It Had Been Such A Nice Night!

Another Friday Night in Josies....But tonight was a special night....It was the launch party for the new Liquid Love Band's CD...

Downtown Rob Brown, Bone Hampton,Dutch Van Buren and Chazz Gillison headlined a band that featured a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer, a percussionist and a D.J....Bone's girlfriend Ella was sick...and So my wife, Sepia's girlfriend,Lynette Dubois came down from Brooklyn to sing with them tonight...

Trumpet Player, Reed Nelson was a special guest ...He was sitting in with them....

His wife Debbie and her sister, Delores ,Downtown Rob Brown's girlfriend was sitting upfront with Reed's former Keyboard player, Kerry "88" Moore and his wife, the lovely,Mabel Jenkins-Moore...

The place was packed... I was sitting in a booth with my wife,Sepia, Attorney Robert Foxworth and his wife Bonita and my company's Attorney, Conrad Nelson and his wife, Jill also joined us... The last couple in our booth was Sean Jackson and his wife, Sheila...

Sitting in the booth behind us with Clerow and his wife Corrie, Attorney Chance Howard and his fiance, Anita Jenkins, Corrie and Mabel's sister, Cole and His girlfriend, Nicole Butler...and Cherry Johnson, the manager of the Victoria's Secret and her boyfriend and my childhood friend, Calvin Wardlow...

The big man, Kool Kat , who I hadn't seen in weeks and his girl, Chelsea was sitting in the booth across from us, With Chris Thompson and his girl,Rita Davis , Chess and his wife, Rell and Donald Smooth and his wife.

I looked across the bar and I saw Lt. Sissy Van Buren of Homicide...a rare night that she was off and not working, sitting in the crowd with Detective Angie Belton and the lovely Dr. Hazel Hunter and our good friend, Bridget Jones... Sissy was here to finally see her father perform..

This was a literal who's who of folks I knew in the house tonight...Gus was as happy as a clam...Drinks were flowing, cash registers were ringing ....The new manager, Honey Brown, Organist, B-flat's wife had been doing a great job...She had had new floors put in during a few days last week..Had added an additional bar and was booking new acts every minute...Gus had told me that he couldn't be happier.

My biggest surprise was seeing the couple that had just entered and was sitting in a booth alone on the other side of the bar...Newlyweds...ADA Keith Wallace and his bride, Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace....Now this was a good night!!

They sat alone and kissed each other every two seconds...They reminded me of Sepia and I when we first got married...

II-

Symphony Sam came to the stage as the lights went down-

"Ladies and Gentlemen.....It gives me great pleasure to introduce these guys...I've played with all of them at one time or another....Show your love for Josie's first supergroup and their first release...THE LIQUID LOVE BAND...LET'S GET IT!" he said as they all came on the stage and their proud producer, Meek Rollins stood in the middle of the bar and clapped wildly!

We all cheered and I saw the youngins..Paris, and his girlfriend, Blake and his girlfriend, Cherish , and Detectives Tyriq Pile and his wife, Detective Serena Pile and Detectives Duke Baylor and Jimmy Barlow...who quickly joined their girls, Hazel Hunter and Angie Belton...enter the bar and quickly shore up a booth. Chef Ralph Scallion catered small table of snacks that were quickly being devoured by the hungry crowd...He was there with his girl,Minay...Even Dollar Bill was here tonight!

Hail,Hail...The gangs all here! I thought..I mean all of my friends were here...I felt all warm and fuzzy....My wife had been right...Josies had to always be our home...We may go to other bars at times...But this was the bar where all of us came through at one time or another..

The concert was great...Even better than I had hoped...The band soon had everyone on the floor dancing and clapping their hands... Even Gus was up, snapping his fingers and teaching Honey Brown, Bridget Jones, Cherry Johnson and Sissy Van Buren how to two step...They were dancing and laughing at Gus, who was quite a dancer himself!!

Kool Kat, who was surprisingly a great dancer also was bopping with Chelsea...I was bopping with Sepia..and Bonita and Robert Foxworth were doing a two step...

Sissy looked a little lonely...Seemed like everyone's significant other was here somewhere and then I saw her beautiful eyes light up...Eddie C. entered the club!

"There's my girl!" he said pointing at her....''Whoooo Hooo, look at you, all sexy and everything." he said marveling at Sissy's legs, her figure and that form fitting mini skirt she was wearing...He knew he was a very fortunate man!

He kissed her,long and passionately and spun her around on the dance floor...She laughed like a school girl...I was soo happy for her...

Carlotta and Keith were so in sync when they danced that it was as if they were one person...ADA KeithWallace had told me that she was a natural dancer on the dancefloor and that she could pick up nearly any dance step within minutes of seeing it. He was no slouch himself!

We deserved a night like tonight...One where we were all together and happy....I hadn't seen them come in, but young Detective Tony Hopkins and his foxy FBI fiance , Sharon Ferrell were standing near the restroom kissing like two teenagers ,oblivious to the dancefloor crowd..

