To Love Is To Bury

Early Morning...Carlos Losada was handcuffed and riding in the back with me and Detective Tony Hopkins.

Up front...Duke was driving...Dr. Hazel Hunter and my wife, Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace  were sitting..  We were all very tired...Sissy,Carlotta,Tyriq,Jimmy and I had been investigating a triple homicide of three young ladies all week....and we had forgotten about a deal, this punk Carlos Losada had made with us...

He was leading us to the place where he claims the body of Mickey Lolo...a high level playa in the Sentterro organization...(Said to be the number two man and also...at one time..my wife's first love...) was allegedly buried...It had been Mickey Lolo's last letter to Carlotta which predicted his own death that had set into motion a series of events which led to the down fall of Minolo Sentterro and his entire organization...56 people were now serving long prison sentences and Minolo himself was cooling his heels in a Texas Federal prison where he was serving 75 years ...a sentence that if ever commuted would send him to the State of Pennsylvania's death row where a needle awaited him for a murder....Mickey Lolo had never been seen or heard from again...

"Here's how it happened...On The Last Day of Mickey Lolo's life....Minolo called Mickey Lolo for a special meeting at Bottom of The C...Mikey Light and Julio Rivera were there.....They ate a big meal...Minolo paid for everything....They had the best wine...Steaks, Baked Potatos..Lobster...House Salad...Those guys could eat...I don't believe they left anything on the plates...Minolo always fed you well ,before you were about to get hit. ..Anyway...The four of them left together...And that was the last time anybody saw Mickey Lolo!!!" said Carlos Losada...Almost word to word what Former ADA Soloman Foster, now an inmate in the Pennsylvania prison system himself had told me...Foster had been Sentterro's pipeline  of information,keeping him aware of when the police was planning to make a move against him...Probably how he found out that Mikey Lolo was Carlotta's confidential informant.

"You were there?" I asked.

"No, not at Bottom of the C.   See, usually...A guy named Sully Sullerson would've done the hit...Juan and Mikey and Sully did all of Minolo's hits...If Mickey Lolo had of seen Sully Sullerson in that car, he would have known what was up and would have never had gotten in that car...They didn't use Sullerson...In fact they dropped Mikey and Juan off...It was just Minolo and Mickey Lolo...Minolo assured him that everything was good and dropped Mickey off at his house!!!!!And pulled off.....Now here is where it got sweet....I was standing there...I asked Mickey Lolo for a light... He lit my cigarette...I could tell he was relieved...He had thought he was gonna be hit..and he wasn't...He thought he dodged a bullet! Ha...When he walked into his apartment...a guy named Benny Gillespie was there waiting for him!! Benny Shot him three times in the head and wrapped him up in a rug...He called Juan and Mikey and they came over and transported the body to the airport..Northeast Airport....I helped em bury him...We had orders to move the body eventually and put him in a can and drop him in the ocean...but you guys knocked everybody and Juan and Mikey got killed and Sully Sullerson got killed and well, Benny and I weren't going to do it." he laughed...

"Man , Do you realize you just put yourself in for accessory to murder?" asked Duke...

"I didn't kill him...I just helped dispose of the body...and besides...this is part of a deal...Right???...I'm giving you Benny Gillespie and the guy who this was sub-contracted out to..Joey Never!" said Carlos.

"Joey Neverand?" I asked.

''Yup..Benny is his guy...Minolo had to have somebody else take care of Mickey Lolo... He knew you guys were watching him and he knew that Mickey Lolo would know any of his people if they came near him...He would never suspect anyone else..." said Carlos..

 "The man was brilliant!" said my wife Carlotta sarcastically.

"Not that brilliant...you guys got him didn't you?" said Carlos.

Duke smiled...

"Yeah man, we did at that!" he laughed and looked at me and winked.

''For what it's worth....I always liked Mickey Lolo..Me and him was cool...If he was flush or had a good business day..Me and him would often have drinks at The Aqua Bar or go to the Oyster House, his treat!...I had no beef with him." said Carlos...

"But you set him up and helped bury him right?" said Carlotta sarcastically.

"It wasn't personal Carlotta...just business...Minolo was the boss."said Carlos.

II-

We had called The FBI for help on this...They had superior equipment and cadaver dogs for just this type of thing...

FBI special agent in charge ,Sharon Ferrell was already at the sight with Cadaver dogs and infra-red drones that could detect human remains...

"Hey ADA Wallace, Carlotta, Heyyy Hazel girl, Duke..Hiiiii Boo." she said speaking to all of us and planting a wet sloppy kiss on Detective Tony Hopkins's lips...He blushed like something crazy, which caused Carlotta and Hazel to smile...

"It's a good thing I love yall...I had to really reach out to some very important people to get this equipment and permission to do this digging." she said.

"I know and I ...We all appreciate it very much Sharon." I said.

