Brothers Like Us

BROTHERS LIKE US By Lawrence Michael Martell

CHAPTER 23

You know that since Jermaine and I had begun seeing each other that I had been spending a great deal of time with him at his place. He had been spending a great deal of time together which was alright, I mean everyone else had other things going on. Mohammed was dealing with Jamal and his recovery, Shane was dealing with Victor's death and Sean was coping with his rape but I stayed in touch with them as much as I could so why was it that it wasn't until my cell phone rang and I saw that it was my friend since college and roommate, Andre, that I realized that I had neglected him, one of my best friends. It seemed like forever since Andre and I had just chilled at the crib drinking and clowning and being boys. It was great having a straight friend who was cool with me being gay. I began to wonder if the fact that Andre was straight put him in a different category of friendship in my mind. I mean, knowing that he wasn't gay I would be careful about who I brought around the place and once Jermaine really started seeing each other I stopped bringing him over to the house, I mean I didn't want Andre to hear all the noise we make. But was it fair to treat Andre different because he was straight? I mean it wasn't like Andre didn't know I was gay nor that I was dating and when people date they tend to have sex. But none of that had anything to with the fact that I had been ignoring a friend.

"What up, dawg?" I said into the phone.

"Nothin' E," Andre replied. "You chillin' with your boy?"

I smiled. "Yeah, you got something going on?"

There was a pause then he spoke. "Naw...nothing important to pull you away from your boy."

"Hey Dre," I said, "You are my boy too."

"I know E."

"So you wanna hang out?" I asked.

There was that pause again before he spoke. "Sure, actually I want...I need to talk to you about something."

That got my attention. It sounded like something was going on. "Sure, why don't I swing by the crib and we can talk and whatever."

"That's cool." He replied and we hung up.

"Everything okay?" Jermaine asked. He was sitting next to me on the couch.

I turned to him and smiled. He smiled back and my heart melted. "Yeah, it's just that I realized that I have kind of been neglecting Andre lately."

Jermaine gave me a hug and held me. "I don't think you have neglected him. You have just been busy with other things."

Jermaine kissed me passionately and I kissed him back. Jermaine had a way of taking my breath away.

"Do you mind," I said as I slowly regained myself, "If I hang out with Andre tonight?"

Jermaine smiled at me again. "Sure...I mean it's not like you two are going to be getting your freak on." He laughed.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? I'll have you know that Andre has a very impressive dick."

Jermaine's smile and laugh vanished so fast that it was comical. "How do you know that?" He asked.

I had him. "Oh well...back in college...Dre and I were close."

"How close?" Jermaine asked.

I pursed my lips and then smiled. "Close enough for me to know his dick size."

"I see." Jermaine's expression was so pitiful that I could not help but bust out and laugh. "What's so funny?" He demanded.

"Nothing," I laughed. "Awwww Jermaine you look so..."

"I don't see where any of this is funny." Jermaine declared.

I stopped laughing but the smile was still there. "Don't worry Jermaine. The reason I know his dick size is because once in college we had a contest to see whose was bigger."

Jermaine looked at me. "Oh really? And why did you do that?"

"Just stupid college stuff. It wasn't like we were interested in each other."

"Oh yeah?" Jermaine replied as if he didn't believe me.

"Baby?" I said, "Andre isn't into dick...he likes pussy too much."

"Uh-huh," Jermaine replied sounded like he was convinced.

"Jermaine, you can't think that Andre and I had ever kicked it like that. I mean he's not gay and even if he was I wouldn't do anything with a friend."

Jermaine continued to stare at me. "Are you telling me that if you had a chance to kick it with Andre you wouldn't?"

"No."

Jermaine seemed to be thinking about my answer and I didn't like the look on his face.

"Would you?" I found myself asking.

He didn't wait. "HELL YEAH!"

I was shocked and was about to say something when he broke out into wild laughter and that was when I realized I had been clowned. Jermaine was just cracking up and laughing. Well, I was going to give Mr. Jermaine Williams something to laugh about. I leapt up and was on Jermaine before he knew what had happened and began tickling him with no mercy.

"AHHHHHH NOOOOO HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!" Jermaine screamed but there was no mercy to be given to those who clown me. Jermaine tried to fight me but I had him pinned down and I was not going to stop until he was begging.

"So you wanna kick it with Dre?" I demanded as I tickled his ribs, stomach and under his arms.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...NONONONONONONO...I...HAHAHAHAHAHA...STOPIT!"

I wasn't gonna stop. Suddenly Jermaine let out a roar that startled me and that was all he needed to flip the script and flip me off of him. He was up and running before I could get up but I was right behind him before he could close his bedroom door completely. I tackled him down on the bed and began tickling him again.

"OH PLEASE...OH PLEASE STOP IT!"

"Make me!" I snarled.

