Funny About Love

There Has got to be a reason
gotta reallybe a reason
why I can never leave you
It's so hard to put a finger
so hard to get a hold of why I need you
and day by day
day by day as we go on
the words ,they never seem to come to mind..
but..
if you could read my heart
you'd see
that the feelings are there to find./

Funny thing about love
is
you can't get your head and you heart on the same wavelength..
and
The Funny Thing About love is
when you least expect it..
you find the strength..
to do and say what is needed..
and though you find it hard to believe it...
Funny Thing about Love is
it's only love../

And in the darkest hour
of the night, it's then I know
what I've been searching for..
It's when I'm holding you tight
and knowing that everything is gonna be alright
Though I may never ever say what is really lingering
on my mind..
Just read my heart...
Those things, those feelings aren't really hard to find....
Right below my surface...
They are easy to find../

Funny thing about love
Is you never have to say you're sorry..
Funny thing about love
You never quite understand..
you just do the very best you can...
Funny Thing About Loveis..
Funny Thing About Love is
It's Only love../


Funny thing about love
is
you can't get your head and you heart on the same wavelength..
and
The Funny Thing About love is
when you least expect it..
you find the strength..
to do and say what is needed..
and though you find it hard to believe it...
Funny Thing about Love is
it's only love../

Harry In Your Pocket

ART: "Doing Time" By Wak

We started kissing in the kitchen. Sepia had just finished doing the dishes...I put my arms around her waist and began kissing behind her neck, up her neck and behind her ears...She giggled like a school girl...

"Come on Kevin...don't mess up my perm...I just got it done...and I paid a mint to get it done." she said.

''I'll do my best." I laughed and I continued to kiss her.

"Come on now..stop it....stop it....ouuuuu, oh you are so nasty...always tryin to stick your tongue in my mouth when you're kissing me...ouuuuuu, ohhhhhhhhhh..." she moaned...

Our kissing got more passionate and soon I had her pressed against the wall...I was opening her blouse and rubbing her lacy bra at first...and soon just unhooking it and gently sliding it off..

"Ohhhh...ouuuuuuuuu...mmmmmmmm....:" she continued to moan...

I led her by the hand up the stairs and into our bedroom where we slowly took off each others clothes and slowly began to kiss some more...I laid her on the bed and slowly began to crawl up on her and enter her slowly...She arched her head in what must have been a last ditch attempt to protect her hair...then she just gave up....We were both thrusting and thrashing about on that bed for close to an hour and a half...

By the time Sepia was sitting on top of me ,riding me...she had sweated her perm completely out....sweat was running down her face and mine as well... I mounted her doggie style and continued...until finnally I exploded violently inside of her...She came herself, not too much longer after I did and we collapsed on the bed...hot, sweaty and spent....

"You know you taking me to Bernadette's in the morning don't you? And you're paying for her to do my hair right?" said Sepia...

"Sure...anything you say..." I said before I drifted off to sleep........

The next morning I drove Sepia up to Bernadette's shop.....Mabel, Anita, Victoria and Robert Foxworth's girl, Bonita were all in there having their hair done.. Sepia was wearing a scarf and sunglasses. Bernadette looked happy and chipper...It had been two days since we'd had our "talk" and I didn't see any evidence that there were any new bruises...she wasn't wearing any sunglasses and she had taken the bandage and guaze off of her wrist.

"Sepia , what are you doin here? You need another perm already?? You and Corrie were just here the other day..How you sweat it out so fast.....Ohhhhhhhhh...ouuuuuuuuuuuuu, yall so nastyyyyy!" laughed Bernadette...

Mabel Jenkins and her sisters, Anita and Victoria looked at me and cracked up...Bonita looked at Sepia and said-

"That's okay girl..you know I know how it is....you know who I'm involved with..the biggest horndog in Philly...Robert Foxworth...I can't keep a decent hairstyle when he's around."

We all laughed...It was good to see Bernadette laughing again... I saw Kool Kat drive up outside..I signaled for him to stop...I tossed Sepia the keys to my car and I said-

"I'm going with Kool Kat..I'll see you at home babe."

"Okay Kevin." she said and I left.

Hours went by and finnally I told Kool Kat that I was ready to go home...We had been in Josies with Clerow and Robert Foxworth, Chess and Chris Thompson...Then we had gone to Mullberry Hill and hung out with Paris,Blake, Chance and Cherish and heard Reed Nelson and 88 play..and finnally we had ended our night at The Mermaid Club....

We had to pass by the Beauty Parlor on the way to my house...Just as we were driving by we heard a large bang!!!

''Kev, did you hear that? It came from Bernadette's beauty shop....It sounded like a gunshot!" said Kool Kat.

"It definitely was a gunshot. Park this car and let's check it out." I said.

Kool Kat was always packing...He had his .45 and I had my.38 smokeless..We approached the beauty shop...It was after closing...but the door was open..I pushed it the rest of the way and Kool Kat followed me in, guns drawn....and there laying on the floor was Harry Charles!!!!He had been shot...Across from him , cowering in the corner and holding a .45 was his wife, Bernadette...
she was crying and shaking and still holding the gun....

I walked over to her and softly stroked her hand and took the gun from her....

"He said he was gonna stop...he said he was gonna change Kevin....He hit me again...I was tired of it...and he was trying to take more money to go gambling...I wouldn't have been able to make payroll...I told him no.....I told him......He punched me in the face again....I couldn't take it no more.." she cried...

"It's alright...it's alright Bernadette." I said.

"Kevin...Kevin....He still alive.." said Kool Kat....

"Call an ambulance and call the police." I said. I held Bernadette in my arms as she continued to sob and cry!

EPILOUGE:

Harry Charles survived his gunshot wound....but his marriage didn't! He begged and pleaded, but Bernadette had had enough..She divorced him soon after and put him out.. He's living with his mother now in North Philly, Mrs. Georgia Ray Charles. I heard that he finnally did go to Gambler's Anonymous and Anger Management classes.

Sometime later, Sepia and I were eating dinner at Dollar Bill's place, Bottom of The "C", when we spotted Bernadette laughing and talking with someone we knew....The randy cook, Ralph Scallion...He bought her a bottle of the best wine and a plate of his latest creation...They were laughing and talking famously...

''Wow..Bernadette and Ralph Scallion. Who would have put those two together?" said Sepia.

"Well at least he aint violent." I said.

"Yeah, but he's a dog...everybody knows that." said my wife.

"Well, some of you women just have bad taste when it comes to pickin men." I said.

"Really?" said Sepia.

"Well...Not you baby." I said with a playful laugh...Sepia looked at me and smiled and said-

"No comment."

I gave her a side eyed glance and she smiled-

"Just kiddin baby..."

"Damn right." I said with a chuckle.

(For Caroline)

The Trouble With Harry

I didn't believe her! I didn't believe for one minute that Bernadette was alright...She didn't look it..So I drove to her beauty parlor...She was just opening up....Nobody had come in yet.I walked in ginergly...She turned , startled.....

"Oh Kevin...you startled me." she said.

"Bernadette...What happened to your wrist?" I asked.

"Oh, I was in a fender bender last night after you guys left....I'm pretty clumsy....I just was out of it...working a little too hard I suppose." she said nervously.

I walked over to her and took her sunglasses off...One of her eyes was swollen shut...the side of her face that was already discolored was swollen even more....

"That must have been some fender bender...considering your car doesn't have a scratch...."I said.

She hung her head down....I ran my hands softly through her hair......

"He do this to you?" I asked.

"He...He...He just gets so mad when he loses....He's under a lot of pressure....He owes some guys some money..some real heavy guys...He's scared...We already had to sell our house and if he keeps this up, he's gonna want to sell my business...No way I sell my business..I had this business before I met him...That's what we always argue about...and it always ends in him hitting me.." she said as she began to sob....I held her in my arms as she cried...I was filled with rage...I wanted to find my friend, Harry Charles and beat him to within an inch of his life....but then I thought about something else.

"Who is he into ? Do you know?" I asked.

"Yeah...a guy named Dirty Burt Collins...and I think he owes him 50G's..." she said.

"He lost 10 G's last night at a crap game..." I said.

"That was my whole days take...He came in here and raided my cash register." she said.

"Yeah, I figured as much..." I said.

Dirty Burt Collins was a big time gambler and loan shark....He was as Gus would say it, a nasty peice of business...His enforcer was a smary cat named Van Dyke...A nasty guy who would think nothing of cracking a skull with a lead pipe just to make a point...If Harry Charles was into him...No wonder he was nervously trying to win at the tables.

"Close up your shop today Bernie." I said.

"What?, I can't do that.....If I'm not making any money and Harry comes by..He'll ,He'll..." she cried.

"He's not going to hit you ever again...trust me... Where is he?" I asked her.

"Oh Kevin, please...don't tell him that I told you he beats me,please." she said.

"Bernadette...the whole neighborhood knows he beats you..Close this shop...I'm taking you to a doctor." I said.

"Oh no...No....I'll be alright...He doesn't mean anything....He just gets so frustrated, so scared..Once he gets on a winning streak again..He'll be alright." she said.

I looked at her and I shook my head...I kissed her forehead....I decided to go look for him...If I knew right..He was at Joe Neptune's joint...The Mermaid Club. There was always a card game going on in the upstairs room...

I drove over to the Mermaid Club...Joe Neptune, the bartender and owner was serving drinks to a smarmy crowd of thugs and wanna bes and thugettes...I walked over to him and whispered so only he could hear-

"Hey Joe....You seen Harry Charles?" I asked...

"He's upstairs Kevin." he said and pointed to the upstairs steps. I walked up the stairs...The was a beefy body guard at the door.. Joe walked to the steps and yelled-

"He's Alright Snuffy, let him in."

Snuffy let me in. There was one big table and a massive card game was going on...Harry Charles was in the middle of it..For once he miraculously seemed to be winning! He saw me and smiled.

