THE RHYME MAN

THE RHYME MAN

By
Reid Jackson










CH. 1
THE FALL
Standing at the open door, fifteen thousand feet above earth, his knuckles white, gripping the sides of the exit, his heart rising in anticipation, he jumped into the sea of air.
“Wowserrr”, he yelled as he and the other divers jumped into the sea of blue.
The wind rushed past his face, like a falcon diving for his prey. The view was breathtaking, I can fly! He said to himself as he soared. He felt free as he flipped, did cartwheels, spun, and played tag with another diver. They did a sit fall like sitting in a chair, slowly straightening their legs to attain a flat position. With a movement of his hands and arms he would be in the swoop position, slowly turning like a huge fan.
Billy never tired of skydiving. The thrill charged his senses, and he was addicted to this sport. The adrenaline rush was always there as he sailed the blueness to earth. His parachute time was approaching. He grabbed the cord to his chute, ready to float like a butterfly and complete another exciting dive. He shouted, “I`m a bird! I`m a plane! I`m a...” He pulled his chute cord but nothing happened. “...I`m fucked!” he shouted.
A small voice whispered in his ear.
You`re going to die!
Billy fell at a terminal speed of 135 mph, as the wind hurried past his free fall. The fast approaching ground was replaced with visions and thoughts of his family, his childhood, his close friend Jeff, and his parents. It was as if he were in an I-Max Theatre, with his life flashing in nanoseconds, on big screen, in high definition, surround sound, and cinemascope.
He thought of his family and their recent vacation to Jamaica and all the fun they had. He smiled as he remembered his wife screaming while snorkeling, as she stepped on a smooth clam and she thought it was a shark, when he ordered a fish dish at a seafood restaurant and the waiter bought whale eyeballs. He threw up at the sight of it, causing the kids to laugh hysterically. He thought of his close friend, Jeff, and the rhymes they shared, the birth of his firstborn. His last thoughts were of the incident that happened two days ago. The fall had been forgotten, then---BAMM. He met the earth up close and personal!
ddd
Evening News-WRLX- (Los Angeles)
“This just in,” said the anchorman. “A parachute accident happened today at the Get High Sky Diving School. Paramedics announced that Billy Arnold died in route to the Angel of Mercy Hospital. The USPA (The United States Parachute Association) determined the cause of the chute failure, the chute chords had been cut underneath the harness. It is alleged that the chute was tampered with. The authorities suspect murder.”
ddd
Two days earlier
Billy left the ATM and headed for a big poker game at the whiskey Tavern. An on-line gambling buddy gave him the location. He said the owner of the club loved to play, but you could read his face like a book and he couldn`t bluff worth a damn! He also warned him that Vinnie Lambardie was a mobster, and to be careful if he joined the game.
On arrival, Billy was escorted to a backroom where three players were getting ready to start. The room had a carpeted floor, tasteful furniture, and a fancy wet bar. The players were waiting for a fourth player.