Well, he did. The next thing I knew Jermaine grabbed me by the shoulders and laid a kiss on me that curled my toes and filled me with so much fire and electricity that I had goose flesh all over my body. He went from kissing my lips to moving around to my neck and then to my ears, which drives me crazy and makes me horny as hell. He had me moaning Oh shit as he licked around the outside of my ear while his hands went up my shirt and started playing with my nipples which were hard as little rocks and super-sensitive.

"Ahhhh damn, Jermaine." I moaned softly. I love it when Jermaine works my nipples. Those soft finger tips are magical. Before long my shirt was off and I was laying on my back while Jermaine licked and sucked on my nipples.

"Yeah...yeah baby...do that...suck my nipples...UUUUH AHHHHH!" Jermaine can have me sounding like a retard all night long. I reached down and pulled his shirt over his head, even though his shirt was a button shirt but I didn't care and neither did he. I just wanted to feel his naked chest against mine. I pulled him up and we kissed long and hard. I could feel his hard dick through his pants and mine and I wanted to feel his naked body against mine. I pulled at his belt and unsnapped and unzipped his pants and he did the same to mine as he struggled to fear ourselves from them. We shed our underwear and were completely naked with both our dicks hard and ready for action. Jermaine sat up on his knees and looked down at me laying there and the look on his face and in his eyes said what was in his heart and it mirrored what was in mine. I loved him with all my heart and he loved me. He covered my body with his body and as we kissed his hands caressed all over my body from my face to my nipples...again...to my belly my legs and up until they stopped between my legs where he gently played with and massaged my balls and moved down around my ass. My hands roamed down his back and up to his neck. I pressed his hard body to mine...I wanted to feel his tightness, his hardness. I wanted to feel him. I was losing my mind and senses as I felt his finger toying with my ass and balls. I reached down and grabbed two big hands full of his solid ass and squeezed and when I did he let out a low moaning hiss that let me know that he enjoyed that a great deal and I did it again and again. Those mounds felt great in my hands and I didn't ever want to let them go.

Jermaine moved down my body and before long he had my dick in his mouth and he was sucking on it like having a dick in your mouth was going out of style.

"Oh yeah...suck that dick," I moaned. Jermaine continued to suck my dick while he tickled my balls, a deadly combination. I was trying to remain in control but that was not going to happen. I was arching my back and calling for more, no begging for more and he was giving it to me with no stopping. Then I felt his fingers work down and around my ass. I relaxed allowing them to do their oh so wonderful and erotic work on me. I arched my back and let the moans and groans inside of me come right out. Jermaine stopped what he was doing and pulled the tube of lube out of the bedside table and applied a liberal amount to his fingers and then he went back to work on my ass, lubing it with what was on his fingers as they went in and out of my tight and ever relaxing ass. DAMN! It felt good...No...it felt ghood! Jermaine continued to suck my dick and work my ass and I slowly began to spread my legs, I was getting ready for what I knew was coming and I couldn't wait. Jermaine didn't keep me waiting long. After he had lubed and worked and warmed up my ass, slipped on his Magnum brand condom and slowly slipped his dick inside me. I arched my back and with each inch that went inside me I stared into his beautiful eyes, studying this expression of pleasure, lust and passion and yes love on his face and I hoped he could see the same in my face, in my eyes, feel it coming from my body and soul. Once his entire dick was inside of me he covered my body with his and he began his slow grooving love making that I have grown to love. Not rushed, not hurried, just slow and good grooving.

"OOOH...Yeah..." Jermaine moaned. "That ass feels so good."

I smiled because I knew it was. I flexed my asscheeks so that it tightened around his dick and I could feel him shudder and tremble with delight. A sheen of sweat had covered his body as we rocked and rolled. In my head I could hear Mary J. Blige singing "As We Lay" in that sultry, sexy voice that she has. As we lay we forgot about tomorrow as we lay. As we lay, we forgot about the price we had to pay. I wrapped my arms around him and held on tight. I didn't want to let him go and I didn't want this to ever end. I wanted it to last forever. Jermaine kissed me as he made love to me, as his dick went deep inside me and claimed me. Our tongues danced in wild passion and I was swept away and lost. Jermaine's body began to move faster a little bit at a time and I knew it was getting god to him like it was getting good to me.

"Ahhh yeah...do it ba-bay!" I whispered in his ear as he rocked me.

Jermaine was panting and sighing and moaning. I knew those sounds so well. He was getting wrapped up in the pleasure. This good ass was driving him crazy and soon he would be giving me all that he had to give. But I wanted to wait. I slowed my body motion causing him to have to slow down some though I know he didn't want to slow down. I reached up and caressed his ears and neck and he giggled and growled as I touched those known hot spots for him. He wrapped his arms under and around my body and pulled me up just enough where I could really feel him deep inside me. We kissed again, long, strong and hard. I let my hands roam down his body until they rested on his tight ass, which I squeezed knowing what Jermaine's response would be.

"AHHH DAMNIT!" He breathed as he thrusted into me.

