Retribution Song

From my days as an NCIS investigator, to my days now as an investigative reporter and private investigator I have learned one thing...Always be observent of everything around you...Everything!

That's why when I woke up this morning and looked out of my front window...I noticed the white 1967 Thunderbird sitting across the street from me.  It's a classic car and I would have noticed it anyway...but I especially noticed the gentleman with raybans on sitting in the car ,with no radio on...Just sitting.

When I walked  out of my front door,  He pulled off!  So When I went to Dunkin Donuts to get my coffee and then to Krispy Kreme to get some doughnuts...I didn't find it strange that the same 1967 was sitting outside of these places, with the same guy , wearing rayban sunglasses just staring.

Now I'm on the expressway headed to another part of the city and guess what? This same car is about two or three cars behind me...Yeah,I don't miss a trick!

I got a text message from Laura saying she wanted to see me...I smelled a trap..and I should have called Clerow or Owen Todd or Kool Kat...but i didn't...If this was in fact a trap and I somehow get out of this alive...They're going to be pissed that I didn't call them ,I thought as I headed to Laura's apartment.

I was packing...I had my . 22 in the small of my back....and my .38 smokeless on my shoulder holster inside my suit jacket.

I arrived at Laura's apartment...I looked around...I saw no signs of the car...I preceded inside.

II-

Laura was inside her apartment...I knocked on the door...She told me to come in without answering...I walked in...She was packing..packing everything...

''Going somewhere?" I asked...even though that was quite obvious.

"I'm leaving Philly." she said.

"Oh?" I said.

She tossed me the glossies...The photos of Ray and Inger in the hotel room having sex, Kissing outside the bar...Making out on the corner of the block...

"That was you wasn't it?" she asked dryly.

I said nothing.

"It's okay...truth is truth...Ray is a user...a player...I think I always knew that...I just hoped he had mellowed, I see he hasn't... " she said.

I hung my head...I still said nothing...

"You know...he asked me to uh get him the addresses of all of the witnesses against him...Even though they're all in Prison....and he asked me to steal the case evidence against him...I was almost crazy enough to do that...but I didn't...I'm not going to jeapordize my entire career for a man like him...." she said.

"Good Girl." I said.

"I resigned my position as Judge of the Federal Circuit court yesterday." she said.

"What??" I said.

"I'm going into private practice...Ive got a few friends in Atlanta...That's where I'm going Kevin..Someplace far from here, where the drinks are cold and I don't know the playas..." she said.

She passed me an envelope.....

"You give this to Special Agent in charge, Frank Cotton..He'll have more than enough to put Ray Kind back behind bars where he belongs." she said.

I took the envelope....

"I'm having most of my stuff shipped to Atlanta...I was wondering if you could give me a ride to the Airport." she said.

"Sure Laura....I'm so sorry it had to end like this." I said.

"This is the only way this could end Kevin. It's okay...but  know that I'm happy for you Kevin...You found somebody worthy of you...Your wife, Sepia...She's a good woman." said Laura.

"I know that." I said.

"Be good to her." she said. "She's a lucky woman...she doesn't even know how lucky she is...She has a man that she can depend on...A man who....who is who he says he is...I coulda had that...I made the wrong choice.   Now I have to live with that...Be good to her Kevin." she continued...

"I will."

After she packed...I drove Laura to the airport......

"You know...I sent Ray an envelope too." she said.

"You did?" I asked.

"Yeah...I sent him copies of those photos with a note that said- "Drop Dead!" she said and laughed...We both laughed at that...

As she boarded the plane , she turned and looked at me one last time...

"Have a good life Kevin." she said.

I smiled and waved as she got on the plane and flew out of my life again.

III-

Back in the city, I ran into Kool Kat and Owen Todd...They motioned me over to their jeep.

"Kev you got problems." said Kool Kat.

"Yeah tell me about it." I said.

"Nah..you got life threatening problems... I was talkin to Roscoe yesterday..He told me that Ray has put the word out that he needs a hitter....A guy named Lenny Dukes..from D.C. is in town..I think he took the contract .Kev...Ray has a contract out on you..." said Kool Kat.

"That explains the white car." I said.

''What white car?" asked the big man.

"There has been a white thunderbird following me all day....This guy has been shadowing my every move."I said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there is a GPS tracking unit under your car." said Owen Todd.

"Probably...He's trying to shadow my movemants...He could have hit me at anytime today...He's looking for the perfect place.....And what's the best place to hit me? Outside Josie's where I always go to drink?" I said.

''So don't go tonight?" said Owen.

"Nope..I want to go. Let's go to those apartments across the street and see if anybody has rented a spot recently." I said.

I parked my car in front of my house and rode with Kool Kat and Owen Todd. We went to the apartments across the street from Josies... We found out that a man who said he was from D.C. rented a room , right across the street from Josies...just two days before...

"Funny thing" said the landlord...

"What's that? I asked.

"He didn't have no luggage." he said.

Kool Kat ,Owen and I looked at each other and smiled......

"He put this into motion two days ago....right after his lawyer took a dive in the nude...He was through with me then." I laughed.

