“I have one.”
“Good.”
She closed the door. Black sat looking at the papers to the door. He contemplated getting up and joining her in the shower and thought better of it. He left the room taking the papers with him to his office.
Detective Jon “Bunchy” Edwards stepped from his home, midafternoon with his head hung low. He stared off into the distance as if he had been deep in thought, or analyzing something from several blocks away. He tried to push the thought to the back of his mind but he couldn’t.
He knew how these things turned out and they were 99.999% of the time all bad. He worked the missing person's department for Chicago PD. He had lost count years ago of how many parents’ faces he had to look into and lie with as much conviction that he could gather and tell them that it would be alright. He was feeling it now. He was one of those parents. His colleagues told him it would be alright. Hold your head. We won’t stop looking until we find her. All the clichés and bullshit lines of hope he had given. It had been almost a month since his little girl had gone missing. Joanne Edwards. They called her Lil Bunchy, although she had her mother’s dark smooth complexion she had the facial features of her father. She was only 13 years old and hadn’t been heard or seen from in a month. He was told to stay away from the case he was too emotionally involved. The case was assigned to Morrow and Jernigan both competent detectives but he knew it wouldn’t get worked the way he wanted it worked. He hesitantly made his way to his car, opened the door and climbed in closing the door he sat, debating if he would go in and try to work a case or take time off they kept trying to get him to take.
Staying home would do him no good. He would have to be home with her all day. His wife, she blamed him. She didn’t say it, but he knew….she’s right he was responsible and God was punishing him now this would be the penance he would have to pay for the sins he committed against his flesh and blood. He needed to blow off steam so instead of going straight in to the precinct he decided to take a detour and head to a shooting range. He wanted to go someplace he wouldn’t be recognized so he headed to the one in Plainfield.
Chicago traffic was bad as usual, only today he didn’t care he was in no rush he needed the time to think. He would put in a request for time off. Cash in his pension and take the time and use every favor and every C.I. and snitch he had or owed him a favor and got his little girl back home. He drove and thought, he hadn’t realized that he was there and sitting in the parking lot.
He climbed from the car, closed the door, locked it and walked inside. There weren't very many people there it was early afternoon. After making his way in he flashed his badge, bought a box of ammunition for his nine millimeters and proceeded to the shooting range, walking down the aisle he stopped next to a woman placed his box of bullets down and picked up the headphones to muffle the sound of shots. As he un-holstered his weapon, the woman turned and faced him.
“Bunchy, is that you?”
She asked smiling, setting her gun down on the ledge in front of her, taken by surprise Edwards looked closer.
“Trigger?”
She gave him a hug. She spoke.
“I haven’t seen you in, what….”
He spoke up.
“A year.”
They had been sparring partners at a boxing gym before she switched to MMA fighting.
“How’s the family?”
She yelled over the firing. Black was on the other side of her firing, they were the only three there. Detective Edwards flashed a counterfeit smile. His eyes shifted upward to the left, then lowered towards the floor. He cleared his throat. Spoke.
“They’re fine.”
His voice cracked. Treigger read the sadness in his eyes. She turned and nudged Black. He lowered his ear closer to her lips and removed the earphones. She whispered in his ear. He looked up at Detective Edwards nodded his head yes. Placed the earphones back to his ears and returned to firing his weapon at the paper target. Trigger turned back to Detective Edwards who had begun firing his weapon at his paper target. She stood silently watching until he finished firing then she placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. He turned and acknowledged her. She nodded towards the door and began walking to the exit not looking to see if he was following her or not. Once outside they stood silent. Awkwardness prevailed for a small moment. He broke the silence.
“What’s on your mind Trigger?”
She placed her hand on his.
“I know we weren’t the best of confidants, just spoke cordially but I was hoping you would feel comfortable enough to tell me what was on your mind.”
He pulled his hand from hers, stepped back and crossed his arms across his chest aggressively.
“Nothing out of the ordinary, why’d you ask?”
“I sensed maybe you had something you wanted to get off your chest, so I’m offering to listen.”
Another faulty smile, turned his head from hers. When he looked back her warm brown eyes were staring back at him with more intensity than before. He uncrossed his arms and relaxed his shoulders trying his best not to break down in front of her.
“Let’s walk.”
Chapter Three
Black and Trigger sat near the rear of the restaurant. They were having a meal at the Litehouse whole food grill in Hyde Park he ordered the santé fe fiesta burrito on a spinach tortilla wrap. The burrito stuffed with fresh, all natural, hormone & antibiotic free grass fed steak, freshly cut romaine, and grilled peppers & onions, beans, corn, Spanish rice, a sprinkle of Mexican Cheese, sour cream and house made salsa. He also had a side of fried green tomatoes and tea to wash it down. She ordered the Caribbean mango jerk salmon salad which consisted of wild-caught 4oz Jerk Salmon, freshly cut tomatoes & romaine, corn and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and Caribbean Mango Vinaigrette. With waffle fries as her side and a glass of lemonade.
