Steamy

Sepia and I were having coffee at Sam Mother's Diner...Eagerly awaiting the Architect of the Duplex that she and the vacationing Bonita were having refurbished and were preparing to buy...

A young white guy, about my age and my build walked in...He didn't know me, but he knew Sepia...He smiled and joined us at our table...I ordered him a tumbler of coffee...

"Hello Mrs. Morris...I'm Chadd Lincoln Jr.." he said.

"Hi Chadd...This is my Husband, Kevin Morris." she said.

"Pleased to meet you." I said.

He looked at the design of the Duplex and smiled...

"Oh My God...It appears there is a small sub-basement...and it conceivably could be an apartment...In fact..It was designed...By my father to be the quarters for the B-Mechanic...There is a little kitchen down there and a refrigerator...and a sink....and uhhh maybe a cot...but we scrapped the idea...This was supposed to be closed off." he said.

''Why?" I asked.

''Because...it's too hot....There are steam pipes down there...They heat the water in both condos...and it just gets too hot in the summer and too damp...Plus there is no sunlight...Not much fresh air...It would be miserable...." he said.

"But conceivably...two people could hide there temporarily..." I said,

"Yeah, but not much longer than a week...It's unbearably hot..." he said.

I duked him a few dollars and paid for his coffee...

"Thank you...you've been very helpful." I said.

"You're quite welcome...Nice meeting you Mr. Morris...Sepia...always a pleasure." he said and slyly looked her over and then left the establishment.

"Well Lover....That means those people have been in that building the whole time....Hiding out...They're waiting for the uh heat (no pun intended) to die down and then they're going to sky up!" said Sepia.

"Yeah...well..I'm not going to give them that chance." I said.

Sepia and I drove by the duplex again... It was quiet...I looked around... There was no way these two could enter into either unit I thought until I found it!!! A side door in the back...

''You ever see this door before?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I never tried it...I doubt that Bonita did either.." said Sepia.

"Stay here..You got your gun?" I asked.

"Of course...I'm not going to get caught slippin this time lover....I'll bust a cap in someone if they try anything." she said.

I smiled...I leaned over and kissed Sepia...


"Okay...Okay, that's enough...Or we'll wind up back in that bedroom again." she said and smiled..

I went back in and walked up the stairs to the second unit....Floyd Peterson had just finished up...

"I'm done...You like it?" he said.

I smiled...

''You decided to go without the carpets?" I said.

''Yeah..it's too hot...I pulled em up and redid the floors..Looks great don't it? Speakin of hot...You and the missus was hot and steamy the other day....I heard you through the windows...The whole block probably did!!! Damnnnnnnnnnnnnn mannnnnnnnn...I don't blame you though...If my old lady was that hot..I'd be tearin it up every chance I got." he said.

"Okay Mr. Peterson..I just needed to ask you a question...Have you ever been in here workin and heard other people in here...??" I asked.

"Yeah...I been meaning to tell your wife...I think there is a couple squattin in that old steamy sub-basement ." he said.

"What? You know this?" I asked.

''Well let's just say, you and the missus weren't the only couple gettin busy in here yesterday..After you guys left..I heard them gettin it on...Couch was just a squeaking...She was moanin...and he was moanin..." he said.

"So it's two people down there?" I said.

"Yeah...a man and a woman...When they aint doin the nasty...they arguing..." he said.

"That door is locked..."I said.

"I got a key!!! I got keys to all these units ." he said.

I looked at him side eyed...

"You're just full of surprises Mr. Peterson." I said.

"That I am." he said.

II-

That afternoon, Sepia and I drove back to the Duplex....Lawd this woman was driving me crazy...She had on some black tights and a large white blouse over it and some matching black flats...I couldn't bring Sepia out with me on a consistant basis like this...She was a bit too sexy...

We quietly walked around on the first floor and it was then that I heard the voices , coming through the vent...

"Damn it William...I can't stay down here much longer...It's too damn hot...Why don't we just make a run for it? Plus the food is running out and I can't risk using this credit card anymore...By now the cops have either frozen it or they're monitoring it."

