**FIVE STARS**
"Mr. Law has out done himself again! Christian Fiction from a male author........Wow!"
-Andrea L. Griggs, Creator/Host of Females With A Mission Show on Blog Talk Radio
-Andrea L. Griggs, Creator/Host of Females With A Mission Show on Blog Talk Radio
|
PAYBACK meets COLLATERAL meets the mean streets of Atlanta, Sergeant Malcolm Hobbs and his X-Men Homicide Squad in this tale of suspense
In the dead of night, an Atlanta neighborhood erupts in sudden violence and introduces a new case file for Sergeant Malcolm Hobbs and his elite X-Men Homicide Squad. This investigation exposes evidence that takes on an extremely personal note for the X-Men when the identity of the victims are Harold Castle and Lamont Hendricks, tough but respected members of the Atlanta Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit or NEU.
Meantime, Fabrice Mousassi is an ex-con in town with a few days to kill some crooks. With no honor among these thieves, he needs to settle the score, and right the wrong done to him and his partner-in-crime, Julianna Delacroix. They don’t want the entire $25 million; they didn’t earn that. They only want the share that they did earn. No one will stop them from getting what’s theirs. Not their former colleagues, not the police and not anyone else who dares to challenge the Mousassi-Delacroix team. No one. The head-on collision between the unstoppable forces of Team Mousassi-Delacroix and the immovable objects of the X-Men Homicide Squad is inevitable, and something has to give. The intensity of these entities and the connections they reveal with the seedy sides of Atlanta’s criminal underworld spurs the pursuit for revenge and its multi-million-dollar payday on one side and justice to solve the crimes in the swiftest manner possible on the other. However, for Hobbs in particular, this maze reignites still healing wounds from his painful past that may finally explode and eventually lead to his professional and personal disintegration. |
A chair-side chat with Cortez Law III about COLD LICK...
1) What is the origin of Cold Lick?
I started from several genesis points if you will. One of them was the missing persons angle in particular missing children. Not so much from a when did it happen, but more from what happens later in life perspective. Two and I guess three simultaneously, I always want my main characters to deal with issues of faith. So I combined, let’s say, ‘complications’, in the police department with how those complications affect the biblical faith of some of the Atlanta detectives. Fourthly, I wanted some highly motivated criminals operate from a revenge motif that drove the story’s narrative with increased momentum. Like the book cover copy states: “…The head-on collision between the unstoppable forces of Team Mousassi-Delacroix and the immovable objects of the X-Men Homicide Squad is inevitable and something has to give…”
2) What kind of pressure, if any, is there to write a sequel book?
I didn’t feel any real pressure from any other writer in crafting a sequel story except to make it as good on the minimum tip as the origin story. I think if there was any pressure at all it probably fell on crafting Cold Lick at least as good as Kremlin Tide and not taking another two or three years in presenting it to the marketplace. I’ve read in various sources and I personally believe that to show the reading public that you’re serious in this career, a writer has to produce new material as often as possible. That’s all apart of branding, which is your name and the genre you’re writing. There may be other parts to branding, but those two can’t be left out of the equation.
3) How much do current events play a part in the X-Men Case File stories?
I think I do tap into world evens to some degree when molding a story concept. For Kremlin Tide the whole ‘War On Terror’ I think is here to stay for a long while sad to say. For Cold Lick the tragedy of those that go missing. The tragedy of those who took the wrong turns early in life and how that plays out in adulthood. Several characters in both books experience that. Can they rebound and make something positive of their lives or will they fall by the wayside and live in failure. In particular, God’s redemption is available for everyone, but not all will believe, accept and live it out. From a Christian perspective, that’s one of the biggest tragedies for all of humanity.
4) How important is family to these characters?
Family, you hope with all people, is a critical facet to their daily lives. If all else fails, aside from God Almighty, man you pray for that strong family support. God doesn’t error with his choices of family relationships. He put us all where we’re supposed to be and that includes our different nationalities, races, ethnicities and cultures. For the Cold Lick folk, I get to play the role of creator with the little ‘c’. As such, there’s a common brokenness that we real people can certainly relate to and like the realms of fantasy and reality, tragedy and pain and hurt to varying degrees will always present it and themselves until the Lord says that’s enough to death and the grave. But how they all deal with it I hope strengthens their characters and encourage us all in the real world that despite those negative or challenging circumstances, we too can overcome evil. Oh, and better to do it with good like the Bible teaches. Some find out that’s easier said than done and the chips fell like a mountain everywhere.
5) Do you ever have writer’s block?
Ah, that age old question. I’ll tell you what, I’ve experienced its first cousin called, Time Management. A writer writes; that’s what he does. But man, if I don’t clock myself everyday and that means the allotment of so much time per checklist item for the day, I wonder where the time went. The potential time drain? The marketing! Whew! When you start from scratch to build that brand that no one has ever heard of, you have to spend a GREAT deal of your day doing just that. As an independent writer/solopreneur, you have to balance the craft of writing with the varied components of marketing. You want my writer’s block, there it is. Marketing! LOL!
6) You write crime stories. How do you handle the gruesome details of homicide cases especially for the Christian reader?
For one thing, I don’t believe I step over into excess with descriptive crime scenes. Of course I describe what the detectives see, but I don’t think there’s an elaborate overkill to it. I’d like to classify my stories as a ‘PG-13’ movie rating and not today’s PG-13, which I think can be more of an ‘R’ rating. I give enough to establish what’s there, the detectives or forensic/crime scene professionals assess the findings and I move on. Same with the action sequences.
7) What kind of writing/marketing schedule are you on?
I want to create and market an X-Men Case File book once a year, which should give me time to do both effectively. But, I still have a lot to learn in both endeavors and that’s a good thing. The life lesson is if you stop learning, you stop growing. I don’t want to do that. Then I want to have some separation time between the X-Men Case File books and another series I want to start this fall. The key I’m finding out is to start early with the promotions. I write the vision down on paper as the Bible says, here on a computer screen, and execute it early. I need to give myself plenty of time to implement the marketing and I believe I’ve short-changed myself quite a bit in the past. I’m getting better though.
8) Do you want to write other kinds of stories or are you quite at home in the mystery/suspense genres?
Excellent question and I’m glad to answer it. In the very near future, I have a, shall I say, ‘slight’ departure from what my readers have come to expect from me. We all have different sides to our personalities, likes and dislikes, pet peeves, routines, etc. My writing is no different. I’ll soon bring that story to market later this year.
9) Where is Cold Lick available for readers?
The usual suspects: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Smashwords, Kobo Stores, iTunes, etc. Cold Lick is available in both in paperback and e-book formats.
10) How long does it take to write a book?
I average I’d say about 3-6 months for a first draft and that’s all dependent upon how steadfast I am every day with my writing schedule. Then, I could write five to ten drafts after that to get it as close as possible to perfection in my eyes. The key for me to do that however is to take breaks away from the book between each draft. That may last anywhere from a month minimum to two maybe two and a half months. A writer needs that separation from the story to get some distance from the words, which surely need additional editing. All told, that may equal about nine months on the low end to about 12 months maximum.
I started from several genesis points if you will. One of them was the missing persons angle in particular missing children. Not so much from a when did it happen, but more from what happens later in life perspective. Two and I guess three simultaneously, I always want my main characters to deal with issues of faith. So I combined, let’s say, ‘complications’, in the police department with how those complications affect the biblical faith of some of the Atlanta detectives. Fourthly, I wanted some highly motivated criminals operate from a revenge motif that drove the story’s narrative with increased momentum. Like the book cover copy states: “…The head-on collision between the unstoppable forces of Team Mousassi-Delacroix and the immovable objects of the X-Men Homicide Squad is inevitable and something has to give…”
2) What kind of pressure, if any, is there to write a sequel book?
I didn’t feel any real pressure from any other writer in crafting a sequel story except to make it as good on the minimum tip as the origin story. I think if there was any pressure at all it probably fell on crafting Cold Lick at least as good as Kremlin Tide and not taking another two or three years in presenting it to the marketplace. I’ve read in various sources and I personally believe that to show the reading public that you’re serious in this career, a writer has to produce new material as often as possible. That’s all apart of branding, which is your name and the genre you’re writing. There may be other parts to branding, but those two can’t be left out of the equation.
3) How much do current events play a part in the X-Men Case File stories?
