by Roy Glenn
“Why don’t you leave him? Get away, go somewhere and start a new life for yourself.”
“Sure. Just like that.”
“Leave New York.”
“I have a few times, but he always finds me. Brings me back,” she said matter of factly. “Or he gives me a reason to come back.”
“How does he do that?”
“He hurts the things that are important to me.”
“Chézaráy and Jake.”
“Once, I thought it was over. I went to Kansas City. I didn’t tell anybody where I was going. I got a job as a teller in a bank. They were even talking about promoting me to customer service. You know; sit at a desk, open accounts, that kinda stuff. I had been there for six months when he found me. I told him I was happy, and I wasn’t coming back. Usually he yells, he grabs me, shakes me and hits me. But I was ready for that. He was going to have to kill me. But he said okay and left. But it wasn’t over.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“The next day, Chéz called me crying. She said Chilly brought Jake to her apartment and he had a gun to Jake’s head. He told her that if I didn’t say I was coming back right now, he was going to kill both of them while I listened. I said no. Then I heard the gun go off. Then Chéz screamed and said he’d shot Jake in the leg. I was back the next day.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“You want more? I got more stories just like that one. That was just one of his masterworks. That’s why you have to get proof that will stand up in court. I’ve seen him go to jail and come right back.”
“Now you’re talking like you think Jake is dead.”
“I don’t like to think about it. I know it’s possible. The longer he’s gone, the more I think about it.” Her smile was gone. I thought I saw a tear run down her cheek, but she wiped it away quickly. “So, you tell me your story, Nick?”
“Well, there’s not much to me. Ex-army, we’ve been doing this for about a year now.”
“We?”
“I have two partners.”
“They have names I’m sure.” Her smile had returned as quickly as it left.
“Monika and Jett.”
“Monika? A lady private detective, huh? That’s something that you don’t hear of very often,” Mrs. Childers smiled and gave me a wide-eyed innocent look. “I used to read Nancy Drew when I was a little girl.”
“I used to read Mickey Spillane mysteries.”
“You have any family?”
“Yeah.”
“It doesn’t sound like you guys are one big happy family.”
“Not them, me.”
“I see.” She finished her drink and signaled for the bartender. “Looks like there are some things you don’t like talking about either.”
“You’re right, there are some things about me that I don’t like talking about. But I think everybody does.”
“That’s true. Everybody has secrets. Something only they or maybe one other person know. I know I have some secrets that will die with me.”
I smiled to myself knowing that not only did I know one of her secrets, but it was also the reason I was here. “Tell me one,” I said.
“No, then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore. You tell me one of your secrets.”
“Okay, but just one. I didn’t just happen to be here.”
“What?”
“I knew you were going to be here, so here I am.”
“How did you know I was gonna be here?” she leaned forward and asked.
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Why not?”
“You said tell me one. If I told you, that would be two.”
“That’s not fair. Come on, tell me. And don’t give me that line about having to kill me. That line is so worn out.”
“All right, I’ll tell you,” I leaned forward and motioned for her to move closer. Mrs. Childers leaned toward me and I whispered, “I’m a private investigator, I wanted to see you, so I found out where you were going to be.”
“You’re not going to start stalking me, are you, Nick?”
I love the way she says my name. “No, Mrs. Childers, nothing like that.”
“I don’t have to be afraid of you, do I?”
“You never have to be afraid of me. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
“Oh, so you’re my own personal protector, huh?”
“At your command,” I replied quickly and playfully. But I knew that at this point, I would have done anything for her.
“Well, if that’s the case,” Mrs. Childers said and smiled at me. “I could think of a person or two that I wouldn’t mind getting rid of.”
I thought about Chézaráy. Something we can share. I like the thought of that.
“Now see, I could say something now, but then I’d be giving away somebody else’s secret.”
“So,” she said. “Tell me anyway. Then it will be a secret we can share.”
“No. Who do you want to get rid of?”
“My husband. Remember, that is why I hired you.”
“To get rid of your husband.”
Then Mrs. Childers got very still and looked me straight in the eye. “Yes.”
We sat there staring at each other for a few seconds before she sat back and said, “And don’t try to change the subject. Tell me, is this secret about somebody your involved with?”
“No. She’s just somebody I met on a case.”
“A woman. Is she pretty, Nick?”
“Not as pretty as you.”
“Then I know you don’t look at her the way you look at me.”
“How do I look at you?”
“Like you want me.”
“Do I really? And what if I do?”
“If you do, then that would give us something to talk about,” Mrs. Childers said softly. She was seducing me with the sound of her voice and her eyes. “But not while you work for me. Isn’t there some type of ethical thing that says we shouldn’t become personally involved?”
“No, that’s doctor, patient confidentiality that you’re talking about. It’s almost required for you and me to become personally involved.”
