Cerebral Pursuits

A Rare Friday Night that didn't find me at Josies...I, My wife Sepia , Sean Jackson and his wife, Sheila, Clerow and his wife ,Corrie ,Attorney Conrad Nelson ,his wife Jill and Attorney Robert Foxworth and his girlfriend Bonita were all the guests of Cock Robbins player and friend , Big Brian Carson. They had a little boat and it sat out on Penns landing.

We had just finished a delicious meal of T-bone Steaks, Baked Potatoes, a romaine salad and some good wine... Some smooth jazz music was playing throughout the boat and Cock Robbins was going on and on about his player, Big Brian Carson...

"Man. Kev, Sean...This cat is a beast...He reminds me of me when I was playin." he laughed. From the corner of my eye , I saw his wife, Vanessa wince....My wife, Sepia, who had once been involved with him also winced and looked up towards the sky... I just chuckled to myself...

He showed us a video of this guy playing. I should tell you that although Cock Robbins teaches at the local high school...He just couldn't get Football out of his system. He was once a promising player himself who missed out on a splashy NFL career and wound up playing for a few local semi-pro teams... He was now the assistant coach of a semi pro football team. Big Brian Carson was at least six foot four, but lean and muscular and quick...He was a big wide receiver who was out quicking his opponents and making seemingly impossible catches and scoring almost at will.

Largely because of him, Cock's team was 14-2 and headed for the playoffs...Cock was just the assistant coach....The offensive coach to be exact...but he talked as if he was the head coach. One thing was for sure....Big Brian was a superstar in the making. Why he hadn't been picked up by a pro team was indeed a mystery to me.

"Hey man...The Eagles and the Giants haven't been looking at you?" I asked.

"They have...I've worked out for both of them....The Ravens called me too." he said.

"Mannn Kev...Once we win the championship...They'll be doing more than just lookin...Ole boy won't be playin no semi pro ball no more." laughed Cock...

"If he can keep himself off the sauce , he just might get to sit on the bench of one of these teams."
came a voice in the distance.

Big Brian grimaced....We all looked and we saw two people entering the boat...One was a lovely young woman with the nicest legs I'd seen in a long while....Nice tanned brown skin and long waist length hair.. She wasn't the one who had made the remark...That came from a tall, Six foot
four , but thin as a rail young man who looked like a thinner version of Big Brian Carson. This had to be his brother! Only a sibling could josh with another sibling like that!

"Kevin, Clerow, Sean....may I introduce my lady, Mary Salinas and the loud mouth you heard...my brother, Ellis..." Said Brian as Cock poured Sepia, Corrie, Jill, Sheila and his wife, Vanessa more wine.

"Pleased to meet you good peoples." laughed Ellis.

"You must play basketball man?" asked Clerow good naturedly.

"No..I don't play any sports....I leave all of that to baby bro over there...I have taken up more cerebral pursuits." said Ellis, who eyed Mary a little too much as she walked over to Brian and planted a wet sloppy and long kiss on him that made me a little uncomfortable watching. Ellis ,for some reason looked a bit annoyed by it all. I said nothing.

"Hey guys..I know it's the middle of the winter now...but after we win the championship..You're all invited back...We're gonna go for a little cruise...take this baby on the water..Maybe go down to Baltimore Harbor..Get some crabs." Laughed Brian.

''Sounds Good to me..What do you guys say?" asked Cock Robbins.

"Sounds good to me said Sean.

We all joined in saying it was a good idea...and continued eating and drinking well into the night.
Finally, around two thirty, we all started getting up and going to our cars... Brian walked us all to the parking lot...Missing was Ellis and Mary...

"You sleeping on that boat tonight?" asked Cock Robbins as he got in his car..

'Nah...I'm goin home..." said Brian as he yawned...

"Oh Kevin...I left my purse on the boat." said Sepia.

"Oh...Just run back there and get it...Ellis and Mary are still there...He's going to take her home and lock up." said Brian.

''Wait here ..I'll get it." I said and I walked to the boat.

But as I walked toward the boat, I heard sounds..Sounds I wished I hadn't heard...

"Ummmmmmmmm...ohhhhhhhhhhhh... ouuuuuu Ellis, it's soooo biggg"

"Ummmmmmmmm...ohhhhhhhhhhhhh girllll...ohhhhhhh..."
I looked into the window and to my shock and horror, Ellis's pants were down to his ankles and Mary 's mouth had engulfed most of his penis... He looked as if his eyes were about to roll into the back of his head..

She stopped momentarily and said-

"Would you hurry up...before somebody comes back..."

"Who's coming back?..they're all gone ...What I want to know is when do you plan to tell Brian about us?" said Ellis.

"What us? There is no us...I'm supposed to tell him what? That I sometimes fool around with his jealous older brother?" Ha..Fat chance." she said.

"If you don't tell him,I will." said Ellis.

"Go ahead..I dare you...what do you think he'll do...when I tell him that this all began...when I was drunk and you made an inappropriate move on me at Mulberry Street? He'll tear you apart and cut off the little stipend he gives you to pursue cerebral pursuits...Now come on...let's get this over with so I can go home.....ouuuuuuuuu, it's soooo big dadddy..ouuuuuuuu..." she said as she took his huge erect penis back into her mouth and preceded to finish what they had started.
What was going on here? I didn't know and I didn't need to know.

"Ohhhhhhh...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ohhhh my goddddddd!" he screamed as he came to a violent orgasm!

I turned around and walked back to my car. By now, everyone had left!

"Kevin, Where is my purse?" asked Sepia.

"I'll get it tomorrow." I said.

''What?" she asked.

"Trust me...It's better if I get it tomorrow." I said and put my key in the ignition and pulled off.
Something was going on here, Something not at all kosher.

(To Be Continued...)

Let's Stay Home Today

Can I give you a soft touch?
Let me run my fingers all over your body...
Would it be asking too much?
To slip your nightgown off?
Is that a little lame or shoddy.?/

You say my touch is giving you the chills
and that I am so nasty today...
I can tell that my touch thrills...
So be that as it may..
I don't want to go to work this morning..
and neither do you...
You quietly protest, telling me to stop..
but we both know you don't really want me to.../

Let's stay home today...
and pretend we are trying to make a baby...
Let's stay home this snowy morn...
and make sweet love until long after noon,
maybe until the break of dawn...
Come on girl,
Let's Stay Home./

I know that I'm getting you wet...
You don't have to admit it...
I can see by the look on your face...
You know that look you get?
When your curl your bottom lip
and your eyes tell me that you've
lost all sense of time and space.../

You tell me to go deeper
and deeper...
You're begging me to enter you
now...
I part you thighs and it's no
surprise...
you're more than ready for
sweet lovemaking...
oh and how.../

Let's stay home today...
and pretend we are trying to make a baby...
Let's stay home this snowy morn...
and make sweet love until long after noon,
maybe until the break of dawn...
Come on girl,
Let's Stay Home./

You say my touch is giving you the chills
and that I am so nasty today...
I can tell that my touch thrills...
So be that as it may..
I don't want to go to work this morning..
and neither do you...
You quietly protest, telling me to stop..
but we both know you don't really want me to.../

Let's stay home today...
and pretend we are trying to make a baby...
Let's stay home this snowy morn...
and make sweet love until long after noon,
maybe until the break of dawn...
Come on girl,
Let's Stay Home./

It's Complicated

Nobody seems to understand
you're not my woman
and I'm certainly not your man...
but here we are lying next to each other
in bed..
and I would try to explain, but it's complicated
girl.../

You claim you're with somebody new..
and I tell all of my boys that you're just
something to do...
so why are both of us lying next to each other
in bed seeming like we don't have a clue?
Yeah, you tried to come up with something
but it's complicated girl..../

We used to see each other off and on...
well, kind of sort of...
My friends and yours used to ask us what was
goin on...
and we should have answered them...
yeah, we ought have.../

The curve of your hips,
The softness of your lips...
The smell of my cologne
The smell of your perfume..
is all it takes..
To send us both to someone's bedroom..
Yours or mine..
It doesn't matter most of the time..
I'm trying to take your clothes off..
You're trying to take mine off too..
Are we lovers or just friends with benefits?
I don't know..
Do you?/

Nobody seems to understand
you're not my woman
and I'm certainly not your man...
but here we are lying next to each other
in bed..
and I would try to explain, but it's complicated
girl.../

You tried to come up with a reasonable excuse..
Nobody believed you,
it's just no use...
I don't know what we are doing..
but I'm feelin no pain..
I would try to explain...
but damn girl...It's complicated...
I would try to explain...
but it's complicated..../

Tears of a Clown

"Dang Kev, Did you have to put this ridiculous Ronald Reagon halloween mask on me, couldn't you have at least found a black person's mask to put on me and did you have to involve Daisy in this?"
complained Floyd Dishwater as he and the church organist, Daisy Miller got into the car Kool Kat had gotten for us with the tinted windows.

"I'm sorry...but I don't want any chance of your identity being compromised." I said.

Daisy Miller was wearing a Halle Berry halloween mask, which looked equally ridiculous, considering the fact that they were in a car that nobody would recognize and that the windows were indeed tinted. I just didn't want to take any chances. Gordon didn't know Kool Kat and I was sitting in the back with them, so that there wouldn't be a chance that I would be seen either. Clerow was sitting up front with Kool Kat, who was trying his best to hide the fact that he was laughing.

