"he said he's was looking for you, that you might have something that belongs to him. he was so scary carlee, his eyes were wide and he just looked crazy. i told him that i hadn't seen you in a week and he called me a liar, hit me right here." he pointed to the back of his neck. it was bruised.

"my god, sidney, i'm so sorry, i feel like it was my fault."

"no carlee, no, it wasn't, i knew you would feel that way, that's why i didn't want to tell you."

i hugged him even tighter. "how long ago did this happen?"

"a couple of minutes i guess, not very long ago." i looked around, but didn't see him. sidney got to his feet and grabbed my hand, we walked around the grounds, looking.

"how did he break your watch sidney?"

"something hit my wrist, something in his pocket maybe."

"where's your dad?"

"with the hippos i think."

"do you know where i can make a phone call?"

"my dad has a cell phone, that's his jeep, over there" i didn't know the number of the police station, so i dialed 911.

"emergency." a man quickly said.

"can you give me the number of the police station?"

"what!!" he shouted.

"i need to get in touch with the police."

"then you need to call information lady, don't you know it's against the law to dial this number for something other than emergencies?"

"this is an emergency, a killer just hit my friend and is somewhere at the zoo."

"do you want me to dispatch the police?"

"i don't know, i need to talk with a policeman first."

"oh, alright, i'll connect you." he was pretty civil actually, and i appreciated that.

"district four, seargeant riley speaking, how may i help you."

"seargeant, i need to contact officer lissell stacey, do you know if she's on duty, or how i can contact her, it's very important."

"i know stacey, and let me check. no, she's not working today, her home number is unlisted."

"i have to reach her, it's very important."

"is it police business?"

"yes, it is." i said.

"we can send someone else."

"no, it has to be officer stacy."

"what is your name miss?"

"carlee mccord."

"ok, hang on, i'll see what i can do."

"who's officer stacey?" sidney asked.

"a friend of mine sidney, she's a policewoman and knows leroy."

"carlee?"

"oh lissell, thank goodness, i'm at the zoo, leroy just assaulted a friend, told him that i have something of his."

"i'll be right there, you all go to the concession area. eat something, i won't be long."

sidney and i did just what she said. i bought each of us a tub of popcorn and a coke. we sat on a bench and waited.

as we munched sidney asked, "what does officer stacey look like carlee?"

"she has long red hair and is very pretty."

"will she be wearing a uniform?"

"no baby, this is not a working day for her."

"will she be packing a gun?"

"maybe, i'm not sure honey. you know sidney, a man told me this morning that i didn't know very much about the real world and it's discomforts, and it kind of insulted me, but he was probably right, and i really don't care. i wouldn't have had anything like this happen to you for the world." he looked at me, with eyes so very much older, he rubbed my arm and put his hand in mine.

he smiled and said, "don't worry carlee, it's going to be ok. there's officer stacey." it was, i suppose sidney recognized her by my description.

"carlee." lissell hugged me.

"lissell, this is my friend sidney." she shook his hand.

"any friend of carlee's." she said. sidney smiled.

"carlee said you were pretty and had long red hair."

"carlee, have you told anyone else about this event?"

"no, just you lissell."

"what about seargeant riley, or the dispatcher at 911?" i had to think.

"no, nothing about sidney or leroy."

"good, now why did you tell riley that you needed me?"

"i just said it was important that i contacted you, and he asked if it were police business and i said yes."

"but you didn't mention leroy?"

"no, names never came up."

"it's important carlee."

"no names lissell, i'm certain."

sidney explained all the details to lissell. he was quite thorough, showed her his watch.

"i'll replace that sidney, i know a guy downtown who will replace that crystall in a jiffy, and check out the rest of the watch."

"gee, i didn't know the police department did stuff like that."

"only for carlee's friends." she replied. we all smiled. "now, let's go to the crime scene, we have to secure the area."

we led lissell to the place that leroy hit sidney.

