Fool Me Once

"There was no Kenneth Jenkins D.T.  ,That's what I'm tryin to tell you..."Jenkins" is Private Investigator who was workin for Rollie Rollerson...He got the diamonds back and returned them to Rollerson, then he set you up for the long con...to get you outta the way.." said Bossman Jones , another retired or semi-retired playa depending on what day of the month you asked him.  The two of them were enjoying  New York Strip steaks, baked potatoes and green beans, chased by wine at The Bottom of the C....Dollar Bill's joint.

"Why that dirty chisler....." said D.T.

"Further more..."Jenkins" real name is Kevin Morris....It's kinda funny though...You doubled crossed him and all along, he was usin the old long con-short con game on you..heheheheheheh...." Laughed Bossman Jones.

"I don't find it funny at all...Now will you tell me why you got in touch with me?" said D.T.

''Simple... I know for a fact that Rollerson transferred those diamonds to the wall safe in his office at the Flomar Building...on the 22nd Floor.. I know that you're the best box man money can buy...So I got a proposition for ya." said Bossman Jones.

"I'm listenin." said D.T.

"Here's your chance to get Rollerson and his man back....My guy has a complete layout of that office, the security system, the safe and all....You get inside..Blow dat safe and get me those rocks and I'm willin to pay you a very pretty penny." said Bossman Jones.

"Whattt??? What's in it for you?" asked D.T.

" I already got a buyer...He's on a boat...He's already named his price......" said Bossman...

"What's in it for me?" asked D.T.

"2 Million." he said.

''Two mill...Albert Sane offered me six." he protested.

"Well from what I hear, that offer is now off the table....by the way, How is old Albert Sane doin these days?" laughed Bossman.

"Okay..Okay, I see your point....." said D.T.

"Oh and don't get any ideas about double crossin me...People I work with will find you and please believe me when I tell ya...They will still be finding pieces of you scattered all over the city for years to come..." he said.

''Now Bossman..come on.." protested D.T.

"No, You come on..Everybody knows what you did to Burt...he was your partner..." said Bossman.

"He stole from me...So I shot him and buried him along the Atlantic City expressway." said D.T.

"Yeah and those two kids in the drink...They steal from you too?" asked Bossman..

"They woulda just got in the way...I had to do em..." he said.

''What about the other two?" he asked.

"They are the two who stuck me up and killed Sane...I thought that at least one of em had the diamonds..I had to do them." he said.

"Well that's it...No more killin...just get the swag and we'll make the deal...Here is the layout..study it and do the deed." said Bossman....

"Got'cha....I'll see you in a few days.." said D.T. as he left in a hurry.

"Cheap good for nothin bastard...Left me with the bill." grumbled Bossman...

I walked out of the kitchen and sat down next to the semi-retired gangsta....

"He go for it?" I asked.

"Hook Line and sinker Kev...Just like you said he would...What a moron...and..He copped to four murders..I got it all on tape....Your guys heard and saw the whole thing." said Bossman...

"Yes they did...When he cracks that safe...He's going to get the surprise of his life." I said.  "Thanks again Bossman " I said and handed him an envelope with money in it...

''Don't worry about the meal Bossman, I got it." I said.

"My man Kev...Big difference between you and that cheap bastard." he said.

We both laughed out loud.


II-

The body of one Franklin "Ice " Fitzpatrick was found in Atlantic City with a neat little hole in his forehead and several of the phony dollars he had stolen from us stuck in his mouth...He had passed the phony money to the wrong people... He had been the guy with two .45's that had been the first to enter the room.

The other guy, Harry Cramblin had been picked up in New Orleans by the ATF and the FBI for passing the phony money around...Of course he told a fantastic story to them about how he got the money, but when the feds went to the hotel room here in Philly, Naturally it was an empty room and nobody remembered seeing me ,Kool Kat, Pakastani Sam, Clerow or Chelsea....In fact , the room was booked under the name "George Bush." and nobody recalled seeing "Mr. Bush"...Off to jail he went.

D.T. tried to fence those diamonds in Miami and got laughed out of town...He'd been took , again! and he was hopping mad.....So I arranged for Bossman Jones , an old school playa to contact him and put him back on the trail of the diamonds...It had been six weeks....And I know that he desperately wanted to get his hands on them.

III-

D.T. was the consumate pro...He used rope to repel the roof of the Flomar Building to the terrace...

Then he used a quiet ,but powerful laser to cut the glass and let himself in...He had already disabled the security system...He was Lockpick Johnson's rival when it came to this... Once inside...He used night vision goggles to make his way to the safe...He cracked the combonation and opened the safe in record time..He was good!  He poured all of the diamonds in his duffell bag and tied it tight!

That's when I turned the light on!! Standing next to me was FBI Special Agent in Charge, Frank Cotton...

"End of the Line D.T." I said.

''What?" he exclaimed...

"FBI...You're under arrest...for Interstate Flight to avoid prosecution for  about five murders, Grand Theft and that's just for starters....I've been wanting to put the cuffs on you for a long time D.T." he said.

He looked at me with a white hatred....

''A Private Investigator eh?  and a damn Fed....You guys set me up again." he laughed...

"You know what they say D.T., Fool me once ,shame on you, but fool me twice...I must be a fool." I said.

"No...Nooooooooooo...I aint going to jail...These are my diamonds...This is my retirement...I've worked too
hard... I aint goin out like this.." he said and dashed toward the window...

''Don't be a fool man, that's a 22 story drop." screamed Agent Cotton as he and I both lunged for D.T. , but he swiftly dove out of the window and grabbed his repelling rope and began to repel down the side of the building....

The rope began to give way for some reason and then to our horror, it snapped!!!

"OHHHH, OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" screamed D.T. as he fell from damn near the top of the building into the street.......

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" he screamed...

His body crashed head first into the top of a parked  Escalade!!!  From the street,I imagine it was a horrible way to die..

When Agent Cotton and I got to the street...his feet were sticking out of the top of the car!...His bloody mangled and lifeless body was twisted and contorted inside the car!!!!

I looked at Agent Cotton....

"Kevin...Some guys have all the luck huh?" he said and shrugged...

"Yeah...some luck." I said.

EPILOUGE:

Sepia was happier than I'd ever seen her a few days later after she ran downstairs and got the mail....

''Heyyy what's up with you?" I asked....laughing myself at her exuberance...

"We got a letter from Rollie Rollerson." she said.

I was actually expecting a new car....

''Yeah, what is it about?" I asked.

"We've got two round trip airline tickets to the Virgin Islands and the free usage of his villa while we are there." she squealed with delight...

"WOW!! Now I feel like jumping up and down..." I said.

"How bout we go in two weeks?" she asked.

"Two weeks it is." I said...

Make no mistake about it...Rollie Rollerson ,as flawed as he is...is my favorite client..May he continue to get himself into jams that only I can get him out of.

Pakastani Sam

"I can't thank you enough Kevin for returning those diamonds to me." said Rollie Rollerson as the two of us sat outside at a outdoor cantina and enjoyed a couple of cold beverages.

"Yeah, well this time, put those diamonds in a safe deposit box and keep your mouth closed about them." I said.

"Oh you don't have to tell me twice Kevin...Not only thaat...I aint bringing no more of these young girls up to my chill out spot...Nahh......" he said.

"That's great Mr. Rollerson." I said...

"You returned the money to Tiffany's that was stolen in that robbery too huh?" he asked.

"Sure did....and the two stick up boys that robbed the place and murdered Mr. Sane are themselves dead..Killed by a person or persons unknown." I said.