We had picked them both up and had driven around hoping to catch Gordon Chesley walking around the streets..We didn't have to wait long...We saw him and a young lady walking down the street together...He looked like he was carrying groceries for her. He helped her load them into her car...Then he waved as she smiled at him and pulled off....He was good like that..A real nice guy most of the time...I really hoped that I was wrong about him. I desperately needed to eliminate him as a suspect...But then if I did...Where would I turn? It had been three weeks now and no sign of Freda!

"That's him!!!That's the big guy that slapped the girl and tossed her into his ride." said Floyd.

"Are you sure?" I said.

"Positive." said Floyd.

"Oh that's him alright...I saw him too.....He's tall, muscular....Yeah that's definitely him..we looked him right in the face...but he was so busy wrestling with that girl that he didn't notice us driving by...Ummmmmmph..He's cute!" said Daisy Miller.

''Daisy?" screamed Floyd.

"Well...He is cute...ummmph...ummmph..ummmph...lawdd jesus, big muscular arms, broad shoulders...whoooeeeeee...he could get it!" she exclaimed.

"Daisy!" screamed Floyd.

"Oh...ummmm...I'm sorry...I momentarily lost my composure there for a minute....Ouuuu.." she said as an exasperated Floyd glared at her.

Kool Kat and Clerow both were trying their best not to laugh or at least not to let these two see them laughing. I smiled lightly. We thanked them both and we dropped them both off at home.
Then we sat there on the corner of their block in the car...The three of us.

"Well Boss...He's the one...What are you gonna do?" asked Clerow.

"I wanted to wait a day and see if the FBI crime lab got a match on the Fingerprint and DNA evidence I turned in...It's not like he's going anywhere..He has no idea that we are on to him." I said.

"You had Peeping Tom wire you up for sound...It would be a shame to waste a good wire." joked Kool Kat.

"Yeah ,I know...Let's go get him....Clerow..Call Lt. Van Buren... Tell her to be ready." I said.

"I'm on it boss." he said.

We drove up in front of his house. I told Clerow and Kool Kat to stay outside...I didn't want to arouse his suspicion. I had them park across the street.

"Man, you goin in there by yourself with no back up, that's crazy?" said Kool Kat.

"If he sees either one of you he'll get suspicious and clam up...I'm going to talk to him...You'll be able to hear the entire conversation... If it gets rough..Take the door down and come in blazin." I said.

I looked at Kool Kat and smiled- "You'd like nothing better would you?"

"You know it Kev!" said the big man.

"Be careful boss." said Clerow.

"Always" I said.

I walked up to his porch and rang the doorbell..I hoped he was alone and not entertaining some sweet young thing, as he had been the night before. It took a few minutes , but he came to the front door..He had that same gregarious smile he always had when you saw him...

"Heyyyy Kev..what's up? Where's that pretty little wife of yours?" he asked.

"She's Home." I said.

"What brings you by?" he asked.

"I just wanna holla at you a minute...can I come in?" I asked.

"Oh sure...sure...I aint doin nothin....Sittin here watchin the Sixers lose again..." he laughed.

"Who are they playing?" I asked..

"Does it matter? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha." he laughed...I laughed too.

We sat down in his kitchen at the table. He pulled out two glasses and proceeded to pour us both
some Hennesey on ice....

"Say Kev..Any news on that there gal you been lookin for?" he asked.

"Well see Gordy, that's what I come here for." I said as I gulped my drink....It burned my throat as it went down.

"Yeah? What?" He asked.

"Look....I don't want to play any games....so I'm just gonna get right to it...I think you did this...No, I know you did this.....That night in Josie's after she embarrassed you by slapping you in the face...you tampered with her car, didn't you? You left long before we did..You had the time and the opportunity...You went home and came back in your other Nissan Xterra..The silver one that you rarely drive.....You followed her, you probably put a GPS tracking device on her car...You knew she'd break down eventually... You got out, offered to help..Only things got out of hand and you slapped her...then you cold cocked her!..Hell, a guy with your size and strength probably killed her, but it was an accident...I know you didn't do it on purpose..You aint no killer..It was an accident...you were drunk..you were angry...it was an accident right?" I said.

His face fell....then he smiled...

"You got it all figured out huh Kev? That's a nice story...but it's just a story....you can't prove none of it." he said, no longer smiling.

"Gordy, you left a fingerprint on the inside of her car..in a place where it's got no business being..
The cops got a beer bottle you drank off of with your fingerprints and DNA all over it...If it matches they got you and Gordy, worst of all...Two people saw you...they were down there too that night..They drove by..They thought it was just a lovers spat...That's why they didn't say anything until they saw photos of the missing girl....So ,oh yes...I got proof....It's all over." I said.

His face fell again and to my horror..He pulled out a gun and aimed it at me!

"Heyyy Gordon..Don't....The police are on their way here man...don't do it...Don't put another murder on you...You're already in enough trouble...Come on Man...." I pleaded.

"I aint goin to jail Kev...I caint..I just caint....She shouldn't have slapped me like that...She aint have to embarrass me in front of all those people...She didn't have to talk to me, like I was nothin...NOTHIN! DON'T NO WOMAN TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! ..Little High maintenance
,stuck up tramp...I seen her kind...I was married to two women like that....She went too far man, too far...I aint goin to jail." he said.

"Killin me isn't going to help you Gordy." I said.

"I aint killin you...." He said.

"Gordy..Where did you bury her? Where is she?" I asked...

Just then Kool Kat took the door off the hinges and he and Clerow came in with guns drawn! I ducked and Gordon fired at both of them...They ducked and returned his fire! They missed...So did he! He ran to his basement door and locked it! We pulled at the door furiously..Then we heard one last explosive shot!

Clerow shot the lock off of the door and the three of us...guns drawn rushed into his basement/garage....There we found the body of Gordon Alexander Chesley...dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head! He took whatever secrets he held to the grave with him.

EPILOUGE:

The fingerprints and DNA did match him, thus leaving no doubt that Gordon indeed was the kidnapper and possibly killer of Freda Jordan. He died without telling us what he had done with her. That mystery however was solved a week later...A decomposing body of an African American female was found partially buried behind the Cat house at the Philadelphia Zoo, along with a broken Blackberry....Through dental records and DNA , the remains were positively identified as Freda Jordon...

Sepia and I sat in Josies at the bar talking to Gus a week later-

"Well Junior, looks like I was right, huh?" said Gus.

"Yeah man, you were right...although I wish you weren't." I said.

"The way she slapped him and the way all of us laughed at him had to be humiliating...We should
have eased up a bit...We didn't give him any room to save face...no pun intended." said Gus.

"Yeah...but it wasn't like he didn't warrant that slap...His hands were kind of wandering." said Sepia.

"True..True...I thought he was alright with it...He was laughing." said Gus.

"He had a lot of pain ...Pain we didn't know about...Two failed marriages, a failed relationship, three children, child support drama...That's why he moved here.....Yet you would never know it..
He never let on.....He was always the life of the party....." I said.

Someone went to the jukebox.....They played "Tears of A Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.. Sepia and Gus looked at Me...I smiled and I looked towards the door and I could swear I saw Gordy standing there, with that gregarious smile of his..waving and walking away....but I guess it was just my imagination.....running away with me!

(For Carlene)

Not In A Million Years

Gordon Chesley's name just kept going through my head....The entire time I was driving home...
I lie in bed next to Sepia staring t the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity and finally Sepia broke through my silence.

"What's eating at you lover?" she said.

"Today, Gus brought me somebody who says they might have seen Freda being abducted." I said.

"What? And you didn't tell me?" she said, now sitting up....

"It was Floyd Dishwater from the church. He was there, he saw Freda that night being abducted."
I said.

"Deacon Dishwater?? What was he doing on the drive and at that time of night?" asked Sepia...I see why he was reluctant to go to the police...They no doubt would have asked the same question
that I had asked and that Sepia had asked.

"He was there..okay...and he saw Freda talking on the phone....probably to you....Then he saw a silver Nissan Xterra drive up..Saw a big hulking fella get out, grope her a bit....There was a fight and he must have hit her and knocked her out and slung her into his vehicle and pulled off." I said.

"Ahhhhh, okay....but how did Deacon Dishwater see all of this? What was he doing down there at damn near four in the morning...as cold as it was?" asked Sepia.

"Look, if I tell you this...don't say nothin okay? Not to Bernadette, Not to Bonita and not to Mabel, Cora- beth, Victoria or Anita...you hear?" I said sternly..

"Oooou what?" said Sepia ,looking like a child now...

"He was in the care with Daisy Miller." I said , all of a sudden feeling very sorry for telling Floyd
Dishwater's business like that.

"The church organist?? Oh my goodness...Miss prissy was gettin her freak on? Hahahahahahaha." laughed my wife.

"Never mind that...He said the guy was driving a Silver Xterra." I said.

"Oh Like Gordon's." she said.

"Gordon?? No....Gordon drives a White Xterra." I said.

"Yeah , but he has a Silver one too.... He was washing it , out in front of his house this morning...Me and Bonita saw him when we were coming from the hair dressers...He asked me if we had any news on Freda...I had to sadly tell him that we've hit a brick wall." said Sepia.

