Spanish Fly

An Average day in the city....I actually worked a half day today...Then I headed to a Pizza shop I hadn't visited in ages and sat down and had an incredible slice of Pizza and a Coke...

Things had been quiet for me lately...Which is usally a sign that when I notice how quiet it has been, Something is about to jump off..That's just how my life is..  Me? My name is Kevin Morris...I'm a private investigator in my private life...This is just another one of those stories of mine...

That slice of Pizza was so good..I ordered another one...and just as it was being delivered to my table, my smartphone vibrated on my hip...Who could this be? I wondered...

I didn't recognize the number, but I certainly recognized the voice...

"Hola Handsome!" came the voice of the very sexy and beautiful Detective Mercedes Rodriguez...a Detective I met in San Juan ,Puerto Rico months ago and who I helped crack a very big case...A detective who was the cousin of my dear friend, Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace, who worked for Philadelphia Homicide...

"Detective Rodriguez...Is that you?" I asked, knowing exactly who it was...

"Awww come on now Kevin...We are friends...Aren't we on a first name basis now?" she said.

I laughed...

"Hi Mercedes...How have you been?" I asked.

"I couldn't be better Kevin...I took your advice..I gave Detective Munez a shot...I'm like totally in love...We may be moving in together soon.." she said sounding as giddy as a teenager..

"That's Great Mercedes....That must have been some shot...He's a very lucky man...I'm happy for you.....uh and him." I said.

" Ouuuuu,You are soooo bad...Did you know that you were almost a ...lucky man?" she said.

"Huh?, What?" I asked..

"I had the biggest crush on you when you were down here...If you had of just pushed a little bit...you could have had me,lock stock and barrell..But I'm glad you didn't...I'm glad you respected your marriage vows..Makes me respect and like you just that much more." she said.

There was silence for awhile...

"Well, uh... Thank you Mercedes ,I'm flattered....I have a feeling you just had to unburden yourself.."I said.

"Oh I did...I did...I couldn't have you not know how I had been feelin about you...Now that you know....We can be friends..With no secrets." she said.

I didn't know how she figured that!!!

''Well if it makes you feel any better...It wasn't easy for me either..You made quite an impression on me too.I'm glad that we didn't do anything....I'm glad that you're with the right guy for you." I said.

"Oh he is..he is...I love him soo much...I can't believe that I almost lost him playing the tough detective." she said.

"Well..again...I'm happy for you baby." I said.

"Ouuuu, I like how you sound when you call me baby....Just kidding..Just kidding... I didn't call you however just to tell you that." she said.

"I didn't think you did." I said.

"I need a favor from you...My cousin is coming to Philly in a few days...She's Carlotta's older sister, Carmen...Have you ever met her?" she asked.

"I saw her at Carlotta's wedding...I must say...You Rodriguez women are beautiful...All three of you." I said.

Mercedes giggled...

"Thank You...She's going to ask you to find someone....I hope you can help her...I'll pay you...You just give me the instructions as to where you want the money sent." she said.

"Your cousin is one of the best detectives on the Philadelphia Police force and you want me to find somebody for you?" I asked..

"It's of a personal nature Kevin..Not police work...." she said.

"Carlotta know she's coming?" I asked..

"Of course...She's staying with Carlotta and Keith..." said Mercedes...

"Okay...Carlotta knows how to get in contact with me...And you don't have to pay me anything...We are friends...This one is on the house." I said.

"You don't even know what it all entails." she said.

"Carmen will tell me...Don't you worry." I said.

"You are the best...Oh my god..." she laughed...

"You take care of that man of yours..."I laughed..

"Oh I do...I dooo... He doesn't complain." she said.

"I know he doesn't." I laughed...

"Ouuuu you are sooo bad Kevin...I'll be talking to you...I just wanted to give you a heads up." she said.

"Always good to hear from you friend..." I laughed.

There was a slight pause....

"You too!" she said.

So there I was...Another case...

II-

I ran a few errands....Picked up my dry cleaning...bought some groceries and then stopped in Sam Mother's Diner for a tumbler of coffee and for the second time today ,I was greeted in spanish...

"Hola Kevin." came the voice of Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace...

