Billy Luck Part, 36: WAY DOWN, IN THOSE “BOONDOCKS!”

Billy and Macedonia had a rude awakening at the front portals to the Mission of Last Resort at Fourth and New York Avenue. Vice Captain Quinton Boyd of the D.C. Squad had the place sealed completely off– wrapped tighter than a wedding cake with white nylon ropes and ‘crime scene’ flags while Quinton’s boys were scuttling around inside, gathering whatever ‘evidence’ they needed to put together to, you might think, indict Senator Marsh on conspiracy to murder Rev’rend Rand.

Macedonia, not too subtly, jabbed a meaty thumb into the chunky captain’s polyester-clad ribs. “Hey, Sister, that’s D.C. Metro property you’re poking. Not so fast there–”

“Look, Cap’ Quint, Y’all don’t need draw more chalk around where Rev’rend fell, and you got your man down in the cell, so wha’s the big issue now?”

“Added suspects and co-conspirators,” the officer retorted cheerlessly.

Billy straightened his towering cowboy hat, and stepped forward. “What more do you need, man! Ferret is dead, and Harris had come clean– we need to install our new parson.”

Quinton sneered sarcastically. “And who might THAT be–You, I suppose?”

Billy nodded.”I see we can’t get any help here. D’you mind if–”

Macedonia stared the officious vice cop down. Both she and Billy reached out, awaiting Quinton Boyd’s capitulating and offering his walkie-talkie for their convenience. After all, no pay phones were at hand on this desolate block, which any vice squadder would know straight up.

Boyd squeezed the green “Go” button and handed the two-way radio to Billy Luck.

First, Billy called Vinny’s bar on 11th Street, but they demurred- Link Wray’s Wray Men Band was about to rip the roof off that joint, so out of the question. Spike, the manager, growled into the box, “Why don’cha try duh BOONDOCKS Bar, at Ninth and K. They could always use a few stiffs like youse guys!”

So, that is how Billy Luck’s investiture as due replacement for the late lamented Reverend Rand, as the new shepherd of the New York Avenue Mission of last Resort, came

to be. How Billy reunites with Skipper Mizelle, newly installed U.S. Senator from The Volunteer State,

(District of Memphis) Tennessee; well, all we can let slip is that it and our joyful resolution to the saga

of Billy Luck shall be revealed in the next pair of closing chapters.

Meanwhile, Clyde Frothwick and Annie are zooming down the Beltway towards the Pennsylvania

Avenue exit- hell bent on donating a bale of clothes to the downtown missions of D.C.’s ‘Skid Row!’

(To Be Continued)

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