got that freak...put him in a pine box." he said.

"I'd like to take credit...but it wasn't me...somebody else was in that house...Somebody took out the player that was working with him and somebody finished him off...YOU wouldn't happen to know anything about that would YOU?" I asked ,looking him dead in the eye.

"Who me? Nah...I'm not into all that gangster stuff. Since I got out of the Marine Corps ,I've been living a quiet life in California...Painting and trying to get my pictures sold." he laughed.

"You were a Marine?" I asked.

"Yup, Special Ops...did a tour in both Gulf Wars...Honorably discharged last spring.Semper Fi baby "he said with a laugh.

"And suddenly you're back in Philly?" I said giving him the side eye...

" I told you, my boy's mother's funeral....I always felt bad that I didn't step up and tell the cops what I knew back then...It wouldn't have saved my friends...but maybe they would have stopped Lockjohn...maybe I would have saved more lives."

"I think you did your part." I said.

"Nah, you're the hero man...I was just the guy who was behind you ,giving you moral support and the time you needed." he said with a wink. He lit a Newport and blew out the smoke..Then
he shook my hand.

"Goodbye Kevin....have a good life brother" he said and then he walked down the street and into the sunlight's glare.


(For Soloman)

Can't get Next 2 U

I lie in the bed with my wife Sepia after a night of serious lovemaking...The first night like this we've had in weeks. We were in a hotel in Atlantic City, far enough from Philly to be out of Malik Lockjohn's reach for the time being. He had tried and failed again to kill me just three nights before and had escaped with his life.

Smooth and Clerow didn't have to do much to get the information we needed from the guy who was driving for him. We got an address where Lockjohn had been staying...which of course was empty by the time we got there and we got a
restauraunt where he was taking his meals, which of course he didn't frequent after the shootout. He had gone to ground..but I knew him..He wasn't one to give up and if he didn't kill me...His reputation would be blemished and he couldn't afford that.

Sepia and I got up , washed and dressed and checked out and had a nice breakfast on the boardwalk before we left and decided to head back to Philly.
Once back in Philly, the talk began.. Lockjohn was wearing a cast and a huge bandage, but he was still able to shoot with his good arm and he was questioning people about my whereabouts.

Finally, I got a call from Fathead Newton of all people.

"Kevin...yo man, dis is Fathead...hang up and call me on a pay phone..it's important." he whispered.

I don't know where he thought I'd find a payphone , but apparently, I did. I called him back.

"What's up Big man?" I said.

"That fool Lockjohn paid me a visit yesterday..He put a gun to my head ,just as I was coming out of the Strip club..He told me that he wants to meet with you...to uh parlay..you know...He'd like to call a truce between you and him." said Fathead.

"A truce? come on Fathead...you and I know that he aint the one to have truces..this is a set-up..." I said.

"Of course it is...I told him that you would never go for it...He told me to make it happen or he'd kill me in your place..I got people lookin for him now to make sure that don't happen, you know what I'm sayin Kev?" he said, not sounding too sure of himself.

'Don't worry Fathead..I'll meet with him." I said.

"You'll what? Kev don't be crazy man." said Fathead.

"Nah, I don't want you on the hook. Tell him that I'll meet with him at the Aloquin Hotel.."I said.

"That joint? Oh...I got'cha" laughed Fathead.

"Set it up" I said.

"Kevin, did I hear you say you were gonna meet with that monster?" said Sepia.

"Yeah, but on my terms..not his." I said.

Sepia looked at me and started smiling..."You got a plan don't you?"

"Of course I do...when have you known me not to?" I laughed.

"I hope it works..I'm not trying to be a widow." she said.

"Hopefully you won't be." I said.

That night, I came to the Aloquin Hotel (Which had been closed for about a year) with Smooth, Eddie, Albert and Big Nasty..All of us were wearing bullet proof vests complete with a re-inforced steal "trauma plate" underneath. All of us were armed to the teeth. Such was the respect we had for Malik Lockjohn.

When we got there..a short gentleman with a round face and a pot belly met us.
He was wearing dark sunglasses and he had two beefy gentlemen with him.
He had a bag full of bottles of Fiji water with him.

"Hi..I'm Ralph Mole....Fathead sent me here to kind of facilitate this meeting...
Anybody want any water? Frankly,I gotta tell ya..I'm kind of freakin nervous..
I don't want nothin to do with this guy.. man, you must be crazy.."he said.

"Don't worry..He's not coming here." I said

Everybody turned and looked at me...

"WHAT?" they said.

"He's no fool...he never intended to come here... He's going back to my house to kidnap my wife and hold her hostage." I said.

"Well man...we'd better get back there and get him" said Smooth.

"Nah..if I know right..he's been "got" by now" I said.

We waited for at least an hour and sure enough ,he did not show. Finnally ,I looked at the group of men and said-

"Let's go home fellas..he aint coming...When you get home..turn on the news."
I said...as we all got in our cars and pulled off.

I called Sepia....

"Hey Kevin..." she said.

"Well did he show up?" I asked..

"Just like clockwork...and Agent Cotton and about ten FBI agents were waiting and picked him up...He's in custody...How'd you know?" she said.

"I'm in his head...I'm thinking just like him...I knew that a man like him doesn't make truces...I've studied him, how he operates , how he was able to be so successful..He was always one step ahead of his victims or adversaries...and I was always one step ahead of him." I laughed.

