Angie Girl

24 Hours Ago-

While we were beginning our investigation of the mysterious disapearence of  Tony Robinson and all of that blood found in the empty parking garage... Detective James "Jimmy"Barlow...The primary on the case stood in the parking garage of the C.I.D. (Criminal Investigation Division) building...

He felt guilty...This was his case... and right now...His partners...Detectives Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace and Tyriq Pile were with Lt. Sissy Van Buren and ADA Keith Wallace..doing the initial interviews...

Lt.Sissy Van Buren...His supervisor had okayed this day for him days before the blood in the alley had been found...He had a personal stake in catching the killer if it turned out to be one...They were putting a cramp on what he had to do...

Detectives Sirena Pile and Tony Hopkins were out there with a detail of uniformed policemen heading to the missing man's apartment as he waited patiently for his ride..

His ride...He made a personal note to himself to buy a new car...He was getting ready to start a new chapter of his life soon...He hadn't told anyone....Not Carlotta, who he had known since the police academy...Not Duke and Tyriq and not Hop, who he had grown increasingly close to.....Not even Keith Wallace...Who he also felt close to....The only person who knew what he was planning for his immediate future was his Lieutenant...Sissy Van Buren...and he had sworn her to secrecy...

He looked at his watch and just as he looked up...The FBI government car pulled up....The tinted window rolled down and at the wheel was FBI SAC-Sharon Ferrell-Hopkins, Detective Tony Hopkins's wife..

''Sorry I'm late...My car is in the shop...Hop brought me to work and I had to get this government issued car."said Sharon.

"Oh yours too? "he laughed..."So is mine..I took the bus...Hopefully Angie will let me stay over tonight and I can come back with her." he laughed..

"Why Wouldn't she Jimmy..You're her man?" said Sharon.

Sharon laughed....

"Wowwww...You know...Carlotta told me that she and ADA Wallace used to go through that when they were courting....Duke and Hazel did too..." she laughed...

"Yeah...it was bananas around here...ADA Wallace used to leave his car here and go home with Carlotta and then have to take the bus to work....A couple of times he'd call me to come and get him because he was too embarrassed that he'd left his car behind.."said Jimmy...

The two of them cracked up laughing ....He remembered how when he had first met Sharon he didn't like her..She was kind of uppity and hard to take..But she softened and eventually became part of the team...That team that consisted of Himself, ADA Wallace,Sissy,Carlotta,Duke,Rico,Hop ,Sirena and Hazel.
Together they had cracked some of the city's biggest cases...He was glad to be part of this team..He didn't care that he was the only white person on the team...He was honored to be amongst the city's elite detectives and hoped they'd always be together..

"Sharon, pull the windows up...It's Duke..I don't want him to see us." said Jimmy...

She pulled the tinted windows up.....

Detective Edwin "Duke" Baylor was kissing his wife, Forensic Investigator,Dr. Hazel Hunter -Baylor over in the corner of the parking garage near the elevator...It wasn't just a goodbye kiss..It was long and passionate..

''They need to go and get a room." laughed Sharon.

"It's like this every morning... ADA Wallace and Carlotta are usually over by her car kissing and Tyriq and Sirena are kissing over by their car and Duke and Hazel...Hey...I never see you and Hop down here."said Jimmy,laughing....

"That's the benefit of being a boss and having a big office to yourself...with closed blinds..."she said and laughed slyly...They both cracked up laughing.

II-

They drove silently through the city streets....Finally Sharon turned to Jimmy while they were waiting for the light to turn...

''So you're really going to do this huh?" she said.

''Yeah...It's time.." said Jimmy..

''You love her Jimmy?"she asked.

''I do.." he said without hesitation which impressed Sharon.

"I'm her friend..and take it from me...She loves you too...She may not be as demonstrative as you are..but she's crazy about you...She told me that no guy ever made as big a deal over her as you did...and no guy has ever been as supportive of her as you..She calls you her Knight in shining armor."said Sharon..