I think I do tap into world evens to some degree when molding a story concept. For Kremlin Tide the whole ‘War On Terror’ I think is here to stay for a long while sad to say. For Cold Lick the tragedy of those that go missing. The tragedy of those who took the wrong turns early in life and how that plays out in adulthood. Several characters in both books experience that. Can they rebound and make something positive of their lives or will they fall by the wayside and live in failure. In particular, God’s redemption is available for everyone, but not all will believe, accept and live it out. From a Christian perspective, that’s one of the biggest tragedies for all of humanity.
4) How important is family to these characters?
Family, you hope with all people, is a critical facet to their daily lives. If all else fails, aside from God Almighty, man you pray for that strong family support. God doesn’t error with his choices of family relationships. He put us all where we’re supposed to be and that includes our different nationalities, races, ethnicities and cultures. For the Cold Lick folk, I get to play the role of creator with the little ‘c’. As such, there’s a common brokenness that we real people can certainly relate to and like the realms of fantasy and reality, tragedy and pain and hurt to varying degrees will always present it and themselves until the Lord says that’s enough to death and the grave. But how they all deal with it I hope strengthens their characters and encourage us all in the real world that despite those negative or challenging circumstances, we too can overcome evil. Oh, and better to do it with good like the Bible teaches. Some find out that’s easier said than done and the chips fell like a mountain everywhere.
5) Do you ever have writer’s block?
Ah, that age old question. I’ll tell you what, I’ve experienced its first cousin called, Time Management. A writer writes; that’s what he does. But man, if I don’t clock myself everyday and that means the allotment of so much time per checklist item for the day, I wonder where the time went. The potential time drain? The marketing! Whew! When you start from scratch to build that brand that no one has ever heard of, you have to spend a GREAT deal of your day doing just that. As an independent writer/solopreneur, you have to balance the craft of writing with the varied components of marketing. You want my writer’s block, there it is. Marketing! LOL!
6) You write crime stories. How do you handle the gruesome details of homicide cases especially for the Christian reader?
For one thing, I don’t believe I step over into excess with descriptive crime scenes. Of course I describe what the detectives see, but I don’t think there’s an elaborate overkill to it. I’d like to classify my stories as a ‘PG-13’ movie rating and not today’s PG-13, which I think can be more of an ‘R’ rating. I give enough to establish what’s there, the detectives or forensic/crime scene professionals assess the findings and I move on. Same with the action sequences.
7) What kind of writing/marketing schedule are you on?
I want to create and market an X-Men Case File book once a year, which should give me time to do both effectively. But, I still have a lot to learn in both endeavors and that’s a good thing. The life lesson is if you stop learning, you stop growing. I don’t want to do that. Then I want to have some separation time between the X-Men Case File books and another series I want to start this fall. The key I’m finding out is to start early with the promotions. I write the vision down on paper as the Bible says, here on a computer screen, and execute it early. I need to give myself plenty of time to implement the marketing and I believe I’ve short-changed myself quite a bit in the past. I’m getting better though.
8) Do you want to write other kinds of stories or are you quite at home in the mystery/suspense genres?
Excellent question and I’m glad to answer it. In the very near future, I have a, shall I say, ‘slight’ departure from what my readers have come to expect from me. We all have different sides to our personalities, likes and dislikes, pet peeves, routines, etc. My writing is no different. I’ll soon bring that story to market later this year.
9) Where is Cold Lick available for readers?
The usual suspects: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Smashwords, Kobo Stores, iTunes, etc. Cold Lick is available in both in paperback and e-book formats.
10) How long does it take to write a book?
I average I’d say about 3-6 months for a first draft and that’s all dependent upon how steadfast I am every day with my writing schedule. Then, I could write five to ten drafts after that to get it as close as possible to perfection in my eyes. The key for me to do that however is to take breaks away from the book between each draft. That may last anywhere from a month minimum to two maybe two and a half months. A writer needs that separation from the story to get some distance from the words, which surely need additional editing. All told, that may equal about nine months on the low end to about 12 months maximum.
**Connect with Cortez and Cold Lick**
Q & A: Fabrice Mousassi
In Part One of a three part series, the following interview between Cortez Law III and the soon-to-be released Fabrice Mousassi took place at the Georgia Department of Corrections’ Baldwin State Prison in Milledgeville, GA. Cortez cued his digital voice recorder and held it up toward the phone. He believed he got the audio just fine, but was more concerned that the plexiglass partition held up in case of a Mousassi meltdown. Of course, if he did, there went the soon to be ex-con’s freedom. Plus, plenty of Georgia’s finest corrections officers spurned their eyes at the proceedings. As Mousassi strolled in, he stood about six feet or six-one and looked built at around 200 pounds. Mousassi’s fair complexion and hair texture put him in the category of an African-American man or some bi-racial mixture. He nodded at the white baggy short-sleeved shirt and pants prisoner. It wasn’t returned. This entire scene reminded him never to come to prison without a guaranteed departure at his convenience. The prisoner grabbed the phone with his left hand and placed it against his left ear. He never took his eyes off his visitor. Cortez followed suit with the phone and Mousassi waited.
Law III: Okay Mr. Mousassi, we’re recording starting now. I appreciate you taking the time out to speak to me.
Mousassi: Does it look like I have much else to do? Much else besides starin’ at these four walls. Four walls and a cellie I can barely stand. What are you a student? A student who got a late start in his penal education?
Law III: No sir. I’m a writer, an author slash novelist of crime stories.
Mousassi: I’m the only con you talkin’ to?
Law III: Well, yes sir. I was particularly interested in interviewing prisoners on the verge of freedom.
Mousassi: Okay, I qualify. What do you wanna know?
Law III: I know something of why you’re in here. How is it you came into this life of crime?
Mousassi: The implication of your question. Your question implies that this is all I know. All I ever cared to know.
Law III: I apologize--
Mousassi: Have the balls to stick to your point-of-view. Point-of-view is direction. Direction can come from or lead to the silver spoon. The silver spoon or the cankered one.
Law III: From your tone, is that to say then you were directed with the cankered point-of-view in life?
Mousassi: Like any adolescent, I had help. I had help with the nature v. nurture. Guess who won?
Law III: I don’t have a clue, but usually a mix of both is the culprit.
Mousassi: Good guess. Nature and nurture come from somewhere don’t it? Somewhere in the gene pool. Well, my pool was cankered. Cankered in the womb. Cankered within the sperm and egg shake. Did I have a chance or choice? Did I have a chance or choice bein’ born? Did I have a chance or a choice who to call father and mother? Mixture of both is right. Cankered point-of-view is right. And guess what? Two right’s don’t make a wrong or a right. It is and was what it is and was.
Law III: I see that. Ah, what kind of steps to better yourself did you take to help you when you got back on the outside?
Mousassi: Baby ones.
Law III: Care to elaborate a little?
Mousassi: Very little.
Law III: Okay. Do you have someone waiting for you on the outside?
Mousassi: What? That whole significant other thing? Yeah, better than what I started with. Correction, ha, that’s poetic. Correction, better than what I was later stuck with. Not better than what I started with. Not better than what I started with in part.
Law III: You mean--
Mousassi: Just what I said.
Law III: I want to be clear I’m following, Mr. Mousassi. You’re talking about family again?
Mousassi: Yeah.
Law III: All right. What kind of work skills do you have? Did you learn a trade, a vocation of some kind?
Mousassi: Like?
Law III: Like machinery, ah auto mechanics, you know.
Mousassi: Heat.
Law III: Excuse me?
Mousassi: Heat.
Law III: Heat. Oh, HVAC.
Mousassi: Heat!
Law III: Heat? Oh, you’re hot. I could signal a guard to check--
Mousassi: Think that really matters to them? Try this: For the first time since 1974. The first time since 1974 and even then it wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t perfect because they were in the same movie. In the same movie, but couldn’t be in the same scenes together.
Law III: Oh, okay. You’re talking The Godfather.
Mousassi: Yeah, but The Godfather Part II. They couldn’t be in the same scenes together.
Law III: Oh, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro.
Mousassi: They couldn’t be in the same scenes together. Seen the movie, you understand.
Law III: Right.
Mousassi: But in Heat…
Law III: Gotcha, gotcha. Yeah for the first time since ’74 they were together. Okay, but you’ve lost me about how that ties into your work skills--
Mousassi: Full Diner. Night. Al offered to buy Robert a cup of coffee--
Law III: Yes sir, I remember. Great scene--
Mousassi: Anyway, they talk. They talk and what do they talk about? They talk about what they do. They talk about their work skills, their vocation, their trade. What did DeNiro tell Pacino?
Law III: Okay, yeah. He told him he takes down scores.
Mousassi: Yeah, you paid attention. What did Al tell Robert?
Law III: Basically, that he spends his time chasing down guys like him.
