Red Herring

Another day in the city....I drove my wife, Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace and her boss and my good friend, Lt. Sissy Van Buren to work...We had two seemingly unsolvable homicides and a homicidal maniac on the loose who seemed to have a thing for Sissy...

It was nice having Sissy stay with us....She was no problem at all...I had forgotten how much fun she could be since I'd gotten involved with and married to Carlotta...We sat up playing cards one night.. Tyriq and Sirena dropped by that same night, they brought their kids...Their twins and their baby girl had a great time, Carlotta spent the whole night feeding them and chasing them around the house.....While Sissy and I and Tyriq and Sirena played cards.

 Duke and Hazel dropped by on another night. .I ordered Pizza and Hoagies..and we played spades and laughed and talked..It was fun....

Hop and Sharon dropped by yet another night and the five us went to a movie and then dinner.

Jimmy and Angie dropped by yet another night and the four of us went to Josies for drinks and later just hung out at Jakes for hot dogs after closing.

I loved the camraderie..So did Carlotta. Another night ,just the three of us sat up watching a movie and another night , the three of us sat up just talking and laughing until our sides hurt...

Her being there didn't even put a cramp on our sex life....Carlotta and I had to keep our door closed and had to be quieter...but it didn't slow down anything ..other than the fact that we couldn't do it all over the house or anywhere in our house as we usually did...and of course we had to keep the moaning down...

I was kind of sad though that Sissy was leaving tomorrow...It had been such a fun week...Our killer had been eerily silent for a few days...No calls and no additional murders.

"So Where are we on these two murders?" I asked...

"Me, Rico and Jimmy checked her financials....She was very simular to our first victim..White, early twenties...studying for a graduate degree from Drexel, Came from a well to do family in the Northeast...Nothing odd about her financials..." said Carlotta.

"We interviewed family,friends and classmates, high school and college...Not an enemy in the world and no connection to our first victim at all, except that in the last weeks of her life...She had started dating a tall, athletic built guy named ,get this..."Brett Butler..it turned out to be  a phony name." He was described as being controlling, anti social and hesitant to have his picture taken..." Carlotta continued..

I looked at Sissy...

"You don't remember anybody like that in your past??...Maybe he wasn't serious..Maybe it was one date, a passing thing...A mild flirtation??" I said.

"Carlotta, I don't want to punch your husband while he's driving us to work..I keep telling you...Nothing like that...What kind of girl do you think I am?" she said.

Carlotta laughed...

"You know...There was that FBI agent...The one you were seeing right around the time I first joined the unit...Agent Breland..." said Carlotta..

Sissy mused, then she smiled...

"Ohhh yeah...I forgot about him...He may be the only White guy in my past...Yeah..You're right..."she said and she smiled...

"He was nice...He certainly destroyed a lot of stereotypes I had about White guys.."she said and winked at Carlotta ,who looked at me and giggled..

"You can't get mad Honey Bunny, you've dated every race known to man...Wasn't that Emma Strand person who you were hot and heavy with, White?" she asked me...

"Yeah..She was..."I playfully admitted...There had been another one too..A model that neither Sissy or Carlotta knew about....Aside from those two...All of my women had been African-American, with the exception of Carlotta herself...A Puerto Rican...But imagining Sissy with a white man just kind of ruffled my feathers a bit... She ,unknown to her had been the Black Pin Up Queen and fantasy girl of all of the black cops and detectives for a long time..She was our Pam Grier..and ours only...We felt that she was our property!

II-

We entered the office and an FBI agent made the motion for us to be quiet and to enter the surveilience room... Sissy ,Carlotta and I entered the room and were joined by Sharon, Jimmy,Duke, Tyriq, Sirena and Hop.

Sharon closed the door...

"This is a safe room....Probably the only safe room...Whoever your perp is...He's good...We brought in a sweep team....We found very high end, listening and video devices all over this squad room...They're removing them now...We found them at Tyriq and Sirena's house, Duke and Hazel's house and even in Hop and my house..
He's been watching and listening to everything we say and do..." said Sharon..