"Wow...Looks like you've wrapped up another one eh?" he laughed.

"Yeah somewhat...just a few loose ends to tie up." I said.

He handed me an envelope.

"That's for your troubles Kevin and I intend to reward you even more in the coming days...but it's a surprise." He said.

"Oh okay...Well thank you Mr. Rollerson." I said with a laugh...I started to pull out a few dollars to pay for the drinks when he stopped me...

"Are you kidding? Your money is no good here...Go on now." he said.

"Okay Mr. Rollerson." I said with a laugh.....

"Be Easy Kevin." he said...

''Always" I returned.

As I got in my car and drove away...I realized that that loose end was the lethal D.T.  ...He must be going crazy trying to find those diamonds...He had killed the two stick up boys....had tossed the apartment of the getaway driver who was nowhere to be found and had also missed the girl, if he even knew about her....But at this very moment...I had a plan hatching in another part of the city that would put his mind to ease...

II-

Gambler Steven Bristol was at the barbershop in his condo...He had had a shave and had had his hair cut...Now he was having his nails trimmed....It was about this time that a certain Jewel thief named D.T. walked into his shop....

"You're late." said Steven Bristol... "When we are talking about a business transaction of this magnatude, I expect punctuality." he said.

"You don't tell me when to appear or not to appear....What have you got for me?" said D.T.

Steven Bristol motioned for his barber to leave the room.....So they could have privacy.....What D.T. couldn't
know is that Bristol and the barbershop was wired for sound and video....and Peeping Tom, Lockpick Johnson and Sean Jackson were in a van down the street watching and listening to a live feed of this entire exchange.

"A business associate that we both have in common named Mr. Jenkins has a message he would like for me to relay to you." said Bristol.

''Oh yeah? What?" snapped D.T.

"He has recovered the diamonds you were searching for." said Bristol.

D.T.'s eyes got as large as saucers...For the first time in days , he smiled...

"HOW???, I've turned this city upside down looking for them." he said.

''Yes...and caused much mayhem..two needless deaths D.T.?   Perhaps you just didn't know which way to turn." said Bristol.

"I handle my busisness the way I see fit...Them two idiots not only stole from me, but they killed the only broker that could do me justice...They had to pay for that....But what's done is done...I wasted em...It aint no big loss from what I can see." he barked.

"Well, Mr. Jenkins has more good news...He's found a broker who is willing to do business with you...." said Bristol.

"Oh yeah? Who?  That ice is so hot that no fence will touch it." said D.T.

"Well Mr. Jenkins found someone who will...Ever hear of Pakastani Sam?" asked Bristol.

''Who?" said D.T.

"Pakastani Sam......I know how mis-trustful and paranoid you are....Ask around about him.....He's an old player, before your time, before mine...but a legend in Philadelphia." said Bristol..

"I don't have the time to ask around....I'll take your word for it..." said D.T.

"Mr. Jenkins told me to give you this...Call him at this number, someone will give you instructions on where to meet Mr. Pakastani Sam..." said Bristol.

"What do you get out of this?" asked D.T.

"I figured nothing from you...Mr. Jenkins was great enough to pay me a ten percent finders fee..so I'm straight." said Bristol.

"Good ,cause I wasn't gonna give ya nothin....but thanks for the info.." said D.T. as he left..

"Cheap good for nothin bastard." mumbled Bristol.

The Die was cast!

III-

Sami "Pakastani Sam" Ali was no more from Pakastan than I was....His parents had come over here from Pakastan in the 50's and to my knowledge...He had never even been to Pakastan....What he was ,was an old school playa..".The con man's con man" is what Gus called him... I had met him in Josies a couple of years ago and he had held me, Clerow, Kool Kat and Sean Jackson captive with his stories about the sophisticated cons he pulled back in the day....He was a colorful old guy who dressed immaculately. He was close to 80 years old, but still got around pretty good..He had been retired for years, but jumped at the chance to pull this elaborate con....

In a hotel room in downtown Philly, I had Clerow and Kool Kat dressed like hoods...Not a stretch for either of them and Kool Kat's girl, Chelsea posing as Sam's daughter....The room was of course wired for sound and video and Sean Jackson, Lockpick  Johnson and Peeping Tom were directly across the street in the van watching and listening....

D.T. showed up right on time....He looked around...Chelsea walked over to him......

"Lookin for a good time daddy?" she said seductively...D.T. looked at her and then snarled-

"Beat it Hookah...Not tonight."

"I've heard that DIAMONDS are a girl's best friend." she said.

"Huh?" he said.

"Pakastani Sam wants to meet you upstairs." she said.

D.T. smiled

''Well Hell, why didn't you say so?"

IV-

Kool Kat opened the door and Clerow searched him...Took two pistols and a knife and some brass knuckles off of him....

Chelsea ushered him in and he sat down....Then Pakastani Sam worked his magic....

"Soooo.. you're here to show me some diamonds eh? " he said.

"Yeah...I'm used to meeting in a store front..what's with this set up?" said D.T.

"Are you crazy? No fence in Philly will touch that stuff....I agreed with Mr. Jenkins to meet here....I want to see and inspect the goods and make the payoff...Then I'm out of town...I'm not hanging around here." he said.

"Well where are you goin?" asked D.T.

''If I decide to pay you...that won't be any of your concern."said Pakastani Sam...

"You right...Where is Jenkins?" he barked..

"Right here friend." I said..

"You're late " snapped D.T.

"As if you care." I said.

"Gentlemen, let's do some business." said Pakastani Sam..

I opened up a briefcase of the phoniest diamonds I could find...Pakastani Sam should have been an actor...He was playing his role to the hilt.....

"Hmmmmmm....This looks worth six mill, yeah six mil...but I can't pay you that..These are too damn hot...I'll give you two mill." he said.

''Thought you was leavin town?"

"I am." he said...

"Well then...six mill it is..." said D.T.

"Three mil..." said Sam...

"HOW BOUT ALL OF IT?" came a loud voice....To my horror, the door was kicked open and a big dark skinned man pulled out two .45's... while another man with a .45 rushed in scooped up my phony diamonds and ordered Pakastani Sam to open the safe....

He did and they looted what they thought was about six million dollars and stuffed it into two duffel bags.....D.T. was laughing his head off....For the second time....There was a robbery...Only these guys were his guys...He had double crossed me!!!!  Imagine that?

"Sorry Suckers....but I've no time to play anymore games...These here diamonds and this money, this is my retirement funds... That's life...Be Easy Jenkins..." he laughed as he and the two hoods ran down the hall to a waiting elevator and took off...

"Somovabitch." screamed Kool Kat...

"Let's go after him Kev." said Clerow....I held them both back...I was laughing my head off!

I looked at Pakastani Sam and the old man looked at me and laughed his head off...Chelsea was laughing too!

"Really aint no honor amongst theives.." said Pakastani Sam.

Kool Kat and Clerow were puzzled...

"Man, aint this somethin..We conned them and they had a con for us." laughed Pakastani Sam...

"Kool Kat, Clerow....That's phony money they got and phony diamonds...This might not have ended the way I would have wanted...but hell...They aint going nowhere with that loot.....and those diamonds aren't worth six dollars, let alone six million,...

''So the joke is on him?" said Clerow...

"Yeahhh thas what we been tryin to tell you....They got took... This was the best con ever..Thank you Kevin."
said Pakastani Sam.

Kool Kat and Chelsea laughed now.....

"He's gonna be sooo pissed when he finds out he got took." laughed Pakastani Sam...

