Riddles

by Rhonda Crowder

  “Yeah. So, I’ll give her call in the morning. Pussy will watch your back for me.”

  “Pussy?”

  How many people with that name?

  “I call her Pussy Galore ‘cause that’s what she got.”

  “Pussy Galore,” I said with a raised brow. I sat a glass of the fresh squeezed juice in front of him. I went to the stove to cook the eggs. “It’s a chick working at Jokers named Pussy.”

  “One in the same,” he said, ignoring me. “She a narc. But the police is the police.”

  “She can keep an eye on you for me. She used to work for me.”

  I put a plate of food down in front of him. “When you start letting broads just leave the game?” I asked.

  “What?” he said, and spooned a mouthful of eggs.

  “You like a sharecropper,” I said. “They stay in the rears.”

  “You been around pimps too much.” He laughed and nearly choked on his food. “She got pregnant. So, she had to come off the streets. I know what my mother went through trying to carry me out there.” He wiped his mouth with the table napkin. “After she had the baby, she told me she wanted to go the academy to become a police officer. Young, had a clean record. I helped

  make it happen.”

  He paused. “For real though, Sunshine. On serious shit, she reminds me of your mother.”

  I felt some kind of way about that statement, and he must’ve sensed it.

  “But you know can’t nobody replace your mother. There’s never been, or will be anybody like her.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Really.” He smiled at me and began to share things with me about my mother that I never knew. He told me she wanted to be a homicide detective before she got caught up in the life, that’s what her father would have become had not been killed in the line of fire. So, when Pussy told him of her dreams, it felt like déjà vu. He let her go, with no bill.

  My mother was the first and would be the last to die under his watch, he told me.

  “In a way, Chyne. I felt like I owed Charlene. She was my wife and she loved me,” he said and looked at me. “And you gotta know I loved her. I should’ve never allowed her to be out there. But, I was groomed to be a pimp. Taught by two of the best to ever walk the streets, my mother and yours.” He took a big swig of his juice.

  “You know we keep it a hundred, right?”

  I nodded.

  “And I ain’t never been no square. You know that. Your mother wasn’t either. We made a perfect combination. Most women out there ‘cause they don’t know better or they getting high. Your momma wanted that paper. She wanted to take care her momma, and you.”

  He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Well, what’s the chance of a pimp knocking not one but two broads wanting to be detectives?” He scooped up the last of his eggs and stuffed a piece of bacon in his mouth. “I meet too many hoes wit’ no goals. Don’t want to be nothin’ but hoes. So, I let ‘em. I just give ‘em the guidance and protection they need.”

  Pimp allowed just one tear to fall down his face. I’d never seen him cry.

  “Your mother was the only woman I ever loved,” he said. “That’s why I could never put you out there. Niggas came at me about you all the time. Offered some pretty big purses too. I told them mu’fuckas, You ain’t got enough for my baby girl.” He paused. “When you chose to dance, I couldn’t do nothing but support you. Put you up on how to play the game and win ‘cause You had it in you. Something I couldn’t stop.”

  I had never seen him so emotional. He got up, took his plate to the sink, and rinsed it off. Then he went and sat on the couch, picked his cell phone up off the cocktail table, and started to scroll through his contacts.

  He told me, the whole time staring at his phone, that somewhat like me, Pussy came up under her mother in the game. In fact, Pussy’s mother introduced her to Pimp and told him to take care of her. Her mother belonged to one of Pimp’s partners and didn’t want to be under the same man as her daughter. Then her man ended up getting indicted on RICO charges involving the prostitution of minors in addition to sending them across state lines.

  Her mother went down as his accomplice.

  “Pimp, thanks for looking out for me after my mother and grandmother died,” I said, leaning over the back of the sofa and giving him a hug. He was truly the only father I had ever known.

  He shrugged. “Wasn’t nothing.”

  “You didn’t have to,” I said. “You could’ve easily let me fall by the wayside, or even turned me out, but you didn’t. You protected me as best you could. I appreciate it. I had a wonderful life. I’ve been places and experienced things beyond my wildest dreams. No, you wasn’t there every night, but you made sure I was secure.”