''Yeah ,let's do that,let's make a run for it and get knocked by the cops...Good thinkin Emma....Look...All we gotta do is chill down here for a few weeks...The cops will give up lookin for us and then we come out..We fence that merch we got in those storage units and we head to Cali...Where the cops don't know us..Far away from here."

"You got it all figured out William...Why'd you have to shoot him?  "

''He said he was going to the cops...I couldn't allow him to do that."

"William...So we could've let him go to the cops...He didn't know our real names...He didn't even have a photo of us...Now we are wanted for murder....And don't forget that guy you shot in AC three years ago!! You gotta watch your temper...You'll mess around and we'll both be on a table getting a needle."

"They can't prove we did nothin...And like you said...No cop here in Philly knows our names...But I still want to chill until the heat is off...Which it will be in a few days...."

"Bill? In a few days? It's as hot as hell down here..."

"Take off some more clothes .."

"You wish...That's not helping me..."

"Well it would sure help me....Heh Heh heh.."

"It's too hot for that....I've sweated my perm out...and I'm down to my panties and bra now...It's too hot...I'm getting out of here or at least going upstairs..."

"You''ll do no such thing....Now pipe down!"

I looked at Sepia and whispered...

"It's them...They killed Mr. Stevens...They've been here, right under our noses the entire time...Go out to the car....Call Sissy...Tell her to get over here...I've got both killers.." I said.

"Where are you going lover?" said Sepia..

"I'm going down there and get em...It's only two of em..a man and a woman!" I said.

"Kevin!!!" said Sepia..

"It's all good...Call Sissy." I said.

Sepia slipped out of the house and walked over to our car... I walked down the back walk way, took out the key that Floyd Peterson gave me and unlocked the door...Then I headed down the stairs into the sub basement.

III-

I eased down the steps into this creepy boiler room.. It looked like something out of a horror movie... I crept  along the path where I had heard voices... I pulled out my .38 smokeless and walked through the steam and the semi darkness...

She wasn't lying....It was hot as hell down here...

I peered around a corner and a saw a very attractive ,shapely woman with brown skin like my wife's in a pair of purple, silk panties and a matching purple bra....Unfortunately she saw me before I could duck back and screamed....

"WILLIAM!!! SOMEBODY IS DOWN HERE!!!" she shreiked...

William  was in his boxers...White with red hearts and angels on them and a wife beater undershirt...Sweating profusely with a .38 smokeless of his own!!!

"Is he a cop?" she yelled....

"Nah..just a newsy somebody that wandered too far." he said and fired a shot at me...I ducked and returned his fire, just missing his head...

"The game is up William, Emma...I know who you are...I know you killed Jack Stevens...The police are on their way...Give it up!" I said.

"He's a cop William." shouted Emma, who took off running...

''No he's not...If he was he would've said so...and at any rate...He's alone..He shouldn't have come down here by himself.." he said and fired again...

I returned his fire!!!

"Man are you crazy...Put that gun away...You'll hit one of these steam pipes.." I yelled...

"Yeah....You put yours away." he yelled and fired again!...

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...I DON'T BELIEVE IT...I'VE BEEN SHOT!" yelled Emma, who fell to the ground...She had been hit in the shoulder....

"Look what you made me do....You're a dead man!!" he yelled and fired another shot which hit a pipe...

Hot steamy water sprayed out and splashed on him....

"EEEEEEEEEEEEYOWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSA!  ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" He screamed and tossed his gun up in the air......."WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  NELLLIEEEEEEEE...ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA...WHOOOOOOO!" he yelled as hot water scorched him...

He leaped up and down and yelled.....


IV-

To my surprise...Emma Short Downy was dead!!...That gunshot had gone through her shoulder and had went downward and pierced her heart! No more grifting for her...

William Downey was arrested, still screaming from the burning hot water that drenched his lower body and back...

I shook Detective Tony Hopkins hand....

"Cracked your first case as a primary....Congratulations young man." I said.

"No, Thank you Kevin..." he said.

"Wow Kevin...Once again you came through for us." said Lt. Sissy Van Buren....

"Your kid did good work...If we had known about the sub-basement the first day...we could have closed this case days ago." I said.

"How did you find out about it If I may ask?" said Sissy...

I pointed to Floyd Peterson , who was standing across the street ogling Sissy...