Mousassi: And Robert back to Al?
Law III: Ah, Robert told Al he did what he did best and that was to take down scores. He told Al to do what he did best and that was to try to stop guys like him from doing that very thing.
Mousassi: What else did he say? What else did they say?
Law III: I’m going to let you tell me that.
Mousassi: They both agreed. They both agreed that they couldn’t do anything else. Couldn’t do anything else other than what they were doin’. They both agreed that they didn’t much want to do anything else either.
Law III: I remember now, yes sir. Al also told Robert that if he had someone hostage and was a threat to kill that hostage, he wouldn’t have a problem killing him as much as he wouldn’t like doing that.
Mousassi: And if Al had Robert boxed in, DeNiro would kill him. Kill him without hesitation.
Law III: Okay, I can tell you this. I’m no cop and I certain can’t and don’t want to stop guys like you.
Mousassi: Exactly. And don’t be the schmuck who leaves his widow behind. Behind after his luck ran out when he ran. Ran into guys like me. Now, ask me again. Ask me again about what kind of work skills I have.
Law III: Ah, no, no, I think that will suffice, Mr. Mousassi. I thank you for your time, sir. Good luck and God bless you with your new freedom. You paid your debt to society.
Mousassi: But now it’s my turn. My turn for accounts receivable.
He hung up the phone, stood and walked away for his soon-to-be vacated confines.
Law III: Okay Mr. Mousassi, we’re recording starting now. I appreciate you taking the time out to speak to me.
Mousassi: Does it look like I have much else to do? Much else besides starin’ at these four walls. Four walls and a cellie I can barely stand. What are you a student? A student who got a late start in his penal education?
Law III: No sir. I’m a writer, an author slash novelist of crime stories.
Mousassi: I’m the only con you talkin’ to?
Law III: Well, yes sir. I was particularly interested in interviewing prisoners on the verge of freedom.
Mousassi: Okay, I qualify. What do you wanna know?
Law III: I know something of why you’re in here. How is it you came into this life of crime?
Mousassi: The implication of your question. Your question implies that this is all I know. All I ever cared to know.
Law III: I apologize--
Mousassi: Have the balls to stick to your point-of-view. Point-of-view is direction. Direction can come from or lead to the silver spoon. The silver spoon or the cankered one.
Law III: From your tone, is that to say then you were directed with the cankered point-of-view in life?
Mousassi: Like any adolescent, I had help. I had help with the nature v. nurture. Guess who won?
Law III: I don’t have a clue, but usually a mix of both is the culprit.
Mousassi: Good guess. Nature and nurture come from somewhere don’t it? Somewhere in the gene pool. Well, my pool was cankered. Cankered in the womb. Cankered within the sperm and egg shake. Did I have a chance or choice? Did I have a chance or choice bein’ born? Did I have a chance or a choice who to call father and mother? Mixture of both is right. Cankered point-of-view is right. And guess what? Two right’s don’t make a wrong or a right. It is and was what it is and was.
Law III: I see that. Ah, what kind of steps to better yourself did you take to help you when you got back on the outside?
Mousassi: Baby ones.
Law III: Care to elaborate a little?
Mousassi: Very little.
Law III: Okay. Do you have someone waiting for you on the outside?
Mousassi: What? That whole significant other thing? Yeah, better than what I started with. Correction, ha, that’s poetic. Correction, better than what I was later stuck with. Not better than what I started with. Not better than what I started with in part.
Law III: You mean--
Mousassi: Just what I said.
Law III: I want to be clear I’m following, Mr. Mousassi. You’re talking about family again?
Mousassi: Yeah.
Law III: All right. What kind of work skills do you have? Did you learn a trade, a vocation of some kind?
Mousassi: Like?
Law III: Like machinery, ah auto mechanics, you know.
Mousassi: Heat.
Law III: Excuse me?
Mousassi: Heat.
Law III: Heat. Oh, HVAC.
Mousassi: Heat!
Law III: Heat? Oh, you’re hot. I could signal a guard to check--
Mousassi: Think that really matters to them? Try this: For the first time since 1974. The first time since 1974 and even then it wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t perfect because they were in the same movie. In the same movie, but couldn’t be in the same scenes together.
Law III: Oh, okay. You’re talking The Godfather.
Mousassi: Yeah, but The Godfather Part II. They couldn’t be in the same scenes together.
Law III: Oh, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro.
Mousassi: They couldn’t be in the same scenes together. Seen the movie, you understand.
Law III: Right.
Mousassi: But in Heat…
Law III: Gotcha, gotcha. Yeah for the first time since ’74 they were together. Okay, but you’ve lost me about how that ties into your work skills--
Mousassi: Full Diner. Night. Al offered to buy Robert a cup of coffee--
Law III: Yes sir, I remember. Great scene--
Mousassi: Anyway, they talk. They talk and what do they talk about? They talk about what they do. They talk about their work skills, their vocation, their trade. What did DeNiro tell Pacino?
Law III: Okay, yeah. He told him he takes down scores.
Mousassi: Yeah, you paid attention. What did Al tell Robert?
Law III: Basically, that he spends his time chasing down guys like him.
Mousassi: And Robert back to Al?
Law III: Ah, Robert told Al he did what he did best and that was to take down scores. He told Al to do what he did best and that was to try to stop guys like him from doing that very thing.
Mousassi: What else did he say? What else did they say?
Law III: I’m going to let you tell me that.
Mousassi: They both agreed. They both agreed that they couldn’t do anything else. Couldn’t do anything else other than what they were doin’. They both agreed that they didn’t much want to do anything else either.
Law III: I remember now, yes sir. Al also told Robert that if he had someone hostage and was a threat to kill that hostage, he wouldn’t have a problem killing him as much as he wouldn’t like doing that.
Mousassi: And if Al had Robert boxed in, DeNiro would kill him. Kill him without hesitation.
Law III: Okay, I can tell you this. I’m no cop and I certain can’t and don’t want to stop guys like you.
Mousassi: Exactly. And don’t be the schmuck who leaves his widow behind. Behind after his luck ran out when he ran. Ran into guys like me. Now, ask me again. Ask me again about what kind of work skills I have.
Law III: Ah, no, no, I think that will suffice, Mr. Mousassi. I thank you for your time, sir. Good luck and God bless you with your new freedom. You paid your debt to society.
Mousassi: But now it’s my turn. My turn for accounts receivable.
He hung up the phone, stood and walked away for his soon-to-be vacated confines.
Hey fans, you can also click on the following links to view the trailer:
You Tube, God Tube, Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, Facebook, Vimeo and Daily Motion.
You Tube, God Tube, Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, Facebook, Vimeo and Daily Motion.
Q & A: Detective Shepard Cush
In Part Two of a three part series, the following conversation between novelist Cortez Law III and Atlanta Homicide Detective Shepard Cush took place at one of the city’s famous soul food eateries, Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Midtown. Cortez paid for lunch at the restaurant that the Detective frequented twice a month for his soul food fix. He didn’t eat too heavy as a sudden departure due to another homicide could summon him any moment. So, he chose a Garden House Salad and a Patty Melt. Seemed heavy enough for this writer/publisher’s tight creative budget. Fortunately, Cortez’s cash flow wasn’t impeded at the moment. Man, he ate fast too. That’s the nature of his biz’ he said. Cortez ordered the Fresh Blackened Salmon, Rice with Gravy and Spiced Apples. Both consumed water. After small talk and chowing down for a minute, the recording started with Cortez’s handy digital voice recorder.
Law III: Okay, we’re recording starting now. Atlanta Homicide Detective Shepard Cush, nice to meet you, sir.
Det. Cush: Cortez, nice to meet you. Detective Cush or Shepard is fine by the way. How can I help you today?
Law III: Okay, well tell me something about why you came to the ATL?
Det. Cush: I needed a life change. And did I get one, Cortez? More than you know. I actually wanted to be a pro football player--
Law III: You look like a wide receiver.
Det. Cush: Were you at Ohio State back in the day? All-Ohio receiver at Cincinnati Moeller--
Law III: Whoa! You went to Moeller?
Det. Cush: Yes sir. I was a Moeller Fighting Crusader. First team all-Ohio. Did I tick off the people at the University of Cincinnati? I don’t think I need to answer that question.
Law III: You should’ve played for the Browns or Bengals, Detective.
Det. Cush: Yeah, the NFL was the plan. However, a pair of knee injuries during my freshman and sophomore seasons on doctors’ suggestions ended my seven or eight figure deals.
Law III: Sorry to hear that. So, why a cop?
Det. Cush: Can you say I was a Criminal Justice Major?
