Style Admiration

This caper began like so many of my many capers...A Friday Night in Josies....A packed house as usual and drinks just flowing.

Sissy's Father, Dutch Van Buren was playing Sax , backed by the former blind sensation...Chazz Gillison, who was playing his fingers off on the keyboards...Idon't know what had happened to their Liquid Love Band...but these two were fronting an all new band with new players..two new guitarists, a bass player, a drummer and a percussionist I had never seen before..They sounded good..

Reed Nelson, Bone Hampton and Downtown Rob Brown were all out of town playing different gigs..I had Debbie and her sister as well as Sean Jackson covering them...

My wife Sepia, Her business partner, Bonita, her husband and my friend, Robert Foxworth and I shared a booth..We had drinks and fried chicken wings and were enjoying the music...A nice night...

"So you been out of town lately Robert." I said.

"Yeah Kev...I have a client who is presently a guest of the state up at Stanga that could be getting paroled soon...Soloman Foster..." he said.

"Yeah...Yeah...I remember him...Used to be an ADA...He was mixed up with Minolo Sennterro right?" I said.

"Yeah...well, he may be the only person mixed up with Sennterro who is coming home...The rest of his mob is down for a long time...but he's not important...I have somebody I want you to meet...She's a bright young attorney who worked on his appeal with me...and she says she has a case she may need to throw your way." he said.

Sepia and Bonita smiled...

"We've met her Kev...In fact...She's buying a house from us...We like her." said Bonita...

"Yes lover she's real good people...I hope you can help her." said my wife Sepia.

I smiled...

"Looks like I'm out numbered..." I laughed.

"She should be here shortly..." said Robert.

I scanned the bar.....To my surprise...I saw Rollie Rollerson...He wasn't drunk for a change...In fact, he looked good..Had on a beautiful and very expensive looking Italian suit, a fresh shave and haircut and appeared to be drinking only water...

My friend and former client, Jean Stevens was with him...They were laughing and talking and smiling...He was ordering her drinks and she was continuing to stare in his eyes and smile... He looked better than he did the last time I saw him...He looked content..Perhaps he had gotten over Sissy Van Buren...At any rate...He had cleaned himself up and had the good sense to hook up with Jean Stevens again..

"So tell me Robert..Just what does this friend of yours need me for?" I asked.

''She's got a client that's in a jam...and she needs you to do a little investigative work...She'll tell you when she gets here." he said.

Sepia and I ordered the next round of drinks and Robert and Bonita danced a little bit before returning to their seats..

Sepia looked up...

"Oh there she is lover....Olivia...Olivia!! Over here." she said.

II-

She was a cutie pie...Perfect brown skin with the most soulful eyes...She was wearing a smart ,bright yellow skirt...I might enjoy working with this woman a little too much.

"Kevin...This is Attorney ,Olivia Bennett..Olivia...You already know my wife ,Bonita and Kevin's wife, Sepia." said Robert Foxworth.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Morris....I hear you're the best Private Investigator money can buy...I not only hear this from Robert here, but from a friend of mine who happens to be an Assistant District Attorney...You are familliar with Keith Wallace aren't you?" she said.

"Yes indeed...He and his wife are good friends of mine..You know him?" I asked.

"Sure do...We faced off against each other in court many times...He's very smart, very tenacious...It was always fun going up against him.." she said.

"And you're still friends?" I asked jokingly.

"I'm an Attorney, he's an Attorney..We don't take these cases personal...Win some, lose some...He's good people.." she said.

''Yes he is."I said.

"Your lovely wife and her friend here are selling me a house with a store front....I'm working with a big firm now, but I'm thinking of going into private practice like Robert did." she said.

"Ohh I see, well good luck to you." I said.

"I have this client though...and I could use your help." she said.

"Oh?" I said.

"You see...two nights ago....a photographer named Vincent Delack was shot to death...." she said.

"I heard about him...He was quite the ladies man...Sure it wasn't a jealous husband." I said.

Olivia Bennett smiled...

"If only life was that simple." she said.

"Anyway my client says she might have witnessed the shooting." she said.

"Really? Why doesn't she go to the police?" I said.

"That's where it gets complicated...See, my client went there to shoot him herself...Only somebody beat her to it...She may have left fingerprints and something else behind...She feels like she could be charged for the murder in just a matter of days....She came to me for help...I feel as though I could help her more if I had some information." she said.

"Like WHO did shoot Mr. Delack right?" I said smiling...

"Exactly!" she said.

I laughed...Sepia and Bonita laughed and finally Robert Laughed.

"I see why you're a good attorney...You come with the goods.."I said.

She went in her purse and passed me a fat envelope...It had two thousand dollars in it..

"I certainly do....You in?" she said.

"I'm in...but I want to talk to your client first." I said.

"You tell me where and I'll produce her..." she said.

I pulled out my card....

"That's my number...You pick a place and I'll be there." I said.

Olivia looked at Robert and Bonita and my wife, Sepia...She smiled..

"I like the way this man works...I think we are going to work together just fine." she said.

I have to admit...I liked her style too.

(TO BE CONTINUED)