"now let's all look around very carefully, look for anything that leroy may have dropped, or fell off of him when he hit you." we looked, but we couldn't find anything.

"would you block off this area with yellow police tape if you were working lissell?" sidney asked.

"sure would sidney."

"do you have a gun?" lissell gently raised her tee shirt, the handle of a smith and wesson revolver was revealed. sidney's eyes lit up. "golly."

we walked all around the grounds, no leroy. lissell took me aside.

"i hate this carlee, your little friend is so nice, if i see that bastard i will shoot him, and i promise you that."

"should we introduce the evidence we have now?" i asked.

"no babe, we can't yet, sidney will have to file a complaint first, then if we're lucky, they might issue a search warrent. if they do that, then we can. but not until. frankly, we would do as well to kill the son-of-a-bitch ourselves."

"what are the chances that they'll issue a warrent even if sidney does file a complaint?"

"a little better than slim to none." she exclaimed. "of course, you could reopen the case carlee, you could contact the bowling green police and tell them what has happened here." that was a thought. i could do that, but right now killing him ourselves appealed to me.

"come on guys, let's drive to leroy's house, maybe we'll beat him there."

sidney whispered in my ear, "i'll have to ok it with dad."

"go then sidney." i replied.

"he's cute carlee, and seems very nice."

"he really is lissel, and i hate it that he got involved in this mess."

"carlee, you do believe now that leroy is evil, i mean that he killed those two in bowling green and probably grey."

"yes, i do believe that lissell, i hate it that it will take time to arrest him, especially after today."

"i know babe, the laws delay."

sidney came running back, he was so excited. "i can go guys, i can go!!"

"alright!" lissell said. we walked to her car, it was a standard black and white with a blue light on top and louisville p.d. written on the side. sidney was elated.

"a real cop car! does everything work?"

"it's checked out thoroughly every other week. wouldn't do if it wasn't working properly."

we proceeded to st. james court. no sign of leroy along the way. lissell parked in a shady spot near the park, about a half a block from leroy's house. we waited. sidney was more interested in the buttons and knobs on her dash panel than he was leroy.

"look, up ahead." lissell said. leroy was running down the street, his black overcoat swaying in the wind. he was huffin and puffin, getting it. "son-of-a-bitch, let's get him!" she said.

"wait lissell, not yet, let's do things right, let's file the complaint first."

"of course you're right carlee. i quit thinking for a moment. she drove downtown, to police headquarters. the three of us got out and walked inside; the building was scary to me, but sidney didn't seem to be afraid. lissell talked with an officer at the front desk, then motioned for us.

"miss mccord." the officer nodded.

"i'm riley." he was very pleasant, just like on the phone. "you have police business little buddy?" he asked sidney. sidney looked up at me with big blue eyes.

"tell him that you do sidney."

"yes sir."

"then step in and follow me." sidney looked up at me again.

"just tell them what leroy did to you baby, it's all right. we'll get your watch fixed after we're through here." i smiled at him.

"will they arrest leroy lissell?"

"probably, with his police record they most likely will. he assaulted sidney and that's what they'll charge him with. that's not a felony with no furthur intent, but leroy's smart enough not to use a public defender in this case."

"why?" i asked.

"frankly because they're tired of leroy and people like him, he knows that. this is the first violent charge against him, and he will hire an attorney. we have to get your evidence to the proper people while he's in custody. we can't wait."

"gosh lissell, maybe we should take the stuff back to his place."

"would you go through that again babe?"

"yes, if it would help." she smiled.

"you're very brave carlee, but i don't think that will be necessary. there's a dectective, very high up, that i'm going to contact, we'll know how to proceed after we talk. this is less than a shot in the dark babe, we were pissing in the wind until you recovered the evidence, we could do nothing without it, now, it's possible to put that bastard where belongs. i'll ask for a search warrent."

