Murder In Motion

A warm Late summer afternoon in Philadelphia...A Bike race!  

My wife ,Sepia was holding our daughter, Kimberly and showing her the bikers, racing by...She was thoroughly enjoying it..

''Look Kimmy Cakes..here come the Bikers.."said Sepia as more Bikers rode by..

A crowd of people gathered to watch more bikers come flying by....

My wife's partner...Bonita Foxworth smiled...

"Yes baby..Here come the bikers.." she said...eyeing them salaciously...

"Ouu girl, your husband is out of ear range.."laughed Sepia..

"Well to use his words, Just cause you have the Mona Lisa, doesn't mean you can't observe the rest of the artwork.." she said..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.."laughed Sepia and Bonita in that conspiratorial laugh that all women laugh amongst themselves...

I was sitting across from them, enjoying a nice cold beer...

Me? I'm Kevin Morris, Communications Entrepreneur and part time Private Investigator.. Next to me, was Bonita's husband, Attorney Robert Foxworth,

one of my closest friends...

"This is a nice spot here...I hear Stephan Bristol owns a piece of this.." said Robert...

As we sat quietly and drank and watched the Bike Race...

''He does..Bonita and I sold this property to him.."said Sepia proudly...

''Which is why the four of us are drinking free tonight.."said Bonita..

as a second round of drinks arrived at our table...

and another beer for Robert..

 ''Sweet, He's become quite the legitimate businessman over the years...He's got that rooftop bar and grill,which is making money hand over foot and now this.."I said..

"I hear he's no longer running semi-legal crap games...he doesn't need to...He's making a pile from a liquor distribution deal with a guy named El Gato.."said Robert Foxworth..

"Yeah, I heard about that...Good for him.." I said..

"Baby Girl looks like she's getting sleepy."said Bonita..

"She's playing possum, but I should get her home and bathed and ready for bed." said Sepia...

"One more round and we'll call it a night.." I said..

''Yeah, I guess we will too..I've got to go to work tomorrow."said Robert Foxworth.

More bikers rode by...

Such a nice uneventful night...

Then we heard a sound like a loud POP!...

''What was that?  A firecracker??" asked Sepia..

"It's not the 4th of July...Hell, It's after Labor Day..."said Robert Foxworth...

'Doesn't mean someone doesn't have a firecracker.." I laughed..

THEN WE HEARD SCREAMING!  A LOT OF SCREAMING!!

II-

"Oh My God!!! One of the bikers fell off of his bike.."said Sepia..

''No...It's more than that...Look...A pool of blood is coming from his head....I think he's been shot!" I said..

"Oh My Godddd!" said Bonita...

''WOWWWW!! A damn near perfect night and this happens."said Robert Foxworth..

 A crowd of people looked around...but there was nothing but bikers..

and on lookers....

Within the next half hour....The police arrived...and the Medical Examiners office...I saw my friend, Dr. Hazel Baylor examining the body...

''Okay guys...get some photos of the entire area...Look for shell casings..." she said..

Police from the crime scene unit were already on the scene...

''Found what may be the murder weapon  and found the casings.."said an alert young policeman...

"Bag and tag all of that...Give it to the case detective..."sighed Hazel....

''Heyyy Hazel.." I said.

"Hi Kevin...What are you doing out here?" she asked..

"I was out with my wife, daughter and some friends...We are over at that bar over there..." I pointed..

She eyed the bar and saw Sepia, Kimmie, Robert and Bonita..

She waved and they waved back....

"You didn't see anything did you?" she asked...

''Sorry Hazel.. We were watching the Bike race, drinking and talking...We then heard a "pop" like sound...We thought it was a firecracker.."I said..  "I suppose Carlotta, Tyriq and Jimmy will be here soon.."I said..

Thinking of Three of Sissy's detectives ,who usually are the first on the scene of such an event...

"No, None of them...Not Sirena and Hop

 or my husband Duke and Angie..

They're all working different cases at the moment." she sighed...

''Oh Crap ,you mean to tell me that HE is coming?" I asked..

"Yeah..I hate working with him...I just hate it...He makes declarations to the press, before my findings can be made, he goes off half cocked and won't listen to anybody.and then arrests the wrong person and embarrasses the entire department..

The ADA's hate it when they get one of his cases...."said Hazel...

"I feel for you Hazel...I do...Speak of the devil...Here comes Mr. Warmth now.." I said..

Lieutenant Tragg arrived flanked by six uniformed officers....and the press..

He kneeled down and observed the body....He then stood up, rubbed his hair and proclaimed..

''The victim, a white male ,about 42 years old, shot to death...One GSW...That's Gun shot wound to the head."he said..It was almost like a scene from Columbo...

''Look at him, playing to the press...I haven't even taken the body to the morgue for examination yet." said Hazel..

I laughed...

He started walking toward Hazel...

She passed him a bag with the probable murder weapon and the shell casings in it..

''Recovered from the scene.."she said dryly...

"Good Work...Who is he?" asked Lt. Tragg...

"His name is Dr. Micheal Pratt..He's a cardiologist...He lives a few blocks from here...He competes in the bike race annually..."said Hazel...