''Heyy Kevin , you're too late baby, I just won....$40G's baby...I told you my luck would change,I told you..." he said as he cleared the piles of money off the table and into a satchel...I wasn't smiling, but just as I was about to walk over to him , two men just rudely brushed by me like I wasn't even there....It was Dirty Burt Collins and Van Dyke....

''I believe that dough belongs to me." he said and snatched Harry's satchel.....

"Alright man, alright...so all I owe you is 10G's right...which I'll have by Friday..I swear Burt, I swear." he said.

"You know...you been duckin me....and I don't like havin to look for you." said Burt... I saw Van Dyke pulling a lead pipe out from under his coat....I immediately snatched it from him and tossed
it across the room...

''Uh Uh Uh...You're not gonna hit him...He just gave your boss most of the money he owes..Now if you brain him, he can't concentrate and win the rest of the money." I said.

"Who asked you? " said Van Dyke , who of course turned and raised his fist as if he were going to hit me...A big mistake on his part...I slipped his first punch, then slipped his second punch...Then I put several hard lefts and rights to his body and an uppercut to his jaw , which knocked him across the table and on the floor...He went to get up and I smashed a wooden chair over his head and back....He hit the floor with a thud and did not get back up....Dirty Bert looked like he was going for his gun, but I was quicker on the draw...I had my .38 smokeless very close to his adams
apple...

"Wrong move my man....Now pick up your satchel and your boy and get to steppin." I said.

"He owes me money." said Dirty Bert with a whimper.....

"He owes you ten grand right, you take a check?" I said.

"What? Are you nuts?" he asked. I cocked my gun...His eyes grew large...

"Sure..Sure..I'll take a check!" he said.

"Good...I'm gonna write you a check for the rest...Now is he good? " I said as I wrote the check.

"Yeah he's good.." said Bert...

"Okay..now take a hike." I said...

Van Dyke was awake now and he picked himself up off the floor..He walked over to me and he said-

"It may be over between Bert and my man..but me and you got business to finish." he said...

"Yeah,I suppose we do." I said and I slugged him in his stomach....He crouched in pain and I hit him with a left-right combonation that sent him flying backwards and on the floor. He rolled and got up slowly...

"Okay...Okay..that's enough...that's enough..I'm good.." he said.

"Business settled ?" I asked.

"Yeah...we good...ummmmph..." he groaned as he stumbled out....Dirty Bert took his money and scrambled out...All of the gentlemen in the room that witnessed the entire thing stood and clapped..They hated Dirty Bert..but they really dispised Van Dyke..Seeing him get his clock cleaned was a vicarious thrill for most of them.

"Gee thanks Kev..It sure is good to be from under that...I'll pay you back, every cent..I swear.."
said Harry Charles..

"Forget it...Here is what you're going to do...You're going to apologize to your wife, You're going to get some treatment for your gambling addiction and you're going to enroll in some anger management courses...you feel me?" I said.

''Aww Kev.."he said... I gripped him up in his collar...

"If I see another bruise on Bernadette, you and me are going to have a big problem, do you understand me?" I said.

"Okay..Okayyyy man...I'll go enroll in some programs today...I swear." he said.

I pushed him away and I walked away from him, I was disgusted..From a distance , I could hear him....

''Hey Kev, thanks man..Thanks for everything..I sure will sign up for them programs." he said.

I kept on walking...I didn't even turn around to look in his direction.

(Conclusion Next)

Heavy Hitter

Clerow stood outside of the beauty parlor fumbling around with his IPAD...I brought him a tumbler of hot coffee from the Dunkin Donuts down the street...

''Heyy man , thanks." he said...

"What'cha got there...a new toy?" I asked.

"Yeah man...Anita bought Corrie and I this IPad....You can do so many things with it." he laughed.

"Yeah , that's what I hear....Sepia already has one...You know how her and Bonita are such gadget people , you know?" I laughed.

"I saw Kool Kat yesterday in Josies...He told me about that dirty business you all got into up in Newark...You shoulda brought me in on that Kev." said Clerow..

"Nah...You needed to be here with your wife....How is she doin anyway?" I asked.

"She's showin now....and havin mornin sickness everyday....Kev man, sometimes it's unbearable bein around the house....If you get a big case...bring me in on it...I just need an escape from my domestic bliss." he said as he sipped his coffee...

I sipped mine and I laughed out loud......

"So Corrie is in the beauty parlor?" I asked.

"Yeah...so is your wife..but uh, I guess that's why you're here....You waitin for her too." he said.

"Clerow...you must have been at the head of your class in school." I said with a sly laugh...

Just then, another friend of mine came rambling down the street...Mr. Harry Charles....A guy I had known since grade school....

"My man Kevin....how the hell are you ?" he laughed and patted me on the back.

"Oh my God...when they let you out of the nut house?" I laughed as we embraced and shook hands..

"Man, I wasn't never in...." he laughed with that toothy grin of his that could rival Clerows.

"Harry...This is my friend, Clerow...Clerow..this is my main man, Harry Charles." I said.

Harry Charles and I had gone to high school and then had done a stint in the Marine Core together...After we got out, we both went to Junior College......Then he met Bernadette...An astonishingly beautiful woman, who also owned the very beauty parlor that Clerow and I were standing outside of , awaiting our transformed wives.. It was never clear just what Harry did for a living...but I know he was a big time gambler, who had won close to a million dollars once and had set him and his wife up in a nice house in the suburbs and had bought and paid for the very establishment she was working in....This beauty parlor had five chairs..five regular beauticians and flat screen tv's positioned in every direction that were tuned to the latest movies or music videos.... Bernadette had a good head for business and on her own...She had made the beauty shop very profitable...They both were living pretty.......or so I had heard~!

"Say Kev...you seen Bernie?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's doing my wife's hair." I said.

"Oh cool..excuse me a minute....Nice meeting you Clerow." he said as he went inside.

Within twenty minutes...Both Sepia and Cora Beth emerged with great new hairdos and looking as sexy as ever... Clerow and I were impressed....Bernadette came to the door...Like I said..She was an astonishingly attractive woman....Only today...the side of her face was swollen and slightly discolored....I could see where she was trying to hide it with a little too much make up...

"Heyy Kevin...you too good to come in my shop and say hello?" she said with a cheerful laugh.

"Nah....All you women in there and me by myself....Yall might be watching a Tyler Perry movie or somethin and try to lynch me or somethin." I joked.

"Thas a good one Kevin.." she said.

"What happened to the side of your face?" I asked.

"Oh...this...oh...nothing....nothing....uh, er...You know me....clumsy as can be...I fell this morning before work." she laughed uneasily.

"You fell?" I said....

Just then , Harry walked out of the shop with a knot of cash in his hands...He didn't even look at his wife...He looked at me and said-

"You never been to Chess and Chris's card game have you?"

"Nah man..I don't gamble...Not with money , my hard earned money.." I laughed...

"Oh well, you know me...They havin a big game tonight....I'm all in....Sepia, Kevin..Nice seein you guys again...I'll be in touch." he said as he walked down the street. It was eerily quiet and you could cut the tension with a butter knife...I smiled at Bernadette.

"Hey girl...when you gonna invite me and Sepia out to that big house so I can swim in that pool?"
I said.

"Oh...Kev...We don't live in the burbs anymore....Haven't in three years...We back in Philly now."she said.

"Really? Oh...Well maybe Sepia and I will have you over for dinner at our house one day." I said.

"That would be nice.....Uh..it was nice seeing you again....Gotta get back to work." she said as she dashed back into the beauty parlor.

I shrugged my shoulders...She sure seemed antsy.....Sepia opened the door and got in my car and Clerow opened the door for Cora Beth and let her in his car...We both drove off and went home....But something wasn't right....I just had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I had been home from Newark for two weeks and had been going to work, hanging around my house , having mind blowing and amazing sex with my wife and eating good cooking...I wasn't anxious to get into something, but I sure felt curious.

"Kevin?" said Sepia as we drove home.

''Yeah babe."I answered.

"You don't believe that crap about her falling down do you? Because I don't." she said.

"No ,I don't either..." I said.

"I know Harry Charles is your boy...I know you were the best man at their wedding...but I've been going to Bernadette's since I've been here in Philly with you and she's my friend...I know she was distressed when they lost their home." she said.

"They lost their home?" I asked.

"Yes...Harry was in debt to some very heavy hitters I heard , so in debt that he had to give up their home to pay these guys off.." she said.

"So that's why they're back in Philly....Where is he working?" I asked.

'He doesn't work.....After he won that money...He bought that house...A car for both of them and
did all of this construction work on her business...Then he never worked again...He spends his days gambling and losing big." she said...

"Wow, you really knew more about this than I did." I said.

After I drove her home....I decided to do a little digging....I drove to the place where Chess and Chris Thompson were having their crap game...Donald Smooth let me in...I saw my friends, Chess and Chris standing in a corner watching everything...

''What's up Kev?" said Chess..

"Never thought of you as the gamblin type." said Chris Thompson.

"I'm not ...I'm lookin for someone." I said.

"I thought as much...who?" asked Chris.

"Oh I see him..that guy over there?" I said pointing to Harry Charles.

"Oh God him? " said Chess.

"What he do?" I asked.

"He's drunk and obnoxious...and he's losing big and we about to throw him out of here.." replied Chess.

"That's what I figured....let me take him off of your hands." I said.

"Thanks Kev..." said Chris.

I walked over to Harry Charles and tapped him on the shoulder..

"Harry...Harry...Come on man...Let's go home." I said.

"Oh hi Kevin....yeah man...I'm tapped out.....Damn...I thought I had somethin goin...I'll get it next time....I lost 10 G's tonight...dang!" he said.

"Come On...I'll take you home in my car....I'll bring you back tomorrow to get your car." I said.

He meekly obeyed and got in my car....He told me where he was living and I was surprised....He was now living in our old neighborhood in West Philly....What a drop down for him... I drove him to the house and watched as he went inside...I sat there in my car for a minute..then drove off.

The next morning, I was driving by the beauty parlor....I saw Bernadette walking down the street...She had a bandage on her left wrist and was wearing sunglasses....I called out to her..