"Wow Kevin ...Does that mean he's out of our lives?" she asked.

"It depends on how long his sentence is." I laughed.

But Malik Lockjohn wasn't out of my life just yet...he had one more trick up his sleeve as I would find out.

(Conclusion Next)

Deafening Silence

Needless to say , we didn't find Lockjohn that night...we entered every hospital in that area, in which he might've gone...Every emergency room and not a trace of Malik Lockjohn was found. I was right about him escaping in a car...The police found a car with the backseat full of blood..and the driver, a West Philly player named Rudy Lubbers, with the back of his head blown out..in an alley in
Southwest Philly. Apparently this was payback from Lockjohn for helping him escape from certain death...What a real nice guy to work for. The dead man on my block was identified as Eric Wayne Alexander...a low level Southwest Philly player, who was known to be handy with a gun.

The police were now dilligently searching for Lockjohn for weapons violations and as a suspect in two murders...He could face going back to prison to finish out the last remaining years of his original sentence. I'm sure Agent Cotton and
Sissy Van Buren wanted to talk to me too, but I didn't have time.. This guy could pop up and kill everybody I knew just to draw me out..I had heard he was that crazy and ruthless..

We searched high and low for him until daybreak, but no sign of him..He was
as good as gone. The streets were abuzz the next day...People were talking about how Lockjohn had finnally bitten off more than he could chew and how somebody had shot him...People were saying that he was dead in the days that would come with no sightings of him..I knew better though.

Chess ,Chris and Fathead offered thier help and Smooth trippled the muscle at the card game and near the homes of my friends like Mable, Clerow, Sean,Cock Robbins et al, Not to mention that cops and FBI agents were swarming the area looking for him.

I got my wife Sepia and we left town for about two weeks. Chess and Chris kept me abreast of everything. We returned and I even started going to work again..
yet always on the lookout for him. In the back of my mind...I realized that he had gotten through all of my elaborate defenses and had dis-armed three of my four helpers...He could have very well of killed all of us...The only thing that had saved me was I had a wild card..A wild card he hadn't counted on...Smooth, sitting in the back of my car that gave me the advantage.

He was good...I was lucky to have wounded him...Next time, I might not be as lucky. Agent Cotton had so much as told me so.. So I started planning how to get the drop on him. Gus told me that he moved from place to place and that he never holed up in one place for long. Fathead said that he tossed a lot of money around and usually got low level guys with no connections to the major players to help him. He gathered information by use of intimidation. He was a frightening man..His power was his murderous reputation and fear..Well ,he was facing a man who didn't fear him and wasn't impressed by his rep. Me!
I didn't know why I didn't fear him..I had every reason to be afraid..He was the smartest guy I had ever met and the slipperiest too...Yet I sensed that my defiance of him , kind of made him fear me too! I liked that!

Big Nasty and I rousted a player named Cooley Dan who told us he'd seen Lockjohn a few nights before and had gotten him a Doctor that would tend to his wound.
Albert,Eddie,Smooth and I found the Doctor the next day who by some miracle was still alive ....and he told us that the wound was major...but that he couldn't talk Lockjohn into going to the hospital..He removed the bullet and fragments, and tried to bandage it up but that he feared infection if Lockjohn didn't get some serious medical attention. Lockjohn was afraid to go to a hospital. I'll bet he was.

Six weeks went by and there was no other sighting of Malik Lockjohn. Some folks felt safe....but people who knew like Chess, Chris, Fathead, Agent Cotton and Sissy Van Buren knew better. I knew better myself.

Usually People were running from Lockjohn..Not trying to find him.. I drove by Sepia's job to pick her up one afternoon and she had a letter with her...she looked mortified.

'What's wrong Sepia?" I asked.

'Kevin..He was here..He was at my job" she said.

"Who?"I asked.

"Lockjohn!" she said.

"You saw him??" I asked.

"No..but this letter was on my desk , when I came to work and it was addressed
to you." she said. "I read it....I hope you didn't mind" she added

I opened it up and read it, I smiled....No..In this case I didn't mind...I thought.

"You won the first round...but the second round will be mine...Nice woman you got there...Would be a shame if something happened to her...be seein you around , dead man..Tell Marvin Gaye, Biggie, Tupac and Micheal Jackson that I was always a big fan when you see em"

I smiled..He had a sense of humor..and I had a surprise for him that he wouldn't find so humorous...I drove Sepia to Sean Jackson's house...where she would be safe..at least for now. I got on my Black berry and made a few calls...Then I headed to where I knew Lockjohn would be.. I was in his head and I was thinking the way he would...Where is the last place I would expect him?? That's
exactly where he would be. This was the reason why so many others had failed to elude him and had lost their lives..They just couldn't think like him or out think him. Our little game of Cat and Mouse was about to come to a conclusion..or so I thought.

I parked my car three blocks away. Then I crept down the street...I met Smooth
at the corner and passed him a key. I motioned for him to be quiet and then I walked quietly towards my house. As I suspected ...the door was open...but I didn't attempt to walk in...I spun around and pulled my revolver and ducked as
the first three shots shattered my front window...I rolled and fired at the slinking figure that moved so catlike..He began to run....I saw another man and heard the click of a pistol...Didn't matter...I heard three more shots and heard the man fall to the ground...Smooth had entered the back with my key and taken him out...