"Based on the amount of stuff  Carlotta,Jimmy, Rico and I found on our last victim's credit card that was ordered on line...We suspected that the stuff we uncovered from your house wasn't all of it..We found GPS tracking devices on all of our cars..." said Hop.

"Based on the amount we found...You need to go to your house...and let the team sweep it again.There will still some items not accounted for." said Sirena..

"This guy? He sounds like he could be a cop."said Duke...

"A cop or Special Forces or Fed or both.."said Tyriq...

Carlotta looked at Sissy...

"Your FBI Guy?" she said.

"Yeah....He would have these skills...but I can't imagine him doing something like this..He was sooo nice.." said Sissy..

"Sometimes people change Sissy." I said.

"What FBI guy?"asked Sharon.

"Agent Brett Breland....You know him?  Wait a minute...Brett?  Oh My God...Could it be??"Sissy.

"I knew him....He was a pretty good agent..and yes...He was ex-Special Forces...Very highly skilled..But he left the bureau about two years before..Last I heard...He was a Security Analyst for some big corporation."said Sharon...

"And this guy you're talking to keeps saying he wants to have you...That sounds like someone who wants you, not an ex-boyfriend..."said Sirena...

"It was a little complicated between me and Agent Breland.."said Sissy.  "You guys don't remember the Little Anita Jenkins murder case do you?" said Sissy.

"I remember it...A little girl was found in a box out on the side of the road...The city was outraged and heartbroken...I was fresh out of law school...I Had just entered the District Attorney's office back then...That was before we met, wasn't it Sissy?..."I said.

"Rico, Angie and me were in the academy at the time..."said Duke..

"Wow...Good times huh?" said Tyriq..

''Yeah man..." said Duke.

"I remember that case...I was tending bar back then...Not even thinkin about bein a cop."said Jimmy...

"Me neither Jimmy...I was engaged to Mickey Lolo..I had just graduated from Community College and I was still making rap videos and modeling."said Carlotta..

''Rap Videos? Who? You TOP? " said Tyriq..with a wry smile...

"'Modelin? , Rap Videos??" said Jimmy.

"Lotta?? You were in videos?" asked Sirena astounded..

Carlotta smiled and hung her head down...''I shouldn't have said anything." she said.

I smiled..."Yeah...seee? " I laughed...


Duke,Tyriq, Jimmy,Sirena and Sissy turned and gave Carlotta the side eye... Sharon giggled and I just hung my head...

Hop cracked up...Apparently, he knew....I knew too, but I figured Carlotta wouldn't want her collegues to know about that part of her past..

''Wow, I guess you guys didn't know.. Young Carlotta was quite a hottie...Was in a few videos with some of the top New York rappers of the day...Fat Joe, Mannie Fresh,Fabulous, Ne Yo...just to name a few...and used to model...I believe  she's in an old Victoria's Secret catalog from back in the day..." said Sharon, cracking up....

''Chica..You were in Victoria's Secret?" asked Sissy.

 ''Yeah..maybe a couple of issues...but that was years ago.Carmen and I used to go up to New York for photo shoots...So did Sharon...Since she's telling everything"said my wife, Carlotta ,laughing and sticking her tongue out at her best friend...

 I had found the old issues and kept them in my office....Carlotta looked great, then and now...

"Yo man...You knew this?" said Tyriq..looking at me and smiling...

''Why do you think I was so crazy about her and pursued her so hard?" I said.

"Oh hush up...He didn't know anything until after we got married and my sister told him...Then he you tubed me.."laughed Carlotta..."I wasn't a cop all my life.." she said.

"I see! So Sharon...You modeled in Victoria's Secret too eh? You got any old issues?" said Duke leeringly.

"I have one with me and Carlotta both in it...but you'll never see it...Only my husband has seen it.." said Sharon laughing...

