Thursday, January 31, 2013

Burnin Down Da House

Lt. Sissy Van Buren  and I sat on the rooftop of the C.I.D. building drinking two tumblers of hot steaming coffee...It was dawn, the beginning of a new day....This was something we had done many times in the past during a big case...Kind of like a ritual...

" Wow...Look at me, sitting on the rooftop with you, drinking coffee in the early morning hours...I always imagined doing something like this with my man." joked Sissy..

I just laughed and looked out at the city skyline..

"This has been a great week for ADA Keith Wallace." she said.

"I imagine it has." I laughed.

"That information you gave us was right on the money...He was laughing when he told me that you should've seen the looks on the faces of those three goons , who were hiding in that lingerie store, when he, Detective Pile and the Tactical squad raided the place!  It was utter shock...They arrested them and they confiscated every mannequin in the store...Mannequins that were loaded to the top with Heroin, Marijuana, Cocaine and Meth." she said.




"Glad I could be of some help." I laughed.

"Not only that..Chica had a good night too.." laughed Sissy.

I raised my eyebrows...

"I'll bet she did!" I said.

"Ohhh get your mind out of the gutter...I'm talking about police work." said Sissy laughing..

"So was I?" I said.

"Liar" said Sissy. "You need to see your wife....Where is she?" she asked.

"Someplace safe...Her and Bridget are with friends.." I said.

"You seen her?" she asked.

''Everyday...I check in on both of them." I said.

"Good. I like your wife...She's cool people...Anyway as I was saying... Carlotta and Detective Barlow and some more Tactical Squad members raided that other Lingerie shop and rousted three more goons and confiscated more mannequins with more Heroin, Coke, Meth and Marijuana...All in all, last night was a great night for us...and a bad night for the bad guys..." she said.

"I suppose I can't keep you from hitting their warehouse now that you have all of their product can I?" I said.

"We wanted to hold back, but The Lieutenants from Tact squad and Narcotics wanted to hit it and they did....but it was all for naught...Cord and Tucker left the warehouse and set it on fire." she said.





"Damn...I had been setting on that Warehouse...I was hoping to find out more about their operation." I said.

"You for all intents and purposes put David Cord out of business...And whoever he answers to in New York is probably very displeased with him right about now.." she said with a smile.

"If he's the Psychopath you say he is...He's probably looking to even things up with me and Bridget." I said.

"Yeah...About that....Kevin did you ever wonder how they came to start stocking their product in mannequuins and why they were using two relatively new lingerie stores as a storing place?   I mean the plan was brilliant...Too brilliant for David Cord or Tucker to plan.....This was somebody else." she said.

"Frankie Cash of New York maybe?" I asked.

"Sounds like him...but here is the rub...Nobody has seen or heard from him in months....I called the Chief of Detectives in New York City and they said that there was no trace of him...Frank Cotton of the FBI sent some agents up to New York and they took the city apart...Nothing....Mr. Cash has apparently dropped out of sight." said Sissy.

"He's a heavy hitter isn't he?" I asked.

"Yes... a suspected supplier and connect to every drug organization from New York to D.C." she said.

"You think Cord aced his boss and took over?" I asked.

"That's my guess and the way he's screwed things up..Thanks to you...He's probably not welcome in New York City anytime soon." she said.

I laughed..

"Be careful Kevin....He's in the wind now....He could be anywhere waiting to make a move on you." she said.

I kissed Sissy's forehead...


"After this is over...I'd like for You and Eddie and Keith and Carlotta to have dinner with Sepia and I at Bottom of the Sea...The cook over there, Ralph Scallion is a great chef." I said.

"At Dollar Bill's place?  I'm familiar with it...Rollie used to take me there." she said.

"Hmmm, well maybe not." I said.

"It's okay." she said.

II-





"Happy New Years Robert" I said as I entered The law office of my friend, Attorney Robert Foxworth and his two protege's Cole and Chance Howard....

"Heyyy Kev, To what do I owe this visit?" he asked.

"I need to do a little research....Can you call your buddy in public records?" I asked.

"Sure....Hey man...It is too much temptation at my house...Between my wife, your wife and Bridget Jones..I am going out of my mind...All these fine women up in my crib....My neighbors think I'm a pimp." he laughed..

I looked at Robert with a side eye, then laughed...

"You counselor?...nahhhhhhhhhhhh..Who would think that?" I said...I saw Chance Howard and Cole laughing their heads off..

"I need to look into the licensces and ownership of two establishments..one is Lady Chatterlies Lover...panties and bras for the discriminating woman...And the other is called Simply Underwear." I said.

Robert's eyebrow raised....

"That's Bridget's store...I know cause I got Bonita some stuff from there and let me tell you...mannnnnnn look." he said.

"I know Robert, my wife bought some stuff from there also." I said.

"Did she buy the edible panties..?" he asked.

I didn't answer, I just shook my head.

"Kev, Nicole bought some nice things from both places." said Cole.

"Fellas..I'm not looking to buy..I'm investigating something." I said.

Within an hour I had the information I needed... Both Lady Chatterlies Lover and Simply Underwear were bought and owned lock stock and barrel by one Franklin John Cashew of New York City....Frankie Cash

This explained mountains....I now looked into Bridget Jones background.....


Her birth name was Bridget Paulette Cashew...She was born in New York City....Her mother, Paulette Cashew divorced Franklin John Cashew when she was two years old and moved first to Newark and then to Philadelphia PA. where she raised Bridget in public schools..Mother ,now deceased. Bridget graduated, attended Temple University, graduated and then attended Fisk University....Got her Masters and then Attended Columbia in New York City...She married a man named Paul Jones.....divorced him after three years, moved back to Philadelphia , where she opened a business...Lady Chatterlies Lover.

"She's the daughter of a gangster?" asked Robert Foxworth...

"Yeah..Which explains all of this....Her father reconnected with her sometime after she left Temple...paid off all of her student loans from Temple paid for her to attend Fisk and Columbia...and set her up in his business..a business she must have figured out was a front for his drug smuggling enterprise...The mannequins in both stores were filled with Dope and Coke...Rather than keep them in a warehouse, which might get hit at any moment...They kept em in the stores...When somebody wanted an order...They simply had the drivers move the mannequins...It was brilliant." I said.

"Which is how she just happened to come upon you." said Robert Foxworth.

"You think she always knew what was going on?" asked Chance Howard.

"Nahh..I think she figured it out and didn't want any parts of it...Which is why she called me.." I said.

