Steele Meets up with Panama at 30th Street Station

 Chapter 2
Excerpt

The Inner Sanctum Crew

It was just before the evening rush hour when Steele caught up with Panama, outside the train station on the outskirts of center city. Dressed in light tan pants and a light palm tree shirt Panama was a small olive completed man with a mustache and goatee.

“Alexander Steele,” he tipped his straw hat and shook Steele’s hand. “Trench told me that you would be calling. As the cabbies around him picked up passengers exiting from 30th Street Panama told Steele about how he met the Fat Man and Dr. Death in prison. “We were all cellmates,” he recalled. Panama looked to the ground; “I knew that one day there would be bad blood between them, I could feel it, even back then. There were four of us, there was a guy named Eddie in our cell. He became Fat Daddy’s, right-hand man. Did Trench tell you that Eddie has

gone missing?”

Steele shook his head, “No, when did this happen?”

Panama thought for a while and said “About two weeks ago. Yeah, I remember because it was the day after my wife’s birthday.”

The cabbie looked at Steele and pointed to his head, “You see Dr. D is muy loco; he was crazy even then. If you ask me I think that he used too much of his own product, if you get my drift. Even in jail he still couldn’t get that damn monkey off his back. The Fat Man’s got issues too, he likes to gamble, a real high roller, he’s also superstitious and that makes him very paranoid my friend. He’s into astrology and all that supernatural shit. Every month he goes to the Borgata down the shore. It’s a real shame; do you know he went to Morehouse College?” Panama motioned as if he was washing his hands. “I don’t run with that crowd no more. I got a wife and kid to support.”

Alexander Steele Mysteries is now available on Audible audiobooks. Most of our short stories ebooks are only $0.99. 


  Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld
#Philly #Philadelphia
Listen to free samples on Amazon

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Steele Meets With Trench in North Philly

Excerpt from Case of the Death Dealer

 Chapter 2

The Inner Sanctum Crew

Steele agreed to meet Trench in his office hidden behind a restaurant aptly named the Greasy Spoon.

The weather was bright sunny outside but it was clear from the grease and grime on the front window that the sun’s attempt to brighten the inside was a lost cause.

From the moment Steele walked in the door it was evident that whoever was responsible for cleaning the place had taken the last five years off. The dingy red and white sign in the corner read special, 2 eggs, hash browns, and coffee $1.50.

Knowing that it was a front for Trench’s illegal activities in the back Steele shook his head as he entered.

He murmured, “They should change the sign to leave your taste buds at the door.”

The half dozen zombie-like patrons didn’t bother to look up when he walked in. The decor was early seventies with duck taped stools but the balding; cigarette smoking man in front of the grill was defiantly a product of the fifties.

Never taking the cigarette from his mouth the sweaty cook turned around holding a spatula in one hand and plate of eggs with hash browns in the other. “What can I get you young blood?”

Steele chuckled as he thought, ‘Coffee, hash browns and eggs $1.50. Cigarette ashes, no charge. Does that come with a side of Pepto Bismol? This place would be a health inspector’s dream if one was ever bold enough to come through those doors.

Steele took notice of the bulge near the cook’s waistline under his dirty white apron. ‘That ain’t no fanny pack, he thought, this guy was definitely packing heat.’ The cook was doing double duty as Trench’s first line of defense; too bad he didn’t do windows.’

Steele glanced at the plate of food and waved him off, “No thanks.” He pointed to the dark brown door all the way in the back. The man set the plate on the counter in front of the partially comatose customer.

Hanging directly overhead was a swirly strip of flypaper that had done its job all too well.

“You Steele?” he asked.

When Steele nodded the cook reached under the counter and buzzed him in.  Alexander Steele Mysteries is now available on Audible audiobooks. Most of our short stories ebooks are only $0.99

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld

Listen to free samples on Amazon

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks

Alexander Steele's Late Night Trip to The Badlands

Excerpt from Case of the Death Dealer
Chapter 1
Pusherman

After dropping Shakia off Steele went home and tried to get some sleep but his conscience wouldn’t cooperate. His thoughts drifted back to grade school and how the kids used to joke about God forgot to give Trench a heart. How do you do business with a guy who robbed a nun at age fourteen?