“You Billy?” asked the man smoking a fat Havana, sipping on a Whiskey Old Fashion.
“Yeah he replied. “Randy said you ran a square deal here, I thought I`d play.”
The man laughed. “Randy can`t play worth shit! I`m Vinnie, grab a chair and let`s get started. Five card stud, straight up.” As he shuffled.
Vinnie quickly introduced everyone. Chuck was the guy next to him and he was humongous! At the very least, he was two hundred and eighty pounds, covered with a layer of fat. He looked like an ex-lineman. Brian, the third player, was a movie stunt man. He exuded fitness and strength and talked endlessly about his last stunt, where he drove a corvette straight off a wharf onto the deck of a tugboat, in a soon released film.
The game seesawed back and forth between Vinnie and Brian. They were even on money, both waiting for the right hand. Billy was down a few thousand and was getting discouraged. He and Chuck just donated.
The next hand Billy fanned his cards. “Shit!” he exclaimed, as he threw his cards on the table and stood. “I need to take a piss!” Then he left the room.
The game continued. The pot reached fifty thousand big ones. Vinnie was dealing and Brian was feeling his liquor and getting belligerent with the mobster.
“You greasy coxsucker, I saw you dealing from the bottom!” shouted Brian as he slammed his empty glass on the table.
Vinnie`s eyes turned a deep reddish black at the outburst. Chuck, his body guard, knew how violent his boss could get and slid his chair back and waited for the reaction he knew would follow. No one talked to Vinnie that way without consequences.
A moment later, Vinnie drew the Glock from under his jacket. Brian was quick to respond and grabbed his piece. Both reached their range at almost the same moment---POW. Vinnie`s draw was a split second- faster and the bullet hit Brian between the eyes. The other bullet lodged harmlessly in the ceiling.
“Fuck with me now, you asshole!” Vinnie said to the dead man.
Billy came out of the restroom just in time to witness the standoff. He saw Brian`s head snap back, his body falling to the floor as it tumbled over the chair behind him. Billy was out the door without a moment`s hesitation. He felt his heart in his mouth as he ran out of the tavern and got into his car. He pushed the petal hard, leaving two tread marks on the pavement as testimonials to his departure.
Chuck chased Billy through the tavern and knocked a drunken patron flat on his ass. He stood outside just in time to see to taillights rapidly diminish in size. Discouraged, he returned to the poker room.
“He got away boss.” Chuck was breathing fast due to the adrenaline.
“Shit! What was that bastard`s name?” Vinnie fumed.
“All I know is Billy and he skydives.”
Vinnie went to the bar and poured a whiskey, and threw it back. “Find out from Randy...Now!”
“I`ll take care of it boss.”
“And get rid of that piece of shit first!” Vinnie said coolly as he pointed to the dead stunt man.
After dumping the body, Chuck paid a visit to Randy, pretending that Billy had run off owing Vinnie fifty thousand. “Billy ran off and Vinnie needs to know his last name!”
“We met at an online poker site and I don`t know his full name. All I know is that he skydives at the Get High Sky Diving School.”