"What about her father?" asked Robert.

"Hasn't been seen in months." I said.

"You think he's....he's dead." asked Robert.

"Most likely....but I have to know for sure.   I'm going home with you tonight." I said.

"Heyyyyy don't say it like that...People will talk." said Robert.

Chance,Cole and I laughed at that.

III-





"It's so good to see you again lover." said my wife Sepia as I lay across the bed with her in Robert Foxworth's house...

"It's good to see you too baby.." I said.

"Owen Todd, Clerow and Donald Smooth have been driving me and Bonita to work and making sure we've gotten back here safely like you asked." she said in between kisses...

"How's Bridget doing?" I asked.

''She's fine..She wants to go to her new home and back to her job." said Sepia...

"In time...Where is she? I gotta talk to her." I said.

"Down the hall." said Sepia.

"Good...I'll be right back." I said.

I walked down the hall to Bridget's room...She was lying across the bed watching television...


''Heyy Mr. Morris" she said.

"Heyyy yourself...David Cord is out of business...but he's still on the street...Once I locate him and get him off the street,everything will return to normal." I said.

"Good ...I never trusted him...I knew he was bad news.." she said.

"Your father thought so too.!" I said.

She looked at me in astonishment, then she hung her head low..

"You know huh?" she said.

"Yeah I know...You didn't think I'd find out?" I asked.

"Marco told me you were good." she said.

"Marco Jervay???" I asked.

"He was my boyfriend in high school...I went to him..I told him I had a suspicion that my dad and his friends were smuggling drugs through my store and I wanted it stopped." she said.

"Where is your dad? Why didn't you just go to your dad and confront him?" I asked.

" I was going to...but no one in New York had seen him. Three months now...He hasn't answered my calls or texts ....I went to his place in New York...Nobody's seen him...Nobody knew nothing." she said.

"You know what your father did for a living?...You know who and what he is ?" I said.

"I didn't know for a long time...Mother shielded me...Then when I graduated from college ,Daddy reappeared...He told me that he ran an importing business in New York. He paid for me to attend Fisk and Columbia...the full boat...He paid for my divorce and he set me up in business...The money I paid for my new house..was money from a trust fund daddy set up for me." she said.

"All the while you never questioned anything? Importing Business eh?  That's one way to look at it." I asked.

"I started questioning things,people I saw...strange comings and goings at night...Before my dad disapeared he told me not to worry about it.. He told me he was coming to Philly to talk to David Cord, and then...Nothing...Mr. Cord told me that he hadn't seen my dad.I talked to Marco about it...He said that he had a friend ...You! who could get to the bottom of all this..find out for sure." she said.

"Yeah..I did...People have died...People are in jail....and now,I've got a bounty on my head ..." I said.

"I'm so sorry Mr Morris." she said.

"It's okay....This is what I do." I said.

"Why? You've got a thriving business, a beautiful wife, a beautiful home...You don't look like you hurtin for money." she asked.

"Call it a hobby." I said and smiled.

"You think my dad is dead?" She asked.

"I don't know....but I think his business partner, David Cord...got him out of the way somehow...He seems to be calling all of the shots." I said.

"Ohhhh...Between you and me...I think my father is dead..He would never not contact me for two months." she said.

"If he is...I think I know who did it and I'm going to see that his death is avenged." I said.

She smiled weakly.

IV-





Sissy called me just as I was leaving Robert's house... I drove to the scene of yet another fire......





A body was being removed from the basement of a burning row house.....



Carlotta was standing there as the police brought out the body.....

"Wow...another fire huh?" I said.

"Not just any fire Kev...Whoever started this fire was sloppy....and firemen were able to retrieve the body before it got burned too badly..." she said.

"I imagine it's not identifiable." I said.

"No, it's in pretty bad shape....almost like it had been in this old abandoned house awhile before the fire started." she said.

Sissy walked up to me...She was holding a burnt wallet...





"They should have taken the clothes off of the dead body and searched it thoroughly" she said.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Look at the Drivers License inside this wallet." she said and handed it to me...

It read -Franklin John Cashew....Frankie Cash!!

"Well that answers one burning question....Frankie Cash is definitely dead." I said.

"Your boy David Cord is cleaning up..." said Carlotta..

"Definitely....You guys hang tight....I'm going to bring you somethin good soon." I said.

"What?" said Sissy.

"I'm going to finish this." I said.

CONCLUSION NEXT!


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Thugs And Dolls



ADA Keith Wallace and I sat in his car...It was 6:30 am...It was a lonely side road , right off of the interstate.

"You're certain one of the trucks headed for the warehouse is coming this way?" he asked. Unlike Sissy, he hadn't learned to completely trust my instincts without question, despite the many good cases I had given his detectives..It was okay..He would learn in time.

"Yeah man...My associates and I have been watching the warehouse for a couple of days...We couldn't get inside, but we definitely saw a pattern ....same trucks going out, same trucks coming in...With mannequins that are delivered to Lady Chatterlies and another Lingerie store...We put GPS tracking devices on several of the trucks..." I said.


"I'm getting a beaping sound...a signal." said ADA Keith Wallace...

"That's the truck...One of em.." I said.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Have your guys stop the truck, make the bust....and let my guys take over the drivers spot...It's the only way we can get inside that warehouse..."I said.

"So we are going to replace the dope with baking soda filled baggies right?" he said.

"Right....Can you keep the bust out of the papers?" I asked.

"For about 48 hours..." he said.

"That's all I need...Thanks..." I said.

ADA Wallace got on his cell phone..

"Okay, Detective Pile, Detective Barlow...Take the truck." he said.





Detective Pile and Detective Barlow drove their cars in front of the truck forcing it to screech to a halt...Several Philadelphia Police cars drove along the side of the truck.  Several Uniformed policemen weilding shotguns and glocks rushed the truck... Detective Jimmy Barlow used a bullhorn...


"Come out of the truck with your hands up!" he said...

Detective Tyriq Pile, several investigators and about twelve  uniformed policemen grabbed three men ,who surrendered without a fight...

"Okay boys...get those hands up." he said as they were read their rights and handcuffed...





The policemen opened up all of the mannequins....

"Jackpot...look at this?" said one...

"Whoaaa Nelly...what is this?" said another policemen...

All of the mannequins will loaded to the gip with Heroin...Pure uncut Cocaine, Meth and other illegal drugs...

"We got a warehouse here Detective!" exclaimed another cop...

