Love Buffett

I had to admit...This was interesting...Going to a chinese buffet for breakfast...but it was a Tony new place and my wife Olivia, who likes those kind of things was excited about being here.. Me? My name is Donnie Ray Alexander...I'm an investigator...I would say private, but I work exclusively for my wife and her niece..They're attorneys...Olivia Bennett-Alexander and Beverly West...

"It smells great in here" I said as we entered and were seated...

''Donnie Ray,is that all you can think about? The smell??What about the ambiance?" said Olivia as she took in the place.

"I'm with you D.R.  It smells great and it looks great." said Beverly...

"You'll love the food...believe me.."said Olivia..

"You've been here Auntay?" asked Beverly...

"No...but I represented the Chef and owner when I was at my old law firm and I had a sample of his cuisine...It is to die for..."said Olivia...She was so cute when she was excited...

"Hey isn't Nelson supposed to meet us here?" I asked...

"He's coming..He was paying the valet..."said Beverly...

Nelson,Beverly's boyfriend and also an Attorney walked in and sat down next to Bev..

"Next year on your birthday...I'm gonna bring you here." he said and kissed Beverly..

The Chef, Lin Sou came out...He saw Olivia and smiled...

"Olivia....Olivia...I am honored that you came to my new establishment and you brought friends!" he said.

"This is my husband,Donnie Ray and this is my niece, Beverly and her friend, Nelson ..." said Olivia...

"Here are hot towels for your hands and your menus..."he said.

We placed our orders and waited.... Josie Boyd walked in just then and sat down with us...

''Sorry I'm late guys...I'm not used to getting up this early on a Saturday morning.." she said.

"I'm with you there Josie." I said smiling...

"I'm telling you, when you taste this food you'll all say it was worth it." said my wife Olivia..

It wasn't long before hot steaming plates of food was brought out...Appetizers, then the entrees...We began eating...Olivia wasn't wrong...The food was sensational and I said so...

"Wife of mine...I'll never doubt you again..This food is great.."I said..

"It's delicious Auntay.."said Bev..

''Ms Olivia..This food is incredible"said Josie.

"How bout you Nelson...You like this food?" asked Olivia..

"He's quiet...he hasn't put his chopsticks down...That means he loves it" ,Bev answered for him..

Nelson smiled and gave a thumbs up...We All laughed.

II-

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar face....It was Soloman Foster, Attorney and former Assistant District Attorney, now at a law firm...

He walked in and two of the young female waitresses smiled and waved at him...

''Hi Soloman....Hi Soloman." they both said.

''Oh God...Trouble just walked in the door" said Beverly..

"I think I'm gonna be sick." said Josie.

Soloman saw us , he smiled and he walked over to our table...

''Heyyyyyy Olivia, Donnie Ray, Beverly isn't it?  and uh..ruh..uhh Josie...I didn't get your name fella" he said.

"It's Nelson..Nelson East..I'm an Attorney...I work with Robert Foxworth."he said.

He shook Nelson's hand...

"Robert and I were in law school together...he's a good friend..Damn good attorney too!" he said and smiled...Neither Beverly nor Josie spoke back to him...He could sense the frostiness...

''What Brings you out here Soloman?"asked Olivia...

"Like you,I am a fan of great cuisine....I used to eat at his old restaraunt ...The man can cook..I read that he was opening this new Bistro and I had to check it out..." said Soloman.

"So how are things man?..We haven't seen you since that night at Mulberry Street" I said.

''Don't remind me of that night..A total nightmare..."he said.  "Since you guys are here let me run this by you...I need your help again Livy." he said.

"Parole Board?" she asked...

"No...I'm being sued..."he said.

"Sued?" she said.

"Not just me...My firm is being sued and I have been named as a plaintiff...along with the company..It's a sexual harrassment suit.." he said.

"Imagine that?" said Josie.....I couldn't help but grin...

He ignored her..

"What is this about?" asked Olivia...

"Lucy Luckette, remember her?  Well shortly after you saw us...She quit the firm..within two weeks..She hit us and me with a sexual harrassment suit...She claims that I forced her to have sex with me practically everyday that she was there and that I told her it was a requirement of her employment...That's total crap Olivia...I would never do something like that. I don't have to do that.." he said.

"Of course not!" added Josie...Beverly didn't even try to hide a smile...she cracked up..

He ignored them both...

