Sweet Things....

I was sitting in a midtown delicatessan with my fiance, Rell, my two year old son and Kevin and Sepia enjoying lunch....

"So Chess...You excited about getting married?" asked Sepia, as her husband,Kevin Morris groaned a uncomfortable smile..

"What? Did I say something wrong? He should be excited?" laughed Sepia as she playfully punched Kevin's arm.

I looked lovingly at Rell and said-

"Excited..I'm overjoyed..I can't wait to marry this woman."

Rell looked at me and smiled ,then looked at Sepia and said-

"He just wants some tonight that's all."

Sepia gave me and Kevin the side eye and said-"Ummmmm,hhhmmmm."

We all had a hearty laugh at that.

"Heyy Chess..Do you know a guy named Mongo?" asked Rell.

"Mongo? Yeah..question is how do you know him?" I asked.

Mongo was high priced muscle....He did most of his heavy work for the Diaz brothers..

"Sepia and I were in the dress shop looking at dresses for the bridesmaids today and this guy, Mongo..he was kind of checking us out..you know staring hard...We just ignored him and kind of kept shopping and then he came up to me and he asked me if I was your fiance. I told him I was and he looked at me like he was trying to look through my clothes and said that you had real nice tastes...and that to tell you that Valdez sends his regards." she said.

"Yeah..something about that guy was real creepy." added Sepia.

I guess they all saw the expression on my face...I couldn't hide the anger I felt, the red hot anger....

"Yeah..I uh know him....he's harmless..a nut....don't worry about him." I said. Kevin eyed me closely..he knew me all too well. I looked at my watch...

"Hey uh, Kevin...could you drop Rell off..I got some business to take care of."
I said.

I got up and walked towards the door...Kevin followed me and grabbed my arm.

"Yo Chess...I know what's goin on..Clerow told me about the card game and the shoot out...and you know that I know who Mongo really is...I know I can't talk you out of going after him...but at least let me go with you." he said.

Kevin had a heart of gold and more courage than half a dozen brothers..Hell he had taken out some heavy hitters like Malik Lockjohn, Barrington Covington, the junkyard doggie and Sonny Templeton...but I didn't want him getting mixed up in this mess..he was too good a person..Enough people were mixed up into this already.

"Nah Kev..I got this. Really..I got this." I said. He let go of my arm and just stood there as I got in my car...I loaded my .45 and my .38 and I got on the phone and called Chris Thompson, then I headed to Josie's for a talk with the one man who I knew would know where to find Mongo...Gus the bartender.
His ear was always to the streets.

"Well Chess...Mongo likes sweet things...women and pastries...He hangs up around that Bakery..You know..the one where that cute spanish broad works with the bodacious tatas.."laughed Gus.

I knew...I drove toward the Bakery..Known as "La La La's" I parked my car three blocks away and I walked around the block and entered from the opposite side of the street...I saw a Black expedition with shaded windows just sitting in front of the bakery....I couldn't beleive how amaterish this guy was... This was definitely a trap.

To my surprise..I saw Donald Smooth walk up to the side of the car and tap on the window with the butt of his silver plated .45. What was he doing here? Who told him?? They pulled the window down and he ordered the two guys out at gunpoint... There was a guy with him with rope and cloth who tied the two would be hitters up and loaded them in the back seat. Ralph Mole drove up and the other man got in his car... Donald Smooth looked in my direction and smiled-

"It's all clear Chess...He's all yours..." he said.

"How did you know?" I said....

"Kevin is my friend too..He called me....What's wrong with you? Trying to take these guys down by yourself? You shoulda called me." he said winking and getting in the Expedition and pulling off...

I walked into the Bakery where Mongo was talking to the girl...His eyes got as large as saucers when he saw me...Did he really think those amateur hitmen were going to take me out?

"Hi Mongo...How's tricks?" I said...

Before he could do anything..I slugged him in his stomach, hard...he let out a moan that sounded like a woman...He tried to swing, but I cold cocked him hard and knocked him through the pastry display....Then I took a doughnut roll
and stuffed it in his mouth....Out of the corner of my eye..I saw a guy coming towards me with a gun drawn and then saw him stop, stand up straight and toss his gun to the ground...

I looked up and there was Chris with his gun drawn on him....

"What's the matter with you Chess..you can't wait for your partner?You all
gangsta wild now." he said, pretending to be mad..but failing at showing how tickled pink he was..

"Mongo...wake up..wake up..tell your boy Valdez... that we coming.. and we coming with a thunder..he should have never had you come at my fiance...Tell
him it's on and crackin." I said.

Chris looked down at Mongo....

"Hey man..that doughnut looks good..how much is that?" he asked.

"A dollar twenty five." he said dryly...

"Hey baby....can I have two of them glazed doughnuts..like the ones in Mongo's
mouth....He 'll pay for it." said Chris...

We both kept our guns drawn and we backed out of the Bakery.....

Chris looked in, tipped his hat at the frightened customers and politely said-

"You good people have a great day now."

(To Be Continued..)