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Vivid Hues 2
Errol Wayne Anderson

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If you are a reader and are interested in national events, this is a deal for you. Vivid Hues is a four ebook series with each ebook being in the neighborhood of 75,000 words. If you have an interest in five of the major subjects which motivates our world, race relations, politics, religion, terrorism and romance, you will want this series. 

My preliminary readers lost sleep and found it difficult to stop reading in order to take care of family and personal needs. One reader even reported taking it to the bathroom with her rather than putting the manuscript down. 

Vivid Hues, Black, White and Sanguinary; Vivid Hues II, The Nicolaian 
Compromise; Vivid Hues III, The Beginning of the End; Vivid Hues IV, The 
Sanguinary Resolve are all Thrillers of the first order. They all take place in the year 
2022 after President Obama has completed two terms, and another president has been elected and is in the first year of his second term. His name and party shall remain undisclosed. 

The United Stated has become multiracial as well as multicultural. Many have also 
become antireligious. The result has become many factions fighting against each other and vying for power. The Unites States of 2022 has little resemblance to the ideals and lifestyles of our Founding Fathers of 1776. It must be asked, has our nation finally come to the prediction given to us by Abraham Lincoln? It was he who said because of good friends to our north and south and two great oceans to our east and west, if we are destroyed, the destruction will surely come from within rather than from outside our nation. 

Can we as a nation survive, and, if we do, what will we be? Will we want to be part of the result? And, if we do, what changes will we necessarily have to make to our lifestyles? 

I believe you will find the four books of Vivid Hues interesting as well as thought 
provoking. 

I suggest you buy the first ebook and see if you like it. If you do, proceed to the next ebook and so on.

Thank you so much for buying Vivid Hues. Keep in mind, this is an iron-clad guarantee. If you don’t like the first Vivid Hues ebook or any of the subsequent three Vivid Hues ebooks return the ebook or ebooks you didn't like for a full refund. 

Errol Wayne Anderson 
Author

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Chapter 5

LULU ANN’S SECRET

Officer Hank Rodgers and Johnny Johnson had just exited Hank’s parked

squad car and were walking up to the charred ruins of Johnny’s old apartment

house where several policemen were already working. The fire had virtually burnt

the old building to the ground; two brick chimneys remained standing along with

three partial walls but nothing else. The four columns were still recognizable as

they lay on the ground, charred as they were. Two of the four columns had fallen

into the fire and had burned almost completely except for stump ends. The other

two lay on the ground where they had fallen away from the burning building.

“Okay, Mister Johnson, I know this place is a charred mess, but we have

people here who knows how to go through a mess like this and miss nothing. What

“Yaw, likewise, too,” Johnny said as he looked at his hand after shaking

hands with Officer Blasco.

Blasco said, without offence, “Don’t worry about the soot, Mister Johnson,

you’ll have it all over you before this day is over.”

“You staying with us, Hank?” Blasco asked, looking back towards Hank.

“Sorry, have to report in just as soon as you and Johnny are hard at work

here. Also, I need to get back to the Sixth and pick up Bill. I left him there to do

some paperwork for us,” Hank said as he turned his ample frame back toward the

squad car.

“If you don’t mind, tell me something, Hank,” Blasco said, with a smile

playing about his lips.

“Yeah, what?” Hank asked as he turned back toward Blasco.

“How do you get Bill to do all that paperwork for you?”

“Hey, he’s good at it! ‘Sides, he loves it,” Hank said, tongue-in-cheek.

“Yeah, I’ll bet he does,” Blasco quipped.

“How about this old house,” Hank asked, getting back to business, “you

about ready here?”

“Well, we’re getting close,” Blasco said, “right now what we’re doing is

sectioning off the areas we’re going to investigate into four feet by four feet

squares. As you can see, I’ve made a drawing to scale here. It’s sectioned off in

four-by-four squares.” Blasco held up a clipboard with the drawing on it for Hank

and Johnny to see. Both Hank and Johnny acknowledged they understood. “By

identifying where things are that belong to Johnny and where they should be and

what is laying on top of what, it may give us an idea of which room they started

with first and which room was last on their agenda. If they did drop something,

we’ll hopefully be able to find it and chart just where we found it. What we’re

doing is looking for something we don’t know about and without Johnny we can’t

tell whether it should be there or not. If you understand what I mean?