I peered the dancefloor and I saw Rollie Rollerson, sitting by himself at the bar, drinking and looking at Sissy and Eddie C..

He was purely agitated ...and surprisingly alone...I expected him to be here with my last client,Jean Stewart , who I had heard him bumping uglies with just a few weeks before...or at least some fine young thing....Rollie was rarely without female companionship, except for tonight...Rollie was also marveling at Sissy's legs, her figure and that form fitting mini skirt she was wearing...He was probably thinking about how he had had her and had blown the opportunity...Not once, but twice!!! He was not going to get a third chance... Guess that's why he continued to drink heavily...And was one of only two people who didn't appear to be enjoying themselves.

My training as an investigator had taught me to observe an entire room and everybody in it...Another person I saw there was Lt. Eddie Cantrell, a great detective and a good cop and ironically enough...Another of Sissy's admirers...

Like Rollie, he was sitting by himself at the other end of the bar, drinking alone, not dancing,and not talking, but just staring at Sissy and Eddie C.  I wasn't sure if both men were trying to stare through Sissy's very short and sheer mini skirt or if they were focused more on Eddie C...The man who had the woman they both wanted...He wasn't enjoying himself either...He couldn't bare to see Sissy dancing with Eddie C. ,laughing and occassionally kissing him...

And Poor Eddie C. , he was oblivious to all of it... He had a fine and sexy woman on his arm and he was as happy as a clam... even Robert Foxworth noticed it...

"Damn Kevin...I gotta admit, My ex wife looks incredible....And Ed Cantrell and Rollie Rollerson are sick to death..." he said.

"You mean you know that they are checking her out?" I said.

"Oh yeahhh..Sissy and I still talk...We occasionally have lunch at Sam Mothers sometimes...and she tells me things..." he said.

My eyebrows raised...

"Really?" I said.

"We are still friends...and her and my wife are thick as thieves..Yeah we have lunch and talk...and that's all." he said..

''Wow Robert that's good" I said.

"She thinks the world of you Kevin...says that you're amongst her best and most trusted friends...She said she always wanted you to join the police force but that you're making too much money now.." he said.

We both laughed at that. She was right...between running my company ,Morris Communications and the money I got from clients such as Robert's law firm ,Conrad Nelson's law practice and others for investigative work...I was indeed making too much money to ever consider working for the Philadelphia P.D.

III-

The band ended their second set and Sepia, Bonita, Sissy,Bridget, Cherry,Delores,Debbie,Corrie ,Mabel and most of the women retreated to the ladies room...

Most of the guys re-ordered drinks or stepped outside to get some fresh air...Kool Kat,Chris and Chess walked over to me..

"Heyy guys..what's up?" I said.

"Man this is a great night." said Chess...

"I haven't seen this many people in here at one time since the Christmas party last year." said Donald Smooth..

"How you been big man?" I said to Kool Kat..

Kool Kat smiled...

"Man...Me and Chelsea went to the Bahamas and had a fabulous time..." he laughed...

"I see you got a tan." I joked..

Chess,Chris and Donald Smooth busted out laughing....

''Aww you got jokes Kev." laughed  Kool Kat...

Just then Clerow walked over to us...

"Trouble just walked in the door...I knew tonight was too good to be true.." he said.

We all peered over at a table in the middle of the floor...

A gangster named William Coyt was sitting at the table with two beautiful young women and one of his goons,Butchie Barrington...Coyt and Barrington were both from Camden...I had heard of Coyt vaguely and had seen him around, but had never dealt with him..

"Coyt" said Chris Thompson...

''Yeah, he's Cat Daddy's number two man." said Chess..

"Cat Daddy? ,The Camden Kingpin?" I said laughing...

"Yeah Kev...and he aint no laughing matter...He aint just here to listen to the Liquid Love Band...He's here because Cat Daddy wants to move his operation across the river into this area...and it's all your fault." said Chris Thompson laughing.

"My fault?" I said.

"Yeah Kev.. You and your cop friends took down,David Cord, Lance Fontaine, Eddie Coker and Mike Train recently...all of the local talent...The area is now wide open...and Cat Daddy wants a piece...So he sent his torpedo here to check it out..." said Donald Smooth.

"Hmmmm ,Cat Daddy is into Juice, Protection and of course...The drug trade..." said Kool Kat...

''Well...he's not my immediate concern at the moment unless you guys are concerned..." I said ,eying Chris and Chess...

"Not at the moment...Our business is tight and Smooth and his associates have enough muscle to keep him away from us...but it's places like Josies, Mabel Jenkins's joints , Bottom of The C. and Sam Mother's Diner that we worry about...You heard that the night manager was killed there a couple of days ago didn't you? said Chess.

"Yeah,that was a shame...Old dude had just retired from his job and was just working at Sam Mother's joint to make a little extra dough to supplement his pension." said Kool Kat.

''Anybody know who done it?" I asked.

"Word on the street says a young punk named Bill Blake did it...Duke Baylor and your Puerto Rican cutie pie,Carlotta Rodriguez- Wallace are workin on it." said Kool Kat.