Billy got home and locked the door. His wife and kids were visiting her mother for the week, which was why he decided to play poker tonight. He walked to the chair and collapsed, his heart was still pounding. His mind went into overdrive.

Should I call the police? No! He would have dumped the body by now. No evidence. Does he know my full name? No, I didn`t tell them. Did I tell them anything about me? I don`t remember!
If he came forward he would put his family in danger and that crime boss would come after him and his family. Besides in court it would be his word against mine.
“Chill Billy!” he said out loud to himself. “Nothing happened. You didn`t see anything! Mind your own business and just do your normal routine. You have a jump in a couple of days.”
ddd
He closed his eyes and mentally pictured himself free falling and it soothed him. He smiled as he thought:

A nice relaxing jump. That`s what I need.







CH. 2
THE INVESTIGATION

Detective Armstrong, is a crusty sleuth who incarcerated many felons in his twenty years with the LAPD. He was direct and determined once he started on a case. Billy pissed someone off big time. No leads yet so Billy, lead me to your killer. He interviewed his wife and kids and found that he was a good husband and father. No police record or anything of note, except that he had a gambling problem. He was addicted to poker and his wife, Emily, said that he often played with questionable characters. The last time he played was at The Whiskey Tavern, a well known bar owned by a powerful crime boss, Vinnie Lambardie. I`ll start at the Whiskey Tavern and see what I can dig up. If he crossed Vinnie then I know who might have killed him.
The tavern was almost empty, just a few patrons. Armstrong approached the bartender; the feeling was good that he was on the right track. He flashed his badge; the bartender smirked and put his hands on the bar with a frown. “Yes, detective.”
“Did you have a game in here two nights ago?” As Armstrong put on his best interrogation stare.
“Shit, I don`t remember, this place was busy,” as he wiped a glass with a towel trying to look disinterested.
I`ll have to use my derringer technique on this one. This guy needs some incentive. Armstrong reached behind the bartender like he was reaching for something in the guys back pocket. “Well, well, look what I found.” He had a small two shot Derringer in the palm of his hand. “You’re settin me up!” Cried the fat man.
“You’re on probation and carrying a concealed weapon which is an invitation, back to the slammer.” He had used the Derringer trick many times to finagle information.
The bartender became submissive. “Ok, yes there was a game that night.”
“Who was playing?”
“Just don`t tell anyone I told you.” He feared his boss, Vinnie.
“I just need some names then I`m outa here.”
He got the names and grinned to himself. Vinnie Lambardie, chuck, Vinnie`s henchman, Brian the stunt man, and Billy no last name, now I`m getting somewhere.
Armstrong was sensing that Vinnie was behind the parachute failure; the bartender suddenly started shifting his eyes behind him and back again twice in rapid succession. Somebody is behind me, the bartender is signaling, he quickly turned around on the swivel stool. He saw a known felon with a high profile warrant for attempted murder, just entering the tavern. The felon saw the detective and bolted for the entrance. Armstrong jumped off the stool, caught his toe on the foot stand and dove onto the grimy slick floor. “Ha, ha, and double ha,” the bartender bellowed, loving the sight. Red faced, he jumped up giving a one finger salute to the fat bartender as he raced off.
The felon sped out of the parking lot, screeching as he made the exit turn bouncing off a station wagon. Armstrong got in his police modified undercover car and was right on his tail. The felon was weaving through traffic like a gymkhana horse running a pole bending race. Armstrong`s was gaining on the felon. He called in for backup assistance. The pursued turned into a residential district. As he followed he thought, shit, this is dangerous for the residents. It was a rundown neighborhood with the houses packed together like sardines. He turned into a gravel ally with the detective hot on his rear, following like a greyhound chasing a fake rabbit at the races. Suddenly, he stopped and Armstrong slammed on his breaks.
He was twenty feet behind him as the two sat there and idled, like two male bears facing off for the attack. The perp. lowered his window and raised his hand. He must be ready to give up. He put his car in park but didn`t trust the guy. Then a rev of the engine roared as the tires spit gravel searching for traction---bam-crunch. The perp. reversed his vehicle turning it into a battering ram. The detective`s head hit the steering wheel, dazing him. When he looked up he saw the felon running down the alley then duck into someone`s back yard. Shit I`m getting to old for a night chase. He felt guilty and got out of his car and returned to the street. I`ll get sneaky and just slowly skulk like a predator. He kept low scanning for the felon in the dark night. He saw a dark figure crouching along the sidewalk. He stealthily crept close enough for a lunge. He ran and jumped for the shadowy figure, when the figure turned and hit him across the face with a cane. They both fell to the ground in a tangled mess. “You damn muggers, I`ll kick your ass,” yelled the old man, full of spunk. Damn, I jumped the wrong guy, Armstrong was in deep guano now. It was an elderly gent out searching for his lost dog. “Hold it, I`m a detective, I`ve made a mistake!” He had the old guy in a tight bear hug trying to calm him down.
He apologized as he brushed off the grass and dirt explaining what and why he jumped him. The cane bearing octogenarian was placated and Armstrong returned to the alley where he left his smashed car. The felon`s car was gone.
Fuck, this, I`m heading home before I screw up again!