Two hours later Steele found himself driving through the roughest neighborhood in the city. No one in their right mind would come down here alone in the daytime and most cops wouldn’t risk traveling through this part of town late at night but somehow on this dark and quiet night, Alexander Steele seemed to be drawn to it. There was movement in shadows of the blocks and blocks of abandon buildings where it was commonplace to see hundreds of crack vials strewn about the sidewalk. The movement came from the remnants of lives that once had promising futures until somehow it all went wrong, somehow dreams were shattered and goals were forgotten. This was a microcosm of the millions who chose unwisely at life’s fork in the road. These were the forgotten whose primary concern was not what to wear to work tomorrow morning but how to survive another day.

Up until now, Steele had never given it much thought. Every now and then a homeless, drug addict would be bold or desperate enough to step out of the shadows and approach his car asking for money. At that moment the cold stark reality had set in, Steele thought to himself that could have been me, or one of my friends. Deep down inside he knew that he could not just sit idly by and let them all perish.

Alexander Steele Mysteries is now available on Audible audiobooks. Most of our short stories ebooks are only $0.99.


Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld
#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks
Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele in West Philly

        

Excerpt from Case of the Death Dealer
Pusherman

Chapter 1

The cool evening breeze didn’t seem to faze the crowd of music lovers as they tapped their feet and bobbed their heads to the Latin rhythms of music legend Carlos Santana. The open-air venue on the west side in Philly’s Fairmount Park was the perfect night out for Alexander Steele and his longtime girlfriend Shakia.

Shakia ignored the occasional pungent scent of marijuana wafting past her nose. Feeling a chill in the air she tugged on her powder blue shawl and snuggled up closer to Steele. An interior designer by profession Shakia, dressed in royal blue pants and a white top could have easily been mistaken for a model. When the concert came to a close Steele, the six foot browned skin ex-detective looked around.  As he stroked the corners of his mustache Steele wondered if getting front row seats was worth the hassle of dealing with the crowds after the show.

As the two made their way through the crowd to the parking lot Shakia gently held onto his arm while the couple discussed the concert. Steele made a habit of parking close to the brightly lit parking lot lights in case an old enemy or two should be lurking about. It didn’t take long for him to notice the small white piece of paper tucked neatly under the driver’s windshield of his midnight blue Jag.

He unfolded the paper and read the note.

Steele, meet me on the corner of 57th and Master at 11:00 tonight. It’s a matter of life or death, signed Trench.

Shakia folded her arms and looked toward the stars in the night sky, it was clear that Steele’s usually calm girlfriend was upset by the note. “Oh hell no, what does that low life bastard want now?”

Shakia was known for her kindness, she shared a mutual respect with just about everyone she knew but when it came to Trench respect went out the window and Shakia never held back. “He’s bad news baby. Everything he touches turns to …”

Steele placed his index finger over her lips. When she noticed that more than a few people in the parking lot were watching she dropped her arms to her side and let out a sigh.  Early on in their relationship Shakia learned that Steele was a confident man who always made his own decisions. Not only did she respect him for that she admired his confidence.

Steele read the letter again aloud, “A matter of life and death,” he said.

Shakia pranced around in a small circle, you could hear her heels clicking against the parking lot’s asphalt, “Life or death alright,” she muttered, “yeah probably his.”

Steele checked his watch, 10:45. ‘How did he know I was here?’ he wondered. He explained to Shakia that lives may be at stake; and how he didn’t want that to be on his conscience.

It was exactly 11:00 p.m. when Steele rounded the corner and parked his car in front of the corner lot on Master Street. A few seconds later a black Escalade slowly pulled up behind him.

Steele patted Shakia on the hand, “I won’t be long baby.”

Shakia watched silently as he got out of the car. She always joked with her girlfriends about her boyfriends looks. She would say, he’s like Denzel and Billy Dee combined but was always quick to add Billy Dee when he was in his prime.

Steele stood face to face with the man he had grown up with and had learned to despise. The stockily built man wore a dark blue jogging suit, his hair was cut close. His mustache seemed to grow a little wider when he smiled at Steele.

When Trench reached out to shake hands the small diamond studded earring in his left ear glistened through the darkness. “Alexander Steele in the flesh, man I wasn’t sure if you were gonna show.”

Steele pretended not to see Trench’s outstretched hand, “Okay Trench, what’s up? Why am I here?”