I smiled...Back in town a few days and you know all the scoop." I said.

Chris Thompson, Chess, Kool Kat,Clerow and I all laughed..

While we stood there...Sepia's girlfriend, singer ,Lynette Dubois walked past William Coyt's table...William grabbed her arm...

''Hey baby, I really loved your songs...You would fit in real well at my table." he said.

"Thank you for the compliment and uh no thanks." she said and pulled her arm away....

''Heyyyyy that didn't sound too accomodatin baby." he said.

She pulled her arm away...

"It wasn't meant to be." she said and she walked up to the stage...He laughed and poured himself another glass of champaigne...

Lt. Eddie Cantrell, already more than just a little aggravated... (Sissy and Eddie C. were standing by the restroom door kissing like two teenagers.) Walked over to the table where William Coyt and his party were sitting.

"William Coyt...I thought I told you two weeks ago that I didn't want to see you in Philadelphia again!" he said.

Coyt looked up at the Lieutenant and smiled...

"Last time I checked , it was a free country." he said.

"You were told to stay in Camden...It's a free country there too!" said Cantrell...

"Listen cop...If you got a charge...make it...otherwise...beat it.." said Coyt.

"You've got ten minutes to finish your drink and get up out of here...If not...I'll take you downtown son and see what charges I can find to put on you that might stick....You're a suspect in quite a few things over here in Philly...Now play with me...just try me!" said Lieutenant Cantrell..

Everybody within earshot froze....It had been such a nice night!

After what seemed like an eternity...William Coyt gulped down his drink...He motioned to the two girls and his goon to get up..

"Okay, we are leavin..." he said...

"Uh Uh, wait a minute!" said Lt. Cantrell who motioned for Gus to come over...

"How much he owe you Gus?" he asked....

Honey Brown brought over his bill...

"$120.25.." she said.

''Pay the man." said Cantrell..

William Coyt peeled off six twenties and a quarter and put it in Cantrell's hand...

"You take care of it!!.....I don't like being embarrassed or rousted cop....I'm gonna see you again..bet on that." he said.

"I would strongly advise you not to fella...now get to steppin." said Cantrell...

The four of them left the bar....

Cantrell looked at Gus

"Cheap bastard didn't even leave you a tip did he?"

Gus and Honey Brown cracked up....

By now ,Sepia and the rest of the ladies had rejoined us....The second set was about to start...Kool Kat pulled me to him..

"Kev...Not to put a damper on what is like you said...A great night...For real...but I see big trouble on the horizon..." he said.

"Yeah, I agree Big man....But Cantrell is a tough cop...I'm sure he can handle himself..." I said.

"I hope so....because I think he just bought himself a whole world a trouble." he said.

"Maybe." I said.

A few more hours went by...It was 2:30...Josie's had stayed open a half hour later than normal....The crowds were starting to leave....All of the couples were leaving and getting in cars....Sissy and Eddie stood near his car in the parking lot, kissing like two teenagers...Duke and Hazel were steaming up the windows in his car...Tyriq and his wife were over in the corner by the restroom kissing so passionately, I'm surprised Gus didn't tell them to get a room. Jimmy and Angie were holding hands and gingerly walking towards his car in the parking lot...

Carlotta and Keith, Hop and Sharon,Mabel and "88", Clerow and Corrie,Chess and Rell ,Chris Thompson and Rita ,Chance and Anita, Blake and Cherish,Paris and his date, Donald Smooth and his wife,Cole and Nicole, Bridget and Chazz and Cherry Johnson and Calvin.and all the others headed to their cars...

Rollie Rollerson sat at the bar with his head down...Lt Cantrell angrilly stomped his foot and walked out into the Philly night...His car wasn't in the parking lot...It appeared to be a few blocks away..

Sepia walked over to me....She was with Bonita and Robert Foxworth ,Harry Charles and Bernadette,Sean Jackson and his wife, Sheila.

"Heyy Walter." she said.

''Hey babes.."said Kool Kat..

"Come on Kev...It's nearly 2:30...Everybody is going to IHOP for an early breakfast.."she said.

"That sounds great...All this drinking and dancing has made me work up quite an appetite." I said.

"Me too."said Kool Kat..."Let me get Chelsea...I'll meet you guys there." he said.

Sepia and I followed the crowd and we all began to clear out slowly...Josies was closing...It had been quite a night...A good night...I had managed not to get into any trouble or get a case...so rare!

I looked behind me...Even the musicians were gone!  The crew was cleaning up and Gus and Honey Brown and B-Flat were trying hard to wake Rollie Rollerson up...

"Call him a cab..Honey, he's too drunk to drive home..." said Gus..

Trouble did seem to be brewing on the horizon, but I wasn't going to worry about it tonight...I had had a good time with my friends...and I was now going to have a good breakfast with all of my friends...Nights like this were rare and far and few in between..You had to cherish them!

(TO BE CONTINUED....)