Terror Begins At Work

My wife Sepia and her friend and business partner, Bonita stood in my new office suite...Their friend and hair dresser, Bernadette was also there...She was the wife of my assistant and office manager, Harry Charles....she was about two months pregnant!

"Nice digs Kev...A little ultra modern for my tastes." joked Bonita...

"Stop making fun of my man's new office." joked my wife, Sepia....

"I know Harry is happy...This is all he talks about Kevin.... The promotion you gave him and the raise is the reason I'm in this condition." she laughed and pointed at her belly ,which was just beginning to protrude.

''Come again?" I said smiling..

''Yeah...When Harry has more money he gets very...uh how can I say it...Frisky...and look at me...Pregnant." she said.

''Wonder what Robert's excuse is>...I come in the door and he's frisky." said Bonita.

"This one here gets turned on by danger he says." joked my wife Bonita....

"Alright girls...enough of that." I said ,laughing good naturedly....

Since I had leveraged the sale of my magazine to Sepia ,Bonita,Chris ,Chess and Clerow...I had moved out of the old building into this new building....inherited three floors and hired about 60 additional employees.. My newspaper and online newspaper would be up and running soon and my new magazine was in the works.....I also had a sattelite radio station project on the backburner too..A station that would play R&B, Soul, Neo soul ,Jazz, smooth jazz and acid jazz around the clock...

My new partners had given me an infusion of cash and I had attracted scores of advertisers which also brought in more cash... Including Josie's, Bottom of the C and Mabel Jenkins...Business couldn't be better.
I was working and coming home every night....I couldn't be happier...The streets were quiet, so the only time I saw my "operatives" (Kool Kat, Owen, Peeping Tom, Clerow (now a part owner) and Lockpick Johnson who were now openly on the payroll and not hidden was when we all went to Josie's to knock back a few beers and listen to Reed Nelson or Downtown Brown or Symphony Sam and shoot the breeze with Gus.

"Well Kev..It was nice having lunch with you and seeing your new digs...but we have to show a house to someone today." said Sepia who gave me a short peck on the lips.

''That's all I get?" I joked.

"Kevin....we have guests...Tonight there will be more where that came from" she whispered seductively in my ears.

I smiled and waved as Sepia, Bonita and Bernadette waved and walked out.....

I sat down in my chair with a desk that bore my new title- Kevin Morris, Chief Operating Officer, Editor and chief, Morris Communications Inc.

I liked it...I was the boss...This was the culmination of a dream!  Ten years ago...I had started as just an investigative freelance  journalist ,then I got a position on staff, then I became editor, then acting editor and chief and now THE BIG CHEESE...Like I said...Life was good..What could go wrong?

I had to ask, didn't I?

II-

My buzzer went off! It was Harry Charles....

''What's Up Harry?" I asked..

''You have a visitor Kev...a Rich Cornfield." he said.

"Really? What does he want?" I asked.

"He wants to ask a favor." said Harry.

"Okay, send him in." I said.

This ought to be worth a laugh...He had been the chief financial officer for my magazine's former owners, The Harris group. He had never liked me and the feeling had been mutual. He had always been trying to find a discrepancy in our books...As if he had believed that I just had to be hiding something...

Near the end of my tenure with The Harris Group, he had discovered that I had Kool Kat, Clerow,Owen Todd, Peeping Tom and Lockpick Johnson on the payroll listed as "Investigative Consultants" These guys helped me out in my other line of work as a private investigator...Some of my cases became exposes for my magazine...I felt it was only fair that I pay them since I called on them from time to time...and paying them out of my pocket had become rather costly...to me..I probably would have been fired for that eventually, but I was no longer a part of The Harris Group now and could do what I wanted.

He walked in ,looked around and smirked the way he usually did....This was going to be a quick visit...He might exit with one of my shoes square up his rear end ,I thought.

''Hello Kevin..It's been awhile." he said.

