Here for your enjoyment is the 3rd Jack Blackwood story. I have one more left to write, then I will probably be taking another break from writing to re-charge. For a bit. We will see. I keep debating on if I am going to continue on writing, or if I wanna somehow continue with Music which was always my first favorite hobby growing up. We will see what happens after I take a break after the next and last Jack Blackwood story is done. I sure do like writing, but I find my inner critic is a lot less noisy when I play Music compared to writing. Anyway I will try, and get to the last Jack Blackwood story later today or tomorrow. I hope you all enjoy reading The Man With The Broken-Heart Tattoo. As much as I enjoyed writing it.
The Man With The Broken-Heart Tattoo By P.C. Snider
Jack Blackwood a former freelance Detective that keeps getting hired instead of retiring. He was able to solve two cases so far. The first one though he did on his own, he didn’t care about getting paid just wanted it to be over with. The Skeleton Glove Killer has been caught, put behind bars.
In the second case, he was hired by a guy named Chad to find out who killed a Jazz Singer named Ashley Smith. He was able to solve that case as well. Was only paid two-hundred dollars for the whole thing. But he was happy with that.
Turns out the second case was the bass player of the band, and she was killed in self-defence.
Anyway, long story short. Jack has two cases now under him, all done and over with.
But now he had gotten another phone call.
Jack picks up his landline rotary phone.
“Jack you there? It’s Randy, from Randy’s Bar.”
“Yeah, I’m here.” Jack said.
“Need your help buddy.”
Jack covers the phone, and sighs. Here we go again. Case number 3.
“What are you looking for Randy?” Jack said
“A friend of mine has been killed.”
“Sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks Jack.”
“Who was he?”
“Actually it’s someone that you also know too.”
“Oh?”
“Benny, your cab driver the last couple times, you left here.”
“The Blues guy?”
“Yep.”
“Please give me a minute.”
“Sure.”
Jack puts the phone down. Sighs. He takes a deep breath.
“Well that’s very unfortunate.”
“Where was he found?”
“Actually he was found not too far from your place. Why I am asking you to do me a favor, and help figure out what happened. If you do this for me, we can call it even on your bar tab.”
“I’ll give it a go. Thanks Randy.”
“No… thank you Jack.”
Jack hangs up the phone. He gets his black trench-coat on, Black Fedora Hat on, his pack of cigarettes, his lighter, and his wallet, and heads out the door.
#
Randy was right. Just three blocks down he sees cops surrounding a man’s body lying face down in a puddle full of ice, and snow.
He taps on the first Cop he sees.
Turns out it’s a woman.
”You must be Jack.” She said,
“Yeah how did you know?”
“Randy called, and told us ahead of time that you were on your way.
“May I have your name?”
“Officer Rebecca Smythe. At your service.”
“She took a bow.”
“Is that Benny?” Jack points to the body.
“Was Benny.”
“Good point.”
“Any leads?”
“Maybe yes, maybe no.” Rebecca replied.
Jack takes a side glance to his right, and sees another mysterious figure, almost dressed exactly like him, black trench coat, black fedora hat, right down to the nitty gritty almost completely identical to him.
“Who’s that guy?” He pointed to his right to show Rebecca the man he saw.
“She says who?”
“That man over there.” Jack turned to point him out again, but the man had vanished into thin air.
“He was there I swear!”
“I don’t see him now…”
“Yeah I know.” Jack sighed.
“So again, any leads on what happened to him?”
Jack points back to the body on the ground.
“Yeah, I guess I’ll make this one easy on ya, since you seem so desperate for answers.” Rebecca said.
“He had a bad rider in his cab. Tried stiffing him for a free ride. Said he didn’t have any cash. As you know, people don’t feel too good about that sort of thing these days. You don’t have cash for something. Then bam. There’s a fight over it. We believe it was a homeless guy named Peter. We got people on the lookout for him already at his usual hangouts.”
“Thanks a lot Officer Smythe. Think I am going head on back to the apartment, I gotta give Randy a call.” Jack said.
“Sounds good Jack. Be safe.” She replied.
“Will do, always try to.” Jack replied. “Thanks.”
“No problem, I didn't want you to hurt your brain on this one. You've been through a lot already. See ya around.”
Jack starts his walk back to his place since it was close by.
#
Back at his apartment, he notices the man that was dressed exactly like him waiting for him at the front door. He hesitates to approach him, but then decides to go for it curiosity has taken over his mind about who he was and why he was at the scene as well dressed like him.
“Hi stranger, my name is Jack.”
“Yeah I know.” The man said in a deep dark almost growling voice.
“May I ask who you are?”
“Sure. Why not.”
The man took out a cigarette from his trench coat in the same manner Jack does, and started to smoke it. He offers Jack one as well.
“Sure, thanks.” Jack said. As he accepted the offer he couldn’t help but notice it was the same brand of cigarettes he likes. Wow not only is this guy dressed like me, but he also likes the same cigarettes. He thought.
“My name is Joe Babcock, I am known for my broken-heart tattoo on my right arm. He rolls up his sleeve to reveal the tattoo to Jack.
Jack sees the tattoo is indeed of a broken-heart.
“Why did you get that particular tattoo?” Jack asked. Feeling already sorry for the man. Since he himself knows the feeling all too well.
“That’s for me to know, and for you not to worry about.” He replied.
“Okay, sorry.” Jack replied.
“No problem, let’s just say I had a really bad circumstance happen to me. We will leave it at that.”
“Okay, anyway, why are you here?”
“Let’s just say I have been hired to keep an eye on you.”
“Oh? By who?”
“Someone you know quite well. Let’s just say he owns a particular bar that you frequently go to.”
“Randy?”
“Bingo, my new friend.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Would you be cool about going inside to your place, and talk more about it?”
“Sure.”
Jack unlocks the front door to his apartment building, and they both head up the stairs.
#
Now in Jack’s apartment Joe takes a look around, he notices he doesn’t see any credentials hanging up on the wall. He also noticed back at the crime scene that Jack never showed his Detective badge to the Officer he was talking to.
Yeah exactly why the guy hired me. Joe Babcock, the man with the Broken-Heart tattoo thought to himself. We will get down to the jest of this in no time. No time at all.
Copyright 01/17/2026
~P.C. Snider
