Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues (8 page)

Kevin sat squat in the bushes. The grass made him itch. There was one particularly long blade of grass that kept sticking him on his nose. He wanted to pull it from the ground from the root but then that would make too much noise. He had to be very quiet. He didn’t want to get caught. He wanted to do the catching. As soon as he thought about the man he came ambling around the corner, whistling the stupid bastard. Kevin wished that he hadn’t decided to squat the way that he
had. He wished that he could turn around and sit on his butt flat instead of this thinking man pose. He heard the creak and metallic sound of the screen door, its hinges squeaking as the man opened the door. “I’ve got you now idiot,” Kevin thought as he slowly eased his way out of the grass to proceed to the house slowly glancing around to make sure that no one saw him move from there.

The neighbors were just too damned friendly. He could hardly catch the man with these nosey women who seemed to always be outside putting clothes on the line. Zachary, Louisiana was just country. The people were slow and friendly and lazy. It was hard to believe that just a few miles down the road one could go to metropolitan Baton Rouge the big college city. He had to admit that even Baton Rouge paled in comparison to New Orleans for sheer outright fun and things to do. Kevin smiled to himself. As he neared the window screen he saw his mark sitting on a couch. The woman he was with was perched on his thighs doing some shimmy shake dance. Kevin watched for a minute just to enjoy the scenery. The girl wasn’t half bad looking and she’d agreed on a small price to participate in this scam. He readied his camera for the money shot.

She was removing his shirt and actually turned toward the window and looked dead into Kevin’s eyes. “Was she flirting with him? Later baby, later.” He ducked out for a minute because he was afraid of being seen. Sweat trickled down the middle of his back; he realized that he was nervous. This was big. He gave a nervous glance around to see if anyone saw him. It was 10 o’clock in the morning so most ladies had finished their housework and were napping or watching their “stories” or soap operas. The mayor of Baton Rouge took off his shirt
as the floozy bent down to suckle his nipple. That was it. He was unmistakable. He got a clear shot but took at least five for safety. This was going to be easy money.

He stood upright and smiled into the window. “Thank you Mayor Thompson, you the man.” The mayor bolted up pushing the girl to the floor. Kevin took off running laughing as he went. The mayor ran out of the house forgetting himself as he ran his pants falling awkwardly around his fat thighs. Kevin turned around running backwards shooting pictures as he went. The nosey women of the neighborhood came out on their porches to see what the commotion was all about thus giving Kevin cover. The mayor came to his senses and ran inside pulling up his pants. Kevin laughed all the way home. It was the most fun he had had in years.

The pictures were beautiful. Professional even, Kevin knew the drill, threaten to tell the wife but in this case he decided to threaten to tell the public. If there was one thing that he knew it was that white women would never leave a man of power. She probably knew what was going on in the first place and was relieved that she didn’t have to do the work herself. He was fat and unattractive so she was with him for the money. They didn’t even have kids. Kevin felt no guilt putting the squeeze on the mayor. When he called his offices the mayor answered himself, breathless, eager to please. “Do you know who this is?” Kevin asked slowly drawling his words in a Texan accent.

“Yes sir, I think that I do know. How can I be of service to you?” The mayor asked. Kevin could feel the sweat come down the mayor’s face. He rather enjoyed this feeling of power over someone else.

“Well, you could give me a couple of thousand dollars to keep your little tryst with the lady hushed up. We wouldn’t
want anything to interfere with your re-election, especially not your dick.” Kevin laughed at his little joke.

“Son, you need to understand that I have very powerful friends and I could actually cause you a lot of damage.” The mayor spoke powerfully as he sat alone in his office.

“Damage? The only damage that is going to be experienced is the damage to your career if you don’t pay up, now. I was going to give you a week but now that you have threatened me I will give you until 5 p.m. today. If I don’t receive $50,000.00 by the day’s end these beautiful pictures are going into the Times Picayune.” Kevin was tempted to hang up but he wanted to hear the mayor back pedal.

“I saw you boy. I know who you are Kevin Johnson. As I said before if you keep bothering me I’m going to send my “friends” after you. You’ve got a rap sheet a mile long and so does your mother. You don’t want me to go investigating her now do you? Drugs in Louisiana, ain’t that a shame?” The mayor smiled into the phone.

Kevin felt the shock of this turn around course through his body. He recovered “I’m going to sell them to the Times Picayune.”

“For a hellava lot less I wager.” The mayor continued confident that he had won.

“Maybe so, but the truth is that I don’t like you and I will probably just give them for free.” Kevin said.

“You just do that but then where are you going to hide from me? It took only fifteen minutes for me to identify your photo at the police station where by the way I said that you mugged me and took my wallet. Do you know that it’s dangerous to mug the mayor?”

“All right, so you got me but I’m turning in the photographs to the newspaper anyway.” Kevin said defiantly.

“Go ahead then, I call you on your bluff. I don’t care what the hell you do. It will only make me more popular. The people of Baton Rouge do so love a good scandal.” The mayor played his trump card and hung up confident that he would not suffer the consequences.

Kevin stood in the phone booth stunned. He looked at his beat up old Ford sitting there. A police car drove slowly by looking at him. He got out of the phone booth and tipped his hat to the officer who returned the gesture and drove off. Kevin got into his car, nervous, disappointed and aggravated with himself. He drove off. He had not anticipated that the mayor was a rascal. He felt foolish and broke. He knew that in this small town he would stick out like a sore thumb. He had only one place he could go for safety’s sake, Beauchamp’s.

“He’s leaving, yes, should I pursue him?” Officer Dan called the office.