''Hey Lady, want a ride?" I said.

She smiled and then said- 'No..I'm cool Kev..I need the exercise...I'll be alright." and scurried off.
I had a bad ,bad feeling!

(To Be Continued....)

Cleaning Up

Tulip, Kool Kat and I sat in a little diner a few blocks from the playground where Little Anthony held court the next morning....Kool Kat had two eggs over easy, some grits, bacon and a tumbler of coffee...Tulip had a western omelet, a slice of virginia ham and a tumbler of coffee, while I had an order of Blueberry Pancakes, suasage and orange juice...with a tumbler of coffee. Tulip had two of his guys outside the diner as lookouts and another actually sitting a few booths from us. Just a week before, he wouldn't have dreamed of being so thick in Little Anthony's domain...But Little Anthony was a king of nothing now...He had no product to sell, most of his "clients" were now behind bars or under indictment and he had no soldiers in his army..

I had picked up numerous cell phone calls all night, made to "Hell" and "Angel". They were never going to answer those calls. He tried calling around Newark, West Orange,Patterson ,East Orange and T-Neck for muscle....He was mostly laughed at and flatly refused...Nobody wanted to touch him now....What was even funnier was that, He had no idea...No idea at all how his luck had gone so bad in just one week.

To our surprise...Just as we were finishing our meal...Little Anthony and two of his guys..the only guys who were still riding it out with him entered the diner.. He took his seat...Onee of his guys went up and ordered his meal....He couldn't help but see Tulip and us sitting a few tables away..
He got up and strutted over to our table...

"Well, Well, Well....Mister Tulip...you lookin good for a dead man." he laughed.

Tulip smiled and then said-

"I could say the same for you...Cause you're dead as far as the streets are concerned....I heard business has been rather lacking." he said.

"Only until I get a new connect.....But if I was you...I wouldn't get too comfortable..."Hell" and ''Angel" are still around." he bluffed.

I couldn't help but butt in at this point....

"Hell and "Angel" huh? I heard of those two guys....How are they doin lately?" I laughed.

"Oh forgive my manners Anthony....This is Mister Morris and Mister Jones...They are visiting me from Philly." said Tulip.

Little Anthony said nothing...He looked at us and then thought about what I had said...He got the message immediately....He walked over to the table where his boys were....

"Tell em to cancel my meal..we outta here." he said.

Just then...a Portly White man and two well muscled white men in black muscle shirts and jeans
walked in...

"Going somewhere Anthony? I'm here for my money." he said.

One of Anthony's guys rose up and one of the muscled men cracked him in his jaw and knocked him over the table... The crowd in the diner got quiet...The other guy with Little Anthony turned and ran out the back door...

"Vladmir...take him.." said Nikolai..

The one named Vladmir gripped Little Anthony in the collar...Little Anthony let out a scream that sounded like a woman...and they pulled him out of the diner and shoved him into a Black BMW... The man named Nikolai looked at the mostly African-American patrons and tipped his hat courtesously and said...

"Sorry for the interuption....enjoy your meal." and then he left and got in the backseat and was gone. The guy who had been clocked...got up slowly..walked over and got what would have been Little Anthony's meal....sat down and preceded to eat it...as though nothing had happened. Kool Kat and Tulip busted out laughing....

"Where is the loyalty, huh?" asked Tulip.

"Kool Kat...did you put the GPS device under his car?" I asked.

"Yeah..Last night when we staked out his spot...Just like you said...Did you call your FBI guy?" he asked.

"Nah...I figured...I'd let you guys finish this , your way." I said. Tulip and Kool Kat's eyes lit up.
The three of us got up, paid for our meals and got in Tulips car. Since we had a tracking device..We didn't have to follow them closely... We arrived at the Newark Harbor ,just about twenty minutes after they had...The two muscular guys took Little Anthony into a small shack and then went about the business of beating him senseless...He screamed like a little girl the entire time...

I sat in the car...I was tired...I turned the music up....I didn't want to hear what I knew was about to happen...Kool Kat walked over to the window and tapped on it with his gun...The guy named Vladmir pulled out his pistol and aimed at Kool Kat....A big mistake...Kool Kat put a nice well placed round between his eyes...He was dead before he hit the ground...Tulip entered the shack....Nikolai and his other man went for their guns...Tulip's aim was quicker...He shot both of them through the heart before they could make a move and they fell to the floor dead as could be...

I got out the car ,walked into the shack and untied Little Anthony , who was still crying and breathing heavy....There was a wicked smell in the shack....He had defecated on himself....

"Whhhhooooooooweee....you aint ridin back with me." said Kool Kat..

"This piece of crap aint ridin period...He'll get home the best way he know how." said Tulip.

"You saved my life...I owe you man...you can have your territory...." said Little Anthony.

"Oh I KNOW I can have it...yours too..ya feel me?" said Tulip..

Little Anthony hung his head....He was beaten....He knew it...No need to go on pretending to have any sway...The three of us got in Tulip's car and pulled off...From the rear view mirror we could see Little Anthony walking away from the Harbor.

EPILOUGE:

The Newspapers ran the story of three Russian gangsters found shot to death in a shack near the Newark Harbor the next day...Police and FBI speculated that their deaths had been a" mob hit." Just what mob was up for questioning....Neither Pop Tooley or Sonny Stein ever returned to Newark. Since their testimony was needed to prosecute Little Anthony...all charges against him were dropped. Little Anthony left Newark and went to New York...Today, he's a rapper who raps about how he used to be a big time gangsta...

Nobody ever saw "Hell" or "Angel" again, nor cared too much that they were missing...Their whereabouts remain a mystery to this day...Even I don't know or care what was done with their remains.

Tulip no longer had a taste for being "The King of Newark'' He sold his bars and his connections to other Newark playas and officially retired. He didn't marry Monica Courtland . He married another girl from New York and moved to Atlantic City. Monica Courtland attempted to write her memoirs several times, but never finished...Today , she is still living in Newark.

That night though...Kool Kat and I....thousands of dollars richer, a payment for our "good work'' rode home on the train....

"Man ,I for one can't wait to get back to Philly." he said.

''Yeah me neither..I miss Sepia." I said.

"Yeah..I been messin with this gal that live across the street from me and another little number I met in Mulberry Street." He said. "Man Kev, first thing ima do when I get back is have me a big Porter House steak, a baked potato with butter drippin off of it and a bottle of wine..what you gon do, besides Sepia?...hahahahahahahahahaha.." he laughed.

"I'm going to take a nice long shower...see if I can wash some of this dirt off my shoulders." I said as I lay back in my seat.

"Yeah man...I hear ya...this was a dirty case." said Kool Kat.

Indeed!


(For SLC)

The King Of Newark

The Alley behind Tulip's Flower Shop was as clean as a whistle the next day when we returned..There was no blood, certainly no dead bodies, no glass and no bullet riddled automobile. The Alley smelled like a combonation of Bleach and Pine Sol...If you didn't know that just 24 hours before, a wild gunbattle had taken place in which two of the city's most feared killers had lost their lives, you would not beleive how well this alley looked.

Tulip's Flower shop was open for business, but two new guys were actually working there. His two bars were open again and his people were brazenly back on the streets of Newark.. Tulip was holed up with his woman, Monica Courtland..

Kool Kat and I had rented another car on his dime and had had the windows tinted. We found the playground where the would be King of Newark, Little Anthony held court. In the middle of the playground was the backseat of some SUV that was supported on Milk Cartons....It was a makeshift sofa...Only Little Anthony sat on the "couch"...He was surrounded by five young toughs....With Kool Kat at the wheel...I shot hundreds of photos from a distance of the young playa and his minions.

The first thing I noticed about this playground that was strange was that there were no children in it. A number of BMW's , Range Rovers and Lexus's pulled up and Ten different guys, accompanied by their muscle of course met with Little Anthony and held court...

My little machine pulled conversations and text messages off of their Blackberries and smart phones....All of the talk was about drug transactions. How brazen and careless were these guys...The main talk was about a huge shipment coming in, in a day or so...

Kool Kat and I rented yet another car and followed all ten of these guys around and about town...Then we began following Little Anthony's Lieutenants around in yet another rental car....We hit on paydirt! A huge warehouse near the outskirts of town!!

We watched several trucks come in and leave and surprise ,surprise...We saw some of the ten men we had photographed early coming and going...A lot of activity was going on...It was time to talk to Tulip!

Kool Kat and I met with Tulip in a downtown hotel....He was in his bathrobe...Monica's hair was tossed..She too was in her bathrobe...and the covers and sheets were all of the floor...They had had quite a night in here...

Tulip looked at the photos....He smiled.....

"That there represents the ten major drug dealors in Newark..heheheheheheheh..Most of em used to do business with me or Snookie,then Little Anthony scared em to death....Everybody that told that young punk to go take a flying leap is dead, cept for me....Those guys didn't resist!" he laughed.

"Would you care if they were out of business?" I asked.

"Not at all." he laughed.

I turned in the information anonymously....once again ,under the guise of a town watch program....It took the DEA, The New Jersey State Police and The Newark city police no time to raid the Warehouse...arresting close to 60 people. The next day all ten of the major playas in those photos got arrested as well as close to 40 other people associated with them.

Indictments and arrests of 49 of Little Anthony's associates meant pretty much that he was out of business in Newark. Not only that...He still had a trial pending for witness intimidation and obstruction of justice...Things did not look good for the boy king. To make matters worse...People were grumbling that either he or someone in his organization had been snitching. To say he was
paranoid was an understatement.

Tulip, Monica Courtland and I sat in his hotel room and laughed our heads off...

"I wonder if he's still sitting in that playground? I oughta personally walk over there and kick his little butt." laughed Tulip..

"Nah, forget him...He's done....and on his way to jail.... plus, without his enforcers, Hell and Angel...He's not scaring anyone anymore."I said.

Kool Kat walked in with my little machine....He was smiling...

"Hey Kev...You gotta hear this .." he said as he turned the machine on.....

