Grand Murder ~ ~ © 2007 Sylvia Hubbard

Chapter 1

The decomposing body of Rita Fleet was a horrific sight. Whomever had done this to her, truly had a sick mind, yet there was evidence that she knew her attacker.

Tobias Avery knew instantly this was one of the Grand Boulevard Casanova. The press had started calling him that because all the bodies indicated that the victim did know or had willingly met the attacker and allowed herself to be sexual with him. The bodies were then dumped somewhere on the Boulevard.

Rita Fleet was the first victim found on East Grand Boulevard of Detroit while all the others had been found on the West Side of the street.

Paul Hess, his partner came up beside him. “What do you think this means?”

“How the hell should I know?” Tobias muttered. He had been on this case for three years and things were not getting easier. “He’s mocking us. I know it.”

“Are you sure it’s not a copycat?” Paul questioned.

“No, I’m sure even before Henry confirms it, ten bucks say this girl has something shoved up there and what ever started out like lovemaking ended in sodomy. It was outside too. Look at her knees. She was kneeling on grass. Just like all the others.”

“Do we do the same kind of questioning?” Paul asked.

“Yeah.” He looked down at his notebook. “She was reported missing yesterday morning and her car was still at the club where she said she was going to be. Nobody saw her leave with anyone, though.”

“So you think she willingly snuck out with this guy just like the others and things got too rough so he sliced her up like that?” Paul guessed.

“Same shit, different day,” Tobias confirmed lighting up a cigarette.

“When’d you start back?” Paul asked a bit bothered Tobias has started smoking again.

“Sheryl left me this morning. I figured it’s about time I did what the hell I wanted to do now that domineering slut is out of my life,” he growled. With his voice being so deep he sounded more angry than what he really sounded, but Paul had been his partner for five years and knew him too well to know he was more pissed off for wasting eight years pussy footing with Sheryl than anything else.

“I’ll question the businesses and security in the neighborhood. Henry wants to hurry up and get in and get out because the rains coming and he doesn’t want anything washed away.” Paul nodded to the camera guy. “Tell poki-man to hurry the hell up with all that damn flashing and the chief wants a statement in ten minutes.”

“There is nothing to say, Paul.” Tobias took a long drag on the cigarette. He’d missed smoking. Sheryl had made him give it up two years ago and although it had made him feel great, he still missed it. She had made him think if he jumped through that hoop for her, she would marry him, but she had made another hoop for him to jump for him shortly after that.

“You won’t make that into a horrible habit again, will you?” Paul said jumping back to the smoking habit again.

“I might.” Two more satisfying puffs had him feeling the stress of the morning going away. “I should have something to say to the media in about twenty minutes. After I talk to Henry.”

Paul nodded and walked away.

Tobias looked down at the body of the woman again. Her eyes were still open staring up

into Detroit’s fogged night sky as if something wonderful was coming. He wondered what were her last thoughts. ‘How could this happen to me?’ he imagined her thinking. ‘He said he loved

me.’

How did this Casanova manage to do something so horrific and why couldn’t anyone know who he was for three years?

Henry, a forty-ish something city medical examiner, came on the other side of the body. “She looks young.” He knelt down and looked at Rita from head to toe. “Younger than the rest.” He shook his head.

“Not good?”

“He wants something, Tob and the more he doesn’t get it, the worse this will get.”

“But this is different, isn’t it, Henry?” Tobias knelt down frowning. “Look at her hands. There’s hardly any indications of a fight.”

Henry picked up her hand with a frown on his face, flashing his light. “There’s dye on her hand.”

“Dye?” Tobias took a close look. On the inside of the finger were several streaks of dark brown.

“This might lead to a break,” Henry said excitedly. “Let me hurry and get her down to the office.”

Tobias hoped it would too. He was losing his life to this case.

***

After the press conference with the police commissioner of the thirteenth precinct to assure the public that they were working diligently on the case and warn women be careful who they pick up, he headed home to his two family flat that he owned. His downstairs tenant, Mrs. Connie Pace was sitting on the patio in the back. She was elderly, but refused to have nursing home care after her. Instead, she had a nurse and loved the comfort of having an officer right above her because she knew her family was just sitting around for her to die.

He was cordial enough to say hello to her before heading upstairs.

She smiled delighted to see him. “How were the streets today, Officer?” she asked.

“Same thing different day.” Tobias had endeared himself to the woman too much to curse in front of her.

“When are you going to marry that lady friend of yours?” she asked.

“Might be longer than you suspected, Mrs. Pace. She decided I worked too hard and couldn’t take me not spending time with her.”

The elderly woman actually looked upset. “You sure that’s it? Or does she really know what she missing out on?”

Tobias wasn’t going to discuss the details on Sheryl leaving him with Mrs. Pace or anyone else for that matter, because he really didn’t understand why he had allowed it to take so long before she decided it was over.

He mumbled some lame excuse and used the reasons of being tired right now to go into the matter with her, then quickly adjourned to the three-bedroom apartment. Soon as he walked in, he put his badge and gun in the drawer by his bed, and then he laid down lighting another cigarette.

Later he’d go to the precinct and look over what Henry sent him over and compare that to the others.

The phone rung and he checked the caller ID. Sheryl. Why would she be calling him now after that pathetic Dear John letter she left on his dining room table?

Tobias let the answering machine take it and listened intently.

“Hello Tobias, this is Sheryl. I have some of your things over at my place. You can call me at work when you’re ready to come pick up your stuff,” she said quite calmly. “Whether you believe me or not, I did have every intention of marrying you, but I realize that your heart wasn’t into it. I can’t marry someone who believes his work is more important than I am. I need to be the center of a man’s life.”

He took very long drags on the cigarette as she continued.

“I know you made major changes in your life for me, but that’s not all. That’s just not it. That doesn’t mean anything.”

Tobias couldn’t listen anymore and got going into another room hoping the machine would shut off soon. Women were nothing but a bunch of talkers. They try to change you, and when they turn your life upside down, they drop you like a bad habit.

Chapter 2

Of course, no matter what topic they discussed, the subject eventually turned to sex when Lisa was part of the conversation. It was as if this best friend of hers couldn’t think of anything else.

Regina really wanted to just remove herself from this whole scene about now considering what had just recently happened to her, but Lisa was just trying to help and Regina knew this. Claudette wouldn’t though.

“You don’t think it’s possible to be multi-orgasmic, Claudette,” Lisa was saying as she

stuffed little pieces of bread in her mouth. “But I assure you I have achieve a level of pure sexual pleasure-”

“That’s enough!” Claudette snapped. Her wide cold brown eyes turned to Regina and smiled wickedly. “Can’t you see, you’re making Reggie uncomfortable.”

Regina had always had a distrust for Claudette. At twenty-seven, Claudette had always acted as if she were too old for her own good and belittled everyone around her as if there was no human more important than herself. Although, in Regina’s opinion, this would explain why Claudette never had any girlfriends and a man who wouldn’t marry her to save his life.

She was beauty queen beautiful and according to Lisa, Claudette had won some awards when she was younger for her fabulous looks, but no one had ever given her any praise for her sparkling attitude – because she had none! At a five foot eight, perfect ebony brown skin, one hundred and fifteen women were dying to be her size seven. Especially Regina, who was a short five foot three, oily to dry skin all over her body, one hundred and fifty and an uncomfortable size fourteen.

Yet, as beautiful as Claudette was, she seemed to dislike Regina in some kind of way. There was always some animosity for whatever Regina did.

“We all know Regina wouldn’t do something like that,” Claudette smirked as if whatever Lisa had been spouting about was a good thing.

Since Regina had been listening with half an ear, she sat straight up giving them her full attention. “Do what?” she asked Lisa.

“A one night stand,” Lisa answered digging in her purse to find a lighter for Claudette who was holding a cigarette in her fingers.

This gorgeous hunk of a Hispanic man came by and lit her cigarette then flashed a beautiful smile to all of them and left.

“Was he delicious or what?” Lisa said following the man as he sat down with a bunch of other men in suits.

Regina frowned as she looked at all the other men that were around the table. “I know who he is.”

“Who?” Lisa asked eagerly.

“A Bellini. You can tell by the looks of them and that man is one of them.”

All three women stared at the table, but Regina knew that no matter how hard they stared none of the men would turn their way. Bellini men were just untouchable, but wonderful to look at.

Regina knew about them just recently when she was commissioned to design a pair of riding boots for Armando Bellini, a Chicago lawyer who was in Detroit on some business. Regina’s designer teacher had referred him to her and she had met him.

At this point he wasn’t in this meeting with the others, but she knew why the other Bellini’s were in town. They were opening up a brand new hotel in the Detroit area and setting up a meeting with one of the new casino’s in town as well.

“How do you know?” Claudette asked a bit jealous she wasn’t getting any attention.

“I met Armando Bellini just the other day and he told me so much about his family. He’s commissioned me to do something for him,” Regina said quite proudly.

Claudette sucked rudely on her teeth, yet just as she was about to say a snide remark, Lisa said, “In any case, I’m aware Regina doesn’t do that. I have been her friend for her entire life.”

“Regina won’t do that, will you Gina?” Claudette asked.

“That’s none of your business,” Regina said stiffly.

Claudette snickered knowing the subject was touchy for Regina. “I never met anyone so terrified to take a chance before in my life.”