"Yeah he is and that's just the way I want him.....Part two of my plan is about to unfold." I said.

''Damn man, you is dangerous." said Kool Kat.

Pakastani Sam just laughed-

"Kevin is a man after my own heart..." he said.


(Conclusion Next)

Nobody Was Supposed To Get Hurt

I called Lockpick Johnson and told him to meet me at the address Sleepy had given us. It was a row house in West Philadelphia... Turns out...We didn't need him...When we got to Darryl's house...The door was already opened...Clerow,Kool Kat,Sleepy ,Lockpick Johnson and I entered only to find the house a mess...Things thrown all over the place...Drawers opened, papers all over the floor, clothes on the floor...etc.

"Kev..Looks like our boy, D.T, has already been here....He's good." said Kool Kat.

"Yeah, he is." I said.

"What's that smell?" asked Clerow.

"Yeah...I smell it too." said Lockpick Johnson...

"It's comin from the basement."said Sleepy.

Kool Kat and I entered the basement and there to our horror lie Darryl Angel...as dead as his twin brother...

All five of his fingers had been broken...his body looked like someone had burned cigarette butts on him and his throat had been slit...He had also been shot....To make sure he was dead.

D.T. was a sick sadistic bastard... For some reason...I don't think he'd found those diamonds...It looked like he had tortured Darryl and had gotten nowhere...Or had he?

He had killed four people and he'd kill again if I didn't stop him...

"Sleepy...You got any relatives anywhere man?" I asked.

"Sho..I got cousins in North Philly, Germantown..." he said.

"No...Anywhere out of town." I said.

"I got some people in Brooklyn." he said.

"Okay...I'm going to put you on a bus to Brooklyn tonight...." I said.

"Huh?" he said.

"Go stay in New York for at least a week...This guy has killed both of your boys...If I know right, he's probably looking for you right now..." I said.

"Awww nah..How he know about me?" said Sleepy...

"How Did WE know about you?" Kool Kat asked.

"Yeah...I see what you mean." he shrugged.

Clerow and Lockpick Johnson took him by his apartment so he could pack some things..Sure enough..D.T. had been there and tossed the place....They helped him clean up and pack and drove him to the bus station.
Meanwhile Kool Kat and I drove to Amazette's house.

II-

I knew where she lived...and I feverishly rung the doorbell and knocked on the door...I was hoping D.T. didn't know about her....She came to the door in her nightgown....She smiled when she saw us...

''Kevin...Kool Kat...how yall doin? This is kind of late for a social call isn't it?" she said with a smile.

"Amazette...Let us in." I said sternly.

She smiled sweetly and opened the door and let us in....Once inside...She asked us if we wanted a drink..I declined, but Walter asked for a beer...She got him a Corona out of the refrigerator.

"Look here Amazette...I don't have time to be coy....Your life is in danger." I said.

"What? Kevin what are you talkin about? My life is in danger..." she laughed.

''Cut the crap missy..We know that you set up that jewelry store heist....That was your boyfriend, Darryl and his brother Dave that pulled the heist and Sleepy who was at the wheel..." I said.

Her jaw dropped to the floor....

"I was in the store remember?" I said.

"But they had on masks!!" she said.

Kool Kat pounded his big fist on the table and laughed his head off....

"They had on...hahahahahahahahaha,They had on masks." laughed Kool Kat hysterically.

"They called each other by name during the robbery, especially after one of them murdered Albert Sane, the fence..." I said. 

Kool Kat broke into more guffaws....

"Real professionals....hahahahahahahahaha." he laughed.

She held her head down....

"Damn fools...Nobody was supposed to get hurt...I told em...just go in, grab the diamonds and get the hell out.....They weren't the store's diamonds , nobody would know ...and Albert Sane was so shifty ,into so much dirt...he couldn't report it." She said.

"How did you even know about the diamonds...?" I asked.

"Mr. Rollerson had me over his spot ...for some drinks...and uh ruh some company and he uh showed em to me..." Then I heard that they had gotten stolen by this guy that his other girl had told about it....One night last week...I was over Mr. Sane's house for uh, some drinks and some uh, well you know and he mentioned to me that a guy was lookin to fence some diamonds to him...It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that they was Mr. Rollerson's diamonds...So I told Darryl to get his crew together and jack him." she said.

"Did Darryl know that you fooled around on him?" I asked.

" I don't think so....but I don't care if he did....He aint never have no money..Mr. Rollerson and Mr. Sane at least spent money on me, showed me a good time." she said.

"Well Darryl is dead....So is David...So is Cameron and so is Latoya. That man I came in there with is no joke...You guys messed with the wrong cat...He's heavy duty and very efficient...Lethally efficient" I said.

Her eyes got huge....

"What?" she said.


"Yup...all dead....Cameron and Latoya were found at the bottom of the river yesterday...Dave and Darryl were found in their homes  tonight killed....We got Sleepy out of town...but even his apartment was tossed...and I'm guessing the only reason he hasn't come to you  is because he hasn't found out about you yet...." I said.

"But that's only temporary baby." said Kool Kat.

"Oh My god!!!" she said.

"Where is the ice?   He tossed their places and didn't find it..Where is it...Don't play with me Amazette." I said.

She went in her room and came back with the breif case... It was filled with Diamonds...all of them...She also gave me a sack that had in lieu of $ 4000.00 dollars in cash in it.

"I don't want nothin else to do with this." she said.

"They trusted you with the merch?" I asked looking at Amazette.

She shrugged-

"Dave and Sleepy were too stupid to be trusted, so Darryl told me to keep it." she said.

''Boy, they really were stupid." I said.  Kool Kat laughed and slapped his knee as I took the breifcase with the diamonds and the money...

"Pack some clothes girly." said Kool Kat.

"Pack some clothes? Why? I gave you everything." she said.


"This guy is going to find out about you pretty soon and he's going to come looking and when he does..even if he doesn't find what he's looking for...He'll kill you anyway." I said.

"You got people somewhere other than Philly?" asked Kool Kat.

''Yeah...In Baltimore." She said.

"Call em....Tell em you're gonna be spendin at least a week there." said Kool Kat.

"Oh...Okay....Nobody was supposed to get hurt." she kept mumbling.

That night...Kool Kat and I put her on a train to Baltimore.....

"Wow Kev...you got the merch and you kept two people from gettin killed...What next?" he asked..

"First,I'm going to return this to Rollie Rollerson and Tiffany's and then I'm going to set a trap for Mr. D.T." I said.

"How you gonna do that?" He asked...

"I'm gonna get word to him that I've got his Diamonds and that if he can find a fence..We can still deal." I said.

"Kev...aint nobody in Philly gonna touch that stuff...It's too hot...plus , you aint gonna have it....Uh...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the wheels are spinnin...Why did I even ask?" Laughed Kool Kat...

"Yeah, why did you? You know I got somethin cooked up." I said.


(To Be Continued...)

One Down!

"I was this close to getting the diamonds and putting a dangerous man off the street and two thugs, two dumb thugs had ruined everything...." I said to Philadelphia Homicide Lt. Sissy Van Buren as we stood near the river with the police marine unit early in the morning...They had recovered the bodies of Cameron Shelton, a two bit hood, age 37 and Latoya Milton, age 29...a young sometimes model, sometimes stripper....Both of them had had their throats slit and had been weighted down and dropped in the river....No doubt killed by D.T.   I practically had a confession on tape .....But he was the least of my worries..I had to get those diamonds back...I had to find those two punks that stuck up the jewelry store or else there might be two more bodies in the river.