"Hello"

"Mister Williams...."

"Oh, Mr. Breikland...How are you?"

"A lot better than you're going to be...The police hit my warehouse...They have my workers and more important , they have close to twenty million dollars worth of my product...I am not happy."

"Well ,I aint have nothin to do with that...I'm just as unhappy as you..that's money I'm out of .."

"That's money you owe me...."

"What? 20 mill..mannn you crazy....How am I gone pay you, when I didn't get paid?? I aint have nothin to do with the cops poppin you."

"I didn't want to deal with you in the first place...but you wiped out the competition....so I had no choice...Have my 20 million tomorrow by 6:00 pm or I will have you wiped out.."

"What? White man you crazy!"

Click!

"Awwww nah...They aint gonna threaten me....Heyyy, where is Hell and Angel??"

"I don't know Ant..Aint nobody seen them since the night before last..."

"Yeah..Well get in contact with em...Tell em to hit Nickolai Breikland...Hit him hard.."

"Alright Boss...I'll go look for em."

"Aint nobody threatening me...I'm still the King of Newark!!"
Click!

Kool Kat, Tulip and I laughed our heads off!

"Nikolai Breikland is a New York guy..He's Russian Mafia....A real heavyweight." said Tulip...

"Really? This is interesting." I laughed.

"You callin your FBI guy?" said Kool Kat.

"You got a connect in the FBI?? Damn Philly boy, you are full of surprises.." laughed Tulip.

Kool Kat just laughed and took a sip of Henny.....

(Conclusion Next!)

Hell To Pay

Tulip sat in the back room of his Flower shop somberly sipping a glass of Hennessey...Kool Kat drank with him...Neither man said anything....The News of Big Al's death was heavy on both men...It had put a sour note on what otherwise was a triumphant day. I had gotten the charges against Tulip dismissed and had gotten him out of jail...which was all I came to do...but now I felt as though I owed him some help in his problems with Little Anthony, who had no doubt ordered the hit...I wasn't worried about "Hell" or Anton St. James or his partner "Angel"...They had no idea that Kool Kat and I were here...but I knew they'd come looking for Tulip and any member of his organization.

He made a lot of calls in the wee hours of the morning...Both of his bars were closed until further notice and all of his people were ordered to get out of dodge for their own sake...Go to ground...But the boss himself..insisted on sitting in this Flower shop.

''I want em to come..." he grumbled as he shined his nickel plate. 44 magnum...."I got somethin for both of those pre-adolescent punks." he said...No sign of a smile on his face. I knew , As did Kool Kat, that we had to get out of that flower shop and get somewhere safe and soon...Hell wasn't finished and he wasn't going to stop with just one kill for the night...Meanwhile, I had been on the phone to Philly most of the night myself...Talking to my wife, Sepia...I missed her terribly and talking to Peeping Tom... He had given me the name and model number of a machine that could literally pull conversations off of cell phones, Blackberrys and Smart Phones...It could pull text messages off of them too. He gave me the name of another device that could record the text messages and the phone conversations and a store in New York City where it could be purchased. New York City was a mere eight miles away...We had to get out of here and away from Newark.

I also called Sean Jackson......He gave me the model of the very type of high powered digital camera that I needed...That could snap good photos from distances. The store where it could be purchased was also in Manhattan. I was putting together a plan to put Little Anthony out of business and in the klink...Which was better than outright killing him..I knew that it would be hard to convince either Tulip, a stone cold gangster and my buddy, Kool Kat, a former stone cold gangster who still followed the codes of the street not to just drive around, find him and kill him!

"Alright gentlemen...we gotta get outta here...I got some stuff to pick up in New York." I said.

"New York?" said Kool Kat..

"Yeah...a little somethin for the war effort....Come on Tulip, you comin with us." I said.

"You buyin guns in New York? I got plenty of guns right here." he said as he got up and shut out the lights..

"Who said anything about guns? Just come on...We sittin ducks in here." I said.

The three of us put on kevlar vests under out shirts and checked our weapons of choice and headed out of the back door of Tulips flower shop and right into....well... Hell! I ducked down and rolled and Tulip slipped back inside, while Kool Kat dove behind some trash cans...Damn if I wasn't right....Anton St. James....a six foot ,two dark skinned young man with a goatee and a close haircut opened up and fired a fusilade of shots our way...I pulled out my .45 and returned his fire.. He looked stunned..He didn't expect to see anybody else with Tulip...He ran and dove for cover behind a car...

For the next five minutes...Hell and I traded gunfire...back and forth from across the street..Each of us moving, each of us trying to get a position on each other....Then I heard footsteps a little way behind me...Another person was in the alley...It was a short, light skinned
man, who looked like a boy...That had to be Angel....I fired three shots at him to keep him at bay.

Tulip came outside with two nickel plated .45's blazing away....The shots from his gun stitched Angel up the middle and dropped him where he stood.... Kool Kat unleashed his shotgun , which ripped the glass windsheild out of their car window..."Hell" was now on the move...Trying to run and trying to shoot at both me and Tulip....I got a bead on him and I fired four shots...Tulip fired a volley of shots and Kool Kat fired that shotgun again! Hell spun around and his body jerked like a break dancer for a minute....Then he stopped...He dropped his gun and stumbled like an old drunk over to the wall....

"Arrrrgggggggghhhhh, I don't believe it....I've been shot...ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." he wheezed as he slid down into the street....He was unbelievably , still alive!! Tulip walked over to him and looked down at him.....Then to my horror at least...Tulip aimed his .45 at his temple and fired!

"That was for Big Al...you lousy punk" he said...

Kool Kat and I walked over to Angel's body...He was good and dead also....I looked at my watch...
It was 5:00 am in the morning.....the alleyway was a bloody mess.... Tulip holstered his gun.....He looked at Kool Kat and I and said.

''You guys go on to New York without me...I gotta call my guys over here to clean this up and get rid of these bodies." he said. This time I wasn't going to argue.. Strange..We had just had a running wild west gunfight...The neighbors were so used to this stuff that nobody bothered to come out or call the police...a sign of the times! Not a good one.

Kool Kat sat next to me as I drove the rental car to New York......For the first time that morning he smiled...

"What are you smiling about?" I asked as I made my way through midtown traffic.

"That kids name was "Hell" and Tulip, you and I sent him to Hell ...It's kind of funny when you think about it." laughed the big man.

"The things you find funny scare me, you know?" I said as I continued to drive.

(To Be Continued.....)

The One Way Ride

Kool Kat ,Big Al and I drove up to Pop Tooley's bar the next night....It was packed...Riff Raff and good citizen alike was drinking, talking loud and having a great time...The juke box was jumping and some people were two stepping, some were bopping and others were just flat out drunk...Just like Josies in Philly on any given night...In the crowd...Nobody noticed the three of us.....

"That's where it happened." said Big Al pointing to the middle stool where Snookie got shot in the head point blank.

''Right here? In a crowded bar?? And there were only three eyewitnesses?" I said.

"It was on a Sunday Morning....Nobody was in here....Pop and Snookie were probably counting the money from the Saturday night take..." said Big Al.

"Then how did Sonny Stein see it?" asked Kool Kat.

We walked outside...and across the street and catty cornered from the bar sat Sonny Stein's storefront... We could see him inside waiting on customers. I walked inside his store and looked around...I bought a Coke and some gum....From where I was standing...There was no way Sonny Stein or anybody else could have seen anything from his store...Assuming he was even in his store at 9:00 am on a Sunday Morning.

Earlier that day, Kool Kat and I had went door to door talking to the neighbors and people on the street...They all told the same story.. Sonny Stein didn't open on Sunday until 12:00 noon...and on the Sunday that Snookie got shot ...nobody heard anything. He was obviously lying...There was no way he could have witnessed anything from where his storefront stood and he had no good reason to be up or in that bar at 9:00 am in the morning.

I walked over to him after the last customer left his storefront and smiled...Then I shook his hand and did not let it go.

''Mr. Stein...Mr. Stein...Could I have a moment of your time?" I laughed...still smiling. The thought of a Black man with the last name Stein amused me to no end. He tried to wrench his hand free, but I held on tighter..

"Hey man, do I know you?" he said.

I squeezed his hand tighter...

"Owwww..that hurts.." he said.

"I'd like to have a word with you...Are you closed?" I asked.

"Nah, not for an hour..." he said.

"You're closing early tonight." I said.

"What? No I'm not and I aint got nothin to say to you."he said.

"Oh I INSIST!" I said and I stuck my .38 smokeless in his ribs.

"Aww man you makin a mistake...apparently you don't know that I'm connected...Little Anthony will kill you man for stickin up this store." he laughed.

"I don't care about Little Anthony and I'm not stickin up your store...Now I'm asking you one last time...Close up and let's go." I said.

He did as he was told and he walked out into the street and got into the car.. Sitting next to him was a frightened Pop Tooley...Apparently Big Al and Kool Kat had had the same "talk" with him.
Big Al was driving and I was riding shotgun...Kool Kat sat in the back with the both of them ,silent and without an expression on his face.

"Big Al....man, you in a world of trouble....Little Anthony is already lookin for you." said Pop Tooley.

"Shut up..Do I look like I give a merry damn? You better be worried about yo self you lyin sack of crap." he spat...

"Aww, man, you gon get it....you just don't know how much trouble you is in." retorted Sonny Stein.

I looked at him and smiled.....

"Consider how much trouble you two are going to be in when Tulip gets out of jail...."

They both got silent.

We drove to an isolated shack out near the Airport...We hearded both men in and made them sit down.

"Okay gentlemen...I'm not going to waste anytime.....You both lied about Tulip killing Snookie..I know it, you know it and my two friends here know it...So let's cut the crap...Here's the deal...You both are going to go to the Assistant District Attorney tomorrow and change your story...You might even try telling the truth....That the hitman known as "Hell" and his partner "Angel" killed
Snookie and told you to say that it was Tulip...I don't care...but you're going to change your story and we are going to be watching you...We are going to be watching your house...Try to get cute and the consequences are not going to be so nice for you." I said....I couldn't believe that I was talking like this to them...I sounded like a criminal....Maybe I was...