"So he has two Xterras huh....A white one and a Silver one....I didn't know that." I said.

"Oh yeah...He just bought the silver one...He hardly ever drives that one." said Sepia.

"Hmmmm, He had the white one the night we were all in Josies....but he left long before we all did...hmmmmm." I mused.

"Kevin....you don't think......Oh nooooo...Not Gordy...He's not the violent type." said Sepia.

"No...he's not....but Freda did slap him pretty hard and that was embarrassing ." I said , making the same argument Gus had made.

"Gordon?? Nah Kevin...That's just not him..He's such a nice , sweet guy...A bit of a dog sometimes, but that's a lot of men. He wouldn't hurt a fly...Not in a million years." laughed Sepia.

''Yeah...I suppose you're right." I said and I went back to sleep. Still it nagged at me...There were just too many co-incidences all starting to line up. I had to play the hand I was dealt until I had a better hand....I just hoped that I was wrong.

II-

I had Robert Foxworth contact his friend in public records and gather up all of the information he could on one Gordon Alexander Chesley. I had to know...I had to be sure that our friend wasn't involved in this.

I stopped by Josies that afternoon and I spoke to Gus-

"Hey Listen....Whatever Gordon drinks out of ....Bottle or Glass....You get it for me Gus and you bag it.." I said.

"Ohhh, so you've decided to take a look at this guy huh?" said Gus.

"Yeah...It's all I've got....I just want to eliminate him from suspicion." I said.

"Alright kid...I'll do what I can." said Gus.

The next day ,I met with Robert Foxworth and Chance Howard in their office..

"What'cha got counselor?" I asked.

"Well...He has no criminal or arrest record of any kind....He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
Was married to Ruth Williams for six years....it ended in divorce...They have one son, Gordon Jr.
He got a 17 year old girl named Lonette McAllister pregnant shortly after his divorce....She has a son by him named Gordon also. Two years after that child was born, He married another woman
named Ruby Sanders...They have a daughter...Grace....They are also divorced now...It seems he left Alabama right before the child support people were about to catch up with him..." said Chance Howard, Robert's young protege'...An up and coming attorney in his own right.

"Damn...He sounds like you Robert." I laughed, so did Chance Howard, who knew his boss all too well.

"What?How do you figure, I aint got all them babies..." said Robert

"Yeah, but you got two ex-wives and several girlfriends.." I laughed.

"Forget you chump! " he laughed good naturedly.

"So...what else you got?" I asked.

"You know he played football once....Roll Tideeeeee! He was damn good too....He moved up here and set up his business....He'd been doing pretty well....Then....The child support people from Alabama caught up with him!! They been really socking it to him with back payments." said Robert.

"That's it?" I said.

"Yeah...that's it." said Robert Foxworth.

"None of this makes him a kidnapper or a ...a murderer." I said.

"Nah...He's just a regular brother with woman troubles." said Robert.

"Yeah...you oughta know about that." I laughed as I patted Robert on the back and left his office.

I drove to Josie's....As I was pulling into the parking lot...Gordon Chesley and a young woman were getting into his white Nissan Xterra and pulling off.. I walked in and Honey Brown motioned me to the back. There was Gus with a large plastic bag which contained three beer bottles and two drink glasses.

"Here it is kid.....just what you ordered...There's fingerprints on this and DNA....If he's your guy..
this ought to be more than enough." said Gus.

"Thanks Gus." I said and took the evidence and left. I turned it over to Lt. Sissy Van Buren of Homicide.

"Thanks Kevin....If we can pull prints off of here and they match the print we pulled off of the car
that gives us our man...He would have no business being anywhere near this part of her car...but you realize...All that means is that he disabled her car...It doesn't prove he kidnapped her or heaven forbid murdered her...We have no eyewitness to that." she said.

"Yeah....but it's enough right?...Enough to at least shine a light his way right?" I said.

"Oh yes." she assured me.

III-

I did however have an eyewitness....I just couldn't bring him forth. I made a couple of phone calls
after I left police headquarters...Then I drove over to the church and waited. It took about a half hour but Kool Kat and Clerow drove up with Floyd Dishwater!

"Hey Kevin..W-Wh-What is this all about?" he asked.

"I need your help." I said.

"Look man..I can't go before no cops" said Floyd.

"Hey, can't aint in your vocabulary mannn." barked Kool Kat. Clerow cocked his pistol and laughed that toothy grin of his... Floyd looked like he was about to faint.

"There's no need for that Kool Kat...Listen Floyd...If I drive you around and I show you who I think is the guy you saw with Freda...Can you ID him?" I asked.

"Yeah...I told you I've seen this guy before..Thas why I didn't think it was no big thing...I thought he knew the girl.....I've seen this guy in the bar." said Floyd.

"You Have?" I asked.

"Yeah...I just don't know him...I've seen him a half dozen times...Big guy...Nice dresser..." said Floyd...

"Alright look..tomorrow..We gonna come get you...We'll be in another car with tinted windows..
We'll conceal your identity and we'll drive around and you point him out okay?" I said.

"No cops right?" he asked.

"I'm givin you my word...No cops." I said.

"Alright Kevin..I'll show him to you." he said.

"Get a good nights sleep." laughed Kool Kat. Floyd was scared to death of him, I could tell.

"Hey guys...take him home." I said.

They put him in their car and drove off....I drove home.....I drove slowly past Gordon's house...
on a night this cold, he had his window open and the light on....He was buck naked in his kitchen
leaning up against the sink....The young woman, he had brought home from Josies was also naked and on her knees giving him a blowjob....His eyes were closed and his head was leaning back... The girl's head was moving back and forth at a furious rate...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ouuuuuuuuuuuu....come on gurllllllll...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." He moaned.

I didn't want him to notice my car sitting in front of his house like this. It was 2:30 am...Time for me to go home.....Gordon Chesley?? He was just a normal guy...just like the rest of us...He couldn't have anything to do with this....Him? Not in a million years.

(Conclusion Next!)

Cracks

I sat in the diner with Philadelphia Homicide Lieutenant Sissy Van Buren drinking a tumbler of coffee and talking the next morning..

"That car was tampered with Kevin...That was a brand spanking new 2011 Lexus Coupe...Our Detectives in Auto went over it with a fine tooth comb and we called in the dealership...It was tampered with and we found a fingerprint." she said.

"Did you?" I said.

"Yeah, but it doesn't match anybody we have on file...I sent it to the FBI. They're going to run it through their VICAP files..." She said.

"I've had everybody I know searching, asking neighborhood people questions...and we've turned up nothing. What did you think of that text message?" I asked. I'd showed her Sepia's Blackberry and told her that through my own methods , which I was not at liberty to reveal....I found out that the caller texted the message from the zoo.

"I think you were right...They definitely wanted to throw you off the trail...They've probably ditched that phone by now...One of our guys called the number again and we got a signal interrupt...Which means her phone is probably in a basin of water somewhere right now." she said.

"Do you think.....Do you think she's dead?" I asked, already suspecting the worse.

"It's a possibility Kevin...you never know with these things...I've had a man outside of her house for a few days now and there has been no sign of anyone. We've talked to her family and friends and they don't know of a single enemy she had in the world...No jilted lovers..Nothing." she said.

"Oh well....If I hear anything...You'll be the first to know." I said as I plunked a couple of dollars on the table, got up and headed towards the door...

"Kevin!" said Sissy.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Get some rest....you look tired." she said.

"I'll do what I can." I said with a smile.

As I headed to my car, my Blackberry went off....It was Gus of all people! What did he want?

"Hello."

"Junior...ya might want to stop by the bar when you get a minute...I got somebody that wants to talk to you...It's about that missing girl." he said.

"I'm on my way." I said.

It didn't take me anytime to get to Josie's Bar, Where Gus and a familiar fellow were waiting for me...It was early in the day and the bar hadn't opened yet...I walked in and sitting with Gus was none other than Floyd Dishwater, a deacon from my church. What could he possibly know about Freda Jordan?

"Hi ya Kevin....Floyd here has somethin to tell ya...Come on man, spill it...a girl's life could be in jeopordy." barked Gus.

"Yeah Floyd, what you got?" I said.

Floyd couldn't look me in the eye...He looked at the floor....After what seemed like an eternity he finally spoke..

"Uh Kevin...I-I...I uh ruh might have seen somethin that night...The night that there gal went missin..." He said.

"Go on...What was it you might have seen Floyd?" I asked.

"Well look..I'm gone tell you and you only...I can't tell no cops or be in the paper, see? If this goes past this bar...I'm going to deny it." he said sternly..

"Will you tell him what'cha tole me?" barked Gus.

"Okay...Okay...Look...I was down there...Not far from the drive.....in my station wagon..." he said.

"In your station wagon?? That time of night...just hangin out in the woods?? As cold as it was?" I asked.

"He wasn't alone Kevin and he was uh doin more than hangin out." said Gus sarcastically.

"Okay look...I was in my car with Daisy Miller....We was , well you know...being romantic." he said.

"Daisy Miller?? The church organist???Oh my God." I said.

"She's got a fine frame oh her...lawd have mercy...I been tryin to get some of that for years...Anyway..We got to drinkin some wine after choir rehearsal and I offered to take her home..I took a short cut through the drive and next thing you know...we kissin and huggin and
for I know it...she got my zipper down and got her mouth on my-" he said..