Law III: Oh, okay. So, you were here and you’re a relatively new Investigator in the ATL. What was one of the most, ah not necessarily important, but memorable cases in Ohio?
Det. Cush: Ah, probably that first case one spring in Columbus. I was the lead investigator on a Charles Manson-like crime family murders that the Columbus Dispatch dubbed, ‘The Buckeye Butchers’. In 72 hours, they murdered three families of ten men, women and children until my team and I solved their supposed pattern of victimology connected with astrological signs and quote on quote religious holidays, their terms, which coincided with mass murderers like Manson, Hitler, Columbine, Waco, etc.
Law III: Wow, wow. How’d you feel afterwards?
Det. Cush: Can I say like the mayor of the city! I think I just did! It was like being back in high school playing football and basketball. The roar of the crowd as the last second touchdown or basket won the championship or beat a city rival. All that was missing was me riding the shoulders of my fellow officers in blue.
Law III: Something like that could inflate one’s ego too. I mean, if there was a down side to it--
Det. Cush: You know there wasn’t any jealousy at all from any departments because of the urgency to stop the slayings.
Law III: You deal with such macabre subject matter, do you find time for love and family?
Det. Cush: Some.
Law III: Family here?
Det. Cush: No. Mostly Ohio.
Law III: And the ladies?
Det. Cush: Have I had my ups and downs like anyone else? Do I need to answer that one?
Law III: Good-looking guy like you has to have ‘em lined up in the ATL.
Det. Cush: And could I not say the same for you?
Law III: Okay, I won’t press anymore, Detective Cush.
Det. Cush: Can you see the appreciation on my face? Is it not evident?
Law III: Yeah, I don’t think we need the crime lab for that one. What do you think about crime and its victims? I mean, I know it’s bad, but I’m thinking like biblically. Do you think some people are destined to be criminals?
Det. Cush: Humph. Pre-destination of criminality? We all are free moral agents. We all have choices to make about whatever every day. You’re talking genetics v. environment v. pre-destination. Would I say it’s God’s will for humans to be criminals? Do I need to answer that question? Some people don’t believe they have a choice when confronted with criminal activity or being dishonest. They’re mistakes and they’re choices. We decide every day, Cortez. Is it not up to us?
Law III: Yes sir, it is. Okay, thank you, Detective Cush. You sure you don’t want to give me more detail on those Georgia peaches or the Ohio buckeyettes for that matter. Maybe I should talk to family about that, hmm. Whoa. That smile is gone! On that note--
Det. Cush: Yes, on that note, am I not gone? I’ll answer that one. Have a nice day, Cortez.
Law III: Okay, we’re recording starting now. Atlanta Homicide Detective Shepard Cush, nice to meet you, sir.
Det. Cush: Cortez, nice to meet you. Detective Cush or Shepard is fine by the way. How can I help you today?
Law III: Okay, well tell me something about why you came to the ATL?
Det. Cush: I needed a life change. And did I get one, Cortez? More than you know. I actually wanted to be a pro football player--
Law III: You look like a wide receiver.
Det. Cush: Were you at Ohio State back in the day? All-Ohio receiver at Cincinnati Moeller--
Law III: Whoa! You went to Moeller?
Det. Cush: Yes sir. I was a Moeller Fighting Crusader. First team all-Ohio. Did I tick off the people at the University of Cincinnati? I don’t think I need to answer that question.
Law III: You should’ve played for the Browns or Bengals, Detective.
Det. Cush: Yeah, the NFL was the plan. However, a pair of knee injuries during my freshman and sophomore seasons on doctors’ suggestions ended my seven or eight figure deals.
Law III: Sorry to hear that. So, why a cop?
Det. Cush: Can you say I was a Criminal Justice Major?
Law III: Oh, okay. So, you were here and you’re a relatively new Investigator in the ATL. What was one of the most, ah not necessarily important, but memorable cases in Ohio?
Det. Cush: Ah, probably that first case one spring in Columbus. I was the lead investigator on a Charles Manson-like crime family murders that the Columbus Dispatch dubbed, ‘The Buckeye Butchers’. In 72 hours, they murdered three families of ten men, women and children until my team and I solved their supposed pattern of victimology connected with astrological signs and quote on quote religious holidays, their terms, which coincided with mass murderers like Manson, Hitler, Columbine, Waco, etc.
Law III: Wow, wow. How’d you feel afterwards?
Det. Cush: Can I say like the mayor of the city! I think I just did! It was like being back in high school playing football and basketball. The roar of the crowd as the last second touchdown or basket won the championship or beat a city rival. All that was missing was me riding the shoulders of my fellow officers in blue.
Law III: Something like that could inflate one’s ego too. I mean, if there was a down side to it--
Det. Cush: You know there wasn’t any jealousy at all from any departments because of the urgency to stop the slayings.
Law III: You deal with such macabre subject matter, do you find time for love and family?
Det. Cush: Some.
Law III: Family here?
Det. Cush: No. Mostly Ohio.
Law III: And the ladies?
Det. Cush: Have I had my ups and downs like anyone else? Do I need to answer that one?
Law III: Good-looking guy like you has to have ‘em lined up in the ATL.
Det. Cush: And could I not say the same for you?
Law III: Okay, I won’t press anymore, Detective Cush.
Det. Cush: Can you see the appreciation on my face? Is it not evident?
Law III: Yeah, I don’t think we need the crime lab for that one. What do you think about crime and its victims? I mean, I know it’s bad, but I’m thinking like biblically. Do you think some people are destined to be criminals?
Det. Cush: Humph. Pre-destination of criminality? We all are free moral agents. We all have choices to make about whatever every day. You’re talking genetics v. environment v. pre-destination. Would I say it’s God’s will for humans to be criminals? Do I need to answer that question? Some people don’t believe they have a choice when confronted with criminal activity or being dishonest. They’re mistakes and they’re choices. We decide every day, Cortez. Is it not up to us?
Law III: Yes sir, it is. Okay, thank you, Detective Cush. You sure you don’t want to give me more detail on those Georgia peaches or the Ohio buckeyettes for that matter. Maybe I should talk to family about that, hmm. Whoa. That smile is gone! On that note--
Det. Cush: Yes, on that note, am I not gone? I’ll answer that one. Have a nice day, Cortez.
**FOUR STARS**
“…This was indeed another good mystery novel that
this author seems to write so well…”
−Arlena Dean, Top 4K Amazon Reviewer Ranking
Q & A: Homicide Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs
This is the last of Cortez Law III's Three Part Series of interviews with some special Georgia residents. At his insistence, Atlanta Homicide Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs wanted to meet him after his afternoon workout at Ironman Fitness in Midtown. The law enforcement veteran of double-digit years in the Georgia capital force stretched his workout gear from head to toe. A black Ironman Fitness tank top with a muscular, sweaty, veiny and expressive caricature that squatted a bent bar with eight Olympic style steel plates. With the 45-pound bar, the stitched strong man in its own colorful attire amidst the white lettering squatted with 405 pounds. Skin-tight black sweat pants also delineated by the Ironman Fitness logo on the left thigh covered his lower half. Spiffy tennis shoes covered his feet.
Through with a grueling back and calf workout, the pair sat down at one of the many health club dining tables to chat about his job, life and physical fitness.
Law III: Okay we’re recording. Hello, Atlanta Homicide Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs. Nice to meet you, sir.
Sgt. Hobbs: Cortez, my pleasure.
Law III: Let me start by saying or asking rather, just how much was that Deadlift?
Sgt. Hobbs: Ah, I topped out today at 455 for six reps. I don’t go that heavy that often though. Normally, I’ll perform three sets of eight reps at 315 to 365. But I was feeling my oats or better said my whey protein today so…
Law III: Yeah, I guess where there’s a will there’s a whey, huh? Get it, where there’s a will--
Sgt. Hobbs: I got you and I’m gonna get you under that squat rack for this tank top’s 405 after another one of those.
Law III: I’ll take that challenge if you add the numbers up, which equal nine! Stop laughing at me Sergeant Hobbs. Okay ah, how much pressure do you feel to solve any particular homicide?
Sgt. Hobbs: The pressure to solve any homicide is tremendous. For the unit or units and the entire department because it takes a village to do so. From citizens calling 911, to patrol to homicide to crime scene investigators to the medical examiner and back to the citizenry with tips for the police, we all play a role. We have a murder board that tracks the various case files. We don’t like to see many of victims’ names in red, which means the case is unsolved. Names in black, now, that’s what we want as quickly as possible--
Law III: Because that means case solved.
