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Herc Holmes was a very persuasive guy. He insisted I get my ass beat. And I couldn’t help but agree with him.
Afterward, I went back to my office to lick my wounds and smoke away from my pain. My secretary or assistant was there. I‘m not sure the proper title. All I know is she answers my phone and tells me when I'm broke.
Such was the case this evening. She went over the books orally while patching me up. She was a sweetheart. I was pretty sure she had a crush on me. But I always played the oblivious role.
A good girl Friday was hard to find. Penny Valentine was 25 years old. Black and Puerto Rican. She’s a little on the heavy side but pretty in the face. Her ample bottom was in a tight pair of jeans by dreams. Her torso in a black V-neck t-shirt that showed off her cleavage.
So we are broke I said. It’s not the first time. I’ll sell some bud or pick up a side job. We’ll make it we always do.
I looked at her face. My reassurances rolling off her like so many raindrops on a slicker. My keen senses finally kicked in. I became aware that something was bothering Penny.
What’s really on your mind? I said. She looked at me as if it was about time I noticed her. She sighed and pressed play on a news program she recorded on the office DVR.
The news story concerned a curious case of maybe murder maybe suicide. Clamp Academy is the most swanky prestigious private school in the county.
A popular teacher by the name of Archer Hood was found dead in his office. Not too thrilling by most crime standards. But wait! There’s more.
He was found nude sitting at his desk. The gun was in his hand. And a bullet was in his throat. A common practice for suicide victims who want an open casket.
The suicide note was on the desk in front of him. Still not enough to make me interesting. But wait! There’s more.
Another man was found in the room as well. A Clamp Academy custodian named Patrick Valentine. He is Penny's uncle. He was found nude and blackout drunk. He claims not to remember a thing.
Yes, a very strange scenario. The Police are baffled. They traditionally prefer the neatness of a suicide. But Patrick being there put things in another picture frame.
See it this way. We live in America. And Patrick is a black man. A black man who happened to be found in a locked room with a dead man. It didn’t look good for him. I shook my head and said a silent prayer for the brother.
Penny looked at me anxiously and asked me If I could help him? I didn’t want to kid her. It looks bad I said. I’m not sure what or if I could do anything at all.
She looked dejected as she lit a joint and handed it to me. We smoke in an uncomfortable silence. Then we hear a knock at the door.