"Floyd...Floyd...What did you see?" I asked

"Oh....Well after we finished....We was fixin our clothes and that girl drove up....She had a Blue Lexus Coupe....It had broke down....Daisy asked me to help her out....but before I could get out of my car..This Silver Nissan Xterra drove up.....This big hulk of a fellow got out...She looked like she knew him....So I didn't think nothin of it...She was on her phone...So I thought she was alright. We got in our car and was pullin off when I heard this scream...The guy slapped her and then started kissing on her and squeezing her butt...I thought that maybe they were having a lovers quarrel...but she slapped him again and looked like she was trying to get away and he slapped her again and tossed her into his SUV...He got in and it looked like he hit her again...Then she stopped moving and they pulled off...." said Floyd.

"Floyd, we been lookin for her for going on two weeks now....Why didn't you go to the cops?" I asked.

"Man, if I go to the cops...They gone ask me what am I doin out that time of night...Just like you did.....People in the church find out that me and Daisy Miller are down there doin the nasty what you think will happen to me in church on Sunday?? Or her??" he said.

Gus turned his head from me...but I saw him laughing....I would have laughed to ,except that this was too serious....

"Floyd ...You get a good look at the guy?" I asked.

"Yeah...He didn't notice me...But I looked him right in the face...I don't know him, but I swear I've seen him before...I'd definitely know him if I seen him again." he said.

"A Silver Nissan Xterra huh?" I asked.

"Yeah man...You know I know my cars.." he said.

"Okay Floyd...Thanks ...you've been a great help." I said.

"Don't tell nobody that me and Daisy Miller was down there." he said as he got up to go.

"Don't worry Floyd...I won't." I said.

After he was gone....Gus looked at me funny, then he said to me....

"You know...That Gordon Chesley drives a Nissann Xterra."

"Yeah, but his is white....Floyd said that this one was silver." I said.

''She did slap the hell out of him that night she was in here."He said.

"Yeah, but Gordy is so laid back and such a clown...he wouldn't have cared..He didn't even seem mad about it." I said.

"Okay Kev...but he was sitting here at the bar afterwords....Honey Brown and my other barmaid
was giving him hell about that.....He was laughing along...but I think he was seething inside...That was pretty embarrassin...but what do I know...If you say he's a good guy...then I'll take your word for it...you're the detective ." he laughed.

"Well at any rate....there are a few cracks in this mystery...Let's see if I can glean something from this. Thanks a lot Gus." I said and patted him on the back.

"Be Easy Kid." he said as I left the bar.

I was driving home and I kept playing the scene in my head-

Freda removed his hands from her rear end, from her breasts and off of her hips several times and finally after his hands wandered a little too far up her legs and almost under her skirt..a loud slap was heard! There was a brief bit of silence....You could hear a pin drop!! This of course was not true because Reed Nelson was blowing his trumpet tonight....but we heard and saw the slap...
We were all embarrassed for Gordon...A nice enough fellow most of the time.

"I'm sorry....but I tried to give you a hint...you were getting just a wee bit too friendly." she said to him. He tried to play it off...He flashed that great smile of his and turned on his southern charm...

"I'm sorry baby, beggin yo pardon...can I buy you a drink to make it up?" he said.

"No that's okay...and I'm not your baby." she said. Clearly Freda was nobody's pushover.

"Could I give you a ride to your door?" He asked.

"Honey...I got a baby blue 2011 Lexus coupe outside....." she snapped.




Gordon??? Gordon Chesley?? Nahhhh, Not him!...Yet there were definitely cracks in this case..I was going to do my best to break this thing wide open!

(To Be Continued....)

Without A Trace

Sepia and I got in my car and drove to where Freda said she was stranded at....Sure enough, there was her car..Right on the corner of a neighborhood, about a block from Lincoln Drive...but no sign of her!

I got out...Looked around....Not a person in sight! It was 3:45 am in the morning....A car or two drove by.....The 2011 Blue Lexus was there...The door was open...The keys were still in the ignition...The radio was blasting and the lights were on....I tried to start the car and sure enough..
Just like Freda had said...It wouldn't start. In the cup holder was an un drank bottle of coke...There was an Essence magazine and a Black Hair magazine on the back seat and a Philadelphia Daily News from the day before.. No sign of Freda anywhere.

"Kevin...maybe she went to get help." said Sepia. I could hear the fear in her voice...There was a gas station a few blocks from here..I decided to go visit the gas station and ask them if they'd seen anything. We got back in my car and drove up to the gas station....It was closed...The pumps were self service...The kind where you insert cash ,debit or credit card and pump your own gas....The concession store was empty....It was eerily quiet around here...Too damn quiet for my tastes.

We drove back to the abandoned car....I dialed Freda's house number....Naturally it just kept ringing....Then I dialed her Blackberry number...It went straight to voicemail... Finally I looked at Sepia and shrugged my shoulders.

"There's nothing more we can do here...Let's go home babe....get some sleep...I'll call the police and maybe we'll come up here tomorrow and go door to door and search for her." I said.

"I just know somethin bad happened to her Kev...I just know it." said Sepia.

We went home... True to my word...I got up first thing the next morning and called Lt. Sissy Van Buren of Philadelphia Homicide...I told her that we were talking to her on the phone when we heard a scream and that that was that....Nothing. I told her that we found her car abandoned and opened..

"Usually , when an adult is reported missing..we have to wait 48 hours Kevin before we can move on anything....but I'm going to treat this like an abduction....I'll have my guys on this immediately." she said.

"Thanks Sissy." I said.

I immediately rounded up my guys... Sepia, Bernadette, Mabel, Victoria, Anita, Cora-beth, Sheila, Debbie, Delores, Rell and Cherry Johnson began circulating poster sized photos of Freda
around the entire area...

Meanwhile, Gus, Eddie, Albert,Sean Jackson, Peeping Tom, Lockpick Johnson, Big Nasty, Kool Kat, Clerow, Harry Charles and I went door to door asking if anybody heard or saw anything that time of the morning... Even Chess, Chris Thompson, Donald Smooth and his associates joined in the manhunt and search for the missing girl. Reed Nelson, Downtown Rob Brown, 88 and all of the musicians that play in Josies joined in too...After three days we had nothing.

Chance, Cherish, Blake and Paris did some door to door searches and questioning for me too on other nights... Still it turned up nothing. Clerow, Kool Kat and I drove by Freda's house with Lockpick Johnson...We tossed the place...Still no sign of her...It was as if Freda had dropped off of the face of the earth..

Sepia was an emotional wreck...When I got home, she and Bonita were sitting in the living room crying their eyes out...They looked at me with the hope that I'd found something, but my search turned up nothing....It had been almost a week now since Freda had vanished..

"Oh God Kevin....What could have happened to our friend?" asked a teary eyed Bonita.

"I don't know baby...damn if I know....this is the damndest thing...It just doesn't make sense." I said.

Sepia hugged me....

"Any news from the police?" she asked.

"No...I'm gonna check with them tomorrow." I said.

"Robert's coming by...He's going to take me home.." said Bonita...

"Okay....We got any coffee babes?" I asked.

"Yeah...There's a pot on the stove." said Sepia.

Just then...Her Blackberry went off.....

"Kevin...Bonita..it's Freda....It's Freda!!!!" exclaimed Sepia.

'What? Let me see that!" I said.

It was a text message...it read.

"Hi Sepia.....It's me...I'm fine...Had a little car trouble...I left town for a few days to get my head together...don't worry about me...I'll see you when I get back! tootles!"

"Oh my godddddd." said Sepia..

''Sepia....That's not Freda...Why would she leave town and leave an expensive vehicle like that Lexus just sitting there with the doors open and the radio on?? And if she left town...How? How did she get away from where she was? She hasn't been by her house...Kool Kat,Clerow and I were there...Not one thing is missing or out of order....No..this is a hoax...Somebody else sent that text." I said.

Just then Robert Foxworth came over....

''Hey counselor guess what? Freda just texted Sepia." I said.

"What? Where is she? Is she alright?" asked Robert.

"It wasn't Freda...I'm certain it's someone else.....Can a text message be traced?" I asked.

"Yeah....You can track it back to it's IP address. but I don't know if we can find a judge who will give us a warrant to tap that thing at this hour." he said.

"I don't have time to do it the legal way Robert." I said.

"Ohhhhh, got you...Your spook friend eh?" He laughed.

"Exactly!!..Girls...We'll take my car." I said.

Robert, Bonita, Sepia and I got in my car and sped off down the street...As we drove we saw Gordon Chesley standing on the corner, laughing with another one of our neighbors...

"Heyyy Kevin...Where you fellas goin in such a hurry?" he asked with a smile.

"I think I got a lead on where Freda Jordan might be." I said.

"Oh yeah?" he said...

"Yeah...I don't have time to talk now Gordy..." I said.

"Well,if anybody can find her, you can Kev." he said with a smile as he waved.

II-

We arrived at Peeping Tom's house within an hour...

"Okay Kevin...I can do this..but I'm taking a risk....I can trace the ip number of the text message
and if I hit the tower of your provider, I can closely pinpoint just where this came from." he said.

"Modern technology, gotta love it." laughed Robert Foxworth.