ADA Keith Wallace, Detective Jimmy Barlow and Detective Tyriq Pile walked over to me, they were all smiles..

"Man ,this is the bust of the century..." said Detective Pile...

"Now I know why Sissy trusts you...Why she has mad love for you..You're always on the money." said a smiling Keith Wallace.. "Carlotta loves you too." he added.

"I'd say he's a lucky man." said Detective Tyriq Pile...

" I know these three...They're local punks..." said Detective Jimmy Barlow.

"Okay, replace the real dope with the fake baggies of baking soda, pancake mix and candy tablets..." I said.

Several policemen did just that...

"What's your next move Kevin?" asked Detective Pile...

"Three of my guys are going to drive that truck back to that warehouse...It's the only way we can get inside and bug it." I said.

"I'm not hearing this." said ADA Keith Wallace with a wry smile...

"Okay, you didn't hear it.." I said laughing...

They shook my hand...

"Thanks for this bust Kevin...Good luck man..Remember , after 48 hours...I've got to release this information to the public.." he said.

"Don't worry.." I said.

"I always worry."  said ADA Wallace.

"You're sounding more like Sissy everyday." I laughed.

He smiled.

II-




Kool Kat ,Owen Todd and Lockpick Johnson took over the truck....Clerow and I followed in a rental car...

They drove back to the warehouse... Peeping Tom and Sean Jackson were waiting for me on a side street around the corner from the warehouse...

"How did everything go?" asked Sean Jackson..

"Like a charm...The cops popped three guys and got enough dope and coke to supply the entire Deleware Valley." I said.

"We have good news for you Kev." said Peeping Tom..

"What's that?" I asked.

"We got inside...We posed as UPS drivers..Me and Sean...We noticed that they get deliveries from UPS all the time... We took over a UPS truck..." said Sean.

"You what?" I asked.

"Relax Kevin...We duked the guy a few bucks, changed our clothes..He had an extra uniform..We dressed up as UPS drivers and got inside and delivered their packages.. I was able to place some micro cameras and some bugs in key areas..." said Peeping Tom.

I shook my head..

"You guys are incredible.." I said.

III-





Sean Jackson ,Peeping Tom and I listened to and watched a live feed from inside the Warehouse....

David Cord was about six feet tall, thin and immaculately dressed....He had a pencil thin mustache...He looked like a church deacon...

He got a look at Kool Kat, Owen Todd and Lockpick Johnson and was immediately suspicious..

"Who the hell are you..Where is Johnny Boy, Billy and Tony?" he asked.

"Hey look, I don't know nothin bout no Johnny or whoever...All I knows is we got your dolls and they are full of junk...Now you tell me where you want this crap delivered and  it's a done deal...Pay me and my guys and we straight." he said.

"You New York boys huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, we whatever you want us to be..."  said Kool Kat.

"Carlo...Check the truck." he said.

Carlo was Carlo Tucker...a low level thug I had dealt with before...He knew me...but he didn't know Owen Todd, Lockpick Johnson or Kool Kat. He checked the dolls and found the fake drugs we had planted on them.

"Alright...No mix ups....Here are the routes." said Cord and he handed Kool Kat a list of two stores to deliver the mannequins..

While Kool Kat was talking...Lockpick Johnson had slipped into David Cord's office and placed a bug in his phone and a micro-camera in a discreet place it wouldn't be noticed...Then he went to the restroom ,which was two doors down.

Lockpick nodded..Kool Kat and Owen got in the truck  with him and pulled off...

David Cord called another man in...

"Yo Tuck..Follow those three in that truck...I don't know em and I don't trust em...Somethin aint right here..Once they make their deliveries..See where they go..Keep me up on em." he said.

"I'm on it boss." he said.

I had figured on this...Kool Kat , Owen Todd and Lockpick Johnson delivered the mannequins to Lady Chatterlies and another lingerie store called  Simply Underwear...They played it straight...They drove back, got their pay and were told by Cord that he would keep in touch with them if he needed them again...They left the truck and went to one car...A rental.. Tuck was still following them...

"Clerow...I just made a call....It's time to retire Tuck..What you think?" I said.

"Yeah Boss, he's outlived his usefullness." he said, smiling that toothy grin...

We cut his car off, giving Kool Kat, Owen Todd and Lockpick Johnson time to make their escape.

Clerow got out of the car and aimed his .45 at Tuck...I got out and aimed my .38 smokeless at him...

"Who the hell are you?" he asked.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Don't matter, you both gone be dead in a minute." he sneered.

He reached in his glove compartment and pulled out a .38.....but just as he was getting ready to fire...I heard a very familiar voice..

"I'll bet that gun isn't registered is it papi?" came the unmistakably beautiful voice of Detective Carlotta Rodriguez...





She had two uniformed policemen with her....She took the gun...the registration number had been filed off...

"Ohhhh look..a throwdown gun...What other toys do you have?" she said and she went under the front seat and pulled out another pistol with a filed off registration.

"My My Myyyyyy....another toy?" she said.... "Take him...book him." she said to a uniformed officer who had a shotgun leveled at Tuck!

The two uniformed officers pulled Tuck out of his car and handcufed him, read him his rights and took him to the paddy wagon....

Carlotta smiled at me..

"I hope one of these guns is my murder weapon.." she said.


"Could be...I hope so...I just needed him out the way." I said.

Clerow walked over to the car..Carlotta whispered to me....

"What's goin on Kevin?" she asked... "Talk to me papi."

"These guys bring the drugs in...They're smart enough not to keep em in a warehouse...They hide em in lingerie stores...They take their orders from the warehouse and when the time is right...Their drivers remove the mannequins and deliver them to the buyers....I know this..I been following these guys..." I said.

"Well those guys that got popped this morning and this guy here are going to be calling for lawyers soon...And I'm aware of the little scam you pulled...I gotta admit..it's sweet...but Cord will find out he's been hoodwinked Kevin and he'll just change it up...that's all...and you don't know him..He's a blood thirsty killer...He'll take this personally.If he even gets an inkling you set him up..He'll kill you and everyone close to you...That's how he is." she said.

"You know him?" I asked.

"I busted him two years ago when I was detailed to narcotics...Had an eye witness too...My witness was found beheaded...No clues as to who did it...My case against him fell apart...." she said.

I hugged Carlotta..She returned my embrace...

"You and Sissy worry about me...I've danced with his type..I've danced with people a whole lot worse..Don't get soft on me Carlotta...We do what we do...It's the life we chose." I said.