"Well Kevin....At least we found these two....From the looks of the bodies...I'd say they'd been under for about a week...The girl's parents reported her missing about a week ago.  This guy here..He's got a record as long as he is tall..Nobody will miss him." she said as we both sipped our coffee in the early morning hours..

"What about the jewels?" I asked.

"Well...These two idiots killed a guy we've long suspected of being a fence, but couldn't prove that he was. Now they're going to have to try to fence those diamonds somewhere, but they are not going to be able to, because my detectives have put a wall around the city....Nobody is going to touch that ice.." she said.

"You've got to do me a favor Sissy." I asked.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Don't publicize that the diamonds were stolen already...make it sound like they took the diamonds from Tiffany's." I said.

"Poor Rollie...He just can't keep it in his pants....He shoots his mouth off to this girl who tells Cameron...Who then tells D.T., expecting to be part of the deal...only D.T. doesn't work like that...He gets rid of anybody that knows about the diamonds and steals them himself...Chances are...He would've done the same thing to you." she said.

"Only..I was planning to put him down...and hard." I said.

"Where is he now?" she asked.

"He's out of pocket." I said.

"How do you get in contact with him?" she asked.

"I don't...he gets into contact with me...He 's not going to call me until he finds those two punks...and the deal is back on ." I said sipping my coffee."

"Well Kev, looks like you got your work cut out for you then." she said.

"Yeah"

II-

I went home...I hadn't seen my wife in hours and I was anxious to make sweet love to her and get some well deserved rest...Like me, she had a few days off and was taking them. We lie across the bed that morning and she said something that made a lot of sense to me..

"Kevin...you said that you saw Amazette Clark the other day?" she asked me.

"Yeah..She's workin in Tiffany's off the Boulevard..." I said.

"Really? No wonder they got stuck up!!!" she said.

"What are you talking about?" I said.

"She used to be a stripper or didn't you know that?" said Sepia.

"Yeah,I knew that." I said.

"Well, she goes with Darryl Angel....the owner's dumbass son...he fancies himself a stick up boy. He and his stupid twin brother, David have stuck up every place she's managed to work at...Bars, Hotels, etc..Looks like she moved up." said Sepia.

The one guy fired a round which went right through Albert Sane's left temple, killing him instantly....The other man looked at him in horror...


"Dave what the hell is wrong with you...What you shoot him for??????" he yelled...


"Darryl, shut the hell up...you just said my name out loud!" he yelled...


"Oh, my bad...just grab the diamonds and let's get out of here." yelled the other man...


They scooped up all of the diamonds and put them in a duffell bag...They then cracked open a strong box and took an undisclosed amount of cash and went running out the front, where a guy was at the wheel of an old Dodge Dart... The car sped off into the daylight....



It all made sense now...These idiots said each other's names the other day...Dave and Darryl...It was them...

"Sepia...You're right..It was them...Is there a third guy that they run with?" I asked...

"Yeah..a guy named Sleepy McNeal...a big waterheaded guy that wears cheap imitation designer suits and hangs around the Mermaid Club." she said.

I rolled over on top of her and kissed her long and hard.....

"Ummmm, what was that for?" I asked.

''You just gave me a break in the case." I said with a smile.

"Maybe I should be the private detective.." she said with a smile.

"Yeah really, you seem to have all of the scoop now of days." I laughed as we continued to kiss.

III-

Clerow was driving and Kool Kat was riding shotgun...I sat in the back as we pulled up into the parking lot of the Mermaid Club...Clerow stayed outside as Kool Kat and I went into the bar..Joe Neptune was pouring drinks from some of his customers when he saw me...

''Hi ya Kev...What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Sleepy McNeal!!! He in here tonight?" I asked.

''He's over there with that girl." said Joe ,pointing to the booth.

He looked just like Sepia described....A cheap suit that barely fit, sweaty and with a large bald head...I walked over to him....

He was practically slobbering over this thick ,but yet shapely girl  who was sitting with him....Everything she had on was way too tight and seemed to advertise that she wanted some action tonight.

"What have I got to do to get all up in yo apartment ,baby?" he asked.

"I think you need to thank her for her time and say good night tonight Sleepy." I said.

"Who is you?" he said.

"He's the man who's a lot nicer than I am." said Kool Kat.

He looked at both of us and then shivered in fear...The thick girl looked at us and then said-

"Heyyyy,I  barely know him....I aint all up in this mess, whatever it is." and excused herself.

"You guys cops? I hope you is cops." he said nearly in tears.

"I'm not a cop, but I was in that jewelry store yesterday.....You were driving the getaway car...Where are your friends..Darryl and David Angel?"I asked.

"Look...All I did was drive..They paid me for drivin and that was that..I aint kill nobody." he said.

"I know that..All I want is that merch back...I get that back and you're free to go..."I said.

"But mane, Ah aint got nothin." he said.

"Take us to your boys." said Kool Kat.

"Okayyyyy." he said.

Kool Kat just shook his head...They just weren't making tough guys like they used to.

IV-

We put Sleepy in the car and drove him to David Angel's house....As we drove up on the scene, There was several police cars and a chalked outline around....I saw Lt.Sissy Van Buren and several detectives standing around.. I told Clerow and Kool Kat and Sleepy to stay in the car...I got out and walked over to Sissy...

"What happened?" I asked..

"This might have been our shooter in that stickup yesterday...We found the gun on him..." she said.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Oh he can't talk to you...he's dead...Somebody shot him several times and they tossed his house." she said.

"Oh my God." I said.

"Any prints?" I asked.

"Nothing...Only the victims prints.." she said.

I turned and walked back to the car....I stared at Sleepy...

"Your boy is dead..." I said.

"Darryl?" he said.

"No David....The man who was trying to fence those jewels is no lightweight..He's a psychopathic killer kid and he won't stop until he's killed everybody involved...Got it? So you better level with me...I have to get those diamonds back or there will be more killing...Maybe even you!" I said.

"Oh God...I didn't mean to get mixed up in this...ohhhhhhh." said Sleepy.

''Shut up punk, just tell us where Darryl and Amazette are." said Kool Kat.

"I can take you to their place." he said.

"Good." I said.

D.T. had found David Angel....and had tossed his house...He obviously didn't find what he was looking for. That meant that the merchandise was with Darryl and the Girl....I had to work fast and find the both of them before he did...

(To Be Continued...)

Hot Ice

I have to admit...When I walked out of my door today and got in my car I looked cleaner than the board of health....I was wearing a dark pin striped tailored suit that fit me to a t...My shoes were black wing tips that a banker would have worn....I was adorned with a rolex, my wedding band and a pinky ring...I looked good..
I was pretending to be a somewhat shady commodities broker or let's say...middle man!

Perhaps I ought to back this story up a bit...This all started about six weeks ago...I was in my office at Hype Magazine where I work...I had just finished up an article for the coming month and had just gone over some photos with Sean Jackson and his wife ,Sheila....My assistant, Harry Charles had just brought us all some Ice teas after the conference and we were all kicked back and relaxed , when Rollie Rollerson, Black millionaire and man about town and a person who sat on the magazine's board of directors from time to time came into our conference room....He was sweating profusely....It was a hot day, but this was an air-conditioned building.

"Kevin...I need your help." he said.

"Sure Mr. Rollerson, what's the problem?" I asked.

"I need to speak with you privately." he said.  The look on his face said everything.....Sheila, Sean Jackson and Harry Charles all got up immediately, took their ice teas and left.