It took him an hour....but he pinpointed the text message....He showed us a map.....

"That's Fairmount Park.....That's near the Zoo!" I said.

"Why would Freda be at the zoo?" said Bonita.

"She wouldn't be....Whoever sent this is trying to throw us off their trail." I said.

"And we aren't even on their trail." said Sepia.

(To Be Continued...)

A Sudden Scream

I walked into Josie's that night with five to go platters from "Mabel's Southern Cuisine" That had been the name of her establishment...but to most of us...we still referred to it as "Mabel's Soul Food joint. That not withstanding...I brought five platters, three fried chicken platters with collard greens, potato Salad and candied sweets, two fried fish platters with baked macaroni and cheese,collard greens and cornbread.

My wife Sepia, Bonita, her business partner, Robert Foxworth, the attorney and their client, a foxy
young woman named Freda Jordan was sitting in the booth we had...I walked in and Robert Foxworth immediately helped me unload the dinners on the table...Everybody clapped mockingly as we unloaded the food on the table.

''Alright...Alright...Alright...where are the drinks?" I said with a laugh....

"We didn't want our ice to melt waiting for you dear." said my wife Sepia...

"Yeah Kevin....come on man and open up those containers....I got everybody's drink order...I know what you're drinkin....Corona right?" said Robert..

"Yeah man...grab me two..I'm thirsty." I said.

"Oh well now, then I guess Sepia will be driving you home tonight." laughed Freda...a very pleasant young woman who had just bought a house from Sepia and Bonita.

"Hey,Hey now" came the voice of my buddy and co-worker, Sean Jackson....He and his wife Sheila and our good friends, Conrad and Jill Nelson came in with to go containers too and inhabited the booth right behind us....

"What's up Sean?" I said as we gave each other dap....

"You got the hot hand Kev...What is this , Caberet night?" he laughed...

"Yeah...I see you had the same idea huh?" I laughed...

"Yeah..Mabel is busy over there tonight...Vicky, Anita and Corrie is workin...They got Clerow making deliveries...hahahahahaha." laughed Sean...

"Damn...on his night off too.." I said as we all laughed.

Honey Brown came over with our drinks and we all enjoyed Reed Nelson and his band... They were back after being gone for months...Everybody packed Josies on the Friday night that he was playing... Just then, a big hulking , good looking young man named Gordon Chesley wandered over to our table...

''Ummmmm...Ummmmmmph....Looky here, Looky here....It all looks good...and I aint just talkin about the fried chicken and the fried fish either....lawdddd jesusssss." he said ,obviously talking about Freda Jordan. Freda blushed and we all laughed...

"Aww boy, you know just come over here for one of my chicken wings." I joked as he laughed good naturedly. He was tall, six foot four, good looking and very gregarious..He lived down the street from me...He had just moved in the neighborhood last year....He came from Alabama...Had been married twice and was now single once again...He was always on the prowl for a woman!

"The name is Gordon Chesley...I suppose you can tell that I'm from the south." he said to Freda.

"No, I don't guess she'd ever guess that." said Robert Foxworth dryly as we all laughed.

"I'm Freda Jordan. Pleased to make your acquaintence." she said.

"Pleased to make your acquaintence...Listen to that! I love a woman with class.." Laughed Gordon.

Reed Nelson and the band started playing a fast number.....Sepia and I, Robert and Bonita, Sean & Sheila, Conrad & Jill and yes, Gordon and Freda hit the dance floor....We were all having a great time... Drinking,Dancing, Laughing ,Talking and of course eating...I noticed that Gordon and Freda were dancing long after we all sat down and were talking a good deal of the night...She did have on a rather tight dress that was hugging every curve and given the amount of alcohol Gordon had imbibed....It was damn near impossible for him to keep his hands to himself...

Freda removed his hands from her rear end, from her breasts and off of her hips several times and finally after his hands wandered a little too far up her legs and almost under her skirt..a loud slap was heard! There was a brief bit of silence....You could hear a pin drop!! This of course was not true because Reed Nelson was blowing his trumpet tonight....but we heard and saw the slap...
We were all embarrassed for Gordon...A nice enough fellow most of the time.

"I'm sorry....but I tried to give you a hint...you were getting just a wee bit too friendly." she said to him. He tried to play it off...He flashed that great smile of his and turned on his southern charm...

"I'm sorry baby, beggin yo pardon...can I buy you a drink to make it up?" he said.

"No that's okay...and I'm not your baby." she said. Clearly Freda was nobody's pushover.

"Could I give you a ride to your door?" He asked.

"Honey...I got a baby blue 2011 Lexus coupe outside....." she snapped.

"Oh.......Well...uh..ahhhh..once again...I'm very sorry." he said and got up and walked over to the bar. Gus had seen the entire episode...He laughed and laughed when Gordon walked over to the bar...Eventually, so did Gordon.

Hours passed by and we all had a great time....but it was time to go....Gordon had left an hour before...He drove a White 2011 Nissann Xterra...His pride had been hurt tonight...Didn't know if we'd see him for awhile... Anyway, we all said goodnight and went our seperate ways.... It was 2:45 am when Sepia and I drove up to our front door.

"Wow..I'm tired...I'm too tired for sex.." I joked.

"Fat chance of that....Kevin Morris...you know good and damn well you'll be all over me the minute I take my clothes off." she laughed.

"That's cause you look so sexy without your clothes on." I joked...

"Oh shut up" she laughed as we kissed in the doorway.

''Come on, let's go inside...we don't want to give the neighbors a show."said Sepia....

"What neighbors, who's up this time of morning?" I laughed..

"Oh come on inside." she laughed.

Once inside, I through her up against the wall and began kissing her passionately......I was about to open up her blouse when her Blackberry went off....

"Oh who the hell is that, this time of night? " I said angrily..

"I don't know...let me answer this." said Sepia. "It's Freda." she added.

"Freda?" I said.

"Sepia..." said Freda..

"Hey girl is everything alright???" asked Sepia

"My Car broke down...I'm stranded...I can't get it to start." she said.

"What? You just got that car." said Sepia..

"I know...I've never had a problem before....but it's definitely down..." she said.

"Where are you?"asked Sepia..

"I'm off Lincoln Drive...Not far from it....Can You or Kevin come and get me?" she asked..

"Sure thing doll..." said Sepia...

"Oh wait...Somebody is driving up.....oh my god.....heyyyyy....stoppppp....nooooooooooooo.....ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuargggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!
gghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" came the sound on the other end.

"Freda!!! Freda!!! What happened?? FREDDDDAAAAAAAA!" screamed my wife..

"What's goin on Sepia?" I asked, startled.

"Something's happened to Freda...Her car broke down..we gotta go find her Kevin!!!" said Sepia, visibly upset....

(TO BE CONTINUED........)

The Romantic

I sat at the table playing cards with Ingrid Rhodes of all people...The pretty little vocalist who was performing at Josies tonight. Her band had finished both of their sets and they were sitting down at both of the booths drinking and talking....Ingrid saw me sitting alone drinking a Mojito. I had a full glass of water sitting next to me , a bottle of orange juice and a bottle of ciroc vodka next to that. Ingrid came over with a deck of cards...She looked gorgeous as usual...She smiled the sweetest smile and because of her smile, my strange mood lightened a bit.

"Wanna play? Sure you do?" she said. I could tell that she wasn't going to take no for an answer

"Sure..." I said and returned her smile.

"I heard about what happened a few nights ago..." said Ingrid.

"Yeah...I'm sure everybody did." I said.

"You and Debbie alright?" she asked.

"Yeah , we are good...I forgave her.." I said.

"That doesn't sound like you did to me...but I do understand...believe me, I understand.." she said.

Just then...The attorney ,Robert Foxworth walked in....He ordered a drink at the bar ...he spotted us and then he walked over to my table.

"Reed...Reed.....Let me be the first to shake your hand....Oh, hello Ingrid.......I heard that you busted up that damn Ralph Scallion....I wish I had of been here...I would've helped you gut him....I can't stand that guy..." he laughed.

I smiled....but I didn't say anything....Robert patted me on the back - "I see you got all of your drinks for tonight...but if you want any more ...they're on me...rest of the week." he said.

'Thanks Robert." I said.

"No...Thank you Reed...Every guy in here thanks you." He said as he headed back to the bar.

Ingrid and I continued to play cards...I downed the bottle of Ciroc....Ingrid watched me mix it with the orange juice and ice and down it....My Mojito was finished too....I had a slight buzz...I was losing at cards too.

"Looks like you're done" she laughed.

"Yeah, guess I am..." I laughed.....

"He's a romantic you know." said Ingrid.

"Who?" I said.

"Ralph Scallion.....That's his appeal.....Listen Reed...A lot of us women , we know about Ralph...We know he hasn't seen a skirt that he doesn't feel the need to try and take off...But he's romantic....he cooks, he has a beautiful apartment...he is attentive, he studies every woman he's with and caters himself to her......He makes women feel like they are the most desirable woman in the world when he's with them." she said.

"I see.....I been flying around the world....been leaving Debbie alone a lot ...and I guess I could be more attentive." I said.

"But still.......He's a snake....He's playing a role.......and he was wrong to pray on Deb's weaknesses
,just because you were out of town." said Ingrid.