She was tearing up a bit..."It's just...you're my friend now..not just some gumshoe.....I don't want anything to happen to you." she said.

"Never imagined you'd ever do that..in front of me." I said and smiled.

"Promise not to tell anybody." she said and smiled...She regained her composure...

"Glad to know I'm more than just some gumshoe to you. Your secret is safe with me...Little sister." I said.

"Yeah...I've dealt with private investigators before....You're the only one I've ever liked...and the only one I trust...Most of the ones I know are bitter ex-cops." she said.

"Well see, there you have it...I've never been a Philadelphia Policeman." I said laughing...

"You used to be an NCIS investigator in the military," she said with a smile.

"Still not a cop." I said.

"You're right..." she said and hugged me again....

" All this hugging and people might think we are in love or something ." I said.

"You are so crazy Kevin." she said punching my arm and laughing...."Be Easy." she finally said.

"Always Carlotta,Always." I said.


I saw Carlotta smiling as Clerow and I pulled off.





IV-

Peeping Tom called me when I was on my way home and I turned around and drove to his house...


 "Kevin...I think you ought to hear this." he said and he played me a feed recorded earlier in the day.

It was David Cord.

"I just got a call from New York...They said  Johnny Boy, Tony and Billy made that pick up." he said.

"Oh yeah, well who was those three clowns that you paid today?" came the voice of Carlo Tucker.

"I don't know.." said David Cord.

"Hey man...We've been compromised...Our stash went missin, we had to get more stash...and now three of our guys is missin too and how come we aint heard from Tuck?" asked Carlo...

"Hmmmm something aint right...It just isn't right...Who was them three guys??" he said.

"Mannn, I got a feelin..." said Carlo....

"Cops?" asked David Cord..

"Nah...if it was cops , they woulda shut this whole thing down...This smells like a neighborhood guy..A private investigator I know who likes to dip his nose where it don't belong....I've dealt with him before...His name is Kevin...Kevin Morris...I didn't see him...but he has guys that work with him...

"Man, I'm already gettin calls about late shipments." said David Cord.

"We gotta nip it in the bud..." said Carlo...

"Private eye eh..?" said David Cord...

They had no idea we could see them as well as hear them... He motioned for Carlo to be quiet...

They had figured they were being bugged in the warehouse....He said...

"We move the mannequins out of both places tomorrow at midnight...Two trucks...." he said.

"Bet" said Carlo...

Then he motioned for Carlo to meet him outside... They left the warehouse and they got inside David Cord's car....What they didn't know is that we had bugged his car also.

"Get some mechanics...Place em at both places...When this Kevin and his partners show up, kill em all." said David Cord...

"I'm on it." he said.

"You know him...He got any family..close friends??" he asked.

"He's got a pretty wife...I don't know where she works, but I can find out." he said.

"You do that..I've got some amusing things I want to do to her...heh,heh,heh..." laughed David Cord..

"How bout that broad...that Bridget broad at the lingerie store??" he asked.


"She was asking too many questions...She might have been the one that brought Kevin in on us in the first place...This sounds like his kind of action...See, he is working for her..he won't talk to the cops until he has just enough, just enough to bust the whole thing.I had a cousin, Raif Collins...He killed him and got my other cousin locked up...I hate him." said Carlo Tucker..

"Okay...Then she goes too..Her and his wife...If we don't nab him at midnight...that will definitely smoke him out." said David Cord.

(Click)

I looked at Peeping Tom....

"We got a smart one here huh?" I laughed.

"Yeah...I've heard of this Cord...He's ruthless...." said Peeping Tom.

"Apparently." I mused.

"What are you gonna do?" asked Tom.

"I'm going to get Bridget and Sepia and get them to safety....Then me and Carlo Tucker are going to have a long talk..." I said.

"I can imagine that conversation." laughed Peeping Tom.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Hornets Nest

The next day I visited my favorite cop in the whole city of Philadelphia...Lt. Sissy Van Buren of Homicide/Major Crimes and now Special Vicitms unit..

Sissy was surprised and happy to see me...

"Well, well, well...if it isn't my favorite Private Investigator slash confidential informant!" she said with a laugh...At first , she was just a cop I could go to and trust...but now over the years we had become close friends...I thought of Sissy as a sister ...

"Hey Sissy...How's that new bed working out?" I laughed.

"Oh it's just fine smarty." she laughed...The she looked at me funny...

"Narcotics got a big package today...Enough Heroin, Coke and Meth to juice Philly ,Chester and Atlantic City...from an uh anonymous source....You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" she asked.

"Sissy, it was me." I said..  Over the years we would joke like that and I would never admit to it , even though I knew that Sissy knew that I indeed was the police department's invisible helper..

She looked surprised...at my admission.

"Kevin, what are you into?" she asked.

"Look Sissy, a client of mine has a lingerie store...You might have heard of it...Lady Chatterlies...." I said.

"Eddie C. bought me some nice things from that shop." she said.

"Oh really?" I laughed leeringly....Sissy was good looking...I didn't want to even imagine her in some of those racy things...Well actually I did.


"Never you mind." she laughed...

"Well, my client owns that establishment...She said that some strange goings on have ben going on there ever since her original warehouse manager Frankie Cash turned the reigns over to uh David Cord..." I said.

"Oh My God...Frankie Cash is a major narcotics dealer out of New York...and David Cord isn't much better...they are both bad news.." she said.

"Apparently they're in the lingerie business." I said.

"Neither one of them is in anything other than some drug business." she said.

"Well...I'm digging around...I don't have much to give you just yet...but I'll keep you informed.." I said.

Sissy showed me the rap sheets on both Frankie Cash of New York City and David Cord of Philadelphia..They both were indeed some bad charactors....

"Kevin you've danced with some bad guys in the past...but these two? They're right up there with the worst..So be careful" said Sissy...

''Aww Sissy ,you're worried about me?" I asked.




"Yes... I worry about you, ADA Wallace and my chica...You're all the closest thing to family I have." she said.

I hugged Sissy....

"You're my sister...I'll be careful...For you." I said and I left.

II-





As I headed back to Lady Chatterlies that night..I saw police removing a body from the alley...I saw my second favorite cop in Philly, Homicide Detective, Carlotta Rodriguez..

I walked up to her...When she saw me, she smiled the sweetest smile I had ever seen in my life..

"Hey Kevin...What are you doing here?" she asked...