Their eyes got wide...They looked at Kool Kat who was pulling out gardening tools , electrical wires and a huge battery as well as a shotgun , a .345 magnum and a Glock and throwing them on the table with a large thump.. and Big Al , who was slamming his fist against the plaster and knocking it loose and then me, who kept smiling and it wasn't hard for them to get the message.

"Okay...what about us? Little Anthony will kill us?" said Sonny Stein.

"You got any people out of town?" I asked.

"I got some folks in Patterson and some in Brooklyn" said Sonny.

"I got some folks in Philly." said Pop Tooley.

"Cool beans...I'll have train tickets for the both of you tomorrow...Pack some bags and spend a little time with your folks elsewhere...Read the newspapers...When the coast is clear...and it will be, you can come on back." I said.

"What About Little Anthony?" said Pop.

"He won't be around much longer to bother you." I said.

"Huh?" asked Sonny.

"I'd bet money on it." said Kool Kat patting his shotgun and laughing.

They clearly feared him more than they did Little Anthony at the moment. The next day, like clockwork...both men appeared at the ADA's office and changed their statements...They said that they had been intimidated by one Little Anthony Williams to say that it was Tulip who had killed
Snookie when it was clearly two men who they had never seen before.. As promised, I gave them
one way train tickets to Brooklyn and Philadelphia respectively!

The third eye witness unfortunately was a man named Jupiter Davis...A drug addict that had a list of arrests that dated back to 1976....He was so frightened when he heard that Sonny Stein and Pop Tooley had changed their stories and then vanished that he hung himself!!!

When Kool Kat, Big Al and I got to his apartment.... We found him hanging....

"Well....we don't have to worry about him testifying." said Kool Kat as the three of us left. Also that day, the police arrested Little Anthony Williams for witness intimidation and obstruction of justice and released Tulip from the detention center.

We all celebrated at one of Tulip's bars....

"Kevin...I don't know how to thank you...I don't know what you did...but it sure feels good to be out of the slams..." said the little gangster..

"You're quite welcome.....but you still got a problem." I said.

"What problem?" laughed Tulip..

"Little Anthony has probably made bail already....His little frame up has fallen apart...so my guess is...he's going to come at you more direct....." I said.

"Oh yeah....His boy, "Hell" is probably on the move as we speak." said Tulip.

"So you guys had better lay low." said Kool Kat.

"You're right man...thanks....Has anybody seen Big Al?" asked Tulip.

"He said he was going to the seafood store to get some fried fish." said one of Tulip's boys.

EPILOUGE:

That night, as Big Al was coming out of the Fish store....A tall dark skinned man got out of a car....
Big Al heard him walking behind him....He dropped his bag and pulled out his glock and spun around...He didn't get one shot off... "Hell" fired six shots...Three hit him in the chest ,one hit him in the forehead and the other hit him in his knee cap....Big Al fell to the ground, dead as could be... The tall dark skinned man laughed a deep ugly laugh...

"Heh...heh...Heh....Tell your boss, HELL is coming!...Oh..guess you can't tell him nothin....Well, he'll find out soon enough...heh heh, heh..."

(Definitely To Be Continued........)

In Another City

Newark! Newark , New Jersey.....It's where my wife, Sepia was actually born....She grew up in West Orange and Jersey City...but she was a Newark girl...Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, United States, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 310,145,[2] making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S.

Newark is located in the heart of New Jersey's Gateway Region. It is approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of Manhattan (New York City). Its location near the Atlantic Ocean on Newark Bay has helped make its port facility, Port Newark, the major container shipping facility for the Port of New York and New Jersey and the largest on the East Coast. It is the home of Newark Liberty International Airport, one the first major, and now one of the busiest, airports in the United States. Newark is home to major corporations such as Prudential Financial and PSE&G, and well as several major universities such as Rutgers University, cultural institutions, and sports venues.

The ethnically diverse city is divided into five wards, and contains a variety of neighborhoods ranging in character from bustling urban districts to quiet suburban enclaves. With all of that said , Kool Kat and I found ourselves pulling into the train station early in the morning and awaiting a meeting with Big Al....Tulip's enforcer and number two man in his organization.

"I'm glad you brought me along on this Kev....From what you told me we gonna have to deal with these cats differently." said Kool Kat.

"Oh? How is that?" I asked ,at once bemused and curious about what the big man had said.

"Look, these aint the kinds of guys you're going to trick into saying something incriminating on no microphone...They don't work like that...They probably don't handle they business in no club or in no house if I know right...and the amount of people who know about this set up is minimal at best..." he said.

I was amazed at how a one time stone cold gangster like Kool Kat, who to my knowledge had just barely finished high school could be so analytical and so calculating and so dead on correct about nearly every situation he finds himself in.

When we got off the train...Big Al was waiting for us....

"Hello Big Al....You remember my friend Kool Kat Don't you?" I said.

Oh he remembered him....You always remember someone who puts a big .357 magnum to your temple and takes a shotgun from you!

"Oh Yeah...Big Negro, Bigger Gun." said Big Al. Kool Kat laughed and offered his hand....Big Al shook his hand..

"No Hard feelins Big man." he said.

''None taken...it's all part of the game."laughed Big Al.

We got in Big Al's car and drove to the hotel ,just outside of Newark where we were staying.

"Who knows we are here Big Al?" I asked.

"Nobody...Nobody in Tulip's group and nobody on the street...They aint seen me either...I been with relatives in Patterson...." he said.

"In Patterson?" I asked.

"I got people after me too! Little Anthony put a contract out on me and key figures in the organization...We all have gone to ground....He has terrorized all of the other low level playas in town...Right now...that little 18 or 19 year old punk holds all the cards...He's the King of Newark!" said Big Al in disgust.

"Wow...He must be fearsome!" I said half jokingly....I couldn't imagine an 18 year old having such sway..

"It aint him personally...it's the little psychopath and psychopath in training that works for him." said Big Al.

"It usually is the enforcer that scares the hell out of people." said Kool Kat.

"His enforcer is "Hell" said Big Al.

"Yeah I gathered that...but what's his name?" I asked.

"That is his name..."Hell"...His government name is Anton St. James....but people on the street refer to him as "Hell"...He's from Barbadoes...Tall guy, about six foot three...quiet, not talkative, about 21 years old....Carries a big gun....357 mag...and a glock sometimes... It's rumored that he's already killed about 12 people in and around Newark... He's got a protoge named Angel....He's kind of taken Angel under his wing....He just as deadly...Some New York boys was in Newark trying to set up some away from home action a few months ago...Hell and Angel killed all of em..and Little Anthony has about five Yankees Baseball caps as a souvenier of their handywork." said Big Al.

"You think "Hell" or "Angel" killed Snookie?" asked Kool Kat.

"I'm certain they did it...and if there really were any eye witnesses ,they are too scared to say they did it. The three so called eyewitnesses were told to say it was Tulip..." said Big Al.

"Well who are they? citizens or playas?" I asked.

"The main one is Jack "Pop" Tooley....The bartender....He sells drugs out of that bar...He used to sell for Snookie......" said Big Al.

"It happened in a bar?" I asked.

"Yeah on a Sunday morning...It was early, so hardly nobody was in there." said Big Al.

"Snookie was probably in there for the count right? The count of the nights proceeds, so it would have only of been him and this Pop Tooley right?" I asked.

"Yeah...but the guy who works in the grocery store across the street, Sonny Stein, claims he saw it too...He runs numbers for Snookie and has an illegal crap game that runs in the upstairs apartment of his storefront. The other dude is a druggie named Jupiter...Can't locate him." said Big Al.

"So wait...Both of these guys are players...and the other cat is a druggie with a rap sheet more than likely...They not the type that will voluntarily go running to the cops to talk about anything." said Kool Kat.

"That's right...they afraid of too much light shinin they way...now all of a sudden they snitchin to cops." spat Big Al.

"Hmmm you're right....I think tomorrow, we'll ride around and have a talk with these guys, get em to change their mind and their statement." I said.

"Talk? TALK? Man you can't talk to these guys...They aint gonna talk to you." said Big Al.

"Al! Al....Do you really think I came all this way from Philly not to be heard? and with him?" I said pointing to Kool Kat , who laid his .357 magnum, His .45 and a shotgun on the table...

"Plus...you're kind of imposing yourself....I'm sure you would want to be in on the conversation too wouldn't you?" I said.

Big Al smiled, Kool Kat smiled....and I just shook my head...

"Brotha...I like the way you talkin." said Big Al....

"That's my man..." laughed Kool Kat....

Tomorrow , we were going to take it to the streets!

(To Be Continued....)

Good Morning Murder

It was a Saturday Morning.....I awoke strangely to an empty bed.....Sepia rarely got up before me...but there was no sign of her. I smelled bacon cooking and I also smelled the aroma of Hot Coffee..I arose slowly...got my wits about me and walked into the bathroom..I brushed my teeth and then walked back into my room, put on my bathrobe and descended down the steps...

Sepia was fully dressed and sitting at the table reading the morning paper...There was a hot pot of coffee on the stove , toast, Bacon, and home fries with green peppers and onions in them like I liked.

"I decided I'd wait until you came down to crack your eggs...you want em scrambled right?" she said.

''Well, good morning to you! Where you going all dressed up?" I asked.

"Kevin, you don't remember anything I tell you...I told you that Bonita and I are making a big sale today...." she said.

"Oh yeah, Breminger's place." I remembered.

"She's picking me up." said Sepia.

Bonita had moved here in Philly recently...She lived in a condo.....She owned two floors.....She was presently looking for office space to run her and my wife's business.

"Damn girl..you sure look good.." I said eyeing my wife up and down....It was just then that the newspaper fell on the floor and I saw the caption out of the corner of my eye on page 6.

"Newark Crime Kingpin arrested for murder of romantic rival, faces the Death Penalty!" it said.

