Dead Ringer

Hi, My Name is Kevin Morris...I'm a Private Investigator among other things....I do favors for people..People who have no one else they can turn to....That's my side hustle or job you might say...During the day..I am the head of Morris Communications..A company that owns a newspaper and three magazines...All now published digitally and downloaded on peoples phones, laptops and tablets....We still published paper or hard copies..but we were pulling in more money from a younger crowd that was downloading everything...

I even wrote a piece or two now and then....One such person I wrote a piece about was the last person I would ever expect to be coming to me for help....

This story like a lot of my stories began in Josie's..My bar of choice...The bar where practically everybody I knew hung out at least two or three nights a week...Tonight, I was in here ,alone in the crowd knocking back a couple of cold ones...Gus, the owner and head bartender and I had just finished laughing about something...He turned his back and was waiting on another customer ,when I smelled the sweetest ,freshest fragrance I had smelled in a long time...

I turned around and saw a very attractive Black woman......I knew who she was because I had written a story on her in my magazine...

She was The Special Agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Carol Redding...

"Hello Mr. Morris....Can I call you Kevin?" she said.

I smiled...She was very attractive....About my age, maybe a year or two older...

"Sure , My friends do...We aren't friends yet...but I feel like I know you."I said.

"Well, you wrote a very nice story on me in your magazine...Very accurate too, con sidering we have never met...You do very thorough research...But that's what I heard." she said.

I had written a story about how she had followed evidence from several murders of drug kingpins in D.C. , Baltimore and here in Philly to a shady financial advisor named Breland, A Pharmecutical salesman named Albert Collins and a Philadelphia Drug figure named Tornado Jones , all murdered eventually  and linked to the corrupt Senator and former federal Prosecutor ,Owen McCracken, who was killing drug dealers and funnelling their huge profits into a shady war chest to use in his run for President...She had gotten to the bottom of the entire plot and  had put McCracken behind bars...He was presently on Death Row for murder in Virginia...

It was an incredible story...And for it..She had been given her present position...Special Agent in Charge of our region...Her office was in Wilmington,Deleware, but talk was that she was soon going to be moved here to Philly...

She was engaged to a friend of mine, Captain Ed Cantrell...He was a very lucky man to have a woman like her...

"So you're a fan of my publications?" I said smiling...

"No, not really...but since I was on the cover ,I thought I would read it." she said, smiling devilishly...

I smiled...

"What are you drinking?" I asked.

"Cranberry Juice...Vodka....on the rocks." she said.

"Hey Gus...Can I have a Vodka with Cranberry Juice?" I asked.

He smiled...

"Watch yourself Kid? She's dangerous." he said and laughed...

"Heyyy Gus" she said.

"Heyy Carol ,How ya doin babe?" he said.

"Im fine." she said.

"I see that..I asked how are you doin?" joked Gus...

Carol busted out laughing...

"You are so fresh Gus." she laughed...

"Can't be stale at my age." he said.

We both laughed...Carol turned to me...

"Did you know I used to be a Detective on the Philadelphia Police Force?" she asked.

"I did...You and my good friend, Sissy Van Buren were in the Academy together..Came up through the ranks together.."I said.

"Yup...We both mentored and trained Tyriq Pile, Angie Belton and Duke Baylor and later on...I had the pleasure of training and working with their protoge's, Sirena Harris, Carlotta Rodriguez and Jimmy Barlow...The nucleus of Sissy's crack unit." she said.

"Wow, some of my favorite people"  I said.

" I know...I've heard about how you've helped them on numerous cases. I worked a case with FBI SAC, Sharon Ferrell-Hopkins when we were both in D.C."she said.

"Wow! So you know all of my law enforcement friends.."I said.

"Yes..And they told me that you're the best P.I. they have ever known...They told me about how you have helped them crack many cases over the years...Sissy raves about you." she said.

"I see...And being the sterling investigator you are...I know you did some checking and you know that I was with Naval Criminal Investigative Services at one time."I said.

"Yupper...and you had quite a clearence record...High clearence record of cases...before you entered the public sector..."she said.

"So we know practically all there is to know about each other...I know that this isn't a courtesy call...You are here because you want something." I said.

"I'm here because I need your help." she said.

II-

Symphony Sam's All Star Orchestra was playing their second set.....

I whispered to Carol Redding....