“Maybe, Nick. But not tonight. Besides, I’m ready to go.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“It’s not where I want to go, it’s where I’m going. And that place is home.”
I signaled for the bartender and paid the tab. We walked slowly to her car and talked. Talked about nothing really.
“Good night, Nick.”
“Good night, Mrs. Childers.” What else could I say?
Chapter Eight
Thoughts of that night haunted me like a bad dream that never goes away. I know I’ll never forget that night. Bobby with his gun in my mouth, screaming that he was gonna kill both me and Camille. It should have never happened. But I was gone, too far gone. Camille had me, and I couldn’t leave her alone. I knew when I met her that she was with Bobby, but it didn’t seem to matter to me. It definitely didn’t matter to her.
I had never met any woman like Camille. She was fascinating to be around and to talk to. And her voice, the way she spoke with that Barbados accent, shit! It simply blew me away. Her dark complexion, her flawless body, and those dark eyes. The way she’d look at me when we’d make love. For a while after that, when I’d closed my eyes, I’d see those eyes looking up at me.
It began the first time I saw her. I was with Black in his office at The Late Night when she came in with Bobby. Camille walked right up to me.
“Bobby, introduce me to this handsome specimen of a man.”
Bobby’s eyes narrowed when he looked at her. “That’s Nick.”
That look was my first warning, but I ignored it and each warning that would follow. Camille stepped closer, put her left hand on my chest and looked up at me.
“That’s no way to introduce somebody, Bobby. My name is Camille Augustus. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and what is your name?”
“Nick Simmons.�
�� I answered, and quickly backed up off her. But she had me then and she knew it. Each time I saw her after that, Camille made that point clear.
When she’d call me, I’d come.
What she wanted, I got for her.
What she said, I did without so much as a kiss.
I was riding with Black the night Camille decided she would have me. She paged me at 2:45 in the morning and I quickly called her back.
“Come see me. I want to talk. We never have enough time to just sit and have a chat.”
“Now?”
“Of course, now. Now is when I want you.” Camille hung up the phone and I turned to Black.
“Booty call,” he said.
“No, just a chat.”
“Yeah, right. Nobody calls at damn near three in the morning to just talk. Talk about fuckin’ maybe.”
I don’t know if he knew where he was dropping me off and at the time, I didn’t care. I knocked on her door, but there was no answer. Maybe I had taken too long and she had fallen asleep. I waited a while and knocked again. She opened the door dressed in a red gown and robe, which left nothing to the imagination.
“Come in, Nick. I was beginning to think that you weren’t coming.”
We talked and laughed until the sun was shining brightly the next morning. I admired her beauty, the way her dark skin overpowered the red of her gown. Camille commanded my attention in more ways than one. Then she touched my hand and drew me to her. I ran my hand across her shoulder.
“Kiss me, Camille.” She patted my hand and stood up.
“Stand up, Nick.” I complied. Camille looked up at me and undressed me without breaking eye contact.
I stood naked before her and she ran one hand across my chest while the other glided effortlessly along my length. She gently grabbed the back of my neck and drew our lips together, but only for a second. Camille eased me back down on the couch and ran her tongue over her lips. Then Camille introduced my length to her moistened lips. Her eyes still locked in mine. She slid her lips across what seemed to be every inch of it. Then she smiled and opened her mouth. It was soft and wet; if she had teeth I never knew it. She moved her head up and down in a very slow almost methodical motion. My excitement only intensified as I watched her, watching me. It was like slow motion, prolonging each stroke.
“Nick!” Wanda yelled.
“Huh?”
“Try to stay with me here. This is a little too important for you to be daydreaming.”
“I’m sorry, Wanda, I was just thinking, that’s all.”
“You were just telling me that you went to your office to meet Monika and Jett. And…”
Sunday, July 12, 8:19 AM
The next morning, I arrived at my office to find Monika waiting for me. She had followed Chilly and I not only wanted to, but I needed to hear her report. On the way home the night before and on the way there that morning, I gave some serious thought to this thing I was developing for Mrs. Childers and my promise to leave other men’s women alone. No one really understood, and I never tried to explain it to anyone, except Monika. She understood. Over the years, that promise has kept me from becoming seriously involved with many women. Seems like the women I take an interest in are all married, living with a man, got a man back home or whatever.
“It’s about time you dragged your ass in here,” Monika said.
“Report.”
“Yes, Sir.” Monika smiled and rolled her eyes. “I followed Chilly and wifey to Aureole, a restaurant on East 61st Street. They met a man and a woman, both of Hispanic descent. The male was approximately five feet ten inches tall, dressed in a two-piece dark blue suit, light blue shirt, and enough jewelry to make you notice. The female, approximately five six, red dress, fuck me pumps. I got video and still pictures, they should be ready soon.”
“Video?”
“Yes, video. Jett gave me these photosensitive sunglasses with a micro-miniature camera. The images are recorded using a standard video recorder, or it can be fed into a video transmitter in a remote location.”