"We've zeroed in on an area....and I think we've found something...It's about twelve feet down...." she said.

The team dug for close to two hours......Carlotta looked at Carlos and said rather harshly....

"I'm working a triple homicide...I certainly hope you haven't been playin my people because Carlos, if this is a hoax...I'm going to arrest you and charge you with obstruction of justice...I mean it." said Carlotta, her pretty expressive eyes clearly flashing anger...

"I'm telling you...it's solid babes." he said.

"I am not your babes.. I'm his babes..and his only!" she said pointing to me...I certainly felt good hearing her say that...

"Jackpot! We got something!!!!" said FBI Special Agent in charge, Sharon Ferrell.

They pulled up a bloody and worn rug and human remains....!!

I put my hands over Carlotta's eyes...

''Look babes...you don't have to look at this...We can go." I said.

She gently removed my hands...

"It's okay baby...I want to see." she said.

"Carlotta!!" I said.

Duke looked at Carlotta and said- "Top!!...You don't have to do this...Not now."

"I have to see it...I have to know." said Carlotta.

Carlotta looked at the remains...They were mummified, nearly skelatal.....hard to identify, but the clothes weren't!!.....He was dressed in jeans, White Nikes and a Baseball jacket.

"It's him!!!!....The New York Yankees Baseball jacket....That was his, He loved that team...and it has A-Rod's number on the back...This is him!" she said.

"Okay Carlotta honey, We are going to get a DNA sample from his family member,just to make sure..You okay girl?" said Hazel...She looked at Carlotta with a strange gaze...Carlotta had a look on her face that scared her...Hazel peered over at Duke and I.

"Carlotta!! What's the matter girlfriend??, Talk to me." said FBI Special Agent ,Sharon Ferrell,but Carlotta looked past them both....

Carlotta unholstered her glock and cocked it!!!..She looked at Carlos Losada..who backed up....She stopped short of aiming it...She just held it , her hands shaking...We were all shocked!

Duke  walked over to her and gently took the glock out of her hands...Put the safety on it...and put it back in her shoulder holster. We all breathed a sigh of relief!

"Not like this Top, Not like this!!...I know How you must feel...I know how I'd feel if I was you, believe me I do. But he really aint worth this....You're a good cop....too good a cop!!....You go home, Hear me?...Take the rest of the day off...I'll clear it with Sissy.." he said.

Carlotta smiled at Duke and walked over to me... I grabbed her and held her in my arms...She finally broke down and cried...Cried like a baby!

"It's alright Carlotta...It's alright...Let it all out...Let it all out...I'm going to take you home.." I said....Her body was shaking....

"I love you Keith...I do.." she said.

"I know you do....I love you too...You got your closure now?"I asked.

"Yes...Yes I do...They didn't have to do him like that!!!.....They didn't have to do him like that!" she said...crying profusely...

"No they didn't. Don't you worry...We are going to take care of them.I promise you." I said.

FBI Agent Sharon Ferrell and Dr. Hazel  Hunter walked over to us...So did Detective Tony Hopkins...They all hugged Carlotta....

"It's okay girl." said Sharon...

"It's alright honey." said Hazel....

''We got your back Detective Carlotta." said Hop..

I walked over to Duke...

''Thank you man. Thank you for lookin out for her." I said.

"Don't mention it...The whole time I've known Top, I've never seen her cry, Never seen her like this...I was scared...but now I'm mad!!!...I'm mad at whoever made her feel like this...Mad at whoever caused her to cry." he said.

"Me too!" I admitted.

 "Now...ADA Wallace,what are we  gonna do about this dreck ,Benny Gillespie?...We need a warrant? Because I'll get him ,warrant or not!" he said...

"I'll get you whatever you need Duke!!!...I'll call Judge Freeman and get him to email a warrant to my phone if need be." I said, surprised at my own anger.

Then Duke looked at Carlos Losada...For the second time,

"You're going to tell us where this piece of crap, Benny Gillespie is aren't you?" said Duke not cracking a smile....

"Of course..We had a deal right? You found the body..I give you Benny boy and if I know right..He'll give you the bossman." Laughed Carlos nervously...

"I'm glad you think this is funny." I said..

"Nah...Aint a damn thing funny." said Carlos.

I watched as the body of Mickey Lolo was put into the M.E.'s van....I had mixed emotions..This guy was no doubt a murderer himself...a drug dealer ....but he was also someone who had been good at one time...My wife had found something redeemable in him...I didn't know him...But somehow or other..I felt I owed him...Some unexplainable way,I felt a need to avenge him...

At that moment I was filled with a monumental rage for Minolo Sentterro, who was sitting in a cell in a federal prison in Texas, feeding his fat face,probably having his breakfast right now..I wanted to strangle him!