Now I ran down the street after Lockjohn..He turned and before he could get off
a shot....I fired my gun...the bullet whizzed right through his shirt...I saw a look of utter terror on his face...He did something he had never done before...He dropped his weapon and ran.... He couldn't believe that I had out thought him.
I felt an adrenalin rush like I had never felt before as I chased him and fired over his head..

I didn't fire again, but I continued running after him...Sure enough..there was a car waiting for him...but there would be no quick escape tonight...I had that covered too...Clerow had a gun on the man and had him facedown on the street.
That was the second call I made. Lockjohn looked back..He was utterly stunned!
He went in his pocket and pulled out another gun..a smaller one and fired..I ducked behind a wall and fired back at him... Smooth ducked behind a car and fired on him too. He was now confused..He turned both ways and took off running again..Shooting over his shoulder as he ran..Smooth and I both fired at him as he continued to run for all he was worth.
Lockjohn turned and ran down an ajoining block...and into the night...I wasn't sure if I had hit him..but I could see that he had a slight limp and that he was a
bit slower than he had been the last time we tangled..... He had escaped me again..I had nearly killed him again..He had failed again..This was a first for him.

Smooth and Clerow ran up to me....

"You get him boss?" asked Clerow...

"No...he got away...that guy is fast and good. He got to my wife's job and he got
in my house..." I said.

"Don't worry about the cat in your house...I got people coming by...we'll get rid of the body." said Smooth.

"Where's your guy Clerow?" I said.

"He's tied up over there." laughed Clerow.

"Let's talk to him.." laughed Smooth

Indeed...right now he needed to be more afraid of us than he did Lockjohn.

"I'll tell you anything you wanna know man...just don't hurt me." He said.

Clerow ,Smooth and I looked at each other.....That went easy enough... They stayed with him while I went to search the adjoining blocks for Lockjohn. There was no sign of him. Damn, he was smooth...I worried for the first time...You know what they say...The third time is the charm.
But for whom? That's what worried me.

(To Be Continued.....)

Ghost

"And you know this Kevin? " asked Homicide Lieutenant, Sissy Van Buren.

"I didn't see it..I didn't hear it..but the guy who drove her there, told me he was trying to hide her because she saw Malik Lockjohn kill Loverboy Jones." I said.

"And the guy who you say drove her there is nowhere to be found?" said Sissy.

"Yeah, that could be a problem." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

"It's no problem...we have his car and we know who he is...We have people on the street looking for him already." she said.

"Lieutenant..Jordy is not the killer..." I said.

"Right now he's a material witness to this murder....and he's all we got to coroborate your story and if he's smart , he'll turn himself in. If Malik Lockjohn is involved in this as you say..your friend is probably already dead." she said sternly.

"So you know him too huh?" I asked.

"I know that where ever he is...somebody dies and there usually is no evidence to concretely prove that he is the culprit. He's good...he's like a ghost...He slips in and does the deed and just like that..he's gone. He's got a file that dates back to 1973...when he was in the second grade.
A kid was found beat to death in the school yard...He was there...but only one kid was willing to testify against him...that kid went missing. We found his body about a year later in a drainage ditch... A low level drug dealor here and there wound up dead..rumors persisted..but we were never able to pin anything on him...He had no juvenile record...No arrests whatsoever, just suspicion of... When he went in the Marine Core, We were all glad...We prayed that maybe he'd get killed in Iraq or something..Didn't happen...He came back, hired himself out to the highest bidder and the bodies started dropping." she said.

"Wow, sounds like a real sweetheart huh?" I laughed.

"NO, HE'S NOT!...He's not like these other folks you've fooled with....He's the real thing...I suggest you forget you ever heard his name Kevin and go on with your life....You don't want to tangle with Lockjohn..believe me...Forget about him." said Sissy.

'Sissy...He just got out of prison...somebody made a case against him..what happened with that?"
I asked.

"Your FBI friend...Agent Frank Cotton got him on Manslaughter and interstate flight to avoid prosecution charges...There were two witnesses in that case... Lockjohn got to one before she could testify and the other one was in witness protection." she said, lowering her head.

'What do you mean was in witness protection?" I asked.

"She was so afraid of Lockjohn...she committed suicide, even after he was safely behind bars.That's how afraid she was of him getting out and finding her." she said.

"Okay...I think I've heard enough." I said.

'Kevin..we'll try to find your friend....but please...don't push this...let this one ride...This aint for you...believe me....please forget you even heard his name." she said, looking very worried.

As for me...I felt strangely alive...more alive than I've ever felt in my life....I felt an invigorating high like I'd never felt before..a rush of adrenalin.. I wanted to match wits with this bad man..I wasn't the least bit afraid.

I was no fool either...I packed a few things later that day and moved Sepia in with Sean Jackson
and Sheila. I then gathered up my troops..Big Nasty, who was the first person I met who had heard of Lockjohn and who wasn't afraid to join me...Gus's two mercanaries, Albert King and Eddie Martin and Chris and Chess's boy Donald "Smooth". We bought a huge amount of food ,because we knew we were going to be hunkered down in that house and we kept the house
loaded to the gip with guns and rifles.

Fathead Newton wished us good luck and supplied us with bullet proof vests and a few extra guns and then My man Sean Jackson ,with the help of my new friends...Lockpick Johnson and
Peeping Tom wired the front and back of my neighborhood for audio and sound and set up a command center inside my basement. This ghost wasn't going to sneak up on us.

