Save The Last Dance For Me

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Mean Daddy

The next morning...Sepia and I had a delicious breakfast of Chicken and Waffles at Mabel Jenkins's Soul Food Restaurant.....

"Oh Kevin this is scrumptious." said my wife....

''Glad you like it babes." I said.

"So how is your case going?" she asked.

"Oh I found the guys wife and I got paid." I said and showed her the knot of twenties and fifties in my possession.

''Oh that was easy money." She said.

"No such thing as easy money...Only half the job is done." I said.

"What half?" she said.

"This man's wife is supposed to produce bail money so he can get out of jail and there in lies the problem." I said.

"She doesn't have it." said Sepia..

"No..I'm sure she could get it....She's not married to him anymore. She divorced him while he was in prison." I said.

"He doesn't know it?" she asked.

"Apparently not...She got someone to forge his signature." I said.

"So what are you going to do?" she asked.

"I'm going to talk to her ...See if I can at least get her to go see him." I said.

"Wow...sounds like a mess." said Sepia.

"Oh it its." I laughed.

II-

I decided not to press my luck...I had already had an encounter with three of Larry Nore's goons a few nights ago... I had checked...They were all still in the hospital and still under arrest..But by now...a guy like Nore had probably hooked up with more muscle..

I took Kool Kat with me to Stephen Bristol's floating crap game... Unlike Chess and Chris's game...Stephen Bristol's game was a bit more sophisticated...It was held in his condo...on the top floor!!

Kool Kat and I took the elevator and walked right into some high priced muscle.....

"Ask your boss if he wouldn't mind having a word with Kevin Morris....He knows me?" I said.

I could tell that they didn't like the way either Kool Kat or I looked...but they didn't wish to have
an unnecessary fight and neither did I if it could at all be avoided...

Stephen Bristol walked into the hallway and took one look at me and smiled...

"Kevin Morris...,Walter?" he said.

"Sup" was all Kool Kat would utter...

"Nice Suit...Tailor made eh?" he said.

''Yeah...Sam the Tailor." I said.

He smiled...

"Sam has tailored  quite a few of mine..He does great work...That must mean you've stepped up in the world." said the gambler..

"Could mean that." I said.

''So what brings you here? I know you don't gamble." he said.

"I need to talk to one of your players...a Barbara Robinson..."I said.

Bristol looked like he'd seen a ghost....

"It's Barbara Kelly now and her boyfriend....He's a real Mean Daddy." he said.

"So I've heard....Do I look like I'm worried?" I said.

Kool Kat laughed...

Bristol just sighed...

"She's in here.....I'm sure he's got someone in here looking ...I don't wish for any trouble." he said.

"There won't be Bristol..Not tonight." said Kool Kat.

I could tell that that didn't reassure Stephen Bristol...I patted him on the shoulder...

"We just want to talk to her that's all Bristol and then we are out...That's it." I said.

"Oh alright...That's her over there." he said and pointed.

III-

She was a beautiful woman...I could see why Sly was so concerned with seeing her...I'd want to see her too if I had been locked up for four years...

I walked over to where she was sitting and smiled...

"Hi...I'm Kevin Morris." I said.

She was cool...She smiled and said- "Hi and I'm not interested."

"I understand you're from West Philly...So am I." I said.

"Good to know...Now we have nothing else in common and nothing else to talk about ." she said.

"Ouuu you're cold.....Maybe I should start over." I said.

"Maybe you should!!...With the next girl." she said.

"Niceee..."I smiled.

She looked at me like I was crazy....

"Now let's talk about your husband...Sly Robinson." I said.

She looked like she'd seen a ghost...

"Ahhhh, Got your attention didn't I?" I said.

''You're the guy that's been askin around about me....Do you know my boyfriend is lookin all over town for you?" she said.

"Well he isn't looking hard enough...I'm not hard to find."I said.

"Look....I don't want you to get hurt...I got no beef with you....Tell my ex- husband you couldn't find me." she said.