She was sitting by herself in a booth.... I walked over and sat with her...

"Heyyy Chica..What's going on?" I said with a smile..

"Hi Kevin...I need to ask a favor of you." she said.

"Let me guess, your older sister Carmen will be coming up in a few days and she wants me to find somebody for her.." I said laughing..

"You are good..."she said ,surprised...

"I talked to your cousin, Mercedes a few hours ago..." I said.

Carlotta gave me the side eye...

"What went on between you and my little cousin in San Juan?" she asked smiling.

"Not what you're implying Chica...We got close during a case we were working on in San Juan....I believe the same time Young Detective Munez was up here helping you guys with that stick up crew....but not lover close." I said.

''Well..I shouldn't tell you this...but she had a monster crush on you afterwords...Everytime she called me, she'd ask me about you, how you were doing ,if I ran into you..yadda,yadda,yadda." said Carlotta smiling.

"I know she had a crush on me...She told me!.. but she's in love with young Detective Munez...Even talking about moving in with him..She's over me...but it was nothing to be over...Nothing happened....And if it did...You being like a little sister to me..I would have told you...I hope you believe me." I  said.

Carlotta smiled sweetly at me and rubbed my shoulder....

"I believe you Kevin...You're a good man and you have an equally beautiful wife...It's just the detective in me...I had to ask...Mercedes told me that you were the perfect gentleman..I just never thought she'd ever confess her feelings for you...She really is changing...Nicky is good for her." she said.

"Now tell me about your big sister...who I don't know." I said.

"Well, let me tell you something about me....And you must promise not to laugh." she said.

"Oh Lawd...I promise..." I said.

"I used to be a model...A long time before I even thought about being a cop....I was just barely out of High School and just starting Community College." she said.

"I can believe it...You're a very attractive woman." I said.

"Thank You Kevin...Carmen and I were models and dancers in rap videos...and we appeared in a couple of hip hop videos...local stuff" she said holding her head down...

"Huh? What? You?? In a Hip Hop video??...a Hip Hop dancer?" I said, a smile growing across my face...

"You said that you wouldn't laugh.Could you uh, lower your left eyebrow...I'm not nude in the videos." she said playfully punching me..

"I'm not laughing...You and your sister are gorgeous...I'm just surprised.."I said.

"I wasn't a detective all my life..." she said.

"I know that Carlotta."I said.

"You ever hear of a Rapper named "Spanish Fly?" she said.

"Yeah..Yeahhhh..I remember him..He and Fat Mack used to be crew...They had that hit out-"Schoolin the Boyz on the Block.." I used to run the grooves off of that tape..and I saw the video....Oh My goddddddddddd....That was you and your sister?...the two girls dancing in the thongs and the babydolls... Oh my godddd!" I said.

Carlotta was blushing something terrible...

''That was a longgggggggg time ago Kevin...My body is probably not that tight anymore.." she said.

"Couldn't prove that by me....Hey you got nothing to be ashamed of...You two were hot ..You're still hot ....I never dreamed that I'd actually meet you one day and be your friend...Wow!!!"I said....Carlotta blushed...She was even cuter when she blushed.

"Thank you Kevin.....Well anyway...His real name is Armando Lopez , he was Dominican and he was my sister's first love...They had a torrid affair ,which I'll let her tell you about when she gets here." said Carlotta..

''What ever happened to him anyway?" I asked.

"And there is the basis of your next case." said Carlotta...

"Ohhh I see..She wants me to find him...Is he even in Philly? Last I heard..He was out on the West Coast...In fact, Didn't he get married?" I asked.

"He did..but that was a sham marriage...and it was over in two years..." said Carlotta.

"Yeah as was his career.. He had two CD's and an ep and that was it...Well..okay..I can get started but if I may ask...Why does Carmen want to know about him?  Isn't she a successful Lawyer now?" I asked.

''She is...and partially, she feels at least because of him...but that's a story I'll let her tell you."said Carlotta...

"Okay...You always know where to find me...I'll be in touch...and ohhh by the way chica..  Does Keith know about your model past?" I asked.

"Yes...He's my husband..I wouldn't keep that from him...He even you tubed that video and saw me and Carmen dancing in it.." she said.