"Who you got?" I asked....

''His name is James Tabor...low level playa..He had supposedly gone straight...but I think he was still dirty." said Carlotta...

"What was he doing for a living?" I asked.

"He worked at a warehouse." said Carlotta.

"He worked for me! He was one of my drivers." came a voice...It was Bridget Jones, my client !!




"Detective Rodriguez....This is my client, Bridget Jones...She's cool Bridget..She's a friend!" I said, which told Bridget that we could talk freely around Carlotta and I guess this told Carlotta how much I had grown to trust her.

" Ms. Jones owns Lady Chatterlies Lingerie....She hired me because she felt something un towards was going on...I looked into it last night and I found mannequins stuffed to the gip with dope and coke.." I said.

"So that was you that sent that package to Narcotics?" laughed Carlotta.

''Yeah,I confess." I said.

"James worked out at my warehouse...He was one of my drivers. But I didn't know this was going on...We had different mannequins coming in everytime I turned around and they were always so heavy...All they were supposed to bringing back was boxes of panties, bras and lingerie" said Bridget.

"But apparently these guys were bringing some extra cargo." said Carlotta.

"Right and by interrupting that.....I imagine a lot of Cord's buyers are pretty upset right about now as well as low in product." I said.

"Well Kevin, you disrupted something major... You've opened up a hornets nest. That was a major haul and by you disrupting that, you bought this guy two slugs in the back of his head.We are hearing reports that the street dealers are dry...no product around for days...That was their stash." said Carlotta.

"Oh My God!" said Bridget...

"Okay look...I already talked to Sissy this afternoon... I know you have to investigate your murder...but there is something deeper going on here...I'll keep you guys posted." I said to Carlotta.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Bridget.

"Just go back to your store...run it like you normally do...You don't know anything...Don't worry..I'll have one of my associates watching you." I said.

Detective Jimmy Barlow walked up to us...

"Hey Kev" he said.

"Hey Jimmy." I said.

"You find any witnesses?" asked Carlotta.

"Nada...Nobody saw nothin, nobody heard nothin...We got shell casings and an impression of some tire tracks...That's all.If what I'm hearin is true, this might be the first of several murders...Streets are dry, nobody can get any products...The fiends are sick...their buyers are low...it's a mess..a good mess." he said.

"Okay...let's release the body.Get the lab guys to process the tire tracks." said Carlotta..

"I'm on it." he said as he walked towards the uniformed officers and the coroners men.

Carlotta walked over to me and whispered...

"You know these drug hits are the worst...Kev, nobody will talk to you...I hate em..." she said.

"Don't worry...Help may be on the way." I said and winked..

"I'm so glad you're mixed up in this." she said jokingly.

"Me too. I'll see you around Carlotta." I said.

"I'll be looking forward to it." she said.


"Come on Bridget." I said and we got in my car and pulled off.





III-





I had  indeed opened up a hornets nest...  I had interrupted a major drug shipment...Somebody was angry and somebody had to pay...Somebody did pay apparently....Poor guy, wasn't even his fault.

That night Owen Todd, Clerow, Peeping Tom and Lockpick Johnson joined me in the lingerie shop after hours...They wired the store for video and audio and we again searched the mannequins..Once again we found Heroin, Cocaine and Meth in several mannequins and once again we boxed the stuff up and removed it.

Next we visited Bridget Jones and placed a bug in her phone and cloned her smartphone...We placed a GPS tracking device on her car...

"Kevin, I had no idea..." said Bridget...

''When you told me  who you thought was involved...I had to look into this further...Just be careful...My associates will be watching...Give me the address of your warehouse..." I asked..

She gave me the address....

"They realize that two shipments have been compromised now...So they won't be using your shop...Do they supply any other stores?" I asked.

"I'm sure they do.There is another shop called  Simply Underwear , a few blocks from here..I think they get their shipment from the same warehouse." she said.

"Well...I'm going to go to that warehouse and get to know Mr. Cord real well...real well." I said.

"Mr. Kevin...you've done enough...I'll pay you...David Cord is dangerous." said Bridget.

"Bridget...I'm dangerous." I said and laughed.

(To Be Continued....)




Monday, January 28, 2013

The Headless Woman

I had Sepia in the kitchen, up on the counter...We were kissing very passionately and waiting for our morning coffee to brew...

"You know Kevin, if we get started with this...we are both going to be late for work and I really have to be on time today..Bonita and I have a very important client to meet....and don't you have a conference call this afternoon with an important advertiser?" she asked in between kisses...

"Yeah, you're right...We'd better stop before we get too worked up and wind up late for work...I'd hate to spoil that nice new hairdo." I said.

We both took deep breaths and we both headed for the breakfast table...

I poured us both a tumbler of hot coffee....

"Don't feel bad Kevin...You know tonight when we get home you are free to sweat my perm out if you want to." she said with a smile..

"Promise?" I said jokingly...

"Cross my fingers and hope to die." she laughed...

We had both been working steadily for awhile now...Me in my office with Harry Charles, Sean Jackson, Sheila Jackson and the gang and she and Bonita at their Real Estate business...Coming home to each other every night and hanging out with Gus and the gang at Josies on the weekend...Normal life...No cases..No bullets flying..No intrigue...I wasn't complaining..It was kind of nice..

Except for Honey Brown and B-Flat's wedding, we hadn't really been to any gala affairs...and except for moving Sissy's bed out of her house a week before...I hadn't seen the Lieutenant or Carlotta, Hadn't seen Peeping Tom or Lockpick Johnson...Hadn't needed their services..  I did run into Clerow and even Kool Kat from time to time..at Josies....Ahhh the sweet normal life...The sweet boring life....All of that was about to end today...I just didn't know it yet.

"Kev, you like these matching terry cloth robes we are wearing?" asked Sepia as she got dressed..





"Yes indeed." I remarked..

"No silly, not just mine...Yours?" she said.

"Yeah..I like .." I said.

"Well I got them from the person we are showing the house to ...Her name is Bridget Jones...She's a black entrepreneur ...She owns a lingerie business called "Lady Chatterlies Lover...panties and bras for the discriminating woman." she said.

"Oh really?" I said, snickering a little..

"Yeah....She's got a little shop across town...Got some nice things...Bonita bought some things there..She said Robert loves it!" said Sepia.

"Yeah, Robert loves anything on or off of her.." I laughed...





"You're no better, so stop trippin." said Sepia.