"I can't do that...I'm not in the habit of lying and taking people's money."I said.

"People do it all the time..and you should want to do it...You'll stay alive that way." she said.

"If I was afraid of your boyfriend...I would have stopped looking for you after he sent those three goons after me..."I said.

"You put them all in the hospital." she said.

"And I'll do the same to him if he crosses me...Believe that sugar!...Now look, just go see Sly...tell him you're with another guy now...He'll be in county lock up soon." I said.

"No...I'm not his wife anymore...I'm not going to see him..."she said.

"You want me to tell him that?" I said.

"I don't care what you tell him....Now look...get out of here...My boyfriend has spies all over the place..He could be on his way here now." she said.

I smiled...

"Okay ...I'll leave..." I said and I got up and left...

Kool Kat met me at the door...

''We got company in the lobby Kev...Guess who?" he laughed.

"Larry Nore!" I said.

"Yeah." said Kool Kat.

"He got muscle with him?" I asked.

"No...He's alone.." he laughed..

"That was foolish of him wasn't it." I laughed..

"Yeah"said Kool Kat cracking his knuckles and smiling that sinister grin of his..

I got off the elevator....

Larry Nore walked over to me....

"Hi..I'm Larry Nore...Apparently you been askin questions about me..So here I am.." he said rather arrogantly.

"I haven't been asking about you....It was your girl I wanted to talk to...I've talked to her and my business is complete." I said.

''Oh yeah??? OH YEAH??" said the hot headed gangster..He looked like he was going for a gun...Kool Kat put the cold steel of his .44 magnum to his head..and I had my .38 smokeless in his face.

''Not the best idea Mr. Nore." said Kool Kat.

"You guys have no idea who you're messin with...You must not know bout me." he snarled.

''Nor do we care."said Kool Kat.

"Like I said Mr. Nore...My business is complete...Any more questions?" I asked.

"Uhhhh no...Nooooooo..None at all." he said. He was no fool....He had no muscle...He was outnumbered and out gunned....

"Goood...Now I'll be seeing you Mr. Nore." I said and smiled..."Enjoy your night." I said...Kool Kat grinned...

There was a small crowd of people in the lobby...They all saw it and by tomorrow they all would be talking about how Larry Nore got punked...He would not be pleased....But right now there was nothing he could do about it. Some Mean Daddy!

Kool Kat laughed and kept his mag aimed at him as we both eased out of the apartment complex and pulled off...

"What a punk...He didn't even have a snappy threat. Thought he was such a Mean Daddy?" said Kool Kat.

I just laughed and slapped my thigh.

IV-

I went to Homicide and talked to Sissy..

"Did you get my little care package?" I said.

''Sure did..Now we know that Larry Nore was the  silent partner eh?" laughed Sissy.

"Yeah....So I have an idea.." I said.

"What?" she asked.

"Drop the charges on Sly...You haven't got anything really solid to hold him on anyway...Drop em and let him go...but put a tail on him...I'm going to tell him that Barbara has divorced him and that she's Nore's girl now..If he's like any other man I know...He'll shoot right over to whereever she's staying and so will Larry Nore once he finds out that Sly Robinson is out of jail." I said.

"And we'll have the both of them in one place." said Sissy.

"Exactly! And maybe...Just maybe..We can squeeze the location of that money out of one of them....This is about more than money now...This is about love and saving face." I said.

''Kevin!!!!...I like how you think."laughed Sissy.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)

Designated Driver

I had found Barbara Robinson's apartment complex...But finding her was a whole nother story...I took a chance and questioned a few people that lived in her apartment and no one had seen her since the weekend..Which I learned was pretty normal...She went to Atlantic City a lot I had heard...

I brought Sean Jackson, Lockpick Johnson and Peeping Tom around and we easily gained access to her apartment...