“Right,” Hank said.

Blasco continued, “With Johnny’s help we hope to get a better idea of

what went down here. While it may be nothing more than a puzzle part, meaning

nothing by itself, we hope when we start putting the puzzle together it’ll be a help

in finding these guys.”

“That’s right,” Hank said as he looked at Johnny, “sometimes it may be

only a small part, but it could be a great help in time.”

“Yaw, yaw, I see, by golly,” Johnny said with a serious look and an

exaggerated nodding of his head.

The officer jerked his thumb toward the burnt out area of the house that

used to contain Johnny’s apartment and said, “Johnny, if you’ll come with me,

maybe we can get started while these fellas are putting the finishing touches to the

sectioning off.”

“Yaw, I come,” Johnny said.

“Now, I think I can tell this was the kitchen because of the cook stove, but

I can’t tell for sure where the kitchen left off and the next room started. Can you

show me?”

“Yaw, I show you, see right there was where the wall was.”

“Okay,” Arnold said. “Now, how about this side of the room? And here,

…?”

Hank watched as the two men walked around the burnt out hull of what

used to be a beautiful mansion. Hank wondered where he would be now if it had

been him who went into that burning house instead of Johnny. Remembering the

night and the fire, Hank shook his head in amazement as he again turned back to

his car. As he came into earshot of his radio he could hear he was being called.

Quickly he opened the door and picked up the mic.

“Officer Rodgers here!”

“Officer Rodgers, you have a phone message here from a lady by the name

of Lulu Ann. Do you recognize the name?” the dispatcher asked.

“Yes, I do,” Hank responded. “What’s the message?”

“She says she wants you to meet her.”

“Where?”

“In the alleyway behind her apartment building. She said she’d be in a

around to see if Rhett and Butch had arrived yet, no luck, so he drove away.

“I’ll stop and pick up Bill, and then we’ll be on our way,” Hank said

aloud.

Bill was standing near the gate to the police car parking lot; Hank stopped

and Bill got in.

“Get it all done?” Hank asked.

“Yeah, almost! You know this wouldn’t be such a bad job if it weren’t for

the paperwork,” Bill said as he settled into his seat.

“Well, you know what they say, ‘The job isn’t done until the paperwork is

done.’ You have heard that, haven’t you?” Hank asked with an impish grin.

“Hank, if you say that to me just one more time, I swear, I’ll….”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know…” Hank said, laughing through his words.

Bill threw his hands in the air then crossed his arms across his chest and

just sat there for a few moments. “You know, Hank, you could do it once in a while,

you know. Or, at least help a little.”

Hank ignored Bill’s idea of him helping. Instead, he glanced toward Bill,

“Did anyone tell you where we’re going?” Hank asked, still musing about his

partner’s dislike of paperwork.

“Dispatch said we were going over to some lady’s apartment house.

What’s that all about?” Bill asked, losing some of his feelings of disgust.

“The ‘lady’ she was talking about is Lulu Ann. I guess she called and

wants to talk to us.”

“Oh, well, no wonder I didn’t catch on. Dispatch used the word ‘lady’.”

“Come on, Bill,” Hank said, “I know these women are working girls, but

they aren’t a bad sort and Janie’s even, well… not bad at all. For that matter,

nether is Lulu Ann if you like ‘em black.”

“Well, ‘for that matter’, as you say,” Bill added. “I’ve always thought

Lulu Ann was the better looker of the two. She has the best figure and the longest

legs, if you get my drift?”

“Yeah, Bill, I hear ya, but just cut ‘em a little slack! Okay?”

Begrudgingly, Bill said, “I suppose… I wonder what they want to talk

69

pool of her own blood.

“Oh, lord!” Hank said as he looked away from the horrendous sight. “You

better call it in, Bill,” Hank said as he started to get up. Just then Lulu Ann

moaned. “My god!” Hank breathed. “Bill! Make that call for an ambulance, she’s

still alive!”