"Thank you dear.." said Sepia as she cracked two eggs for me. I picked up the paper and there on page six was a photo of "Tulip", The Newark playa who had indirectly aided me in two cases.

The article said that "Tulip" had no arrest record...not even a juvenile arrest, but had long been suspected of being a major narcotics trafficker, of having a hand in prostitution and even of fixing some horse races....If you added setting up bank robberies and taking a cut of the proceeds you had it all, I thought ruefully.

The article further went on to say that there were three eyewitnesses who swear that they saw him walk up on and shoot in the head, Edward "Snookie" Lewis....another Newark Playa who some say was not only making moves on Tulip's territory but was also sleping with Tulip's woman, Monica Courtland...

I laughed at how cruel fate could be...Here was a guy who was like teflon....probably guilty of a half dozen things and who had never had one thing stick to him or lead back to him and here he let his emotions get the best of him...Incredible...Looks like I wouldn't have to worry about him calling me for a favor I thought. I couldn't have been more wrong as I would find out later.

I tossed the newspaper in the trash and gave it no more thought. I ate my breakfast and kissed Sepia goodbye. I then got back in the bed and drifted off to sleep. Some hours later I showered and got dressed and was out and about... Around Mid day , I stopped in Emilio's Pizza joint and ordered some of his good Brickface Oven Pizza and a beer... Just as I sat down to eat , I felt the presence of someone huge standing over me....Before I could get one slice of Pizza in my mouth,the man sat down with me uninvited. I knew who he was! He was a big hulk of a guy with a bald head and a platinum ear ring in his left ear and a goatee...His name was Al...He was the guy who had pulled the shotgun on me in Newark ,the first time I came there to call on his boss...Tulip.

"Don't you New Jersey guys knock first before you come into a man's domain." I said as I ate my Pizza and sipped my beer.

"Always the smart alec, aint you?" said Al.

"I heard about your boss...Shame...." I said.

"That's why I'm here Kevin....The boss told me to reach out to you...He's in a mess, he needs your help.....You owe him a favor." said Al.

There it was...The moment I dreaded...Repaying the favor....I knew this day was coming..I dreaded it...but here it was...

"Look Kevin...Tulip is a lot of things...Yeah he runs drugs....he gets a cut of the prostitution that goes on in the neighborhood, but they aint his girls...We shake down the pimps that's all..it's kind of a "luxury tax." and maybe we've fixed a few horse races...but we aint killed nobody...Tulip aint never personally killed nobody in his life...and he sure as hell wouldn't walk up and kill nobody with eye witnesses...Come on..you met the man...you know that this aint him." said Al.

"How do I know? They said it was over a girl...A girl can get you pretty steamed up, make you do things you wouldn't normally do." I said.

"Tulip got about three women...Monica was kind of like his main squeeze...but he wasn't into her like that...This was a set up man...a stone cold set up." said Al.

"Okay...who set this up? In your opinion?" I said.

"Little Anthony" he said.

'Who?? The singer?" I said.

"You got jokes huh? Little Anthony is a young buck playa...He's on his way up...He engineered this whole thing to get Snookie and Tulip out of the way and become the king of Newark." said Al.

"And you know this how? " I said.

"I don't...and I can't prove it....That's where you come in." said Al.

"Man..I aint no miracle worker..." I said.

"Now you tell us...You put one of the most dangerous killers on ice...Caught a dirty cop and solved a 19 year old mystery....Seems like this would be right up your alley...You in or out man??...I can't be down here in Philly wastin my time if you aint.....I thought maybe, just maybe you was a man of your word." said Al.

"I'm in...I'm in....I'll do what I can...I need a few days before I can come to Newark....Have me a place I can stay...I don't want anybody to know who I am or why I'm there and I need the names and adresses of those eyewitnesses..I'll take it from there." I said.

"You got it Kev.....Thanks man, I appreciate this..." he said as he got up and was about to walk out..

"Yo Big man!" I said before he left...He turned and looked at me....I handed him my Blackberry.

''Put your phone number in there.....and stay in touch." I said.

"Ohh yeah, right...Sorry about that." he said. Then he walked out... I ordered another Pizza and just sat and ate... What had I just gotten myself into?

(To Be Continued......)

The Feeling Is The Same

Now you can lie
and say that it
isn't more than it appears
yeah you can tell it to your homeboys
you can hide behind your macho fears../

but when you look at that girl
you know it damn near brings you to tears
you know that she's the kind of woman
with whom you might want to spend a few
years./

And you want her
yeah
you know you want her...
I bet the feelin is the same..
I'll bet she wants you
really ,really wants you..
and only your hesitation is to blame...
Bet the feelin is the same../

now she's kind of shy..
but she's been givin you the eye..
all night long..
bet she'd really like for you to ask her
if she'd like to come home..
with you...
but what will you do?
You'll just sit and drink and fantisize..
but if you...
would only try...
maybe you might just realize......
but oh no...you think...
her upbringing tells her that that would be wrong...
you'd better find out...
she'll be gone before long.../

And you want her
yeah
you know you want her...
I bet the feelin is the same..
I'll bet she wants you
really ,really wants you..
and only your hesitation is to blame...
Bet the feelin is the same../

See
a girl like that
has to be careful when she knows she likes a guy
but the look of tenderness in her eyes
makes you kind of realize..
that you'll never know if you don't ask...
and maybe she'd lat least you ask...
but you won't know if you don't try...
you're hesitating...
so you ask yourself why???
open your eyes.../


And you want her
oh yeah
you know you want her...
I bet the feelin is the same..
I'll bet she wants you
really ,really wants you..
and only your hesitation is to blame...
Bet the feelin is the same../


And you want her
oh yeah
you know you want her...
I bet the feelin is the same..
I'll bet she wants you
really ,really wants you..
and only your hesitation is to blame...
Bet the feelin is the same../

And you need her
oh yeah..
tell her you need her
only your hesitation is to blame...
because the feeling is the same../

Steamed Up!

"Kevin,Are you sure this is going to work?" said Ingrid Rhodes.

"It will...I don't want you to worry okay...I've got this under control." I said.

"I don't want any drama at my neices funeral." She said

"Oh it won't be...We'll grab him hours later after the funeral...just trust me Ingrid..this is the only way I can bring your sister's killer to justice." I said.

"Okay Kevin." she said as she sat in the car with Sepia and I.

Once again..I had called in a favor to Newark playa, Tulip.. He had sent his "girl", Kitty Delicious to Philly to portray "Madame X" and take part in my sting.Peeping Tom had her wired and had her in the church at the funeral...
Clerow and Sean Jackson stood outside the church, dressed as ushers and kept a
lookout... Kool Kat stood on the corner in a dark suit and kept his eyes peeled...and I sat in my car across the street from the church....

"Kevin, I've spotted your boy...He's on his way into the church now." said Kool
Kat from his cell phone.

I spotted "Wodie" in dark slacks, a dark shirt and dark tie and a grey suit jack heading into the church...It was the first time I'd ever seen him in anything other than that hoodie. After the funeral was over , he came out with Kitty, just as planned and they got into her "Benz"...A mint condition Mercedes Benz on loan to me from Fathead Newton.

Of course the car was wired...We could hear and see everything that went on inside the car...

"Damnnnn baby..this is sweeeet!...You got dollars like that?" said Wodie.

"People pay me a lot to take my clothes off. I told you that!" she said.

"Yes lawddd,I see why...you are built like a ship...I can't wait ." he said.

"You can't wait for what lover?" she exclaimed.

"Well we is going someplace and get to uh know one another better aint we?" he said.

"Just like that huh? You can't take a girl out for a drink or to get some food or somethin?" she said.

"Well hell, yeah..but I'd like some sex first." he said.

"Wow, you're right to the point aren't you..I don't even know you like that." she said.

"You sound like her...don't talk like her..That's why she dead...." he said.

"Who? What are you talkin about...Why is who dead???" she said.

"I don't wanna talk about it....Why do all of yall put all these nasty, sexy photos on Facebook, and talk all nasty and sexy ,gettin guys like me all steamed up , then yall wanna get all new and suddenly become a lady and all...I aint havin it." he said..

"Heyyy, baby, kool out, it's okay...just chill..it's kool..it's all good...We can get to that...We can get to that...chill." she said.

"I'm tired of you hoes....She was like that ..got me all steamed up , kept tellin me no so much that I just ripped her clothes off and took it....I...popped off a little early..I don't ever do that...and she laughed at me....I...I...I.. didn't mean to shoot her..but she laughed at me...I..I lost control...people lose control....you know??" he said.

"Relax.....Stormi could be demanding like that....I'm not like her." she said.

"Oh, alright then...alright....well let me lick your breast then." he said.

"I'm driving..come on...there will be time to do all of that when we get to your spot.."

"Okay.....You-You-You..aint no cop are you?" he asked.

"You ever see a cop with double d's like this?" she asked...

"Helllll nahhhhh..nor a body like yours...I'm ready like freddie." he said.

"I see..that bulge in your pants is just gettin bigger and bigger. Cool out...save your energy..cause I'm gone wear your ass out." she said..

"Oh lawd.....ohhhhhh lawd....I'm not gone make it...ahhhhhhhhhhhh..." he said.

Clerow,Sean, even Kool Kat all burst into laughter....We were listening to the entire exchange from our car. We were following them, but was a few blocks behind their car.

"Alright guys...chill out..Did you put that GPS system under her car?" I asked Kool Kat.

"Yup." he said.

"Alright..let's go." I said.

We took off behind their car and in no time we were parked about two blocks from his apartment. Kitty and Wodie were already in the apartment...

"Ohhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhh...ouuuuu girl that feels good....." he exclaimed...

"I aint even took my clothes off yet..." she said...

"yeah, but your lips were so soft..that was some kiss." he said.

"It was just a kiss...you get that excited over a kiss?" she said.

She opened up her blouse and began to expose her breasts to him....

"Awwwwwwwwwww....Awwwwwwwww...hell...awwww,ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.." he exclaimed.