“Follow him until he gets into Baton Rouge. When he gets on Florida Boulevard, detain him there. Take whatever he has in the car and rough him up a bit, or a lot I don’t care.” The mayor hung up the phone without saying goodbye.

“Sure thing bro.” Officer Dan drove slowly down the highway. He was sure that his brother-in-law had not been completely honest with him. What was all of the hush, hush about anyway? If he had been mugged why not make a full report? He didn’t know what was going on but he was going to find out.

Kevin drove steadily as he turned onto Florida Boulevard, fingering the photographs. “All of those poker terms, he must be bluffing.” He said to himself. He probably didn’t even call
the police. But Kevin wasn’t interested in turning the mayor in and creating a scandal. He truly just wanted the money. A flash of blue lights interrupted his thoughts. “Damned!” Kevin pulled over on the shoulder.

A tall, young officer walked toward his car. He leaned into the window. “License and registration please.” He said as he scanned the interior of Kevin’s car.

“What’s the problem officer?” Kevin asked calmly never looking the officer in the eye but recognizing him as the same officer who he had nodded to earlier.

“The problem is that we don’t like muggers in our part of the woods. Particularly not blackmailing ones.” Dan backed up from the door. “Tell me just how did you think that you were going to get away with this?”

Kevin shrugged and handed over the pictures. “Could you please just let me go and forget all of this?”

“I could do a lot of things but right now I’m arresting your black ass. Step out of the car please.” The officer stepped aside to allow Kevin to get out of the car.

Kevin didn’t need to be told to raise his hands over his head. He knew the drill.

Chapter Eight

Remy saw Bertrand sitting at the bar looking dejected. “Hey man, what’s bothering you? Why don’t you just let it all out?” Bertrand grunted and pushed a bar stool in Remy’s direction.

“Man I wish I could tell you, it would make things easier for me.” Bertrand sighed heavily and took a deep drink of whiskey.

“Then I’m your man, tell a brother.” Remy smiled but his eyes were steady and serious.

“I’ll tell you this much, man you are a great singer. I see great things in you and I think that you are better than this place. I want to cut an album with you as soon as my studio is up and running.” Bertrand smiled easily his troubles momentarily lifted.

“Are you trying to fire me boss?” Remy smiled and patted Bertrand on the shoulder.

“No bro, but I am having what you might call Fi Nan Cial difficulties. I meant what I said about your singing on an album. Your shit is tight.” Bertrand looked over Remy’s shoulder to the door at passing tourists. The quarter was never really ever quiet he mused.

“What are you talking about? The bar is packed every night. You aren’t gambling again are you?” Remy looked at his buddy concerned.

“No man, c’mon now, why you getting all serious? Let me get you a beer.” Bertrand lifted heavily from the stool and went behind the empty bar to the freezer. He took out an ice cold beer and handed it to Remy who took it warily.

“Bertrand man, I thought that you’d given that shit up.” Remy shook his head as he took a long draw of his beer.

“I know huh?” Was all Bertrand could manage.

“How much you owe this time?” Remy turned his seat away from the bar and faced the open windows of the French Quarter.

“Too much man. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m into Marsalas for big money.”

“Damn man. Damn.” Remy put the beer down on the bar and stood up.

“I could lose the place Remy.” Bertrand said. “Don’t tell Sugar Doll.”

“I won’t man but you’ve got a good thing here and to throw it all away on the roll of the dice is just well…” Remy looked disgusted.

“Stupid I know.”

One of the tourists walked into the empty bar, it was mid-morning so there was usually no traffic in the bar until noon. Bertrand usually manned the bar for those looking for the “hair of the dog” remedy. “Hey brother!” Bertrand shouted in his friendly, welcoming voice. What’s your poison?”

“Man who you hollering at ‘Fat Boy’!” The man said laughing.

“Now that’s uncalled for.” Remy said walking toward the stranger.

“Kevin?” Bertrand burst from around the bar as fast as his fat body would take him. “Man, you ole criminal! When did you get out? I’ll be God Damned!” Bertrand pushed Remy aside and literally picked Kevin up into the air.

“Oh I see, a family reunion. Well I’ll leave ya’ll to it.” Remy said as he headed out of the door.

“Wait man, let me introduce you to my boyhood friend! He is just like family Bertrand said hugging Kevin sideways. Remy this is Kevin, Kevin Remy.” Bertrand smiled happily.

“You hang out with white boys now?” Kevin smiled easily. “No offense.” Kevin nodded to Remy.

“None taken. Well ya’ll, it’s been fun but I got to run. Nice to meet you Kevin.” The two men shook hands and Remy walked out into the sunny morning.

“Man where you been hiding?” Bertrand looked earnestly at his friend.

“I been busy man. I was up in Baton Rouge for awhile and I ran into a little trouble. I got out of it though.” Kevin smiled.

“Ole weasel man, tell me what happened and I’ll get us a beer, it’s time to celebrate.” Bertrand went behind the bar, a new spring in his step. He opened the beers quickly ready to hear one of Kevin’s adventures. “You never let a niggah down man, anything I do you can top it.”

“Bertrand man I had a sweet idea about that ole rascal Mayor Thompson. You know he loves mixing the honies but no one has ever caught his ass in the act. I staked him out for awhile and I discovered he had the gal in Zachary.” Kevin grinned thinking about it.

“Kev man, weren’t you afraid of the Secret Service?” Bertrand asked.

“Man, they only work for the president and trust me this man didn’t want nobody to know where he was going. He was as they say, ‘Out of Order!” Kevin giggled.