Hop whispered to Duke...

''Hey man.. Don't worry ,I'll bring it in..."

"You better not!" said Sharon, slapping his arm playfully and blushing..

We all cracked up laughing...

III-

"Anyway...I was a young Detective....I was working the Little Anita Jenkins case hard...I wanted to close it before it became a red ball and more detectives got involved or it got taken away from me...I was making my bones...Trying to prove myself...

Agent Bret Breland was with the FBI violent crimes Task Force...He came in and tried to hijack my case...but I stood my ground and at some point..We decided to work together ...

We were better working together than we were butting heads...He asked me that question...That question that irks a lot of Black women...

"You're mixed with something aren't you?"

"Huh, What?" I said.

"One of your parents isn't black..I can tell."he said.

"Is this how you make conversation?" I asked.

"No...I'm just observant..." he said.

"My father is white..My late mother was African-American.." I said.

"You are gorgeous." he said smiling...

"For a Black woman right?" I said.

"For a woman period." he said and smiled the sweetest smile...

"We cracked the case.....He bought me a bouquet of Roses and asked me to go out with him...I did..We went out three or four times...Nice Dates..and that was it for a few years....Then around the time You started putting this unit together...He returned and we started dating again...We uh went to a hotel room and this is uh where things got cute to use Sirena's words..."said Sissy.

Sirena and Carlotta looked at each other and went...

"Awwww suki suki now..." in unison...

Sharon looked at Sissy,...

''Okay...you guys got to get out of here...We got to hear this..Women Only.."she joked.

Me, Tyriq, Duke, Hop and Jimmy all said in unison-

"No wayyyyy!"

Everybody laughed....

Sissy blushed and continued...

"It's not what you think...We went to a hotel ....and yes...We had sex...The sex was good...Very good...That wasn't the problem."said Sissy..

"What was the problem?" said Sharon and Carlotta in unison...

"I didn't love him...and I told him I didn't...I didn't want to hurt him...We were just casual...For me it was simply curiosity..I know that sounds  wrong...but I was curious..Once that itch was scratched...That was it for me..but he couldn't deal with that...The next day he sent me a bouquet of roses and the day after that another bouquet...There were numerous texts and emails...and phone calls...He kept saying..

"Sissy ,I can't get you out of my mind..."

He had to leave town..to work a case...I figured being away from me would take his mind off of me...but it didn't..Finally,I had to let him down easy..Explain to him that I had a boyfriend and that it was serious...because by then ,I had met Eddie C. and we had got involved with each other. He got himself transferred to D.C. That was the last I heard of him for three years...I did run into him last year once...He was with another girl...A Black woman..." she said.

"Yeah and since then, you've had to fend off Ed Cantrell and Rollie Rollerson as well...No wonder they call you the Boss Lady...Once they've had you...They are hooked..I went through the same thing with Soloman Foster and this one here." said Sirena ,pointing to Tyriq...Who smiled sheepishly.." And a jewel thief who had a thing for me...I gave this one here a break and married him"she said and sat on Tyriq's lap and kissed him...

"Don't mention Soloman Foster...He was on me for like a year before he got the message that nothing was going to happen..." laughed Carlotta...

We all laughed.....Just then Sissy's office phone rang...She pointed to Jimmy...He immediately put a trace on it...

Jimmy gave her the high sign and she picked up the reciever.....

"Hello baby, how are you? It's been awhile...Thought I forgot huh?" came the mysterious voice...

"What do you want?" asked Sissy..

"You!" he said.

''What do you mean, me?" asked Sissy..

"Mmmmm, you in bed...with me..You've been away for a few nights...You can't stay away forever..Soon you have to come back home....I've MISSED YOU!!!" came the voice..

"I have a boyfriend..." she said.

