Baltimore Chronicles

by Treasure Hernandez

  “It’s all right. I like your passion. I hope they find him too.” Cecil smiled. He found it funny that this kid had no clue he was speaking to the killer himself.

  “Now, the last little part of business. I need a credit card from you.”

  “I’ll be paying cash.” Cecil started to take out a stack of bills from his pocket.

  “That’s fine, sir, but we still need a credit card for incidentals.”

  “I can pay cash for whatever that is,” Cecil said.

  “We need a credit card in case of damage to the room, and items from the mini-bar.”

  “I don’t have my wallet. Just take the cash and I can get you the credit card tomorrow.”

  “I’m sorry,” the clerk said. “That’s not possible.”

  The clerk was starting to get on Cecil’s nerves. Cecil didn’t want to have to kill the kid, but if he started to feel like he was making too much of an impression on the kid and the clerk would remember him, then Cecil wouldn’t hesitate to murder the little shit.

  Cecil calmed himself down. “Okay, I understand,” he said.

  “Thank you. I’ll be glad to give you a room once you have your credit card, Mr. Bell,” the clerk responded.

  Cecil walked away boiling on the inside. He had wanted to stay at a “no-tell motel,” but Tiphani insisted on staying at a 5-star hotel. Ever since he had met her in Florida, Tiphani had been a bit too reckless for Cecil’s liking. She was supposed to be hiding out down there, but she would often go out without any sort of disguise and spend large amounts of money on frivolous things. This type of thing was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

  Cecil walked outside to the car, where Tiphani was waiting. He got back into the driver’s seat.

  “So? We checked in?” she asked.

  “No, the little fucker needed a credit card and wouldn’t let it slide. I told you we needed to go to one of them hourly joints. They don’t be asking all sorts of questions like this bougie-ass place.” Cecil put the keys in the ignition to drive off.

  “Hold on. We ain’t goin’ to no sleazy hooker hotel. Do I gotta do everything?” Tiphani pulled the visor down, checked herself in the mirror, applied lipstick, and straightened her wig. “Give me the cash. I’ll be back with a room key.”

  Cecil handed her the cash, and she stepped out of the car and strutted into the hotel. She was sick of all these trifling men in her life letting her down. It always seemed like she had to do everything. Every man she came into contact with tried to play her, and now she was going to play them. It was her time. These men could all go to hell, and she was going to be the one to send them there.

  Just as Cecil did, Tiphani rang the bell that sat on top of the front desk. The young clerk appeared a moment later.

  “May I help you?” the clerk began.

  “Hello. My husband was just in here, and there seems to be a misunderstanding.”

  “You must be Mrs. Bell.” The clerk smiled.

  “Ah, yes, yes, I’m Mrs. Bell.” Tiphani quickly realized that Cecil must have given a fake name.

  “Welcome. As I explained to your husband, our policy is that we need a credit card to reserve a room.”

  “But we would like to pay cash. We hate those damn extra fees the credit cards charge.”

  “I hear you. Those interest rates will kill you. These days you got to save any way you can.”

  “I’m glad we cleared that up. So, how much is the room? We’ll pay for the whole week up front.” Tiphani went into her purse to get the cash.

  “Oh, no. You misunderstand me. You can pay cash at the end of your stay. We need a credit card at the beginning to safeguard against anyone running out on the bill and to cover any extra charges that may occur.”

  “I can assure you we won’t run out on no bill. We’re not some ghetto couple,” she said.

  “Yes, I understand your husband works for City Hall.”

  Tiphani was taken aback for a second. What the fuck this nigga been telling this boy? she thought. Then, just as fast, she got amused by the irony and humor in the fact that Cecil said he worked for City Hall, since he had already killed the chief of staff and was back again to kill the former mayor.

  “Yes, he does. We are very excited to be here with all of the changes. Any idea what happened to Mayor Steele?”

  “No, ma’am. The news is saying he walked out of his office and hasn’t been heard from since. Good riddance, I say. He was the worst.”