"Not long enough...what do you want?" I asked.

"I need your help." he said.

"Help with what?" I asked.

"Okay, let's cut to the chase." he said.

"Please do." I said.

"I know what you do on the side...You're a P.I. ...When I saw those names on the books....Those uncreatively named 'Investigative consultants...' I hired a private investigator of my own to have you and them checked out.....I know about the former CIA operative and the master thief he works with and the real estate guy who is now along with your wife and some of your other friends, part owners of your company and I know that Mr. Jones, Mr. Todd and one of your employees Mr. Jackson help you out from time to time in your investigations....I know your whole story Mr. Morris, Ex- NCIS investigator....Now Private Investigator.....and I will pay you to help me out." he said.

"If your Private Investigator did such a great job on me..Why don't you just use him?" I asked.

"I would, but unfortunately....He had an unfortunate automobile accident and he is currently no longer amongst the living." he said.

"So you want me to investigate something for you...Why should I do that?" I asked.

"You're a smart man...A good businessman....You see what's happening way before the rest of the world...You saw that we were thinking about either dumping your magazine or moving you out and you put together a group of your own people and bought us out....I have to admit...I admired that...You've done wonders with the new business and you seem to have vision..As an investigator, well there are non better that I can see....Plus..I'm willing to pay you six figures or more for your services." he said.

"Now THAT...I like." I said, suddenly interested.

"I knew you would...Like I said..I know you're smart." he said.

"Okay..what do you need?"I asked.

"You no doubt know Irving Whitendale right?" he asked.

"Of course...He's the chairman of the board?" I said.
"Well...He and some of his cronies...have been plotting to oust me...I think I've been watched by someone...I don't know who or how long, but I need to know if any information has been compiled on me. .They have files on everyone...I can't get to them without being noticed..." he said.

''You need me to find out what they may have correct?" I said.

"Yes and to find out what they might be up to." he asked.

I looked at him.... He gave me an electronic pass key.

''This will get you in....I need those files checked....Sooner rather than later...Also...This is the address of the Harris Group's Lawyer...Ronald Amundsen's office...I need his files checked out also...He's a prick....I can't stand him...Here is half of your fee upfront." he said and he passed me an envelope full of a lot of cash.

"This is a bit tricky...but I'll see what I can do." I said.

"Thank you..the better you do..The more is coming to you." he said and smiled.  He was carrying a brief case and a suitbag and gym bag.

''Going on a trip?" I asked.

"I'm going through a rather nasty divorce...I've had to move out...I'm living downtown at this address." he said and gave me another index card with his information on it.

"Okay...I'll be in touch." I said.

"Thank you." he said and smirked... "You've got a gorgeous wife.....Her two friends aren't bad either...I saw them leaving when I came in and I inquired about them." he said.

"Really? Why?" I asked.

"I have a festish for African-American women....My soon to be ex wife is African American." he replied..

"And all this time I thought you were a card carrying Republican." I smirked.

"I am." he laughed and left.

After he left...I called Harry Charles...

"What's Up Kev?" he asked.

"Did you record all of that?" I asked.

''Every word...It's on video and audio in living color." he said.

"Good...that's my insurance in case this is some kind of con job....I don't trust the guy." I said.

''But you took his dough!"said Harry..

"Of course..I'm no fool." I said.

We both burst into raucous laughter!

III-

I took the money and put it in my wall safe...just then, my buzzer went off again!!!!

It was Harry Charles-

''What's Up Harry?" I asked.

''Kev, get down to the 12 floor....we got an emergency!" he said.

I was on the 14th floor... I took the stairs to the 12th Floor...Sheila and Sean Jackson were already there with Harry Charles....One of my female employees, Frenchette Lofton was in her office in tears, Her clothes in disarray...

"Frenchette!!!What happened ?" I said.

"I've been raped!" she said.

Oh Boy , here we go...I knew the peace and tranquility was too good to be true!

(To Be Continued...)