Mis-Fire

"You know ,I asked you to bring me something I could use a few days ago and boyyy did you." said Assistant District Attorney Keith Wallace , as he, Lt.Sissy Van Buren  and Detectives Barlow and Pile  and I stood outside a warehouse....

The Philadelphia Police Major Crimes Unit, The FBI, The DEA, The ATF and State Police raided this warehouse, based on information I gave them and arrested 125 people and confiscated drugs, weapons and vehicles as well....It was the biggest raid of the year so far!

"I knew you would" laughed Lt.Sissy Van Buren... She was Happy because Major Crimes and Homicide had a big fish...Charlie Roach  indicted for first degree murder....He had made bail, but from what I heard was running for his life....Johnny Ringgold's people were hunting both him and Johnny Diamond and had dropped close to 11 of their associates in the past week....I had to laugh...

"We've wanted him for awhile now...He is believed to be responsible for two particularly brutal murders...and possibly a third...The only witness we ever had that was willing to talk about one of his murders was found without a head or hands and feet out on the highway...We made the ID by DNA...And this  guy Pettijohn was beaten pretty badly...Couldn't recognize the face....Carlotta caught him within a half hour with the bloody clothes still on and Pettijohn's DNA all over him...We got a murder that'll stick now." laughed Sissy.


"How did Carlotta get that much information so fast?, His home address, even the fact that he was a suspect? She's good...but she aint that good." laughed ADA Wallace....

''Maybe you underestimate her Keith." I laughed... I saw Sissy laughing slyly behind me...

"Me? Under estimate Detective Rodriguez??? Not a chance!" he said ,catching the joke.

Detective Barlow , Detective Pile and a squad of police officers and Major Crimes Unit Detectives had arrested major narcotics figures and their crews in the past few days...

Big Jim Knox and 6 of his associates were the first to get popped...followed by Roger Martin and 10 of his associates, Abel Benton and 6 of his associates, Jules Castro and 19 of his associates, Jessica Mendez and 14 of her associates, Juanita Townsend and 6 of her associates,Jochim Slater and six of his associates,Richard Vermont, Rafeal Garcia and Jimmy Richard rounded out the crew...

A whole new generation of movers and shakers had come and gone just that fast.

"Damn man...I love the way you work Kevin....You get us information we couldn't obtain legally without months of red tape." said Detective Barlow...

"Yeah man...thanks to you, we broke the backs of this organization." said Detective Pile.

"Which ought to make Johnny Ringgold very happy." I said..."He's the last man standing." I said.

"I wouldn't say that?" said a familiar voice...Detective Carlotta Rodriguez had just driven up...

"I just picked him and his chief enforcer up for conspiracy to commit murder, namely Charlie Roach and Jack Diamond.."she said.

''Wow" I said, smiling...I looked at Keith Wallace....

"Yeah, I guess I do under estimate her." he laughed.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" said Carlotta.

"Nothing Chica...We just appreciate your good work." said Sissy , who gave her an affecionate hug. Even though Sissy was only about three years older than Carlotta, they had developed a Big Sister/Little Sister bond in the last few months that was deeper than friendship.

"This is a career boosting case Kevin....I might go from here to the Federal Bench or a State appointment." said ADA Keith Wallace....

"How bout Philly's next DA?" I said.

"That's great for starters." he said and we all laughed. Carlotta put her arms around him and for the first time I could see how close the two of them actually were...in an unguarded moment...He was a lucky man!  So was I.

II-

That night in Josies...Sepia and I, Clerow and Corabeth, Sean Jackson and Sheila, Kool Kat and Chelsea all sat in a booth together enjoying drinks , music and hot wings...Chris and Chess and Chess's wife, Rell came over and greeted us...as Did Debbie,Delores and Ella....

Reed Nelson, Rob Brown, Bone Hampton,,"88" and B-Flat were all on stage , sitting in with Symphony Sam and his All Star band...

Chris Thompson sent me a bottle of champaigne and a fat envelope filled with money.....Money I didn't feel I deserved...

"Cheer up Kev...you didn't get Jack Diamond, but you run him off and look at the good you done...All them guys , them drug dealers locked up....All them neighborhoods saved...You done good...Even better than you planned." said Kool Kat.

Sepia kissed me on the cheek.....

But Jack Diamond was still out there, so was Charlie Roach....For the night though, I celebrated with my wife and my good friends...

III-

2:00 Am..It was closing time and everyone was rushing out of Josies...On our way home... B-Flat and I were talking....I was waiting for Sepia...Most of the guys had left with their girls...

''Kev...You the man..How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Man...I didn't really get them...They are still out there.." I said.

"But you put him out of business...You run him off." he said.

"Maybe..." I said.

"Or maybe not!" came an all too familiar voice...

We both spun around...It was Charlie Roach and he was holding a glock and had it aimed at us...

"Hey aint you supposed to be runnin for your life ?" I quipped...

"Ohhhh, still got the smart mouth eh?  " he said....He aimed and pulled the trigger of his gun, but it didn't go off...

At least he wasn't a talkative villian...

"Heyyy, what's the matter...?/What's wrong with this gun?" he said as he fiddled with it...

"IT WON'T FIRE!!" he yelled....and tossed it down angrily!...

I didn't wait for him to try and pull another gun..I cold cocked him and knocked him nearly senseless, but he really was no slouch....He cracked me back this time and I swear,I saw stars...he moved in and hit me in my stomach and then caught me with an uppercut that sent me flying up against the car ...as he moved in...I caught him with an uppercut that sent his head flying backwards and I gave him a right cross across his jaw...then I hit him with a left that stunned him and I grabbed him and slammed his head into the car window...then I hit him in his stomach and then gave him a left hook that sent him to the ground and out for the night...

B-Flat was astounded....By now a crowd had gathered...Sepia, Honey Brown, Gus..and a few others....

They saw Charlie lying on the ground unconscious.....

"Damn...that guy had better quit this....This is the second time he done got layed out and by the same guy." came a voice of someone in the crowd...Gus, Sepia Honey Brown and B-Flat all laughed raucously...

I picked up his Glock.....

"Safety was  still on it....That's all." I said.

Gus shook his head...."What an idiot!" he said, shaking his head...

An Ambulance was on it's way....Charlie Roach would probably welcome a stay in the hospital...He was still facing murder charges...but where was his boss?  I intended to find that out.

(Conclusion Next)