III-

Benny Gillespie was a vicious little punk who was a suspect in close to five open murder cases...He considered himself on the come up...He had gone from slinging dope and coke  to contract killing and was feared by a number of guys on the street...

Duke ,Tyriq and Sissy entered his apartment building from the back and headed up the back steps...

"Okay guys...let's do this quick and fast." said Sissy as they descended into the building in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

Jimmy and Hop and I went up the front steps... We were in luck...Benny was in the hallway in his boxers and a wife beater t-shirt slapping a young lady in the head..

"Bitch, you know I don't drink this kind of beer ,now go back to that store and get me the kind I drank." he yelled...

"But Benny, the store is closed now.." she said.

He raised his hand to slap her again when Jimmy said-

"Benny...Benny baby...I always heard you were such a romantic....That's no way to treat a lady...Get your hands up loverboy...It's a wrap!" he said and aimed his glock at Benny...

Detective Tony Hopkins aimed his glock at Benny...

"On your knees Benny and show me your hands." he said.

"What is you, a rookie? I aint gettin on my knees." he snarled at Hop...

Both Duke and Tyriq cracked him in his head and knocked him to the floor.....

"Oh you aint?" said Tyriq..."I beg to differ." he continued.

"Heyyyy mannnnnnnnnnn, that's police brutality!" said Bennie.....

"So sue me punk!" said Tyriq.

"Benjamin Gillespie...Long time, no see....You're under arrest..for the murder of Mickey Lolo.." said Duke , who pulled him up by his collar and handcuffed him.

"WHAT??You crazy....You got no proof!, You got nothing.nothin!!!....You cops always flexin." he snorted...

"We got a witness and we found Mickey Lolo's remains today....Let's get to steppin." said Sissy...

"What witness???I want a lawyer mannnnnn." he said.

"Yeah, I imagine you need one right about now Benny." I said.  "I'd lend you a dime, but uh..I don't carry small change." I said.

Sissy,Duke, Tyriq ,Jimmy and Hop all laughed and patted me on the back!

The young lady who he had slapped laughed.....

"Bet you won't slap them around you fake tough guy....That's just what you get, ya punk ass nigga!" she snarled and then walked down the hall...

"You cops are gonna look sooo stupid when I walk outta that precinct.My lawyer will have you wing tipped bozos for lunch." he said.

"You don't believe that yourself Bennie....You know if we hadn't of found Mickey Lolo's body, We wouldn't even be here."I said.

" Found your gun too playa...I guess you were too stupid to toss it down the sewer...If it comes back a positive match, You got a date with a needle." said Hop.

For the first time...a look of fear registered on the young hood's face.....

"What's the matter Bennie?  You look kinda worried....." asked Sissy.

"That's because he knows it's needle time." laughed Jimmy.

IV-

When I stumbled in that night,I was good and tired...We had found Mikey Lolo's body and we had captured a killer...His killer, Benny Gillespie...It had been a good day....

Carlotta was lying across the bed...She patted the bed softly...

"Come here and sit down with your wife.." she said.

I did...She opened my shirt and took it off and slipped my undershirt off...She kissed my chest and my neck and my ears...

"I want you to know that I love you soo much and I thank you for being by my side today...I have my closure...I know what happened to Mickey Lolo now...and I don't want to talk about him anymore...We were over emotionally a long time ago...but still,I didn't wish him dead." she said.

"I know that." I said. She straddled me and gave me another wet,sloppy, slow kiss...

She unzippered my pants and I slipped them off...

Carlotta motioned for me to come closer...I leaned in closer and she put her arms around my neck and kissed me slowly, softly, sensuously....

 We kissed passionately like that for a good while... I rolled over on top of her...I eased her nightie up and slipped her panties down....it was about to be on...

I entered her slowly....

"Oh my goddd." I moaned...

''Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu papi, you feel so gooood.." she moaned...

"So do you baby!" I moaned as I began to move in and out of her warm and moist center..

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. Keith...Keitttttttttth.ouuuuuuu..ohhh my goddddddddddddddd!" she screamed..

 We got into a nice rhythm and began moving together slowly at first , for close to thirty minutes....I was trying to savor every moment, every minute...and then we began moving faster, harder... I was sweating profusely....so was she....I began kissing her neck and her earlobes and her cheeks...She held me tighter and continued to kiss me...Speaking spanish ,Which got me even more excited!!

 The bed began rocking furiously , headboard slamming against the wall....Her speaking spanish during lovemaking excited me even more!!!

I came furiously...So did she....And we lie there for a long time sweating profusely...
She leaned over and kissed me for a long time..and then she just cuddled in my arms..

"Are you alright now baby?" she asked as I held her in my arms...

"I'm fine...I was worried if you were alright?" I asked her..

"When I'm with you, I'm always okay." she said.

I smiled...

Regardless of what else happened tomorrow...Right now..All was good with the world.

(TO BE CONTINUED)