"I've been robbed." he said.

"What? robbed?" I said.

"Yes...two million dollars worth of diamonds , stolen out of the hamlet that I've been sharing with my fiance." he said.

"Did you call the police?" I asked.

"I uh can't report this to the police.....See, it would be in the papers...I would like the thief caught and the diamonds returned." he said.

"Well how did this happen?" I asked...

"I don't know...Somebody knew exactly what they were looking for...They got past the security system and they stole the diamonds." he said.

"Mr. Rollerson, did you tell anyone about the diamonds?" I asked..

"I uh, ruh..uhhhh might have let it slip....I've had several young ladies in the hamlet." he said sheepishly.

"Where is your fiance?" I asked.

"She's in Europe doing a photo shoot...You know she's a super-model.....A man get's lonely , soooooooooo,uh I occassionally have company in the Hamlet and I might have mentioned it to one of them, I might have shown it to one of them and they might have uh said something to somebody....but I've got to get those diamonds back...Her father left them with her for safe keeping....He's in Africa....Neither one of them will be back for awhile....I've got to get them back before they return and find out....I'll pay you handsomely,I swear...Just do it, Puh LEASE Kevin...I don' want to hear their mouths." he pleaded.

"Okay Mr. Rollerson...I'll get on it right away." I said.

II-

That was six weeks ago.....It took me three weeks to identify and find the thief, using my contacts on the street and my friends in various places....The man's name was Derrick Tradue...known on the streets as "D.T."....He was a smooth and nasty piece  of business out of Haiti who had been living in Philly for about ten
years...He was a jewel theif, a box man (safe cracker), cat burglar, you name it...This guy was a master thief. He was also rumored to have killed his partner who had crossed him once.  That partner, a man named Burt Peters had vanished in 2003 and hadn't been seen again...People on the street whispered that D.T. had shot him to death and buried him in New Jersey somewhere.

Once I located D.T.   , I got word that he was looking to sell the diamonds....That was when I dreamed up my present persona of "Kenneth Jenkins",commodities broker.. I arranged to meet him in Josies of all places and I told him that I had a" buyer".  It took me about a week of schmoozing and paying for his drinks and using real life gangsters like Fathead Newton, Roscoe and Ralph Mole as well as Gambler Steven Bristol to "vouch" for me that I gained his trust...

From Kool Kat, I learned of a shady fence named Albert Sane , who operated in the back office of Tiffany's,off the Boulevard..Who was willing to do business with us...Albert Sane was the real thing and he had no idea who I really was and that this was a sting operation....The night before the sting, I had had Lockpick Johnson and Peeping Tom break in and wire the office for sound and video...They were waiting down the street in a van with Sean Jackson...Who was snapping photos of the front...Clerow and Kool Kat were down the street in another car, poised to take him down....Harry Charles was dressed as my "driver" and he actually drove me up to Tiffany's in one of Mr. Rollerson's Bentleys.

Which brings us up to speed....I looked at my watch and smiled as "D.T." showed up like clock work with his suitcase.  He was a tall thin dark skinned man who was as immaculately dressed as I was... A no nonsense type of guy...

"Right on time baby." I said.

"Always on time to make that cash." he said with a smile.

"Well alright then...Let's do this." I said and we walked into Tiffany's....

There was a pretty young Black girl that I knew from the neighborhood named Amazette Clark working at the counter...She recognized me and was getting ready to say "Hi Kevin " , when I made the shoosh sign with my index finger and looked her dead in the eye...This was no sitcom...Black people in the neighborhood knew what that meant...They didn't go blurting out your government name like that.  She smiled and turned away and picked up the phone. We walked into the back room.

Albert Sane was a smallish, balding man who didn't take fools lightly...He was suspicious of everybody!

"Well, long time no see D.T. What do you have for me?" he said.

"You know each other?" I said.

"Yeah...I've done business with him before." said D.T.

"You,I don't know." he said.

"He's cool...He arranged this meet up...Only I didn't know it was you Albert." said D.T.

"What have you got?" he asked.

''Check it out yourself." said D.T.

He surveyed the merchandise, then looked up at D.T.

"Damn man...these things are worth over 6 million dollars....and I know this ice is hot...I aint even heard about em being stolen." he said.

"That's right...because the guy I stole em off can't report em stolen..." said D.T.

"You killed him?" asked Albert..

"Nah...they belong to his girl...He had some other chick up there who was blabbin about it to a friend of mine...He told me and I uh looked into it, ya know...heh , heh, heh...." he said.

''Wow..jackpot..What about your uh friend and the girl who told him?" asked Albert...

"No need to worry about either one of em...They are uh let's say, enjoying a nice swim in the Schuylkill river right about now...heh heh heh..." laughed D.T.

"That's what I like about you D.T.  No loose ends...heh heh heh..." laughed Albert.

Just then....two young men , wearing panty hose over their faces to cover their identities burst in the backroom with guns drawn....

"Alright, you know what this is...Get your hands up...this is a stick up!" They yelled....

"You're makin a big mistake kid." said Albert Sane...

The one guy fired a round which went right through Albert Sane's left temple, killing him instantly....The other man looked at him in horror...

"Dave what the hell is wrong with you...What you shoot him for??????" he yelled...

"Darryl, shut the hell up...you just said my name out loud!" he yelled...

"Oh, my bad...just grab the diamonds and let's get out of here." yelled the other man...

They scooped up all of the diamonds and put them in a duffell bag...They then cracked open a strong box and took an undisclosed amount of cash and went running out the front, where a guy was at the wheel of an old Dodge Dart... The car sped off into the daylight....

D.T, and I had remained still throughout the entire episode....

"I don't believe this...we've been robbed.." yelled D.T. who stomped his foot and punched his hand into the wall....

The girl, Amazette Clark ran into the room and screamed-

"OHHHH MY GODDD, OHHHHHHHHHHHHH  MY GOD... MISTER SANE...OHHHHHHHHHH."

D.T looked at me...

"Look boss, I can't stay around here and talk to no cops, ya dig...I'll be in touch." he said.

"In touch about what? We got took." I said.

"I'll find those punks...and when I do...the deal will be back on." He said and he slipped out of the door..

Kool Kat and Clerow, Sean Jackson, Peeping Tom and Lockpick Johnson had heard the shots and they came running back into the room.

"Kev, what happened man?" they yelled.

I shrugged my shoulders...."We got robbed....."

Yeah, imagine that...I'm with a thief and HE gets robbed....I had to find those two knuckleheads before he did..For their sake and for the case.

(TO BE CONTINUED....)