  “No matter what it was in those streets, your mother was my heart and soulmate. I did what I would have done for my own daughter. In spirit, you are mine.”

  After plopping a kiss on the top of his head, I went upstairs to get some rest. A million ideas ran through my mind.

  I thought about Abe and decided to call him. I missed him and wasn’t even horny. I got his voicemail. Deciding against leaving a message, I hung up wondering if he was with someone else and feeling lightweight jealous.

  By the time I got up the next morning, Pimp was dressed. He instructed me to hurry up because we were scheduled to meet his police friend for lunch at Fogo de Chao. Missing his car, Pimp drove. When we arrived at the restaurant, she was already seated at a table. We walked up to her from behind, but Pimp’s voice grabbed her attention. Her eyes bucked when she saw me.

  “Riddles, what are you doing here?” Pussy asked.

  “I’m thinking the same thing,” I respond with just as much shock in my voice as her.

  “You two know each other?” Pimp asked.

  “I tried to tell you-” I stated.

  “That’s my question,” Pussy said as she looked at Pimp and back at me then gestured for us to sit. We did.

  “I’m in Jokers, explain later. Riddles?” she said while turning to me.

  “Tell her what happened,” Pimp instructed.

  I rehashed Buttercup’s words, interrupted only by the waiter who took our food orders.

  “You believe her?” Pussy asked.

  “She was all shook up. Seemed sincere.” I hunched my shoulders. “Yeah. I believe her. Plus...” I looked over at Pimp before revealing the situation with Emerson. I trusted him. If he said she could be trusted, then I knew it was okay to tell my whole story. He nodded his head. I put everything in a nutshell for her.

  “No wonder the leads in Malibu’s death kept going cold,” she said.

  “You’re investigating the death?” I asked.

  “Just asked a few questions here and there. I also reviewed some of the evidence until my boss told me to stop if I wanted to keep my job.”

  “But you came at me like you just wanted to share some gossip,” I said.

  “You get answers any way you can,” Pussy said and smiled.

  “What you doing up in Joker’s anyway?” Pimp asked.

  “Got the assignment after my last two big busts. Remember when a couple of strip club owners were accused of paying bribes to a cop?”

  I nodded, Pimp shrugged. I’m sure he didn’t keep up with the local news.

  “Yeah, well, since then, the department been watching ‘em. They know more than prostitution going on. They got plenty tips ‘bout a lot of drug activity. My superiors decided they wanted to send someone in who could get as much information as they could in preparation to shut them all down.”

  I couldn’t believe big-mouth Pussy was the police.

  Pussy smiled at me as if she read my mind. “They thought I fit the bill,” she continued. “Said I could keep all of my earnings and everything but had to go deep undercover.” She sipped on a drink she ordered before we got there. “I reported all kinds of stuff from drugs to illegal, trafficked immigrants.”

  “Whaaaaa,” Pimp and
I said at the same time. I never stopped to think the foreign girls could be illegal. Just always assumed them to be legit and consenting.

  “Everything about Joker’s is illegal. If it were a black-owned club, they would’ve been closed it. They wouldn’t have gotten away with half as much. That’s what pisses me off. Then they didn’t care about Malibu’s murder at all.”

  I nodded. Pimp started to check his phone.

  “See, I learned they weren’t trying to bust the club. Instead, they using me as an informant to keep an eye on how much is actually moved through there so they could estimate what to collect. When I told my superiors I wanted to end the assignment, they told me a few more months which they continued to push back further,” she continued.

  I slowly shook my head. I had been fooled by the flash, mesmerized by the money I made in Joker’s, blind to such deliberate acts of injustice.

  “I’ve collected more than enough evidence to bring the drug investigation to an end, but they continuously insisted I remain in the club. Then, just before the murder, they promised to reassign me. Now, they want me to stay on.”

  Pimp and I shook our heads.

  “They argued the death may have been drug related. They found cocaine. But won’t allow me nowhere near the case even though I’m a narc. They said let homicide deal with it.”