I smiled. I knew how to work his body and I was going to work it out. I squeezed those tight brown mounds again and he squirmed. The next tight I squeezed his ass I let my index finger trail into the crack of his ass and he gave me two hard thrusts.

"SHIT!" Jermaine exclaimed. He liked it when I played with his ass and when he was close to nutting he loved to have his asshole fingered. I repeated the process and each time Jermaine thrusted harder with my finger stroking the crack of his ass. Then I did something I had never done before but had always wanted to do. As he fucked me, I licked my ring finger and then without warning, without preamble I drove my spit lubed finger deep into his ass.

"AHHHHH FUCK!" Jermaine screamed as his eyes bugged up then he buried his face into my chest.

I wiggled and jammed my ring finger deeper into his ass and that was all it took. Jermaine let out a wail that filled the room.

"AWWWWWWWWWW...I'M Cummin'...I'm cummin'...AHHHHHHHH DAYUM!!!"

With the Magnum condom on I could feel his hot cum in my ass and that feel with him screaming and my finger deep in his ass made me cum as well.

"OOOOH...YEEAAAAAAH!" I moaned out as my dick spit out the hot cum that had been bubbling and ready to explode out anyway.

We laid there both breathless and spent and covered in the others cum but not caring. I think I had closed my eyes and was drifting off to sleep when I felt Jermaine get out of the bed. I figured he was going to get a towel to clean us both up so I didn't get up but when I heard him talking I was curious. He didn't close the bedroom door and he wasn't trying to lower his voice. He must have thought I was in a deep sleep. I heard him saying, How are you doing?' and I'll be seeing you soon.' Was he talking to another man? Was he making plans with someone else after making love to me? I sat up in the bed and was really listening this time. He must have walked into the kitchen because I couldn't hear him anymore but then a few minutes he must have walked back out and that was when I heard.

"What are you doing next weekend? Then I'll see you then."

We had plans for next weekend. The bastard.

"And remember, I love you."

Yeah, I was hot. All I knew was that I had been played. Damn! Why me? When Jermaine came back into the bedroom with to glasses of orange juice I was sitting up, waiting for him wide eyed and awake. He didn't seem to notice and crawled into bed with me and gave me a peck on the lips before setting the two glasses of orange juice on the bedside table. He was acting like nothing had happened. The bastard was about to get it. He took my hand in his and began kissing my fingers. This man had no clue that the frost coming and he was about to get frozen right out. I was about to speak when he spoke.

"Eric," He began. "I have something to tell you. I should have told you sooner but..."

I held my breath. He was going to confess. He was going to tell me all about this other Negro.

"I know we had made plans for just you and me for next weekend..."

He was going to cancel our plans for this other Negro. My face was getting red hot like I had a fever of 104 or something.

"But I made some other plans." He said.

I couldn't speak. This was just unreal. I couldn't believe it.

"I hope you won't get upset." Jermaine said still holding my hands. I couldn't move because if I could I would have moved my hand and whipped his ass or died trying.

"What's going on, Jermaine?" I managed.

He took a deep breath and I braced myself for the news.

"Next weekend we're taking my son to the amusement park."

What? "What?" I replied.

"I know we had plans and I should not have changed them but I want you to meet him and I figured that at amusement park maybe it won't seem so awkward."

"What?" I muttered back.

Jermaine sighed. "I know you don't like to have plans changed without telling you but I really wanted to make sure it was all going to happen before I said anything."

"What?"

"Baby, I know you're mad but please...I did this for you...for us. I love you, Eric and I want you to be a part of my life and that part of my life is my son."

Jermaine looked at me. I don't know what he saw but he looked concerned.

"Damn...I guess I fucked everything up?" He said. "I should have told you but I thought you wouldn't mind. I guess I was wrong."

"You were wrong." I said and when I saw the stricken look on his face I realized I said the right thing at the wrong time. "No...you are wrong that you thought you were right about...I mean you are wrong..." I took a deep breath. I was fucking things up now.

"Jermaine, you didn't fuck anything up." The smile that greeted me warmed me. "There is nothing more I would want to do is meet your son and go to the amusement park."

Jermaine was beaming. "Are you serious?"

I leaned over and kissed him. "I'm serious and I love you."

Jermaine kissed me again and we held it for awhile before it ended. "I love you too."

Capt. Gladys Brown, Lt. Duke Dennis and Detective Julien Linton were all in the office of the medical examiner who was telling them that Detective Sergeant Cecil Montgomery had been strangled before having his throat cut and being burned up in his car. There wasn't much of his body left to be recovered but the boys in forensics were able to find blood over the remains of the car that weren't terribly burned and one even found the piano wire that was used strangle him as well as the knife used to cut his throat. The killer must have burned the car in hopes of getting rid of the evidence. Evidence that really didn't help the police since there were no prints on neither the knife nor the wire. It was professional hit.