Lisa came to her defense. “She’s not terrified, Claudette. She just don’t trust people like you do. Regina’s always been careful. Are you jealous of her or something? There’s nothing wrong with Gina and I don’t think you should make it an issue. Just because she doesn’t open her legs and mouth on a daily basis like you do for a man who has no intention of marrying you, I don’t think it’s fair of you to get on her ass about it.”

Claudette snorted rudely. “Hell no, but you have to wonder what’s wrong with you, Regina? Haven’t you ever thought you were the biggest prune that ever lived?”

“You forget my mother’s very known in the community. I can’t take chances like you and Lisa can without tarnishing my mother’s reputation,” Regina retorted.

Claudette dashed out her cigarette. “In your whole life you’ve never just picked up a stranger and went home with him?”

Disgustedly, Regina said, “No and I never would do something like that?”

“Why not?” Lisa inquired honestly. The subject was a very touchy one between the

friends, but Lisa had always wanted to know what made Regina so stuffy.

Regina shrugged not wanting to discuss the past with Claudette present. It wasn’t that she wanted Claudette to think she was perfect, she just had a feeling Claudette was looking for something to sink her teeth into and use against Regina. “It’s just not in my nature.”

“And what is?” Claudette said. “Prince charming coming to kiss you from a long sleep?”

“No,” Regina answered seriously. “More like him landing in my lap with wings on his heels and a sword to fight off the evil dragon.”

Lisa laughed.

Claudette didn’t think Regina’s sense of humor was very funny. “Get your head out the

clouds, Gina.”

“Stay out her business, “ Lisa defended. “We’re twenty-six years old. I figured Gina and I have about four good years of single life before we start worrying about our clock stopping. You on the other hand, have had four good chances but you decided not to, don’t you agree Gina?”

This was definitely a salt on wound gibe. Regina knew about the four abortions Claudette

had underwent. Three in one year with three different guys. It was hell on her body because the doctors also found a lump in one of her breast and had to remove it to check for cancer.
That had been her only good news that year that the lump turned out to be non-cancerous.

Regina didn’t like bringing up bad memories for people, but Lisa had no problem with being rude to her cousin Claudette.

“I think I should go,” Claudette said getting up from the table, tossing a fifty down and leaving.

“She’s a bitch, I know,” Lisa said reading her best friend’s thoughts. “I feel so sorry for her at times though.”

Regina felt the same way, which was why she never made any complaints about Claudette tagging around with them sometimes. “How’s her mother been doing?”

“Aunt CeeCee is fighting it, but as much as I love her, I don’t think she’s going to make it another summer,” Lisa said disappointedly. “We’ll have to go over and visit her instead of waiting for the Easter dinner.”

Lisa’s family was big on gatherings and although Regina had family of her own, she enjoyed spending time with Lisa’s family.

“You know, if you don’t want her around, then you just say the word, okay,” Lisa said holding her friend’s hand. “With you and Mason breaking up, I think that maybe Claudette might not be good company.”

“It’s a change from thinking about him all the time,” Regina said.

Lisa leaned in close to Regina. “Have you really ever thought of a casual sex encounter?” she asked quietly.

“No!” Regina said emphatically. “Do you know what my mother’s opponents would do to her if they found something like that out?”

Lisa rolled her dark brown eyes in exasperation. “You’re always worried about what others think, Regina. What about you? What if there was no chance it would ever be known or if you could just do it and get it over with? Would you?”

“No,” Regina persisted.

Lisa huffed. “You’re going to tell me you don’t wonder or have fantasies about meeting a tall dark mysterious stranger, taking him into somewhere dark and small, then bumping monkeys until the cows come home. For one night a man would be your sex slave and you can do anything and everything with him. Think about it!”

“I don’t,” Regina said truthfully. “Do you know how many diseases are floating around, or the danger I could put myself in?”

“Oh please,” Lisa said casually. “I do it all the time. Nice guy in the bar, whispering what he’d like to do to me in the dark is a turn on.”

“It’s also sick and you’re an addict anyway.”

“Sex is good and fun. It’s better than smoking and it’s much better than alcohol.”

“That doesn’t make it good for you,” Regina refuted. “Especially if you’re not married.”

“Did you talk this way with Mason?” Lisa asked suspiciously with a teasing glint.

“Actually, Mason was the one telling me we should wait if you must know.”

Lisa snorted. “Mason was gay.”

Regina chortled. “He wasn’t. He was just trying to impress my mother. Matter of fact, I think he was more attracted to my mother than me.”

“Who wouldn’t be? Your mother’s a knock out and I’m a girl. My brother says Juanita Cody is a looker and he’s fifteen.”

Regina’s mouth dropped open. “You are too much, girl.”

“There’s really nothing wrong with being a prune, Regina,” Lisa said assuredly.

“I’m not a prune!” she refuted feeling a bit offended even though she knew Lisa was only

teasing.

“Okay, then there’s nothing wrong with acting like one. Just like it’s nothing wrong with

being a slut, but there is something definitely wrong with waiting for a man to marry you after you’ve been with him for a century.” Lisa was referring to Claudette who had been knowing her boyfriend, Ray, for about as long as the girls have been friends, but he had never asked to marry her.

“Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” Regina snickered only feeling slightly guilty for Claudette’s misery. Her pager went off and she looked at the time. “Speak of the devil. Most likely my mother wants me to come with her on a shopping spree.”

“Something big about to happen?” Lisa guessed.

“She’s going to announce her bid for city council in two days.” Regina put down twenty on the table.

Lisa handed her back the bill. “Claudette paid enough for the both of you. Get out of here kid.”

Regina kissed her cheek and left. The valet brought around her green Ford Focus and she drove over to her mother’s office in the New Center Area.

Juanita was just getting out of a meeting with the New Center Chamber of Commerce and waved excitedly at her daughter as Regina tried not to draw attention to herself. Her mother had a smile that could melt the heart of any iceberg. It was wide warm and welcoming and Regina wished she just beam like that.

With rich caramel brown skin, vibrant and clear, Juanita was an inch shorter than Regina, but what she lacked in height, Juanita made up in a wonderful personality. Perfect for political office. Lisa sometimes told her she looked like Juanita when Regina was discussing business, but in Regina’s opinion, she didn’t think so.

“I want you to meet my daughter, Regina, Mr. Roscoe. She’s a clothing and accessories designer. Regina gave him one of your cards. She’s great at men’s clothing,” her mother said. “You should definitely think about a fine tailored suits.”

Regina always tried not to look embarrassed as her mother tooted her daughter’s horn like Regina was God’s gift to tailoring.

When her mother had dragged her around the office to meet everyone and pass out

business cards, Juanita finally took her daughter in the privacy of her room, and gave her a warm hug.

“How have you been, Gina? You look well.” Juanita kissed her forehead.

“I look fat, mother,” Regina complained.

“You’ve been around Claudette again I can see. Why does that woman make you think

about your weight all the time?” Juanita asked grabbing her purse and motioning her daughter to follow her.

“Because it does. Where are we going today?”

“Great Lakes Crossing. I brought an extra pair of walking shoes for you. I need a dress

for the upcoming ball to raise money for the foundation and I thought you’d like one too since you’ll be coming to. It’s a great networking opportunity.”

Her mother was constantly looking out for her daughter ever since Regina had started up her own business, Juanita made it her mission to make sure everyone she knew also knew about

her daughter.

When they were in the limousine on their way to the largest mall in the state of Michigan, she casually asked her mother, “Do you think I’m a prune, Mom?”

Juanita pressed the tinted window that divided her driver and the passenger area to give them some privacy. “Hell yes,” she answered once they had the seclusion needed. “You’re the biggest prune on this earth in my opinion.”

Regina was shocked by her mother’s response and her dumfoundedness clearly showed on her face.

Her mother patted her thigh in assurance. “It’s okay, love, I’m your mother. If I can’t be honest with you, then who can you trust?”

Her mother was loony and very candid with her daughter when it came to personal issues. “Why do you think I’m the worse prune in the world, Mom?”

“I never said you were the worse. You just have a tendency to over think things and you’re terrified to take risk with your heart, but it’s understandable because of me. You feel if you guard yourself against what I have to go through with your father you’ll be fine and by staying sexually pure you’ll accomplish that.” Her mother spoke as if they were discussing the weather when Regina remembered her mother had gone through hell when their father had left them penniless and homeless when Regina was six.

“Mom, don’t you think I have a reason to be cautious about who I fall in love with?” she asked.

“Yes you do, but sex and love have absolutely nothing to do with each other. That’s your problem girl, you’ve mistaken the two,” Juanita said matter-of-factly. “Just because that’s the only good thing I can remember about your father, doesn’t mean that’s all to a relationship. Love is intimacy, passion, and caring. Your father once felt that for me until Carlita the Tramp dangled her butt in front of his face, but you reap what you sow. Now look who’s penniless and homeless.”

Regina had to agree with her mother.

“Has Lisa been putting ideas in your head, love?” Juanita asked.

She shrugged. “She spoke about some things. One night stands, things in the dark, Mason being gay.”

“Wasn’t he?” her mother teased.

“Mom!” she exclaimed.

Juanita chortled. “I was just kidding, but the boy couldn’t find a hot spot in Antarctica if

you ask me and I liked him. He was just a nerd and I didn’t think he was right for you.”

“So why didn’t you say this earlier?” she asked suspiciously.

“Because you told me he made you happy, so I kept my comments to myself. I stopped

speaking badly about your boyfriends. Jesse said to keep my mouth closed about those men you find until you tell me you’re marrying them.” Her mother was speaking of Jesse, Juanita’s personal assistant and press agent.