This Aint Love

Every Night around about a quarter of eight
just before sundown
just before it starts getting a little late
I walk through your neighborhood
because I know you'll be sitting on the steps
and for some reason it makes me feel good
to know that there is still some natural beauty left.../

I see you sitting in your shorts, talking on your smart phone...
I don't know if you've ever noticed me...
but I've always noticed that you were always alone.
And honey,if you don't have a man, have I got a sweet deal for you...
The other guys only talk about it...
but I want to be about it...
I want to be real for you.../

This Aint Love,
so somebody tell me what is this I feel?
Am I crazy?
Not offering you much of my so called sweet deal...
Girl I'm scared...
but I'm compelled to talk to you this way..
I can't bare to see you sitting there..
lookin so good..yet alone
and not have you for my own...
but this aint love...
nah this aint love../

Maybe we can go out ...
there are a lot of good movies to see...
Or I know a couple of restaraunts...
you kind of look like you're hungry to me..
You don't even know my name...
Though I know you've seen me around...
From one or two parts of town..
and I'm not sure if saying this is too cool...
The other guys only dream about you...
but I'm not sure I can live another day without you../


This aint love, so don't get it twisted...
I can't quite put my finger on it..
I just know I can't seem to resist it..
This aint love...
but the feelin is kind of haunted...
This aint love...
but I'm pretty sure I want it.../

Promise ( Never Gonna Let you Go)

Check it out
All kinds of people fall in love
Why my dear can't you and I?
You got somethin better to do?
Let's stop wastin time..
You aint gettin no younger
and I sure aint gettin no cuter baby...
We could save ourselves the cost of our prime
If we'd just take that leap of faith...
just say it.../

Say you'll be my love
say you'll be my one and only...
I will be your man
I will make so sure...
that you'll never spend another moment lonely..
Sure , we can take it slow....
but if we don't start now we'll never know...
So put your hand in mine..
And I promise I'll never let you go.../

I promise I'll never let you go..
I promise I'll never let you go..
I promise I'll never let you go..
I promise I'll never let you go..

Listen
Love like life is a gamble..
It's all in how you roll the dice...
Maturity and commitment is hard for some to handle
But girl, aren't you tired of always thinking twice?
Take the bitter and take the sweet..
We've been together long enough to understand..
So take this walk with me...
baby take me by the hand...

I'll be the man...
that you said you've been lookin for..
searching for..
I'll be your friend...
Your search is over girl..
You don't need to look no more....

You got somethin better to do?
Let's stop wastin time..
You aint gettin no younger
and I sure aint gettin no cuter baby...
We could save ourselves the cost of our prime
If we'd just take that leap of faith...
just say it.../

Say you'll be my love
say you'll be my one and only...
I will be your man
I will make so sure...
that you'll never spend another moment lonely..
Sure , we can take it slow....
but if we don't start now we'll never know...
So put your hand in mine..
And I promise I'll never let you go.../

I promise I'll never let you go..
I promise I'll never let you go..
I promise I'll never let you go..
I promise I'll never let you go..

HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY ESCAPADES -THREE YEARS AND COUNTING!

I can't believe it....It was three years ago on a hot July afternoon, when after the sucess of my then six month old blog, "Keith's Space" that I told my wife I was ready to create a second blog...This blog would feature my poetry I said...It would be like Mizrepresent's Wildflower blog I reasoned...

My wife came up with a template design for me... The radio was playing Janet Jackson's song "Escapades" ...and it hit me..There is the title for my new blog....and so I went through a pile of poetry I had written over the years and boomn..my first two posts were published.....

In time...I realized that I wanted to write more than just poetry..I had Short Stories I wanted to post as well as Long form Fiction ....The next thing I know...I had created my first charactors, Paris and Blake...Two crazy room-mates based off of some of my fraternity brothers from college...Next came, Sean Jackson, a photographer and his lawyer, Conrad Nelson , who always got him out of jams...Next came Mabel and Clerow and Corabeth, Pastor Struthers, Deacon Weatherford, Victoria, Sweet Dick Willie Jenkins  and my first continued stories....

Next came my private eye/blogger alter-ego- Kevin Morris, perhaps my most popular charactor, and his sexy wife, Sepia...Gus the bartender, Cock Robbins, Kool Kat, Harry Charles, his long suffering wife Bernadette and Randy Attorney ,Robert Foxworth and his now wife, Bonita....

I went on to create former gangsters, now businessman- Chris Thompson and his sidekick Chess, Donald Smooth, Fathead, Roscoe, and musicians, Reed Nelson, 88 and Downtown Rob Brown....

All of these charactors are loosely based on people I actually knew when I was growing up in West Philly....They have taken on a life of their own and I have had them interact in each others long form episodes that have been running on this blog...

I started including art by well known African-American artists as well as Erotically toned fiction and poetry....This is truly a unique blog that isn't like another blog existing....and I am proud to have created it..  I'm thankful too for all of you, who continue to read it and follow it... Thank you so much.....

I've got more poetry, more long form fiction, more short stories, more art and more erotica on the way...more music too...Thank you again for riding with me for three years on this...

Crash And Burn

THREE WEEKS LATER- Philadelphia,PA.

Gus watched as I came out of the jewelry store on Philly's Jewelers row with the rock in my hand...It was sparkling....His eyes lit up when he saw it....

''Holy Moly boy....that rock could light up a city block at dusk....Whoaaaa." said Gus..

"Yeah man...I hope Brittany likes it..." I said.

"How much did that set you back?" asked Gus.

"Nine G's Gus...and I still owe some more money on it." I said.

"You aint giggin...How you set for cash?" he asked.

"I still got a little cash...I made a down payment last week on a nice little place that I'm rentin...Chris and Chess showed it to me...Clerow helped me move my stuff out of Mabel's house and into it....and with this...I'm almost broke man." I said.

"I heard the new guy who took your place in Reed's band..He's pretty good...but he's got some solo recording work in New York soon...so he's gonna be leavin...You might want to join the band again.." said Gus.

"Yeah...My teachin gig doesn't start until the fall...so I might call Reed and see if I can set in for a few gigs until then...I need the dough, after all ..I will be gettin married soon..." I said.

"You told her yet?" asked Gus...

"I'm plannin to tell her when I pop the question and flash this engagement ring." I said.

"So she don't have a clue of your intentions?" asked Gus...

"Well..uh..She ought to...I been hittin it pretty regular for about a year now." I said.

"That's just sex boy...That aint love....Do she feel the same way about you?" asked Gus...

"Oh, sure...sure..she knows what's up." I said.

"I hope you're right." said Gus.

"Hey....you seen Mabel? How is she doin?" I asked.

"Yeah...I seen her...Clerow, Kevin, Kool Kat,Sean Jackson and my guys helped her move into her new place...It's nice..and Clerow and Corrie and the kids moved into their new spot...They all had a big party at Josies....Mabel came with this guy...A guy she was seeing when she first come up here...They had a good time...Mabel was dancing and cuttin up with her sisters, Corrie,Anita and Victoria... and Paris ,Blake,Chance Howard and all of them was there too...Had a blast!" said Gus.

''Well, uh, it's good that they all had a good time." I said.

"By the way...Where's your chippy? I aint see her but once since you got back." asked Gus.

"Oh she's in London...Went back to finish up some business she had...She'll be back next week."I said.

Gus got a peculiar look on his face....

"London??? She's already moved back here?" he said.

"Yeah I know...I guess she had to finish up something with the school.." I said.

"Okay." said Gus...

We got in Gus's car and we drove back to Josies....Chess was playing chess in the corner with somebody and Chris Thompson and Donald Smooth were at the bar drinking wine and talking quietly...They looked up and smiled when Gus and I arrived...

''Hey 88 , you like that spot I showed you?"said Chris..

''Sure did.. My girl is going to love it too when she moves in....Look at this rock I bought her?" I said as I showed Chris and Donald Smooth the engagement ring..

''Wow man...so you gonna do this huh....get married?" asked Chris..

''Yeah man ...It's time for a brotha to settle down." I said.

''Yeah well I saw Brittany yesterday in town and I know that's gonna knock her socks off " said Donald Smooth.

"Yesterday??? You saw her yesterday?? That's impossible....She's been in London for a week." I said.

"Well ,she must have gotten back yesterday because I saw her yesterday." said Donald Smooth.

"I saw her too" said Chess who had finished his game and had joined us at the bar.....

"Huh?" I said.

