by D Mann
“Hey my babies,” Ms. Williams spoke, excitedly hugging and studying DA and Dana’s matching outfits. “Hey Crafty! And who is this young lady? Y’all look nice but militant wearing all this black.”
Crafty returned Ms. Williams’ hug and introduced Bearilla as his woman name B. “Thanks,” Crafty replied, tugging on the shoulders of his outfit as he stepped through the doorway. “Tight huh?”
“Hi B,” Ms. Williams called, laughing and hugging the huge woman. “You can call me momma like everybody else. I see you don’t miss too many meals do you?”
“I sure don’t,” Bearilla responded, stepping through the door threshold with the rest of the group. “And whatchu’ got to eat up in the big o’ crib momma?”
Ms. Williams closed the door and instructed everyone to follow her into the kitchen. Bearilla excitedly commented on the extensive fine art work that decorated the walls of the hallways that seemed like an intricate maze.
“Dang momma you can get lost in here,” Bearilla stated, turning another corner. “Girl let me tell you,” Ms. Williams returned, laughing and continuing to lead the way. “I’ve gotten lost many of times trying to find my own kitchen.”
“Here we go,” Ms. Williams uttered, indicating their arrival to the sought room. “Help yourself to the refrigerator B.”
Bearilla moved about the kitchen with the speed and dexterity of a professional chef. She was holding a knife and ingredients to a big sandwich within seconds as she headed to the edge of the kitchen isle from the refrigerator.
The group stood like mannequins watching Bearilla’s preparation before they scattered across the lavish kitchen for seats.
Ms. Williams walked around the kitchen isle and leaned her elbows on the counter continuing to watch Bearilla’s chef skills. “So what bring my babies by? I hope this ain’t just a business call.”
“Unfortunately it is momma,” DA replied, leaning his elbows on the counter directly across from Ms. Williams. “I need you to ask you about a former boss of yours; Simon Davenport.”
“Simon Davenport!” Ms. Williams shrieked, snapping her neck backwards as she recalled her past, glancing back over to Bearilla. “There’s some Honey Mustard in the cabinets above the utensil drawer B. What about that nasty bastard?”
“Thanks momma,” Bearilla st ated, rubbing her hands together as she made a quick stroll to the cabinets.
“We need to know of anyone who was a regular in his office or someone he stayed in touch with,” DA inquired. “Anything that may have seemed out of place.”
“ What! Besides the young boys that he kept coming through his revolving door,” Ms. Williams informed. “Thanks to that bastard the whole bank went through a restructuring period.”
“Restructuring period?” Dana asked, joining the conversation. “Once sleazy Simon killed hims elf behind the scandal he caused, the bank’s reputation was almost destroyed,” Ms. Williams shared. “We went through bank president after bank president. It seemed no one could restore the bank’s luster. Of course, I being one of five women working there, only two of us black. I was passed over for another decade before I got my first promotion. They’ve always kept a white girl in control. They don’t trust nobody outside their own.”
“What do you know about the Fince brothers’ connection to your bank back then?” DA asked. “They were always around or having some business meeting with Simon but all that faded away after Simon’s death,” Ms. Williams replied.
“Who runs the bank now?” DA questioned. “Stock Holders,” Ms. Williams responded. “Which actually turns out to be private investors with very large pockets.”
“Can you find out discreetly which investors have been in bed with your bank before and after Simon’s death?” DA asked.
“I should be able to with no problem,” Ms. Williams acknowledged. “Give me a day or two. I should have something for you.”
DA stood up and looked around the kitchen. Everyone was focus on the conversation with the exception of Bearilla who clearing down part of a sandwich with a swallow of milk.
“You sound suspicious of the bank. Did they have something to do with Darryl and Diane’s death?” Ms. Williams asked, raising herself up from the counter with an angered look on her face. “Were Simon and the Fince brothers involved DA?”
“It looks that w ay but we don’t know for sure,” DA answered. “We damn sure plan on finding out.”