“I was thinking about marriage with Mason,” Regina said.

“But he never proposed. He only gave you a ring. Just like that Claudette. Her

boyfriend gave her a ring, and she’s been wearing that Rock of Gibraltar for six years, but he hasn’t proposed, let alone moved in with her. I never understood things of that nature.” Juanita shook her head. There was a strange moment of silence, then her mother said; “I could have Jesse arrange something for you.”

Aghast, Regina burst out, “What are you talking about?”

“Calm down,” Juanita said patting her daughter’s knee again. Her phone rung and Juanita answered it. After a minute or so, she hung up, then said to her daughter, “Jesse’s been on the political scene for years. I’m sure he can arrange you with something discreet and very nice.”

“No! I won’t have my mother setting me up with a hooker!” she exclaimed.

“It’s called a male escort, Regina. Why not?” her mother had the nerve to ask. “I think it would open your mind up for a lot of experience. If you got a hold of an expert you wouldn’t settle for things like Mason.”

“You act as if he wasn’t human, Mom,” she cried.

“I think I’ll have Jesse check into that,” Juanita teased.

She knew trying to get a serious answer or response out of her mother was going to be difficult. “I don’t want my mother setting up a date for me.”

Juanita said obviously, “It doesn’t have to be a date.”

“You sound like Lisa.”

“You probably need it, love.” She handed her daughter a card. “This is to Jesse’s private line in his condo. Any time you change your mind, just give him a call.”

Regina swore Lisa and Juanita had been breathing the same kind of lunacy. She could never do a one-night stand. It was unethical, disgusting, and immoral.

“You know you could just do it yourself, Regina, but use precaution,” her mother warned.

She decided to change the subject and speak about her mother’s bid for the city council.

Juanita loved to speak about that.

Chapter 3

Getting in about seven that night, she unloaded her car in a hurry and went inside. Living alone had its advantages, but sometimes Regina felt she didn’t feel safe all by herself. Especially, since her creepy neighbor moved in about a year ago. She had been in this house for about two years. The brick home was a two bedroom with an unfinished attic.

So busy trying to get the many bags her mother had purchased for her in the house, she forgot her portfolio, which had some recent sketches she wanted to work on tonight to prepare for her meeting in the morning.

Going back outside, Regina quickly got the portfolio out the car and started to go inside, but her talkative neighbor and landlord, Mrs. Marge Barker called her from the neighboring porch.

“How’s it going, Sweetie?” she asked.

Regina was forced to stand there and speak to her because she didn’t want to be rude to this very nosey and garrulous woman. “I’m fine, ma’am.”

“And how’s your Mom?” Mrs. Barker asked.

“She’s okay, thank you for asking,” Regina said politely.

“I was just telling my husband the other day about how your mother must have instilled in you some good values, because you are such a good girl.” Mrs. Barker had a tendency to go on. This was an old subject. “You know how we wanted someone who wouldn’t be holding loud parties and making all kinds of noises in the early morning hours. I told you…”

Regina knew she wouldn’t be going in too soon, and sighed to herself. Mr. Barker needed to keep his ass home more often to entertain his talkative wife. Mrs. Barker mentioned her husband was one month away from retiring from the police force. He worked at a desk job inside the precinct because of an on the job injury. If Regina ever needed anything, she would have to catch up with him on his way to work and he wouldn’t come back to early morning hours. He had to be about over sixty and Regina wondered did he really work those long hours or did he just want to be away from his wife.

To save the day, Lisa pulled in Regina’s driveway. Mrs. Barker looked disappointed that Regina would be having company, but she was courteous to let them go.

“Thank you so much,” Regina said to Lisa, when they were ensconced inside of her place.
Lisa laughed looking into the refrigerator. “I figured that old bat was running her mouth at you when you didn’t answer your phone, plus I was in the neighborhood. What’s for dinner?” she asked, before plopping two grapes in her mouth and taking a whole handful more out the refrigerator.

Regina chuckled glad to cook for someone. While in high school, to keep her busy, her mother had enrolled her in extra cooking course. Juanita always felt terrible that she couldn’t teach her daughter things like other mothers had done for their daughters, so she made sure Regina had many extra-curriculum activities in order to keep her busy.

“That woman is so strange,” Lisa said, going to the window that looked at the Barker’s home.

“Not as strange as weirdo number one,” Regina said, nodding to the opposite window where the curtains were tightly drawn. “Yesterday, while I was at the corner store, he came in and just stared at me like I was a piece of meat. Not only did it give me the creeps, but the lady at the cash register asked if I wanted to call the police on him.” She rubbed the Goosebumps off her arms.

“Did you get them?” Lisa asked.

Regina shook her head. “No, I just hurried out and came home. I don’t want to start any trouble.”

“You tell your mother about him?”

“Yes, and she said not to worry and if I have a problem to tell Mr. Barker.”

Lisa gasped. “What’s she doing?”

Regina came over and peeked out the curtain. “I think she has some kind of garden growing in her garage. I think she was talking about her herb garden once. She asked me one time when I first moved in to go look at it, but I told her I was too busy and she let it rest.”

“She doesn’t give you the creeps?” Lisa asked.

“No, she just talks too much.” Regina went into the kitchen to start cooking dinner.

***

The storm awakened her brutally from her sleep. Regina had stayed up late to put the finishing touches on the designs, while Lisa had stayed up with her to keep her company.

Getting up from her desk in the unfinished attic, she stretched out her back and packed everything for the morning. The storm was getting closer by the sound of the thunder rolling to the lightening strikes. Suddenly, she smelled a horrible stench along with a cigar. It was a silvery kind of stench as if there were mercury in the air or old blood.

Goosebumps appeared on her arm and Regina looked out the window to the opposite side of the Baker’s to see all the lights on in the creepy neighbor’s house.

Checking her watch to see it was four in the morning, she thought it was rather odd for someone to be up with all the lights on in their house.

She moved to the front of the house to look out the window. Just as the lightening flashed above her head, she saw a tall dark figure standing in the middle of the street, seeming to stare up at her window. Quickly, she backed away from the window and ran down the stairs to get a closer look.

Lisa had bunked out on the couch and wasn’t disturbed by all the noise Regina was making.

Regina looked out the front windows of her living room, but saw nothing. She searched diligently for something, but didn’t see a thing.

The Goosebumps couldn’t get any bigger and she made extra sure the bolt on her door was locked. After checking the back door and all the windows to make sure they were secure, she used an extra blanket to cover Lisa and went to her room in the back of the house.
Crawling in bed, Regina said a little pray for good dreams and safe keeping throughout the night.

Chapter 4

Regina had just made it to her appointment in time and decided to meet Lisa at one of the

clubs her best friend freelanced for. Lisa was an official party girl. She planned parties for three different clubs in the downtown area of Detroit and was starting to network out in Royal Oak, too. She used to do many after parties, but when the city started cracking down on after hour parties, she went legit with Juanita’s help. Lisa made a pretty good living at what she did and people loved her parties

Since it was early in the afternoon, there was no one there except employees preparing for the night’s festivities. Even in the afternoon, Lisa dressed in a skimpy outfit like it was eighty degrees outside. Decked in half open silver frock that latched only at her belly button, and then spanned out with a short black skirt underneath, Lisa’s too skinny body was a sight for any man and the many male employees did look as Lisa gracefully came to Regina.

“You look like you didn’t sleep a wink, girl,” Lisa said, noting Regina’s exhaustive composure.

“I feel like it, too,” Regina agreed, after a yawn escaped.

Disappointedly, Lisa said, “I guess you won’t be able to come tonight then?”

Regina shrugged. “I’ll try, but don’t expect me to show up until real late.”

Her friend became excited. “Are you going to wear the dress?”

“I don’t know.” Regina was still hesitant. “I’ll see.” They spoke some more before Regina felt like she was going to pass out.

Claudette found that moment to arrive, using the excuse of finding her man a nice pair of alligator shoes at the Broadway, a high fashioned store across the street to visit Lisa.

Lisa noted to Regina, “You’re tired, but you act as if you don’t want to go home.”

“I don’t, if you want to know the truth.” She told them what she had seen last night.

“You should tell Sergeant Barker about it,” Lisa insisted worriedly.

“Who is that?” Claudette asked. “He sounds familiar.”

“He is no one you know,” Lisa snipped. “He’s Regina’s next door neighbor and landlord.”

“Not like I know him? He sounds familiar. Did he have a daughter?” Claudette questioned.

Regina shrugged. “I think once in a while, I have heard his wife mention about a little girl.”

Claudette shook her head. “No, they had a teenage daughter. She was almost grown and she had some accident at home, but they did an investigation and some people were saying her father killed her.”

“What? Mr. Barker?” Regina gasped. “I wouldn’t believe that! I think you have the wrong person.”

Lisa asked her cousin, “How do you remember something like that Claudie?”

“I use to go to high school with this guy who was so in love with her. He was weird and gave everyone the creeps, but he loved her to death. She was in private school, but she would come there a lot because she got out of school before him and wait a whole hour for him to get out of class. Her father was pissed at the boyfriend because he didn’t think she was good enough for this guy, and Sergeant Baker would come to the school a lot and tell this boy to stay away from his daughter.” Claudette sighed. “As I remember it, when she died, he was shouting to the press the father had told him if his daughter wouldn’t stop seeing the guy, her father would make sure they never saw each other again.”