With that set into motion...I baited my trap...From my home computer..I wrote an expose about
Malik Lockjohn....His life, his suspected killings, his prison stay and his psychological make up.
I even hinted that he may be responsible for the most recent murder of Freda Barnett and that
it had to do with a recent drug spat between two now deceased gangsters, one of whom he was employed by...I wrote the story and used old Police mug shots and sent it to my magazine..which ran a cover story....THE MONSTER AMONG US! on it's next edition.

The Local newspapers got ahold of this and within a week...Malik Lockjohn's picture was everywhere and everyone was talking about him... This also meant that the police were now embarrassed into looking for him... I knew that where-ever he was ..He was fuming...and he now
had a bullseye with my name on it..If I had done a work up on him..He was doing one on me.
He was smart..He knew not to come around here.

Eddie and Albert were armed to the teeth and traveled in a jeep, circling the block...Big Nasty patrolled the block on foot..Her revolver ready and Smooth and I patrolled in my car (Smooth stayed crouched in the back)... Days turned into weeks , but Lockjohn never showed up... Then one night I got a call from Jordy just before midnight...Hadn't seen or heard from him in weeks..I was actually glad to know that he was still amongst the living.

"Kev man...you done stirred up a hornets nest man...That freak Lockjohn has been going off, grabbin people, threatening them..and asking them about you man... he got the whole city in an uproar man." he said.

"Good..Tell him where I am...I'm dyin to meet him." I said.

"Kev, are you crazy? After reading that article you wrote, he probably knows where you are..he could be watching you right now." said Jordy.

"Yeah,well, I'm ready for him...and if he's stupid enough to come around here tonight..He's going to get the shock of his warped life." I laughed.

"Man, you crazy.....you just don't understand what you got yourself into...but..I wish you luck brother..but I think this may be the last time I'll be talking to you." said Jordy, who by his voice,I could tell was not kidding.

"Where are you holed up at man?" I asked ..Knowing he wasn't going to tell me.

"Somewhere where it's safe...somewhere you should be....Good luck Kevin....and man if I don't hear from you...it was great knowin you bruh....we had quite a ride man..Peace out Kev." said Jordy. He was so serious and I thought he was so funny.

I looked up and to my surprise...a guy with a ponytail had a gun drawn at the the jeep that Eddie
and Albert were in...He made them throw their guns into the street...Big Nasty was about to draw on them , but another man put a pistol to the back of her head....He was tall, thin and had
no facial hair...He facial features looked almost, pretty like a girls....He was Malik Lockjohn.... I knew him from the police mug shots...At long last we meet...He didn't look so frightening to me..He was thin, slight build...maybe about five foot, nine inches... I imagine it was that big gun he had that made him so frightening.

"Come on out of that car.....you the one I want nigga..you one dead man...you have no idea what you about to get yourself into..." he said.

'So I'm just supposed to come out and let you kill me right?" I said.

"You got no choice...you either come out now or your friends all die." he snapped.

"You're going to kill us all anyway." I said.

"True.but sense you started this... be a man and die first." He laughed.

He didn't know that Smooth was in the back seat crunched down....I whispered to Smooth....

'When I give the word.. take out the guy in the Ponytail...Lockjohn is mine." I said...

"Gotcha boss." said Smooth...

I slowly exited my car...I didn't even have to tell Smooth what to do...He put a nice round right into the forehead of the man that had the gun on Eddie and Albert and before Lockjohn could make a move ,I fired a round over his head that nearly made a crease in his well cut hair..which gave Big Nasty time to take cover....

"You're slippin man...you would've never under-estimated an opponent before." I said as I dropped, rolled and came up shooting my forty five at him.... He seemed a bit surprised and a little perturbed.. I fired again...this time shooting out the wind sheild of the car he was taking cover near...He ran a little more...shooting as he ran...I returned his fire, forcing him to run further... He had lost his swagger now and he actually looked like a man panicking...It was then that he must have realized that he had walked into a trap!!

"You're a dead man Kevin...That's right..I know your name..I know where you live,I know everything about you.." he said. It was almost as if he was trying to convince himself that he was still in control.

"So what it mean? What good is that going to do you when you dead ?" I said as I ran,dropped, and rolled and came up shooting again... by now, Eddie ,Albert,Smooth and Big Nasty were all aiming their fire towards him...He really was good..he moved like a cat, reloaded and held his own against us for a minute...People on the street ran and ducked for cover...I knew that the cops would be showing up soon... I got close and fired at him, just missing him...He ran behind a
parked car...I fired again..blowing the windsheild out and sending him running again. He wasn't used to this and now with his partner down..He had no choice but to run.

For the first time , he hesitated...he looked afraid....Nobody had ever threatened him before...
He hesitated....In that short minute..I fired again...hitting him right under his left arm pit...He spun around like a top...

"Arrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhgggggghhhh, I don't believe it...I've been shot!" he said, as he now was in full
retreat...coughing...spitting blood and no longer trying to shoot...

What is it with all of these guys? They can't believe it when they get shot? We all were armed and ready by now...but just like that....he was gone...not a trace of him..but a trail of blood that
lead to a driveway and then stopped.