"I had better get to work...I keep watching you get dressed like this and we are just going to miss work today!" I laughed...

"No goodbye kiss?" she asked with a fake pout.

"Nahhh...I think we've kissed enough this morning." I said jokingly...

''Awwww..."she said.

II-






I went to work....Chess and Chris had found us a brand new building...just a few blocks away from the shopping center that was all ours...It was called "The Media Arts Center" Both of my magazines were published on the first floor...On the second floor, all of our internet and web services as well as our servers were housed and on the third floor was the radio station...It was also where the conference room was and my office.... I loved being in control of what was now called Morris Communications...

Sean Jackson walked over to me as I headed for the office...He had a peculiar grin on his face....

"What's up buddy?" I laughed.

"Man..Wait til you see the little number that's in your office waiting for you...It's a good thing that Sepia isn't here." he laughed.

"Who is it?" I asked...I wasn't expecting anybody..

"Some woman...Her name is Bridget Jones...Says she owns a ,get this..Lingerie company...Lady Chatterlie something or other." he laughed.

"Hmmm, that's the woman Sepia and Bonita are supposed to be showing a house to." I said.

"Well she made a detail....Damn glad she did....The body on that woman." he said.

"You better make sure Sheila isn't roaming the halls." I said.

"Yeah man...you're right." he laughed.

I was amazed that he and his wife had managed to work at the same job for so many years and not ever clash...

My assistant, Harry Charles passed me a tumbler of coffee and escorted me to my office where a very attractive Black woman was waiting for me.

"Mr. Morris...I'm Bridget Jones ." she said.

"Yes...You own a lingerie store...I hear you're going to be the next Victoria's Secret." I said.

She seemed impressed that I knew this..

"Wow...I was told that you were good...You know more about me than I know about you." she said.

"You're supposed to be meeting with my wife and her business partner this morning...She told me everything." I said with a smile. "Can I offer you some coffee?" I asked.

"Yes ,please... I am planning to meet with them in an hour...It's a small world...I did not know that Sepia..Mrs. Morris is your wife...But then again...Sepia Morris, Kevin Morris!! I should have put that together. The reason I'm here is that I hear from friends of mine that you're a private investigator on the side...Where do you find the time?" she asked..

"Yeah...I'm asking myself that." I said.

"Well to get right to the point...I suspect that something not too kosher is going on in my warehouses...and I'd like you to take a look into the matter." she said.

"Not too kosher like what?" I asked.

"Well, I get my merchandise from an outfit in New York City....I was dealing with a guy named Frankie Cash for a longg time...Then he sent a guy named David Cord down here to be the warehouse manager.. I know this sounds funny and baseless Kevin...but I'm a West Philly girl...I'm college educated and all, but I grew up in the streets...I know a player when I see one...David Cord just seems like a criminal to me..He has guys around that just don't look too kosher...He never allows me in the warehouses and the manequins in my store get switched almost weekly...and when they come in, they seem so heavy....When my girls are trying to fit them for the panties and the bras....sometimes they can hardly lift them....Then other days, the manequins are as light as a feather...and they're different mannequins...It just seems weird...I don't want to get the police involved just yet...Could you look into it?" she said.

"Okay...Sure." I said.

She passed me an envelope...

"That's a down payment....and this is a pass key..It'll get you into the store without any problems.." she said.

"Thanks." I said.

"No Thank you for looking into this." she said.

''What do you think it is I'll find?" I asked.

"I don't know...I just want this looked into." she said.

"Okay...I'll check it out tomorrow night." I said.

"Tomorrow night?" she asked.

"Tonight is uh date night with the wife." I laughed.

"Oh...I perfectly understand, tee hee." she said

III-





The next night...I used the pass key to let myself and Owen Todd in...Clerow was at home watching his kids and I couldn't find Kool Kat...For once I didn't need Lockpick Johnson to open a place up for me..

''Kev...What is it, we are supposed to be looking for?" he asked.

"I don't know...Just try the manequins...Pick em up...If one is particularly heavy...Let me know..." I said.

We used our flashlights to get around in the store...Most of the mannequins were normal weight...

"Damn Kev..this sure is some frilly stuff...I might buy this for my girl." said Owen.

"My wife already bought some of her things..." I said.

"You like em?" he asked..

"For the few minutes she had em on." I said laughing...

"Hahhahaha..I get your drift Kev." laughed Owen...

Then I came across a mannequin that was pretty heavy...

"Whoa...Owen come here..lift this.." I said.

"Damn...this is pretty heavy.." he said.





"Take the head off!" I said.

I unscrewed the head of the mannequin and to both of our surprises...several baggies of what I identified as uncut heroin fell out and on the floor....

''Ohhhhh crap Kev...It's filled to the gip with...with..." said Owen...

"Heroin" I said.

"Oh My God...what are we going to do?" he asked...

"Check every single mannequin in here." I said.

We did...It took us three hours..but we found a total of seven mannequins filled to the gip with Heroin, Cocaine and Meth....

"Mannn, what did we stumble on here?" asked Owen Todd...

"Find a box...Box all this stuff up......" I said.

"What are you going to do with it?" he asked.

"Oh Philly Narcotics are going to get a surprise anonymous package tomorrow...Then we are going to come back here and see who comes in to make a pick up....Put those mannequins heads back on." I said.

Bridget was right!  Something fishy was going on...and I was going to get to the bottom of it!

(Definitely To Be Continued...)


Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sounds Like Love






Still can't understand
how one person can
come into your life...
and make you feel
all warm and tingly
deep inside../

Just don't know
how one person
can just come in the room
and your face just glows
with a feeling that you can't
deny.../

you can deny it all you want...
can tell your friends anything
you can think of...
you can try to hide it as much
as you can...

deny it all you want...
but it's all for naught..
but anybody with a heart can
surely understand.../

That it sounds like ..
love...
yes it does..
It sounds like love
in your life..
It sounds like Love...
Aren't you glad that
love is new in your life?/





Just thinking about how one person can
just come in your life..
and make you feel so good inside..
You just get nervous thinking about them..
Yesterday you were alone
and the world was cloudy outside and not so nice...
You'd see your friends with their special someone
and just wonder when...
your time would come?/





Now your days and nights
are full of sunshine and light...
and you no longer wonder about your "when"..
Now everything feels so very mellow and light...
No more darkness..
The way it was then.../


you can deny it all you want...
can tell your friends anything
you can think of...
you can try to hide it as much
as you can...
deny it all you want...
but it's all for naught..
but anybody with a heart can
surely understand.../



That it sounds like ..
love...
yes it does..
It sounds like love
in your life..
It sounds like Love...
Aren't you glad that
love is new in your life?/


Sure sounds like ..
love...
yes it does..
It sounds like love
in your life..
It sounds like Love...
Aren't you glad that
love is new in your life?/

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Saturday Redemption

I brought my laundry in the laundromat...It was a Saturday Morning...To my surprise...I saw Carlotta Rodriguez in the laundromat, washing her clothes... I was surprised....She didn't live in this neighborhood..And then I thought about it..Keith Wallace, her boyfriend did...He was nowhere in sight... I was going to turn around and walk out , when she saw me and called me...