"Are you alright? Oh you gotta be kidding......you're done that fast?" she exclaimed...

"It's okay...it'll just take me a minute to uh get started up again...It won't take me but a minute...come on, don't look at me like Stormi did.."

But now Kitty was no longer following the script, which was to keep him calm ,she was really flabbergasted...

"You kiddin me right? I aint even out of my dress and you done popped off? Oh my God...you are pathetic." she exclaimed...

"Don't talk to me like that..Shut up..Shutttt UPPPPPPPPP!!!" he screamed...

It was time to move quick or else he'd kill her... Kool Kat hit the door with all of his might and knocked it off the hinges...Clerow and I entered the apartment with guns drawn! There was no need...Wodie sat in the corner in a catatonic state..staring at the ceiling...muttering....

"All of you are the same...you get a guy all steamed up...A guy can only take so much..I was too steamed up...You are too sexy."

He was completely gone! The police came and based on what I gave them, plus the murder weapon..it was determined that Basil Ernest Mitchell was indeed the killer of Stormi Jasper. He was in no shape to stand trial for anything though. Today he sits in a padded cell at the Hospital for the Criminally Insane,still muttering-

"You hoes... get us guys too steamed up.....We just can't hold it in..We are too steamed up." That's all he says ,when he says anything at all.

EPILOUGE:

I paid Kitty Delicious and sent her back to Newark on the train with my regards to her boss, Tulip for his help. I wondered when he'd come calling for a favor? I decided not to worry about it...Maybe he'd never need my help. I could only hope.

The singer,Ingrid Rhodes and I stood outside Josie's a few nights later....

"Kevin, I don't know how to thank you....You caught my neice's killer." she said as she passed me an envelope with two thousand dollars cash in it.

"It was the least I could do..Your neice didn't deserve to die like that." I said.

"Yeah, but if she hadn't had such a racy Facebook page, she wouldn't have attracted that nut's attention. She should have never agreed to meet someone who she didn't know." said Ingrid.

"True...Are you going to be alright Ingrid?" I asked.

"Yeah,I guess Kevin....I loved my neice and I'm gonna miss her...I'm going to take some time off from performing...and just chill for a little bit....." she said.

I kissed her on her cheek ...

"Be Easy baby." I said as I walked back inside....

"Always Kevin...Always." she said.

Turning Up The Heat!

Sean Jackson and I rented different cars and canvassed "Wodie's" neighborhood sveral times a day...We took photos of him coming and going. He didn't seem to have a job...Then we discovered how he was making a living...He dealt marijuana for a small time playa named. "Ali".. Ali had one guy....who looked like muscle ,named Paul who was constantly at his side. Wodie and two or three other boys got their stash from him....He worked in a funeral home. They dealt on a few corners in Mt Airy,Oak Lane and Germantown... We had photos of the entire operation and the playas..

A few days later....Lockpick Johnson and Peeping Tom wired that funeral home for sound and video and we got video and audio of money and drugs changing hands between Ali, Paul and a number of young teenaged boys.... I delivered this anonymously to the police under the guise of a "Town Watch" group...In no time, Police arrested Ali, Paul and about ten teenage boys who slung marijuana for him.

Ali was a small time playa....but with him out of the way, I had now cut off Wodie's main source of income...Thus making him more ripe for the picking.

He had no job....and he seemed to be getting desperate. We purposely edited out video of Wodie selling drugs and picking up drugs..I wanted him free and clear.He appeared to be pretty thrifty though..He had a considerable amount of cash stored up and was still making his ends meet. The talk on Facebook and Twitter began to increase now that he had more free time.. He was pissing off all of his female "friends" with his dirty talk and they were one by one either ignoring , defriending or blocking him from following. Only" Madame X" was continuing to talk to him and keep up the facade of being just as horny as he was and just as in need of a sexual release.

Sepia, pretending to be "Madame X" on the Facebook chatbox began ratching up the ante.

Madame X- "You been talkin how you been wantin to meet me all this time, when you gonna do it? It's been awhile since I had some good lovin."

Wodie-" I wanted to do it this weekend, but my funds are kind of low....my uh job went out of business and I'm unemployed for the moment.but I need some good lovin myslef.hehheheheheh"

Madame X-"That's sad...because I was going to wear what I have on in my profile picture under a trenchcoat."

Wodie-''Worddddd...we can still hook up you know. I aint broke..and I'm sittin here as horny as ten just thinkin of you in that black teddy...mannnnn!"

Madame X- "Well, I can pick you up in my Benz..."

Wodie- "Benz? You got it like that Shorty?"

Madame X-"I'm a model, I makes big dough, you aint know? People pay me a lot to take off my clothes and get a glimpse of these double d's."

Wodie- "I know that's right...You sound like my type of hook up. damn girl..when can we get together?"

Madame X -Speaking of which ,I gotta get something to wear to my girl Stormi's funeral tomorrow.

Wodie-"Stormi? I met her, she wasn't all that..."

Madame X-"Don't talk about my girl like dat, she and I was gonna go in the modelin business together....til some coward raped and killed her."

Wodie-"She wasn't raped...aint nobody hardly rape huh, she wanted it..she was just playin hard to get."

Madame X-"How you know? It said in the papers that she was raped and killed.You sound like you was with her...Were you?"

Wodie- ''Nah..I only met her once..at the Mermaid Club. The papers don't know everything..uh..the word on the street was that she was a ho."

Madame X -"What damn word on the street? Who knew if she was raped or not? You sure know a lot about the situation for someone who claims they didn't know her that well."

Wodie-"I don't wanna talk about her....So when we gone hook up?"

Madame X-"I'll let you know..I'll be in touch. Ummmmm, then I'm gonna touch you in some places I think you'll like...heheheheheheheheh..and hopefully you'll touch me likewise...."

Wodie-"Word,I sho will...boyyy, I sho will baby, I'll do more than just touch you girl, cause I'm really feelin you....for real though. I wish you'd come over here right now...you got me so hot ,I'm about to burn this joint down."

Madame X-"Yeah,yeah ,yeah,that's what they all say. Save some of that heat for me when I come over... I gotta get off this line..you're getting me wet..ouuuuuuuuu,I gotta stop talkin like this...ohhhhhhhhhh"

Wodie- "Nah ,I'm for real.... What you got on now?"

Madame X-" Wouldn't you like to know? Gotta go..See ya!"

(madame x is now off line! )

Sepia looked at me...I looked at her and laughed like a cheshire cat....

"Baby you were great...you sure know how to talk that talk...you got him so steamed up he won't be able to control himself." I said laughing...

"That's what I do lover...that is after all how I got you, isn't it?" she said with her seductive smile...

"Indeed" I said as I took her in my arms and began kissing her hungrily......

"Hmmmmmmmm, maybe we should take this elsewhere than our living room." cooed Sepia.

I lifted her up and took her upstairs to our bedroom.

(Conclusion Next)

Madame X

Three Days later, I'm in Newark, New Jersey....at the flower shop that is the front and base of Operations of the gangster known as "Tulip"...To avoid any ugliness,I called in advance....and just in case his guys didn't get the memo, I brought along Kool Kat and Donald "Smooth" on loan from my friends, Chess and Chris for "muscle" and my main man and photographer extroidinare, Sean Jackson. Clerow, who is an excellent driver as well as confidante was also along for "muscle".

"Well ,Well ,Well...The Philly boys are in the house." said a laughing Tulip as he welcomed us into his flower shop...The teenage punks who I rousted the last time I was here were still sitting outside...but there were no hostilities between us. Clerow and Kool Kat sat outside, While Sean and Donald Smooth followed me inside..

"So what can I do you for Mister Kevin?" asked the smiling player.

"I need a girl...one of your foxiest." I found myself saying for the second time in a few days and ironically enough to yet another gangster.

"Really? What, Philly hasn't got enough so you come to Newark for that?" he said.

"It aint like that...I need to take some photos of her...I'm setting up a scam." I said.

"I can dig it...but Fathead Newton got a lot of girls.." he said.

"Yeah...but the person I'm scamming gets around to all of the local strip clubs..and he probably know thems...That's why I come here..I want an unknown talent." I said.

"Hahahahahaha...Oh I see....Well, what's in this for me?" he asked.

"I'll owe you a favor ." I found myself saying and hating every minute of saying that.

"Favors are very important Mr. Kevin....Who knows...One day I may call in my marker sooner rather than later." he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I know." I said.

Tulip then called his "assistant" , the big bald headed guy who had pulled the shotgun on us last time we were here.

"Yo...Al....get Kitty Delicious and bring her here." he said.

"I promise you, Her real name won't be used and when we finish..I'll destroy the website." I said.

"I don't care what you do....Kitty won't either if I tell her not to care." he laughed.

What kind of man was this Tulip fellow? As evil a man as I have ever dealt with.

"Is there a place to take these photos?" I asked.

''What? I gotta do everything for you Philly boy?" he laughed.

"I'll book a hotel room." I said.

A half hour later, Tulip's guy, Al produced Ms. Kitty Delicious...not likely her real name...but as sexy a woman as I've ever seen...Sean, Kool Kat,Clerow and Donald Smooth couldn't take their eyes off of her..Neither could I...Never the less, we all went to a hotel room where Sean Jackson snapped close to 100
photos of her...I gave her $500.00 for her trouble.

"You gonna make me a star?" she joked...

"Yeah for a few days anyway..and I promise you...I'll destroy the website after I'm through." I told her..

"Knock yourself out Daddy..I don't care...These photos aint nothin compared to the ones I got on my website.. Keep em...You might want to look at em and dream about me." she laughed. I smiled...So did Clerow, Sean Jackson, Kool Kat and Donald Smooth.