"What was he doing on that side of town?" Capt. Brown asked. She had just a detective and though Montgomery wasn't the best of her squad, he was apart of her squad and she wanted answers.

"I have no idea, Cap." Lt. Dennis replied.

Capt. Brown looked to Julien. "You have any ideas?"

"No Captain, I don't." Julien replied. "I have to say that lately Montgomery and I had not been on the same sheet of music."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lt. Dennis asked.

"Nothing, sir...we just hadn't been seeing things eye to eye lately." Julien answered.

"We are talking personal or professional?" Dennis asked.

"I don't care if it's personal, professional or monkey," Capt. Brown interrupted. "I have a dead detective with no clues as to who did it. Two pieces of evidence with no prints, a burned out official car...I should have returned last year."

"What do you want us to do?" Lt. Dennis asked.

Capt. Brown looked at the two men. "Unless you can get some prints that give us a suspect...there isn't much we can do."

"Are you saying to do nothing?" Dennis asked. "A cop was brutally murdered."

"Yes...a cop, whose reputation is not the best." Capt. Brown said running her fingers through her hair. "If you can find a suspect then do it, Lieutenant but if you don't have anything then I'm turning this over to cold cases."

Captain Brown departed and a few minutes later Dennis and Julien Linton were walking out to Lt. Dennis' car.

"Julien," Dennis said as he got into his car. "I'm not going to lie. Montgomery was a crooked cop...Hell he probably got what was coming to him."

"Sir?"

"Julien...you are a great cop...A great investigator. The Captain and I discussed it and effective immediately you have been bumped up to detective sergeant." Dennis said.

Julien was flabbergasted. "Sir...I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, I'm putting you in charge of the investigation into your partner's murder."

"Lieut, maybe someone else should..."

"Sergeant Linton, I'm in no delusions about Montgomery and what he was up to and I'm sure that what he got he deserved but someone committed a murder of a cop and I want it investigated to the best of the department's ability and you are one of the best."

"And if I don't find anything?"

"Then no one can say we didn't try." Lt. Dennis replied. "Come by my office and be ready to turn into that old badge for your new sergeant's badge."

"Okay, sir."

Dennis smiled. "Congratulations, Sergeant."

As Dennis drove off Julien began to think about where he was going to start his investigation. That was simple, where it all began...the murder scene. Julien made his way back to his car his mind reeling with what had happened lately. In the span of a mere 24 hours his partner had been murdered, he had been promoted to detective sergeant and put in charge to investigate the crime and his own personal life had taken an interesting and unexpected turn. His cell phone rang at that point.

"Sgt. Linton," he said trying out his new rank. "May I help you?"

"Sergeant?"

"Yes? Who is this?" The voice sounded familiar.

"It's me, Andre."

Julien broke out into a big smile. "OH Hey! How'd you get my cell number?"

"I called your office and told them that I needed to talk to you about an important development in a case." Andre explained. "When did you become a sergeant?"

"About five minutes ago."

"That's cool, man. Congratulations."

"Thank you. So what did you call for?" Julien asked.

"Well, I'm calling about something I'm about to do."

"What's that?" Julien asked.

"I'm going to tell Eric that I'm gay."

Julien was silent for a moment. This was a big deal for Andre, a very big deal and an important one.

"Hello?" Andre called out, "You still there?"

"Yes, yes I am. I don't know what to say."

"That makes two of us but I'm going to tell him."

"Are you afraid?" Julien asked.

"Damn skippy." Andre chuckled. "But I guess I need to do it."

"Well, I wish you good luck with it."

"Thanks," Andre said, "So we gonna celebrate your promotion?"

Julien smiled again. Did Andre just say 'We'?

"That would be nice but I have to tell you I have been put in charge of a big investigation."

"Oh so you are going to be tryin' to find out who killed Sean rapist? Or find out why your partner killed Victor?" Andre asked.

Julien shook his head. The rape of Sean Jackson and the murder of Silk Mitchell were still open. Victor's death was closed and classified as a legit action taken by the officers on the scene "Actually I'm working on another case."

"Really?" Andre sounded disappointed.

"Yeah, I'm investigating the murder of my partner."

"Well, I can't say that I'm sad about his murder." Andre replied. "He was a bad motherfucker."

"Yeah."

"Okay so can I ask you something...I mean if it's like confidential police stuff I understand."

"What's the question?" Julien asked.

"What do you want to do tonight to celebrate your promotion?"

Julien smiled. "How about you come over to my house and we discuss it."

"Cool, should I bring anything?" Andre asked.

"Mum...just a change of clothes. I'll have the condoms."

Andre laughed. "A nigga gets promoted and he thinks he's gonna get some."

Julien laughed back. "Call me later and good luck with your friend."