"All of your law enforcement friends and you need my help?" I said.

"This isn't in Sissy's jurisdiction and Sharon is busy on a big case of her own right now...Then I thought about you.....Even Ed says you're the best."she said smiling weakly...

"Oh,congratulations on the engagement..."I said.

"Thank you...Will you help me???....I'll pay you....It'll have to be off the books."she said.

I smiled.

"I like you already...You got the sense of rogue about you."I laughed.

"I do what I have to do to get the job done." she said.

"Well before we talk about money...What do you need me to do?" I asked...

"Meet me at this address tomorrow morning and I'll explain everything to you."she said.

I took her card...

"Fair enough."I said.

"Oh..and conratulations to you and your wife...You all just had a baby recently.."she said.

"Yes...Sissy is our daughter's godmother."I said.

"Sissy is well loved...She's going to be Angie's Maid of honor and your daughter's godmother..and I'm going to ask her to be my maid of honor...."said Carol...

I smiled...She rubbed my hand.....

"I'll see you tomorrow....." I said...She smiled a very sexy and sultry smile...

After she left....Gus looked at me...

"Kid,I don't know how you control yourself..All the sexy women that are either your clients or associates..."He said...

Just then Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander walked in...She ordered a drink..She and I had worked together twice in the past and had become great friends..

"Heyy Gus...a Little Ciroc with Orange Juice on the rocks!" she said.

"Comin up sugar." he said and looked at me side eyed...as I kissed Olivia on the cheek.

"Hey Livy." I said.

"Heyy Kevin.." she said.

"Donnie Ray isn't playing tonight is he?" I asked. Donnie Ray was her husband..and like me a Private Investigator...He also had a side job...He played the trumpet in here with his own quintet some nights..We had become good friends...He had even helped me crack a case once.

"No...I just stopped by to get a cold one...To take the edge off before I head home..Had a rough day in court." she said ,smiling...

"I hear that!" I said.

''Where's that niece of yours tonight?" I asked. Beverly West,Olivia's niece was like her aunt Olivia, an Attorney and a former client of mine.

"Bev? She's with her boyfriend.." said Olivia...

"I met him the other day when I had lunch with Robert Foxworth...His name is Nelson...Nelson East....Nice guy." I said.

"He is.." she said.

"Well, I've got to be going....Kiss my adopted daughter for me?" I said. I was speaking of Josie Boyd...The daughter of a dead gangster who had once been a client of mine...I promised him that I would look out for her...She was now working as the office manager at Olivia's Law firm.

"Oh You mean Josie? I certainly will.." she chuckled.."And this is for your baby." she said and kissed me softly on the cheek.

"Good night Livy...Good Night Gus." I said as I got up and tossed a few dollars on the bar... "That's for her drinks too." I said.

"Awww, you are soo sweet...This one is for you." said Olivia, who kissed me on the cheek again... I giggled like a school boy...

Gus looked at me and winked and laughed to himself...shaking his head as he made her another drink.

I just smiled.

III-

I went home...Seeing two sexy women, Carol Redding and Olivia Bennett-Alexander in one night was more than I could stand...I needed to see my wife...

I checked in on our daughter.. Kimberly was sleeping so peacefully it wasn't funny..Almost as if she knew I required the full attention of her mother tonight...

Sepia and I met in the middle of our bedroom, nude..and said very little..We just began kissing each other...

''Ohhhhhh babes, I missed you sooo much.." I moaned..

"Ohhhhhhhh Kevin, I missed you toooooo....." she moaned...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...I thought about this all dayyy" I moaned...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..." she moaned as we continued to kiss...

She moaned , all the while holding my penis with both of her hands and rubbing it....

I kissed her, thrusting my tongue practically down her throat and rubbing her breasts...I could feel Sepia trembling....and moaning softly...She was climaxing already and we hadn't really started...

I lifted Sepia up and layed her across the bed...my bulging very erect penis practically jumped up at her!

"Ohhhhhh myyyyyy.........look at youuu" she said...eyeing it and rubbing it gently with one hand ...Within minutes we were embracing in a long , tender kiss...that grew hotter and more passionate by the second...

I opened her legs and I entered her very slowly...Surprisingly, she was already wet and I began to maneuver very easily inside of her...

''OH MY GOD...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." she moaned..

"Ummmmmmmmmmmm girl!" I moaned...