His accomplice lay very still in the street...He wasn't about to get up..Smooth had killed him with
that one well placed shot... Lockjohn had come and had failed...but now he had vanished...like a ghost in the night....What kind of man was he? I suspected he had someone in a car waiting for him....He had lost a whole lot of blood...he was weak..He would need a doctor...We jumped in our cars...He was bound to be in a hospital or looking for a Doctor....It was on...I wasn't going to allow him a bit of comfort...Not tonight!

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

The Gentleman's Name is Lockjohn

On this particularly sunny day...I washed my car and flipped in a Buddy Miles CD...I hopped in my ride and drove to West Philly...Sepia and Sean's girlfriend, Sheila had gone to the King of Prussia mall and so not wanting to eat alone,I decided to see what my friends out west, Chess, Chris Thompson and possibly Fathead were doing. It was a sunny day, warm winds were blowing and it was a great day to head to the beach...I had no idea of the storm that was coming my way.

Once in the diner, I saw Chris, Chess and Fathead sitting in their usual spot...I saw them and waived...They waived back. Chess motioned to me to come over and sit with them.

"Hey Kevin, come on over..sit down...your money is no good here...order what you want." said Chess.

"Thanks man" I said. 'What up Chris..What up Fathead?" I said.

"Hey Kev..." said Chris.

"Hey man...heard you put tht serial killer ,Culpepper behind bars...you becoming quite the sleuth..I could use a man with your talent to gather some information for me." laughed Fathead.

"Stear clear of him Kev" laughed Chris.

I ordered a Hamburger, Fries and a Coke...The same thing all of them was eating...and was enjoying my burger when a guy I hadn't seen in awhile walked in...Jordy...

"Kevin....I'm so glad you're here..I need your help...but I was kind of looking for all of you man..
I got a big problem.." said Jordy..I had never seen him this animated or this afraid.

'Whoa hoss..slow your roll....what are you talking about?" said Chris.

"Man, I got this chick I used to see right..and she say she seen Lockjohn kill Loverman Jones and
she needs protection...hiding...Yall is the only ones who can help her." he said.

Lockjohn!!! The mention of his name brought a hush to the table. I knew that Chris Thompson had been a big time drug kingpin at one time....even though he kept it quiet..but he had always been cool and collect...never afraid.....but now for the first time I saw fear in his eyes...I saw a look of fear in Chess's eyes and a look of pure panic on Fathead Newton's face.

"Lockjohn?? Aint that fool in jail?" said Chess.

"Nah, he out....I knew it was gonna come to this" said Fathead.

"You know somethin about Lockjohn Fathead???...Don't just sit there...spill it." snapped Chris Thompson.

"Papa Doc and Loverman Jones was beefin over territory right...I tried to be like a mediator..but you know how Papa is..he old, he won't listen to nobody..He start talkin to some slick lawyer..and throwin around money and he got Lockjohn out of jail and told him to whack Loverman Jones and everybody in the top spots of his organization and then his people would work with whoever was left. I begged him to keep Lockjohn out of it..but he wouldn't listen...I tried to talk some sense in Loverman Jones's head but he just as stubborn..His crew took out Papa Doc and all of his guys..but not before Lockjohn collected his money and took the Loverman and six of his top
guys out." said Fathead.

"Okay, so the job is done..he's paid and he's out...what's the problem?" I asked.

"Problem is Kev...this babe seen him do Loverman...She was kind of like Loverman's girlfriend.. and she think he after her...I got her outside in the car." said Jordy.

"YOU WHAT??" said Chess, Chris and Fathead in unison.

"Man, get that broad away from here....take her to the bus station, train station ,airport..I don't care...you get her away from here and don't even mention that you even talked to either of us ." said Fathead as he and Chris Thompson both got up paid their bills and left the diner.

I stared at Chess and I asked him-

"Who is this Lockjohn, that's got everybody so scared?"

Jordy looked at Chess ,Chess looked at me, shook his head..

"Tell him Chess...You know who he is?" he said.

"His name is Malik Lockjohn....He's as bad as they come Kevin...He's killed more people than they know about...He's a contract killer..but he aint like most...He kills because he likes it..he enjoys it...He's been killing since he was in elementary school they say...He was in the Marine core for awhile but got kicked out of there.. He came back to Philly and offered his services and the body's started dropping..He's very cold ,very efficient and except for a manslaughter beef.. He never got caught....Kevin , I can't tell you what to do...but if I was you..I'd let Jordy handle this himself...You don't want to get involved with Lockjohn...I'm just saying." said Chess as he paid his bill and left.

Malik Lockjohn.....I was curious and I always liked a challenge. Chris Thompson, Fathead Newton and even Chess for that matter were tough guys..hardened by the streets of Philadelphia. I had never known them to be afraid of anybody...yet the mention of this man's name..Malik Lockjohn...brought fear in them....but not in me...Maybe I was too stupid to know that I should be afraid of him.

"Let me talk to the girl Jordy." I said as I turned to him...

"Okay ,come on ,let's go to the car." He said.

We walked to the car....The girl was slumped over on the seat.

"Damn, she must have been up all night...she's asleep!" said Jordy as he opened the door of his car....

Blood spilled down the side of the seat and I noticed a nice neat hole in his passenger side window. A small hole was in the side of the girl's head and she was very,very dead......A note was next to the girl...it was typewritten.

"I know who you are and I know where you live....Keep your mouth shut and forget all about this girl. She's dead and if you don't wish to join her in death...you'll not disregard this warning. Nobody will help you..Nobody can help you."