We left Newark and headed back to Philadelphia. I took the photos to my friend, Peeping Tom...a retired CIA operative who had all kinds of spyware that I couldn't imagine. We set up a Phony Facebook page as well as a Twitter account in the name of "Madame X". We hacked into Stormi's Facebook and Twitter accounts and made "Madame X" a "friend" and a follower.. Then we sent a "friend" request to "Ernest "Wodie" Mitchell and "Mr. Basil"

"With the equipment I have Kevin...as soon as our friend gets on line and "friends" or follows "Madame X"..I'll get the ip address of his computer and be able to tell you exactly where he's at." he said.

"Wow, that's incredible." I said.

It didn't take long....He friended and followed Madame X...and began sending her messages on the inbox, status updates and her "wall" saying how great she looked and how much he'd like to meet her so that they could get to know each other.

"I got it....This is coming from the Cyber Cafe.....the one down the street from the "Mermaid Club" said Peeping Tom... How careful was this guy? Smart enough not to operate from anywhere he might lay his head. In the coming days we got a hit from the Free library and from a smartphone...He appeared to be a train or a bus..something that was moving rapidly....Still no way to pin him down.

I brought Sepia, Bonita and Anita Jenkins over to Peeping Tom's house...Them being females..they knew how to talk to this guy and get him worked up , without making it too obvious...Over a few days, he really was getting worked up and pressing hard for a meeting with the "Madame"..

Meanwhile, Attorney Robert Foxworth met with me at Josies for drinks. He and Chance had been at records doing some research for me.

"Man, Kev..we went through city records and cross referenced with State records..and there is nobody named Ernest Mitchell that fits your profile. Ten are in jail, another 16 are deceased...There is no school records or drivers licensce records either." said Robert Foxworth..

"But Kev..I did get one hit...I found a "Basil E. Mitchell" living at this address in Mt.Airy....This is his drivers licensce and the house he lives in...He appears to be renting it." said Chance.

"Basil E. Mitchell you say??" I said

"Yeah...I know it has nothing to do with anything...I was just doin a run of Mitchells." he said.

"It has everything to do with everything.....That address is just two blocks away from where Stormi was murdered...This guy was living in walking distance from her all the time...The guy on Twitter was named "Mr.Basil" on Facebook he used the name "Ernest"...I'm bettin "Ernest " is his middle name...."Mr. Basil",
"Ernest Mitchell" and "Wodie" are all one in the same." I said.

"Damn man...you amaze me the way you put things together...but just cause he was talkin nasty on her Facebook and twitter pages don't mean he killed her." said Robert Foxworth.

"True. but he's all I got....and I have to find out who he is."I said.

That night, Sepia drove me and Lockpick Johnson to the home address I had for Basil E. Mitchell...Lucky for me, the windows of our car was tinted...We sat for about an hour and watched until we hit the jackpot...A tell skinny Black guy ,who looked anywhere from 19-25 ,wearing jeans, a white undershirt and a black hoodie emerged from the house....Locksmith and I got out of the car.

"Sepia...drive slow...follow him...Call me if you see him coming back." I said.

"Okay." she said as she pulled off...

Locksmith got inside and got me inside his apartment...What I saw when I got inside was astounding..... Huge glossy photos everywhere of Stormi and other women, all nude or in sexy lingerie...two computers, a printer, a fax machine and two scanners and photography equipment.... I wish I brought Sean Jackson along to take pictures...I would have to use my Blackberry's camera. I took several photographs of the apartment.... I went in his bedroom....there were used condoms all over the floor and women's underwear strown all about...Who was this guy? I scooped up the used condoms and took a glass out of the sink and put it in a plastic bag... Then Locksmith and I left and locked his place up.

We waited about a block away and Sepia came and picked us up.

"Well?" she asked.

"That's our boy....He's got photos and condoms and underwear all over the place." I said.

"That just means he's a pig..like most guys." she laughed.

"You're a lawyer now?" I said with a smile. Sepia just gave me a fake look of disgust and put the palm of her hand in my face..I licked it..

"Ouuu, you so nasty Kevin.." she laughed.

"When I get home I'll show you how nasty I really am." I said.

"You promise?" she said as we drove to police headquarters!

A few days later I met with Lt.Sissy Van Buren.

"Kevin, I have good news and bad news." she said.

"Uh Oh." I said.

"Well, good news first....The DNA in the condoms and the fingerprint on the glass are a match, a solid match for the DNA we found on Stormi's body and the fingerprint we pulled off of the condom.." she said.

"So he's the perp." I said.

"Nope...All that means is that he had sex with her..more than likely consensual sex. They talked dirty on Facebook and on Twitter..so what? So do millions of people. He scanned some photos of her off the internet..It proves nothing....Sorry Kevin...and because you got these photos illegally,I can't even use em in a court of law..." she said.

"Wow...he's our only suspect." I said.

"We don't know if he is or not Kevin...Sorry." she said.

That night I told Sepia what I'd been told....

"So what do we do now?" she asked...

"It means, we are going to have to arrange for a meeting with Madame X." I said.

"But there is no Madame X" she said.

"There will be." I said.

(To Be Continued.....)

Who Are You Really?

By now thanks to my anonymous call, The Police had probably picked over the crime scene and were running their own investigation...Not the first time me and the Philly cops were on the same trail at the same time..but I had something at my disposal that they didn't...The street and more important...The word on the street... I talked to a few guys at Dirty Franks and found out that during the last time Stormi was seen there she complained of not being able to sleep and of the feeling that someone was watching her....She never told any of the guys I talked to the name of the guy...but all of them remembered a tall thin African -American guy in a black hoodie.

In a city this large, I could be searching forever...but that was all I had..So I questioned a few of her neighbors...the ones that won't talk to cops...but would talk to me and I found out that this guy had a nickname...'"Wodie" rhymes with roadie. Wodie and his crew hung out at, you guessed it...that haven for undesirables..The Mermaid Club! So Clerow,Kool Kat and I visited the Mermaid club one night...Joe Neptune ,the bartender knew this guy, but didn't know his real name...Neither did anyone else we talked to...They all knew him, but didn't know his real name or where he actually lived....So that left me where I started...Nowhere...with only a phantom and a nickname! I was betting that this was more than what the Police had.

My next stop was a rooftop meeting with Lt.Sissy Van Buren of Philadelphia Homicide.

"Well Kevin...We found a condom inside of her." she said.

"You did?" I said.

"Yes we did and it was full of sperm...which means our dead girl had sex before she was murdered....We lifted a latent print off of the condom too.....but unfortunately...whoever she had sex with has no police record...We ran the DNA through decks and through the FBI labs and we came up with a big fat goose egg...This person is a first time offender..." she said.

"Well since we are sharing information....I talked to a number of people who gave me the name 'Wodie" as a guy who was seen with her and seen around her neighborhood." I said.

"Okay..what's this 'Wodie' person's name and where do they live?" she asked.

"I don't know....Nobody seems to know his name or where he lives....He does hang out at the Mermaid club though...but they haven't seen him around in two weeks.." I said.

"Wow....so neither of us has anything....He's just a guy she was seen with...doesn't make him our perp." she said.

"Yeah...I know. Oh well, I'll see what I can dig up on my own...I'll stay in touch." I said.

I went home...

My wife Sepia was sitting at her computer in a Black Baby doll and nothing on under it...Watching her sit at the computer dressed like that was enough to make me forget this case until I saw what she was looking at.

"Hey Kevin....I'm glad you're home...Look at what I found." she said...

"We can look at that later." I joked...

"No silly..I'm talking about this screen...Your dead girl Stormi Jasper...She had a Facebook page..

but look at her profile pic and look at her other photos?" said Sepia.

I looked at her profile picture...She was in her bra and panties and had a very seductive come hither smile..... Practically all of her photos were of her in sexy lingerie or close to nude....in some sexy pose....She had 699 friends....Only about eight that I counted were females...Not surprisingly the rest were all males and all wrote from adoring to down right nasty status update s on her page.....

Sepia and I leafed through her status updates.....none were threatening...Most were the horny adorations of guys turned on by her photos...We saw a "friend request" that hadn't been answered....I wondered who that was? It didn't matter because I saw the name of the man I had been searching for under her list of friends... Ernest 'Wodie" Mitchell....It said only that he was a male and lived in Philly....It had one photo and one photo only...and that was of his.....penis.

What kind of perve was this guy??...He had no other information on his page... No interests, no likes, and few status updates other than...


"I sure would like to have some sex." or "What should I do...get some food or have some sex?",clearly a guy with a one track mind. There were a number of posts that said Ernest commented on such and such's post...All of them were women and all of them were pretty raunchy...A number of the women asked him not to write status updates like that on their pages.I was intrigued...

He had only ten "friends"- They were all female. I spent the next few days locating these women and talking to them...To my surprise...none of them knew him personally..He was just someone they knew through Facebook...Still no clue as to who he really was. There was a link on Stormi's page to her twitter account...With Ingrid's help, we got into her account and saw her tweets...Here is where things really got interesting....There was someone on twitter named "Mr.Basil" Who was leaving some really strange messages...

Mr. Basil- "I really really like your photos on Facebook"

Stormi -"Thank you....but I'm not friends with you on Facebook am I?"

@Mr. Basil-Let's just say you're a friend of a friend."

Stormi- "A friend of a friend?"

@Mr. Basil- "That's not important...what is important is that you let me come over to your house and tear that thang up....."

Stormi-"Okay...you're getting a little too extra now...I don't even know you."

@Mr. Basil- "I know you though..I know where you live and where you work...and you don't know how long I've been wanting to get you somewhere and just take your clothes off and put all ten inches of my love rocket up into you...ummmmmmmph."

Stormi- "Don't talk to me like that...."

@Mr. Basil- So Let's stop talking and get to screwing..."

Stormi- "Okay..I'm going to block you...I don't want to talk to you anymore."

@Mr. Basil-'Don't do that...Don't make me come over to your house..."

Stormi-"Hey who are you? Really??"

@Mr. Basil-"You'll know soon enough...when you're screaming my name....ahahahahahahaha."

Interesting....Who was Mr. Basil?? Was Mr. Basil a friend of "Wodie" or were they both one and the same?? Questions I had to answer one way or another.

(To Be Continued)