"Aight...Lata!" Andre said and hung up. Julien got into his car and headed to the office. As he drove Andre's words came back to haunt him. 'You gonna be tryin' to find out who killed Sean's rapist or why your partner killed Victor?' The rape of Sean Jackson was pretty much solved but the alleged rapist had been murdered and that was still an open investigation and now one of the detectives that was investigating that case had been murdered after he himself killed someone who had a connection to Sean Jackson though his own brother. Julien had a thought. What if it was all connected in someway. Julien stepped on the accelerator, he had to get back to the office.

Andre was in nervously waiting in his room, listening to Jarful while waiting for Eric to get home. He had called Julien to get some strength which he got by just hearing his voice. He felt like he was doing the right thing, for himself and that was what it was all about. It didn't matter how anyone acted or reacted he had to be true to who he was. He was still nervous about telling his best buddy what the deal was. He knew that he would still have to deal with this with his family but that was something he would deal with at a later time. There was so much going on and changing within him and with him that before he tackled that mountain he had to tackle the issues within him and with him first and perhaps telling Eric what was going on would be the first step, which was about to happen as Andre heard Eric come into the house.

I walked into the house to the sounds of Jarful thumping from Andre's room. I started to walk towards his room when he walked out to meet me.

"Sup E?" Andre said as he embraced me in a deep brotha hug. "Glad you could come visit home for a change."

"Aight...aight so I haven't been around much." I said.

"That's cool, you getting' your personal life in order." Dre said.

"Yeah but I should make time for my main dog." I said.

"Hey...I understand." Dre replied.

"Aight...so now I'm here, whatcha wanna do?" I asked. An expression crossed Dre's face that I don't think I have ever seen before. It was a look of anxiety and nervousness. He was wringing his hands and fidgety. "You okay, Dre?"

"Huh?" Dre replied, "Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine...I just got something to tell you and I don't know how to tell you, dog."

"Well, tell me what up?" I asked concerned about what I was about to hear.

Dre cleared his throat nervously. "Damn bruh...I been going over this in my head and now I don't know how to say it."

"Damn Dre, just tell me. I have never seen you like this. Bruh you scaring me."

"Bruh, I'm scared too." Dre said as he began pacing around in the living room. "Eric, how long have we known each other?"

Eric? This must be serious since Dre hardly ever calls me Eric.

"Since college." I answered.

"And we are tight."

"Tighter than panties on a fat girl's ass. What's up?"

Dre cleared his throat again and I was getting very nervous and very scared.

"E, man something has happened that I have to tell you about and I'm nervous about telling you."

"Dre? We are friends...we are brothers you can tell me anything all you have to do..."

"Eric...I'm gay."

I have be surprised by many things in my life as a journalist and just from living and I firmly believed that nothing could surprise me anymore. My best friend since college just surprised me like no other. I looked at Andre as if I didn't know him and for a moment I didn't. Everything I knew about Andre had just changed for me. For as long as I have known Andre he was always that straight-playa-playa-pussy chasing brotha. He was solid as a rock, sexy as hell and untouchable because he was straight. I mean I showed him my dick and he showed me his and now here he was telling me that he was gay. I mean, here I am his friend and roommate and he is just now telling me this. I stopped my thoughts there. What was going on with me? People, that's when I was in the shoes of the many friends and family of gays and lesbians, who told them they were gay. Suddenly I was wearing the shoes of the friend/loved one being hit with the bombshell and my reaction, in thought, was the same as a vast majority of straight America when it happens. Part of me felt bad about it but another part felt justified but I had questions.

"Dre?" I said slowly, "How long have you known?"

Dre looked at his shoes before he answered. "I guess I have known for years but I'm just now comin' to grips with who I am."

I understood that but what started this? "Dre, what caused all this? Why are you telling me this now?"

"Dog, you are my boy, my friend and I couldn't be here without telling you."

I sighed. I understood that as well. This was so familiar. But now I had to know the obvious question.

"Andre, have you...ummm...I mean what you do is your business but I mean have you..."

"I had an experience recently but nothin' too deep...yet."

I was speechless then I smiled. "Nothing too deep yet?"

Dre smiled. "Yeah..."

"So is this someone that I know?" I asked.

"Well, you know who he is but that isn't important right now. What do you think about what I told you?" Dre asked.

I fell silent for a moment. What did I think? What did I think? My best friend just told me he was gay, what was I supposed to think? What was I supposed to say. I have to tell you my brothers, I was honestly at a loss on what to say or do. I stuffed my hands into my pants pockets as I struggled with a response. I felt like I was on a timer, the longer I took to response the worse it would seem to Dre. It wasn't that I was ashamed of him being gay or that I was uncomfortable about the situation, I mean if the truth be known I felt great about it. That meant that me and my best friend from college had something else in common and I could share things with him and know that he knew what I was talking about and I could be there for him during this time of discovery for him. I didn't want to say something like "It's Great!" or "Wonderful" or even "What took you so long?" I knew I had to say something and I wanted to say something, the right thing.

