Black Viper

by Christopher Speight

  Copyright ©2021 Camie Entertainment/Christopher Speight

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or any means (electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written consent from the author except brief quotes used in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. It is not meant to depict, portray, or represent any real persons, Names, characters, places, or incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Acknowledgements

  My first journey into the land of detective novels has been an exciting one to say the least. For some time now, I’ve been wanting to step out of my comfort zone and step into a genre that I’ve been reading since I began reading. This is my first detective novel and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Detective Franklin Stone awaits you. Enjoy the read. With that being said, I have a few acknowledgements I would like to give out.

  First, as always, I acknowledge my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without him, nothing is possible.

  To my agent N’tyse. Thank you for believing in me. I appreciate all that you have done.

  To my associate agent, Diane Rembert. You have rocked out with me since the beginning, and I truly appreciate your support.

  To Robert White. I truly appreciate your unbiased opinions of my material. Keep giving me the real.

  To Jamoni Davis. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read my manuscript. I truly appreciate it.

  To my mom. Thanks for all the support you have shown me. I love you!

  To my sons, Deonte and Aaron. I am really enjoying watching the two of you become men. Keep up the good work!

  Last but certainly not least, my wife Margo. Thank you for putting up with me. Love you!

  1

  As far as watering holes went, this couldn’t be confused with a top-of-the-line establishment. A drab shade of chipped blue paint adorned the walls. The fluorescent lights dangling from the ceiling hadn’t been cleaned in months. The dust covering them was so thick that, even when the lights were on, the ability to take notice of the quaint ambiance of the place was, at best, difficult. The floor was always sticky, due to the lack of attention from the lazy, part-time janitor. Under normal circumstances, such ineptitude would be just cause for termination. However, the owner, Victoria Baker, had promised her mother on her deathbed that she would look after her baby brother, Saffold. The siblings were polar opposites, from their looks to their demeanor. Victoria was a fiery redhead, who stood around five foot two with brown eyes and an average figure. On the other hand, her brother was rather athletic, with a physique that resembled an NFL quarterback. At six foot two, his sculpted body intimidated most men and caused most women to swoon. His light blue eyes, hypnotic and mesmerizing, enticed many captivated women into his web.

  Over the years, Victoria had lost quite a few friends because of Saffold’s pump ‘em and dump ‘em strategy. In addition to his womanizing ways, Saffold was also a raging alcoholic and occasional cocaine abuser.

  He was so prolific at drinking that he would sometimes challenge the bar patrons to contests, which he’d easily win. The reward for his victories were often free shots or drinks.

  Although Saffold only worked three days a week, he could be found at the bar nearly every night hustling free drinks or trying to seduce women.

  Despite the warnings of his sister, it wasn’t unusual for Saffold to take a different woman back to his place for a night of fun. Although she knew that the women were essentially playthings to him, Victoria did breathe a sigh of relief when he left with them. On more occasions than she cared to remember, his drinking had led to an altercation with someone in the bar, which led to a fight, which, in turn, led to someone having to be paid off to keep the matter out of court. She was growing tired of cleaning up his messes, but her promises, and her sense of obligation to keep them, bound her to the point of paralysis.

  As the clock moved closer to closing time, a faint smile morphed across Victoria’s lips. Today was her brother’s birthday. Knowing him as she did, Victoria did not doubt that he would be looking to celebrate by drinking plenty of booze and then searching out a willing female to cap off his night. She just prayed to God that he would find someplace else to do it.

  “Knock, knock,” a familiar voice called out to her from the doorway. Her smile grew twice as big when she looked up and saw the love of her life, Kevin, standing there. Immediately she dropped the ink pen she’d been using to complete her paperwork, leaped to her feet, and flew across the room into his arms. Before he could get another word out of his mouth, she had firmly pressed her lips against his. They were quite the odd pair. Not only were they an interracial couple, with Kevin being African American, but they were from entirely different backgrounds. Kevin Broadnax had grown up surrounded by money. His father was a prominent real estate developer who owned many apartment complexes and houses.

  When Kevin was just a teenager, his father began laying the groundwork for him to thrive and succeed in the real estate market. By the age of twenty-five, his net earnings had climbed to over $200,000 a year. Now, just a few weeks shy of his twenty-ninth birthday, Kevin’s net worth was somewhere around half a million dollars. Of course, he wasn’t about to share that information with Victoria just yet. His father and mother had always told him that the only way to know if a person’s intentions were sincere was to allow them to think you didn’t have anything. Once people knew that you had money, greed took over. But Kevin loved her and would be all too happy to share his fortune with her, when and if they ever tied the knot.

  Victoria, on the other hand, grew up somewhere between the middle and lower class. Her family didn’t struggle to live, but after paying all of their bills, they had very little left with which to do anything. Her mother, Rosemary Baker, was hellbent on not wanting her children to live paycheck to paycheck. She took out a $50,000 life insurance policy on herself and stipulated that it be divided equally upon her death. While Saffold blew the majority of his money on fast times and even faster women, Victoria opened up the bar and began carving out her niche in life. She and Kevin met a year and a half ago and soon began dating. Saffold was furious, insisting that his sister break it off and stop interacting with a “coon.” His bigotry only pushed Victoria further into Kevin’s arms, much to her brother’s chagrin.