"So....Tell him you're doing this to save lives..He'll understand...
I killed a girl today by the way...I was bored and horny.....It was a young girl...24 years old...I'll give you the address to where you can find her..I'm going to keep killing until you agree to meet me in the hotel room of my choice...and sleep with me..When are you going to do this???...because I am going bananas everyday watching you..Wanting to be with you..I want you so bad I can taste you....ummmmm.."he said.

"If I agree to do this...How do I know you won't still kill again?" asked Sissy..

"Because I gave you my word....I am an honorable man...ouuuuuuuu, just the thought is getting me alll hot and bothered,I'm sweating.....ouuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." he said.

''You  need to stop playing games...You know it's only a matter of time before we catch you."said Sissy.

"You'll never catch me...It's been what? Two weeks and you guys don't have a clue..Don't you think I've planned this whole thing? Every part of it? You guys don't have a clue as to who I am or where I am.."he said.

"You do use condoms don't you?" asked Sissy..

"So you've considered it huh??...ughhhhh, ohhhhhh...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.."he moaned.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Y-Yes...Yes....Just the thought of you and me in bed...has made me...ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, ouuuuuuuuuuu, just come in my pants....ughhhhhhhhhhh..Sissy you are driving me crazy...I need you...ohhhhhhhhhhhh..."he moaned..

"Should I bring some Viagra or Cialis? And maybe a mop and a bucket of hot water" asked Sissy..Her sense of humor was dead on...

In the background....Tyriq,Duke,Sirena ,Hop and Sharon chuckled..The call was on speaker phone and being recorded as well as traced..

This angered the caller...

"Do you think I'm some kind of joke??...YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?? MY FEELINGS FOR YOU IS REAL BABY!  REAL!! I don't need Viagra or Cialis...I can hold my own...I can satisfy you...I AM MORE THAN UP FOR THE TASK!!  "he said.

"Really? Because you just lost it and we are only talking.."said Sissy...This time Carlotta chuckled...

Jimmy looked at Sissy...

"We got it Boss lady!" he whispered...

Sissy nodded...

"I have to go now!" she said.

"Don't go ...I'm still talking...I see your guys discovered some of  my spyware...They are good..These are the best detectives you've had in a long time...I've enjoyed watching them...The women are gorgeous in your unit...That Carlotta with that long hair and that body of hers is something else and Sirena is sexy as hell ,so is Sharon, the FBI agent.. and Hazel's body is just amazing...I tell you, Keith Wallace, Tyriq,Duke and Hopkins are some lucky guys....And that Black girl that is sleeping with Jimmy Barlow...Didn't she used to be with you??Detective Angie Belton right?? He's one lucky guy...came the voice...

"He seems so familiar with us...He knows our names...Almost like he's been here...Like he has walked amongst us." I said.

Carlotta nodded. Even Sissy sensed the same thing.

"Yes he is...They all are very fortunate to have found each other and to be able to work together so well. "said Sissy.

''You know...I've dealt almost exclusively with white women....but you and your detectives have given me a new perspective on minority females...All you need is an Asian woman..Whoa boyyy." he said.

"You've got to stop this....Obviously you know a lot about us...Did it ever occur to you that you could have just made my acquaintence?....I don't bite...We might have been friends...But now it's way too late for that...I'm going to lock you up.."said Sissy..

"No you're not!! I don't just want to be your friend...I want you in my bed...IN MY BED!! And until you are...More people are going to die! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND??...I NEED TO BE INSIDE OF YOU SISSY! Now when are we going to make this happen?? I don't know if I can wait much longer."he said breathing heavy.

"It's not going to ever happen...This is my body, you can't force me to just give it to you...You don't have that right." said Sissy sternly..

"Suit yourself!  You are sooo sexy when you're being obstinate!" he said and hung up.

Sissy looked at her troops...

"Get your Kevlar and trauma plates...Get your glocks...We got him!!...Let's take him.''said Sissy.

IV-

We all got in our cars and headed for the address ..The address where we had traced the phone call.....Sissy took one look at the house and then looked at the address given and she hung her head...