“Sounds like Romeo and Juliet,” Regina said sarcastically not believing nice old Mr. Barker hurting anyone, especially his own daughter if it was true he had a daughter.

“You would know fiction love stories well, wouldn’t you, Gina,” Claudette snipped mockingly.

“Yeah and you’ll always be the evil dragon in mine,” Lisa cracked back in Regina’s defense. “Now finish.”

“He disappeared, I guess,” Claudette shrugged. “I heard some cops paid him a visit to his home and busted his chops. Told him to stop saying bad things about cops and that was it.” She suddenly snapped her fingers. “I remember him because they use to call him skunk boy. He had this weird streak going down the back of his head. Like an albino birth mark, you know, and he had this horrible scar on the side of his face from some childhood accident.”

“You never saw or heard from him again?” Regina asked.

Claudette answered, “No. Never again, but I think maybe he left out of town. Cops were always bothering him and he dropped the matter.”

Regina and Lisa looked at each other. “Creepy neighbor,” Lisa said. “He could be the creepy neighbor.”

Regina shook her head. “The boyfriend would move two doors down from his dead lovers parents? What reason?”

Lisa’s eyes went wide. “To exact revenge slowly upon that weirdo neighbor lady of yours.”

Regina rolled her soft,. brown eyes heavenwards. “We don’t even know if these are the people she’s talking about, Lisa. You just want some drama, don’t you?”

“It’s not about drama, it’s about your creepy neighbors.” Lisa laughed. “You make sure you tell Juanita about all this. You know how she hates being the last to know.”

“Knowing my mom, she’ll take the initiative to go next door, give the guy my business card and tell him my daughter’s great at men’s clothing.” She impersonated her mother exactly.

They had a good laugh about that.

***

Her pager was going off every five minutes and Regina knew Lisa was not going to let her sleep until she called to confirm if she was going or not to the party Lisa was throwing tonight.

“I want you to stop calling me,” she said into the receiver, after dialing Lisa’s cell phone.

“You’ve got to get down here, Regina. The party is too hype,” Lisa screamed over the line.

Regina had to pull the receiver about a foot away from her ear. The music in the background was so loud and she was positive Lisa was standing in front of the speaker. “Why

should I come?”

“Because creepy neighbor came in two minutes ago, picked up this chick and left. I watched him.”

“Why don’t I just stay here to make sure he makes it safely home,” Regina teased.

“You better get your ass out the bed and get down here now before life passes you by, Regina,” Lisa demanded. “This is my big night. Cain said, some people from New York and Florida might stop in. This would be my big chance.”

Regina knew Lisa was begging for her support, but Regina was not in the mood to party. Soon as she hung up, she buried herself under her covers and pouted for another ten minutes before throwing the covers off and finding a black dress with a low-neck line and a high thigh line. She put on some garters that held up black thigh high stockings and then found some great four-inch stilettos, her mother had given her as a great gift for that ‘whenever-moment.’

Being greatly endowed with a thirty-six C cup, she noted although her breast were firm, they drew a lot of attention with her short statue, yet they weren’t too much when she wore her bra’s tight enough.

By ten o’clock at night, she had her makeup on and her shoulder length thick almond brown hair with natural honey streaks, which was pulled up in a ponytail and curls fell like waves of ringlets around her heart shaped face.

Stepping into Legends nightclub, the place was wall to wall packed. The bouncer at the door recognized her and immediately let her through. Another attendant escorted her up to the VIP section, where Lisa was sitting on the lap of a lean muscular guy in a tight black shirt. He was whispering in her ear and Lisa had her hand between his legs.

Regina waited a moment watching them secretly make out in front of everyone without drawing attention to them. Their lips never touch, but their hands were certainly all over each other’s bodies.

Lisa finally spotted Regina and eased out his lap as if she were in some kind of drug-induced sleep. “I love a fine man whispering sweet nothings in my ear.”

“It looks like he was whispering more than sweet nothings,” Regina teased.

Lisa giggled. “Want a drink?”

Regina shook her head. “You know, I don’t like to drink in public.”

“Oh, come on. Cain’s got this great champagne. He’s testing it out on his customers from

a vineyard in the UP,” she explained. “It’s more for the senses than just a drink.”

“Alright, just a glass,” Regina compromised.

Lisa told the guy she had been necking with to get them two glasses. He came back shortly as Lisa was explaining the meeting she had with Cain’s brother, Caleb Dicicco. “They’re twins and Caleb’s thinking about investing in Detroit and opening up another club, but closer to downtown, right on Jefferson with some other partners and, of course, Cain. Caleb is bringing money from his New York and Florida operations to support the effort, and wants to make sure it has a great start in the Motor City.”

Regina was proud of her friend’s success and told Lisa about her day. “I picked up six new accounts today. When I made my presentation to Armando Bellini, his cousin’s and brother were there and were so impressed, they asked me to come up with something for various functions they have to attend.”

“That’s great.” Lisa ordered two more glasses of wine, despite Regina’s protest. “A toast to our success.”

Regina made the toast and drunk another glass of champagne.

***

She loved to dance and the atmosphere of this party was definitely hyped. She had so many dance partners and loved to go back and forth on the dance floor. That was one of the perks about being single. Claudette came and, just like always, right behind her was her man. Although. he wouldn’t marry her. he didn’t trust her at events like this. Even with him standing right over her shoulder, other guys went up to Claudette, but the evil look on his face clearly told them Claudette was here with someone.

Regina, sipping on her third glass of champagne, decided to go over to Claudette, who looked clearly put out that her boyfriend had bothered to come.

“How’s the tow business, Ray?” she asked. Claudette’s fiancé reminded Regina of a lean Morris Chestnut with a rough exterior.

“Good enough,” he said cordially. “Claudie told me you been venturing out on your own, too.”

Regina was surprised Claudette actually spoke about her when she wasn’t around. “I’ve

got my own things going on.” She looked at Claudette. “I thought you liked to dance, Claudette?” She sinfully got in a dig.

“My feet hurt,” Claudette lied.

She finished her glass of champagne and handed it to Claudette. “Well, you don’t mind if

I borrow Ray for a twirl?” she asked, pulling Ray on the dance floor before Claudette could protest.

Ray was a great dancer and they went through two songs. Just as she was returning Ray back to Claudette, someone covered her eyes unexpectantly.

“Guess who?” a strange deep voice said in her ear.

She roughly pulled the hands away and turned around to come face to face with familiar dark brown eyes.

Mason shrieked in pain and Regina apologized letting go his thumbs she had twisted, when she had turned around to face him.

“You trying to break my hand, Reggie?” he cried.

“I don’t take well to people playing guessing games with me, Mason,” she snipped.

Mason was well dress and looking like he just stepped out of a tan alligator. He was always decked nicely suits. That wasn’t what had broken them apart. He looked suave, clean and smelled wonderful with his regular Calvin Klein cologne on.

Lisa had come to join the group, handing Regina her fourth glass of champagne. “Well, if it isn’t Manson,” she said and hiccuped.

“It’s Mason,” he snarled.

For as long as Regina had dated Mason, Lisa had always made the “mistake” in calling him Manson.

“Who’s your friend?” Claudette asked, nodding to the loving African-American beauty standing by Mason.

“This is Kathleen Moore,” Mason said proudly. “My fiancée.” He lifted the woman’s well-manicured hand up to show off the large diamond, which must have cost him three paychecks.

“Too bad that’s all he’ll ever get you,” Lisa jeered. “Why don’t you enjoy the party?”

Mason could clearly tell he was not welcomed in the circle, by the dark looks he was getting. When he had left, dragging the girl behind him, Lisa hissed, “I can’t believe the balls that ass has.”

“He has balls?” Claudette questioned sarcastically.

“It’s a free country,” Regina said, trying to just shrug the whole ugly scene off.

“How can you be so calm about that? Do you see the face on that girl?” Claudette asked, as if trying to incite another riot like the sixties.

Regina frowned confused. “She was okay looking.”

