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)