"Dre, what you told me doesn't change anything between us." I said

Dre broke out into a huge relieved smile and so did I when I relieved I had said the right thing. "Dre we are boys, we dawgs, we are brothas and that will never change. We were like that back in college and we are like that now and forever."

I threw out my hand and Dre gave me the soul brotha shake and then we embraced as we always did and then a curious thought went through my mind. As I hugged Dre I realized that he didn't hug me any differently than when he was straight...or should I say when I thought he was straight. There was nothing different about him, he was still Dre. Now what was curious about this was that I as a gay African American man had that thought. Somewhere in my mind, deep in the back I had assigned a difference to Andre when I thought he was a straight brotha and when he revealed to me that he was gay I was expecting him to be like my gay friends. Did I expect a little lilt in the voice, a little swish in the walk? That was when I realized that even amongst gays there are stereotypes and preconceived ideas. Learning experience my brothers, learning experience. I did have a question that I had to know the answer to.

"Dre, who is this brotha that...well, you know?" Now suddenly I couldn't talk about sex around him. Jesus!

Dre smiled. "Who said it was a brotha?"

I was speechless. I assumed Dre's first experience was African American. I never figured him for going for the white. I had often heard him refer to white women as Swine' and that he would never do the pig'. His words and opinions only. Dre busted out laughing and I knew I had been clowned and that was happening to me a lot lately.

"You turkey!" I replied with a laugh.

"He's a sexy brotha that I met at the gym."

I frowned. "Goodbody's? You met him at Goodbody's? Do I know the brotha, have I seen him before?" I asked as I racked my brain trying to remember the brothas I had seen in there.

"Well, you have met him but not at the gym I don't think."

Now I was really curious. "Okay, so where did I meet this man?"

"Don't worry about it E, it's not important." Dre replied.

"NEGRO! I know you have lost your mind. It is important. This is your first love thing..."

"Hey yo who said anything about this being a love thing?"

I looked at Dre and smiled. "Who you trying to fool?"

He smiled back. "Anyway, he's pretty cool."

"So you aren't gonna tell me?" I asked.

"You'll find out soon enough." He replied.

I threw my hands up. "Aight, you win. Keep your little tawdry secret."

"Thanks, E."

"For what?" I asked.

He smiled. "For being my friend."

"That will never change." I said as he embraced once again.

"I need to ask you something though."

"Sure? What up?"

"Don't tell the others yet."

My eyebrow raised and he put up his hands. "It ain't like that. I'm not ashamed of anything. It's just that..."

"Hey Dre, I understand. You are still adjusting to this besides it's your life and your business to tell or not to tell, not mine."

"'Preciatate bruh." Andre turned and headed back towards his room while I sat in the living room thinking about how life sets things up for you in one way and then just ups and flips the script.

Julien was back at the squad room going through Montgomery's desk. He wasn't sure what he was looking for something that connected the dots. He didn't know what it was or what it could be but he got the feeling that there was a connection somewhere, somehow. As he looked through Montgomery's desk he found a pad way in the back and as he flipped through it he saw a name scribbled on it. Jamar Randall. The name sounded familiar but why? There was an address scribbled underneath the name. The address was in The Ashley. DAMN! Jamar Randall was one of the men that were killed in the Ashley during an apparent gang attack. But why did Cecil have the victim's name and the address in his desk, they weren't working that case so what was the connection? But did any of this have to do with Victor Du Bois? Julien went to his computer and ran an NCIC check on Jamar Randall and Victor Du Bois. Both men had impressive criminal records both had been in the drug business and both recently released from prison though Jamar had been out longer than Victor. That was when he saw it. Jamar and Victor had once served time together in the same prison and as Julien dug deeper he discovered that Victor and Jamar had been arrested at the same time. Okay, so Jamar and Victor had a connection but what did that have to do with Cecil? He could have been working on something else. He was pretty hot about getting Victor but why? Julien went back to looking through Cecil's desk but didn't find much more to help him. Then he ran across something that looked like a phone number. There was no name just the number. He had an idea. He made a phone call to find out where any of Cecil Montgomery's personal effects were. He was informed that anything on him at the time were totally destroyed. Another dead end. Sitting at his desk he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number he found in his partner's desk. The phone rang and then the voice mail picked up.

`SUP, you got Bund. I ain't around so leave a message and I'll hit ya back. Peace!'

The phone beeped, Julien left a message. "Bund...I'm Detective Montgomery's partner. I know what's up and I know what you did. I want in so call me ASAP!"

He left his number and hung up. He had no idea what to expect. He just knew that he had to do something to get to the bottom of this. His cell phone rang in less than five minutes after the call.

"Hello?" Julien answered.

"Sup Sarge!"

Julien smiled. It was Andre. "Hello. How did things go?"

"Pretty good. Pretty good. How are things with you?"

"Interesting to say the least." Julien replied.

"So when do we hookup to celebrate?" Andre asked.

Julien smiled. He needed a break and he certainly wanted to see Andre again.