“The girl looked just like you,” Ray said. “Although, you have a better smile and your chest is much fuller.”
“Ray!!” Claudette cried, punching him in the arm.
He winced smiling. “You can’t help but to notice that attributes about Regina, Claudie. I was just pointing out that Mason missed the mark.”
“It was close enough,” Lisa said.
Claudette practically dragged Ray away from Lisa and Regina to the other side of the club, where the bar was.
“I didn’t notice her looks that well,” Regina admitted.
“I did and in my opinion Mason sees that he lost the best thing he had in his life. All he had to do was wait, the little gay prick. Ten bucks say he wanted to shank you.”
Regina’s cheeks blossomed in embarrassment. “How’d you know he asked?”
Lisa laughed in surprise. “You’re shitting me aren’t you, Gina?”
“He asked, but I told him I didn’t do that,” Regina said proudly.
They both looked over to where Mason was dancing with the woman. His movements were jerky and nerdy, while hers were fluid and rhythmic.
“Did I look like that when we danced?” Regina asked, trying hard to contain the laughter building up inside of her.
“Worse,” Lisa said.
The best friends looked at each other and burst out laughing together. When they had calmed down, Lisa asked, “Can I borrow your car?”
“For what?” Regina asked suspiciously.
“For reasons that you don’t need to know about.” They started to head up to the VIP section of the club, so they could speak quietly.
“It’s my car and I need to know,” Regina demanded.
Lisa sighed. “I got this guy who I want to impress and you know my car is a piece of crap.”
“You mean, my car is new and you’ve been using every excuse in the book to get your hands on it,” Regina said knowingly.
“True, but this is going to be so good,” Lisa gurgled. “You’ve got to let me do it. I want to blow this guys mind.”
Regina gave her friend a skeptical look, but after a moment, she conceded. “You take good care of my baby.” They exchanged car keys and Lisa hugged her excitedly.
“Thank you, this will go to a good cause.”
“What cause?” Regina asked.
“I plan to seduce a man into a frenzy. Can you believe there’s a man out there who can actually resist me?” she asked, with a lot of audacity.
Regina raised an inquisitive brow. “He must be near death.”
Lisa giggled. “He’s tall dark and quiet. Just the way I like it.” She leaned in closer. “It makes it all better when they scream your name.”
She laughed at Lisa’s silliness.
***
By one-thirty in the morning, the party was still going strong even though cut off was in thirty minutes and the club would be closing in an hour and a half. She wanted to get home before it was too late.
She couldn’t find Lisa or anyone else she knew on the main floor so she adjourned to the VIP private suite to see if Lisa had gone. She quietly opened the door just in case someone was sleeping on the handy couch. The room was dimly lit, and she almost turned around to head out the door until she heard moaning sounds coming from a partition that she had to move around to see what was behind.
Quietly moving around, Regina covered her mouth in shock as she came upon Kathleen, with Mason and another guy, in a dark corner of the room. At first it looked as if they were dancing sensuously to the music that pulse through the halls, but on closer look, Regina realized the guy in the front had his pants open, while Mason was taking her from behind. The look on Kathleen’s face was pure ecstasy and Regina quickly moved out the room before any one could see her. But she was fascinated at how Kathleen could divide her time between the two lovers and make love as if there was no tomorrow.
Regina envied the carefree spirit and wished that for one night she could experience something like that. The room began to spin and she hurried to the bathroom before she passed out.
“Too much fun?” Claudette sang behind her, after Regina was able to catch her breath.
“You could say that.” She made herself busy touching up her makeup and told herself that she had probably had too much to drink.
Regina didn’t know if she should be disgusted or envious because she knew she would never know the high Kathleen was experiencing at this moment upstairs. That was a natural high she would never know about.
Why had Mason left her? Because Regina couldn’t respond to sex like that. Mason never evoked that kind of passion from her.
Lisa came into the bathroom, “I love a good party, don’t you?” Lisa asked, her cheeks flushed and blooming. “Hey girl, I’ve been looking all around for the two of you. Why aren’t you out there?” she asked specifically Claudette.
“I’m hiding from that over possessive bully,” Claudette said, puffing away on a cigarette anxiously twitching.
“Well, Ray was so upset you’ve been in this bathroom for hours, he just came to me to let me know he was leaving,” Lisa said.
Claudette gasped. “That was my ride!”
“Guess you’re going to have to find someone else,” Lisa said. “I’m not driving your ass out to Royal Oak this time of night.”
Claudette huffed and stormed out the bathroom.
Lisa immediately turned to Regina, “What’s wrong, boo?”
Regina had been fighting tears of misery since coming in the bathroom, but now that they had this time alone, she allowed her tears to flow freely. “It was me. Mason loved me, and in a sick way he still does, but I couldn’t understand why he was never satisfied. Now I know.”
“Why?” Lisa asked. It wasn’t to be nosey, but to find out if she could help her friend.
“I’m…frigid,” she choked through a powerful sob, hugging Lisa for dear life.
“Oh, boo, it’s okay,” Lisa tried to assure her.
Regina shook her head. “No, it’s…not,” she hiccuped through her cry. “I’ll never know what an orgasm is if I’ve never had it with a man.”
“But you will, one day, when you allow yourself to free your mind. When you can be comfortable with the act,” Lisa tried to explain. “Listen, boo,” she insisted looking into Regina’s face. Gently with a piece of tissue Lisa wiped the tears off of her friend’s face.
Regina started to calm down and listen to her friend.
“Don’t think about yourself or your needs, just think about making him enjoy what is happening-”
She cut her off, “But, I won’t-”
Lisa put her finger over Regina’s lips. “Listen to me, Regina, like you’ve never listen to me before in your life.” She took a deep breath. “I want you to go out, find the first good looking stranger you see, and show him a good time.” Her voice was but a whisper, but Regina could hear every syllable she spoke. “Worry about his happiness, find his sweet spot and don’t stop touching, kissing and licking it until he cries for mercy.”
“I could never do something like that.”
“Then don’t be you. Be someone else. Be me.”
It sounded so easy. Lisa could make figuring out the Rubix Cube easy.
Lisa reached in her waist wallet, her best friend pulled out a silver packet and pressed it in Regina’s hand. “You’ll need it.” Kissing her cheek, Lisa left out the bathroom leaving her alone.
Regina looked down at her hand and gasped. Lisa had given her a condom. Looking over at the trashcan, she wondered if she should toss it.
‘Regina would toss it,’ she said to herself speaking in third person. ‘But Lisa wouldn’t.’
Getting up still holding the silver packet tightly, Regina made her way out the club and got in the car. She would keep the condom in case she changed her mind, but tonight, she would be Regina Cody, the prune, and go straight home to get some sleep.
Looking at the clock in Lisa’s car, she noted it was going on two in the morning. Way past her bedtime!
Chapter 5
He had been pacing his apartment like a caged animal. Although his lieutenant had ordered Tobias to go home and get some sleep, getting rest was the last thing on his mind. His work was more than a way to get away from his personal life, but it also kept him from thinking about her and the emotional pain he was suffering right now.
Moving over to the table near the front door, he picked up the pack of cigarettes and quickly popped one in his mouth to light it up. Just as he was sucking the first drag, the phone rang. In his peripheral vision, he saw it was only one in the morning. Scattered showers had started early that night and the Doppler weather team on Channel Seven predicted that more showers for the nightfall were predicted.
“It’s Paul,” the voice spoke on the other receiver with a lot of static. Paul was using his cheap cell phone. “Did you get any rest?” he asked
“Hell no,” Tobias growled. “It feels like I got fucking ants in my pants. I can’t sit still to save my life.”
Paul chuckled on the other line. “I figured you’d find another way to relieve your stress.”
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“Either you’re on your second pack of cigarettes for the day or you’ve found a woman to take your frustrations out on,” Paul explained.
“I’m not crawling back to Sheryl just for sex,” he said defensively, even though he had thought about it, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Paul.
“I didn’t think you would, but you should consider not to go another day without relief, Tob. You know how you get.”
Tobias didn’t like the gist of this conversation, so he changed the subject, “What the hell are you calling me so late for?”
“I told you I’d call you as soon as I found something.” Paul answered. “Two tips came in I thought we should check out together.”
Tobias knew that last word, which was stressed, meant something to Paul, but Tobias didn’t feel like trying to figure out what his partner meant. “What tips?”
“A man called the non-emergency line leaving a message to check the Milwaukee creamery and a security guard at the Fischer Building on the boulevard said he saw something suspicious. Can you meet me at the Fischer Building in a hour?”
While Paul was talking, Tobias grabbed the white pages off the bottom shelf of the phone table and started flipping the pages to the M section. “Sure, but what did they mean by the Milwaukee creamery?” He didn’t see a listing for something of that nature in the white pages.
“I’m still trying to figure that out. See you in an hour,” Paul confirmed before disconnecting.
Tobias checked the yellow pages and even called the directory knowing in the back of his mind, Paul probably covered these bases already. There was no Milwaukee Creamery located anywhere in the city of Detroit. As he put on his coat, he noted to himself that the street beside the boulevard was named Milwaukee and right past the overhead train tracks there was some closed down warehouses being used as storage.
It was raining like cats and dogs by now and he had to hurry to his old trusted black GMC van he used when he was working. Getting inside of it, he shook the wet and cold away as he turned the key. As always, the starter clicked a few times, but after the third try the engine revved and then calmed awaiting for it’s driver to take it out.
Tobias had this van since high school. It was the first vehicle he had bought and restored to good condition and he swore he would drive it until the day he died or he just didn’t feel like working on it anymore. When he had bought it, the vehicle was all white, but he just didn’t like it and painted the vehicle black after high school. Presently, he was working on the interior, recarpeting the walls and reupholstering the seats. The large chair in the back was especially being done because it smelled too much like Sheryl’s favorite perfume, White Diamonds.
He tried his best to forget the times they had inside the van. Too many to count.
Turning down Milwaukee, about a mile from where he was to meet Paul, he looked at the old buildings and saw what he was looking for on the other side of the street. There was an old creamery. Immediately pulling to the side of the road, he shut the van off and grabbed his flashlight.
