Dead Man Running by Barry Davis Page A

hard work. "
    As Jan walk ed away, the loud crunching continue d in the background.   Chi left the room after telling Jan that he would get the cleaning implements.
    At the opposite end of the house, Chi enter ed the study.  He s oftly close d the door .   He walk ed over to the desk and steadied himself.  He reache d for the phone and dial ed .
    Elias answered: " Hello. "
    " I t's me. "
    " What's up, Chi ? "
    " What's up is that we were visited by those same two detectives who came by the headquarters . "
    "Y ou should have called me!  They're gone now? "
    " They're about as gone as you can get. "  There was silence as Elias considered Chi's words.
    " He killed them? "
    " Yeah. "
    " Any witnesses? "
    " No. "
    " Good. "
    " Good?  I tell you two cops get killed and that's all you have to say?  Good. "
    " Calm down man.  Hey, I'm as broken up about this as you are.  We just gotta keep our eyes on the prize, that's all. "
    " Yeah, our jobs. "
    " Don't forget those honeys, man. "
    " And the 110Gs. "
    " That's it.  Remember, we'll take care of our boy once he takes care of us. "
    " Election night. "
    " Don't touch him till then, Chi.  You want me to come over? "
    " No, I got things covered here. "
    " Okay, I'll talk to you... "
    " Boss? "
    " What now Chi? "
    " I know I ain't the brightest penny in your pocket but ain't killing wrong? "
    " Sure it is, Chi.  But just think about all the lives we can save by being in Congress.  Taking care of the sick and feeding babies and all that shit.  Wiley might kill a few but we'll balance it out and then some. "
    " Oh , okay . "
    " I'll call you later.  You're doing a great job Chi.  Hang in there buddy , okay . "
    Dial tone .  Chi pull ed the phone away from his ear , stare d at it for a moment, and then finally he replaced the phone in its cradle.
     
    With heavy legs, Chi climbed the stairs of the Wiley ho me .  He ha d spent the past ten hours in exhausti ve efforts to erase the fact that two men were brutally murdered there.  Their possessions – the ones not stolen by Jan – have been sprinkled around the five boroughs .  He located their vehicle and it n ow sat beneath thirty feet of water in a central New Jersey rock quarry.  He replaced the living room carpet and washed down the walls.  He knew from watching CSI that they have stuff - Luminol? - to identify blood on walls even after you clean up but they would need a warrant to do that, and they wouldn't get a warrant because they ha d no proof that the detectives had been there.
    Chi m ade his way to Mrs. Wiley's bedroom .  He didn't bother to undress or bathe.  Those things could wait until after he got some rest.  He remove d his shoes and lay on the bed.  His eyes waver ed , and then close d .  Soon, Chi enter ed into a dream :
    He wa s at a rap concert.  The audience went wild as a pulsating rap beat hits their ears.  The volume increase d as the Harlem D Lites hit the stage.  It was Mookie and Hamid , each dressed to the nines with retro Jets jerseys, ten times too large baggy jeans, white sneakers and baseball caps cocked to the side.  Dancing as the booty girls we re Jan and Mrs . Wiley, each dressed in halter top s , skin tight leather miniskirts and knee high boots .  They d id their booty best as they dance d around the two men.
    Mookie and Hamid start ed rapping to the beat, while prowling the stage.
    HAMID
    You gotta hack him, gotta wreck him.
    MOOKIE
    Don't ya let no sucka protect him yo .
    HAMID
    Take that hatchet and cut off his head.
    The booty girls motion ed like they we re swinging an ax.
    MOOKIE
    Ya gotta keep hacking till ya know he dead.
    HAMID
    You gotta hack him, gotta wreck him.
    MOOKIE
    Walk up to that sucka and ya smack him.
    HAMID
    I say ya hack him up.
    MOOKIE
    Hack him up.
    HAMID
    Hack, h ack him up to death.
    MOOKIE
    W h ip, w h op, wham.
    HAMID
    Hack him up, don't you freeze man.
    Suddenly the DJ spin ned another beat.  Wiley came on stage, break dancing.  He dance