Honor Amongst Thieves

I was sitting in the van, about two blocks from Fruit Loops "office" ...It was on the second floor of The YMCA swim club....He was too smart to discuss important business at his home...in his two grocery stores or on his phones...We knew..We had been monitoring him...He discussed his real business in this office on top of the indoor swimming pool....

Clerow and Sean Jackson had discovered this office and had told Peeping Tom and Lockpick Johnson, who did their thing....Clerow, Tom,Lockpick, Sean,Kool Kat and I were watching and listening to their entire conversation in our van....

Moon and Drake had taken Fruit Loops the news that I wanted to trade the keys to the P.O. Box for 50k and Bone Hampton's debt being cleared...Those Kilos of good Heroin was worth millions to him on the street....He had to have it...He decided to make the deal...We already had him on tape agreeing to the deal with me....But all of a sudden, he changed things up..He called a meeting with Drake, Moon and Jack Rafferty in this office.

"Hey FL...what's up?  We gonna meet with Bone's guy to make the exchange?" asked Moon.

"I am...We however aint doin nothin..There's been a change of plans.." said Fruit Loops.

'"Change of plans? What do you mean ?" asked Drake.

"I got a call from Bone Hampton today." said Fruit Loops.

"Yeah?, where he at?" asked Moon.

"Fortunate for him, he's not as stupid as you...Do you really think he was gonna tell me that?" asked Fruit Loops.

"We'll find him Boss...don't worry" said Drake.

"Finding him aint important....You know,he told me how much he gave you to give to me.....Told me he got half from his studio and the rest from the now deceased Barbara Courtland...Apparently she sold off some of her brother's stash." said Fruit Loops.

"Oh yeah? That dirty broad....Why she front him the money?" asked Drake.

"He was screwing her...They were lovers apparently and she just wanted to stick it to me..Anyway, it aint important." he said.

"Right..we gone go and get the rest of the stash right?" said Drake.

"No...you're not...You two have been stealin from me..Takin a cut and tellin me that Bone was short..." said Fruit Loops...

"Nawwww man..nawwww..." said Moon.

"Don't believe that chisler..he lyin man." said Drake.

"I don't think he was...Jack!" said Fruit Loops!

We watched in horror as Jack Rafferty put his pistol to Moon's head and pulled the trigger!!!! blood and brain matter splattered against the wall..Moon was dead before he hit the ground....

"Oh my god...you lousy bastard...you lousy double crossing bastard." yelled Drake...He pulled out his forty five and shot Fruit Loops twice..once in the stomach and again in his side...

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH...I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!! I've been shot!!!" yelled Fruit Loops as he pitched forward....

Jack Rafferty didn't waste time waiting to be shot..He shot Drake four times in the chest...Drake tossed his gun up in the air!!!

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....I DON'T BELIEVE IT...I'VE BEEN SHOT....AND BY YOUUUUU...you..dirtyyyyyyyy ratttttt!!! ARGGGGHHHHHHH."
he screamed as he fell to the ground....

Jack Rafferty looked around, then took a hankercheif and wiped the room down as best he could...He took my number out of Fruit Loops pocket, and quietly closed the door...He rushed out of the building, jumped in his car and pulled off!

Kool Kat was the only one laughing...

"Can you believe those three goof balls...They shot each other???" he howled...

Clerow smiled...Tom and Lockpick Johnson were stunned by what they had just recorded...

"Gentlemen...I should be getting another call soon." I said.

II-

The police came to the YMCA...There they found the dead, bullet riddled bodies of Drake Evans, Rodney "Moon" Nelson and Kingpin, Benjamen "Fruit Loops" Kelly....We didn't turn in the evidence we had on Jack Rafferty just yet....I wanted to play this out...

Like clockwork...I got a call from him....

"Hello"

"Hey...You still want to make the deal for the four kilos ?" came the voice.

"Who is this?" I said.

"Who I am isn't important....You wanna deal or not?" came the voice.

"I made the deal with Fruit Loops" I said.

"Well, he's dead...but I worked closely with him...I'll still give you the 40k..."

"I believe I said 50k" I said.

"It's gotta be 40..that's all I got." he said.

"Okay...and my friend, Bone Hampton's debt is still clear right?" I said.

"I don't even know him..I just want the dope." he said.

"It's as good as yours...Meet me at The Mermaid Club..I'll be in the first booth with two of my guys." I said.

"I'll see you at 7:00 pm sharp." he said.

"Good deal" I said.

He was on time....He gave me a suitcase with 40 large and I gave him the key and directions to the P.O. Box... He was in  such a hurry it wasn't funny. Once he was gone..Kool Kat and Clerow burst into laughter....

"Man...I almost feel sorry for this cat..." said Kool Kat.

"You aint gonna tell the cops?" asked Clerow...

"Yeah..in a few days...I want to have some fun." I said.

I paid Kool Kat, Clerow, Peeping Tom, Lockpick Johnson and Sean Jackson....I pocketed the other half...about 20k for myself....

It had been a good day afterall..

EPILOUGE

It didn't take Jack Rafferty long to realize that he'd been had..That he had people cutting and packing cake batter and selling it!! Junkies and dealers alike were looking for him...
Lucky...FOR HIM....The police found him first!...With our information..He was charged and convicted of three counts of first degree murder.... He got three consecutive life sentences....He rode away on the bus headed for prison shaking his head and crying a little bit...He still didn't understand how his luck had turned so bad...

A few nights later.....My wife Sepia, Sean Jackson, his wife Sheila, Harry Charles, Bernadette, Downtown Rob Brown, Delores, Reed Nelson, Debbie, Mabel Jenkins, "88", Anita Jenkins, Chance Howard, Deacon Weatherford and Victoria Weatherford,
Clerow, His wife, Corrie, Chess, his wife,Rell, Chris Thompson,Donald Smooth, Newlyweds, Robert Foxworth and Bonita Turner-Foxworth ,Paris, Blake,Cherish and Gus were all guests at the gala opening and party for Bone Hampton's new recording studio....Ralph Scallion catered the event and the food was off the chain...

I walked over to Clerow...

"Hey man..come outside with me..I got something to show you." I said.

"Huh? Kev..I'm eating man.." he said. I looked at Cora beth who smiled and said-

"Come on Honey...you need to see this."

The three of us walked outside...Kool Kat drove up in a 2010 Nissan Versa...

"Well, what you think?" I said.

"Nice man....Kool Kat bought a new car..that's what you brung me out here to see?" said Clerow.

"That's not his car." I said with a sheepish grin.

"No..Who's car is it?" asked Clerow....

Kool Kat tossed him the keys....

"It's yours fool...Kev bought it for you with his half of the money he took from Jack Rafferty..He wont need it where he's goin." said Kool Kat...

Corabeth couldn't contain herself...She screamed with glee and kissed Clerow on the cheek.

"It's about time you had some new wheels man...You got a wife and two kids..." I said.

"Awwww mannnnn, thanks baby!" said Clerow as he and Corabeth ran to their new car.

Kool Kat shook his head..he smiled ,shook his head some more and went inside with the others to continue enjoying the party....

Sepia came out and put her arms around me....

"Well lover you done good...Bone Hampton has his studio and Clerow and Corrie have a new car....only one left who hasn't been paid is me." she said and winked and then walked back inside with a seductive switch.....
I smiled at her...She turned around to see if I was looking...which I was and she smiled back.I stood outside in the warm night and smiled... "In time my dear...in time." I thought to myself.