The Box Man

I stood in Attorney Robert Foxworth's office with him and his protoge', Chance Howard....He looked at the safe....It was empty.....He had called me early Sunday Morning and told me that he had gone back to his office and discovered that it had been robbed....I examined the safe...

"How much was taken?" I asked.

"About one hundred & twenty large." said Robert , much to both my and Chance Howard's surprise...

''What? Why would you keep that kind of dough in your office?" I asked.

"For emergencies Kev...You never know when you have to pay somebody right away for a favor or something." said Robert Foxworth.

"Or grease somebodies palms right counselor?" I said with a sly grin.." I said.

"Yeah, whatever" he said ...obviously annoyed both that I knew him so well and that he had been robbed.

"It's just you and Chance and two administrative assistants and a receptionist here...And from the look on Chance's face..He didn't know you kept that kind of cash here...Is there anybody else who might have?" I asked.

"No...The Receptionist and the two administrative assistants didn't even know about the safe ...I just got it installed in here ,maybe a few weeks ago." he said.

"You call the cops?" I asked.

''Yeah...they came by...They dusted for prints...None...." he said.

"We have a security system put in here by Peeping Tom and Lockpick Johnson themselves...and whoever robbed me beat the system...even got past the guard downstairs and apparently beat the video cameras...It was almost like a ghost robbed me Kev." said Robert Foxworth.

"Wait a minute...Ghost...Ghost??  Oh my God...you think your last client..."Ghost" Hawkins could have done this?" asked Chance Howard...

"You defended HIM?" I asked , astounded....

"Yeah...I just got him off recently...He was charged with Burglary and grand larceny...He still owes me part of my retainer." said Robert Foxworth..."You know him Kev?" he asked.

"Oh yeah...I know him well...Grew up with him...You know that Luther "Ghost" Hawkins is also a Cat Burglar or second story man as they are known....but more important...He's a "Box Man"...an expert safe cracker..." I said...

"Well, he has no convictions....." said Robert Foxworth..

"That's because he either never gets caught or Attorneys like you get him off......One thing I know about him...He does big jobs for big people...connected people...." I said..

"Why are you looking out the window Kev? " asked Chance....

II-

"Hmmm...Let's take  a walk upstairs Chance." I said...

"Huh? Upstairs?" asked Robert...

"These windows don't open do they?" I asked.

"They do....The Terrace Door Windows do...but most tenents keep them locked." he said.

"Any empty offices or floors?" I asked.

"About two floors up." said Chance...

"That's how he got in...Let's take a look." I said.

We walked up to the next floor where Doctor's offices were...They were all occupied...but just two floors up , was a completely empty and unfurnished floor...A quick look at the terrace window showed that the lock had been removed!!!! We also found..cables, ropes and hooks....We walked out into the hallway and down the stairwell back to Robert's Floor.

"That's how it happened Counselor....He came in from the empty 17th Floor....He slipped down the back hallway...and down the stairwell to your floor...There are no cameras on your floor or in the stairwell..He disabled this camera here on your floor." I said.

"No..that camera hasn't worked for months." said Robert Foxworth...

"Okay, so he beat the alarm system and broke into your office and hit that safe....and he's out." I said.

''And he's long gone too." said Chance.

"The money is insured...but it is a big hit Kev...I'd appreciate it greatly if you could get it back..." said. Robert Foxworth.

"Well, I've got to work fast...He could be out of town by now. I'll do what I can." I said.

III-

Just to make sure I was fair and touched all bases...I did interview both administrative assistants and the receptionist at Robert's office.. They had no idea that a safe was even in the office and when I told them the amount that had been stolen they reeled in horror...One even joked- "Mister Foxworth should pay us better if he's holding that kind of cash...I laughed and they laughed too.

I met Lockpick Johnson and Kool Kat at the Mermaid Club for drinks.. They had more insight on Luther "Ghost" Hawkins...

"Back when I was in the game Kev, Luther was like my idol....A second story man and a box man...Never got caught...Cops never knew his name...He was like shadow and glass...Always got the plumb jobs and the biggest heists...A real operator." said Lockpick Johnson...Who had been a legend amongst those types himself before a short stretch in the pen had him on the straight and narrow and teamed up with former CIA man , Peeping Tom...They did "special " jobs for both Robert Foxworth & Chance and Myself that was somewhat quasi legal, but helped us get our job done.

"Here's what I know Kev....He's into Eric "Shark dollars" Redding for 200 large...He's got a weekness for both women and games of chance.." said Kool Kat.

"I suppose everybody knows about this right?" I laughed.

''Everybody that keeps their ear to the street knows..." said Kool Kat.

"Eric "Shark Dollars" Redding operates primarily out of Atlantic City doesn't he?" I said.

"Yeah...He's got juice on the streets...and that fool, Ghost Hawkins got himself caught up in his high stakes crap game...Chris and Chess wouldn't let him play in theirs because they know he's a degenerate gambler...but Shark Dollars...He don't care...He took him...Ghost robbed this joint...Walked away with 300 large...and got knocked....Your boy Robert Foxworth took his case and got him off! ,but the dough got returned..." said Kool Kat... "Remind me to hire Foxworth if I ever get in trouble...The Cops thought they had an airtight case against Hawkins....Foxworth took their case apart peice by piece like a surgeon." said Kool Kat...

"Yeah and Ghost robs his safe of 120 large and stiffs him on half his fee as a sign of gratitude." I said.


''WHATTTT???Oh I'd kill him." said Kool Kat.

"Man...Luther must really be in trouble." said Lockpick Johnson..

"He got a girl?" I asked.

"Yeah...Her name is Pony Gardenor...She makes her living staring at the ceiling if you know what I mean, but she's real big leauge...No walkin the streets...It's by appointment only..She lives in Atlantic City." said Lockpick Johnson.

"Okay...Eric "Shark Dollars" Redding is not the type of guy who is going to collect himself....Who is his number two? Who does his heavy work? " I asked.

''Former Philadelphian.."Ike "Cold Hearted" Stewart...ya know him?" laughed Kool Kat.

"Oh yeah...Thought he was in jail." I laughed.

"He was...He got out and made a bee line for A.C.  Started workin for Eric "Shark Dollars" Redding." he laughed.

I ordered three more beers, cracked some peanuts and gobbled them down as I waited for the beers to arrive for my two friends...

"Hey Kool Kat?" I asked.

"When's the last time you've been to Atlantic City?" I asked.

(To Be Continued-)