  Tiphani giggled. “Yes, he was.” She was hoping that their mutual dislike for Mathias Steele would make the clerk bend the rules and let them stay without giving a credit card.

  The clerk smiled at Tiphani. “I like you guys. So many times guests come in here and are so rude when I tell them they need a credit card.”

  “I like you too. You’re cute. I promise we won’t ruin your room.”

  “I know you won’t, but I still need a card. If it was up to me, I’d let you stay, but it’s not. I’m trying to put myself through college with this job. I don’t need to be getting fired right now.” He shrugged his shoulders.

  “That is so commendable that you are putting yourself through college. I did the same thing.”

  “So you understand.”

  “I do. Do you know what I did to put myself through college ...”—she looked at his nametag—“Evan?” She said his name seductively. She was done trying to get what she wanted through normal means. She was going to plan B. She was going to get what she wanted from a man the easiest way she knew how. Tiphani found that men were always willing to barter when sex was involved.

  “No, ma’am, I don’t.” He was a little uncomfortable all of a sudden.

  “Well, let’s just say that if I can show you, I can promise you would be satisfied.”

  “Ma’am?”

  “Is there anyone back there with you?” Tiphani asked, looking toward the office.

  “No.”

  She leaned over the desk and whispered in his ear. “Then let me come back there. I want to taste you.”

  Evan’s dick sprang to attention. He stood there frozen, unable to move. He had spent many late nights fantasizing that a guest would come down and offer herself to him. Now that it was happening, he didn’t know how to react.

  “Come on, baby. Open the door.” Tiphani seductively massaged her breasts.

  Evan swallowed hard. His heart was beating fast. He went around and opened up the door to the back office. Tiphani came around and followed Evan into the office.

  “Now, I’ll give you what you want, and I promise it will be the best you have ever had. You need to promise to give me what I want.”

  “Mrs. Bell, I can’t. I’ll lose my job.”

  Tiphani reached down, undid his belt, and unzipped his pants. Evan sucked in a deep breath of air. His legs began to tremble; he was so excited and nervous.

  Tiphani got on her knees and pulled out his dick. She was excited as well. She thought of white boys’ dicks as a treat, like a kind of dessert. She always thought that white boys were juicy and loved their taste. She was pleased with the size when she unleashed his manhood and began kissing the head.

  “Now”—she gave a little kiss—“how about”—another kiss—“you let me”—another kiss—“pay cash?” Another kiss, then she looked into Evan’s eyes before swallowing his entire dick in one gulp.

  “Ahhh. Okay!” Evan groaned.

  Tiphani began sliding her mouth up and down on his shaft. Evan tilted his head back and closed his eyes in ecstasy. He couldn’t believe what was happening.

  Tiphani stroked and sucked his dick furiously. She was loving the taste of this young college white boy. “Mmmmmm. I love this dick,” she moaned as she continued stroking his shaft with her left hand and playing with her clit with the right. She then started sucking on his balls. This drove Evan over the edge.

  “Oh God. That is good. Oh shit.” He looked down to watch Tiphani work.

  He grabbed her head and forced his dick into he
r mouth again. She took it with ease as he began fucking her face. He gave her mouth full strokes, and her saliva acted as lubrication. He had never had a woman be able to swallow his whole dick.

  He got so turned on watching his cock pump in and out of her face that he couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled out and shot his load all over her face, just like he had seen in the many pornos he watched late at night at work.

  He stood there panting and smiling as he watched Tiphani wipe cum from her cheeks and lips. “Mmmmm.” She licked her fingers.

  “Holy shit. I feel like I was in a porno. That was amazing.” He put his dick back in his pants and zipped up.

  Tiphani got back to her feet. “So, will I be staying in your hotel?” She smirked.

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Evan smirked back.

  A short while later, Tiphani walked back outside to the car. She knocked on the driver’s side window, startling Cecil awake. He jumped, wiped his eyes, and opened the window.