A rage built up in me...A rage I didn't know I had in me...Who did this guy think he was? I meant to find this Lockjohn and put an end to his career..That is if he didn't find me and kill me first.

"Kev...look...he done kilt her...it's over..I'm gonna pack some clothes and get outta here for awhile...thanks for being willing to help..but forget about it...Be glad that fool don't know you...just thank God..." said Jordy as he stood by his car. A police siren wailed and a crowd gathered outside...Of course nobody saw anything. I didn't see anything or hear anything..I suspect it was done with a silencer.. I gotta hand it to Lockjohn..He was good. Jordy took everything out of the car pretaining to him and left..He ran down the street and jumped in a cab.

Now I stood on the street alone...

(To Be Continued...)

Prolouge to a Kill

2:34am!

'All the single ladies..all the single ladies..all the single ladies...all the single ladies."

"Jordy! Jordy wake up baby...your cell phone is ringing."

"Oh...uh....okay...pass it to me? Who is calling me at two thirty in the morning? uhhhh...Hello?
Hello?"

"Jordy...Jordy...this is Freda...I know it's been a long time...but I need your help..I'm in big trouble babe."

"Freda? You're calling me now? NOW? You don't speak to me for close to a year, you stop answering my e-mails and my texts and you treat me like I got swine flu and NOW YOU CALL me after all this time?"

"I know...I know....but it's just that...you know...we were supposed to be friends..I looked at you as my big brother and then you started catching feelings..acting like you wanted to be my man and what not.."

"Okay, so we past all that..I'm hanging up now."

"No..No Jordy don't hang up...my life is in danger, you've got to help me please."

"Why don't you call your boyfriend Loveman Jones to help you?"

"Loveman is dead Jordy."

"Oh so that's why you called me?"

"Jordy, I think I saw who killed him and he knows I saw him.."

"So what you callin me for? Call the cops?"

"Jordy it was Lockjohn!"

"Lockjohn???? He out of jail???"

"Yeah apparently.....and back to doin what he do best, killin people. Loverman Jones was trying to make a move on Papa Doc's territory in South Philly and Papa put a contract out on him."

"Papa Doc is dead...I read in the paper that he got shot two weeks ago and that whole crew of his in jail now...you got nothin to worry about."

"They may be gone, but not before Lockjohn murdered Loverman Jones and collected his money."

"So they all gone....what are you calling me for?"

"Jordy, I saw him kill Loverman Jones...You know he don't leave no witnesses behind...He's going to kill me..please help me....aint you tight with Chris Thompson?"

"Chris aint in the game no more...Fathead Newton runs things in the West and the Southwest."

"You think Fathead will protect me?"

"From Lockjohn?? Forget it.....Man....They sent a crew of seasoned hitmen after Lockjohn and every one of em was dead in two weeks. If Lockjohn was after me, I'd get a gun and shoot myself."

"Please help me..hide me from him..."

"Girl you crazy...I don't want to run afoul of Lockjohn..."

"Jordy, if you ever loved me..if you ever meant anything that you said to me, you'd help me
in some kind of way..please..please...please..I'm so scared."


"Alright, alright...I think I know one guy who might be able to help you and get Lockjohn out of
all of our lives."

"Who? His name is Kevin...Kevin Morris."

"Is he connected?"

"Nah, he aint like that..He is a writer and a blogger and a part time P.I. He specializes in helping
people.."

"Baby,I need a heavy hitter..he aint the man for this kind of job."

"Beggars can't be choicy little lady..now tell me where you are and I'll pick you up."

"okay.."

"Jordy..who is that on the phone?"

"An old friend baby...she needs my help."

"Needs your help? I'm out of here..after I gave you my good lovin, you bout to raise up and go
help some chick....I don't believe this!!!"


"Wait a minute baby....wait a minute...it aint like that..it aint like that.....!!!"


SLAM!


"Damn!"


(To Be Continued......)

Sincere

I gave you everything I had
I shared every part of me
So why did you treat me so bad?
What more of my soul did you need to see? /

we could've had a good thing
you and me
but you turned a deaf ear to my sincerity../

You're used to people who won't hear anything at all
You can't deal with someone who
wants to hear...
your arrogance and pride will surely go before you fall
guess you never knew how to deal with a man who was

sincere.../

We might have had a good thing
you and me..
but you turned a deaf ear to my
sincerity../

When I was being real
when I allowed you to see me bleed
you couldn't allow yourself to feel
no, you didn't feel the need./

You're used to people who won't hear anything at all
but I wanted to hear...
I won't feel too sorry for you when your self absortion
leads to your fall...
because you couldn't deal with me when I was being..


sincere!/

we could have had a good thing
you and me
but you turned your pretty little head
to my


sincerity./


(for fdp)

Dirty Work

I walked up to the white van that sat outside of her house and tapped on the door...Lockpick Johnson opened the door and let me in. My car was parked two blocks away.

"A White van?? A White Van...You guys couldn't get any subtler than this ? " I said exasperated.

"Relax Mr. Foxworth...she aint a cop...she won't suspect a thing..." Said Cooley Dan as he sat back in his seat.

"Did you see the stuff I recorded from yesterday?" asked "Peeping Tom Constanoble who was at a console ,preparing the video monitor for viewing.