The restaurant, packed as usual, family place, been in the community for years. Black broke the silence.
“So, what was up with your friend?”
She dug into her salad and tasted it before answering. Tapping her plate with her fork as she swallowed she looked into Black’s eyes.
“I’m glad you asked.”
“Oh boy.”
He said as he took a swallow of his drink. Trigger laughed before continuing.
“I haven’t even said anything yet, and you’re already talking mess.”
He smiled.
“Go on, I’m listening.”
“My friend, Detective Edwards needs your help.”
Black’s eye brows raised.
“Needs my help how?”
“His daughter is missing, I told him you could help.”
He set his fork down.
“Why did you tell him that?”
“He needs the help, you need the job, and it sounds like your kind of case.”
“He’s a cop for Christ sake, he has an entire department at his disposal.”
“Do this for me Black.”
He shook his head no.
“I don’t know about this.”
She set her fork down, reached into her purse and removed her phone. She pressed a few keys then slid the phone across the table to Black. He looked at the phone then at her.
“Pick it up.”
She instructed as she began eating her salad again. Black hesitantly picked up the phone, looked at the screen and staring back was a picture of a chocolate painted little girl. He tried to hide his sense of empathy, but it was too late she read it in his eyes. She spoke.
“She’s 13 years old, he texts that to me before we left.”
“What am I supposed to do Trigger?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“You’re a private detective, detect.”
“I haven’t completed the steps yet.”
“Then get on top of it Black.”
“I know what I want to get on top of.”
She rolled her eyes p
layfully.
“Here you go, your horny tail.”
He didn’t respond verbally, he continued eating eyeing her and back at the phone contemplating taking on the assignment.
“What did you tell him?”
“Nothing only that you would help.”
“Is that all?”
“I pinky swear.”
She said as she held up her pinky finger and winked at him playfully.
“I hope so, I don’t want you promising this man something I may not be able to deliver.”
“It’s cool, Detective Edwards is a reasonable man.”
He closed the photo on the screen and slid the phone back to her.
“I’ll do it.”
She smiled, then licked her lips seductively.
“Now that, that’s done. What was that about you know what you want to get on top of?”
He shot her a sullen look.
“Nope, it’s too late that boat has sailed.”
Her eyes widened in shock, she shot him a look back of strong indignation. Her lips curled, doubtfully.
“If you say so Black.”
He waved his hand playfully dismissing her words as they both laughed.
Black lay in bed, watching the news, not watching the news as much as listening to it. It was the same typical stuff, X amount of Black kids shot and killed over the weekend, Mayor Rahm Emanuel trying to convince director Spike Lee not to film or name his film Chi-Raq said it would hurt tourism in Chicago, an amber alert about three girls from Chicago’s Maywood area gone missing. Black sat up and turned his full attention to the television. The news anchorman said police had no leads the three were last seen Friday night leaving for the movies. Black shook his head, grabbed the remote and clicked the television off.
He reluctantly dropped to the floor and began doing push-ups he would do three sets of one hundred then hit the shower. He hated working out did it to keep up with Trigger, she suggested two sets of fifty so he adds two hundred more. He figured if he were going to tackle the private investigator business getting a little extra muscle mass wouldn’t hurt.
After showering and getting dressed he decided to skip breakfast and head on over to the precinct where Detective Edwards worked. He sent a text message and said he would meet him in the parking lot. Black pulled into the lot and spotted him sitting in his car. Black parked, got out of his car and got in the passenger seat next to Detective Edwards.
“Morning.”
Black said as he let his eyes scan the parking lot. Detective Edwards grunted, dropped a file in his lap. Black picked it up and began thumbing through it. Detective Edwards faced Black.
“That’s everything we have on her.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll give you a few days to get familiar with the case.”
Detective Edwards started the car up, signaling the end of the conversation.
“ I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“How was your relationship with your daughter?”
“What do you mean? She was my daughter.”
“How did you two get along?”
Detective Edwards sighed deeply.
“She was a preteen girl, hell man you know how they are at that age. They know every damn thing. Mom and dad don’t know shit. Push and pull you know, typical growing pains shit.”
“You two fought a lot then?”
“No fights.”
Black nodded.
“Is that all?”
Detective Edwards asked irritated.
“For now. Yes.”
Black opened the car door.
“What, you aren’t going to promise you’ll find her?”
“No, Detective. I don’t know if I can……but I’ll try. I’ll be in touch.”
Black got out of the car and closed the door.