  “I guess you just couldn’t wait to see me, huh?” she asked when her and Kevin’s lips finally parted.

  “I think we both know the answer to that.”

  “Indeed, I do. I guess you missed your little snow bunny, huh?”

  “You have no idea,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him. After embracing for what seemed like forever, Victoria grabbed Kevin’s hand and pulled him toward her desk. She then pushed herself up and sat on the edge. She licked her lips seductively as she pulled Kevin between her legs and wrapped them around his waist. Things were just beginning to get hot and heavy when they heard someone clear their throat.

  “Excuse me, Miss Baker, but you told me to let you know if your brother showed up. Well, he just showed up.”

  Victoria sighed. She was hoping that she wouldn’t have to deal with Saffold’s bullshit tonight but apparently fate wasn’t on her side.

  “Is he drunk?”

  “Well, he’s not as drunk as he usually is, but he’s still pretty tipsy.”

  “Okay, thanks Wendy.”

  As the barmaid turned to walk back to her post, Saffold stagge
red toward her. He gave her the onceover, blowing a kiss in her direction.

  “I guess you had to come and report to the boss lady that I was in the building, huh, Wendy? Hey, how about a kiss for the birthday boy?”

  Wendy tried to ignore him but Saffold wouldn’t let her. As she passed him, he slapped her on her behind. Wendy responded by slapping him across the shoulder.

  “Keep your hands off of me, asshole!”

  Saffold roared with laughter. His face morphed into a mask of hatred, however, when he noticed Kevin.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Buckwheat!”

  Kevin’s fists balled up at his sides. His nostrils started to flare as his hate-filled eyes focused on Saffold. He truly wanted to strangle the man.

  “What’s the matter, boy? You got something you wanna get off your chest?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do,” Kevin said, making his way toward Saffold.

  “Knock it off, you two,” Victoria said, grabbing Kevin by the arm to hold him back. “Saffold, what the hell do you want?”

  “What do you mean, what do I want? It’s my birthday, sis. I want you to come out here and have a drink with me.”

  “She’s busy,” Kevin stated, a smug look on his face.

  “Wasn’t nobody talking to you, boy.” Saffold punctuated his statement by pointing his finger at Kevin.

  “Oh, I’ll show you a boy.”

  Kevin balled his fists up and took a step toward Saffold. Although Saffold was built like an athlete, Kevin was an athlete, having run track and played college football. He’d put on a few pounds over the years, but he still frequented the gym regularly. In short, Saffold looked the part. However, Kevin was the part. Victoria knew this, which is why she didn’t hesitate to jump in between her brother and her lover. With her hand planted on his chest and a worried expression on her face, Victoria looked up at Kevin with pleading eyes.

  “Please baby, let me handle this,” she implored him. Saffold may have been a racist jackass, but he was still her flesh and blood, and she had no desire to see him in the hospital.

  “Just wait for me in the car, okay?”

  Kevin stood there for a few seconds, glaring at Saffold. After cutting his eyes at Victoria, he reluctantly let the matter drop and headed for the back entrance. Saffold opened his mouth to hurl even more insults at Kevin, but a cold look from Victoria froze his tongue. As soon as Kevin was gone, Victoria whirled on her brother and slapped the taste from his mouth.

  A confused and shocked expression washed over Saffold’s face. As far back as he could remember, Victoria had only put her hands on him one other time. That was when he’d gotten drunk at a family gathering and called her out of her name.

  “Damn, sis, what the hell?”

  Victoria’s eyes narrowed into slits. Her chest heaved in and out as she tried unsuccessfully to suppress her rage.

  “Let me tell you something once and for all. I am sick and tired of you acting like Kevin is a second-class citizen just because he’s African American! He is my boyfriend, and you may as well get used to it, because that’s not going to change! So, either get used to it, or find yourself another job!”

  Saffold looked at his older sister and smirked. He too had been standing at the bedside when his mother made Victoria promise that she’d look after him. He was getting ready to remind her of the promise she’d made to their mother, but something in her eyes told him that she meant what she’d just said. The grin slowly evaporated from his face and was replaced by a disgusted frown.

  “Dad would turn over in his grave if he knew that you’ve taken up with a N––”

  “Don’t you dare say it!” Victoria yelled, cutting off his racist remark before he even finished it.

  “It’s true, and you know it! He’d be as pissed at you as I am!”

  “Well, seeing that I’m a grown-ass woman, there would be nothing that he could do about it, just like there’s nothing you can do about it now!”