Gus and Chris Thompson looked at each other...I shrugged and got up...I tossed a couple of dollars down on the counter...

"I'll see you guys later" I said as I exited the bar.

II-

I had left my car in the parking lot....I went to the parking lot and retrieved it and headed over to Brittany's apartment  in South Philly...If she had gotten back yesterday, why hadn't she called me? I wasn't expecting her back until next week..The end of next week...Maybe she had finished up her business early...

I got to her apartment complex and walked down the hall...it didn't take long to understand what was going on...I clearly heard her voice through the cheap paper thin walls..

"Oh God...Oh God...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh God...It's sooooooooooooooooo  goood...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Nigel...oHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...I think I want to have your babies...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh , do me...screw me...slap me...beat me..ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she hollered...

I heard a deep male voice....

''Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmphhhh...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
let me rock youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu,Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....
Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

"Ohhhhhhhhh Nigel...I love you so muchhhh....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh rock me , rock me....ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."

The headboard of the bed was slamming against the wall...the springs were squeaking loudly....There were some Puerto Rican guys in the hallway who could hear the entire thing  laughing and shouting-

''Aye papi...Go papi go.."

"Hahahahahahahahaha, go papi go...go papi go....hahahahahahahahahaha.."

"Oh God...Oh God...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh God...It's sooooooooooooooooo  goood...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Nigel...oHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...I think I want to have your babies...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh , do me...screw me...slap me...beat me..ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she hollered...

I couldn't believe what I was hearing....Not Brittany...Not my Brittany...I had changed my life for her!!!!

I couldn't take it anymore....I kicked the door in and there on the bed was Nigel, hammering Brittany and hammering her well...They both saw me, but they didn't even stop.....Brittany's eyes were glazed...and Nigel was in the throes of passion...He turned and looked at me and snapped angrily-

"At least do us the courtesy of stepping outside and closing the door until we are finished...I'm almost through."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh don't stop...don't stop....give me moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..ouuuuuuuuuuuuuu
it's soooooooooooooo goooood...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." screamed Brittany...

"OPUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..OHHHHHHHHHH, I'm comingggggggggggggggggg,
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
NELLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
screamed Nigel....

''Go Papi go..." screamed the on lookers....

"HEYYYY, get the hell out of here." I screamed as I closed the door and stepped into the hall.

"Is that your girl?" asked one of the men....

I didn't say anything, but they could see by the look on my face that it was...

"Well she aint no more..she's his now...ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha." laughed one of the men.

I walked away.

III- A day later


"I wanted to tell you a long time ago "88" , I'm sorry." said Brittany who met with me at Jewelers row...I returned the ring and got at least some, most of my money back...She never saw it..she never knew how close I came to making a damn fool out of myself...

"How long had this been going on?" I asked.

''Nigel and I were lovers when I was at Penn...Then we broke up and he got engaged.. I went to London a year later and his engagement had been broken off and we were living in the same apartment..We started up again and we broke up again..but then when I saw him in Tokyo that night...all of those old feelings came back and well...Here we are." she said.

"Here we are.."I said.

"When you told me you broke up with your girl and quit the band...I felt so bad...because by then, Nigel and I had already slept together once...but I couldn't bare to disappoint you one last time on a day like that." she said.

"Damn" was all I could say.

"What are you going to do?" she asked...

"Oh..What am I going to do? I ruined my life for you.." I said.

''You ruined your  life for what you saw..an image, a mirage...You never really asked me how I felt...It was never as strong for me as it was for you...For me it was just good sex." she said.

"Just good sex???What??" I said.

"I thought , you bein a musician, that that was all it was for you too..." she said.  "I didn't know you was gonna fall all in love with me." she said.

"You , you are a trip....So that's it...You are going to be with Nigel now huh?" I asked..

"Well uh...Yeah...I am in love with him..and he's in love with me..." she said.

I looked at her and just shook my head.

EPILOUGE: One Year Later-Philadelphia PA.

I rejoined the band....and I also took the teaching gig with Cock Robbins at his school....During the fall,I teach...When Reed Needs me, I do some dates with him, tours and recordings...When he tours in the fall, another keyboard player sits in for me...It works out great...I bought another house of my own on a nice tree lined street...I was happy....

I had a nice house warming party....Reed Nelson, Debbie, Downtown Rob Brown, Delores, Bone Hampton,Meek Rollins, Gus, Kevin, Sepia, Clerow and Corrie ,Sean Jackson, Sheila and the rest of the band and their girlfriends all came by and we ate and drank and carried on into the wee hours of the morning..
It was around three o'clock when they all finally left...

I cleaned up and was ready to turn in when the doorbell rang...Who was it at this time of night?? Maybe somebody left something, I thought....

To my surprise...It was Mabel ...Mabel Jenkins...!!!!!!

"Wow, how long has it been?" I asked.

"You gonna let me in or are you gonna make me stand out here?" she asked and then smiled....she still looked great and smelled great too...

''Wow..you missed the party, everybody's gone." I said.

"I missed more than the party...I missed you 88." she said.

"I've missed you too Mabel.." I confessed...We sat down at the table...I poured her a glass of wine...

"I guess I was a fool." I said...By now, everyone had heard and was laughing both behind my back and in my face about how I'd bought a nine thousand dollar rock and caught my girl in bed with her ex-boyfriend in her apartment..It was months before I could come in Josies and not get laughed at and teased.

"We all make mistakes 88...I've made a few of my own.....I-" she said...

''It's okay Mabel...The past is the past." I said.

" Can we start over? Fresh... like none of this never happened?" she asked.

"You mean you'd still have me?" I asked.

"If you'd still have me." she said...

"Damn straight...cheatin on you and breakin up with you was the stupidest thing I ever did." I said.

''I cheated on you too , twice , while you were away." she said.

"I don't care and I don't want to know with who...We were both bad...It was my fault...but with a house and a teaching gig, I'm gonna be home more...and if I go away...I'll take you with me.." I said.

"You don't have to do that..." she said.

"Let's start over Mabel...take it slow." I said.

''Yeah..I'd like that." she said.

"Hey Mabel...It's July....Why are you wearin a trench coat in this heat?" I asked.

"Well, if we did make up...I thought you might want to celebrate ,so I came prepared " she said and she opened up her trenchcoat.......

All I could say was ....it was going to be a longggggggggggggggggg night!

For Carleen

If You Love Me, Why?

"You're quitting the band? You can't be serious." said Reed Nelson....

We sat in the last club we played in after our set was over in Tokyo, Japan...We were eating hot steamy plates of Japanese quisine...

"Well Reed, yeah...I thought I'd tell you first before I tell any of the guys." I said.

"88, think about this man...When I first came to Philadelphia...You were the first person I met...Hell man, we formed this band together...Most of these cats were guys you practically hand-picked ." he said.

"I know Reed...I know...and I know a real good keyboardist who you can hire to replace me..." I said.

"Damn man...this is so sudden...and ...and...and you say you're gettin married?? To
Brittany?? Man, you don't even know her ....What's it been ..a year you two have been boppin around?? Man...I hate to say this, but 88, you crazy...You got Mabel Jenkins...the finest babe I or anyone knows...You got Mabel Jenkins and you bout to break up with her for Brittany...I mean..Don't get me wrong, Brittany is fine as wine too, but she aint no Mabel Jenkins.." said Reed.

"Reed what did Gus used to always tell us man? For every fine woman, there's a guy somewhere who is tired of her." I said.

"So you tired of Mabel?" he asked.