"Eddie!  Hey Eddie!" she said.

I was seen..I turned around...I smiled...I waved weakly...Then , she waved for me to come over... I reluctantly walked toward her...She was the last person I wanted to see...She was not only a detective, but Sissy's confidant...

In the year since she'd transferred to Sissy's division the two had become more than just partners...but good friends...Sissy, who was about three or four years older than Carlotta considered her like a little sister...She had even given her a nickname.."Chica."Carlotta beamed everytime Sissy called her "Chica" or "My Chica" Translated ,it meant -"My girl"

I walked over to her...

"Heyy Eddie, Haven't seen you around." she said...She had such a sweet smile that I could perfectly understand why the ADA was completely bowled over by her.

"I've been busy" I lied.

"Too Busy to see the woman you claim you love?"she asked.

"Carlotta...I -I-I just can't.." I said.

"Why? " she asked.

"I know you know the whole deal....How I got in deep with those two hoods...How with my street smarts I should have known better...and how I still screwed the pooch...I feel like a damn fool...I can't look Sissy in the eye... I know that your boyfriend told me that he had been watching Jersey Sly and Bojack and that he knew I was into them  for a large amount of money and all and he needed my help...but I'm no dummy...That was Sissy, Sissy put him up to it and he used different detectives so that I could save face with all of you guys since I know you...But I know she told you the deal." I said.

"That's true Eddie..She told me and only me...And Me and Keith have not breathed a word about your involvement to any of the other cops...The two detectives he used.. Duke Baylor...He's one of us, he won't say anything and  Detective Sgt. Danny Ho ,Tyriq and  my old supervisor in Robbery- Homicide.doesn't know you  and doesn't  know you're the Lieutenant's boyfriend." said Carlotta.

''Am I the Lieutenant's Boyfriend?" I asked.  "She probably has lost all respect for me." I said with my head hanging down.

"Can I tell you something?" said Carlotta..

''What?" I asked.

"If you don't go see about her and I mean soon...She will have lost what little respect she does have for you.Don't be a punk...You want her...Go get her!!...So you messed up...People make mistakes..Sissy knows that..Be a man, fess up and then tell her you still want her." said Carlotta.

"Wow...You callin me out.!" I said.

''Eddie..Sissy liked you because you were a take charge kind of guy that asked boldly for what he wanted..She liked that...Now you're acting like a scared  baby." she said. "And I know you're not...I know who you used to be on the street...I remember you when you were a hustler...You wouldn't have lasted as long as you did if you had been a punk...I know you're not a punk...Go get Sissy, Go see about her." said Carlotta.

"She's not lying...You ought to go see about Sissy." said the unmistakable voice of Keith Wallace!

"Wow ,you look different without a suit and tie." I said...

"It's Saturday man." he said and smiled.

"You don't have a washer and dryer in your condo?" I asked.

''Yeah, but we are washing sheets and pillow cases." he said.

I eyed him and Carlotta....I smiled wryly....

"Ohhhhhhhh...I bet you are." I said slyly.....

Carlotta giggled...She had reverted from being the tough street wise detective who had just been talking to me to a shy ,sweet girl...The transformation was almost frightening...Keith brought that out in her...I could tell that she really liked him...When he was around...She was free, she was sweet, she was vulnerable...There was probably no other guy who could bring that sweetness in her out.

"You know...I'll bet Sissy is doing laundry right now...and you could be helping her..." said Keith slyly..

''Eddie, go see her...She wants to see you..She's too proud to call you, but I know she wants to see you...You know I know." said Carlotta.


"Okay...I'm going...I'm going...I hope this isn't a mistake." I said.

"It's not." said Carlotta.

I looked at Keith Wallace...

"You got a gem right there man..." I said.

He beamed...

"You don't think I know that?" he said.  "You got one too...Now go get her." he added.

Carlotta put her arms around Keith and kissed his cheek...He smiled softly...

II-





I drove to Sissy's house....It was a beautiful Saturday Morning.. I rang the doorbell...I really should have called...What if she was there with company?  What if some dude came to the door in just his boxers?
I was getting ready to walk away when I heard the door opening...it was Sissy!


She had on her nightgown, but her hair was down around her arms...My mouth was wide open...She could see that I was ogling her breasts and she closed it up a bit.

"Hi Eddie." she said. She didn't exactly smile...So I didn't know if she was happy to see me or not.


"Damnnn" was all I could get out.

"Huh?" she said.

"Is this a bad time?" I asked..."You don't have company do you?" I asked.

"No...Who would I have over here?" she asked.

"I don't know....You look great...I mean it would be a shame to deprive somebody of that beauty..." I said.

Sissy looked exasperated...

"Did you want something Eddie?" she asked.

"Can I come in?" I asked.

She moved aside and I walked in....She closed the door...I just stared at her for a long while...

"What?" she asked...

I pulled her to me and kissed her, long, hard and passionately for like five or six minutes....I opened up her nightgown and just shook my head and continued kissing her.

When we mutually broke our embrace...Sissy was breathless...

"What was that for? ...I just woke up..I haven't brushed my teeth...and I haven't seen you in weeks." she said.

"Do you always look this good in the morning?" I asked.

"Eddie, I've  spent the night with you.Several times..You've seen me when I wake up." she said..

"Yeah, but something about now just seems so different." I said.

I grabbed her and kissed her again...This time longer...

She broke the embrace...

"Why is this different?  I'm the same as I ever was." she said..still kind of holding me, her soft hands brushing against my trousers and quite aware of my now raging erection..