"How about 8pm tonight?" Julien answered.

"How about you're on."

Julien smiled. "See you then."

"Lata!" Andre said and hung up.

Julien was about to put his cell phone back on his hip when it rang again. He thought it was Andre again but when he looked at the number he recognized it as the one he had called that he found in Montgomery's desk.

"Hello?" Julien answered.

"Who this?" the voice said, the voice that sounded like the voice mail voice.

"This is Julien Linton, the late detective Montgomery's partner."

There was a pause. "Whatcha want with me?"

"The question is what do you want me to do with you? I know what you did and I know what was going on between you and my partner. I want in or else you will be bent over in a prison cell with some man named Bubba."

"Hey man, I don't know nothing about nothing."

"That's a shame, Bund."

"How you know my name?"

Julien shook his head. The fool said his name on the voice mail. "My partner told me the entire deal."

"Bullshit." Bund replied.

Mr. Bund was very sure by that answer. "Really? You wanna risk it?"

There was a pause.

"Do you think he didn't have a backup plan? Do you think he wouldn't tell his partner?"

"Look man this convo is fucking over." Bund snapped.

"Fine. I hope you like prison. Murdering a cop will get you the chair in this state. Goodbye Bund, fry ya later." Julien said.

"NO...Hey YO! I ain't murdered no cop."

Julien smiled. "Prove it to me?"

"How?"

"Tell me who did it?" Julien said

"Look man...I can't tell you what I don't know."

Julien knew Bund knew something and he knew he had to say something to get him.

"Aight fine. Just remember that what happened to Jamar can happen to you."

There was another pause. "Hey wait up...there at no call for all that."

"So you are willing to talk?"

"Look man...I don't know nothing about what happened to Jamar. That was their deal. The whole thing was a double cross from the start. All I was supposed to do was keep in contact with your boy and tell him things and keep him informed."

An idea formed in Julien's head. "And you were supposed to tell him when Jamar and his boys were out of the way."

"Aight...look...I'm just tryin to get me aight."

A picture was forming but it wasn't clear yet. Bund was supposed to keep Montgomery up to date on information concerning Jamar and he was willing to bet Victor as well.

"Okay, I understand that. Look I know my partner hated Victor Du Bois, he was out to get him."

Bund laughed. "No damn doubt. Victor was in his way and so were Jamar and that punk ass Carlos."

Julien smiled and listened. Bund had things on his mind and he was getting them off. "But your boy...he was a ruthless motherfucker. He wanted it all."

"Yeah, that's Cecil."

"Aight...so whatcha want? The same thing your boy wanted?"

"Exactly."

"And what do I get?" Bund asked.

"I don't make a deal with the man who killed a cop. I can have you picked up and locked up for that."

"Damn! I keep telling you that I ain't had nothing to do with no murder. I just set it up, Errol did the rest."

"Errol? He killed my partner?"

There was that pause again. "This convo is over."

"Fine, Bund. It's over. I hope you enjoy your freedom. You're going down my partner's murder."

"Man! You still on that? What do you want?" Bund demanded.

Julien went in for the kill. "I want to know it all and Bund, don't lie cause I will find out and it won't be nice."

There was a long pause again, longer than any other during their conversation. It was followed by a deep and heavy sigh.

"Aight...look, I'm gonna tell ya but you gotta make things right."

Julien smiled. "Just tell me what you know, Bund?"

Bund told everything that he knew while Julien listened and took notes on paper and mentally. Cecil wanted money...great deals of it, he wanted power on the street and he wanted revenge. It seemed that Cecil's son was once in prison for writing bad checks, but due to prison overcrowding he was housed with inmates who had more serious crimes. He was housed with Victor Du Bois. Montgomery's son was brutally raped one night and Victor was one of the accused inmates. Cecil wanted revenge for that and hand even set up a plan to send Victor back to prison where he had set up a hit. It didn't take long for Julien to put all the pieces together. He set Victor up to be murdered while making it look like a legitimate shoot. It explained the way he treated Victor at the Jackson home and why he was trying to pin the Mitchell murder on him, which Julien discovered that Victor and Errol committed. By the time Bund was finished Julien knew it all.

"So whatcha gonna do for me?" Bund asked. "I mean, I just spilled my guts and if Errol ever finds out I'm a dead mothafucka!"

Julien put his note pad down. "Bund, I'll do what I can. Come to the station and we'll talk about it."

There was another pause. "Aight...I'll do that. Out."

Julien looked at his note pad. Here were all the answers. Two murders solved, all questions answered. So why wasn't he getting up and doing something about it?

Bund put his cell phone away. He felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped about three feet. He turned to find himself face to face with Errol. He was looking deep into Errol's eyes and let his eyes drift down to the shoulder holster where Errol's gun was housed.

"Sup Errol?" Bund asked.

Errol looked at Bund's cell phone on his hip. "Nothing," Errol replied. "Did you do it?"