"Yeah...I know.....You're a good friend Ingrid." I said as I rubbed her face with my hand... Debbie and Delores entered the bar just then...I can imagine what this looked like....A table with an empty liquor bottle, several empty glasses and a deck of cards and me caressing Ingrid's face...but after all, what could she say?

I plumped down several dollars and tipped my hat to Ingrid.... I walked over to the bar where Debbie was sitting.

"Hey Delores" I said to Deb's sister.

"Hey Reed...." she responded.

"Deb, did you order yet?" I asked.

"No, not yet.." she replied...

"Delores is Rob coming tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah..." she replied.

"I'm taking Deb with me...We'll see you in the morning.....maybe." I winked.

"What?" said Debbie....Surprised.....

I licked the back of her neck and kissed her behind her ear....

"Ouuuuuuu...Reed!!!!!Not here...you know how that gets me." said Debbie with a shy ,yet surprised whisper.

"I know how I'd like to get you." I said.

"Reed, you're drunk!" said Debbie.

"Yeah, I am a little..." I said.

"Is this about Ralph? I called him and cussed him out...Told him I never want to hear from him again." she said. I believed her.

"This is about me and you.." I said.

"You looked like you were doing okay for yourself before I came in." she said dryly...I detected a tinge of jealousy...I hated to admit it..but I liked that.

"Ingrid? She's a friend...She's a good friend to you too in a way you'll never know. She gave me an education tonight...In what I've been doing wrong with you." I said.

"You didn't do anything wrong Reed...It was my fault...for being weak and trifling..it was my fault and if you want to break up with me, I understand..I have no one to blame but myself." she said.

"Break up? Nahhhhh.....I aint leavin all this good lovin for Ralph or any of these other hounds to jump on...uhh uh....Nope...I'm handcuffing you to me baby." I said and kissed her behind her ear again...

"Ouuuuuuuu, Reed, please...stopppp it." she cooed....I stuck my hand up her dress..she moved it...

"You comin home with me or what?" I said with a laugh...

"I'm surprised you still want me to....You're drunk and you're horny." she said.

"So I guess that's a no." I said.

"I didn't say that...." she said with a half smile.

II-

Back at my spot...Debbie waited, while I took a hot shower....She put on some Terrence Blanchard on my ipod dock and poured herself a glass of Henessey. After I showered, I splashed on some Burberry...I came out in the living room and kissed Debbie.

"Ohhh wow...Burberry...my favorite. You remembered" she said...

"I know " I said with a sly wink.....

Debbie slipped out of her clothing....Her body was still ravishing to me....

I walked up behind her, slowly eased my hands into her panties...She began to gasp and then shudder....I did this for awhile...for a few minutes....then I turned her to me and began kissing her neck, behind her ears, her forehead and finally her lips....I kissed her slowly at first..then hungrily...She was very orgasmic... she came right then and there...before I really got started.

"You really know me...you know what I like....oh Reed...ohhhhhhhh Reeeed.." she moaned.

"Shhhhhhhhhh.....just stay still...." I said. I could tell by the way she was trembling that I was turning her on..

She stroked my erect penis and she gently began fondling it. She stroked it gently....I slowly slid her panties down and she stepped out of them...I turned her around, bent her over my couch and entered her from behind...doggie style...She gasped...then began trembling... She came several times right there at the living room couch...We continued to kiss passionately...It seemed that her cheating had somehow turned me on even more...Yet I knew that I didn't want to ever feel this sense of betrayal again..

"Oh my goddddddd, Reeeeeed...ouuuuuuuuuuuu..." she moaned. I walked her into my bedroom and we stretched out across my bed....I entered her slowly and steadily....She wrapped her legs around my back the way I loved and I stroked her slowly for what seemed like hours...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYY goddddddddddddddd..... ouuuuuuuuuuu Reeeeeeeeed!" she yelled as I continued gently and slowly stroking her...I wanted to take my time and savor every minute..

Epilouge:

The Doorbell rang the next morning...Then I heard fists knocking on it...I put my bathrobe on and walked to the door..It was Delores! Debbie's sister.

"Wow....I don't have to guess what you two were doing?" she laughed...

"Okay Delores, Everybody knows you were tops in your class, what is it?"I said.

"Hahahahahahahahaha...you need to holster that thing." she laughed. I quickly closed my bathrobe completely....I was a little embarrassed.

"Ummmph..I don't blame my big sis for not answering the phone." she laughed.

By then, Debbie had joined me..She was wearing one of my t-shirts and once again had her hair in a ponytail...

"Ouuuuuuu, you are so bad...yall was here doin the nasty." laughed Delores.

"Grow up baby sis....what? you weren't last night?" laughed Debbie slyly.

Rob Brown was sitting in his car with the motor running.... A sly smirk was on his face.

''What do you want?"I asked smiling.

"We are going to get breakfast...why don't you two lovebirds get dressed and join us at Mabel's?" she laughed."

"Okay...Give us a few minutes...Tell Rob to kill the engine and come on in." I said.

I looked at Debbie, She looked at me...We were silent for a few minutes....

"Reed....I'm so sorry......" she said.

"It's okay...I was at much at fault for this....I won't leave you alone like this again..." I said.

"I should have controlled myself..." she said.

"Hey...Let's not talk about it anymore....forget about it." I said. I meant it...You could either dwell on something or let it go...Since I had no plans to leave Debbie..I was going to let it go..

"Reed...Tell my sister and Rob to go on and that we'll catch up with them." said Debbie.

"Ohhh?" I said with a laugh...

"We do have to take a shower?" said Debbie with a wink...

"A shower? Uh...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." I said with a wink and a grin.

"Yes, a nice lonnnnnng ,warm shower....I owe it to you." said Debbie.

(For Carlene)

The Quote!

I found myself in Debbie's living room...She was whistling...She was cooking..Fried Chicken, Red Beans and Rice, Hot Biscuits and an Apple Pie...My latest recording was playing on her ipod...It seemed to good to be true.

She smiled that bright smile of hers when she saw me in the living room.....I didn't smile back. I was holding her Android and her Blackberry,She had gotten new ones and had changed the numbers..

She looked at me weakly.....but she didn't say anything.....I was in no mood to play any games with her...

''Ralph Debbie? Ralph Scallion??" I asked.

"You know huh?" she said , holding her head down...

''Yeah I know.....Is this why you changed the phone numbers ?" I asked.

"Reed ,I'm soooo sorry...Baby I swear.....It's just that...he kept calling me...Everytime you were away...seems like he knew it..He'd call me late at night...I told him no several times...but he kept calling me...I was lonely...I was horny...you'd been gone so long baby..." she said and she began crying...

"Do you love him?" I asked.

"Who? Ralph Scallion? Hell no...." she said.

"You want to be with him?" I asked calmly.

"No Reed, No...I swear I don't....If you forgive me...If you forgive me...you'll never hear from Ralph again....I changed the numbers in my phone so that he couldn't call me again....I hate what I did...I swear ...I feel so bad.....Reed, if you want to step out on me....with somebody just once...I don't care Reed...It's cool...as long as ..you...you..stay with me." she said as she began crying.

I held her in my arms as she continued to cry.... Then I smiled weakly at her...

"Keep a plate in the microwave for me...I gotta go to Josie's a minute...I left something there." I said.

"You coming back Reed?" she asked.

"Of course." I said with a smile.

II-

I was amazed at how calm I was under the circumstances....I drove to Josies and walked in... Not so much to my surprise....Ralph Scallion was there at the bar talking to some girl....My friend, Bobby Clarke was sitting on the other side of the girl... Downtown Rob Brown was just finishing up his set.... The whole thing was surreal....Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kevin Morris, His wife Sepia, Clerow , his wife ,Corrie, Sean Jackson, his wife Sheila and the lawyer, Conrad and his wife, Jill sitting in a booth.... On the other side of the bar, Chris Thompson, Chess, Donald "Smooth" and Kool Kat were sitting in a booth drinking and talking..

I walked up to Ralph Scallion and gutted him in his stomach....He fell forward and mouths dropped....He got to his feet and slugged me in the jaw...I slugged him in his jaw...He hit me with several lefts and rights...I returned the lefts and rights and socked him in his jaw...He fell up against the bar and I cracked him again and sent him flying...I was getting ready to finish him off when Gus grabbed me...His guys...Eddie and Albert got in between Ralph Scallion who was holding his jaw..and whose lips were swollen...He had a black eye to boot...

"That's enough Reed...While I can appreciate the need for you and a few other guys to put it to this lout....I can't allow you to tear up my joint." said Gus.

"Okay...Okay Gus...I'm sorry...I'm sorry.....Scallion...If I ever see you lookin at my woman...tryin to call my woman or even attempting to say good morning to my woman...I'll kill ya.." I said.

Everybody stared at Ralph...No doubt everybody knew what I was talking about...They knew Ralph Scallion after all...and what he was about. I walked out to my car..Still steaming... Ralph Scallion walked out...He stared at me and quietly got in his car and pulled off.. Gus and Kevin walked outside over to me....followed by Chris and Chess....

''Everything alright Reed?"asked Kevin.

''Yeah..Yeahhh...I'm okay." I said.

"I guess he tried to step out with your girl too huh....He's somethin....I'd of done the same thing."
said Chess.