Sgt. Hobbs: Precisely.
Law III: Okay. Tell me about The X-Men. If you’ve been in Atlanta any period of time other than a New York minute, you’ve heard of the Atlanta X-Men Homicide Unit.
Sgt. Hobbs: Well, that’s my own personal unit within all of Homicide, which is a part of the Major Crimes Unit, which in turn is under the Criminal Investigations Division or CID. While I’m responsible for the overall Homicide Staff and their cases during my shifts, the X-Men are assigned those high profile cases that Chief of Police Harriet Davis a great many times will personally expect for us to handle and solve faster than a hurry. At the same time, those cases can be the toughest to solve, so we get the call.
Law III: Not that the other detectives, units, squads, partnerships, aren’t capable of doing likewise--
Sgt. Hobbs: Correct. If Chief Davis and CID Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division Frank Vinson deem a case needs our special attention and expertise, we get it. Many times, if The X-Men don’t solve it, that case file may wind up with cold case detectives, who are a part of homicide as well. No homicide detective wants that. The entire department, the city and more particularly, the grieving family doesn’t want that either.
Law III: What qualifies a detective for a spot on the coveted X-Men Unit?
Sgt. Hobbs: The usual suspects: Experience. I’d like to see at least five years in homicide before inquiring with the unit. Cases solved, what those cases were, how long before they're closed. Perception or being perceptive. Strong confidence and a wild imagination--
Law III: Wait, Sergeant Hobbs. A wild imagination? We’re not talking Hollywood type of creativity are we?
Sgt. Hobbs: No, no. A detective needs the ability to create ‘What If?’ scenarios that help create who, what, when, where, why and how though that’s usually obvious when we arrive on scene. One of my X-Men Detectives, Orlando Queen, excels in the What Ifs. Another, Detective Shepard Cush--
Law III: Oh, yeah, yeah. I talked with him.
Sgt. Hobbs: Okay, he worked his brain into overtime in his first case some time back with a rather deviant offender. He took that role of offender and broke down his thoughts, his intentions, motivations and goals, etc. Just nailed it and thank God, the profile helped to nail the perp because of it.
Law III: Where do you get your candidates?
Sgt. Hobbs: Patrol, other departments. Ah, some other factors like self-discipline, motivation, organization, personality, can the candidate work unsupervised, rigorous testing of the laws and procedures. Referrals are common as well although that can come as a sort of backlash.
Law III: Okay, explain that please.
Sgt. Hobbs: Nothing etched in concrete with the statement. I have a detective in the X-Men, Selena Monet, who drove her superiors to the brink of being a perp themselves because she took too many chances to catch the criminals. She put herself in harm’s way that could have cost her life many times over. I’m not looking for that, but she was such an exceptional detective, after some time, she earned a spot on the squad. She had the written knowledge and the street smarts to make it and she has. So, those a few criteria for not just an X-Man spot but any detective position in the APD.
Law III: All right. To lighten things a bit before I let you go. Detective Cush was a bit, shall I say, reticent about his love life.
Sgt. Hobbs: Reticent? Nice word, Cortez. Reticent. So, you’re wondering about ol’ Sarge, huh?
Law III: Well, you're one of the ATLs top cops. Built like a champion bodybuilder—oh! You are! I wanted to touch on that too.
Sgt. Hobbs: Well, firstly. I’m seeing someone right now. Hasn’t been too long.
Law III: How--
Sgt. Hobbs: None ya’. Just know that we’re happy is what’s most important.
Law III: I feel ya’ on that, Sergeant. Okay, okay. Ha, ha, ha.
Sgt. Hobbs: Ha, ha, ha, right back at you, nosey. As to the bodybuilding competition, I enter only so often because of the law enforcement career I love. Nevertheless, I’ll be a lifetime fitness buff unto my last breath. God made human bodies to move. But yes, I won the Atlanta and the Eastern Seaboard Bodybuilding Championships over three years ago. So, I have competed and won, but again, this career makes it a challenge to enter contests at my best and win. We’ll see what the future holds.
Law III: Well, Sergeant Hobbs, I’ve learned a lot, sir. I want to thank you for taking the time to give me some insight into what your life is like. Continue to keep us safe.
Sgt. Hobbs: We’ll do, Cortez.
Through with a grueling back and calf workout, the pair sat down at one of the many health club dining tables to chat about his job, life and physical fitness.
Law III: Okay we’re recording. Hello, Atlanta Homicide Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs. Nice to meet you, sir.
Sgt. Hobbs: Cortez, my pleasure.
Law III: Let me start by saying or asking rather, just how much was that Deadlift?
Sgt. Hobbs: Ah, I topped out today at 455 for six reps. I don’t go that heavy that often though. Normally, I’ll perform three sets of eight reps at 315 to 365. But I was feeling my oats or better said my whey protein today so…
Law III: Yeah, I guess where there’s a will there’s a whey, huh? Get it, where there’s a will--
Sgt. Hobbs: I got you and I’m gonna get you under that squat rack for this tank top’s 405 after another one of those.
Law III: I’ll take that challenge if you add the numbers up, which equal nine! Stop laughing at me Sergeant Hobbs. Okay ah, how much pressure do you feel to solve any particular homicide?
Sgt. Hobbs: The pressure to solve any homicide is tremendous. For the unit or units and the entire department because it takes a village to do so. From citizens calling 911, to patrol to homicide to crime scene investigators to the medical examiner and back to the citizenry with tips for the police, we all play a role. We have a murder board that tracks the various case files. We don’t like to see many of victims’ names in red, which means the case is unsolved. Names in black, now, that’s what we want as quickly as possible--
Law III: Because that means case solved.
Sgt. Hobbs: Precisely.
Law III: Okay. Tell me about The X-Men. If you’ve been in Atlanta any period of time other than a New York minute, you’ve heard of the Atlanta X-Men Homicide Unit.
Sgt. Hobbs: Well, that’s my own personal unit within all of Homicide, which is a part of the Major Crimes Unit, which in turn is under the Criminal Investigations Division or CID. While I’m responsible for the overall Homicide Staff and their cases during my shifts, the X-Men are assigned those high profile cases that Chief of Police Harriet Davis a great many times will personally expect for us to handle and solve faster than a hurry. At the same time, those cases can be the toughest to solve, so we get the call.
Law III: Not that the other detectives, units, squads, partnerships, aren’t capable of doing likewise--
Sgt. Hobbs: Correct. If Chief Davis and CID Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division Frank Vinson deem a case needs our special attention and expertise, we get it. Many times, if The X-Men don’t solve it, that case file may wind up with cold case detectives, who are a part of homicide as well. No homicide detective wants that. The entire department, the city and more particularly, the grieving family doesn’t want that either.
Law III: What qualifies a detective for a spot on the coveted X-Men Unit?
Sgt. Hobbs: The usual suspects: Experience. I’d like to see at least five years in homicide before inquiring with the unit. Cases solved, what those cases were, how long before they're closed. Perception or being perceptive. Strong confidence and a wild imagination--
Law III: Wait, Sergeant Hobbs. A wild imagination? We’re not talking Hollywood type of creativity are we?
Sgt. Hobbs: No, no. A detective needs the ability to create ‘What If?’ scenarios that help create who, what, when, where, why and how though that’s usually obvious when we arrive on scene. One of my X-Men Detectives, Orlando Queen, excels in the What Ifs. Another, Detective Shepard Cush--
Law III: Oh, yeah, yeah. I talked with him.
Sgt. Hobbs: Okay, he worked his brain into overtime in his first case some time back with a rather deviant offender. He took that role of offender and broke down his thoughts, his intentions, motivations and goals, etc. Just nailed it and thank God, the profile helped to nail the perp because of it.
Law III: Where do you get your candidates?
Sgt. Hobbs: Patrol, other departments. Ah, some other factors like self-discipline, motivation, organization, personality, can the candidate work unsupervised, rigorous testing of the laws and procedures. Referrals are common as well although that can come as a sort of backlash.
Law III: Okay, explain that please.
Sgt. Hobbs: Nothing etched in concrete with the statement. I have a detective in the X-Men, Selena Monet, who drove her superiors to the brink of being a perp themselves because she took too many chances to catch the criminals. She put herself in harm’s way that could have cost her life many times over. I’m not looking for that, but she was such an exceptional detective, after some time, she earned a spot on the squad. She had the written knowledge and the street smarts to make it and she has. So, those a few criteria for not just an X-Man spot but any detective position in the APD.
Law III: All right. To lighten things a bit before I let you go. Detective Cush was a bit, shall I say, reticent about his love life.
