An Engaging Kind Of Guy

It was the only time...Since we had been partners that my partner, Detective Monica Talbert sat in the "Fishbowl" or interrogation room with a suspect without me..This suspect , Detective Robert Sykes from Robbery was one of us..a cop....A tall, brown skinned , well dressed and suave  detective...A real smooth talker.. and her ex-boyfriend...She said they were once engaged...To say I was a little worried..was an under statement..Lieutenant Frankie Cotton Jr. passed me a tumbler of coffee..He looked at me kind of strangely....

"Don't take this personal kid...They have history..." he said.

''Why should I take it personally? He's just a suspect." I said.

Lt. Cotton looked at me and gave me the side eye...

"Okay...I've been using plausible deniability around here...but you think I don't know that you like her? And you think I don't know that she kind of likes you too?  I haven't said nothing because you two have the highest clearence rate of all my detectives..but I know both of you have some kind of feelings for each other..Yall just tryin to be professional about it and deny it...That aint none of my business..As long as you two keep crackin murder cases..but don't try to play that I don't care crap with me...You insult me as a detective, detective...Now as I was sayin..They have history..We had a series of home invasions in which the crew was out of characteristically violent...beating the victims nearly to death....and then they slipped and did beat someone to death....Those two were butting heads at first and then gradually decided to work together.."he said.

"I take it they cracked the case?" I said.

''Oh yeah, cracked the case...brought the whole crew down...It was brilliant the way they worked together..Reminded me of you two...They uh fell in love during the case...I saw it...I warned her....She is like a crazy little sister to me..I raised her from a pup...She was a over achieving little patrolman....I urged her to take the detectives exam...She aced it..Highest in her class and got promoted...I trained her myself..Waiting for the day when she transferred to homicide...When she did,I again trained her...Best homicide detective I've ever trained..bar none.." said Lt. Cotton proudly...

"So what happened between them?" I asked.

''For awhile...it was good between them...but then things went sour....For one thing..he had more than one girl...I don't know how your partner knew it..but she knew it and she got the truth out of him...They had the nerve to be engaged...Can you believe that?  She caught him coming out of the girl's house...fixing his pants...She was hurt...real hurt and she kind of went into a shell after that..Threw herself into her work...She uh had a brief fling with an FBI agent...who it turned out was married...Then she kind of kept men at an arms length for a long time...Until you came along...You were the first man she was so excited about working with...I'm glad she trusts you....Probably cause you're not sleeping with her." he said and walked away as I continued to watch the interrogation.

I smiled...

If he only knew...

II-

"I always knew our paths would cross again...Monica..Just didn't imagine it would be like this..."said Detective Bobby Sykes...

"Same here." she said.

''You didn't allow your partner to sit in on this..Are you and he uh?" he asked..

"No! I just thought it better if you and I discuss this , since I know you and he doesn't." she said.

Bobby Sykes smiled..

"As a liar ,you make a great detective......You and him?....You guys are either an item or you're getting ready to be..You don't fool me...I know you too well Monica..." he said.

"Bobby...what happened with Mimi?" she asked ignoring him..

"Well I didn't kill her if that's what you're asking...You know me...I'm a detective like you..." he said.

"She was dressed for some action...Bedroom action...Expensive Lingerie and perfume..." said Monica..

He smiled..and arched his eyebrow slightly.

"You do know your lingerie.....Lawd...I remember some of the things you used to wear...My goodness..I'm gettin a hard on just thinkin about it...oh...but to answer your question...We  uh had started talking again...We weren't married anymore...but I didn't hate her..She called me ..Well, uh I kinda called her...A booty call....When I got there...She was already dead.....I called you guys...If I killed her...Would I stick around? Come on....And you know I know that you know I am telling the truth.." he said.

"Yeah, but even I can be fooled by someone as skilled as you...It wouldn't be the first time.." she said.

"I guess you haven't taught Junior outside how to hide his thoughts, how to block you from entering his thoughts..have you?" he said smiling wryly..

"I've taught him a few things..but unlike you...He doesn't block me...He's an open book..He lets me experience him totally..."she said.

"Guess you haven't told him that after awhile he'll be able to experience you totally too have you?"he asked..

"I've told him..It hasn't started happening yet.."she said.

"Ohhhh pretty girl with so many secrets huh? You are doing your partner...I thought so...He looks young." he said.

''We are the same age." she said.

"How nice...yall two can grow old together.." he laughed...

"You are such an arrogant jackass."she said laughing...

"That's what has always turned you on to me hasn't it?" he said laughing..

They stopped laughing....

"What went wrong with us baby?" he asked..

"You cheated on me....After you asked me to marry you....And come to find out it had been going on the whole time you and me were seeing each other..You blocked that part of your life out of your thoughts.."said Monica..

He looked sad..He had been a psych major ...a Para Psych major...He knew how to deal with Telepathic mutants better than most...He had hidden a lot from Monica.

"Yeah...that was sad...and stupid on my part...It's just that when I met you ,you were so special...I just had to have you..I couldn't let you get away...and I had her and I was greedy baby...I wanted both of you...and lost both of you.."he said looking sad...