Rechecking his gun before getting out, he covered his head and jogged across the empty streets. There weren’t a lot of street lights on this side of town and especially on the side street hardly no one used this far off from Woodward.
Tobias has a feeling he probably wouldn’t find anything with it being so dark, but he just had to see for himself if his theory about the tip would turn up something.
Checking his Timex Indiglo watch, he saw he had about forty-five minutes to meet Paul. His plan was to look around for five minutes, then get over to the guard early to see if he could get some information out the guard without Paul being around. Sometimes people felt intimidated with two cops staring at them.
***
Before even leaving the parking lot, she realized her problem and why she hated to drive at night. Her Ford Focus had been specially fitted with a tinted windshield for her eyes. She had partial night-blindness and it had always been difficult for her to see after dusk for any reason.
Regina wasn’t driving her car, though. She was driving Lisa’s trusted Escort and it was bitch just making to the main road. She pulled to the side of the road and took out her contacts. In her purse she had around her waist, she had a pair of bifocals on and put them on. Checking the driver’s rear view mirror, she crinkled her nose in distaste at herself, noting that she looked extremely dorky, which was why she had switched to contacts.
The rain pouring down like a gigantic waterfall didn’t make it any better on driving conditions. To make matters worse, she got on the wrong freeway and ended up on the East Side of Detroit, before she realized she was going the wrong way.
Getting off at the Van Dyke exit before she did a turnaround only to realize she had to take East Grand Boulevard around to get back on the freeway. When she finally found the entrance to the freeway, it was closed for construction.
Cursing to herself for being out this late, she continued on down the Boulevard which curved sharply around the car plant and would lead her over a horrible pot-holed filled bridge. She knew if she were in her Focus, the suspension would take it, but Lisa’s old car wouldn’t so Regina’s best bet would be to go down Milwaukee.
Regina’s father used to work at the plant and would drop Regina off at a babysitter’s house on this side of town. He would take these side roads and would amuse her pretending he was lost. By the time she was eight, she realized her father was only pulling her leg, but she would fall for it every time and instruct her father on how to get home from where they were. The feeling of being in charge had made the events so memorable in her mind even at that age.
It was a good thing the road was bare, because she was only going twenty miles an hour praying she wouldn’t hit anything.
Out of nowhere she swerved not seeing the hazard lights on the van until late, the splashing a whole bunch of water on a person standing in the front to the van with the hood up. She felt awful but continued to drive stopping at the next light.
Looking in the rear view she tried to see if the driver was still in front but she couldn’t see a thing. Was it a woman or man?
Despite the feeling she shouldn’t, Regina went all the way around the block and then slowly pulled up beside the van. A very tall well-built man was still standing in front of the van soaked. She rolled down the window and shouted, “Are you okay?”
He only shook his head.
“I’m sorry about that,” she said.
He gestured that he couldn’t hear her with all the rain.
Biting her lips, she unlocked the door and reached opening the passenger door to invite him in. He had the nerve to hesitate but then slid his long thick body in. He still had the hood over his head as he closed the door and rolled up the window.
Her heart was racing praying she hadn’t put herself in danger by inviting this complete stranger in her car. She made sure she didn’t lock the doors on car and held her breath while he slowly pulled the hood off of naturally curly short cut hair. She could tell it hadn’t been combed today, but he was pretty much well groomed with a goatee. Looking up into his face, she had to squint to see that he was a dark brown almond skin and had large eyes. With her horrible night vision she couldn’t see much else and a sinking feeling in encompassed her chest knowing this was a bad idea. He was ten times her size barely able to squeeze in this car and she had invited the danger in.
She said apologetically, “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’m sorry about soaking you.”
He was staring at her, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking because she could barely see his face. It was as if a tint on her glasses and she couldn’t determine details due to it. If she took off the glasses, she knew her vision would just be blurred and dark so it was best to keep them on.
Yet, even though she couldn’t see him, she could just sense this wasn’t his part of town by the way he carried himself. “How long have you been out there?” she questioned just to make conversation.
“A couple of minutes,” he grumbled.
Regina had a feeling he was scooping her out carefully. Reaching under Lisa’s seat, she pulled out a towel she knew Lisa kept under there. He quietly thanked her wiping his face and opening his jacket.
“Are you alright?” she questioned squinting hard to pick out some features.
“Do I look okay?” he growled.
She grew very apprehensive. “I could call someone for you.” Reaching in her purse to get her cell phone, he suddenly caught her hand in a firm grip. Her heart race feeling how big his hand was compared to her own.
“I locked my keys in the car while I was trying to pop the hood,” he explained gruffly. “I’m just pissed off. It’s no reason to get upset.”
“I-I wasn’t getting upset,” she said shaking her head.
“I was making you uncomfortable,” he pointed out. “I’m just stressed.” He released his grip from her wrist.
“Do you always know when you make someone uncomfortable?” she asked taking the phone out her purse.
He nodded confidently. “Especially women.”
Now he sounded like an arrogant ass, she thought.
“I’m not arrogant,” he said suddenly.
She gasped because he had read her thoughts.
“I just know women,” he admitted.
Regina really wanted to get away from him. Her breathing had been irregular since allowing him to get in the car and sit near her. “Do you need me to call someone?”
“It would probably be of much better assistance if you would take me down the street on the boulevard. I was meeting a friend there and I know he could help me.”
By the way he spoke, he was not from around there, she could immediately tell. “I could,” she said, “But what if I wasn’t going that way.”
“Were you?”
“I was,” she admitted easily.
“Do you mind? I’d make it worth your while,” he promised his tone of voice getting strangely deeper.
She hesitated on her answer to catch her breath. “No I don’t.” Putting the phone back, she noted the silver-ish wrapper in her purse and her mind went back to the bathroom earlier this evening. Lisa’s words rung out strong in her brain. ‘I want you to go out, find the first good looking stranger you see, and show him a good time.’
Regina looked back at the stranger trying very hard to determine how he looked, but her eyes failed her. “I don’t suppose you’re in a hurry to meet your friend?”
He looked at his watch making the Indiglo light come on. “I’ve got about twenty minutes to meet him since you’re interested.”
Nervously she secretly took the condom out and held it in her palm as she slowly put the car in drive and slowly rolled away from the curb.
“Is there something on your mind, Lisa?” he asked.
Stiffly, she shook her head. “Why’d you call me Lisa?”
He held up one of Lisa’s business cards her friend kept in the empty ashtray. “That is your name isn’t it? It says here you’re a party girl because I’ll be damn if you aren’t a race car driver.”
Regina took the card away from him and tossed it on the dash. “If you’re discussing my driving, then I’ll admit now, I have no business driving this late at night. I feel like I’m blind as a bat.”
“Are you intoxicated?” he questioned.
She giggled more to herself. “I haven’t gotten the urge to swing from a chandelier, but my inhibitions are certainly going away because I would never pick up any strangers.” She stopped at the light.
“What does a party girl do?” he inquired.
She looked over at him. When Lisa was seducing a guy, Regina remembered, her hands would touch in innocent places, but Lisa was usually at a club or in a public place. What could Regina do now, to make her intentions known to this guy. “They plan parties. Mostly large parties and they make a great deal of money.”
“What about private parties?” he questioned.
She nodded. “Those too…” Regina realized his face had gotten closer to hers and she looked up in the direction of his face cursing that she couldn’t see a damn thing. “Private parties are her specialties.”
“Why are you speaking in third person?”
Regina bit her bottom lip, then quickly released it. Looking forward feeling still breathless, she squinted at the light. Yes, it was green and there was one more light to go before she would turn on the boulevard. That light was a block away and slowly she allowed the car to just roll down the street. Did he notice they were going unusually slow? And if he did why didn’t it bother him if he was meeting someone? “We were talking about what party girls do, weren’t we?”
“I was more interested in what you exactly do?”
She frowned not getting his meaning. “What exactly holds your interest?”
“You,” he stated with enough meaning that she certainly got. “Do you hold intimate private parties?”
She pushed the brake down to stop at the green light at the end of the block. There was no traffic at all coming in either direction. If she wasn’t breathing hard before, she was definitely breathing hard now. She could hardly see his face, but she could hear the inflection in his tone that told her whatever she had to offer he would be interested. If she answered like Regina, it would definitely turn the guy off. Lisa’s voice burst in her head, ‘Then don’t be you. Be someone else. Be me.’ What would Lisa say? “Those are my favorite and they’re no charge.”
Regina felt wickedly aroused at that moment. A feeling she had never felt before. Her hand moved down to the gearshift very close to his thigh, which were centimeters away from her thigh. Licking her lips warily, she placed her hand high on his thigh and leaned in close to him. At any moment he could reject her advances and this would be more embarrassing than anything would, but that chance would that he could-
His lips overtook hers like a force she had never experienced knocking what little breath she had engulfed in the last breath right back out of her. God, did he taste like sweet chocolate all the time or was she just still high off that champagne.
Lisa’s words vibrated through her head. ‘Worry about his happiness, find his sweet spot and don’t stop touching, kissing, and licking it until he cries for mercy.’ Her hands entwined up in his wet curly hair pulling him deeper in the kiss, parting his lips with her tongue and hearing the deep groin from his throat reverberating her own vocal cords because his tongue was so far down her throat.
Forgetting that she was in the driver’s seat, she took her foot off the brake by mistake. The car lurched forward jolting them out the kiss. She quickly pushed her foot back on the brake and threw the car in park. This gave her time to catch her breath and sit back in her seat panting hungrily.
“I shouldn’t have-” she started out apologetically.