There was nothing inside her apartment that was incriminating in anyway of anyone...So Peeping Tom and Lockpick and Sean wired her apartment for sound and video...and cloned her smartphones and her Laptop.

We left...If she returned...We'd just monitor her actions...

The next night...Owen Todd ,Clerow and I sat outside her apartment complex and waited for her to show up.

She did and with her notorious boyfriend...Larry Nore.... He was a tall, athletically built guy with great tastes in clothing. His suit looked like one of Sam the Tailor's custom made suits such as the one I was wearing.
I was surprised that he was alone...Maybe that was because Sly had killed his hitman and I had put the rest of his muscle in the hospital....

They walked inside....

"Larry,I don't know any Kevin person ,I'm serious." she said.

"Yeah, well he's been askin around about you..." he said.

"Maybe he's workin for Sly." she said.

"Hah...He's got enough troubles...Tryin to find a lawyer to rep him on that murder rap." laughed Larry.

"Did you send Juice after him?" she asked.

''Yeah...He got out of prison and I knew he'd be sniffin around tryin to find you and give you problems." said Larry.

''He might want his share of the money you guys took." she said.

"Yeah...that too..I didn't figure he'd get the drop on Juice and kill him." said Larry.

"But it worked out...Sly is back in jail and out of your hair right baby?" she said.

''Yeah....but this Kevin guy is going to be trouble..I don't like it." said Larry.

"You put the boys on him didn't you?" she said.

"Yeah and all three of em is in the hospital and under arrest...He's dangerous...I gotta find someone to take him out and quick...But you let me worry about that." he said.

"Oh Larry..." she said.

"Now come here...take off your clothes..." he said...

(Click)

"Aww Kev...You turned it off during the good part." said Owen Todd.

Clerow grinned that toothy grin of his..

"The good part is that I know now that  Larry Nore was Sly Robinson's partner in the three million dollar heist and that he hired the hitman to take Sly out so that he wouldn't have to give him his share of the loot and so that he wouldn't find out that he's been banging his wife." I said.

"You turnin this into the police boss man?" said Clerow...

''No, not yet...I need a little more...This right here is good though...Come on guys...Let's call it a night." I said.

II-

I got in my car and pulled off and they took the van in the opposite direction... I remembered that I had to see a man about half of my money...

Felix Lawson wasn't hard to find...He was playing in Chris and Chess's crap game...For all of the legitimate business interests Chris and Chess had...They still ran an illegal floating crap game from time to time..Only a few people knew of it's existence...I being one of those few...and I not caring at all..

Only the high line playas took part in it..and no one was caused any harm from it...I drove up to the warehouse where I was met by a couple of Donald Smooth's security guys...

"Relax...Call Smooth...He'll vouch for me." I said.

Donald Smooth, Chris and Chess's third in command and enforcer walked up to my car...Upon seeing me, he smiled..

"What's goin on Kevy Kev?" he laughed.

"I'm lookin for a guy that might be in your game." I said.

"Anything heavy?" he asked.

"Nah...Nothin heavy...He owes me some money is all." I said.

Donald Smooth looked at his guys...

"He's good...Let him through." he said.

I walked up the steps and into the main room ,which looked like a mini casino...There were several card games going on and a roulette wheel and all kinds of high rollers from the tri-state area...Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches , Potato Salad, Cold Cuts, All types of breads, Mustard,Mayo, Cheeses and Beer and Wine..

Chris and Chess walked over to me...

"Fancy meeting you here Kev...What's up?" they asked.

"Is a Felix Lawson in here?" I asked.

"He's over there..He into anything heavy?" asked Chris...

''No...Nahh..He's good...He has some money for me." I said.

"I'll take you to him." said Chess..

Chess walked me over to him...He was a short mousey guy who wasn't gambling...He was eating and watching his friends gamble..

"Felix Lawson??  I'm Kevin Morris...Sly told me to get in touch with you."I said.

''Yeah..."he said.