"She really say that?" asked Jimmy..

"Yeah...In fact it was one night last week when we were in the club..me ,her Bridget and Sissy.." said Sharon.

"You didn't tell her did you?" asked Jimmy.

"I didn't know about this until yesterday...and Sissy didn't tell her." said Sharon... She looked at Jimmy...

"Since we are uh stuck here in traffic...Why don't you tell me a story...How did all of this start between you and my girl Angie...I'm curious?" she asked.

"Because I'm white?" asked Jimmy...

"No....but you work around all this prime black real estate...It was bound to happen...That you'd fall for one of us.." she said laughing.."Look at my girl Carlotta....She's my best friend since kintergarden...dated Puerto Rican men all her life...Maybe a Dominican or two...Comes to this unit and what does she do? Marries a Black man!!" says Sharon...

"Look at you !Hop is half Black, Half Cuban." said Jimmy...

"Afro-Cuban...His mother is a Black Cuban woman..So tell me...How did it begin between you two?" asked Sharon.

III-

"From the time I first met her I was mesmerized.." said Jimmy...

"Ohhh myy!"said Sharon smiling....

"Sissy had called her friend, Angie from Internal Affairs to investigate the unit...We were involved in the Sentterro case...Everytime we got close to him...It was as if he knew we were coming...In fact he did..we had a mole..Angie investigated all of us..She was straight business...The fact that Duke, Tyriq and Sissy herself were her good friends made no difference to her..She was real clinical...Most cops hate I.A.  ,But I was looking at those shapely legs..Those breasts, that cute face...Those tight skirts that fit her to a tee..I shouldn't even be talkin to you like this." He said.

"Come on Jimmy...You don't think I know what guys think like, what they really are thinking when a woman is talking to them..."laughed Sharon..

"Well anyway...Keith Wallace, Me, Duke, Tyriq, Sissy and Carlotta...She cleared all of us..It looked like Duke had some extra money in his account...Turned out he was being set up by old ADA Soloman Foster...." he continued...

" She set Foster  up and that led to us taking down the entire Sentterro mob...."said Jimmy.

"You know...He had quite a thing for her don't you?" said Sharon...

"Yeah she told me...She went to visit him a few times and she even thought that they might have something, but she changed her mind and decided not to..." he said.  "I thought that Keith Wallace and Duke Baylor were ahead of me...But Carlotta and Hazel kind of moved them out of the picture..." said Jimmy...

''I bided my time....And eventually we were involved in another case that involved her..Her friend was murdered and we cracked the case...It was after the case that I made my move..

"Uh Detective Belton...Could I ask you something in uh private?" I asked..

 "Sure Detective Barlow.." she said...She looked at Sissy,Carlotta Keith Wallace..They all had puzzled looks on their faces...Only ADA Wallace  really knew what I was going to ask her...

  I took her over to the corner and said-

"Hey, I uh know of a nice little spot that serves great seafood...and has good wine and this weekend...They got a great band playing there....I happen to know that you like this band too and that Talapia is your favorite seafood.....Would you mind being my guest?" I  asked.

 "You askin me out on a date Jimmy?" she said loud enough for them all to hear...

  Sharon,The Lieutenant's mouth dropped...So did Carlotta's... I smiled sheepishly..

"Yeah ,I guess it is a bad idea....I mean, you've been through a lot and I am kind of younger than you and out of my league." he said.

"Not to mention white." she said, laughing....

"Yeah that too." he said.

"Sure I'll go." she said.

  I could have gone through the floor...I was sure she was going to say no.

"Huh? What?" he said

" Why not?  You're kind of cute....You have a steady job...You aint in jail and you haven't raped or killed anybody...I could do worse." she said.

"So we are going out this weekend ???..You're not joshing me right?" he said.

"Yes!!!..I said I'd go...By the way...How old are you? You can drink legally can't you?" she joked.