“C’mon y’all we can finish talking in the living room,” Ms. Williams ordered, taking lead again and heading towards another pathway connected to the kitchen. “B you can bring the sandwich if you want. We’ll be in the living room.”
“No need,” Bearilla explained, producing a wind causing burp that roared through the spacious kitchen. “I’m done now.”
“Just leave the plate and glass in the sink and c’mon,” Ms. Williams chuckled. “We don’t want to have to send out a search party for you girl.”
“You need to find you some food etiquette B,” Crafty argued, waving his hand continually back and forth in front of his face as he followed behind her. “That burp smell like turkey shit salad.”
“Forget you Crafty!” Bearilla joked, slapping Crafty’s shoulder.
The group all laughed as they entered the large and seemingly comfy living room and took seats. DA, Dana and Crafty brought Ms. Williams up to date on what they had learned over the last couple weeks. Ms. Williams listened intently as she provided some details throughout the discussion. The group had a lot more clarity of the banks position and dealings now that they sat with Ms. Williams. The group sat flabbergasted as Ms. Williams went into detail about the Fince brothers, the bank and private investors.
“These muthafuckas think they can do anything they want,” Dana interjected, pounding one fist into the other.
“Don’t worry baby girl,” DA responded, touching his sister’s shoulder for comfort. “Those devils about to experience a bad connection.”
“Indeed big bruh,” Dana spoke, delighted. “Indeed.”
Chapter 15 Epiphany “We need to find addresses for Casey Kovac and Susan Whitmore ASAP,” DA demanded, spinning around in his chair to face the Bag brothers. “I think it’s time we talk to Steven White too.”
“You want us to pick him up?” Nap Bags asked, leaning closer to DA. “Naw,” DA answered. “Just convince him to talk. They scared him out of a story back then so he’ll probably be scared now. Take Pockets and a couple of those youngsters with y’all.”
“Cool,” Kid Bags replied, to DA calling for Mayhem and Bloodstone with a repetitive hand wave. “We rolling! Find Pockets and tell him to bring his work tools. We downstairs in five minutes.”
DA leaned back in his chair and contemplated the next moves of the group. The Bag brothers had given DA a great plan but a dangerous one. Mike and Elliot had come up with a more practical plan but timing and location would be crucial to its success. The rest of the group gave a split decision to either of the plans; DA had to make a choice.
Ronald, Brazy and Belinda sat at the two laptops still on discovery missions. They were searching for the last known locations for two pieces to their puzzle.
DA back tracked over previous information he had learned and pondered over his thoughts. He was certain of the Fince brother’s guilt but his gut instinct told him there was someone else that would miss the party he had intended on hosting, if they didn’t find the culprit soon.
“What’s wrong DA?” Sharon asked, studying DA’s face as she entered the room, taking a seat next to him.
“Nothing,” DA retorted, sitting up in his chair and shuffling through papers. DA perused several papers studying some of them intently. It was speculation at its best, but DA’s instinct told him there was a Casper playing ghost somewhere.
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong,” Dana blurted out , kicking her feet up on the board room table and gaining the interest of DA and Sharon. “Somebody being messy! I just had an epiphany. Did I say that word right?” ”
“A little,” DA whispered, thinking back to the conversation he shared with Dana some time back. “Didn’t somebody get smoked behind that shit?”
“Yeah! A few people.” Dana exclaimed. “The bitch Nikki’s cousin got killed too remember?” Dana didn’t give DA a chance to reply. “Nikki and Tara were both sleeping with the same dude name Cisco. Cisco told Tara that he would never leave Nikki and that Nikki was his one first love. That shit sent Tara on one. Tara told some Crips from the eastside that Nikki was the one responsible for setting up their homeboy and getting him killed. Those Crips came back and cleaned house. They paralyzed Nikki from the waist down, killed her cousin, killed Cisco and his best friend. Then after all that it came out that Tara lied trying to get Nikki killed so she could have Cisco to herself.”