  Victoria fumed, doing her best to keep from shaking. For the life of her, she just couldn’t understand why her brother was such a bigot. If memory served her correctly, Saffold dated an African American girl when they were in high school. Maybe it was a phase. Or maybe it was Saffold wanting to taste the forbidden fruit that their father had stressed to them to stay away from. Whatever the reason, she didn’t feel that way, and she never would.

  Saffold stood defiant, folding his arms across his chest. He snorted out a sick-sounding laugh as he took inventory of the situation.

  “So, let me get this straight. You’re willing to fire me––your only sibling––because I disagree with you keeping time with a N––African American? You’re willing to just throw our relationship in the trash for him?”

  Victoria rubbed her temples. Saffold was starting to give her a migraine. She took a deep breath and prepared to explain her feelings to him…once again.

  “Saffold, if you disagree with my relationship with Kevin, that’s fine. You don’t have to. But as God is my witness, you will respect it. And I’m going to have to insist that you keep your snide and racist comments to yourself.”

  Tears formed in the corners of Victoria’s eyes. Ever since she and Kevin had started dating, she’d had to endure this. She hoped that her brother would have a change of heart, but she should have known better. The jokes Saffold and his father made about African Americans while they were growing up should have been a clear indication of how he would feel for the rest of his life. Saffold took one look into his sister’s eyes and his heart sank. Although he’d suspected it all along, he was now convinced of it. His sister was in love. Deep love.

  “Fine sis. If that’s what you want, I’ll just stay out of your life.”

  Saffold turned to walk away but stopped when he felt his sister’s hand on his shoulder.

  “Saffold, I don’t want you out of my life. I just want you to respect my relationship.”

  “Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, sis.”

  Saffold made up his mind right then and there that he would have to look for another job. He wasn’t about to deceive himself into thinking that he could accept his sister dating a Black man. Although he’d put up with it for over a year, Saffold no longer had the intestinal fortitude to continue doing so.

  “Saffold, you and Kevin really do need to find a way to coexist.”

  “Oh yeah? And just why in the hell would I ever get close to that fudge bar?”

  Victoria was quiet for a few seconds. She wanted to light into her brother for his degrading comment but decided that the best revenge would be the answer to his callous question.

  “Because I want my child to grow up with both his father and his uncle in his life.”

  When Saffold turned back around and saw his sister rubbing her stomach, he nearly passed out.

  2

  Kevin was so ticked off, that he had to stop himself from punching the windshield literally. He’d tolerated Saffold’s racist ways and condescending attitude for close to a year and a half and it was beginning to weigh on him. Although he did love Victoria, it had crossed his mind on several occasions to break it off with her, just to avoid the humiliation and ridicule that Saffold continuously heaped upon him. Feeling like he needed something to calm his nerves, Kevin leaned to his right, opened his glove compartment, and took out an already opened pack of Newport 100s. It had been nearly two weeks since he’d last smoked a cigarette. It was a nasty habit that he’d been trying to kick for the last six months.

  Now that Kevin thought about it, the only time he ever smoked anymore was when he had to suffer through the angst of being around Saffold. Quickly shaking one from the pack, Kevin slid it between his lips and lit the tip. The cancer stick came to life as the dull white end instantly turned bright red. Kevin took a long, deliberate drag before letting down the window and blowing the fumes out into the air. Thirty seconds later, a calm washed over him as he leaned back on the headrest and closed his eyes. Although the nicotine had done its job,
Kevin was still pissed. He would like nothing more than to waltz back inside and punch Saffold in the face.

  Being a Black man in America, Kevin was no stranger to racism. In high school, he’d seen his share of racist jokes and quotes inside the lavatory stalls. He’d even been called the N-word on the football field, which resulted in a huge fight between the two teams. Oddly enough, Kevin was the only player to be ejected from the game. When his coach inquired about why his player was the only one being thrown out, he was told that it was because Kevin had incited the entire spectacle. The coach took one look at the all-white officiating crew and walked back to the sidelines, shaking his head. He glanced back over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of the referee smirking at him. He wanted to get mad, but he knew that it wouldn’t do him any good. After the game, he pulled young Kevin to the side and tried to explain to him why he was seemingly being targeted. Kevin cut him off immediately, stating that he already knew. Kevin had nearly fallen asleep when he heard the car door open and close. He opened his eyes to see the love of his life slide into the passenger’s seat. The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds before Victoria spoke.

  “Sweetheart, I’m sorry about my asshole brother. I know that he’s a racist prick, but please, just be patient with him, okay?”

  “Patient? Baby, did you just ask me to be patient? Victoria, for a year and a half, I have put up with his racist comments, anti-Semitic views, and intolerant attitude. I’m sorry to tell you honey, but I’m running out of patience.”

  Victoria placed her hand on Kevin’s leg and rubbed it gently. She could tell by how tight it was that her man was extremely tense. Knowing what it took to calm him down, she squeezed his leg as she rubbed. Kevin smiled.

  “I know honey. But just so you know, I just told Saffold in no uncertain terms that I wanted him to cut out all of that racist crap and respect our relationship.”