"Yeah...and now that his girl has flipped on him...he's really pissed." said Owen.

''What are you talkin about?" I asked... I hadn't told Owen and Kool Kat about Laura.

''Man...Some photos of him and his babe arrived with a note written in lipstick that said "Drop Dead loser." Whoever his babe is...She looked like a half breed..She cussed him out at the Aqua Bar last night and told him not to call her again..You have anything to do with that Kev?" asked Owen.

I laughed...Kool Kat shook his head....

"Nah...not me." I said.

"Liar" laughed Kool Kat.


IV-

That night We were all in Josie's...My birthday was the next day..but I wanted to celebrate with my friends... Chess, Chris Thompson, Donald Smooth, Reed Nelson, Debbie, 88, Mabel Jenkins, Rob Brown, Delores, Harry Charles ,Bernadette, My wife,Sepia, Robert Foxworth, Bonita, Sean Jackson, Sheila...Chance, Cole, Paris,Blake, Anita, Cherish,Clerow and Corabeth....The whole crew was there as well as people I hadn't seen in a minute, like Eddie,Andrew and Big Nasty...Gus brought out a cake and we had a high time....

I took a peek outside...That White Thunderbird was parked down the street!!!!!!

I slipped outside...  Owen Todd was wearing the exact same thing I had on... He got in my car and pretended to start it...I slipped up the back stairs of the Apartments across the street where Kool Kat and Clerow were waiting...I nodded and the big man knocked the door down...The hit man,Lenny Dukes was setting up...He was astounded to see that big door falling down...He attempted to pull another gun out of his waistband...but Clerow,Kool Kat and I pulled our pistols and opened fire on him...He was hit at least nine times!!! He spun around like a top and tossed his gun up in the air...

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH....I don't believe this...I've been shot!" he screamed as he pitched forward and fell out the window and into the streets below!!!

Kool Kat nodded...I looked at Clerow and nodded..I looked out the window...Owen Todd gave us the high sign. Lenny Dukes, suspect in close to 28 contract killings would kill no more!! He was dead!

"I'm going to the Aqua Bar...." I said.

"What? " asked Kool Kat...

"I'm going to finish this." I said.  "Clerow..you and Corrie take Sepia home...Tell her I'll be home late." I said.

An hour later, Kool Kat and I walked into the Aqua Bar...Ray Kind had been laughing and talking with some guys..They saw us coming and they got up and moved away..... Ray was shocked to see me coming towards him...For the first time..He didn't have that sardonic grin on his face...  Kool Kat and I aimed our pistols at him and moved forward...He desperately looked for a place to run, but there was no where to go...He just stared ahead...

"Got a message for you Ray....Next time you hire a hitman...Hire someone who can shoot!" I said.

He was speechless...But so was I when FBI Special Agent Frank Cotton walked in with about six FBI agents....

"Hi ya Ray." he said and smiled. "Looks like I got here just in the nick of time...Although part of me wants to walk out of here and just let nature take it's course..Lucky for you...I can't do that." he said.

"Heyyy what is this..Old Homes week?" he snarled.

"It's the night I came to arrest you for obstruction of justice.." he said..."Put the cuffs on him boys...This time you stay in jail until your trial and no judge is going to spring you this time." he said as they read him his rights and handcuffed him...

"I don't beleive this...I'm GETTING ARRESTED! he yelled.

"Even your luck runs out eventually Ray." I said..

He looked at me with pure hatred....

"You think you've won, you just delayed what's inevitable...You and me? We'll dance again...Believe that." he said to me...

"Save it for the judge you cheap punk." I said as the FBI men hauled him away...

Kool Kat laughed and patted me on the back..

"Game set match." he said.

"I believe so..." I said.

EPILOUGE:

Tomorrow was my birthday!, Tomorrow was his birthday too.  He was going to be spending his in lock up. Ray Kind was held until his trial..He was convicted of conspiracy in the jewelry store heists and sentenced to 12 years.  He was convicted of obstruction of justice and sentenced to an additional 6 years..all in Federal Prison. He is awaiting trial on State Charges of conspiracy to murder me!! All in all..He's going to be off the streets for years!!!

The next night..Sepia told me to go up to our room, take off all of my clothes and to close my eyes...

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Oh just do it...It's your birthday silly...I've got your surprise." she said.

I got naked and sat on the bed...

"Okay, open your eyes." she said.

There she was , Naked and with a blue bow tied around her!!!!

"Oh my goodnes...Ohhh lawd!" I exclaimed as I looked at her....

I pulled her toward me as she giggled...

"This isn't much of a gift...but...it's what you wanted." she said...

"I''ll say." I said as I slowly took the bow off and began to kiss her from her neck to her waistline...

''Ouuuuuuu..." she moaned as I slowly layed her on the bed and began kissing her behind her ears and on her neck....

"Ohhhhhhhhhh.." she moaned as I crawled up on her and began to mount her slowly..

I smiled...I thought for a second of Laura...She had told me to be good to Sepia... I certainly planned to tonight!!!!

Lawd have mercy!