Backwash

"Both of em gon have secrets to tell each other this December and aint neither one of em gon like it." said Clerow just two days before when talking about Carlton and Anita. I was thinking about what he said as I watched Anita pace the floor of her sister, Mabel's restaraunt.

"Waiting for someone?" I asked ,knowing full well that she was and who she was waiting for.

"Yeah, kind of sorta Mister Kevin." she said. "You waitin for someone too?" she asked, throwing it right back at me. I had to laugh....Even though I wasn't pacing the floor , I was sitting in that solem way that people sit when they are waiting for someone. I was waiting for Sean, Clerow, Tom and Lockpick Johnson...My crew...I needed information and I needed a plan of action to ward off Clinton Porter's real plan. A plan that had become apparent to me only recently.

Just then Carlton walked in...He smiled and pecked Anita on the cheek and pulled up a seat at the table directly across from mine. He waved at me and I nodded my head in recognition of him.

"So What is this about Carlton?" asked Anita.

"I got an extension with the Clippers for the rest of the season babe." he said.

"That's great...but that's not why you actually came here is it? " said Anita.

" Welllll, uhhh,er...ahhh.." said Carlton...

"That's not why you've been here for a week and I'm just seeing you now is it?" said Anita.

Carlton looked startled.....

"My girlfriend Freda said she saw you and Jess playing ball at the courts." she said.

"Oh" he responded.

"So why are you really here?" she said.

"Well Anita..there is no easy way to say this, but ...I've met someone....Out in Cali...I didn't mean to, but it just happened...I-I-I don't know how to explain it...it just happened...." he said.

"Well ,I'm glad you came here and told me." she said.

"I wanted to tell you a couple of months ago." He said.

"You goin out to Cali to stay?" she asked.

"Yeah....I'm gonna try and make a go at it..I'm leaving tomorrow." he said.

"You're not staying for Christmas?" she asked.

"Anita,it's better this way." he said..."You'll find somebody...you're a pretty girl...you'll find somebody in no time." he said...then quietly got up and walked out of the restaraunt.

I couldn't beleive that I had gotten that caught up in their drama...I walked over to Anita and put my arms around her....

"Of course you know that I know you're going to be just fine." I said.

"Sure am" she smiled at me..."But that's our little secret Mr. Kevin." she said.

"Oh and by the way..I hear Chance is at Josie's...If you hurry, you might catch him." I laughed.

She winked at me, put her coat on and walked out the door ,just as Sean and Clerow walked in.

"Bout time you guys got here..where are the other two?" I asked.

"They just sent a tape to the police...Anonymously like, you know.. And now they sittin on that apartment complex." said Clerow.

"What?" I asked. "What Tape?"

"We got you covered boss....We overheard him hiring some cat to kill that Meadows broad..Told him to put something , a glass you drank out and a pistol he fired..with your fingerprints on it in the house."said Sean....

"But How? " I asked.

"Peeping Tom called in a favor to some guy he knew in the intelligence community..They gave him some type of device that he aimed at the cell phone towers..It took him awhile, but he pulled your boy's cell phone number out from all of the many numbers he had...and he honed in on his conversations...We caught him hiring a hitter to ace that old broad." said Sean.

"How'd he get the number?" I asked.

"I ,uh kind of pick pocketed him yesterday and replaced his phone with one that we had. It was the same model and everything.. Tom had cloned it." said Clerow.

"What? You guys got that close to him?" I asked , amazed at what they did without my direction. Yet I knew it...I knew his plan was to do what I did to him, frame me for murder...I knew it. Just then, my phone went off ...It was Peeping Tom.

"Hello My friend....You can sleep well tonight...Lockpick and I were sitting across the street from that apartment....Some guy tried to break in that old broad's apartment...Turns out that old broad had a gun... Funny She would have a gun and be ready for him..ya know ? Hahahahahaha, She shot him and killed him...The cops are processing the scene now...You played this game well my friend...You totally out thought him.....He's done.." said Tom.

"Yeah ,how about that? You guys did fantastic work ." I said...not feeling that good. "You guys get out of there before someone sees you." I said.

''Way ahead of you my friend , I been doin this kind of stuff for a long time..I knew how to deal with Mister Porter....Take care and happy holidays." said Tom.

"You too Tom." I said.

"Well boys...looks like the case is over...Thanks again." I said , as I gave Sean and Clerow some dap and watched them walk away.

"Oh Clerow?" I said just as he walked out the door...

"Yeah Boss?" he said.

"You were right." I said..

"Right about what ?" he asked...

I just smiled.... Once they were gone..I got in my car....It would take the cops awhile to figure out where to find Clinton...I could find him first. When I got to Clinton's house, he was already putting his things in the trunk of his car, when I drove up on him..

"Going Somewhere?" I asked.

"I found the bugs you planted in my house.....I know that the cops are probably on their way here.... You played the game exceptionally well Mr. Morris...but I'll be back...This isn't the last you'll hear from me." he said.

"Well you'd better hurry up Clinton..I uh kind of called the cops on my way here...you know to kind of hurry the process along." I said.

"You're a smart ass Kevin, you know that?.....You know any good lawyers?" he joked.

"I know a few...but you wouldn't trust my references would you ?" I laughed.

He laughed- "Helll no." We both laughed.

I watched them handcuff Clinton and put him in the police car.....I don't know how long he'd stay in jail this time...and I was sure we would match wits again....but for now...for now, he was going back to the slams..

I hurried home ,I was missing my wife....Sepia was standing at the door with some mistletoe.....

''What's this? Christmas is a few days away." I laughed as I embraced her.

She kissed me.....

"Yeah I know, but you've been having a rough couple of days...so come here, stand under this mistletoe and kiss your wife." she said grinning. She was wearing a red plaid flanel robe. I kissed her...She whispered in my ear...

"I'm not wearing anything under this robe."

"Nothing? " I asked.

"Not a thing..I'm all yours." she laughed devilishly.

"Lead the way" I smiled.

I smiled....This wasn't a classic happy ending, but it was as close as I was going to get after this strange caper.

(For Simone)