by K Elliott
“Once she’s with her real parents for a few months, she’ll come around and begin to suppress the trauma.” Brian said, “Teresa, thank you very much. I can’t wait to see you and give you a hug.”
“Aw. That’s sweet. I should make myself available next weekend.”
“I need to make some more calls. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay.”
When he ended the call Rochelle said, “I want my mommy.” She stuck out her bottom lip as if she was about to cry again. Brian said, “You got some gas money?”
Chapter Nineteen
Brian was at a Laymen’s Inn hotel in Peoria, Illinois, and Rochelle was on top of the covers sound asleep. He answered his room door and invited the child’s parents inside.
Quinton and Kimberly Davenport rushed over to the bed and fell to their knees. Both of them began crying. Kim picked the child up and hugged her. Rochelle stared at her father but did not cry. Straight out of a dream, the baby was most likely confused.
Kim pulled back so the child could see her face. “Well hello there. Remember Mommy? Remember Daddy?”
Brian said, “Mrs. Davenport, don’t push the mommy thing on her that fast. Give her some time. Ease it in over a few months. The mommy word will get her confused.”
She said, “I understand.”
Rochelle reached out for Brian. “I wanna go with you.” He was the only person in the room who had proven to be her friend, as far as she was concerned. Brian smiled. “They’re gonna take you home, okay? Don’t you wanna go home?”
She nodded as her mother hugged her again.
Quinton got up off the floor and stepped over to Brian. “Listen, man. I got the rest of your money out in the car, including an extra two hundred thousand. But if you ever need anything, please make sure you check with us first.” His eyes welled up again.
Brian said, “It’s cool.” He stepped closer and hugged Quinton. “I understand. I’m glad I could help.” Quinton’s cry was audible now.
Brian said, “Come here. I got a present for her.”
Quinton followed him to the bathroom and saw two portable kennels, each with a small puppy in it.
Brian said, “Your daughter picked the one on the left. I named him Portion. I picked the one on the right for my daughter and named him Fraction. German Sheppards, four months old, good bloodline. I got the papers.”
Quinton turned and shook Brian’s hand. “Man, you’re a special person.”
“I can’t take al the credit. I had unbelievable help from three other people.”
Kim came up to them carrying her daughter. When she looked past them, her daughter pointed and said, “That’s my puppy.” Quinton grabbed her hand and said, “That sure is your puppy, and he’s coming home with us.”
Kim looked at Brian and said, “Please come visit us sometimes. I don’t want Rochelle to ever forget you. Quinton and I certainly won’t.” “Are yawl planning on leaving Ohio again?”
“Not in the foreseeable future. We’ll travel and take vacations, but I don’t think we’ll move from Ohio again.” Kim said. “Then I may get around to stopping by at least twice a year. Can you fry chicken?”
“Of course.”
“Do you keep Fruity Pebbles cereal?”
She smiled. “I’ll keep it within a twenty-minute drive.”
“Good enough for me.” He hugged her and Rochelle at the same time.
Chapter Twenty
Julio Gomez used his key to enter his girlfriend’s small house. He had been considering moving in with her but he liked the idea of having two places, one which not even the Cocodrilos knew about.
He locked the door and threw her mail on the coffee table. Her car was not parked outside, but he knew she was still at work. He also knew that she would stop by his apartment first. The leader of the Cocodrilos had another job for him and was suppose to drop the payment off at the job of Julio’s girlfriend, which was a Mexican eatery.
He was about to head for the bedroom when a figure popped into view, scaring him enough to make him stagger backward. Echo rushed Julio with a handgun aimed at his chest. “Somebody told me you don’t care if you die.”
“No, amigo. I not want to die.” He kept his hands apart, displaying his palms.
“You left-handed or right?”
“Uh, right. Very much. Right, amigo.”
“Good. Keep your right hand on top of your head. Use your left hand to grab your gun and drop it on the floor. And if you say you don’t have a gun, I’mma shoot your little tortilla-looking ass right now.”
“Okay. I do it now.”
“Slowly, muthafucka. And when I search you, I’ll shoot your ass till I fall asleep if you got another gun on you.”
Julio retrieved a gun from the rear waistline of his pants and dropped it on the floor. “Only one, amigo. And one knife.”
“Drop the knife too.” When the knife hit floor, Echo said, “I don’t give a fuck how you do it, but I want you to get Chico Gonzalez on the phone and get him to come here.” He pushed the barrel of the gun up to Julio’s left eye. “If you ain’t smart enough to come up with a plan to get him here, tell me now so I can...”
“I do it, I can do it for you. Please.”
Brian arrived by foot but his car was a half mile away, parked next to Echo’s at a cemetery. He could see Amara Tilman’s house from where he stood on the street, and Julio’s car was in the small driveway. It was 9:13p.m. and he needed this to be over before the girlfriend arrived home. He knew Echo had Julio in the house and that Chico was supposed to be on the way.
Brian was about to jog to the house but he reconsidered when he saw Amara’s Toyota turn onto the street. He waited for her, then stepped in front of the car with two handguns pointed at her windshield.
Amara slammed on the brakes.