  Sepia  held me and wrapped her legs around my back as I really begin going in and out of her....

"OHHHH MY GOD.....You are sooooo huge...OHHHHHHHHHHHHH.." she screams!

Now I'm moving faster and faster...and Sepia was screaming to the top of her lungs...

I put my hand over her mouth to muffle the sound...

Three or four hours of passionate and slow ,yet intense lovemaking went by before we both climaxed mightily and furiously and dozed off to sleep on top of the bed in each others arms...

When I woke up the next morning, Sepia was smiling at me...

''Wow...That felt good last night lover..."she said.

"We didn't wake the baby up" I said.

"Actually we did...but you were sleeping so soundly,I didn't want to wake you so I got up and changed her and gave her a bottle.."she said ,smiling..

"I was sleeping that sound? Damnnnn!" I said.

Sepia was smiling...After the way you put in work last night..I'd be surprised if you didn't pass out." she said.

"For real?" I said.

She straddled me and gave me a passionate kiss..

"For real baby." she said.
IV-

The next day I drove over to the federal building in downtown Philadelphia and met DEA SAC Carol Redding in one of the empty offices...

"Wow..you're a little early...I like a man that's punctual...."She said.

"I try hard to be...In my business...a little slow, a little late can be fatal." I said.

"Mine too!"she said.

"What was that fragrance you were wearing last night?" I asked.

"You liked that?" she said..

"I did...I'd like to buy that for my wife...." I said.

"I'll tell you after we discuss this case."she said and laid out some photos on her desk...

"See this man?" she said.

I looked at the photo....It was like looking in a mirror, this guy looked like me!!!! He was a dead ringer...almost...He had a cleff chin...I didn't..

"Wow! He looks like me."I said.

"I showed the photo to Sissy, Carlotta,Sirena,Tyriq,Duke and Sharon and they all said the same thing you're saying...Except for the chin..That could be you...His name was
Donnie...Donnie Clayton...He was from out of New York...We think he was a courier...a courier for this guy!"she said and put a photo of another man who I didn't recognize...

"Who are they?" I asked.

This is Albert "Pink"Pinkston, Penn  Grad, Attorney, Stock-broker by day and major drug trafficker by night...Naturally he has no criminal record...We've had our eyes on him for awhile...This cool guy right here is his street boss,enforcer and number two man, Charlie Green...Him! We do have a sheet on...Did a five year bid for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and a suspect in a 2009 murder...These two are distributing a high grade of Heroin to all of the independents in the city...Charlie Green is selling to all of West,Southwest and North Philadelphia and has been seen in Fishtown, China town and Little Norway ,meeting with drug figures...They buy from these guys exclusively...." she said.

"Okay...so where do I come in?" I asked.

"This guy here...Your look a like is their courier, we think...We intercepted a phone call from him to them...They're supposed to meet tomorrow at the Marriot in town..These two have never met him...He did time with an old adversary of yours...Bob "Big Butt " Thornton...He comes highly recomended...They talked in codes on the phone...But from what I understand...He is supposed to pick up a package from them." said Carol.

"You want me to take his place?" I asked.

"Yes...You'll be wearing a wire and we'll have undercovers watching...You're to make the meet and get them both to talking about drugs.....delivery,distribution,et al..If you can, get the location of his warehouse..." said Carol...

"So while I'm doing this...Where is laughing boy here....My look a like going to be?" I asked.

"He won't be a problem....He's dead!" she said.  She showed me another photo ..It was of a car crash...

''Whoa!" I said,looking at the accident.

"Yeah...Whatever else he is...He's not the greatest driver in the world...He apparently had an anuerysim that exploded in his head while he was driving and he died at the wheel..Totaled his car.. A few days ago...We have kept the story and the details out of the papers and the media...His body is at a government morgue...He's our only shot at getting close to them...."said Carol..."I don't have an agent that looks enough like him that can pull this off....So you do this and I'll be real grateful....I'll see to it that you are financially compensated ."she said.

"I've had some wild assignments..but this one takes the cake."I laughed..

"So you'll do it?" she asked.

"Yeah, why not?" I said.

"Sissy said that you're the best..." she laughed...

"Oh yeah...That fragrance?" I asked...

She went in her pocketbook and pulled out a bottle...

"My gift to you...I hope your wife likes it." she said.

I smiled..

(TO BE CONTINUED)