"When did you marry Mimi?"

''Oh years later..I didn't cheat on her...but we were like oil and water...we never really clicked except in bed...We shouldn't have gotten married..."he said.

"Any kids?" she asked..

"Nah....You?" he asked.

"No.."she said..

"This guy good to you?" he asked..

''Oh yes...He's wonderful....I've never met a guy quite like him..." she said gushing...

He stood up...

''He's a lucky man...I'm happy for you....I'm going to go now." he said...

''Wait a minute this interview isn't over."said Monica..

"I'm not your suspect Mo-Mo...Re canvass your crime scene...Check her financials detective...You know the drill."he said and walked out...He got his service revolver and his badge and smiled...He walked up to me..

He whispered...

"Does she do that thing where she blows in your ear and sucks your neck? That used to make me blow my load within seconds.." he said and patted me on the back and walked away...

Monica didn't say anything to me...At least not at first...She knew I'd heard the entire interview......I wisely didn't say anything...Not about that...

"I uh...ruh...checked our vic's financials...She uh was making several large payments to two people every two weeks..One was a modeling school...She was a model you know and the other was a wire transfer to an anonymous account in the Caymen Islands..''I said.

"Good ...We'll check out the modeling agency first..." she said.

III-

On our way to the modeling school....Monica leaned over and kissed me ....

"Thank you....Thank you for not being jealous...for being patient with me...I know that Lou told you the whole story ...Everything I left out...and I know you heard us talking...You're nothing like him...You're a much better man...."she said.

"Good to know....Now let's forget about him...Let's go catch us a killer." I said as we landed on the roof...

As we were getting out...Monica pulled me to her and gave me the kiss of life....Kissing me passionately for a few minutes...

''Wow...What was that for?"I said...a little aroused...

"So you won't have any doubts that I love you." she said..

"Uh-Okay..."I said...

She busted out laughing...

"You're so cute..."she said.

IV-

We spoke to the head of the modeling agency...an effeminate man named Jester Previn..

''Yess..Ms. Mimi got her start here...Back when we were a small agency in a rat infested walk up...She was our first big star....She always gave back..."

"She went to L.A. and made movies ..and television shows ,but she never forgot us..Always wrote us a nice check...Which is why we are in these digs....but in the months before she died..she stopped writing us checks..." he said.

 "Oh? She give a reason?" asked Monica..

He looked around and leaned in and whispered to us...

''Somebody was blackmailing her...and the last time I saw her ,which was two days before she died..She looked frightened and tired...run down..."he said.

"I suppose she didn't tell you who was blackmailing her or what it was about..?" I said, knowing that she didn't..

"Noo...but whoever it was..they had her shook...Listen...She was pretty close with a guy ...what you would call a fortune teller...but what she called her personal astrologer..He's a real engaging type of guy...His name is Javier Baba...Javi Baba...She told him everything..." he said...

"Thanks for your help." we said as we left....

V-

Our next stop was the Medical Examiner's Office... Dr. Monique Talbert...Monica's sister was helping us with her first murder victim...

"Well look who it is...My sister and my future brother in law..."she said smilin...''Hi ya handsome."she said...

"Hi Monique...what'cha got?" I said smiling at her.

She moved a huge basin of roses..

"I was hoping they were from that fine Lieutenant of yours ,but they're from uh Detective Wally Becker.."she said.

"Oh My God...He couldn't get me, so he wants you...Like he doesn't think I'm going to tell you....He stole Nate's wife from him...After he broke up their marriage and Nate's ex-wife dumped him..he started coming on to me.." said Monica....who then paused..."But you know that already...he told you didn't he?"she said.

''What did I tell you about scanning my thoughts..Get out of my head Mo-Mo.."she said..''Nate..tell her to get out of your head...Your thoughts will be your own then." she laughed...''Yeah, he came down here and brought me lunch and told me his entire life story...He seemed sincere...but I'm not really feelin him...I hope he doesn't become a pest..."

"Now about your killer...It was somebody at least five foot ten...they stabbed our victim with a steak knife or something simular....There was no sign of forced entry...so your killer must have had a key or was in the place already..Must have been somebody she knew.." she said.

''Detective Sykes had a key....I took it off of him..."I said..."And he's six foot, two..."I said.

"Hmmm, let's see if anybody else had a key...Let's look at this Astrologer/Fortune Teller/Confidant...That we were told about..." said Monica..

"You two got dinner plans?" asked Monique..

''Not really, you wanna hang with us Sis?" asked Monica.

"Yeah, can I? That Detective Becker is coming down here and I want to be gone by the time he comes back.He seems like a nice guy and all...But he's pressing me kinda hard and I'm not ready for all that yet."said Monique..

"I know a place in Camden.." I said.

"Mo-Mo...You better marry this guy...I'm already liking him. I think he's going to be the coolest brother in law." laughed Monique...

Monica looked at me and smiled.. and rubbed my hands softly....but said nothing...

I smiled at her...She didn't have to say anything...I knew..

(TO BE CONTINUED)