"Go home Reed, get some sleep.....You'll feel better in the morning." said Gus.

I drove back to Debbie's place...She was still up.....She took one look at me....

"Reed..What did you do? Oh my God..." she said.

"I had a talk with Ralph Scallion..I think he understands my position on things now.." I smirked.

"You beat up Ralph?" she asked.

"Why , you upset about that?" I asked.

"No..actually I think it's funny." she said trying to manage a smile....

I didn't smile at all.....

''Reed, I left you a plate on the table and some coffee, there's some coffee brewing." she said.

I pulled her to me and gave her a long, wet, sloppy kiss.....

"It's all good now Debbie...forget about it." I said.

"You sure Reed..you sure?" she asked....


".Reed, if you want to step out on me....with somebody just once...I don't care Reed...It's cool...as long as ..you...you..stay with me." she said as she began crying.

I kept hearing that quote from Debbie in the back of my mind....I wasn't going to forget it...Not ever! I smiled ruefully.

(Conclusion Next)

Revelation

I had just finished playing my set at Josie's... I had been back in town for a few days...I decided to come on down and play a little bit of trumpet for the fans who missed me...My name is Reed Nelson, I play Trumpet!

After we finished our second set, I sat down at one of the tables with my good friend, Bobby. Bobby
Clark. 'Clarkie" as I called him was from New York City....I knew him back when I was starting out in the New York Clubs...a great guy. He stayed in an apartment complex that I was living in in Patterson, New Jersey for a time and we became tight....Here he was in Philadelphia.

"Long time no see Clarkie..." I said.

"Yeah Reed...I was up here last year for that jazz festival...I saw you then...Man , you was blowin, but you had some fierce competition babe." he laughed.

"Yeah, I know, but it was fun." I said.

"Oh man and the women!!! Lawd Jesus...I saw that little number you was with, whooo boyyy." said Clarkie.

"That was my lady man, Debbie....I want you to stop by and have dinner with us sometimes, She's a great cook and a great fan of our type of music too." I said.

"Well uh Reed, that's what I want to talk to you about ." said Clarkie. He poured the contents of
a bottle of Ciroc Vodka into two glasses half filled with orange juice. One was mine and one was his.

"Talk to me about?" I asked.

"I saw you with her all during the concert...So when I saw her a few weeks ago comin out of this dude's place early in the mornin...I had to wonder if you was just hittin that that night or you know if maybe yall had like an understandin.." said Bobby Clark.

"Wait a minute....Put a quarter in that meter and park right there partner....You saw my girl, Debbie comin out of some dude's place early in the mornin? A few weeks ago?? That would have been when I was in Hawaii with my band.." I said.

"Yeah, that's about right...It was six in the mornin..." he said.

"What was you doin up that time of mornin?" I asked.

"Same thing she was probably doin.....I met this fine little babe in here and went to her place after we drunk up about a hunnard dollars worth a liquor....and we had a timmmme jack and I was leavin her place ....Her house was catty corner from the house I saw your babe comin out of..
She had on a pair of jeans, some skippers, a little short leather jacket and her hair in a ponytail."
he said.

"WHAtttttttt?" I said.

" Yeah man, she hopped in her car and pulled off like a bat outta hell man....I can even tell you who the cat was....That damn cook in that seafood spot you and "88" took me too during the Jazz
Fest that one night...The guy "88" said was always checkin out his girl, Mabel's behind and tryin to flirt..." said Clarkie...

"Yeah, I know him...Ralph Scallion." I said angrily.....

I tried to remember the last 48 hours.... I came home.....Debbie greeted me in a Black sheer babydoll, smelling all good...like she'd just stepped out of the shower and splashed on some perfume....skin all lotioned down...Black sheer thong....Those hips and those big shapely legs of hers just calling me..... I dropped my suitcase and my trumpet, took my hat and coat off and within minutes we were embraced in a long sloppy , wet kiss.... ''Ohhhhh daddy, I missed you sooooo muchhhhhhh." she cooed....The sound of her voice turned me on...even more...Instead of a mere living room grope...I walked her into her bedroom...and peeled out of my clothes.. I didn't waste anytime with foreplay....I plunged right into her... She was wetter than usual and looser too.....I noticed, but who cares at a time like that? We made love in that bed like two hungry people who hadn't eaten in days for close to two hours...Judging by the way she practically sang and moaned...she came several times.... She turned me over and positioned herself on top of me and rode me like a horse....Doing that thing she does of easing down on me slowly, then moving upwards...sort of a tease...then dropping it like it was hot....quick and fast.... When she did this..there was no way I could hold back or control myself....I came with a violent fury and so did she...for the third time...and we held each other as we rocked back and forth..drenched in sweat!!! We took a shower afterwords in which she just stroked my still erect penis in her hands...I kissed her on her neck and massaged her breasts ....We wound up doing this until we both reached a climax in the shower! Then we lay in the bed in the most peaceful sleep ever...

"Wow man, Ralph Scallion huh?" I said.

"Yeah Reed...I didn't think she was no big deal to you...I'm sorry." said Bobby..

"Not as sorry as I am...Nowhere near as sorry." I said as I got up dropped a few dollars on the table and walked out of the bar.

(To Be Continued....)

A Hit is a Hit

My name is Chess...I play chess...Have played it since my daddy taught me how to play when I was about five or six...Today, I was playing one time enemy...now somewhat friend, Bristol...a gambler who never takes a bet on anything he doesn't already know the outcome of.. We are sitting in a quiet booth playing chess on a quiet Saturday afternoon....in Josie's....It's long before the night time crowd will arrive...My buddy and now business partner ,Chris Thompson sits at the bar, talking to our friend, Donald Smooth and Gus the bartender and owner of Josie's...I don't know exactly wha they are discussing, but it's a very lively and animated conversation...They are laughing a lot..

My focus is on this particular game of chess...I've beaten Bristol twice already this afternoon...but he seems to have improved in this game and is giving me all I can ask for...Or so he thinks...I make a few moves to counter his moves and it's -

''Checkmate Bristol." I say with glee...I am however impressed....He is nearly as good as me..a very formidable opponent.

"You're very good Chess...As good as I've heard..It's very rarely that I lose at games of chance...
Not cards, not chess...but you have bested me three times this afternoon...Odds aint in my favor." laughed Bristol.

"Hey man...you're the best I've played in awhile...what are you drinking?" I asked.

"I doubt if they have what I actually drink in here...I'll have a beer." he said.

Just as I was about to order...Our peaceful atmosphere was interrupted......A guy named Spade,
a big time player from out of New York City walked into Josie's with his two henchmen, Johnny Boy Peters, as cold blooded a killer that ever walked the streets and Tornado Jones, just as equally deadly....Chris turned and faced them....Donald Smooth rested his hand in his coat pocket near his sidearm... These two usually left mayhem in their wake...Such was their reputations.

"Chris Thompson....Chris Thompson...How long has it been?" asked Spade...

"Not long enough...To what do I owe the pleasure? This a social call? " joked Chris. Spade smiled, something he rarely did..

"No,it's business." he said.

"You got no business with me." said Chris.

"Look I'll get right to it." said Spade..

"Yeah,please do." said Chris dryly.

"A couple of months ago...I hired two philly guys, Elephant Jones, my man Tornado's brother here and Gorilla Lewis to do a job for me...to hit Basil Robinson...Basil Robinson is still alive and flourishin and Elephant Jones and Gorilla Lewis are nowhere to be found."he said.

"Yeah and?" asked Chris.

"I need to know where they are?" said Spade.

"What's that got to do with me? I aint seen them guys since the summer..." said Chris.

"All you Philly guys are just alike....Fathead Newton said the same thing, so did the Diaz Brothers." said Spade.

"Look..Around September they both came in my joint...My card game...They gambled a little, won a little money and left...I aint seen either guy since...That's all I can tell you Spade." said Chris.

"Well see...I been doin a little investigatin myself....Joe Neptune over at the Mermaid club told me that they was runnin with a cat named Gardenor, Abel Gardenor, do you know him?" asked
Spade.

"Nope....Why don't you find him and ask him where your boys are?" said Chris.

"Because I can't find him either...I hear he's just a low level guy....Had a beef with some cat named Charles...Harry Charles...over some money.." said Spade.

"Him, I know...Harry Charles is a civilian man...he aint in the game..He was just some bust out gambler that used to lose all the time..I through him out of my joint." said Chris.

''Where is he? I'm bettin he was in to them for some dough." said Spade.

Harry Charles was my friend, Kevin Morris's boy....He wasn't a player, just a family man...I wasn't going to let Spade and his ilk bother him so I spoke up..

''He aint got nothin to do with your guys...Chris just told you that he's a civilian so let him be...bark up another tree."I said.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Spade.

"Who I am aint important...just take my word for it...Leave Harry Charles alone." I said.

Johnny Boy made a move towards me...too sudden a move...I slammed his head hard on to the table and kicked him in his side...Before Tornado Jones could go for his gun, I had my .38 smokeless pressing against his temple....Chris, Donald "Smooth" and Gus had guns aimed at Spade...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, so it's like that huh?" said Spade.

"Mister,I don't know who you are...but it's time for you to get the hell out of my bar." said Gus.

"You really disappoint me Chris....You aint heard the last of me." said Spade as he and his boys backed out of the bar.