The charcoal grey 2015 Acura NSX crept along the gravel near downtown’s China town Charles Tyner sat in the passenger seat as his common law wife Avery drove. The A/C in the car was on full blast, dark tent shielded them from prying eyes. She edged the vehicle towards the end of the alley to the last building parking and turning the car off the two climbed out and made their way to the door. Avery, the evenly tanned, toned, average height brunette with freckles speckling her nose and underneath her eyes keyed in the four digit code to unlock the stainless steel, bullet proof door. The door beeped and the light on the keypad changed from red to green she pulled the door open and they both stepped in the door closed behind them and the lock reengaged.
There was nothing in the vast space, the lights were sensor operated, as they stepped across the room lights began coming on. Once in the rear of the building they stopped at a freezer door. There was another electronic keypad outside of this door.
“What’s the big surprise Avery?”
Charles asked, already knowing the answer.
“You’ll see.”
She said as she smiled devilishly she keyed in the code. The door beeped and she pulled the door open. Charles stood in the doorway staring he didn’t know to feel nervous or excited. Walking around the room in a zombie like state were three teenage sparsely dressed girls. He shook his head and closed the door.
“What’s wrong with them?”
“Nothing, I know you like your meat fresh so I kept them alive.”
“Right, but when we opened the door, how come they didn’t try to escape?”
“A combination of lorazepam and morphine, the combination slows breathing and heart rate leaving them dead on their feet. I feed em, give em thin blankets to keep moderately warm but inevitably it’s a slow death. We can feast on them one at a time without the meat going bad too fast. You know getting freezer burn.”
“Yeah, I know.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“What’s wrong?”
He removed her arms and pushed her away.
“It was reckless, those girls are all over the news.”
“They’re from the ghetto, you and I both know after a day or two there will be no more talk of it.”
“How did you get all three of them to come willingly?”
“One of the little tramps that came to the clinic to get an abortion needed a mommy figure so, I gave her some attention. After her operation I put her up in a room to get well. At least that’s what I told her. Came back later that night she was gone. That was over a month ago. Then yesterday she pops up with her two friends, one of them to get an abortion. I convinced the three to take a ride with me first. Got them here and the rest is history.”
“You know that was impulsive right?”
“And you going on inquisitions without me wasn’t?”
“I said I was sorry.”
She turned her back to him.
“What did we promise under God?”
“I know what we promised Avery!”
“Tell me.”
She demanded as she stamped her feet, Charles sighed angrily.
“I’m waiting Charles.”
He grabbed her by her arms and turned her so that she faced him.
“I remember it as clearly as I remember coming out of the womb, as plain as the nose on my face, the words etched into the core of my soul burned on my brain like the taste of your tongue from the first time I laid eyes on you and I knew I had to have you forever. The first time we ever shared together. It was there, that for the first time we tasted life and we swore under God to only share these moments with one another we took an oath of blood.”
“What did we say baby?”
Avery asked, her breathing now becoming heavier with each passing second.
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man.”
His hands still holding her arms, she pulled free and with both hands she clasped his face, pulled him close and they locked in a passionate kiss. She felt his manhood
stiffen through his jeans. When she pulled back from the kiss Charles had blood running from his lip down his chin. She gently cupped his face and licked the blood from his chin.
“I love you baby.”
Charles said as tears began welling in his eyes.
Avery smiled back devilishly.
“I know.”
Chapter Four
Black made his way over to Detective Edward’s home. He figured he spoke with one of the parents speaking with the other is always the perfect place to start. He pulled up in front of the home and parked. Getting out of his car and approaching the house he noticed someone peeking out of the curtains through the window. Upon reaching the door before he could knock the door swung open taking him by surprise.
“Can I help you?”
She asked standing in the doorway. Black stood with his mouth open staring at her midsized sexy frame. Not quite BBW but most definitely had enough cushion for the pushing. Hair cut in a stylishly low cut similar to Amber Rose minus the gold dye, skin tone the hue of the sun. He found himself slightly at a loss for words. He quickly composed himself.
“Mrs. Edwards?”
He asked taking a step back.
“Yes, and you are?”
“I’m Black Love, I was hired by your husband to help locate your daughter Joanne.”
She eyed him from head to toe then reluctantly stepped to the side for him to enter. After stepping inside she closed the door and led him through the home to the kitchen. Black quickly surveyed the home. It was modest looking, well-kept but nothing fancy. What he expected from a cop’s salary. Once in the kitchen he had a seat at the kitchen table. She had food on the stove. He smelled it when he first entered the home. Bacon, eggs, and smothered potatoes.
“Would you like something to eat? What did you say your name was again? Black Love?”
“Yes, just call me Black. And no, no thank you.”
She picked up a strip of bacon and bit into it.
“Black Love huh? That’s different. Street name or government name?”
“Government, pops named me.”
There was an uncomfortable silence. He cleared his throat. She spoke.
Cannibal in the City (Black Love Book 2) Page 2