He then looked at me...

"Morris, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" he asked..

''Just talking to my friend Hazel...I was over there at the bar with my wife and kid and some friends having some drinks and watching the bike race..."I said and pointed..

He looked at the bar...

 He saw Robert Foxworth, Sepia and my daughter and Bonita..

''And I don't suppose you saw or heard a thing huh?" he said.

''No, not a thing....We heard the pop or the gunshot...but we didn't see anything...My guess is...your shooter was probably riding a bike too....Which is how he or she was able to get that close and then blend in with the crowd.." I said..

''Did I ask you what your guess or opinion was? Huh? No I didn't.....I'm the detective here....And don't even think about interfering with my investigation...

I'm not Sissy Van Buren.." he said..Talking about the Lieutenant and head of the Criminal Investigation Division and my good friend for years...She and I and the detectives under her had worked together and cracked many a case...

''No, Not by a long shot...She actually  solves cases.." I said with a straight face...

Hazel tried ,but couldn't conceal her laughter..

"What I mean is...You interfere with my case in any way and I'll have your P.I. License pulled...Do you understand me?" he said..

"I have absolutely no interest in this case....I work for paying clients...Not for free and nobody is paying me to look into this case..So have at it Lieutenant and good luck to you...Hazel...I'll talk to you...Tell Sissy and the guys, I said Hello." I said..

"I will Kevin....Can I release the body now Lieutenant?" asked Hazel.

"Yes, and I want a full autopsy report on my desk as soon as possible...Get at it.." he said..

Hazel grimaced...I felt sorry for her..

I headed back to my table..

I watched as the body was carted away....
III-

Later that night at home....After Sepia had bathed Kimmie cakes and put her to bed, she joined me in our living room...

''I saw you over there talking to Lieutenant Tragg....As usual he didn't look too happy...What did you do now?" asked Sepia..

''Not a damn thing...I was just talking to Hazel and he first asked what I was doing there...Not that I have to explain to him why I'm anywhere, then he told me not to interfere with HIS murder investigation or he'd pull my P.I. license...I'd really like for him to try...I've got enough friends who are attorneys and not to mention friends on the Police force and in the D.A.'s office that that would never happen.. I bet I could crack that case faster than he could...I wish I had a way in...I'd show him.." I said..

'Bae Be careful what you wish for.."said Sepia,

who planted a wet sloppy kiss on my lips...

Sepia's words proved to be prophetic...because no sooner than we started kissing good , the doorbell rang...

"Someone's at the door.." she said in between smouldering kisses..

''Let's pretend we are not home..."I moaned..

''Ummmmmm good idea bae" said Sepia in between kisses.

''I've got a lot of good ideas" I said..

"Ouuuuu is taking my clothes off one of them?" she asked...

"Yes indeed!" I said..

The doorbell rang again!

"The bell rang again....Just answer it and get rid of them..." said Sepia.

I went to the door and saw a White man, an elderly white man I'd never seen before...

"Hi, I'm sorry to be bothering you and your wife...at this time of night...but I saw you out there talking to Dr. Baylor tonight...and I figured I could use your help."said the man...

"Excuse me...Do I know you?" I asked..

''You don't...but I KNOW YOU....You're Kevin Morris of Morris Communications and Investigations LLC...and it's the investigator part I'm interested in...I know you're a P.I. and word around town is you are one of the best P.I.'s money can buy and I have money..Lots of it.."he said and passed me an envelope with $150 large in it...My eyes nearly bulged out of my head....That was more than I ever got paid upfront for a case....

''Whoa....What exactly uh do you want?" I asked.

"My Name is Pratt...Dr. Micheal Pratt Sr.  I'm a retired surgeon....That Biker who was killed out there tonight was my...was my son...." he said ,nearly breaking down...

''Oh My God Mr. Pratt,I'm so sorry.."said Sepia.."Come here..,sit down.." she said and offered him a seat...
"Can I get you some water or a drink?" she asked..

"No thank you....I- -I won't take up any more of your time...I just want you to investigate my son's murder..I want you to find out who it was and bring him to justice.." he said..

''Sir, I appreciate how you feel, but the police are already looking into this.."I said.

"Oh who? That jackass, Lieutenant Tragg???...Wrong Way Corrigan, that's what the press calls him...He'll either arrest the wrong guy or won't solve the case at all...I need a good investigator....That's you and if anybody gives you any trouble...You give me a call...I know people in high places..." he said..

I smiled and shook his hand...I passed Sepia the envelope..

"I'm in...I'll start tomorrow...I'll be in touch.."I said..

"Thank You Mr. Morris...Thank You...I can rest easy...I know my boy's killer will be caught.." he said..he stood up..

"Sorry to trouble you at this hour...Good Night and thank you kindly Mrs. Morris for your hospitality..."he said and left..

"Well, now you've got your way in...be careful ...Tragg is serious about pulling your license..."said Sepia..

"He can try....That's what will make this fun."I said smiling...

"You just want this case because it'll push his buttons.."laughed Sepia..

"Like I told you...It's one of the joys of my life.." I said..

(TO BE CONTINUED)