Bund nodded. "Yeah, I told him everything. How'd you figure he was gonna call me?"

"He ain't no dumbass detective like Montgomery. I figured he would figure it out wasn't thinking it would be this soon but it's all good."

"So you figurin' he's comin' for ya?" Bund asked.

"Yeah, he ain't gonna have no other choice."

"So you still gonna do this then?"

"Got to cuz. I can't go to prison not for killing two motherfuckers like Montgomery and Mitchell." Errol picked up the black gym bag that was on the floor beside him. He reached in and pulled out two stacks of one hundred dollar bills and handed them to Bund. "This is $20,000 Gs. It's enough to get you up out of here. Now, Bund if you hang around here they gonna come after you and you are gonna be going down as an accessory."

"Aight, Damn, I know." Bund said.

"Now you can hang out if you want to and use those duckies to get you an attorney, it's up to you."

"Aight man, I know, I know." Bund replied. "So you gonna dip out?"

Errol nodded, "Just gotta make a stop first."

"Aight...solid." Bund said.

The two men embraced. "Take care of everyone, aight?"

"Yeah...I'll take care of the family. You take care of yourself." Bund said.

Errol nodded. He turned and left the house and went to his SUV. He tossed in the bag and started it up. He had one last stop to make and then he was out.

Shane was laying on his bed, looking at a picture of Victor and missing him terribly. Tears streamed down his face as he caressed Victor's face in the picture. It hurt so much and even though everyone says the pain will lessen, it wasn't doing that now. There were times he would just break into crying so hard he could hardly breath. He restricted his crying to his room not wanting to share his sorrow with Sean nor anyone else. His missing Victor really hit him hard after Momma V and the rest of the family left. They had invited him to come with them back to New Orleans and it was a tempting offer but he couldn't do it at least not now. Now that they were all gone he wished he would have said yes. He needed to get away for a bit and being with Victor's family would have been the perfect thing to do. Well, there was no need to think about `should have'. He had to think about the now. Victor was gone and his heart and soul were hurting and he couldn't stop the pain.

The doorbell rang and Shane laid in the bed. He would let Sean get it but as the bell rang a second, third and fourth time he remembered that Sean said he had to step out for a bit. Shane pulled himself off the bed and went to the door. He peeped out and saw Errol standing there. He opened the door wondering what he was doing at his house.

"Errol, what are you doing here?" Shane asked.

"I wanted to stop by. I got something to give to you and something to tell you."

Shane stepped aside. "Okay, well come on in and tell me."

"No, I don't have long." Errol said as he removed the black gym bag from his shoulders. "This is for you."

Shane looked at the gym bag. "Errol, I don't need a gym bag."

"Victor left it to you." Errol added as if that would cause Shane to change his mind.

Shane took the bag but was looking at Errol. "I didn't see you at the funeral."

"I came after the service had ended. I visited Victor's grave. I did want to see you and let you know that I loved Victor. He was my boy...my best friend...my brother. I miss him."

"I miss him too."

"Look, I made him a promise."

"What was the promise?" Shane asked.

"That I would take care of you if anything ever happened to him."

"Errol, you don't have to..."

"Yes, I do." Errol said, "But I have to leave for a bit."

"Leave? Where are you going?" Shane asked.

"I can't tell you. I just have to get out for a bit but I will be back if you need me."

"Errol, none of this makes sense." Shane said

"I know...but when you look in that bag it will explain everything."

Shane started to open the bag but Errol stopped him. "No, not now. Wait until I'm gone."

"Errol..."

"Shane...Victor loved you with all his heart and everything he did he did for both of your futures together. Just remember that. No matter what you hear or find out always remember that."

"Errol..."

Errol turned and walked back to his SUV and drove off. Shane walked back into the house and into his room. He opened the bag when felt kind of heavy. When he looked inside his eyes grew wide with shock and surprise. There were stacks and stacks of 20, 50, and l00 dollar bills. He couldn't believe his eyes. As he pulled out the stacks of money he found an envelope with his name on it. He tore it open and read the letter inside.

"Shane, this money is for you. There is more than 75 thousand dollars there. Before you think the worst, Victor had this money in hiding and I was supposed to give it to you if anything happened to him. The money is all yours. There is also a safety deposit key to a safe deposit box at First Community Bank. In that box you will find a video tape and some other paperwork. Also I want you to know that it was Victor and I who killed that mothafucker that raped you. We did it because that bastard caused you pain and that would never do. You will also learn about this as well. I killed that Detective that killed Victor and that is the reason I'm leaving. The cop was a bad mothafucker as well and got what he deserved. I know this is all a mess but I want you to know that none of this was supposed to happen this way. Well, that's it, you know the deal. Take care of yourself and remember if you ever need me, I will be there for you. Trust that. Peace, Errol"

Shane put down the letter and stared at the money. 75 thousand dollars. What was he going to do?

Chapter 24 coming soon

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