Sgt. Hobbs: Reticent? Nice word, Cortez. Reticent. So, you’re wondering about ol’ Sarge, huh?
Law III: Well, you're one of the ATLs top cops. Built like a champion bodybuilder—oh! You are! I wanted to touch on that too.
Sgt. Hobbs: Well, firstly. I’m seeing someone right now. Hasn’t been too long.
Law III: How--
Sgt. Hobbs: None ya’. Just know that we’re happy is what’s most important.
Law III: I feel ya’ on that, Sergeant. Okay, okay. Ha, ha, ha.
Sgt. Hobbs: Ha, ha, ha, right back at you, nosey. As to the bodybuilding competition, I enter only so often because of the law enforcement career I love. Nevertheless, I’ll be a lifetime fitness buff unto my last breath. God made human bodies to move. But yes, I won the Atlanta and the Eastern Seaboard Bodybuilding Championships over three years ago. So, I have competed and won, but again, this career makes it a challenge to enter contests at my best and win. We’ll see what the future holds.
Law III: Well, Sergeant Hobbs, I’ve learned a lot, sir. I want to thank you for taking the time to give me some insight into what your life is like. Continue to keep us safe.
Sgt. Hobbs: We’ll do, Cortez.
Excerpt
1
Intersection of Foundry & Elm Streets
Vine City Neighborhood
Atlanta, GA
3:45 A.M.
Irving ‘Smack’ Black, Jr., ‘membered one of his movie heroes Gordon Geico or Gekko or whatever his name been was great philosophizin’, he ain’t never lied, ‘cause greed was good. Whether it been was Wall Street or insurance, he ain’t never known greed to be anything other than good. Right now, this homeboy was good and greedy and hopefully a little lucky, in additional. Lucky enough not to squeezed the trigger on his .380 semi-automatic. It been chillin’ in his front pants beneath his black hoodie hidin’ under a short brown leather jacket liked bottles of Cristal in a bucket a ice durin’ a Saturday night 70s ‘Blue Lights in the Basement House Party’ in the SWATs. He needed a breathin’ mask after all that been was done in his thinkin’.
He chilled with his back kissin’ the rear fender of a suped up 90s Cadillac and he faced a ol’ school Toyota Corollary. He kept quiet ‘cause this part of Atlanta was so fulled up with drugs and all that came with it that it was always bein’ raided by Red Dog and Narcotics Units of the ATL. They gots good reason to be out in Vine City and so did he. He peeped around the left side of the fender and there it been was: Like fifty yards away at Foundry and Vine Streets, couple a brothas eased down Vine and stood next to a apartment compound and the bent down ‘Stop’ sign. They watchin’ everything and everyone and everybody and everywhere and all them other everys.
His breathin’ raced now. He ain’t never prayed much in his 37 years mainly ‘cause again he was so lucky in his job. Plus, his .380 ain’t a bad god to have at his side whenever he needed a loyalty friend. Ain’t let ‘im down befoe, why tonight gotta be dysfunctionality at all? Dysfunctionality. Yeah, the sistahs gave up the lovin’ to a brotha with a good vocationary. Yeah, they did. He told himself to chill that and checked out the scene down the street. That’s it. Bags of cocaine and thick wads of cash like a sistah in baby-got-back-Apple Bottom jeans! He tasted the Cristal now!
Just as he started to shuffle backward toward the curb for the right side of the Caddy, a black van cruised straight up at him. He ducked and crawled under the Caddy. After the van passed him, his right hand founded the .380 and showed it with a stiff arm. He aimed lyin’ on his stomach tryin’ to spot a better view with another car parked in front of him. Motor oil and gas stanked on the pavement below him, which meant it was on his leather coat! Ain’t that some dysfunctionality chitlins with corn kernels and dirt at the bottom of the pot? Focus, G’!
As the van slowed down near the buy, he heard convo’. A little get-to-know-ya’ small talk from the van ‘foe the real deal jumped off. Now, two brothas in dark clothes popped out the front of the van. Red light, stop; yellow light, caution and slowed down…the green ain’t comin’ fast enough for everybody, anybody, somebody, nobody and all the other bodys includin’ him. Well, that changed like now, a’ight. He strained to slide with the grit and grime and gas and oil under the Caddy. That’s when a little somethin’, somethin’ jumped off with raised voices and gun hammer clickins. Yeah, it was on now.
From his snake belly crawlin’ spot, the van brothas gots the drop on the local homies. One man snagged the big blue canvas bag and the other latched on to the second black canvas bag. And the van boys gots on black masks, likewise. He needed to flow with his plan ‘foe them Red Dogs and Narcs crashed the party. Ain’t no house lights flicked on yet and that was mo’ luck and mo’ good.
Then ta-a-dow! What was goin’ on with a dark four-door sedan stoppin’ at the corner a Graves and Foundry. Might be APD U.C. The driver kicked a little gas and made the short trip up Foundry and stopped in front a the van. Two mo’ dudes in baggy dark clothin’ and black masks announced they presence like Santa Claus and Rudolph at Xmas. ‘Cept they used .9mms aimed at the van boys. Man, this ain’t no good. He didn’t figure on usin’ his own black mask hidden in his inside jacket pocket since he black as night moreover, but with all this noise now, he ain’t got no choice.
He flipped his vision on the scene and into his jacket pocket, the scene, his jacket pocket, the scene, his jacket pocket. Then shots shocked his body like he got shot! His head slammed into the under the carriage of the Caddy. He froze liked a snow cone. Voices panickin’ and like God in the Bible said, “Let there be light” and there been was in a house needin’ Extreme Makeover ‘Hood Edition. He scrambled like eggs in a cast iron pan to his feet. Now, he tripped out so bad he wanted to snag a handful a ol’ cigarette butts layin’ ‘bout and smoke ‘em right there. Heart beatin’ and sweat pourin’…body and mind quittin’, but naw, he ain’t goin’ nowhere without the score, baby.
Mask on and his mind tellin’ him he had heart, he breathed three times, bended down and ran along the parked cars and the concrete curb with the .380’s hammer cocked. From the front of the Caddy, he saw two men down on the ground. The van brothas. The dark sedan dudes pointin’ them shiny black 9 mils at them apartment/stop brothas ‘bout gave ‘im a Fred Sanford, “This is the big one”, heart attack momentumum. They arguin’ somethin’, somethin’ ‘bout, ‘Can’t take the money, fool!’ When he started risin’ up, mo’ shots woked up the dead or alive. This time the apartment/stop brothas, unarmed, they fault, just died. Them dark sedan dudes tripped out now. They runnin’ for they sedan when mo’ lights turned the night into a Smoky the Bear fire. Seconds after that and he ran along that curb behind cars so close they right across from him now, he down low and aimed again when mo’ shots from some brothas on his side of the street tap danced the road and the dark sedan. Funny thing was though he ain’t heard no laughin’, the dark sedan dudes ain’t fired back in self-defensive. All they done was run to the sedan with both bags in hand. Then mo’ shots breaked some of the sedan’s windows. The driver dropped his bag as the sedan rolled through the shootin’. Footsteps pounded the sidewalk for him and he hated to do it, but he ducked under another car and played dead. Those feet ran passed and behind him. Screamin’, shoutin’, guns firin’, feet runnin’, tires squealin’. Chaos, man. Again, through that snake belly spot, the brothas who done did the shootin’ and runnin’ ran across the road and dragged the two apartment/stop brothas down Elm Street and outta sight. It was now or never, Irving.
He checked the area everywhere and all those other everys. Saw the black canvas bag ‘bout three feet in front of ‘im. The blue bag just sat next to the two dead van brothas. Too far away and now mo’ sirens, mo’ sirens, mo’ sirens, mo’ sirens. He dove for the bag that was closest. He heard mo’ gunshots around the corner. Luckily for him, he ain’t parked around that corner. He fast walked west on Foundry and hung a quick left on Sunset Avenue. That’s where he parked his tricked out green Mazda Hatchback 323 that would make them West Coast Customs and Pimp My Ride TV shows proud. His imagination seen cops and ambulance on the scene now. The gunshots stopped. So did the screamin’, shoutin’, runnin’ and squealin’. Peace, man. When he unlocked his Mazda, he thew the bag on the passenger front seat. Still hyped all over, he lost the temptation not to check inside. Was it been the drugs or the money? Unzipped the black bag, either one was a solid, and hello Benjamins! He laughed lookin’ around as he did. This was easier than he ever thought it could been was. It all been a part of his philosophizin’ strategically that went down a somethin’, somethin’ liked this: Firstly, ‘Done did unto others befoe they done did unto himself’. Secondarily, ‘Life helped them who then helped themselves’. Thirdarily, and the bestest one, ‘Revenge was a dish bestest served by takin’ everything from anyone, everyone, someone but not no one 365/24/7’. Yeah, baby!