  “Well,” I said. “Undercover operation or not, I really got to know for sure, who in hell wanted to end my life.”

  “Ms. Riddles needs help, huh?”

  “Ain’t nobody got time for jokes,” Pimp said.

  “Whatever I can do.” She looked at him, then at me. “You lucky I still love this nigga.”

  We were interrupted by the waiter bringing our food. We ate our lunch then they spoke privately before we left to head back to the house. Once back in his car, Pimp promised that Pussy would get on it.

  Chapter Thirty

  Once back at my house, I decided to do some necessary housekeeping to tame my mind. Having Pimp and Pussy onboard calmed me somewhat. I couldn’t go at this detective thing alone anymore. While cleaning out a closet, I came across an old Atlanta Voice newspaper. I laid it to the side, remembering I probably needed to renew my subscription as to not interrupt my delivery schedule.

  As I did my chores, Pimp changed clothes. He planned to hit the streets to “check his ends” and see what he could find out.

  “If a nigga’s involved, someone’s talking somewhere,” he said before promising to return as soon as possible. He promised not to leave me alone for too long.

  In the midst of my cleaning, the phone rang. Tory’s name appeared on the caller identification. I decided to take a break and talk to her.

  “What’s up, Tory?”

  “You tell me? Just checking on you, seeing how strange you’ve been acting. Sudden trips to Cleveland without telling anybody. What’s going on?”

  “Well, it’s like this, “I explained, completely ignoring Pimp’s instructions.

  She is my best friend, I thought.

  “You really have lost your mind. What you talking about?”

  “I’m serious.”

  “Tell me. How is it someone could have killed her instead of you? I mean that doesn’t make sense to me. How could someone make that mistake?”

  “Easy. Me and Malibu looked alike. I told you that.”

  “Huh?”

  “I told you that when it happened. Goes to show how much you pay attention.”

  “Okay, but who would want you dead?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why I went home. To try and pull myself together. My stepfather’s down here now.”

  “Well, that’s good to know. Least you not in that house by yourself.”

  “So, what you doing tonight? Want to come through?”

  “Sure. I’ll stop over.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later,” I said and ended the call.

  That evening Abe and Pussy joined Pimp and I at my house. I’d finally got through to him, and was even excited about seeing him. Tory didn’t show up.

  Once the evening started, Pimp and Abe hit it right off. They sat in the living room, talking. Pussy and I were in the kitchen. She sat at the breakfast bar while I moved around the kitchen.

  “So, we fam, huh?” I spoke to break our silence.

  “Ain’t that something. ‘Cause you can’t stand me.”

  “Was it that easy to tell?” I asked.

  “Oh yeah,” she said.

  “It’s not that I couldn’t stand you necessarily, rather it was more that I couldn’t stand what I thought you were. Now knowing your true purpose,” I said standing by the stove stirring in the pot of marinara sauce. “I understand why you were that way. I had you pegged as a stupid ass stripper, but I guess you’re a damn good actress instead.”

  We laughed.

  After eating the linguini and clams, we ended up playing a few games of Spades, something I hadn’t done in years. I was rusty, and my partner Abe seemed visibly upset because I couldn’t deliver a book. I wasn’t paying attention to the board, thought more about this dude with the dreads. Abe didn’t verbally express his frustrations though.

  “We’ll get them next time,” he said once we obviously lost.

  Certain Pimp would be preoccupied with Pussy the rest of the night, I didn’t want Abe to leave. I asked him to stay. Having never been to my home, he obliged.

  Abe followed me to my bedroom. I closed the door behind him.

  “Damn, girl. I ain’t realize you livin’ this good.”

  “It’s comfortable. I like it.”

  “Comfortable? My condo is comfortable.” He looked up at the skylight over my bed and let his eyes roam the entire room. “No wonder you be resisting me. I can’t give you more than you already got.”

  “How you know?” I teased as I pulled him by his belt onto the bed with me. We were face to face nose to nose . “There’s something you got that I don’t have.”