"He told me this morning." I said shrugging my shoulders....

He walked over to us...

"Hellllloooooooo Ms. Lieutenant." he said..

"Why didn't you tell us about the sub-basement three days ago?" asked Sissy.

"Nobody asked me." he said.

I smiled....

''He's got a point Sissy." I said sheepishly.

"Now look doll...I uh am all done working on this place...I'd like to take you out to dinner...I know a nice place with some good wine and a nice thick New York Strip steak and some good music...How about it?..Because I haven't been able to get you off of my mind since I first laid eyes on you." said Floyd Peterson.

"I'm flattered Mr....What is your name again?" asked Sissy...Who could see me trying hard to contain my laughter....

"Floyd Peterson...I'm a carpenter,plumber and electrician..." he said.

"As I was saying...I'm flattered, but I'm in a serious relationship already..." she said...Which was the truth.

"Wow!!! It figures...Anybody as attractive as you would have to have a man....Oh well...Look, here is my card..If you need any electrical work or plumbing or carpentry done on your place...Just give me a call...I'll charge you half price sugar!" he said and winked...

By now, Sepia had come over and had put her arms around me...

"It's amazing...I was single and dateless for two years...Then, as soon as I get in a decent relationship..Everybody comes out of the woodworks...Rollie Rollerson, Ed Cantrell...Floyd Peterson!! Oh my God!" said Sissy...

"And it's never like, the type of guy you wouldn't mind flirting with you...It's always some crazy guy." said my wife Sepia...

"Okayyyyyyyyyyy." said Sissy who high fived my wife... I just laughed...

V-

Later that night, I drove by Jean Steven's house. I knocked on Jean Stevens door...She came to the door in a black neglige....My eyes almost popped out of my head...she noticed and tried in vain to cover her huge breasts..

"Is this a bad time? I can come back..." I said.

"What is it that you want?" she said. I could have said a lot of things right then, but I didn't.

"One of your father's killers is dead and the other one is in custody.I just thought you'd like to know."I said.

''Wait a minute" she said and closed the door.

She came back to the door...with a white bathrobe on and an envelope...

"Here ,this is two thousand dollars...I hope this is enough....Thank you oh so much...I uh...er have company."she said...

"Jean honey, come on back to bed....I can't wait." came a familiar voice...

''Coming Rollie." she said.

Rollie??? Rollie Rollerson?? Apparently he had gotten over Sissy faster than most would have thought.

"This is fine Jean...I'll be going now." I said and I got back in my car....

It was a warm summer night...Her window was open...I could hear the bed squeaking...headboard ramming against the wall and the moans of good love making..

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...Jeannnnnnnnnnn..."

"Ohhh baby, give it to meeeeee....ummmmmmph..."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....ouuuuuuuuuu, more, Jean more... ohhhhhh..."

"Sock it to me Rollie...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gooooddddddd it's soooo goood Jean...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"Morrre...Morreee....morrre...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.."

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...I love you soooooooooooooo much Rollie...ouuuuuuuuuuuu.."

Apparently Jean was done grieving her late father too, for the moment!

I counted my money in my car and laughed out loud...a good fat belly laugh...What a night this had been!

EPILOUGE-

William Downey was convicted of  the Second Degree Murder of John Stevens and manslaughter in the death of Emma Short Downey..his wife and of identity theft and wire fraud.... He was given the maximum sentence.. Life with no possibility for parole!!!

Sepia and I were chilling in our living room the next night...I put a roll of money on the dresser..

"That's two G's Babes...Full payment from Jean Stevens for helping put her father's killer behind bars..."I said.

"Wow...what are we going to do with that?" she asked me...

"Well...I was thinking about having our kitchen and our bathroom redone...." I said.

"That sounds like a good idea..." she said.

"And I know you probably won't have any tenants yet for your new duplex...I was thinking that we could stay there until the work is finished..."I said.

Sepia looked at me and smiled...

"You really liked how that bed felt didn't you?" she said.

"Yes indeed." I said.

"Me too!" she said laughing...

"You know , we should consider getting a bed just like it." I said.

"We could do that now...Why wait?" said Sepia...

"Yeah why wait." I said as I pulled her to me, dimmed the lights and kissed her passionately.