“So what happen to Tara?” Sharon questioned. “And how does that story have anything to do with the shit we’re working on?” DA interrupted. “Once the police starting investigating the murders, those Crips went back and killed Tara, her little brother and her auntie who lived with her,” Dana stated, figuring DA and Sharon should have figured it out by now.
Dana sat quietly waiting for DA or Sharon to have their, Ah ha moment but both sat stone face waiting for the catch.
“Y’all still don’t get it?” Dana asked, with a look of disgust on her face.
“Naw baby girl I don’t,” DA disclosed. “That muthafucka you call Casper playi ng ghost is most likely a bitch!” Dana informed, crossing her arms across her chest. “Just think about this. Somebody gets mad for whatever reason and starts dropping dimes; big time snitching. Big names starts taking heat. Sleazy Simon gets caught up with our parents and he’s not going down alone; they whack him and a shit storm gets set off. Now you have a bunch of criminal muthafuckas scrambling to kill the skeletons coming out of their closets. I betchu’ my last dollar when we find the w-o-m-a-n who started leaking shit, we’ll find this shit had nothing to do with criminal cops and dirty bankers. This feels like some of that emotional, I’m hurt and gon’ get revenge type shit. Watch what I tell you.”
“You might be right baby girl,” DA uttered, wondering how much of Pockets had rubbed off on his sister.
“I am right,” Dana countered. “That’s what’s been bothering me,” DA confided. “For this to be professionals it seems like everybody involved was acting non-professional and yes I agree baby girl, this shit seems hella messy.”
“The question becomes then if it is a woman,” Sharon commented. “Is the woman linked to this scandal by business or relationship?”
“I think a better question is,” Dana interjected. “Is the woman scorned by business or relationship?”
“That sounds more logical to me,” DA joined in. “I have a good feeling if the reporter talks to the Bag brothers we’ll be finding out who our Casper the ghost really is.”
Chapter 16
Who’s That Lady? “DA ! We found Susan Whitmore,” Belinda told, showing DA a printed out paper. “She died ten months ago of cervical cancer in Seattle,
Washington.”
“What about Casey Kovac?” DA asked, handing Belinda back the piece of paper. “We’re still trying to find his whereabouts,” Belinda answered, turning and heading back to table where the laptops sat. “He flies around the world most of the time now on business. I’ll let you know as soon as we find him.”
DA thought to himself about Dana’s conclusion. It made sense in a weird way. DA decided to take a break from the case to relax his mind but relaxing his mind didn’t happen. DA decided to make a quick trip to the Penn. Maybe John Whitecloud knew of something or someone that he didn’t figure was important at the time.
DA got up from his seat and walked out of the room followed by Sharon.
“DA! Wait up,” Sharon pleaded, trying to catch the fast paced walking DA. “Where you going?” “I just got a couple more questions for John Whitecloud,” DA answered, never breaking his stride.
“I’m going to check out something myself,” Sharon notified. “I’ll be back shortly. I think I may have overlooked something.”
“Take a couple people with you,” DA uttered, stopping in his tracks and hugging Sharon. “And be careful, I love you.”
“I will,” Sharon replied, returning the hug of DA. “I love you too.” The two split and DA continued on his way. DA walked through the door of the Penn, pulled a seat in front of John Whitecloud and the coroner and began his questioning.
“I need you to really think back and tell me about Simon Fince and Casey Kovac,” DA ordered, laying his arms stacked across the back of John Whitecloud’s chair.
“What do you wanna know?” John Whitecloud spoke. “I wanna know about the women these two men entertained,” DA said. “Anything you can remember from back then.”
John Whitecloud went into a spell thinking back to the past. John just shook his head from side to side for a few seconds before the words started spilling from his mouth.
“You know Casey Kovac considered himself quite the ladies’ man in his day,” John told. “So it wasn’t a shock to see him with different woman on any giving day and this guy had a harem full of women. There was this one episode that took place at one of their uppity parties where Susan Whitmore blew up and called Casey out for sleeping with some woman.”
“What’s so strange about that?” DA inquired. “If he was known for having many women as you say.”