He went in his wallet and peeled off about one thousand dollars in twenties and fifties....and placed it in my hands...

"You don't gamble?" I asked.

"Never....My boys here do...I'm the designated driver... I come here for the food." he said as he made himself a sandwich." he laughed.

I laughed....

"Smart man.." I said.

''You find Babs?"he asked.

"Sure did...But I couldn't talk to her....She was occupied if you get my drift."I said.

"Yeah....Nore...I didn't have the heart to tell him...It would be better if you did." he said.

"You;'ve known where she was and that she was with Nore all the time?" I asked.

"I didn't know where she was livin...I still don't...but everybody knows she's Nore's girl.." he said.

"Everybody didn't volunteer that information." I said.

"It's a good way to stay alive...Nore runs with some rough boys.....And you must be pretty rough yourself...I heard you wiped the street up with em the other night......They still in the hospital.." he said.

"Yeah...I am pretty rough."I said.

Chess and Donald Smooth laughed when I said that...

"Look man...You want to talk to Babs alone..She and her girlfriends play cards tomorrow night at Stephen Bristol's card game...Nore don't go to that...That's your best shot to get her alone..Tell her to go see Sly..He misses her..She's all he talks about." said Felix..

"Okay...I'll do that..Thanks for the dough...." I said.

Just then, one of his friends fell out of his chair .....

"He's drunk...Felix...Get him out of here."said Chris Thompson...

"Alright Chris...Come on guys...I'm the designated driver." he said.

Chris..Chess..Donald Smooth and I looked at each other and busted out laughing.

(TO BE CONTINUED..)

No Fault Of His Own

The next day I began my investigation where I usually began my investigation in the high rise law offices of my good friend and Sissy's ex husband, Robert Foxworth... He and his attorneys, Chance Howard and Cole were always good help with their contacts in various city and state and federal offices and with several utility companies...

That and I like the company...The three of us always got along famously...

"So what are you workin on Kev?" asked Robert Foxworth...

"Trying to find a man's wife....Something you used to be good at."I joked.

Chance Howard and Cole cracked up laughing...

''Very funny, Very funny Kev." laughed Robert.

First I looked up Barbara Robinson....It was a common name and there were several as you might have guessed....I narrowed down my search and found three that looked promising...One was white...the other woman was recently deceased and then I found the one I was looking for!!!...

Found her present apartment and found her phone number and two cell phone numbers....

Born in Camden, New Jersey ,Barbara Kelly Stevens and I were the same age...Her parents divorced when she was five and she and her mother moved to Philadelphia..She attended public schools and graduated and spent two uneventful years at Lincoln University before dropping out.

She married Sylvester "Sly"Robinson shortly afterwords and enrolled in Community College, got an associates degree in business management and took a few administrative assistant jobs in area offices...Her credit was good...her bank account was solid and she owned a Mini Cooper...No criminal record whatsoever.

I couldn't say the same for her husband...Sly Robinson...He had two convictions for Armed Robbery and Larceny...Had had one sentence suspended and had done a four year bid in the state prison for the other beef..

Robert Foxworth walked over to me with a piece of paper...

''Hey Kev...You said you were looking for Sly Robinson's wife right?" he said.

''Yeah...I've found a lot out about her already." I said.

''Yeah..How about the fact that she got a no fault divorce from him about two years ago?" asked Robert.

"Huh?, What?" I asked.

"It's all here...In fact...I handled the case...He was in prison, convicted of a crime...That was all the grounds she needed." said Chance Howard.

''Yes...but didn't he need to sign off on it?" I asked.

"He did!" said Chance...

I looked at the signature....Then I compared it to the handwriting I had that Sly had given me yesterday...It was not a match!

Robert ,Chance and Cole looked at the document and then my paper with Sly's handwriting on it.

"Oh wow...He didn't sign this...Somebody else signed this." said Robert.

"Mannn, this guy is divorced and he doesn't even know it." I said.

II -

I went to see Sissy and I told her about my findings...