"officer stacey," seargeant riley called. lissell ran over to talk with him. then she picked up the phone.

"miss mccord," an officer said as he walked my way. "miss mccord, did you witness the assault on sidney?"

"no sir, i arrived a few minutes afterwards."

"was the boy upset?"

"of course he was, he was crying, and he spilled his popcorn, the crystal of his watch was broken."

"do you have something that belongs to mr. van cleeve?"

"no, i don't officer." i truthfully said.

"thank you miss, we're almost finished."

"hey charles."

"hey lissell, you look different today."

"listen carlee, i made that appointment, i'll have seargeant riley drive you and sidney back to the zoo. please have his watch fixed, go to bernsteins on broadway, ask for sam. i've already spoken with him." she said. "i've got a lot of work to do for the next two or three days. wish me luck." she smiled. i kissed her on the cheek.

in a while, sidney came out, followed by seargeant riley. he look fine. he ran to me and put his arms around me.

"you ok sidney?"

"i'm fine carlee."

riley explained that he was taking us back to my car. i thought of how nice it was of lissell to arrange this, plus getting sidney's watch repaired. seargeant riley was nice too, he was probably in his forties, nice looking, and extremely helpful.

"gosh, your car has more stuff than lissell's." riley smiled. he stopped beside my car which i pointed to, tipped his hat and thanked us.

"we need to talk with your dad sidney."

"it's supper time for the hippos carlee, he's very busy now."

"i'll bet he is, hippos are verrrrry big."

"and they get verrrry hungry." he smiled. i started the car, a giant puff of smoke.

"hey sidney, when i was a little girl, my dad read me a story, every night, about 'puffin' billy,' billy was a train, and got into some real messes, sort of like us."

"is that what you like about the puff of smoke carlee?"

"yeah, i wish we could ride on a train."

"me too." he scooted up right beside me. bernsteins was a small shop at ninth and broadway. the store front was unimpressive, it looked like a pawn shop. a bell rang as we walked in.

"yes," a very fat man answered.

"we're looking for sam."

"sam, oh sam!" he called. "hmmm, i must be sam." he smiled.

"we were told that you might be able to fix this watch sam."

"yeah, lissell told me that you might want me to take a look at the watch. bambi huh, not very expensive, hmmm."

"can you fix it mr. sam?" sidney asked.

"mr. schlemile" he corrected. "well, maybe, yes, i may. can you take it off?" sidney obliged. mr. schlemile looked it over carefully. "hmmm, your name is sidney, no?"

"my name is sidney, yes."

"well sidney, this is a very special watch, very special, some magic in it you know."

"magic?"

"sure, bambi may grant you a wish."

"what should i do, i mean, how do i ask it?"

"like this. bambi, tell me where i might find a crystal that would completely fit this watch." mr. schlemile held the watch up to his ear. "alright." he said. sidney was fastinated. mr. schlemile walked to the back of the store. he returned shortly with the watch, as good as new. "thanks to magic sidney." sidney gleamed.

"what do i touch to ask it to grant my wish mr. schlemile?"

"his tail sidney. just touch it and ask your wish." sidney looked seriously as he took the watch. he was so intense, and so cute.

"bambi, i have just one wish, for carlee to marry my dad and live with us, i've asked god, and he didn't do anything, please bambi, please help me." i almost cried, so did sam schlemile. i bent down and held sidney tightly.

"oh sidney, what a nice wish."

"it's all i ever wanted carlee. dad's nice, and he likes you a lot."

"i know baby, i know he's nice, and i love you very much sidney." and i didn't know what else to say.

"and i hope his wish comes true" mr. schlemile said.

"what do we owe you sam?"

he smiled. "you've paid miss. anytime anyone makes an afternoon for me, then payment is paid in full. plus, i hope you all will be very happy." he said.

"you're a very nice guy sam"

"nope, just a sentimental old fool, now go, i have things to do."

"he was nice carlee." sidney stated.