"No...Nooooo...Nooo it aint like that...It's just that...for the past year, it just hasn't been there, you know...I aint been feelin Mabel you know? I don't know how to put it in words.." I said.

" That's cause you been feelin on Brittany...." said Reed... For the first time, we both laughed...

''What about the music? This is what you do...this is who you are...You got a babe that lets you live with her, hasn't pressured you to marry her , is fine as hell, every man wants her ,but you got her and you givin it all up.What you gonna do?"asked Reed.

"I'm thinkin bout workin a straight job....I talked to Cock Robbins about a job teaching music at the school during the year...In the summer, I could join you guys for a few dates and I'd always sit in if you need me for a recording....I just need to settle down now." I said.

"Why can't you do that for Mabel?" asked Reed..

"Because I can't man....Now look...I've made up my mind and that's how it is.." I said.

"Alright man...If you sure about this...I won't hold you back....Go in peace good brother...I aint mad at you." said Reed...We embraced and I threw a few yen on the table to pay for our meal and headed back to my hotel room...It was time to talk to Mabel....

It was daybreak ,Saturday Morning in Philly...No better time than the present.

II-

"Hello" said Mabel...

"Heyy Mabel...it's me...Were you up?" I asked.

"Yes...it's 7:30...I'm getting ready to go to the restaraunt...Anita and Cora -beth are opening up." she said.

"Yeah?  How's Corrie and Clerow's little one? " I asked.

''Oh he's doing fine...trying to stand up and walk by himself."she laughed..

''Wow, isn't that something." I said.

"When are you guys coming home?" she asked.

"Day after tomorrow...We are done for awhile..." I said.

"Well 88...There's something I want to talk about...I was going to talk to you about it when you got home, but it's been on my mind...and I feel as though now is as good as ever.." said Mabel.

"Yeah...I had something I wanted to talk to you about too." I said.

"You go first" she said.

"No, that's alright, you go first." I said.

"Well...Clerow and Corrie are moving into a bigger house..They have to with two children now...and I'm going to be moving into their old house....It's bigger than this one I'm renting...and uh..ruh...I don't know how to say this...but I think it would be a good idea if you , if you...if you found a place of your own when you came back!!! I can start packing your things." she said.

''What?" I said...I was calling her to dump her and she was dumping me!!!!

"I'm sorry 88, it's nothing you've done....maybe it's me...but for the past year and a half...we've just been going through the motions...you've hardly been here when you have been here...it's been like you were somewhere else...I've been so lonely....deep inside of me...even when you weren't on the road...I mean, it's been good...It was good for awhile...but it hasn't been good for a long time." she said.

''Damn Mabel..." I said.  There was a long pause...

"You don't have anything to say?  You're not even beggin me to reconsider...See? That right there..Something was just missing from our relationship......Tell me 88...Is it another woman?" she asked...Damn...She had hit it right on target....I paused for awhile then I softly said...

''Yeah....it is."

"I thought that it might be.. How long?" she asked.

"About a year..." I said.

"Anybody I know?" she asked.

"No, you don't know her." I said.

"You love her?" she asked..

"I might..." I found myself saying...

"Well, it's all good...Why torture yourself laying up with me and wanting to be with her? You're free to go 88, no harm, no foul." said Mabel...

"Mabel...I'm so sorry..I never meant to hurt you." I said.

"It's okay 88...We would have hurt each other if we had stayed together any longer...This way we were honest, we got it out of the way and we will always be friends...Good friends...If you ever need anything, you know you can call me." she said.

''Aww Mabel.." I said.

We both were in tears as we sat on that phone and talked about everything and nothing for another hour or so.

III-

I had endured the pain of leaving the band and of breaking up with Mabel Jenkins over the phone...All in all, it had been rather easy....I was supposed to meet Brittany that evening at a stylish Bistro in Downtown Tokyo..It was her last day....She was leaving on a red eye in the morning...While Reed and I and the band had one more gig, tomorrow night before we left.

She was already there when I got there...There was a Tall Black man sitting with her to my surprise...They were in deep conversation...He was about six feet four, bald headed like Issac Hayes...Had a nice neatly trimmed goatee and a silver earring in his left ear..He had muscles on top of muscles...He strongly resembled Kevin Morris's main man...Walter "Kool Kat" Jones back in Philly....When he smiled, he had the most perfect white teeth you ever wanted to see.

I cleared my throat but the two of them seemed oblivious to me...For a minute , I could have sworn that Brittany was swooning...but that couldn't be...not after the way I had been puttin it on her!I cleared my throat again and they stopped talking...

"Oh hi "88"....This is Nigel...He's a reporter with a major music magazine...He used to live in the same apartment complex with me when I was a student in London....I ran into him here a few days ago...He's been covering Reed Nelson's band for his magazine.." she said.

"Pleased to meet you "88"...I'm a big fan of Reed Nelson and his band...I caught you guys in London last year and I was even in Philadelphia and caught you guys at Josies and at Mulberry Street..I'm a big fan." he said and extended his hand.  I shook his hand...He had a British accent.. A thick british accent..

"Well,I'm glad you liked us...You from the UK?" I asked...Just making conversation...

''Yes...I was born in London  and came to the States when I was 18...I actually lived in Philadelphia for a spell...I went to Penn...That's where I met Brittany...Then after we graduated, I returned to London and started working at the magazine and she got a scholarship to Oxford...Fancy us living in the same apartment complex...I was just a floor above her and a room over...." he said.

I laughed...and thought...yeah, fancy that?

He turned out to be very talkative...He ordered wine....Brittany and I ordered food...I thought he would get the hint that we wanted to be alone and was ready for him to go...but he didn't...The three of us sat at the table and talked and ate and drank wine all night....

We talked about President Obama and congress, The state of Music today, Philly, London, New York, Japan, Art...Soccer versus Football...His love of the New York Yankees....et al ad naseum...Not only that, he insisted on paying the check...I didn't mind that...but when it was time to go...He and Brittany and I all shared a cab back to her hotel...

He got out first and smiled and waved at us-

"Well...I think I'm going to turn in mates...It was great meeting you Mr. 88." he said and smiled and walked into the hotel lobby..

I pulled Brittany to me and kissed her long and passionately.....I ran my hands down her pants....

''Ummmmmmmmmmmm...ouuuuuuuu that feels good..." she said.

"It would feel even better if I could go up to your room and get you out of these tight pants.." I said with a grin..

"Ohh baby, not tonight...I got an early plane to catch tomorrow.." she said.

"Aww come on..I need some good lovin...I'm depressed." I said with a fake frown and pout.

"Awww why are you depressed?" she asked.

''I broke up with my girl today....over the phone..." I said.

"You did what?" she asked...now looking very uneasy, almost like she was afraid.

"It's all good...She was in the process of moving into a new house...We are good..We talked for hours...it was a very pleasent and amicle conversation...It's all good...I quit the band too." I said.

"88...Are you serious? How could you do that? You're a musician...That's who you are." she said.

"What I am is in love with you...I've been talkin with a friend...He's gonna get me a teaching job when I get back to Philly...Of course I'll still sit in with the guys sometimes and take a few dates..but I'll be home more often...With you!" I said smiling broadly....

"Oh 88...We have to talk...but not tonight...When we get back to Philly okay?" she said and kissed me again.

She got out of the cab and dashed almost into the hotel....

The cab dropped me off at my hotel... I stood there, Uncertain....I was about to start a new life...I was uncertain but happy just the same , thinking of the coming adventure I was about to embark on!

(CONCLUSION  NEXT)