CH. 3 JEFF BENSON

The next morning he had some other leads to follow up on. He found out Billy`s close friend, Jeff Benson, an account lawyer at the firm of Gingrich and Davis did some accounting work for Vinnie. He needed to talk with Jeff. He visited Jeff`s office and approached the receptionist, flashed his badge and said he needed to talk with Jeff Benson ASAP. Detective Armstrong was ushered into Jeff Benson`s office and was seated before a plush desk. He viewed some pictures on the office wall of the victim and Jeff skydiving together. They skydived together; does he even know Billy is dead?
Jeff had just returned from an out of town business meeting. He entered his office, still tired from his meeting. He shook detective Armstrong’s hand. Jeff sized him up, the detective looked about forty eight or fifty years old, medium build and he appeared fit, he was attractive in a rough way with a bent nose and brown curly hair and average height. Jeff is six two with short blonde hair with a sturdy build weighing two hundred twenty pounds of fit stature.
Detective Armstrong was divorced and living alone, his wife had divorced him because of the job three years ago. Armstrong focused all of his waking hours at being the best detective he could be. Jeff sat down noticing the detective’s somber mood. “What can I do for you detective?” Jeff said, wondering what was up. “I`m conducting an investigation and I need to ask you a few question. “I understand you know a Billy Arnold.” “Yes, I know Billy, have known him since school days, and he is a close friend of mine, why do you ask?” He felt a sudden feeling of dread. “You haven’t heard that Billy Arnold is deceased?”
The detective`s eyes bore into Jeff as he made the statement. Jeff sat there and let the news digest---his stomach tightened and his memory went into overdrive--- my closest friend, Billy! we shared our lives and my love for Billy`s wife, and the precious kids, Terry and Bill Jr.
“Oh no, “Jeff moaned, he covered his temples with both hands and stared at the floor. He was a brother I never had, and Emily and the kids will be devastated. Jeff raised his head tears rolling over his cheeks.
“How did this happen?” “Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but his parachute didn’t open and Billy plunged to earth.”
Jeff couldn’t understand a visit from a detective over an accidental death. “Then why are you here detective?” “We found that the parachute had been tampered with, so this is a murder investigation!”
Detective Armstrong was now intently watching Jeff`s body language and reaction, Jeff sat there stunned, his mind reeling from Billy`s death and now a murder, How can this be, Billy was a great family man and had a wonderful wife and kids. This doesn`t make sense! “This is a mistake?” No detective, this can’t be, Billy was a law abiding good husband and you’re saying murder?” “Yes, Mr. Benson, it was clearly evident that someone tampered with his parachute which resulted in his death.” Jeff tried to compose himself as his body was convulsing and his throat was tightening up like a vise. “But who and why,” Jeff knew Billy and who would ever do such a thing, it was inconceivable. “We will find out Mr. Benson and that is why I came here personally. Did you know that Billy had a gambling problem?” “Yes, I knew he liked to gamble and Billy and I talked about the habit and how it hurt his family, but he assured me he was going to quit because the of the suffering he had put his wife and kids through.” “Evidently Billy was in a poker game with Vinnie Lambardie and I suspect Vinnie may be involved. Do you know a Vinnie Lambardie?”
Jeff tensed up at the name, he certainly knew of Vinnie Lambardie, in fact he did business with Jeff`s law firm. Jack Donaldson was Vinnie’s primary account lawyer at the firm and Jeff was aware of the name Vinnie Lambardie. “Yes detective I know this person at least I know about him. Jack Donaldson my colleague here does quite a bit of accounting work for Vinnie and at one time I helped Jack out and did a small amount of work for Jack when he took a two week vacation. But I never met this Vinnie personally.” But Jeff was aware of Vinnie’s reputation. “What do you know about Vinnie Lambardie Mr. Benson?” “I know from scuttle that this Vinnie is a big time crook and a dangerous individual.”
“Does your lawyer acquaintance know about Vinnie`s reputation?” “I am sure he does detective, Jack is an account lawyer and I know that this account is a very lucrative for our law firm, but Jack is a good lawyer and his relationship with Vinnie would be purely ethical.”Jeff had always suspected that Jack knew more than was healthy about Vinnie Lambardie, and Jeff wasn`t sure about the ethical part.
The detective interviewed Jack Donaldson the Account lawyer who handled Vinnie`s books. He wasn’t aware of the murder or knew Billy. Detective Armstrong noted that Jack was tense when he asked about Vinnie and didn`t offer much information about the mob boss except that his business transactions are up to date and legal. Both Jeff and Jack were at this time to be kept on his list.