“It’s not your fault,” he cut her off. He too was out of breath and she was positive she heard a slight confusion in his tone. “I told you I was stressed and my actions towards people lately have been unpredictable.”
“How stressed?” she asked offhandedly.
He groaned again sending strange titillation through her skin. “You don’t want to know, Lisa,” he sigh running a frustrated hand through his head.
She checked the light again seeing it was turning to green at that time. The next street was a one way and she made a right and pulled on the side of the road. Turning the car off, she turned towards him. Her pulse had increased because she knew what she was about to do would change her life – forever.
Her lips formed the words slowly as her hand moved back to his thigh, but slowly moved downward toward his groin. “Why don’t you let me help you with your stress?”
Her fingers ended at his mid-thigh and she realized she was touching the tip of his manhood.
He reached over and took off her glasses. “What kind of private party do you have in mind for me, Lisa?”
Leaning her face in the direction of his voice, in her best seductive voice, she whispered, “Wherever the mood takes us.”
It didn’t take much to get him to kiss her again and what a wonderful kisser he was. This was a man who knew what he wanted and even if she didn’t know how he looked, she could tell her body didn’t care. ‘Find his sweet spot,’ Lisa’s voice whispered in her head.
Even as their lips molded them together, she was able to push his jacket off his shoulders. Her fingers moved daintily over the skin of his neck, up behind his ear, and down his chest. The T-shirt he wore was still damp and molded to his chest. Regina couldn’t believe the physical power behind this man, yet as he raised her up over the gearshift and placed her in his lap, he was ever so gentle yet purposefully arousing.
Her legs straddled his hips as his hands pulled the dress down off her shoulders. The material seemed to melt from her body and she didn’t mind that he could see her breast as he cupped them in his strong hands. It didn’t take long for his lips to follow his hands exciting the tips, which had her begging for more. She dipped her head slightly and was able to lick the back of his ear and could tell this was a spot he deeply enjoyed being touched in.
‘Don’t stop touching, kissing, and licking it until he cries for mercy,’ Lisa’s voice ordered in her head.
She heard him curse under his breath as she attack this spot with passionate relish at the same time grinding her lips against his groin feeling him engorge even more underneath her. His hand moved down to caress her sweet spot. Regina couldn’t believe how wet she was and that she had sense of careless wantonness.
Urging him to remove his shirt, he quickly discarded that and returned to her chest enjoying the fullness of her body. She had never felt this oral worship and she could just imagine what he was thinking because from the outside of her dress her chest hadn’t look so full, but she knew he was just amazed at what she could hold down.
He had moved aside the black bikini underwear she wore inserting a long thick finger inside of her. She whined in needful lust softly in his ear, speaking her desire to have him in her at that moment. Her hands moved down to his pants and she raised up slightly as she quickly opened his pants. His mouth was indulging in titillating the other breast while his finger drew even more wetness from him. She could actually feel the muscles inside of her pulsating against his finger as she felt her whole body began to shake.
Holding on to his shoulders for dear life she experienced the first orgasm in her life. All she could scream out was thank you repeatedly with a passionate cry so beholden to him, he had to cease all movement as she slowly came down from her high.
He used his hand to wipe the tears of her cheek, then he cupped her face and drew her close to his own. She could feel the breath from his lips, caress her cheek. “Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked his voice was filled with disbelief.
She could only shake her head still shuddering in passion.
“Is this your first orgasm?” he asked curiously.
Regina nodded. “Thank you, so much. You just don’t know how many questions you answered for me.”
His lips benevolently caressed her own. “I want to make love to you, Lisa,” he whispered.
She was only a little bothered that he thought of her as her best friend, but she knew she needed this mystery in order to stay this aroused. The mystery of not knowing him and he not knowing her created a special stimulation for her. Although she had to wonder how would her name sound from those addictive lips of his and melodic deep passionate voice. “I already gave you my permission,” she said pressing the silver packet in his palm.
He didn’t take long to prepare him, and he busied her while he primed himself with what felt like a thousand kisses combined into one keeping her senses spinning. She didn’t care about anything right now but to give him pleasure. The more she knew he wanted her, the more she wanted to please him.
The feeling was way past heavenly and as he smoothly guided himself deep within her wetness, she gripped his shoulders shaking all over. The pain was swift and over before she knew it and his hands holding her waist assisted in instructing her how to please him.
He liked it slow in the beginning, but as his member pulsed harder and harder in her and she could feel his heartbeat resonate sending her thigh muscles trembling, he quickened his movements and she easily rode him until she closed her eyes so tight she could only see a white blinding light and she relished in her second orgasm joining his own deep within her.
Even he trembled with her at the magnitude of passion they had just shared and she knew even though he was an expert lover, what was happening now felt new to him.
Regina couldn’t believe how much emotional and physical detail she had paid to this man. His breathing wavered on excitement and confusion as he pulled her close to him as if trying to forever implant this moment into his memory.
Tenderly, he kissed her neck and cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered in her ear.
“For what?” she asked confused laying her head on his incredibly long broad shoulder.
“Relieving my stress.”
Although his tone sounded serious, she knew quite possibly he was teasing her and she smiled to herself thoughtfully, but their special time together would have to end soon and the hour was so late.
He shuddered as she lifted herself up from him and moved to her own seat fixing her clothes in the process. When he started to fix him, she gently pushed his hands away while grabbing a handi-wipe from the side of the seat. Firmly gripping the semi-aroused member, she cleaned him as thoroughly as possible.
Leaning his head back, he seemed to appreciate the gesture. “That is new,” he admitted.
“What?” she questioned innocently.
“No woman’s ever taken the time to clean me,” he explained adjusting his pants and buckling his belt.
She blushed and finished arranging her clothes correctly. “I have to admit I haven’t done this before.”
He kissed her cheek as he put on his jacket. “Don’t you ever do this again,” he reprimanded her and then got out the car while it was still pouring rain.
“Where are you going?” she asked worriedly.
He came around the car to the driver’s side and she gasped at the massive size of him along with the height. What the hell had she been doing?
When she rolled down the window, he shot one of his large hands in gently gripped the back of her neck and pulled her to him to kiss her long and hard. “Don’t you ever pick up strangers again.”
She gave him a playful salute, reached up and kissed him on her own twice as long but since she wasn’t that strong, all she could do is make it twice as passionate making sure her fingertips brushed lightly the back of his ear. “Yes sir,” she breathlessly whispered when they pulled away.
“Get the hell out of here,” he growled.
Regina had a feeling he wasn’t mad at her like he sounded, but she had aroused him once again. There was a little bit of light where he was standing and she reached over to the dash on the passenger side to grab the glasses he had tossed up there.
Yet as she put them on and looked back out the window, he had disappeared into the darkness. She wanted to feel a little grateful she couldn’t form any emotional attachment, but why did it feel like the best thing that had happened in her life was running out on her.
Chapter 6
By the time she pulled up in her driveway, she was back to the old Regina feeling guilt like a cider brick weighing down her shoulders. Taking off her glasses she rubbed the tears that had started to form in her eyes.
The only voice she heard in her head was her own, telling her she was going to hell in a hand basket. Parking in the same spot she always did, although she was totally blind with no lights on the side of her house, she made her way to the side door and dug the key out her side purse.
Just as she inserted the slim metal piece into the dead bolt lock, she smelled that same familiar scent of the other night despite the rain falling around her. Without even trying to look around she hurried herself into the house and locked her door back. Whoever was out there, she didn’t want to know. The old steel smell and cheap cigarettes scent still seemed closed despite the closed door, but she knew with her vision, she wasn’t trying to find out who it was.
She knew the house like the palm of her hand and didn’t bother to turn on any lights. Getting her cordless phone before she went to her bedroom, she dropped her dress to the floor and laid in bed too exhaustive to do anything else. Yet, as she drifted deep in sleep, she could smell the exotic potent scent of the stranger she had given herself to tonight and the events of the night with him replayed in her dreams repeatedly.
***
Arriving at the Fischer Building drenched to the bone, he met Paul just as he was coming out the building. With it still raining, Paul only gave him a curious look and then offered him the seclusion of his updated Grand Marquis not worrying about Tobias soaking his leather seats.
When he was inside behind the steering wheel, instead of asking his partner where he was, Paul went into explaining about the interview with the security guard. “He didn’t have much to tell me. He said about a month ago, he saw a large dark van stop in the middle of the island on the boulevard. He was getting off of work and waiting on the bus, when he noticed the dark van. He said the man was coming off the island in the middle of the road, and closing the doors to the back of the van. He was described as an incredibly tall dark man, facial hair, and a grim expression.”
Tobias sighed. “That’s not very descriptive. Hell, it could be me for all that.”
“I thought the same thing too,” Paul chuckled. “You want to release anything to the press. While I was waiting for you, I checked the time the guard said he saw the van and the day after we found another body just were he saw the van at.”
“The lieutenant wants something released to the media and this is good enough. Can you drop me off at home and get that done tonight so it can be on the morning news?” he asked.
Paul frowned. “This is the first time you didn’t want to be the one responsible for something in this case. What the hell is your problem?”
Tobias smirked to himself. “Sometimes all one needs is a special moment to happen to them in their life before they can consider others. I realize tonight, there’s more to life than this case.”
“Bullshit, for the past three years you’ve ate sleep and fought this case to the ground. What the hell happened in one night?” Paul demanded to know.