"You got jokes huh?" he said and whispered in her ear his age.

"You're three years younger than me Jimmy." she said.

"Uh two and a half to be more accurate....That a problem?" he asked.

"I won't tell if you won't." she said....

''The rest is as they say....History."said Jimmy...

"Awwww that is so cute...So you guys got together right then huh?" said Sharon..

''Welllll, not quite..We went out...We had a great date...I asked her if we could go out again and she said that she wouldn't rule it out...We went to Aqua Bar about a month later..had a good time...Angie got a little woozy...I took her home...I walked her to her door, I walked her inside...Put a cold compact on her head and bid her good night! I wanted to have sex with her...I really did...but I didn't bother her that night...

I stopped by in the morning with coffee and drove her to pick up her car!! She was impressed!!I think that's when I won her over..We went to the movies...I think she  felt sorry for me...We went to see D'Jango Unchained..I was one of about ten whites in a packed theatre.  I was  a big Quentin Tarrantino fan and went to practically everything he made.. After the movies..We went to Mulberry Street and caught Reed Nelson and his quartet...Another nice night." said Jimmy.

"You two still hadn't slept together?" asked Sharon..

''Nah..that was after the third date...we went to a Jamaican club....had a good time.. We made love for the first time that night and I asked Angie to be my woman..." said Jimmy...

"So Angie....are we....are we like a couple now?" I asked .

"Is that what you want Jimmy?" she asked.

"Well uh...yeah kinda?" I said..

"How you think your folks will react when they see me?" she asked.

''I don't think they'll have a problem at all." I said.

''Oh? You've brought another black girl home?:" asked Angie..

" One before you..." I said.

"Your mother didn't have a fit?" she said.

"I can't see why she would have...considering she's black too." I said.

"What?" asked Angie

"My biological mother  died about 15 years ago....My dad remarried ,twelve years ago..." he said.

"A black woman?" she asked.

"Yeah..."  he said. "Like your folks wouldn't have a fit." he said.

"My brother might....but I think my mom and dad are pretty easy going and liberal....I dated a white guy before..There wasn't no heavy drama..." she said.

''So how come we haven't been to Josies?" I asked..

"What do you know about Josies?" she asked.

"Before I was a cop...I worked there." I said.

"You're just full of surprises..." she said laughing..

"I know Gus, Honey Brown ,B-Flat,Symphony Sam,Eddie,Albert...the whole crew....and I've been there with Duke, Tyriq, Sissy, Kevin Morris and Clerow....I know Chess, Chris Thompson, Donnie Smooth and many more..." I said.

"You are just one hip white boy." she said laughing...

"So am I your uh MAN now?" I asked.

"You want me to say that sooo bad don't you?" she asked, flattered and smiling.

"You don't have to." I said.

"Okay Jimmy,Okay...We'll try it...We'll start slow and see where things end up?" she said.

''And the rest is as they say history" laughed Jimmy.

"Wowww, you're just full of surprises Detective James Barlow."laughed Sharon...

She parked and the two of them walked to Tiffany's Jewelry Store....

Jimmy walked inside and spoke to the man at the counter.....

''Mr. Barlow..We've been waiting for you...Here it is." he said...

Jimmy paid him and then showed Sharon the ring...

Sharon's eyes got as large as saucers....

"Oh My God...Jimmy it's beautiful...She'll love it...." she said, tears welling in her eyes...

"Gonna be tears in my eyes if she says no." said Jimmy...

"Why would she say no?" asked Sharon...

"I'm White and she's Black.Going out is one thing...Being married is a whole notha thing."said Jimmy..

"Jimmy...it's 2014....Not 1964.....She's been going with you for almost two years now.."said Sharon.

"Yeah, but some things never change with some  people." said Jimmy.

"Keith and Carlotta are an inter-racial couple...Look at them?" said Sharon...

"Yeah, but he's Black and she's Puerto-Rican...They're both....They're both...."said Jimmy..