"Livy they got copies of emails and texts I sent her and video of me ,her and a friend of hers in a threesome and all kinds of tawdry stuff... She was my girlfriend....It wasn't a condition of her job..We were in a relationship...Or I thought we were. She's trying to make it look like I forced her into something..She came on to me." he said.

"Are you asking me to represent you Soloman? Your law firm has several attorneys..."said Olivia.

"Check this out..They're only representing the company...None of these backstabbing bastards want to touch me.." he said.

"I can't imagine why." said Josie...

Finally he turned to her and addressed her...

"Josie...I'm so sorry..So sorry for what I did to you...I was wrong...I should have called you back like I said I was going to do...I should have been your boyfriend instead of Lucy....In a sense I'm getting payback for what I did to you....I hope one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me.." he said.

Josie looked like she was tearing up..

''Excuse me yall."she said and she got up and walked outside...

''What's Up with Josie???" asked Nelson...

''Excuse me..I'll go see about Josie.:"said Beverly who excused herself.

Olivia looked at Soloman sternly...

''She was a young girl..You took advantage of her..."she said.

''I know Olivia...I'm sorry...I'm going to make it up to Josie..I swear,but I need your help..."he said.

"Okay...but this isn't a freebie...I'm charging you my regular rate..." she said.

"Fair enough..."he said.

''Who is her attorney?" asked Olivia..

"Some guy named Dallas something or other.." he said.

"Dallas Houston?" said Olivia..

"Yeah,that's him. You know him?" he asked..

''I sure do...We worked together at my old firm.. He was like my mentor..." she said.

"So he's real good huh?" said Soloman...

"Yes...Very good...I've got my work cut out for me..." said Olivia....

"Wow" he said.

"Was he the attorney she used to go after Reverend Dr. Cecil Copeland and his church?" asked Olivia...

"The same...That's how he met the Reverend's fiance...and took her away from him..." said Soloman..

"How did that turn out?" I asked.

"The church settled for an unspecified amount....and of course they got rid of Copeland.."said Olivia...

"This woman seems cold and calculating...Like she is good at doing this..Like she did this before" I said.

"I'm telling you...the way this all went down...I feel like I was set up, now that I look at it..." said Soloman..

"Okay Soloman...You go home...You say nothing to anyone...Don't even make it known that I'm your attorney..." said Olivia...

"Awww thanks Livy" he said and went to hug her, but she backed away...

''Don't thank me yet...Wait and see if I can get you out of this.." said Olivia.

III-

Later that afternoon...Olivia and Beverly and I were chilling in our bedroom....

''Auntay,Are you gonna take Soloman's case?"asked Beverly..

''Yeah...I know that might be a problem for Josie, having to see him and if you want to sit this one out,it's okay...I know the two of you are close."said Olivia..

"No..I'll help you with it...You're going up against one of the best attorneys in the city...He was co-counsel in a case I had once when I was with the public defenders office...Very tricky, very brilliant...He told me he knew you."said Beverly...

"You worried about me Bev?" asked Olivia..

"Yeah...I want my Auntay to have all the help she can get."said Beverly...

"Awwwwww, that's so sweet" said Olivia kissing Beverly on the forehead.

"Something about this Lucy Luckette that doesn't seem too kosher..I've long suspected it...I'm going to look into her background...her financials...Her past history...everything." I said.

''The cop in you eh?"said Olivia.

"Yeah..I suspect Ms. Luckette has done this before and is very good at what she does..Fleecing men and important companies.." I said.

''And while you look into her...I'm going to look into Soloman Foster, just so we don't get any surprises...I doubt that he'll tell us everything about himself..."said Beverly.

"How's Josie?" I asked.

"She's fine...She'll be just fine...He hurt her very much...and I'm still mad at what he done...He reminds me of Larry North and I minus the sex."said Beverly..

We both gave her a side eye...

She looked at Olivia and I and said..

"We never had sex...We kissed and fooled around a bit...but he never had none of this..That's why he was so crazy...He wanted it so bad."said Beverly...

Olivia and I busted out laughing...

"What? I'm serious...I'm telling the truth."said Beverly laughing...

IV-

A few days later....Olivia, Beverly, Soloman and I appeared at a preliminary hearing...
Lucy Luckette was surprisingly not there, but her attorney, Dallas Houston was there..His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Olivia and Bev and I walking with Soloman...

He smiled... "Olivia? Are you representing Mr. Foster here?" he said.