“Fate, my man. The most intoxicating fate that could happen to a man.” He leaned back in the seat with the most satisfied grin on his face. “I’ll tell you about the Milwaukee Creamery on the way home.”
***
The doorbell rung repeatedly and she dragged herself out the bed and went to the front door. Checking the peephole before opening, she smiled brightly seeing the kind faced Mr. Barker with the scruffy beard.
Even though he was a retired cop, he still kept himself in good shape. Standing tall at six feet one, and brawny the only thing was his slight beer belly, but she once saw him through his bathroom window from her upstairs window putting on something to wrap around his waist to hide his belly. She knew his real age was almost seventy, but he looked about fifty and could possibly pass for a late forties if he pushed it.
“Sorry to bother you so early in the morning, Regina. I know you good girls love to get your beauty sleep,” he said with a teasing chuckled.
She yawned. “You can say that again. What time is it?”
“Seven in the morning, actually, but I wanted to check on that leak you told my wife about last week,” he explained. “I didn’t want to let another week pass by without knowing what’s the problem.”
“Oh Mr. Barker, you could have just come on in this early in the morning,” she said guiding him to the bathroom and pointing out the leak.
“I didn’t want to scare you to death. My daughter had a thing about me coming up in her room, and I want to give you the same respect.”
Regina frowned. This was the first time he had ever mentioned a daughter. “Where is she now, Mr. Barker?” A look of pain crossed his features and he looked away from her. “She died in an accident a long time ago.” He cleared his throat. “You go on back to sleep. I’ll get this all patched up before I leave for work and let myself out, okay?”
“Thanks sir,” she said and went into her room.
Her thoughts went to what Claudette had said about their daughter and what had happened. Tiredly, she crawled back in bed and closed her eyes. Sleep didn’t come right away and it was light enough to let her know Mr. Barker had finished in an hour and let himself out just as promised.
He seemed like a very kind old man and Regina couldn’t believe he would hurt his own flesh and blood nor any other person for that matter.
Chapter 7
When Regina awoke the next time, it was almost ten o’clock. She took a long hot shower while she brewed a fresh pot of coffee. After eating only a toasted English muffin with jam, she went up to her office to work on her newest accounts. The mornings were always her best time to work, but today her mind was a mile away from her work and after an hour of accomplishing nothing, she went downstairs. By this time it was going on twelve o’clock and she decided to watch the news while she straightened up the place. Having a sort of lazy day, she decided not to get dressed after her shower and walk around in her robe.
Soon as she turned on the television, a female reporter was on the screen in front of the Fischer Building. “I’m standing on the boulevard today to report yet another woman’s body found in the early morning hours on this street. The Grand Boulevard Casanova has struck again and this time it’s worse.” The screen cut to a scene just down the street on the East Side of the boulevard where police were blocking off the street and there was people standing around everywhere. The woman continued to speak. “The body of a young black woman in her late twenties was found beaten to unconsciousness and then stabbed repeated in the groin area. Before dying the woman was sodomized and an unidentified object was inside of the woman’s private parts. This is the trade mark of the Casanova killer.” The screen switched back to the woman who looked as if she were freezing in the March afternoon air. “The police held a press conference early this morning and gave a verbal sketch from a witness who might have seen the killer a couple of months ago. A tall, dark, black male with facial hair and grim expression. Here’s a statement from the homicide investigator in charge, Detective Avery who-”
Regina pressed mute on the television not wanting to hear something that depressive while she was going through her own misery and guilt. She looked at the dark caramel complexion man on the screen who was unusually handsome with grayish brown eyes that seem to pierce her. He was staring right at the camera and he didn’t look too happy.
Picking up the remote again, she was about to push the mute button to hear his voice, but the doorbell rung stopping her. She hurried and looked out the peephole to see Lisa standing there. Quickly opening the door, she rushed back in the living room to see the man again, but he wasn’t on the screen anymore. A little disappointed, she brushed the thought of ever meeting him out her head. He was a cop and he wouldn’t be interested in a prune like her.
“Well that’s a fine greeting,” Lisa said a little offended by the cold shoulder Regina seemed to have.
“I’ve got a lot on my mind, Lisa,” she said offhandedly handing Lisa the keys to her car.
“Well, I came over so fast, because I got worried. When Grant told me they found the body of a girl who was just at my party last night I freaked because I thought it might be you.”
She hugged Lisa seeing the serious concern in her friend’s eyes. “It’s okay. I’m fine, girl.”
“I know boo, but you just don’t know how I would feel if something happened to you – especially in my car,” Lisa teased.
Regina pushed her playfully. “That’s not funny, Lisa,” she said trying her best to keep a serious expression to Lisa’s silliness.
“I mean I feel all bad for what has happened for this girl, but I’m really just glad it wasn’t you or me.” She gasped. “You think it could have been creepy neighbor?”
“Don’t start that again!” Regina insisted.
Innocently, Lisa asked, “Start what? Spouting the truth?”
“You’re talking crazy although I smelled him last night when I got in.”
Lisa gasped again, “What time?”
She shrugged unsure, “Probably past four as slow as I drove home.”
“Four? Grant said you booked out the club half past one.”
Regina frowned. “You had me watched?”
“Of course,” Lisa said obviously. “Your mother would have my head if something happened to her baby.” She changed the subject back. “Did you see him?”
“I couldn’t see a thing because you forget I’m blind at night.”
Lisa eyes widened as big as saucers and she flung her arms around Regina crying her apologies. “I totally forgot. I was thoughtless!”
Regina reassured her friend, “It’s okay, Lisa. I made it home slowly, but-”
“What the hell is that?”
She followed Lisa’s eyes, to the large love bite on the right side of her breast. Her robe had come partially opened and despite her dark mahogany skin, the purple reddish mark was very evident and very immense. Regina quickly moved away closing her robe.
“It’s nothing,” she lied.
“The hell it isn’t!” Lisa came around Regina and pulled her arms away. “That’s the biggest hickey I ever saw. Who the hell gave you that?!”
“I-I…please Lisa, I feel guilty enough about it.”
Lisa practically dragged Regina over to the couch. “What happened? You have to give me details girl.” She snapped her fingers in the air as if that would just make Regina start talking. “Did you follow my advice?”
Regina took a deep breath. She needed to speak to someone and she knew Lisa was probably the only one besides her mother she could trust with this information. Either way she was going to hell for what she had enjoyed. “Not exactly, Lisa. I had no intentions of doing anything you said.” Just thinking about what had happened with the complete stranger made her heart quicken.
“How was it?” Lisa asked to get her to talk.
Regina took Lisa’s hands in her own. “There are just no words to describe what that man did to me, Lisa. I have every reason to feel guilty.”
“But you shouldn’t if you had a good time. Please, Gina tells me. Did you meet him at the club?”
Regina shook her head. “I was driving slow as possible. There’s hardly any light-”
“Okay, I know how bad Detroit road’s are,” Lisa exasperated. “Get to the story, boo.”
“I got lost and the freeway was closed, so I had to drive down Milwaukee because I know your car can’t take that horrible bridge. In any case, I splashed water on him, and I felt so bad that I drove around the corner to see if he was okay. It was raining and he got in the car and…” She sighed. “I can’t explain. First we were talking – he thought I was you because he saw your business card and he kept calling me Lisa. I guess that’s why it was so easy to just…be you.”
“You go girl!” Lisa explained excitedly.
Regina didn’t feel as excited, but rather the opposite. “Lisa, how can you expect me to feel happy for something that was not to be enjoyed until after marriage.”
“I firmly believe it should not be indulged in until after marriage, but a girl like you needed to experience this for your own sanity, Regina. Now finish telling me,” she ordered.
“He asked me if I did intimate private parties and I told him yes. Next thing I know we’re on the side of the road and he kissed like magic and tasted so sweet.” She closed her eyes luxuriating on memories she had so enjoyed and leaning back on the couch. “He did things to my body with his hands and mouth…I couldn’t believe it, Lisa!”
“Can’t you give me even a little description?” Lisa asked.
“He was big.”
“You mean fat?”
Regina shook her head. “He was so muscular and brawny with these strong huge hands and his finger…dear Lord girl, he did this thing with his finger before we even did it.”
Lisa read her mind. “You had an orgasm on your first time!” She screamed.
She calmed her down. “And that was the first one because I had another one when we did it!”
Lisa screamed again falling back on the end of the couch.
Regina had to laugh at her friend’s genuine happiness for her.
Sitting up, Lisa hugged her. “This is so great. How did it feel?”
Her eyes rolled up in her head. “There are no words to describe how wonderful it was, Lisa. I was in heaven on earth. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
“You don’t know how lucky you are,” Lisa said proudly. “There are very few women who can say their first time with a man was good.”
Regina groaned pulling the extra large pillow on the sofa over her face. Lisa pulled it away. “I’m going to hell in a hand basket, Lisa. I feel so guilty over what I did and if you think that’s the only passion mark I have then you’ve got another thing coming. That man’s mouth did things to me I didn’t know mouths could do.”
“And I bet he didn’t pull all stops out either,” Lisa mumbled under her breath.
“What do you mean by that?”
Lisa only shrugged with a wicked look in her eye patting Regina’s thigh in sympathy. “You don’t want to know. You might try to find him and do it.”
“I’m not doing that again until I’m good and married. Now I really now it can be addictive,” she said adamantly. “You can keep your problem to yourself from now on.”
Lisa chuckled. “What happened when it was over with?”
Regina shrugged. “He held me and thanked me for relieving his stress.”
“Oh shit! That is deep.”
“Then when I cleaned him, he was appreciative,” she continued.
“That always blows their mind. Usually women don’t pay attention to things like that,” Lisa said. “Did he know this was your first time?”
Disappointedly, she shook her head. “He didn’t notice, but I guess since we used protection, how could he?”
“Even without protection, girl, most of them don’t. Trust me, I lost my virginity about ten times.”
They both cracked up. Lisa could make her find the most serious thing amusing. When they had calmed down from their laughter, Lisa suggested they fly out to the mall and buy something to celebrate the loss of her virginity.