“Have to start calling that boy Q.”
“You keep giving him money, Mr. Bond, he keeps buying new shit. Anyway, I was able to drop a bug on the back of Chilly’s chair. There’s the transcript.”
“Anything we want?”
“Maybe. Page five. I circled it.”
“Hispanic male: I took care of mine, Chilly. What about yours? Chilly: Not yet, should be another day, maybe two. But I don’t see a problem here.”
“It’s pretty thin, right?” Monika asked.
“You’re right. He may be talking about Jake, maybe not. There’s just not enough here.”
“The rest of the conversation was just small talk.”
“Okay. You stay on Chilly. See where that leads us. Anything on those files? You find out what that formula is for?”
“Nothing yet. I should hear back from my guy sometime today I hope.”
“Let me know as soon as you hear from him.”
“What about you? What did you do?”
“Talked to the sister, Chézaráy. Other than trying to flirt, I didn’t get anything we didn’t already know. You heard from Jett?”
“Said he’d be here early. He should be here soon.”
Almost on cue, Jett came through the door.
“Morning people.”
“Report.”
“I’m fine, Nick, and how about you, Monika?”
“I’m fine, Jett.” Monika giggled.
“Report.”
“Completed surveillance set up of the house. I was able to pick up cell phone frequencies for Chilly and two guys that appear to be his top lieutenants. I reviewed the tapes of the house. Nada. But that wasn’t the highlight of the evening. I copied and reviewed the videotapes we found in Jake’s safe. Bad boy, that one.”
“Figures, watching other people fuck would be the highlight of the evening for a pervert like you,” Monika said.
“That ain’t it. I think I found something interesting.” Jett handed me two pictures.
“Damn, she got a big mouth. Is that what I think it is?” They were stills he had extracted from the videos. “What’s so interesting about this?” I asked and handed the pictures to Monika.
“Look close. I don’t think that’s the same mystery woman from the first picture.”
“I think he might be right, Nick. I think I saw a picture of this one too, but she had clothes on, so I didn’t pay her much attention. And there was a picture with the two of them. Looked like it might have been taken at the same party as the picture you been showing of Jake.”
“Where is it?”
“I put it back in the safe.”
“Great. I’d rather not show this picture around.”
“Guess you gotta go back and get the other pictures, Nick,” Monika said. “Want me to go with you?”
“No, you stay with Chilly.” I got up and started for the door.
“How are you and the Mrs. doing?” Jett asked.
“There’s more to this than she’s telling me.”
“How do you know?”
“Just a feeling,” I said, closing the door behind me.
I drove back to Jake’s apartment, let myself in, opened the safe and got the pictures that I had come for.
“That’s strange.”
I was on my way out the door when I thought about the fact that we never found any camera equipment in either of our searches. I went through the apartment again. Nothing. So I walked out of the apartment and two white men in suits met me.
Cops.
“Shit.”
“Hold it right there, pal.”
“Can I help you gentlemen?”
“Yeah. Assume the position. I’m sure it ain’t your first time.”
I hit the wall with a little help from my new friends. One looked over my ID and the other looked at the pictures in my pocket. “You mind coming with us?”
“Am I under arrest?”
“No. We just
want to ask you some questions.”
“What type of questions?”
“We’ll talk about that when we get there.”
So there I was sitting alone in the interrogation room, waiting. It had been more than an hour before the door opened and Detective Kirkland walked in with that shit-eating grin on his face.
“Nick Simmons. What’s it been, ten years?”
“Ten years, Kirk.”
“Pat, this is one of Vicious Black’s old foot soldiers. But he dropped out of sight ten years ago.”
“Where you been, Simmons?” Detective Richards asked.
“Army training, Sir.”
“Oh. Another smart ass, huh.”
“Yeah, yeah, Kirk. What’s this all about?”
“I just wanted to see you, Nick. It’s been a long time. So when I heard you were in here, I just had to stick my hand in, and what do I pull out? Do you know?”
“No. But I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.”
“Tell me something, Nick, what were you doing when the detectives picked you up?”
“Visiting a friend.”
“They tell me that you’re some type of private investigator. You working on something? Maybe something having to do with your friend?”
“Just visiting, Kirk.”
“What’s your interest in those women in the picture the detectives took off you?”
“They were cute. I happen to like women.”
“Why do you say, were?”
“Excuse me.”
“I’m sorry. I forgot you went to Vicious Black University. I’ll break it down for you. Why are you referring to those women in the picture in past tense?”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. Why?”
Richards dropped the picture I took from Jake’s safe on the table in front of me. “What’s your interest in these two women?”
“Why?”
Richards drew back his hand to hit me, but Kirk grabbed him. Vintage good cop bad cop. Corny, but I played along. “What’s with him, Kirk? I just wanted to know why. Am I being charged with something having to do with those two women?”