"yes, he was, let me see your watch. wow, just like new."

"would you like to make a wish on it?"

"would love to sidney, but not right now. we have to make a stop." i headed toward andy's store. andy was sitting out front with a friend. must be a slow day. the little girl beside him was beautiful, it had to be nikki, andy couldn't deny her being his daughter.

"hey guys." i said as we got out.

"carlee, i'm so glad you stopped by, this is my daughter nikki. say hi to carlee and..."

"sidney, my new boy friend." i answered. andy smiled. nikki was older than sidney, a few years, she was blondish and very cute. we sat down beside them and i lit a cigarette. the kids were talking, sidney was shy.

"so what have you two been doing?" i asked.

"catching up mainly." andy said as he put his arm around her.

"she's very pretty andy." he smiled.

"you have to come over carlee."

"i will, are we zillionaires yet?"

"no, but the day isn't over, the race is at 3:00."

"carlee, will you buy nikki and me a coke?"

"sure sidney, let me get my purse."

"no carlee, i'll get them." andy said, and walked into the store. the kids looked perfect together, nikki was a head taller than sidney, but they made a handsome couple. when andy returned, i told him about leroy and the police.

"he has to be stopped carlee, you did the right thing."

"i was so scared andy, what if sidney really got hurt, i'd never forgive myself."

"you should do what your friend suggested and call the police in bowling green."

"lissell said to wait until she finished talking with her detective friend, that he would map out the plan."

"is leroy in jail?" he asked.

"i don't know andy, i just don't know."

it looked like sidney and nikki were enjoying each others company. a lot of smiles, and some giggles. "they play nice together."

i smiled and said, "so do we babe." andy said as he laid his hand on my knee. "come over tonight andy, the house is empty, everyone's gone."

"i'd love to baby, and maybe i can, i'm not sure." i talked to nikki for a while. she was very nice, extremely ladylike, she seemed to like me. i announced that we had to go, terry would be worrying.

"oh please don't go carlee, i'm just getting to know you." nikki said. she hugged me. i smiled.

"i'm sorry baby, i'll come and see you, tomorrow maybe."

"i'd love that." she was so polite.

andy said, "i have a friend who will be listening to the race, i'll let you know."

# "great, cross your fingers."

i really needed to see pork pie, there was a lot of unfinished business about the pictures. i knew that i needed to get sidney back to the zoo though. "what did you think of nikki, sidney?"

"she's very nice carlee, kind of sexy, but not like you." i smiled,

"so i'm now a sex queen." i replied.

"oh, absolutely." that's a popular word in our vocabulary today, i don't like it very much. when we arrived at the gate, i stopped and talked with the guy at the ticket office.

"muthafuckers run you off madam, they smell too bad?"

"no, not that, just had to leave suddenly." he was black, had rings on every finger, both ear lobes were pierced and bizarre things hung from them, i'm certain that his dick was pierced too. i started to ask him, but thought better about it. "may we come back in?"

"suit yourself lady."

"do you know leroy van cleeve?" i took a chance and asked.

"the king of cool, sho i know him, everyone knows leroy." hmmm, this was interesting.

"may i ask your name?"

"me, i'm dewalt johnston, they call me 'second-to-none' at the downtowners." i didn't pursue this any further, terry was walking down the hill.

"sidney!" he shouted.

"i'm ok dad, went with carlee." he wasn't happy looking.

"get out of there sidney, i've been frantic."

"i'm sorry terry, it's my fault, i wanted to find you before we left, but sidney said that you were very busy."

"umpa said someone hurt him." i was startled. "umpa's a clown carlee, he works with the monkeys."

"oh, ok." i said. we told terry about the incident, and about the complaint that sidney filed.

"i should have been notified." terry said. i knew he was right.

"i'm very sorry terry, really i am, but i was so upset." terry grabbed sidney's hand and walked off. sidney looked back, tears in his eyes.