He put the guns away and ran up the driver’s window. “Pull the car over right there and get out.” She followed orders.
He stepped to her and said, “When Chico drives down this street, I want you to stop him. If you can’t, then I have to shoot you. Tell him not to go to your house because it’s a trap. I’ll be right here behind your car, out of view. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“When you hear gunshots, your ass better get to running.” Then he used his cell phone to call Echo.
“What’s up” Echo said.
“I need to remix the plan. I’m down the street from you. When you hear shots, knock Julio’s ass off and get out of there.” Then he heard a vehicle approaching. Amara said, “Chico is coming now.”
Brian said, “Keep your ears open.”
Amara went to the middle of the street and waved Chico to a stop. He had three other men in a Caprice with him. She went to the front passenger side and told Chico, “Don’t go to my place because...”
Brian raised from behind her car and used two handguns to rip through the windows on the driver side. Amara hauled ass toward a stranger’s house.
Brian kept firing, knowing he’d hit at least two men in the car. When the men in the car returned fire, Brian ducked behind Amara’s car. The Caprice pulled off but the car was weaving.
Brian cursed himself, raised up, and fired until both guns were empty.
Echo burst out of the front door of Amara’s house firing his gun and Julio’s too. He’d hit everything on the passenger side of the Caprice. When the car crashed into an old truck, Echo ran up to the car and shot everyone inside, and kept shooting until he, too, was out of bullets. Then he fled the scene.
Brian and Echo would reach the cemetery in a matter of minutes; the Cocodrilos would be there in a matter of days.
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Godsend: Pissed All the Way Off
by K.Elliott
ONE
Rick Bunto inserted his key into his motel room door. He had heard the man walking up behind him on the cemented walkway, but there was no reason to be suspicious of anything. Just as he was entering the room, the stranger rus
hed him and pushed him all the way up to the bed.
Echo kept a gun shoved up against Rick’s lower back—he knew Rick could feel it even through the thick coat. “Act a fool and lose a kidney.” He started searching Rick with his free hand.
Brian entered the room and closed the door. They were on the second floor of an old motel in Morgantown, West Virginia. “Mr. Bunto. You lied to me, and I’ve wasted a lot of gas money fuckin with you.”
Echo spun the 43-year-old white man around and pushed him down on the bed.
Rick said, “Give me a goddamn break, will ya? What kind of father would I be if I told you where my son was? You just want to get him thrown in jail for something he didn’t do.”
Brian walked up closer to him and said, “What kind of father would you be? You’d be a sorry-ass father, just like you’ve been all of Jeremy’s life. His mom tells me she raised him with virtually no help at al from you. You’re an unstable, job-hopping drunk.”
“Well, I ain’t gonna deny that, but I still love my boy enough to keep the law off him. Tell me something, Mr. Gaston.” He believed Brian to be a PI named Richard Gaston and he had even seen the credentials to prove it during their previous encounter. “You or your associate probably got a son. Would either of you do anything to send him to prison?”
Brian said, “It’s possible that your damn son had something to do with the murder of a 93-year-old man. I didn’t say he was guilty; I said it’s possible that he was involved. If he was my son, and he actually did it, I would want his diabolical ass in prison for a very long time.”
“Seven years ago Jeremy was only seventeen. He wouldn’t kill an old man; that sort of thing just ain’t in him.”
Brian said, “I’ll tell you what. I got a few more people to investigate; but when I find your son, me and my man here, gonna beat the dog shit out of him just because you lied to me.”
“Why would you do something like that? Why don’t you just beat me up and leave him alone?” “Waste of time. You’ll just get drunk and forget it even happened.” Brian looked at Echo. “Let’s go.” When they were leaving Rick said, “This is my last weekend drinking. After this I’m getting clean.”
Brian was driving his BMW as he made a call to Teresa Groove, his FBI source. When she answered he said, “I’m a few hours away from you. Get a hotel room and cal me back to give me the location and room number.”
“A new case?” she asked.
“I’m on a case in West Virginia, but I don’t think I’ll need any federal help on this one.” “It’s Saturday morning. Why would I be getting a room?”
He laughed. “Do I have to spell that one out?”
“Sex? Oh, you’re finally ready to show me what I’ve been missing?”
“I didn’t say all of that. You getting the room or not?”
“Yeah, I’m getting it. But you better fuck me good, or else you’ll never hear the end of it.” Brian looked at Echo in the passenger’s seat. “My cousin will drop me off and keep my car.” “Your cousin? How old is he and what does he look like?”
“He’s six years older than me and he looks like my damn cousin. Why?”
“I might need to get two rooms. I have a friend my age, and she may be interested in him.”
Brian said, “That don’t mean he may be interested in her. She might be wobbly and stressed out in the face.”
She said, “Bring your damn cousin. Elaine won’t disappoint him. And I’m glad you’re here because I also need to discuss something very important with you.” “What’s it about?”
“A case. An FBI case that I would like to see solved.”
Brian said, “What will you be wearing when you answer the room door?”
“Wearing? Are we supposed to fuck?”
“That was the plan.”
“Then why the hell should I wear anything?”