"So he's divorced and he doesn't know it....That's funny." she laughed...

''Even funnier is who signed this...If it wasn't him...then who?  Maybe his unknown partner...The one he never named...Maybe this guy is doing more than just holding on to his half...he's holding on to his sugar."I said.

Sissy cracked up laughing...

"You have such a way with words..." she said.

I peered out of her door...I motioned for her to remain quiet....

"Head for the back door...You got company." I said.

''Who?" she asked.

''Lieutenant Cantrell!!!. I just saw him come in...He's talking to the desk sergeant." I said.

"Say No more." she said and grabbed her purse and followed me.

Sissy quietly slipped out the back door...The two of us slipped down the back stairs....and got into my car.

"Lt. Cantrell!! What's with him and you?" I asked.

"He's got the hots for me...I've told him that I have a man...He's even seen me with my man, but he just won't take a hint...I may have to hurt his feelings....I don't want to Kev..The man trained me and some of my best detectives....and over the years..The man has been good to me and my division....But I'm just not into him like that." she said.

"Well you got your purse...You want me to drive you somewhere?" I asked.

''Yes...Take me to Eddie C.'s job...He'll bring me back." she said.

"Does he know about this?" I asked...

"No...Nooooo...I don't want him to either if I can help it." she said.

"Your secret is safe with me." I said.

Sissy patted me on the arm and smiled...

"I never thought you and I would be this close of friends...But you have turned out to be a jewel....I don't know what I'd do without you Kevin." she said.

I smiled....I dropped her off in front of Eddie C's office building...

''Don't tell Sly about his marital situation yet...At least not until I find his wife." I said.

Sissy giggled....

"This is just too funny Kevin...Too funny...He's paying you to find a woman that has divorced him and he doesn't even know it." she said.

''It's no fault of his own." I said.

"If you say so....Bye Kevin...and thank you so much for the save." she said.

"Anytime."I said and pulled off.

III-

I put the word out on the street that I was looking for Barbara Robinson...I went to Ciros, the Mermaid Club...Big Chicken and Rollo Jone's strip clubs and finally to Josies...

Gus passed me a Corona....

"Yeah I know her....Used to be married to Sly Robinson...." he said.

"Who is she with now?" I asked.

"Ever hear of a guy named Larry Nore?" he asked.

"Yeah...A real nasty piece of business as you would say...Used to be a heist guy...Now he's kind of retired I heard...." I said.

"He's got juice on the street...a little loan sharking, a little protection...fences a few things here and there...He keeps it real quiet and low key...She's been with him for two years now." said Gus.

"Where would I find him?" I asked.

"Kev, you don't want to find him...He's bad news all around." said Gus.

"Him I'm not interested in...I'm being paid to deliver Barbara Robinson a message from Sly." I said.

"I heard he got busted for murder." said Gus.

"It was self defense...Somebody tried to clip him.." I said.

''And you're mixed up in this?"asked Gus.

"I'm just delivering a message and I'm done...that's it." I said.

"Just be careful kid." said Gus...

Honey Brown walked over to me...

"Hey Kev...I heard you were looking for a girl named Barbara...Barbara Robinson...Used to be Sly Robinson's wife?" she said.

"Yeah, you know her?" I asked.

"She comes in here sometimes...She likes to gamble....She gambles in Steven Bristol's poker game and she drinks at this high end place called Minks." she said.

I pulled out a couple of twenties and placed them in her hand...

"Thanks Honey..." I said.

"Kevin...Be careful....Her boyfriend isn't the nicest customer." she said.

"I'm not looking for him." I said and smiled...

IV-

That was good advice...I had just left Josies when I noticed I was being followed by two guys...They were pretty big guys and they had been in the Mermaid Club and at Ciro's earlier....It was no co-incidence that they were also in Josies and had now followed me out...There was a car with tinted windows driving along slowly too....I had been in a situation like this before..