"It's different because this is an apology....I owe you an apology for ruining Christmas for you by gambling away all of our trip money...I owe you an apology for nearly getting myself killed and I want to thank you for getting me off the hook...I know it was you...You got ADA Wallace to bail me out...I'm not stupid..You saved my life.. You're a better woman than I deserve...And I -I want to ask if we, you and me can start over...If we can start over...I'm-I'm in a program...Gamblers Anonymous...Harry Charles is my sponser...He told me that he once had a problem." I blurted out.


''Woww..All that huh???...Guilt trippin Eddie?"said Sissy... I frowned..

"Nah, that aint what I'm about..I'm just bein real with you...If you don't want to take me back, I perfectly understand.. I screwed this up."I said  and I was getting ready to turn and leave when Sissy smiled...Her smile was just as sweet as Carlotta's..

"Wait...let me go and brush my teeth. Just wait, don't go anywhere, I'll be right back!" she said and winked...

"Huh?" I asked.

"You mean...you forgive me?" I asked.

"Yeah I guess...Nobody is perfect...Everybody makes mistakes..." she said and walked upstairs and went in her bathroom....

She emerged a few minutes later and came back down the steps and gave me a nice long ,slow sensuous kiss...

"Mmmm..You use Scope don't you?" I said.

"Yes." she replied...

"Minty fresh right?" I asked.

"Yup.." she said.

"You taste yummy." I said.

"You are so crazy." she laughed..

"I've missed you Sissy." I said.

''Well why didn't you call?? , Why didn't you come see me? Am I that much of a bitch? " she asked.

"No ,of course not... You're a good woman, much better than I deserve.I didn't think you'd want to see me ." I said.

Sissy pulled me to her, She kissed me for a good long while...I could feel the warmth and the dimension of her sexy body...She ran her hands up and down my pants leg and settled on my crotch...I gently squeezed her breast...We continued to kiss...Then Sissy began to talk-

"I didn't for a minute...But Keith Wallace told me that I ought to give you another chance because nobody is perfect...and he was right.Sometimes I can be judgemental..I'm not perfect my damn self..." she said.


"Carlotta more or less called me a punk for not coming to see about you ." I said still holding Sissy..


Sissy smiled....at the mention of Carlotta...

"She called you a punk? "laughed Sissy.

"In so many words." I laughed.

"I love my little sister to death." she said and gave me a warm ,sensuous kiss.

"Yeah, she is a peach." I said.

Sissy looked at me...and smiled..

"Are we going to stand here fondling each other all morning or are we going to make up?" she said.

III-





Sissy's bed made more noise than mine...The bed squeaked, the headboard rumbled... and the legs felt like they might give at anytime...Still we kissed like it was going out of style and I mounted her and went in and out as though it was going to be the last time I ever made love to anyone...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ,Eddie...I've missed you soooo muchhhhhhhhhhhh!" she moaned..as we made love early in the morning...Sissy had her big legs wrapped around my back as I continued to enter her with wild abandon......

''Sissy, all I thought about everyday was you.Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" I moaned as we practically absorbed each others bodies...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." she moaned... "Don't stop baby, don't stoppppppppppppppppppppppppp..."Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" she cried out....

It wasn't long before one of the legs on her bed broke and the bed slid a little..Then the headboard cracked! I was momentarily startled.

I came furiously.....So did Sissy...She trembled as I held her...still cumming myself!!

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh goddddddddddddddddddd.." I yelled..

"OuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuEddie...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU." she cooed.






We lie in each others arms afterwords....

"You come over here and broke my bed." said Sissy with the sweetest smile.

"I'm sorry..I can get you a new bed." I said.

"Don't you tell nobody about this..This is embarrassing!" she laughed.

"But I did break the bed." I said with a smile.

Sissy laughed...

"Yeah you did.....My bed isn't used to this kind of action." she laughed...

"Hey Sissy?" I asked.

"What would you think of me moving in with you?" I asked.

"Ugh Ugh...You gotta put a ring on this finger first for that." she said.

I got quiet!

"I'm not ready for that and I know you're not...Not right now...Let's just take it slow...Calm down Eddie..I'm not going anywhere....You're in the drivers seat, for now."  she said and smiled sweetly... I held Sissy in my arms..

"Well right now, we're on the floor." I said.

Sissy smiled and gave me a nice long kiss..

''Feel better?" she said.

"Yeah..I do." I said.

"Good...Get up...I gotta get dressed and go bed shopping." she said...

I pulled her back down in the bed...

''What?" she asked.

"Let's break the other  legs off the bed first." I said and kissed her for along time..





"You are so crazy." she laughed in between kisses.

EPILOUGE: 




A few hours later!

"Wow..All this time I've known you and I've never been to your house before." said Kevin as he entered Sissy's home.

''Well Kevin...Now you can say you've been in my bedroom" joked Sissy.

"Wow,Imagine that!" laughed Kevin...

"I called you because I know you can keep a secret....I need you to move this bed out of my bedroom...and help me put the new one in." said Sissy...

Upon seeing the bed..... Kevin smiled wryly...

"Wow...You and Eddie C. do that? " whispered Kevin to Sissy.....

Sissy blushed something terrible... Kevin smiled...

"Don't worry...Don't answer....I won't say nothin....Wow..." laughed Kevin.

"Please don't say anything to Carlotta, I know you two have become close friends...I'm really embarrassed." said Sissy.

''About what? You got a man that puts it down like that...Eddie C. has put all of us to shame...The only other guy I know who ever broke a bed was your ex-husband..." laughed Kevin.

"Robert??" laughed Sissy..

"Yeah...him and some woman not only broke the bed ,but came through the ceiling."said Kevin..

Sissy slapped her thigh and bellowed with laughter!

"Don't ever tell him I told you that...It was years ago.." said Kevin.

"Okay....and you won't tell my folks about this broken bed..." she laughed...

"Deal." said Kevin as he and Sissy removed the bed and later on brought in and installed the new bed.





Kevin looked at Sissy as he was about to leave...

"How long we been friends?" he asked..

"I don't know..about five or six years...Since you started feeding me good cases.... Why?" she asked.

''You're a good friend Sissy.When I met you, I knew you were a good ,tough and honest cop, but also a person like me who thinks outside the box occassionally...a kindred spirit...That's why I always called you and not Lieutenant Tragg.Plus, you're a lot prettier than he is. " said Kevin and squeezed her hand. Sissy laughed....

"You are a good friend too! I learned to trust you and your good instincts over the years." she said and smiled.."Carlotta is the little sister I never had and you're my younger brother." she said.

Kevin smiled as he headed for his car. Sissy smiled too and waved as he drove off into the Saturday sunset.