                                               Alexander Steele Murder Mysteries Reviews

Alexander Steele Mysteries is now available on Audible audiobooks. Most of our short stories ebooks are only $0.99.
Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld
Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy  Audiobook United Kingdom #UK

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks

Alexander Steele Murder Mystery Reviews - Audio Books

"Fun, short mysteries"

Would you try another book from Lawrence Johnson, Sr. and/or Alistair Dryburgh?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I just want to clarify that the 3-star review I gave this book is not a bad thing. Most people on Audible seem way too eager to give everything 5 stars so it gets hard to actually judge if a book is worthwhile or not. 5 stars should be reserved for your absolute favorite books, 4 stars for great books, and 3 for good books. This is a good book. I enjoyed the short mysteries and would recommend this book to mystery/Sherlock Holmes fans.

"Three enjoyable quick detective stories"

Clocking in at just under three hours, and containing three independent detective stories The Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy is an enjoyable, quick, and fast paced collection.

I'm not sure if there are stories set before these ones or if we are just dropped into the middle of the story. The opening story has Steele already set up as a famous detective, with him just having defeated his "nemesis" (which to me sounded a little too Sherlock vs Moriarty. I don't think all detectives have nemeses.) and then being called on by The Vatican to find a missing relic. There is nothing in the three stories that really explains why The Vatican would go to Steele over another detective, it's just taken as fact that they have come to him.

The next two stories deal with some drug dealers and a drug war, and a small business being pressured by some thugs.

All are enjoyable stories to following along with, although they aren't the sort that you could solve yourself by working out all the clues (if that's what you are looking for).

The narrator is promising, although let down by some of the production work. He is well paced and easy to listen to. Certainly able to keep my attention. There is the occasional ambient noise, such as chair movements and squeaking, page changes or the occasional mouth noise. A little more care in removing these would have lifted the work a notch.

"Just enough to make me want more!"

ByMartha A. Cheves

The Case of the Deadly Ring - "Listen to this boss, a stranger from a distant land will enter your life. He will seek out your counsel on matters of health or religion," Steele snickered as he shook his head. "Sugar Bear, would you please give it up? Those things are never right." Sugar Bear's mood was deflated.

Oh, was Steele wrong. It wasn't long before he was paid a visit from Julius DiBona from the Vatican City, Rome, with a mystery to solve and a very short time in which it had to be done.

The Case of the Death Dealer - "There's a guy, a big time drug dealer named Fat Daddy. Him and some chemist got into a thing in Florida about 6 months ago about manufacturing a large quantity of pills, probably Esctasy. anyway it ended badly and Fat Daddy had his sister offed. Now the doctor is after Fat Daddy's next coke shipment. If it's true, and it works, folks for Philly to Maryland are gonna start dropping dead within 48 hours after using the drug.

Steele had grown up with Trench and learned to despise him. He was bad news but how could Steele not help prevent hundreds of deaths. But again, time was running out since the shipment could come in at any time and even already be in and just waiting for distribution.

Alexander Steele and the Legacy of Death - It had been nearly 20 years since the double murder that spawned dozens of rumors and never ending gossip. Some say the murders of the Mt. Airy barber shop owner and his South Philly girlfriend were the results of a love triangle gone bad; while others whispered strange tales of mysticism and witchcraft. No matter what story you believe they all say there is a treasure hidden within the dilapidated old building.

Steele has decided to expand his club by renovating the old barber shop which was right next door. But all work stops when Julia walks into the club. Julia was the daughter of the murdered woman and she is in need of Steele's help to help save the restaurant she inherited from her mother and the only way to do this is by finding the missing money.

Alexander Steele tells everyone he is retired from the detective agency work and is now just an upscale club owner but his reputation for success seems to prevent his retirement. His fast actions and quick thinking keep him telling himself, just this one last case. As I read these 3 stories I wanted more. I wanted to know more about his best friends Sugar Bear, Roger the Philosopher and Stan his computer man. I wanted to see him in action in a full book story. Author Lawrence Johnson has started that story and I'm really looking forward to him finishing. I can see a possible Alex Cross set of books in the future.

"Great Book"

ByAlicia Watson Coleman

Format: Kindle Edition

I love Alexander Steele the main character in this book. It's a mystery that a retired detective is trying to figure out. I love that Alex has a sense of humor and the twists in this book really surprised me. It's a stay up late and get up early to finish book just so I can see what happens in the end. I look forward to this writer to writing more stories with this great detective who actually have morals:) LOL I love this book!

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld
#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks