If Push Comes To Shove

April Bennett called me and asked to meet with her in the high rise apartment building she was staying at...It had been a few days and so after work...I dropped by....

"Mr. Kevin...I called you here because I don't feel safe...I think an attempt is going to be made on my life." she said.

"What makes you think that?"  I asked..

"My sister Antoinette's death was no accident...I told my other sister Veronica of my suspicions...but she wrote them off...She told me that William got picked up by the FBI and that he was innocent and that she wished I would stop accusing him of such outlandish things...She's totally gone over him..." she said.

"I believe you're right....but what makes you think your life is in danger?" I asked...

"Because I refuse to give Veronica any money if she marries William Hutton....Especially after the information you gave us...She'll surely die...I'm doing this for her own good Mr. Kevin." she said.

"You're more than likely right, I suppose...But it's only the two of you now.....Listen...You call this number..This is Lt. Sissy Van Buren of homicide...She's a friend...Tell her you know me...She can arrange for protection." I said.

"I have a card....I spoke to this Puerto Rican detective yesterday...Her name was Carlotta Rodriguez..She seemed nice." said  April..

"Yes ,she is...She works for Lt. Sissy Van Buren...They can provide protection...Meanwhile..I'm going to get to know Mr. William Hutton on a personal basis." I said.

"Thank You Mr. Kevin." said April..

II-

This was becoming one of my most baffling cases.... No sooner than I got down to my car, My phone went off...It was William Hutton!!

"Well,well ,well...The elusive Mr. Hutton...I was on my way to find you." I said.

"Yeah, well listen...We got to talk..." he said.

"Who?  You and I?" I said..

"Yeah...You and me." he said.

"Okay...We'll meet at Josies..." I said.

"Cool...In about an hour." he said.

"That'll work." I said.

I smelled a rat...A huge rat...So I stopped by my office...

I went down to the basement and put on a kevlar vest with a trauma plate...under my shirt...I had my .38 smokeless and my .22 in an ankle holster...Now I was ready for action... I headed to Josie's...

Josie's was crowded...It was a Thursday Night... The Bone Hampton sextet,featuring Ella Washington on vocals was packing them in...B-Flat was doing double duty..He sat in with Symphony Sam and the House band and he was setting in with Bone Hampton...I wished that I could be a fan tonight instead of working..
I saw no sign of William Hutton...

I walked outside on the street...There I saw a familiar figure...Walter,"Kool Kat" Jones...My good friend..Kool Kat was talking to two young guys...They laughed and they walked away..He saw me and waved..

''Hey Kev, what's good?" he asked.

''Heyy big man..I was supposed to meet somebody here tonight....They didn't show." I said.

"You workin a case?" he asked.

"When am I not?" I laughed...

Just then...I spotted William Hutton walking down the street...I signaled to him that I was coming across the street...He stopped...

''Later Big man, Got to make this meet up." I said.

It all seemed like it was in slow motion... I was walking across the street to meet William...I saw the guy out of the corner of my eye...He had on dark trousers and a lightweight blue knit..He slipped the gun out of his pants and aimed at me...I saw William Hutton look up in surprise...

I heard Kool Kat yell...

''HEYYY KEV...Look OUT!!!"

I ducked behind a car and three shots rang out.. William Hutton hit the deck also and put his arms over his head....I pulled my .38 smokeless out and returned the man's fire..

The gunman thought better of a gunbattle with me and turned to run.. Kool Kat pulled out, what for him was a small gun...a .38 smokeless and fired at the man...He hit him in the behind...

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...Hottt mommy, I don't believe it..I've been shot!!." he yelled and turned and fired at Kool Kat who ducked and returned fire...By now...I was also returning fire...He turned and ran for everything he was worth, leaving a trail of blood in the street!

''Drive nigga drive....It's two guys shooting at me.. I've been hit...I've been hit...Awwwwwwwwww lawdddddddddd...it hurts...ouuuuuuu.."the gunman yelled...

A car drove up and he jumped in...Kool Kat and I continued to fire as the car sped off into the night! One of our bullets blew the back window out of the car as it zig zagged and sped through the streets!!!

A crowd gathered outside of Josies....There was blood and broken glass  everywhere...Kool Kat and I had shattered the car window...and I was sure, Kool Kat had wounded whoever that was...

William Hutton got up off of the pavement....He was clearly shook up!

He walked over to me..

"Hey man...I didn't have nothin to do with that.." he said. Surprisingly enough..I believed  him.

Kool Kat grabbed him and lifted him up by his collar...

"It's okay big man...let him go..."I said.

"Look...you been talkin to the FBI and the cops and they been hasslin me all week..I didn't kill Antoinette Bennett,I swear...and now her sister,April is goin around tellin people that I threatened her life...I didn't..I'm tellin you...You gotta lay off man." he said.

"Funny...You call me for a meet..You're late and when you show up..somebody tries to kill me....Seems like death and bad luck just seem to follow you Mr. Hutton." I said.

"It aint me...I swear...I'm leavin town tonight...Damn this...Philly is just too live for me." he said and straightened his clothes out and walked the opposite way down the street...

"You just lettin him go Kev?" asked Kool Kat...

"Yeah...I got nothin to hold him for and for some strange reason...I believe him...I don't think he set me up and I don't think this was him...." I said..

"Well you got any ideas who just tried to have you clipped?" asked Kool Kat.

"Nah...I got nothin." I said.

"Maybe you shouldn't be ridin tame." he said.

"I'm strapped Big man...Got on a vest..."I said.

"Damn boy..Is it like that?" He asked.

''It wasn't, until just now...Stay loose Big Man...I may need you." I said.

"I'm here for ya Kev...Just say the word.." he laughed...

"Come on man...Let me buy you a drink." I said and we walked into Josies.

III-

The night was weird enough....but it got weirder when I got a call from Lt. Sissy Van Buren....

"Sissy...What's up?" I asked..

"I'm over at April Bennett's High Rise...She's dead!!" she said.

"What? ,Dead?? I just talked to her earlier this afternoon.."I said.

"How soon can you get over here?" she asked...

"I'm on my way." I said.

It took me no time at all to get to April's high rise...The Police were removing the body from the street...

I was stunned...Like in front of Josie's... there was a crowd gathering...

 Sissy walked over to me..


"It looks like she jumped from the window of her high rise to her death or was pushed." she said.

Detective Carlotta Rodriguez and four uniforms walked out of the building and over to us....

''Hi Kevin...Heyy Boss Lady..we were just up in her room and guess what I found?" said Carlotta..

"I'll answer that...A hastily typewritten suicide letter, unsigned right?" I said.

''Right again." said Carlotta.

"This is bull, you know that Sissy, Carlotta...this was no suicide..This woman wanted to live..I was just talking to her earlier today and she told me she feared for her life." I said.

"I know...I know Kevin...She called us..She told us that she talked to you and that you gave her our number and asked for us to protect her...Unfortunately...We got here too late." said Sissy.

"Hmmm, So where is Mr. William Hutton?" asked Carlotta.

"This isn't him....He was meeting with me at Josie's about an hour ago and somebody tried to take me out..A gunman fired several shots at me...Missed!!!...The gunman had an accomplice...They both got away...Hutton was just as shook up as I was." I said.

"If it's not him Kevin then who is it?" asked Sissy...

"Oh My God...I don't want to think this...but I'm going to play what you cops call a hunch...Sissy will you trust me?" I asked.

She and Carlotta both looked at me like I was crazy....

"Kevin, Do you even have to ask us that? After all we've been through?  Especially you and I?" asked Sissy...

"Okay...tomorrow,I want you to Wire me up good... I have a theory...If I'm right, you two will close two open murders and me...I've already been paid..I'll have a bit of satisfaction." I said.

Carlotta hugged me...I smiled...

(CONCLUSION NEXT)