The ambulance driver was talking to Hank as he and his assistant

hurriedly loaded Lulu Ann onto the gurney and into the ambulance. “She’s still

alive, and she is suffering from shock.” The assistant said as he climbed in behind

the gurney. The driver shut the door. He hurried around to the driver side and

opened the door to get in. “We’ll get her to the hospital as fast as we can.” The

driver got in and shut the door. Looking out of the window, he added, “You said

she’s a hooker, is there anything else you know about her? Anything, so I can pass

it along to the doctor? Who knows what could be a help?”

Hank spoke as the driver started the motor. “Only that she lives in this

apartment house with another hooker as a roommate, that’s about it,” Hank said

as the driver nodded and sped off, siren blaring.

Hank watched as the ambulance sped out of the alley. He then turned

back toward his car and was pleasantly surprised to see Bill talking to Rhett and

Butch.

“Hey, Rhett, Butch, how you guys doing?” Hank asked as he walked over

to where they were talking. Rhett offered to shake hands, but Hank held his hands

up with palms toward Rhett and said, “Sorry, fellas, I can’t shake until I get this

blood off. Let’s go up to the apartment and see if Janie is home so I can get washed

up.”

“Right, Hank!” Rhett agreed. “As you well know, with her being a hooker,

the possibility of AIDS or Hepatitis is very real.”

“Yes, Hank.” Bill said, looking as though he was saying, “I told you so!”

Hank nodded as they headed up to the apartment.

They tried to ring up Janie, but she didn’t answer. Rhett rang the

manager’s bell. When she answered they showed their badges and explained to her

they were police and needed to check Janie and Lulu Ann’s room. The manager,

who was very short and very fat, reluctantly agreed to let them into the rooms

since Lulu Ann had just been found with her throat cut.

“Who knows,” Rhett said, “her roommate could be laying dead in there

right now.”

“Good lord,” Hank said, and everyone agreed, “That is possible!”

They took the elevator up to the third floor and Bill rung the bell. There

was no answer so he knocked. Still no answer.

Rhett turned to the manager, “Better let us in.”

She agreed and, using her master key, she opened the door.

Just as they started into the room they heard the elevator door open and

someone humming rather loudly to herself. They stopped, turned and looked to see

who was getting off the elevator. Janie, carrying an overnight bag, was halfway

down the hall before seeing the manager and four men standing in front of her

open door. She was startled at first, but then the surprise left her face. Suddenly

she had nothing but contempt when she recognized Hank and Bill.

“Oh, what an ill wind it must have been to blow in the likes of you!” she

exclaimed with disgust.

“Yeah, girl, we’re real glad to see you, too!” Bill said.

“Janie, we have to talk to you about Lulu Ann, and I also need to ask you

for a favor,” Hank said as polite as he could.

Janie stopped in her tracks when she heard Hank mention Lulu Ann.

“You sure have been big on favors from us lately… what about Lulu Ann?” she

asked, continuing toward her apartment and trying to remain aloof as she entered.

She hadn’t noticed Hank’s bloody hands yet.

“Lulu Ann has met with an accident,” Hank said, genuinely sorry. “She’s

been taken to the hospital.”

“Oh, no,” Janie said, as the look on her face changed to concern for her

friend. “How bad is she? When can I see her? Where is she, anyway?”

“One question at a time, Janie, but first why don’t you invite us in and

Janie relaxed a little.

“Janie, as far as seeing Lulu Ann is concerned, that’ll be up to her doctors,

but whenever the time is right, we can take you down to the hospital and bring you

back if you want.”

“Hank, that’s real sweet of you,” Janie said with honest appreciation. “I’ll

take my own car, though, thanks anyway. Now what’s your favor, big guy?” Janie

asked, sensing Hank’s amiable attitude.

Hank explained.

“Oh! Of course! The bathroom’s this way,” Janie said as she led the way.

She opened the door, stepped aside letting Hank go in then she followed him in and

closed the door behind them. “You can see the tub and shower are right there, the

sink is here. As you know, we’re in the business so we have all the medicated soaps

and solutions you’ll ever need to wash that tush of yours,” Janie said with a smile,

looking him over, head to foot, then back to his posterior.

Hank looked at her with surprise, “Hands, Janie, hands!” he insisted,

holding his hands up for her to see.

Janie looked Hank eye-to-eye and said with a trace of amusement, “Yes,

well, those too, I know you only said your hands, but you better do a good job of it.

Use the shower, it’s clean.”

“Janie, I can see it’s clean,” Hank said a little embarrassed.