"Yes ,I did, you really do good work." I said as I handed each of them Philly Cheese-steaks, a carton a peice of French Fries and Cokes... I had employed Cooley Dan and his crew of Ronnie "Lockpick" Johnson and "Peeping " Tom Constanoble to bug the Law Office where Cindy Waters
worked and to bug her house. she had already paid them to do their job on me...Now they were working for me and I was paying them more.

Apparently...Cindy had just closed a major corporate deal at her new law firm and her bosses were quite proud of her and quite pleased...She was about to be made partner in another week..
She had really moved up in the world in the close to three years since I'd last seen her.

"Did you get the guy Dan? " I asked.

"Oh yeah....I got him...He should be headed to her house in a few minutes. I hope she goes for this because I paid him in advance for his uh ruh..."services' so to speak." laughed Cooley Dan.

" He doesn't know about anything else right?" I said.

"Come on man....I been doing this a long time...He only saw me..he don't know about any of the rest and Ms. Waters don't have a clue." laughed Cooley Dan.

"Hey you guys ,quiet..He's at the door." said Peeping Tom.

"Showtime baby" laughed Lockpick Johnson.

He was brown skinned, the color of a paper bag, About six feet four, Heavily Muscled, with a well
manicurred mustache... He was dressed immaculately in Black Slacks, Black Sandles and a Black "wife beater " t-shirt with muscles just rippling and shining from baby oil. He rang her doorbell.

Cindy came to the door in a Pink robe and slippers..One look at this guy and her eyes nearly popped out of her head...

"Welllllll ,helllooooooo.....Who may I ask are you?" she said, not able to contain herself.

"If you're Ms. Waters....I'm here to see you." He said with a deep baritone.

"Y-y-Yes..I'm Ms. Waters...Uh...you-you-y-y-you can call me Cindy.....but who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked, looking him up and down..

"They call me B.D.D. and I was sent here by the agency." he said just as scripted.

"What Agency?" she asked.

"Let's just say, some people you work with are about to make you full partner at the law firm and I was sent over ,along with this bottle of champaigne as a gift, you might say for making partner." he said.

"Oh my gawdddddd...I made partner??? and you're one of the gifts?? It's like I've died and gone to heaven...come in...don't just stand out there." she said.

Cindy was as horny and predictaable as she was brilliant and devious...Cheryl Starks had nothing on her...There wasn't much foreplay....As soon as the man slipped out of his slacks and whipped his penis out and she got a good look at it...She was breathless...Her eyes opened wide and the next thing I knew..she was easing her panties down and sliding her night gown off...

She gave him a condom and then shivered and shook as she watched him slip it on...He entered as much of himself as he could get into her into her as he lifted her up and brought her gently down on him..

She let out a moan that I know her neighbors heard, because we heard it outside in the van....

"Ohhhhhhhh my gawdddd...ohhhhhh sweeeet lawdddddddddd...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

He continued to stroke her up and down like that and then he eased her on to her couch and began to gently massage her breasts.....

"Oh mh...Oh my...Oh my...ohhhhhhhhh, you smell so gooood...you feeeeel soooooo good...oh myyy...oHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu....."

He was no slouch...He kept it going like that for awhile....Then he eased himself out of her. She was panting like a cat in heat..

"Don't stop...baby don't stop....please....." she moaned.

He turned her around and entered her from the back.....

"Ohhhhhh...Oh no you didn't...ouuuuuuuu....HELLLOOO!!!!! OHHHH...HELLO!!!!! " she moaned..

Her eyes were rolling in the back of her head... This went on for close to an hour.

'Mr. Foxworth..How much more of this do you need? This is getting me hot and bothered" said
Peeping Tom.

"Just a little bit more....I know this woman....you aint seen nothing yet.." I laughed ,thinking that I too was getting aroused and that if I wasn't so mad at her for what she'd done to me..I might want some of that action myself.

"Don't cum.....don't cum baby...please....stop...stop just a minute." she begged...

He pulled out of her and she rolled the condom off of him.....

"I've just got to taste this big thing in my mouth." she said as she slid his huge penis into her mouth and went to town...

This went on for close to twenty minutes before he exploded all over her face and she smiled
right into one of our hidden micro -cameras... It was perfect...I yelled -"Cut"

"Ouuuuuuuuu....I came too......what did you say your name was?" she cooed...

"B.D.D. -Big Dick Daddy" He laughed as he walked into her bathroom and began running the shower... She was visibly out of breath, but satisfied....So was I. We pulled off.

Exactly one month later...I stood down the hall from her law office with my back turned towards
a window with a huge view of the city and so as not to be noticed...(I had had Lockpick Johnson and Peeping Tom break back into the office and her home and remove all of their recording devices.)

I heard huge gales of laughter, followed by seeming outrage....I had mailed copies of her night with BDD to all of the partners, the guys in the mailroom and some of the other attorneys and para legals on staff....By now everyone at her law firm kind of knew her in the biblical sense as they say and knew what she could do with her mouth...I saw her reflection in the huge window as she walked into her office that morning...Then I headed for the elevator...I smiled as I heard the screaming and yelling and laughter and ouus and ahhs coming from that office...I couldn't imagine what was going on or actually being said...but it didn't take a genius to know that she would not be making partner and that with all of her business out, she could no longer work there at the firm.