"Oh my God....This is the same address he gave me...He probably knew all along that we were tracing him ,which is why he didn't care about staying on the phone so long ,she said.

When we got to the house, This time in North Philadelphia...We found the body of a twenty four year old caucasion woman...Bethany Edwards...She had been shot multiple times and like the other victims...The murder weapon was in a bag  by the body..

The serial number filed away and the gun bleached...With no fingerprints or DNA...
We had been tricked and taunted again..

Hazel and her team were snapping pictures and examining the room...Carlotta, Tyriq,Jimmy and Sissy examined the body..They were wearing Latex gloves...
There was a typewritten message in the bra strap of the young woman.....

"Don't make me wait too much longer!" it read.

"He knew what we would look for...He left the murder weapon here with no trace evidence."said Carlotta..

 "Those CSI guys aren't going to find a thing in here."said Tyriq...

"You're right about that Rico...Man, the bodies are piling up and we got jack!" said a frustrated Jimmy.

''We may have something!!!...I found two forms of DNA at the first crime scene and they don't match."said Hazel.

"In order to catch this guy....We are going to have to get creative...We've got to do something different"said Sissy...

"But what Boss Lady?" asked my wife, Carlotta...

Sissy sighed..."I don't know Chica....I don't know!" she said.

Duke and Hop walked into the room where we all were...

"This guy wasn't even here when he called you Lou...Look what we found in the other room." said Duke..

"Look at this..We've seen this funky equipment before...It was hooked up to the landline phone...It re-routed the call to a number that we can't trace...The room was rented to a Bethany Edwards..who paid by credit card...The credit card was reported stolen a day ago and Bethany Edwards is probably a phony name." said Hop.....

"No..it's a real name!...That's her on the floor..."said Hazel.

Detective Sirena Pile and six uniforms walked into the room..

"That's the victim's car downstairs in front of here...We found her drivers license on the front seat...and I think our perp may have finally made a mistake." said Sirena.

"What kind of mistake?" said Sissy..

"CSI guys found a palm print on the license and another strand of red hair..."said Sirena..

"I'll match it with the DNA I found at the other site."said Hazel.

"Maybe we'll finally get at least and ID on this guy..."I said.

"Release the body.." said Carlotta....as the other detectives..uniformed police officers and Crime Scene Investigators moved out and dispersed the crowd...

I had not told the media that these cases were related or that the killer was calling Sissy..I wanted to keep all of that out of the paper..

Sissy called me and Carlotta over to her...She looked as serious as I've ever seen her..

"Chica...Tell Duke to take that plain clothes security team off of my house." she said.

"What? Are you serious Boss Lady?" said Carlotta.

"Yes...The only way we are going to catch this guy is for me to play ball with him...We've been frustrating him...Not allowing him to watch...I'm going to give him a show that he'll never forget.." said Sissy..

"You know you could be putting yourself in harms way...Why don't you wait Sissy? He got sloppy, he left a palm print and some hair..We'll Identify him now." I said.

"He didn't get sloppy...He meant for us to find that...He's very good..Very smart..Sharon,Rico,Sirena and Duke are busy profiling him....They're going to be working with Hazel to create a psychological profile of him as well...Go ahead and see if you can get a positive ID...But I am certain that it's a Red Herring...a trick and it'll lead us to nowhere or another body...I've got to put myself out there to catch him.."said Sissy.

"Boss Lady...I can shadow you."said Carlotta...

"No...Go on home...Be with your husband...Eddie C. will be back soon and he has a gun...I've got a back up piece in my wall safe at home...I'll be alright."she said.

"You sure Sissy?" I asked.

She looked at us both...

"No...but this is the only way to stop more lives from being lost."she said.

We were all quiet as we drove to her house...After a seeming week long break...The hunt was back on..and this case which had seemingly gone cold was hot again!

(DEFINITELY TO BE CONTINUED)