"Minorities Jimmy?  They're both people...Two people who love each other...and that's all that counts." said Sharon...

"Well we'll know in a few minutes...She'll be here...I told her that I had some information on a dirty cop who was feeding information to one of my suspects....I told her to come alone...Just like you asked." said Sharon.

Jimmy smiled...'Well here goes nothing." he said.

"You'll be just fine...Have a little faith in your girl." said Sharon.

IV-

 Detective Angela Belton appeared alone with her glock ...Sharon met her outside the jewelry store..

''Sharon, I came as soon as I got your text....You insisted that I not bring back up...Why? " asked Angie..

"It's a detective....I couldn't believe it...He's giving information to a Russian Mob suspect I've been on for weeks..He's waiting for him inside..Go inside..When he sees you,it'll break up the meeting and I can nab my suspect.." she said.

Angie looked puzzled....But she walked inside the Jewelry store...

"Jimmy?   What are you doing here?" she asked..

''Waiting for you Angie girl...I think I've been waiting for you all of my life..."he said...He pulled out the jewelry box and showed her the ring...

"Jimmy?  " was all she could say....

" Angela Clarice Belton...Would you marry me?" he asked.

"Oh My God!!!...You know my middle name?" she said.

"I'm a Detective Angie..I know everything about you." he said.

''Well I guess I'm going to have to marry you, so you won't tell anyone else my middle name..Sissy doesn't even know it..I'm just kidding.....YES...YESSSS ...YESSSS Jimmy..I'll marry you!" she said...tears flowing down her face..She grabbed Jimmy and kissed him...

"And the fact that uh...I'm uh white doesn't uh scare you? I know it won't be easy for us...Being an inter-racial couple." he stated.

"Scare me?  Jimmy ,you're over my house at least three nights a week..My neighbors know you by first name..We shop together, go to the movies together, go dancing together and uh do other things together...If I was worried about that little detail...We would have been over a long time ago...It's 2014...Not 1964." she said.

Jimmy looked around..

''Second time I've heard that today." he said and looked at teary eyed Sharon..Who just  Kanye shrugged...

''I guess you two can take it from here...My good deed is done for the day." she said.."Congratulations to you both.."she said.

''Thanks Sharon...for everything." said Jimmy.

"Stop it Jimmy...I'm already crying...I'm so happy for you guys." said Sharon...

"Ouuu girl...I'm going to get you...I thought your text sounded kind of fishy."said Angie pointing at Sharon and laughing..She then looked at Jimmy...

"Welllll Mister Barlow....This is the part where we are supposed to kiss." she said as they walked out into the street.."

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately for close to ten minutes....

"Wow....You happy Jimmy?" she asked.

"I am...You just don't know..."he said.

"I'm happy too...I'm going to be a married lady...Yayyyyyyyyyyyy!" she said smiling like a little girl on Christmas morning and kissing Jimmy again...

"Ugh Ang...I uh need a favor."he said.

"Anything you want, future husband of mine!"she said.

"I uh feel guilty....We are working on a big case...and everybody is on the street and uh my car is in the shop and I was wondering if you could give me a lift back." he said..

''Silly...Of course!!!...I'm still on the clock myself...Why do you ask me stuff like that?????...We're both cops and plus ,I'm your fiance now..What am I going to say...No?" she asked....

He kissed her again....

"Can I come over tonight after work?"he asked.

"You had better....When are you going to tell the guys?"she asked.

"Tomorrow after work...Come down...We'll announce it together!" he said.

"Can I tell Sissy? She's my best friend."said Angie..

"She already knows...I told her I was going to ask you...She gave me the time off ,in the middle of this murder case...She's a gem..Best Boss I've ever had...I love Sissy."said Jimmy.

"I love you James Barlow."she said and they stood by her car kissing, oblivious to the crowds of people walking by in downtown Philadelphia..

(TO BE CONTINUED)