The leering looks from the Janitor and the mailroom guys alone would let her know that they'd all seen her porn film...She was finished...at that law firm anyway.. She had bugged my office and had sent my second wife film footage of me and a client having sex, which had caused me to lose my wife, my home and my job...and she had filmed me having sex with all of my women and had sent copies to each of them, hoping to drive a wedge between us...Now she had gotten a taste of her own medicine.

I didn't have to see the look on her face or know exactly what was going on in there...I knew...and the smile on my face told the whole story!

(For Blu Jewell)

Players Play

I walked over to where Cooley Dan was sitting and sat down, un-invited.. He looked at me like I was crazy. Then a broad smile creased his face.

"I know you....Robert Foxworth...the lothario lawyer...hahahahahahahahahahaha." he laughed.

"Okay, so now that we can skip the introductions....let me lay it out for you....cease and desist or I'll drop a lawsuit on you that will have me owning that pinky ring and that fancy suit you're wearing." I said, stunned at his utter arrogance.

"HA...now that's funny counselor...considering you don't have a stitch of proof and the words of a drunk ex-CIA operative and a three time loser who breaks into houses and cars aint gonna fly against a solid citizen like myself who has no arrest record whatsoever...not even a juvenile beef." he said.

"But you and I know that you hired those two knuckleheads to spy on me...I want to know why and I want to know who paid you." I said, trying another tactic.

"Yeah...All kinds of people want to know all kinds of things...Sometimes they find out and sometimes they never do Attorney Foxworth...you know that." He sneered.

I was getting ready to ring his neck, but somebody else beat me to it...A tall lean dark skinned man in an expensive suit grabbed him in the collar and slammed him against the wall.

"Hey wait a minute....while I don't care if you beat his brains out..I was talking to him, can you give me a minute ,then he's all yours " I said.

The man turned around and snarled...

"Beat it...I don't give a damn what your business with him is...He owes me fifty large."


"Jake...Jake....I-I-I- I will have your money Friday..I swear....I got a big payday coming...I swear..Jake please.." said the suddenly rattled player... Cooley Dan wasn't so cool now! I walked
over to the bar where Gus was loading his shotgun...Gus didn't like trouble of this type in his place of business.

'Whoa Gus..Hold up a minute...who is that guy?" I said.

"Jake Butler...he's a juice man...a Loan shark....kind of independent, but he's got a few soldiers and goons who work for him..real nasty peice of business.." said Gus.

Just then a hand was put on Gus's shoulders and a voice of a man I knew quite well spoke-

"Gus...put that shotty away...I can handle this..." said Fathead Newton.

"Fathead??? What are you doin here?" I asked.

"I came to have a drink....just like everybody else." He said as he walked over to Jake Butler.

"Well, Well, Well...what's the matter Jake, couldn't find anybody to play with tonight?" said Fathead.

"Stay out of this...this is none of your business fat ass." snapped Jake.

"I drink here...My friends come here to chill out...there for...it is my business." said Fathead.

"Why don't you lose some weight and let me worry about what is and what aint your business ya
fat tub of lard?" snapped Jake Butler, who was just as tough and well connected as Fathead.

"How much he into you for?" said Fathead..

"50 large" said Jake.

"Roscoe" snapped Fathead.

A tall ,well built dark skinned man in a very neat Italian designer suit and dark aviator shades walked up to Fathead's side.

"Go to the car, get 5o k out of that breifcase and pay Mr. Butler here."

Roscoe did as he was told and then Fathead said to Jake.

"His marker is paid now, so take your money and get out of here and I'd better not see you in here again Jake."

"I'll come in here if I feel like it ,you fat peice of crap...you don't tell me what to do." said Jake Butler as he counted his money and walked out the door.

Fathead then looked at Roscoe and quietly said.

"Kill him and bring my money back to me by morning.....send a message to him, you know what
I mean?" said Fathead.

"Got it boss, I'll holler at you when it's done." said Roscoe as he left Josie's.

"Now Cooley Dan...your debt is paid...Lucky for you...I'll have my money back, so you don't owe
me...but Mr. Foxworth here represented me in a very tough divorce case...so if he wants to know something from you...it would do you good to tell him....get my drift?" said Fathead.

Cooley Dan looked at me and said-

"Her name is Cindy Waters, she's a high powered attorney......She paid me to find people to photograph you and your women and mail em photos of you...She figured that this would turn them all against each other and you...but from what I seen ,I guess they like your pipe so much that they don't care..." He said.


"That's all I needed to know...thanks Fathead." I said.

"Don't mention it kid...and now....I'm going back across the bar and have me a drink...don't look so glum Cooley Dan...you're out of debt and off the hook...watch yourself." said Fathead as he got
up and walked back to where he was sitting.

I laughed..thinking about Cindy and her stupid little plot...Now I had to decide whether to see her tomorrow or not...I just smiled as I got in my car and drove off.

The next morning..I was watching the news and I heard-

Police discovered the bullet riddled body of Jacob "jake" Butler, a reputed loan shark and drug
trafficer in a gutter early this morning...He had been shot eleven times and had a huge rat sticking out of his mouth....in his hand was a weight watcher's manual....Police feel as though this was a mob hit and a message to someone..."

I turned the television off....I smiled surprisingly enough...I didn't really approve of men like Fathead Newton....but I really don't think I would miss Jake Butler....I laughed again...by now,I
imagine..Roscoe was giving Fathead his money back.

(Conclusion Next)