Chris looked at me....He smiled a little bit, then he looked at Donald Smooth.....

"The boy always had heart Donnie...Didn't I tell ya? That's why me and Chess been brown all our lives." he laughed...Donald Smooth laughed too.

"We gotta find this Harry Charles fellow and protect him." said Chris.

Just then, Bristol walked over to where we were sitting..

"Gentlemen, I couldn't help but notice the ruckus here tonight.....I might be in a position to do you guys a bit of a favor." he said.

"A favor?" I balked.

"Yes...I know Spade...He's not a reasonable fellow.....He can be a bit of a nuisance....I can have him out of your lives for ever." said Bristol.

"You? You can do that?" said Chris.

"Yes." said Bristol.

"For what? Nothin is free." said Chris.

"I may be needing some quick revenue soon in my not so legitimate venture, which is much like your own....If you would be so kind as to steer a few of your high powered players my way..I'd be most grateful." said Bristol.

"That's it?" I said.

"That's it...." said Bristol.

Chris, Donald Smooth and I looked at each other.....Chris shook his head, I shook mine and Donald "Smooth" smiled.

"I have a friend , from Patterson ,New Jersey...His name is Tom Collins....He met a woman here who he is fascinated with....I hate to disturb him....but...already I've told you more than you need
to know." laughed Stephen Bristol.

II-

Early in the wee morning hours..Tornado Jones and Johnny Boy Peters sat in a Crown Victoria, outside of Harry Charles's home.....Tom Collins walked up to the passenger side and shot Johnny
Boy Peters twice in the side of his head...He fell over dead... Tornado tried to go for his gun, but Tom Collins shot him too, once in the side and twice in the head...He used a silencer...A guy driving a tow truck drove down the street and hoisted their car...The tow truck driver drove it to the city limits and left it in a corn field... These two wouldn't be found for three months.....

By daybreak, Spade was up and angry that neither of his men had called him with any information...He was at the gas station filling his car when Tom Collins drove up...Got out of his car and walked over to him.

"Good Day...You Spade?" he said with a smile.

"Who wants to know?" asked Spade.

"The City of Philadelphia sends you it's love" said Tom Collins who shot Spade three times....

"Well I'll be damned...I've been shot...uggggghhhhhhhhhhh...." said Spade as he pitched forward
and fell to the ground...dead......

EPILOUGE:

Later that morning, Chris, Donald "Smooth" ,Kool Kat and I were enjoying a hearty breakfast at Mabel Jenkin's Soul Food joint when Stephen Bristol walked in and joined us.

"Gentleman...your business has been taken care of....Spade , Tornado Jones and Johnny Boy are all in the hereafter now." he laughed. Chris smiled and patted him on the back....

"Ya happy now Chess, your boy is safe.....and I hope we don't have to worry about Gorilla Lewis and Elephant Jones." said Chris.

"Don't worry about them...Now at last , Spade knows where they are." laughed Kool Kat....

Chris, Donald Smooth and Bristol all looked at Kool Kat..

"What?" the big man said.

"Mannn, I don't even want to know." I laughed...So did Chris, Donald Smooth and Bristol.

We ordered more Pancakes!

This Would Be The Last Time

Debbie hated herself...She should have lost Ralph Scallion's number...She had taken it out of her Android, but it was still in her Blackberry...She hadn't wanted to be bothered with him. She knew he was a snake! He called her everytime he knew that Reed Nelson, her musician boyfriend wasn't in town.

She and Reed had just spent the Christmas Holidays in Puerto Rico....They had had a wonderful time..Had even had a bit of an adventure..They had brought the New Year in ,in bed, making sweet love...And then...Then just like that...Reed, "88" and the band was on the road again...This time in Japan.They were playing two weeks in Okinawa...Then a couple of dates in Hawaii and then back home for awhile. Reed had given his Josie's gigs to Downtown Rob Brown and his newly formed quintet. The other dates would be handled by Josie's All Star House band, which wowed everybody during the Big week long jazz fest last year.

She tried to keep herself busy..What with work and all...but it was the nights...She didn't like being alone for weeks on end...She had said she would go and talk to 88's girl, Mabel Jenkins about it..See how she held up when her man was gone. Then of course...at three in the morning, Ralph Scallion...the randy cook from Dollar Bill's place, "Bottom of the C" called asking her if she
wanted to come over... She usually told him "No" in no uncertain terms....but tonight...She was horny and she was lonely...a toxic mix indeed... But, she turned him down twice! It was that third time when he called...He sounded extra sexy to her...He asked her what she was wearing...

She told him....Just a Black T-shirt and some panties....They got to talking a little more in detail and she was getting hotter and more desperate and the next thing she knew...She found herself driving over to Ralph's house...

He opened the door.. He was wearing a black silk bathrobe that came to his ankles...He smelled like he'd just gotten out of the shower and had splashed on some cologne...Burberry....He knew she loved that...Cocky,Arrogant bastard!! She thought. She was wearing some jeans, the same black t-shirt she had told him about and some white skippers...She had on a Small ,tight Black leather jacket and her hair was in a ponytail.

"Damn gurlll, you look sexy even when you aint tryin to look sexy.." he laughed.

"Save it Ralph.....After tonight...I don't want you to call me anymore...this will be the last time I'm your booty call." said Debbie.

"Do you really mean that girl?" asked Ralph Scallion...

"Yes...I do...I have a man and you had your chance, years ago and you blew it." she said.

"Come here..." he said.

"You come here..I'm not your slave." she said defiantly....

"Okay...have it your way." he said as he pulled her to him and began kissing her...His soft lips and the cool smell of his cologne was getting to her...She kicked her skippers off and he unbuckled her jeans.....Ralph pulled them down and then off...He marveled at her hips, her big shapely legs and her well proportioned figure....She was wearing white cotton bikini panties under the black t-shirt that read "JOSIE's Bar and Grill"

"Damn girl..ummmph..ummph...umpphhh." was all he could say as he looked at Debbie and smiled...

He walked up behind her, slowly eased his large ,yet soft hands into her panties...She began to gasp and then shudder....He did this for awhile...close to thirty minutes....then he turned her to him and began kissing her neck, behind her ears, her forehead and finally her lips....He kissed her slowly at first..then hungrily...He didn't know it...but she came right then and there...before anything major had even happened!!!

She felt his erection and she gently began fondling it....Ralph was a nice size...Not as large as Reed, but still a nice size...She stroked it gently....He slowly slid her panties down and she stepped out of them...He turned her around, bent her over his couch and entered her from behind...doggie style...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
goood lawddd....HELLO! ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...oUUUUUUUUUU.." she moaned as Ralph
stroked her slowly...

"Uggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ohhhh girlllllll.." moaned Ralph as he stroked her... This went on for close to two hours...She wondered if he'd taken a cialis pill or some viagra...Such stamina....He eased her down on the couch and began to stroke her in the missionary position...she wrapped her legs around his head and Ralph began fully entering her and exiting her...She was wetter than she'd ever been and Ralph enjoyed how soft and wet she felt....He found himself getting more excited with each thrust....

Debbie turned him over and began to ride him now...at first she did little squats..then she began dropping down on him faster.....

"OHHHHHHHH, Ohhhh please no.....ohhhhhh...I think I'm about to blow." he screamed..

This got Debbie excited....For the second time in one night she experienced an orgasm...She came so hard this time ,she could swear she had touched the sky and kissed a cloud...Ralph came with a violent eruption....He shook violently for a minute and then took one last breath and collapsed ......

"Ohhh mannnn...that was incredible.....with a capital I" he said as he struggled to catch his breath...

"Oh my God Ralph...ouuuuuuuuuuu..." said Debbie, who was sweating profusely...

Ralph pulled out a blunt...Lit it..and sat there nude just staring at Debbie....

"What?" she laughed...

'Does Reed Nelson know how good your lovin is?" he asked.

"Well...yes..." she replied.

"Well why does he go away and leave you ? If you was my woman..I'd handcuff you to me." he laughed.

"Take a detour on this conversation Ralph..okay?" she said with a hint of anger in her voice. It wasn't directed at Ralph..It was directed at herself....but he didn't know that.

They took a nice warm shower together.....The last time she had been over ,she hadn't let him, but she did this time...Ralph lifted her up and entered her again in the shower and pumped her
furiously as soap and hot water poured over both of them...Once again..they both came violently!

II-

It was almost six in the morning...Saturday....Ralph got dressed...He watched Debbie get dressed. He went in his kitchen and scrambled them both some eggs, with country sausage , hash browns and Brown and serve buttermilk biscuits....Debbie sat and ate with him..She said nothing....He poured her a tumbler of orange juice and added some champaigne to it...They toasted and drank...

"Ralph...this was some good lovin..I aint gone lie...but this is the last time...lose my number..Don't call me no more..don't ask me what I'm wearin...nothin...If you call me ,I'm not going to answer..You hear me?" she said.

He didn't answer, he just smiled...

"I mean it." she said.

He walked her to the door..He attempted to kiss her, but she pushed away...

"No Ralph...If we start kissing..we gone wind up right back on that couch.....No..I'm telling you, this is the very last time." she said and she walked to her car.....Ralph watched her drive off into the early Philadelphia morning...

Yeah, right...she'd be back he thought as he smirked.


For L. Chantay Nunn