  “Room sixteen-oh-four. Bring the bags up.” She handed him a room key and walked back into the hotel.

  She went back to the desk one more time and rang the bell. Evan appeared, still looking a little flustered.

  “Hey.” He had a huge smile on his face when he saw Tiphani.

  “Here’s a little extra for your college fund.” She winked, handed him five hundred dollars, and walked to the elevators. Evan stood there shocked and in love as he watched her get in the elevator.

  Tiphani was in the shower when Cecil entered the room. She finished washing up, dried off, and hopped in bed, where Cecil was already under the covers, watching television.

  “What did you do to get this room?” he asked.

  “Something you couldn’t, obviously.” She pulled the blanket up to her neck.

  “What would that be?”

  “I charmed him and helped him relieve some stress.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Exactly what it sounds like. I got down on his level and told him how I put myself through college.”

  “How did you do that?”

  “I fucked dudes for cash.” She turned her back on Cecil.

  “Baby, that is so sexy.” He nestled up behind her and pressed his dick into her ass cheeks.

  “I’m not fucking you right now,” she said.

  “Come on, baby. That story made me horny.” His dick started to get hard as he rubbed it on her ass.

  “I want to sleep. Tomorrow we start our hunt for the three dead men.” She was using the nickname they had come up with for Scar, Derek, and Mathias.

  “Come on.” He reached around and started playing with Tiphani’s pussy.

  It turned her on. Cecil’s fingers made her realize she didn’t get off when she sucked Evan, and her pussy needed some attention. She started to breathe heavier and opened her legs a bit for easier access.

  “I promise tomorrow I will hit the streets hard looking for them mu’fuckas,” Cecil whispered in her ear.

  Without saying anything, Tiphani guided Cecil’s dick inside her, and he started fucking her from behind.

  Chapter 4

  Fight for My Life

  “Let me the fuck out of here!” Halleigh screamed at the top of her lungs. Her muscles ached, her throat hurt, and her eyes were stinging from crying. She was locked in a small room with a single mattress. There was a tiny bathroom attached with a sink and toilet. She had no idea how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered before waking up was being in the trunk of a car.

  Former detective Derek Fuller had kidnapped Halleigh because he was desperate to get his kids back from Scar. He knew that Halleigh’s boyfriend, Day, worked for Scar. Derek kidnapped Halleigh and told Day that if he wanted her back, he would have to get Derek’s kids from Scar. So far it wasn’t working. Day claimed he didn’t even know where Scar went after he escaped from the city. Derek didn’t give a shit what Day said; he was going to hold Halleigh until he got his kids back.

  Because of the lack of windows in the room, Halleigh had no concept of time and no idea how long she had been there. To Halleigh, it felt like an eternity. She was slowly beginning to lose her will to live. Her life was a constant struggle, and she was tired of the fight. She felt like she was never able to catch a break. Whenever she felt like she was on the right track, someone would come along and put an end to her peaceful feeling. This time, that person was Derek Fuller.

  The lock on the door unlatched. The loud thud startled Halleigh and made her jump. She was definitely on edge. Derek Fuller violently pushed the door open and entered.

  “The fuck you screaming for again?” he said.

  “Fuck you!” she spat.

  “I told you no one can hear you and I don’t give a fuck.”

  Halleigh had nothing to say to that. She stared at Derek, wishing he would die. She felt powerless. She was unable to do anything and started to cry.

  “Goddamn.” Derek walked out and locked the door behind him.

  Halleigh collapsed on top of the mattress, sobbing. She wished her life would end. Lying there she thought back on her life—raped as a young girl, forced into prostitution, her first true love murdered. She realized that she was never in control of any of it. She was always a victim; someone else always dictated what path her life would take. Then she started to think about her little boy, the love of her life, the only one that mattered to her. She saw his smiling face, she heard his laugh. The vision strengthened her and stopped her sobbing. Halleigh didn’t want her son raised without his mother. She needed to protect him and teach him how to be strong.