TWO
Jeremy Bunto was a slim white guy. He’d turned twenty-four a few months ago and was now living with his girlfriend Kyla Addison, whose skin tone was even whiter than his.
Jeremy was just waking up when he heard his girlfriend’s car pull up. He ruffled his already disheveled hair then headed for the bathroom to take a leak.
Kyla entered her small house, threw her coat and car keys to the sofa. “Jeremy, something tells me you’re not out looking for a job.” Then, she heard him relieving himself. She was not in a cheerful mood today. She was about to say something else until she heard the flushing of her toilet. Kyla was a tall skinny, and very pretty young woman, with a short stylish haircut and light freckles that made her look innocent
Jeremy met her in the bedroom and said, “What’s going on?”
“Why haven’t you gone out for a job? Jeremy, I can’t afford all these bills by myself.” “How was I supposed to look for a job when you were gone with the car?”
She stared at him, both hands resting on her waist. “Are you kidding? Look at you; you just woke up! You probably didn’t even know I was gone until you heard my car a minute ago!”
“Nonsense.” He moved closer and tried to kiss her.
She dodged him and said, “Your mom says a couple of black guys came by and asked her how they could find you. Actually, she didn’t use the words ‘black guys’ but you get the idea.”
“What did she say they wanted?”
“They were private investigators, and they would like to ask you some questions about Sam Hughes.”
He sat on the bed and lowered his forehead to the palms of his hands. “That shit is seven years old. I’m not answering anymore questions about that case.” She sat on the bed next to him. “Who is Sam Hughes?”
“Some old white guy who was killed in his own house. Whoever did it also took something like three hundred dollars worth of old coins. He was ninety-three, and they said the coins were once his grandfathers.”
She said, “And they were only worth three hundred dollars?”
“No. That was just the actual face value. The coins were probably worth hundreds of thousands, probably a million dollars.” “In that case, you couldn’t have been a suspect. Why do the investigators want to question you?”
“I don’t know, but the cops had me in their sights for a few reasons. I was seventeen at the time and I used to cut Mr. Hughes’ lawn for him. The day he died I was not in school; I had skipped out that day. And the cops claim they found a partial shoe print that was my size in the grass near the backdoor steps. They tried to get me to confess to the story they made up. They said when I fled the scene I jumped from the back porch and left an impression on the dew-damp ground.”
“Well how did he die?” She inquired.
“He was hit four times in the head with a blunt object. They said it was a blunt object but they don’t know exactly what the object was. I wish they’d find the real killer and leave me alone.”
She said, “Well, if those black guys are only private investigators, you don’t have to talk to them. They’re not policemen.” He said, “At least you believe me.”
“Only a fool wouldn’t. I’ve known you for almost four years, and I know for a fact that you’ve never had anything worth hundreds of thousands. You don’t even have a car. Your mom barely makes it and your dad...” She rubbed his back. “needs to concentrate on finding a job. Those private investigators don’t even know you live here.”
THREE
Brian stood in front of Room 408 with a gym bag in his left hand. He wore a nice suit with no tie and black leather dress shoes. He actually looked like a sharp investigator.
Teresa answered the door but stayed behind it. She was on her cell phone with her friend Elaine, who was in Room 420 with Echo now.
Brian walked in and looked back, watching the naked, 47-year-old woman close the door. He marveled at the size of her ass and how it had held up so well after nearly a half century.
Teresa turned around and smiled at Brian, and she showed no regard for her nakedness. She was free of al pubic hairs, her breasts were not as f
irm as they once were, and she carried a little extra belly fat. She said to Elaine, “So is he fine?” You know I’m going to need details.”
Brian walked up to her and calmly grabbed her cell phone. He said to Elaine, “You can give Teresa the details tomorrow. Right now she’s about to have her hands full.” Then, he terminated the call, leaned in closer, and began sucking Teresa’s bottom lip. When she began licking his top lip, he opened his mouth and French kissed her.
Teresa threw her arms around his neck, so Brian dropped his gym bag on the floor and cupped a handful of her ass with his left hand; he still had her cell phone in the other. Then the damn thing began ringing. He pulled away from her and gave her the phone. He said, “I’ll be in the shower for ten minutes. You’re not gonna want any interruptions when I get out.” He picked his gym bag up and walked off.
Teresa turned her phone off then got on the large bed and lay on top of the sheets with her head at the foot of the bed. She was lying on her belly, her knees bent, and her feet were resting high against the headboard. She used the remote to find something on the television, but only to keep an inconsistent level of lighting in the room. She had her CD player on the table, next to her laptop and purse, and she was enjoying SWV’s first album at a low listening level.
After eight minutes had gone by, she considered entering the bathroom to give Brian some head in the shower but her hairdo, which was only a day old, made her think twice.
When Brian had showered for eleven minutes, he exited the bathroom naked and without drying off. He was not fully erect but still had lengthy hang time. He saw Teresa on the bed and her soft ass was even wider now.
She looked up and saw that his erection was growing and swinging at the same time. “How much bigger is that thing going to get?” He walked up to her and said, “Turn over and lie on your back.”