The two men were still following me and the car with the tinted windows was too..Perhaps I should walk back to a street that was more populated...Perhaps I should have brought Clerow, Owen Todd or Kool Kat with me...but I hadn't..

I walked away from the parking lot...I wasn't going anywhere near my car....Damn...I had on a brand new suit...Looks like I might get it torn or bloodied...The two men followed..

I turned toward them...

"Is it something I can help you with gentlemen?" I said.

One of them smiled and looked at the other..

"He wants to know if he can help us with somethin?" he said.

''We work for a guy named Larry Nore..You might have heard of him." he said.

''Ahhh vaguely."I said.

"He don't like nobody inquiring into his business.." said the other one.

"I haven't been...I'm looking for a girl."I said.

"I don't think he understands Lester." said the other guy, who took the toothpick out of his mouth and tossed it into the street...

"Yeah...I think we gotta tighten him up a bit." said the other one...

And here it came..

He swung at me and missed...I ducked his blow and hit him with an upper cut that backed him up....I landed a perfect kick to the solar plexus of the second man and then did a sweep which knocked him down...


The first guy charged at me..I crouched and I landed about 12 good lefts and rights to his face.....I caught him with an uppercut that damn near ripped his head off and then clocked him in his jaw and sent him to the sidewalk....

 He quickly got to his feet and charged me again...throwing haymakers...I dodged them all and ripped his midsection with well placed lefts and rights and then cold cocked him in his jaw, sending him spinning around...I attempted a swift kick to his solar plexus , but he caught my foot , twisted my leg and sent me hurling to the ground...I quickly regained my footing..

He attempted to  put his massive hands around my neck and choke me..I kicked him as hard as I could in his privates and he let me go...I again punished his midsection with 10-12 lefts and rights and then planted more lefts and rights to his face...He fell to the ground gasping for air and in obvious pain......I thought I had time to catch my breath....but he was up again and charging at me...

 I clocked him in his jaw twice and then punished his stomach with more lefts and rights...He groaned and grunted like a pig and huffed and puffed.. He had just about had enough...So my left right combonation dropped him for the count...


His friend..finally got his footing and rushed me, but I side stepped him and landed some nice lefts and rights to his face...He swung and missed  and swung and missed again...I ducked and punched him in his stomach...He groaned in agony..and my next blow was right on his jaw...His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped to the ground and rolled over...Out for the night!!.


The guy in the car opened the door and aimed a gun at me..I fired and blasted his windshield...He fired again and I ducked and returned his fire...hitting him in his shoulder and his side..


"Ooooooof...ohhhh, I don't believe it...I've been shot !!" he said and fell to the pavement....


I smiled....I looked down at him...


"Tell Larry Nore that I'll be seeing him soon." I said.


I slipped my pistol back into my shoulder holster and walked the opposite way towards the parking lot which was a few blocks away. I'm certain the police were on their way!

Two of the goons were  unconscious...both had concussions and had to be hospitalized...The man I shot was unconscious...He had lost a lot of blood...He too had to be hospitalized...and my suit didn't have a tear or a wrinkle...

Not a bad night!

Just then...A Familiar car drove up....The window rolled down.....It was Sissy!

"Need a ride?" she asked...

''Nah...I'm good..."I said.

"I see...Better than those guys down the street...I was in the neighborhood and I rolled up on that a little late..but I see you had the situation under hand." she laughed...

"Yeah...This time." I said.

"You know...Sometimes you need to call your friends...You shouldn't always try to take on these hoods alone." she said.

"My friends keep telling me that all the time..." I laughed.

"You make jokes...I'm serious." she said.

"I will Sissy...I get tired of these street fights myself." I said...I was serious now..

"Get in...I'll drive you to your car." she said.

"Wow...I used to look out for you...Now you look out for me." I laughed.

"That's what friends do for each other." she said.

I didn't argue...I got in her car and she drove me to my car...



(TO BE CONTINUED)