  “What? My wood? You can get that anywhere. We both know that.”

  “But, I don’t. Now do I?”

  “I don’t know. You don’t fuck wit’ me all like that, every now and then. When your lil’ kitty purrs.” He flashed his beautiful, white teeth. I laughed.

  “Just shut up and chill wit’ me,” I said while staring off into space.

  “Hey Chyne?” Abe broke into my thoughts.

  “Yes A.B.” I stroked his chest.

  “You gone polish my dick?”

  “Have I ever,” I said then hit him on the head with the neck roll. “Besides, you didn’t solve the riddle. And, I should’ve taxed your ass because of it. But, since you do be putting it on me-”

  He grabbed my waist to pull me closer to him. We undressed then I whispered,

  “Just lay with me.”

  I woke up to an empty bed. I looked around wondering where Abe went then noticed the bathroom door cracked. I rested my head back onto the pillow. I heard flushing, and with my head propped on pillow, I watched him walk out.

  He smiled at me.

  “Good mornin,’ Chyne.”

  “Good Morning, Abe. I see you up early.”

  “I’ve gotten up early all my life.”

  “Thanks for staying with me,” I said, and for some reason blushed. “I really appreciate it.”

  “My pleasure, baby girl”

  “Can I fix you some breakfast?” I asked.

  “No thank you. I really got to be going. Got some business to handle,” he said. He sat on the edge of the bed, slipping his legs into his pants.

  I felt a little disappointed because I wanted him to stay. I watched him get dressed and thought maybe it was for the best. I had a killer to find and I couldn’t do it with him laid up around me. Just before he reached for the knob on the bedroom door, I spoke, “Wait.”

  I jumped out of the bed with my naked butt and breasts bouncing. As I walked to him, I noticed he couldn’t stop looking at my body parts. I stepped to him, braced myself, and pressed my
body against his. With an instant reflex, his hands slid to the small of my back and he pulled me closer and tighter to his strong frame. I wanted to kiss him, but instead, I placed my cheek alongside his.

  “Hold on,” I said. “Let me walk you to the door.”

  I grabbed my robe and slid it on. I walked him through the house and embraced him again at the front door. “I’ll be in touch,” I said.

  “Okay,” he said, bent down, and gave me a kiss on the lips.

  Instead of climbing back in the bed and crawling under the covers, I decided to get dressed. By the time I finished, I went downstairs for the breakfast I could smell from my room. I figured Pussy must have been cooking since I knew good and well it wasn’t Pimp.

  We all ate and talked about the situation at hand.

  “I was already told to leave this case alone,” Pussy said. “But, I do know this private investigator who can take a look at Emerson and see what he’s been up to, unusual purchases, phones calls, and things of that nature. He’s your my primary suspect, right?”

  Pimp and I nodded.

  “What about the dude with dreads?” she asked. “Sure you don’t know him?”

  “Have no clue. But, hold up,” I said, remembering the napkin in my work bag. I retrieved it and handed it to Pussy.

  “His number.” They looked at me strange so I explained how I acquired it and told her about the chase. “You know what. That Beamer followed me out of my subdivision. That means he know where I live.”

  Everyone sighed. All signs pointed to Emerson.

  “Other than that, can you think of anyone else who would have motive to kill you besides that cripple dude?” She laughed to lighten the mood.

  “That shit ain’t funny,” I said while shaking my head.

  “What she talking ‘bout?” Pimp asked. He sucked his teeth. Pussy and I looked at each other.

  “Should I tell ‘em,” she said. “Or-”

  I cut her off to tell Pimp. By the time I finished the story, we all laughed.

  “Don’t worry, Sunshine.” Pimp said. “Yo daddy got you covered.”

  Pussy and I cleaned up the kitchen and Pimp went in my office to make some phone calls. At first, it seemed awkward being left with her but as time passed, I became more comfortable. I felt bad that I misjudged her. Learning Pussy actually worked as a police, forced me to consider the concept – you can’t judge a book by its cover or synopsis. You must read it all to understand.