***
In the midst of his merriment, someone watched him through a camera lens and snapped his photograph. Then, cross hairs sized him up when he cranked the Hatchback’s engine and calmly slipped unnoticed into the distant crying and agonizing night.
2
Atlanta Public Safety Headquarters
Office of the Chief of Police Harriet Davis/5th Floor
226 Peachtree Street, SW
Downtown Atlanta
7:30 A.M.
In a conference room around a monstrosity of a wooden table sat some of the upper brass of the Atlanta Police Department: In her pressed uniform blues standing at the head of the table was early forties African-American Chief of Police Harriet Davis. Closest to her on the left sat a late thirties black man, Major Ennis James Butler, representing the Chief of Staff. The late forties white male, Major Mario Genovinazzo, seated next to Butler, represented the Special Enforcement Section, which covered seven different squads like Homeland Security, the soon to be disbanded Red Dog Unit, Narcotics and Vice Units and a couple of handful of sub-units.
To Davis’ right seated side-by-side was a 30s white woman that represented the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) including Internal Affairs and Corruption Unit, Major Alexandria Greene. Positioned by Greene was a mid-forties white man holding down the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) position overseeing the Major Crimes Section including Homicide, Special Victims, Fugitive Units and others was Frank Vinson. Perched next to him was Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs commander of all the Homicide Detectives in the Criminal Investigations Division during the Day Watch, whose hours varied by need.
The tension was palpable, Malcolm thought. No small wonder after the overnight activity for lack of a more appropriate term. He understood why the other high-ranking officials were present, but internally wrestled with why he was called in as well. On the other hand, since he supervised all of the Homicide Detectives on first shift, it stood to reason he should be seated with the higher ups. Chief Davis cleared her throat, scanned the room with hands intertwined behind her back as usual and commenced.
“I wish I could say it was a good morning, but it isn’t. As I’m sure you’re all aware, overnight in Vine City, we had a double homicide. In and of itself, that might not be anything overly surprising. However, what is are the identities of the victims. Lamont Kendricks and Harold Castle. For those of you not in the loop, Kendricks and Castle were part of the Narcotics Enforcement Unit, which ultimately answers to the Special Enforcement Section and Major Genovinazzo.
“The problem we all have as APD officials is Kendricks and Castle weren't on shift at the time of their death am I correct, Mario?”
“Yes ma’am, you’re correct. In addition, there was no known operation in that area from Narcotics, Centralized Narcotics, Weed & Seed nor H.I.D.T.A. last night. Yes, ma’am.”
Davis nodded and faced the table surfaces. “Very well then. I’m going to back up that statement with additional witnesses on the official record with Major Greene and OPS. I want a full account from you Mario and every detective on duty overnight in the Narcotics Enforcement Unit except the Financial Investigations Unit. I want full discovery from Homeland Security’s Gangs and Guns Squad—”
“I can assure you Chief Davis that Gangs and Guns wasn’t involved—”
“Get it done Mario and don’t interrupt. Once Alexandria has all requisite accounts on record, I will coordinate with Ennis and the Public Affairs Unit to create a statement for the media and the city of Atlanta, which brings me to Frank and Malcolm of CID. There’re very few cases CIDs Major Crimes Section of units, task forces and investigations haven’t solved over the years and that covers all manner of criminal activity.”
Davis strolled from her power position at the head of the conference table to her right. Head down, she stared at the beige carpeted flooring past Major Greene and ceased her shortened paces between Chief Vinson and Malcolm. Had he recalled thinking the tension was palpable? If that was an understatement, what words would do Chief Davis’ stance between the men justice with this powder keg of a public relations nightmare?
“Frank, Malcolm. I am extremely grateful for having the first-rate professionalism on the Atlanta Police Department staff that you two bring every day. I mean every day. I know I can count on you whenever a criminal offense crosses our city limits. But these men are our fellow brothers in arms. I want this to be the very definition of the swiftest justice CID and Homicide has ever exacted. I can think of no one better to lead this investigation, wherever it may lead, than you and The X-Men. This case takes precedence over all other homicides on and off the X-Men’s watch. Be very strategic and shrewd in your assignment dispensing, Malcolm. Kendricks and Castle are the main arteries and you stop the bleeding like right now. We understand each other, Sergeant?”
“Yes, Chief. The X-Men are all over it.”
“This isn’t the first time we’ve lost officers nor the first time our officers’ actions have placed themselves under a number of microscopes. With everyone’s cooperation and professionalism, may this be the last time for both. We have a job to do and if, no when, we perform them as we should, this will be the last time. Dismissed.”
Intersection of Foundry & Elm Streets
Vine City Neighborhood
Atlanta, GA
3:45 A.M.
Irving ‘Smack’ Black, Jr., ‘membered one of his movie heroes Gordon Geico or Gekko or whatever his name been was great philosophizin’, he ain’t never lied, ‘cause greed was good. Whether it been was Wall Street or insurance, he ain’t never known greed to be anything other than good. Right now, this homeboy was good and greedy and hopefully a little lucky, in additional. Lucky enough not to squeezed the trigger on his .380 semi-automatic. It been chillin’ in his front pants beneath his black hoodie hidin’ under a short brown leather jacket liked bottles of Cristal in a bucket a ice durin’ a Saturday night 70s ‘Blue Lights in the Basement House Party’ in the SWATs. He needed a breathin’ mask after all that been was done in his thinkin’.
He chilled with his back kissin’ the rear fender of a suped up 90s Cadillac and he faced a ol’ school Toyota Corollary. He kept quiet ‘cause this part of Atlanta was so fulled up with drugs and all that came with it that it was always bein’ raided by Red Dog and Narcotics Units of the ATL. They gots good reason to be out in Vine City and so did he. He peeped around the left side of the fender and there it been was: Like fifty yards away at Foundry and Vine Streets, couple a brothas eased down Vine and stood next to a apartment compound and the bent down ‘Stop’ sign. They watchin’ everything and everyone and everybody and everywhere and all them other everys.
His breathin’ raced now. He ain’t never prayed much in his 37 years mainly ‘cause again he was so lucky in his job. Plus, his .380 ain’t a bad god to have at his side whenever he needed a loyalty friend. Ain’t let ‘im down befoe, why tonight gotta be dysfunctionality at all? Dysfunctionality. Yeah, the sistahs gave up the lovin’ to a brotha with a good vocationary. Yeah, they did. He told himself to chill that and checked out the scene down the street. That’s it. Bags of cocaine and thick wads of cash like a sistah in baby-got-back-Apple Bottom jeans! He tasted the Cristal now!
Just as he started to shuffle backward toward the curb for the right side of the Caddy, a black van cruised straight up at him. He ducked and crawled under the Caddy. After the van passed him, his right hand founded the .380 and showed it with a stiff arm. He aimed lyin’ on his stomach tryin’ to spot a better view with another car parked in front of him. Motor oil and gas stanked on the pavement below him, which meant it was on his leather coat! Ain’t that some dysfunctionality chitlins with corn kernels and dirt at the bottom of the pot? Focus, G’!
As the van slowed down near the buy, he heard convo’. A little get-to-know-ya’ small talk from the van ‘foe the real deal jumped off. Now, two brothas in dark clothes popped out the front of the van. Red light, stop; yellow light, caution and slowed down…the green ain’t comin’ fast enough for everybody, anybody, somebody, nobody and all the other bodys includin’ him. Well, that changed like now, a’ight. He strained to slide with the grit and grime and gas and oil under the Caddy. That’s when a little somethin’, somethin’ jumped off with raised voices and gun hammer clickins. Yeah, it was on now.
From his snake belly crawlin’ spot, the van brothas gots the drop on the local homies. One man snagged the big blue canvas bag and the other latched on to the second black canvas bag. And the van boys gots on black masks, likewise. He needed to flow with his plan ‘foe them Red Dogs and Narcs crashed the party. Ain’t no house lights flicked on yet and that was mo’ luck and mo’ good.
Then ta-a-dow! What was goin’ on with a dark four-door sedan stoppin’ at the corner a Graves and Foundry. Might be APD U.C. The driver kicked a little gas and made the short trip up Foundry and stopped in front a the van. Two mo’ dudes in baggy dark clothin’ and black masks announced they presence like Santa Claus and Rudolph at Xmas. ‘Cept they used .9mms aimed at the van boys. Man, this ain’t no good. He didn’t figure on usin’ his own black mask hidden in his inside jacket pocket since he black as night moreover, but with all this noise now, he ain’t got no choice.