My wife smiled...

"Hello Dallas...Yes I am..." she said.

"Wow...I always wanted to go up against you in court...But not with such a slam dunk case in my favor." he said.

"Oh?  I don't know that it's a slam dunk.." she said.

"I've got enough on this guy to prove that he is a sexual predator and a sex addict...His law firm is already talking about settling." he said with confidence..

"I think you'd better check with them again.." said Beverly... "I already spoke with them and told them that we have a good chance of winning and that they might not have to pay any money at all!" said Beverly...

She had spoken with his firm the day before...

He raised his eyebrows...

"Oh really?  You know,I remember you when you were at the public defender's office..You were a very good attorney..just like your auntie...You were impressive..Remember the case we worked together?" he said to Beverly...

She smiled...

"I do indeed...In fact,I told Auntay about it and she said that I was working with one of the best trial attorneys she ever saw." said Beverly...

"High praise indeed...Your Auntay is good at brokering deals...Staying out of court...She may want to broker a deal now." he said.

"No deals...You want to go to court...We'll go to court."said Olivia..

He smiled..

"You sure you want to do this Livy....I've got witnesses that will destroy your client..." he said and he showed his witness list... ADA Keith Wallace, Lt.Sissy Van Buren, Detective Carlotta Rodriguez -Wallace , Detective Angela Belton and Josie Boyd.

"I believe you know these people Mr. Foster...You used to work with them...You betrayed them..." he said.

Soloman held his head down...

"Yes I know them all, quite well.." he said.

"Nice try Dallas...I've seen you use that tactic before...beat the defendent down...You taught me that remember....It's not going to work this time..I'll see you in court." said Olivia..

He looked surprised...

"Livy...Livy...you were once my prize student..Don't do this...Don't let your ego and your need to face me ,make you lose sight of your job to do your best for your client...Let's broker a deal...This company he works for has millions...It won't come out of his pocket..They'll pay just to make this go away...We'll both make out.I'll make sure you get a little something on the back end!" he said.

"I'll see you in court." she said.

He looked at me...

"That's some wife you got there." he said laughing...

"Aint she though?" I said.

He smiled...

"Okay then...I was hoping to avoid court...but if you insist..."he said.

I waited until he was gone and I said to Olivia ,Bev and Soloman..

"I've been a Detective for years and I know that when an attorney tries too hard to avoid court, it's because his case isn't the slam dunk he thinks it is..."I said.

"Soloman...You were an ADA....You weren't a cop, you weren't a supervisor of any of those women...Did you have a relationship with Sissy, Carlotta or Angie?" asked Olivia...

"No...Nooooo..I was interested in Sissy when she was a patrolman....I believe I asked her out on date...but she rebuffed me...and that was that...We worked together later when she became a detective and later on when she was a lieutenant...I flirted with her,but she never paid me no mind...Same thing with Carlotta...She only had eyes for Keith Wallace...She never gave me the time of day...Angie was a little different..We uh came very close to having a little something...but uh..ahhh,I went to jail...and she backed off...She visited me once or twice and we wrote each other...but nothing came of it...I certainly didn't pressure or make any of them have sex with me...I didn't sleep with any of those women."he said.

"What about Josie?" asked Beverly...

He hung his head low...

"I did Josie wrong...and yes..I did sleep with her...But am I going on trial for every relationship I ever had??Come on, that aint fair?" he said in his defense..

Surprisingly, Beverly agreed..

"It's not fair...But Josie is my best friend...and you hurt her...You should make it right.."she said.

"You're right and I will..I promise you Bev..I will...I doubt if she'll even talk to me."he said.

"Wait until after this trial." said Olivia..

Beverly looked at her aunt...

"This is going to be a tough one Auntay."she said.

"I know baby...but we can do this...Dallas taught me a lot of things...I know how he thinks..but I learned things on my own too over the years...I look forward to this.." she said.

"I've got my work cut out for me...I'm going to make some calls and do a little research..When you go in that courtroom you're going to have all of the ammo you need.."I said.

Olivia put her arms around Beverly and me...She gave me a wet juicy kiss on the lips and hugged her niece and kissed her on the forehead..

"How can I lose...I have a brilliant assistant Attorney and a tenacious ex-Homicide cop on my team?" she said.

Soloman smiled...

"As bad as this looks...I have a little bit of hope for a change." he said.

(TO BE CONTINUED)