"carlee!"

"it's alright baby, it'll be fine."

my ears burned. i was so embarassed, god, what was i thinking of.

"did that fool hit you madam? terry the turd."

"no dewalt, he didn't. he was just mad, that's all."

"he's an ass hole madam, and that little boy is so nice. you're carlee aren't you?"

"yes, how did you know?"

"well, fo' one thing, the little one just called you that. fo' another, i've heard the king mention you."

"leroy?" i asked.

"yeah, leroy."

he wiped my tears. "now madam, i don't put nuthin' past leroy, he's a man for all seasons. but don't worry your pretty little head, second-to-none ain't gonna stand for nobody hurting you." i smiled and thanked dewalt.

i drove back home, i was exhausted. i lay down on the bed; dewalt liked me, lissell and i might even need him, i thought. i dozed, the phone woke me at seven pm. "carlee. we have problems." it was lissell. "can we come over right away?"

"we?"

"detective zimmerman and myself."

"yes, of course." i answered. they arrived in less than half an hour. detective zimmerman wasn't what i expected. he wasn't a day over thirty, heavy set, dressed in a blue serge suit and a bright red tie. we got right down to business.

"carlee, your covert invistigation was fine," he said. "the material you retrieved was exactly what we needed to put mr. van cleeve behind bars for a very long time." i smiled at lissell. we'd done good. "frankly, without it, he would be a free man."

"you have him locked up?" i asked.

"yes, for the moment, and i have men all over the country following leads you all provided us. there is one problem though."

"yes?" i asked.

"the material you present us is not legal material, the law's funny carlee, in fact, it will be considered inadmissable in court and a mistrial will ensue, unless...." i looked at lissel.

"unless what?"

"mr. zimmerman wants us to return the evidence to leroy's apartment carlee."

"oh shit!" i said.

"i'm sorry carlee, it's the only way. we can look through his apartment in a few hours, we have a bench warrent, but our guys must find the evidence or leroy goes free. do you understand?"

"no, i don't." i was frantic.

"look lissell, i just can't involve myself in this any longer. you and carlee work it out, and call me when it's done."

"thanks harry, and i will, one way or another." lissell said, as detective zimmerman left. lissell hugged me tightly. "oh baby, do you understand all this?"

it felt nice in her arms. "i don't like it, but yes i do lissell." she kissed me. "the dynamic duo must strike again, but i'm not feeling very dynamic."

"he's scum carlee, dangerous scum, if we hadn't have gotten the evidence, he would be free to kill again, if we don't get it back, he'll still be free."

"alright, i understand, really i do. what do you want me to do lissell?"

"first i want you to undress carlee."

i thought that lissell wanted to make wild, passionate love with me, but what she really wanted was for me to put black clothing on again. fifteen minutes later, i was beside her in the car, holding the evidence that i had taken from leroy's apartment on that dreadful night a few days ago. "this time it's earlier carlee, we have to be even more careful."

"couldn't we wait until later?" i asked.

"i'm sorry love, they'll want to exercise the warrant before ten tonight." st. james court was lit up like a fucking christmas tree.

"what in the hell is this, open house in queersville?" i asked.

"now, don't worry about the fruitcakes, just do like you did before carlee, you'll do fine." lissell discreetly parked her car about a block from leroy's. i had the stuff i had taken from leroy in a brown paper bag. when we reached his house, lissell motioned me around to the side, and i slipped down the yard and found his window easily this time.

"good evening officer stacey." i heard.

"evening pete." i heard her say.

"what kind of business do you have down here tonight?"

"just looking around mae."

"making it safe for all us sexually challenged muthafuckers."

"now, that's enough out of you razzy!" i heard her shout.

"enough out of you bitch!" he shouted. "goddamnit we're tired of you all fuckin' around here, it ain't none of your business what goes on here!" oh, lissell was in trouble, i could tell. but where did that leave me.........