"Yeahhh? Wow...." I said.

"After he finished laughing ,he had the nerve  to ask me to dress up like that for him...You know, the red,white and blue thong and all.." she laughed...

"I know that's right...I would too ...If..I, uh..was him...I mean." I said. ADA Keith Wallace was a man after my own heart I thought to myself.

Carlotta laughed...

"I know what you meant...You are sooo bad...You and my husband..." she laughed..

I paid for her lunch and my coffee and I kissed her on the cheek...

"Get with me whenever your sister arrives." I said.

"Okay Kevin and thank you...I love you baby." she said and smiled and got up and headed for her car...

I watched her walk away and thought to myself what a lucky man ADA Keith Wallace was...

III-

I ended my day in Josies...I walked in, ordered a beer and sat at the bar... Gus walked up to me...

"Hi ya kid...What's shakin?" he said.

''Same ole, Same Ole" I said... I saw my friend Kool Kat....I ordered him a beer and a double of his original drink..

''Hey Playa...Everything good?" he asked as he raised his glass to toast me.

''Yeah man...I got a real simple case...Just got to find somebody for a friend...A rapper..Spanish Fly..You ever heard of him?" I asked.

"You know I did....He owes me $500.00...Aint seen him in three years...Let me know when you do find him." said the Big Man...

"$500.00 aint no big thing to me..." he continued...

"I know...It's the principal of the thing right Kools?" I laughed..

"You know me too well." he said and laughed as he continued to drink his beer and his liquor..


"Gus...you ever hear of a rapper named Spanish Fly...Was pretty big back in the day?...Uh My day...not yours!" I said laughing.

"That aint my type of music kid...but to answer your question...Yeah..I heard of him...but I couldn't tell you what happened to him...What is your business with him?" asked Gus..

"Nothin ..at least not yet...Somebody asked me about him is all." I said.

"Chazz is over there...He knows all the musician types...You might want to talk to him.." said Gus..

I patted Gus on the shoulder..

"I knew that if you didn't know...you'd put in the right direction." I said.

Gus smiled..

''Yeah kid...I'm good like that." he said.

Chazz Gillison and some of the members of his new band were playing on the stage...Even though a number of us now knew that he could actually see...He still pretended to be blind to the general public...I shook my head and laughed everytime I saw him.

It wasn't showtime..They were just practicing, running through a few numbers... I waited until their set was done and I walked over to Chazz...

"Heyy Kevin..What's goin on baby?" asked Chazz..

"Got a question for you?  You been giggin for a long time...I remember you started out playin in funk bands and r&b bands...You know of a rapper named "Spanish Fly"?I asked.

Chazz looked at me funny....

"What business do you have with him?  He owes me about one thousand dollars..." he said.

''Well maybe when I find him..You can get back your money.."I laughed.

"Who is lookin for that loser?" he asked.

"Somebody is always looking for somebody.......You know where I can find him?" I asked.

"Aint seen him in  years Kev..Don't want to see him either...I couldn't begin to tell you where he is or if he's even in Philly...He kind of left here on a bad note...Owing a lot of cats money...Meek Rollins, Bone Hampton, Downtown Rob Brown...even Symphony Sam..." he said.

"He was a big star...a pioneer in Philly Hip Hop." I said.

"A bum is what he turned out to be... He went to the top real quick and his arrogant ass fell just as fast...If you do find him...Get our dough and then leave him in whatever gutter you pulled him out of." he said.

"Okayyyyyyyyyyyyyy Chazz, tell me how you really feel!" I said laughin...

"There's your wife over there man, now that's who you should be checkin for..Make sure you know where her fine ass is...Lawd Jesus...I'm sorry Kev, But Sepia is fine as a mother.." he said.


I just laughed...

"That's why I married her and took her off the market." I said.

I walked over to Sepia and gave her a big ,wet sloppy kiss in the lips...

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...Hello to you too.." she said ,smiling..

"Hey doll...what'cha drinkin?" I asked.

"Vodka with Cranberry juice...on the rocks...my usual." she said.

"Put it on my tab Gus." I said.

"I already did." he said and winked....

He and I looked at each other and busted out laughing...

(TO BE CONTINUED...)