“True,” John agreed. “But that’s what made it so strange. Susan had known about Casey’s addictive history with women the entire time so when she blew up, not only was it a shocker, most people took it as a sign that Susan considered this mystery woman as a threat to her power.”
“Why?” DA asked. “The way she complained and cried about the other woman,” John emphasized. “She wanted that woman gone and I mean d-e-a-d gone. Susan almost had a stroke at that party.”
“Did Susan ever use the woman’s name?” DA questioned. “Did she ever reveal the woman’s identity?”
“No. Not at all . She refused to,” John informed. “But through a racist rant we found out the woman was non-white. She specifically called her a nonwhite in attempt to embarrass Casey among the white elites he gathered for his party. She never went too far, she made certain not to give a description of the woman’s identity. But without using the n-word, I think everyone got the picture.”
“Has anyone you know of ever seen this woman?” DA asked. “No. but it was rumored that this mystery woman had slept with not only Casey but also Simon Davenport,” John answered. “For what it’s worth, some say she even had Susan under her thumb.”
“How so?” DA inquired. “An alleged lesbian relationship,” John offered. “Susan was known to fancy the company of a pretty lady now and then too.”
“Wow,” DA uttered. “This shit sounds like script from Hollywood.” DA rose from his seat, spent the chair around in his hands and slid the chair back under the table. DA glared at John Whitecloud for a second until he was interrupted by the coroner calling out young man.
“What is it?” DA answered, sternly walking to the door and pausing. “There was once an exclusive club; an all woman’s club,” The coroner explained. “Rich housewives, movie star wives, you know the elite woman’s club of Los Angeles.”
“Susan Whitmore?” DA speculated, interrupting the coroner. “Yes, she wasn’t exactly open with it, but she wasn’t shy about it either,” the coroner replied. “It was the same thing with a host of others. Your mystery woman might have frequented the club. It was a v-e-r-y discreet club for women who indulged sexually in other women.”
“What was the name of the club?” DA inquired. “The Eastern Star,” the coroner told. “It was named
after a Masonic order of elite and lonely white women whose powerful husbands screwed anything with a dress on; except them.”
“One could only imagine,” DA said, shaking his head.
“Where was it located?” DA asked, in calmer tone. “Beverly Hills, Bel Aire area,” the coroner said, shrugging his shoulders in disappointment for not being able to furnish an address. “I never got an invite.”
DA studied the coroner for a second before turning, grabbing the door knob and opening the door.
“Young man,” the coroner called out. “Do you plan to kill me?” DA never turned around to face the pleading men. He walked through the door and closed it behind himself. DA headed back to the others, it was time to conference and endure one more search.
Everyone that conspired to kill his parents would face the same inevitability; their own death. DA was certain the Fince brothers were guilty. There were only a few puzzling questions left; time would surely provide an answer.
Chapter 17
Can’t Let ‘Em Do It DA glanced around the conference room noticing the partial emptiness. Crafty and Bearilla sat huddled up in the far corner while Ronald and Brazy tapped away on the laptop keyboards.
“Anybody know where Belinda and Dana at?” DA asked. “They bounced with Sharon,” Brazy excla imed, spinning in his chair from the laptop screen. “I heard ‘em say sumthin’ about talking to
somebody.”
DA sat down at the conference table, pulled his cellphone, prepared to dial a number and an incoming call flashed on his screen. It was Dana.
“Y’all good?” DA questioned, answering his phone with concern. “Yeah we good big bruh,” Dana confided. “We on our way to talk to moms. I just wanna ask her a few more questions.”
“Make sure you ask her about a sister that worked at the bank with a lot of power,” DA demanded. “That’s our scorned Casper the ghost.”
“Gotchu’ big bruh,” Dana acknowledged. “Holla at you when we finish.” “Watch ya’self,” DA spoke, disconnecting the call. “Hey Ronald. See what you can find out about a white women’s high society club called the Eastern star. It useta’ be in the Beverly Hills, Bel Aire area.”