“Use it then, Hank, you earned it today. I’ll wait out here with your

friends,” Janie said with a coquettish smile as she opened the door and exited the

bathroom. She shut the door behind her with a grin and a glance over her

shoulder.

“Jaaanieee!” Hank said, barely audible. The vision of her flirting, overthe-

shoulder grin, was imprinted on his thoughts. He then realized for the first

time something that he already knew, but he wasn’t totally aware of it yet. He had

feelings for this woman. And now, after her flirtatious response to him, he

wondered if she could possibly have feelings for him, too.

When Janie heard the door lock from inside she smiled to herself then

joined the other three men in the living room.

They stopped talking and looked at Janie as she returned.

Janie went straight to the phone. “Excuse me gentleman, I know it hasn’t

been long, but I just have to call the hospital and see about Lulu Ann.”

After the call she frowned, “I guess they haven’t had enough time.” Her

hand still rested on the phone. “They don’t have any information yet.”

The three policemen looked at her for a moment, and then Rhett spoke

first. “Miss Thomas, I’m so sorry about your good friend. Like Hank said, if

there’s anything we can do to help just let us know.”

“Thanks, fellas, but I think I can manage. I miss her already. It’s too bad

you didn’t get to meet Lulu Ann. She’s a great friend.”

“Oh, I know Lulu Ann!” Butch said. “As a matter of fact, we used to date

now and again back before she got into the business.”

Janie’s eyes were wide in mild astonishment as she looked at Butch, “Well,

I didn’t know that! I thought she told me about all the guys she dated.”

Rhett broke into their conversation, “Miss Thomas, I can’t help but

wonder what it was that Lulu Ann called the Sixth Precinct about.”

“First of all, please call me Janie. Everyone does,” she said, her voice and

smile had completely disarmed her audience except for Bill Blue.

“Okay, Janie, we’ll do that,” Rhett said, agreeably.

“As far as what Lulu Ann wanted to tell you, I can only guess.” She looked

at Bill and said, “It probably had something to do with that white Cadillac, but I

really don’t know for sure what it was.”

“Janie, can you tell us where you’ve been?” Butch asked.

“Yes, some clients invited me out on an ocean boat ride. We stayed out all

night on the water and had a real good time.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet!” Bill exclaimed with damning fervor.

Janie bit her tongue to keep from tearing into Bill. She didn’t think it

would be a good idea right now. Certainly not now, not when she might need some

help from the police to protect her from this throat slasher, whoever he was.

“I’d help if I could, but I’ve been out to sea, and I just don’t know

anything,” Janie said, apologetically.

“That’s okay, Janie,” Rhett said. “Think back now, have you seen anyone,

anyone at all lurking or just standing about watching people going in or out?”

Janie twirled a strand of her hair around her index finger as she accessed

her memory.

“You may not have thought of them as being suspicious at the time, but if

you did see anyone we’d like to know,” Butch added.

“I don’t think so. I haven’t seen anyone that might seem suspicious in any

way.” She thought again for a moment or two then added, “You know, I always

notice the guys.”

“Oh, well yes! I’ll bet!” Bill’s voice was laced with contempt. Rhett and

Butch both threw a look of disapproval in his direction.

Janie caught their look of objection. She just couldn’t ignore Bill any

longer. “You know, doggy Blue, if you don’t like it here you don’t have to stay!

Why don’t you go scratch your fleas somewhere else?” She glanced a nervous look

at the two detectives since she’d just dressed down one of their own.

Bill flushed, and then said, “I’m going out and check the crime scene. I’ve

had enough of this.”

Janie quickly returned to the question, “Well, I mean I notice them

because my clients are men, as you know.”

Bill’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling, but he kept his silence as he left to go

back outside where they had found Lulu Ann.

Janie continued, “They all know they’re supposed to call for a date, and

all dates are supposed to take place elsewhere. I’m always checking to see if one

has showed up unannounced… so to speak… you know?” Janie used her hands to

punctuate her halting finish as she suddenly felt vulnerable in the presence of these

two policemen.

“As they used to say on TV, ‘All we want are the facts, ma’am, the facts!’”

Butch said good-naturedly. Everyone smiled and Janie relaxed.

“I just didn’t see anyone,” she finished.

****