  How can I teach my boy to be strong if I can’t show him a good example and be strong myself? she thought. She resolved right there to stop being a victim, to start taking matters into her own hands and dictate how her life would go from that point on. She was doing it for her son. Malek Jr. was going to be a survivor, and Halleigh was going to teach him how.

  Sitting up, she tried to come up with a plan to escape. She took a mental inventory of the room. The only thing there was the mattress she was currently sitting on and a fluorescent light recessed into the ceiling. In the bathroom was a bar of soap, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. She saw nothing that could help her. The only way out she saw was going to be to fight. If she could take Derek by surprise, she might have a chance to stun him long enough to escape.

  Halleigh went to the door and stood in different positions around it, seeing which one might be the most advantageous for her attack. None seemed particularly good. She looked around the room once more. Pretending to be asleep when he came in was out of the question. She figured being in a prone position would put her at a disadvantage and weaken her. There didn’t seem to be any good place in the room to take Derek by surprise.

  Halleigh then had the thought that she would hide in the bathroom. When he entered, she would wait until he was in front of the bathroom door, and then rush out and attack him, possibly hitting him with the door and knocking him out. This was her best chance, she thought.

  Halleigh waited in the bathroom for what seemed like an eternity. While sitting on the toilet, she thought about her son—his laugh, his smile, how he must be missing his mama. This gave her more motivation and energy for her attack.

  Being confined in such a small space was making her antsy. Her nerves were making her rock back and forth, continuously sit up and then right back down, and pacing for two steps back and forth. She thought about screaming to get him down there faster but decided against it. She wanted him relaxed to catch him off guard. If she screamed, he would be coming down already on edge and looking for trouble.

  Derek unlocked the door and entered holding a paper plate with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Halleigh held her breath when she heard the door open. Her heart was in her throat and her mouth went instantly dry. Now that the time had arrived for her to fight, she wasn’t sure she could go through with it.

  “Hey,” Derek called out.

  Halleigh
didn’t answer. She just stared at the door.

  Derek stepped farther into the room. “Halleigh? I brought you food.”

  Again, no answer from Halleigh.

  “You in the bathroom?” Derek walked toward the bathroom door.

  Halleigh listened to his footsteps getting closer to the door. This was it, time for her to decide if she was going through with it. She stood up from the toilet and quietly placed her hand on the door handle. One half of her wanted to just open the door and take the food, and the other half was ready to fight. She was struggling with her emotions and was afraid to make a decision.

  “Stop fuckin’ around. You in there?” He raised his voice as he directed it toward the bathroom. He was standing directly in front of the bathroom door.

  Decision time. Halleigh turned the knob and opened the door with all the force she could muster. “AGHH-HHH!” She screamed, slamming the door into Derek and knocking him back. The sandwich went flying to the floor.

  Halleigh rushed out and jumped on top of Derek, raining punches down on him. Continuing to scream to keep her adrenaline up, she landed punches wherever she could and with as much force as possible.

  Derek covered his face and tried to avoid the windmill of punches being thrown at him. After his initial shock was over, Derek realized that her punches weren’t doing any harm. In one swift movement, he grabbed Halleigh’s arms and flung her off of him, sending her crashing into the wall. She crumbled to the floor in a heap.

  Derek immediately pounced on top of her and subdued her. He pinned her down on the floor, making it impossible for her to move. She struggled to get free, but his weight was too much for her. After several seconds of fighting to break free she gave up, but before she did, she spit in his face. It was the only thing she could do to feel as though she still had some power and to let him know how she felt about him.

  “Fuck you, bitch. I ought to beat your ass,” he said.

  “Fuck you, motherfucker.” She attempted to wriggle free.

  “The fuck you thinkin’?”

  “The fuck you think I’m thinkin’?” she shot back.

  “You’re a dumb ass tryin’ to come at me like that.” He laughed.