He flipped his vision on the scene and into his jacket pocket, the scene, his jacket pocket, the scene, his jacket pocket. Then shots shocked his body like he got shot! His head slammed into the under the carriage of the Caddy. He froze liked a snow cone. Voices panickin’ and like God in the Bible said, “Let there be light” and there been was in a house needin’ Extreme Makeover ‘Hood Edition. He scrambled like eggs in a cast iron pan to his feet. Now, he tripped out so bad he wanted to snag a handful a ol’ cigarette butts layin’ ‘bout and smoke ‘em right there. Heart beatin’ and sweat pourin’…body and mind quittin’, but naw, he ain’t goin’ nowhere without the score, baby.
Mask on and his mind tellin’ him he had heart, he breathed three times, bended down and ran along the parked cars and the concrete curb with the .380’s hammer cocked. From the front of the Caddy, he saw two men down on the ground. The van brothas. The dark sedan dudes pointin’ them shiny black 9 mils at them apartment/stop brothas ‘bout gave ‘im a Fred Sanford, “This is the big one”, heart attack momentumum. They arguin’ somethin’, somethin’ ‘bout, ‘Can’t take the money, fool!’ When he started risin’ up, mo’ shots woked up the dead or alive. This time the apartment/stop brothas, unarmed, they fault, just died. Them dark sedan dudes tripped out now. They runnin’ for they sedan when mo’ lights turned the night into a Smoky the Bear fire. Seconds after that and he ran along that curb behind cars so close they right across from him now, he down low and aimed again when mo’ shots from some brothas on his side of the street tap danced the road and the dark sedan. Funny thing was though he ain’t heard no laughin’, the dark sedan dudes ain’t fired back in self-defensive. All they done was run to the sedan with both bags in hand. Then mo’ shots breaked some of the sedan’s windows. The driver dropped his bag as the sedan rolled through the shootin’. Footsteps pounded the sidewalk for him and he hated to do it, but he ducked under another car and played dead. Those feet ran passed and behind him. Screamin’, shoutin’, guns firin’, feet runnin’, tires squealin’. Chaos, man. Again, through that snake belly spot, the brothas who done did the shootin’ and runnin’ ran across the road and dragged the two apartment/stop brothas down Elm Street and outta sight. It was now or never, Irving.
He checked the area everywhere and all those other everys. Saw the black canvas bag ‘bout three feet in front of ‘im. The blue bag just sat next to the two dead van brothas. Too far away and now mo’ sirens, mo’ sirens, mo’ sirens, mo’ sirens. He dove for the bag that was closest. He heard mo’ gunshots around the corner. Luckily for him, he ain’t parked around that corner. He fast walked west on Foundry and hung a quick left on Sunset Avenue. That’s where he parked his tricked out green Mazda Hatchback 323 that would make them West Coast Customs and Pimp My Ride TV shows proud. His imagination seen cops and ambulance on the scene now. The gunshots stopped. So did the screamin’, shoutin’, runnin’ and squealin’. Peace, man. When he unlocked his Mazda, he thew the bag on the passenger front seat. Still hyped all over, he lost the temptation not to check inside. Was it been the drugs or the money? Unzipped the black bag, either one was a solid, and hello Benjamins! He laughed lookin’ around as he did. This was easier than he ever thought it could been was. It all been a part of his philosophizin’ strategically that went down a somethin’, somethin’ liked this: Firstly, ‘Done did unto others befoe they done did unto himself’. Secondarily, ‘Life helped them who then helped themselves’. Thirdarily, and the bestest one, ‘Revenge was a dish bestest served by takin’ everything from anyone, everyone, someone but not no one 365/24/7’. Yeah, baby!
***
In the midst of his merriment, someone watched him through a camera lens and snapped his photograph. Then, cross hairs sized him up when he cranked the Hatchback’s engine and calmly slipped unnoticed into the distant crying and agonizing night.
2
Atlanta Public Safety Headquarters
Office of the Chief of Police Harriet Davis/5th Floor
226 Peachtree Street, SW
Downtown Atlanta
7:30 A.M.
In a conference room around a monstrosity of a wooden table sat some of the upper brass of the Atlanta Police Department: In her pressed uniform blues standing at the head of the table was early forties African-American Chief of Police Harriet Davis. Closest to her on the left sat a late thirties black man, Major Ennis James Butler, representing the Chief of Staff. The late forties white male, Major Mario Genovinazzo, seated next to Butler, represented the Special Enforcement Section, which covered seven different squads like Homeland Security, the soon to be disbanded Red Dog Unit, Narcotics and Vice Units and a couple of handful of sub-units.
To Davis’ right seated side-by-side was a 30s white woman that represented the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) including Internal Affairs and Corruption Unit, Major Alexandria Greene. Positioned by Greene was a mid-forties white man holding down the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) position overseeing the Major Crimes Section including Homicide, Special Victims, Fugitive Units and others was Frank Vinson. Perched next to him was Sergeant Malcolm X. Hobbs commander of all the Homicide Detectives in the Criminal Investigations Division during the Day Watch, whose hours varied by need.
The tension was palpable, Malcolm thought. No small wonder after the overnight activity for lack of a more appropriate term. He understood why the other high-ranking officials were present, but internally wrestled with why he was called in as well. On the other hand, since he supervised all of the Homicide Detectives on first shift, it stood to reason he should be seated with the higher ups. Chief Davis cleared her throat, scanned the room with hands intertwined behind her back as usual and commenced.
“I wish I could say it was a good morning, but it isn’t. As I’m sure you’re all aware, overnight in Vine City, we had a double homicide. In and of itself, that might not be anything overly surprising. However, what is are the identities of the victims. Lamont Kendricks and Harold Castle. For those of you not in the loop, Kendricks and Castle were part of the Narcotics Enforcement Unit, which ultimately answers to the Special Enforcement Section and Major Genovinazzo.
“The problem we all have as APD officials is Kendricks and Castle weren't on shift at the time of their death am I correct, Mario?”
“Yes ma’am, you’re correct. In addition, there was no known operation in that area from Narcotics, Centralized Narcotics, Weed & Seed nor H.I.D.T.A. last night. Yes, ma’am.”
Davis nodded and faced the table surfaces. “Very well then. I’m going to back up that statement with additional witnesses on the official record with Major Greene and OPS. I want a full account from you Mario and every detective on duty overnight in the Narcotics Enforcement Unit except the Financial Investigations Unit. I want full discovery from Homeland Security’s Gangs and Guns Squad—”
“I can assure you Chief Davis that Gangs and Guns wasn’t involved—”
“Get it done Mario and don’t interrupt. Once Alexandria has all requisite accounts on record, I will coordinate with Ennis and the Public Affairs Unit to create a statement for the media and the city of Atlanta, which brings me to Frank and Malcolm of CID. There’re very few cases CIDs Major Crimes Section of units, task forces and investigations haven’t solved over the years and that covers all manner of criminal activity.”
Davis strolled from her power position at the head of the conference table to her right. Head down, she stared at the beige carpeted flooring past Major Greene and ceased her shortened paces between Chief Vinson and Malcolm. Had he recalled thinking the tension was palpable? If that was an understatement, what words would do Chief Davis’ stance between the men justice with this powder keg of a public relations nightmare?
“Frank, Malcolm. I am extremely grateful for having the first-rate professionalism on the Atlanta Police Department staff that you two bring every day. I mean every day. I know I can count on you whenever a criminal offense crosses our city limits. But these men are our fellow brothers in arms. I want this to be the very definition of the swiftest justice CID and Homicide has ever exacted. I can think of no one better to lead this investigation, wherever it may lead, than you and The X-Men. This case takes precedence over all other homicides on and off the X-Men’s watch. Be very strategic and shrewd in your assignment dispensing, Malcolm. Kendricks and Castle are the main arteries and you stop the bleeding like right now. We understand each other, Sergeant?”
“Yes, Chief. The X-Men are all over it.”
“This isn’t the first time we’ve lost officers nor the first time our officers’ actions have placed themselves under a number of microscopes. With everyone’s cooperation and professionalism, may this be the last time for both. We have a job to do and if, no when, we perform them as we should, this will be the last time. Dismissed.”
Psychological Thrillers
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This group is dedicated to all fans of Psychological Thrillers by authors including, but not limi...
1628 membersThis group is dedicated to all fans of Psychological Thrillers by authors including, but not limi...
