Guilty As Sin

Olivia sat up ,drinking a tumbler of coffee and looking out the window of our hotel room as the sun rose....

She saw me waking up and she smiled...

"I have a cup of coffee for you...I knew you'd be stirring soon.." she said.

''Wow...You're already dressed...It's just 7:00 am...What are you doing up so early?" I asked...

"I couldn't sleep..." she said as she took a sip of coffee...She passed me my tumbler..

"Worried about the outcome of this trial?" I asked..

"Yeah...but I'm more worried about Britney....She didn't sound too good." said Olivia..

"Oh?" I asked, now sitting up in the bed...

"Most women just leave...She had the entire house emptied ,which meant she planned this long and hard.....and you would have to know Britney like I know her...That just isn't her....No this is different...Scary...and the way she sounded on the phone...It was as if I was talking to somebody I didn't know...Something real cold about her.."said Olivia...

"Where is she?" I asked..

"I don't know...She wouldn't tell me...She has a cousin and a close girlfriend that lives in the area...My guess is she is with one of them."said Olivia..

"You gonna rep her if she files for divorce?" I asked...

"I sure am!" said Olivia...

I smiled...

"Good Girl..." I said.

I got up, shaved and showered and got dressed...

Olivia looked at me...

"That a new suit?" she asked...

"Yeah...Duke, Tyriq and Keith Wallace took me to their tailor...a guy named Sam the Tailor...You like it?" I said...

She smiled salaciously...

"Yesssss...I almost want to take it off of you..." she said...

I looked at the clock...It was 8:30...I pulled her to me and kissed her passionately...

"Well, we can work that out..."I said...

"Chill out Donnie Ray....Not this morning...I've got to stay focused..." she said..

"I am focused......on you!"I said..

"I know....You're always focused on me........Good to know." she said in between kisses.

I looked out the window....I saw an SUV....I hadn't seen before...

"I take it Nelson is here.." I said ,smiling....

Olivia smiled...

"Yes...He drove in late last night...You were knocked out..." she laughed...

"After the hurtin you put on me...How could I not be knocked out?" I said..

She smiled..

"Nelson drove in at around 2:30 this morning...My niece was ecstatic....He sure loves him some Bev..." she chuckled...

"That goes both ways...She drops that whole wise cracking -tough girl persona when he's around..." I said.

"I know...Nelson is good for her...Just like you're good for me.." she said and smiled at me..

I rubbed her arm and kissed her forehead...

''Everything is going to be alright Livy.." I said..

II-

 Hours later, we all were in court......Olivia,myself, Beverly and Nelson...The defendent, Evan Peters hadn't shown up yet...I wondered to myself what he was going to look like when he did show up...Man goes to his home, and not only is his pretty wife gone, but everything else...That's quite a shock!!

Beverly and Nelson walked hand in hand...I couldn't recall ever seeing Beverly this happy...I imagine she and Nelson made up for lost time last night...She had that post coital swoon in her face and he had a serenity that only a totally satisfied man could have...

I looked around....

"Where is Evan?" I asked..

"He'll be here...He's not late yet!" said Olivia...

Just then, we heard a very familiar voice.....

"Olivia Bennett, Beverly West!!!" came the voice of Dallas Houston....He was an attorney from Philadelphia, who had been Olivia's mentor at one time...We had just recently faced off against him in court and beat him in a sexual harrassment case his client was pressing against Soloman Foster....

"Dallas, what are you doing here?" asked Olivia as Dallas Houston hugged her and kissed her on the cheek...

"I was in D.C. on business and I heard you were trying a case here...For Evan Peters...who I know.....I wanted to see you in action and this time, not against me..."he laughed..."How ya doin Donnie Ray?" he said to me..

"Hey man..."I said shaking his hand...

"I did a lot , with what I had, which wasn't much..." said Olivia...

"That's alright...from what I heard about this case...The Feds had even less..." he said, smiling...

Beverly walked over to him...

"Hello Mr. Houston...I didn't think we'd ever see you again." said Beverly...

He grabbed her and hugged her...

"Why not...No hard feelings...Your aunt and I go back...I don't take these things personally and neither does she...So look here...After the verdict...How bout I treat you guys to lunch and drinks?...I know a fine steakhouse here in D.C."he said.

"I imagine I'll need a drink."laughed Olivia...

"Nonsense...relax....you got this." said Dallas Houston...

Evan Peters walked in the courtroom just then....I was surprised when I saw him...He had showered, shaved...Had on a fantastic looking tailored suit and was wearing a very fresh cologne...He looked good...

He kissed Beverly and Olivia on the cheek...

"Come on legal eagles...let's go win a case.."he said.

"I sure wish I was as confident as you are..." said Olivia..

"Livy, they had nothing...You exposed their weakness...You and Bev were brilliant..Nobody believes that guy..." said Evan...

"Okayy..I hope you're right..." said Olivia...

"Auntay...The Jury just came back with a verdict..." said Beverly....

I put my arms around Olivia...

"Win or lose baby...I'm with you..." I said..She smiled and kissed me softly on the lips...

"Good to know." she said and smiled at me..

A jury of seven women and five men found Evan Peters , Not Guilty on all counts!!!...Apparently they believed that he had nothing to do with the tawdry scheme and was just guilty of associating with one of the players....

Evan raised his fist in victory....He kissed and hugged Olivia and Beverly..

"And you were worried....I told you that I knew you won this....I told you." he said smiling...

"I guess you were right..." said Olivia...

"Dallas...Dallas Houston, what are you doing here?" asked Evan...

"I came to see my prize student work...She didn't let me down." he said.

"Or me either thank goodness...I wouldn't have looked good in an orange prison jumpsuit.."joked Evan...

Nelson and I stood there just looking at Evan Peters....

"You Okay Donnie Ray?" asked Nelson..

"Yeah,I guess...All things considered." I said.

"I know what you mean...Beverly told me that his wife left him and cleaned out the house.." said Nelson....

"Yeah...you wouldn't know it.."I said.

Evan walked over to Olivia and whispered something to her...She would tell me later...

"Livy....You are one of the best trial attorneys I have ever seen....I know of your great work ,when you were in the Public Defenders office...That's why I picked you to represent me.." he said.

"Why you picked me?" said Olivia...

"Oh yeah...I knew that a case like this was right up your alley, not some smooth out of court litagator...This needed someone who has gone to trial...Who has tried criminal cases.....And you didn't dissapoint.....Well maybe the Feds feel some kind of way...Especially since I am Guilty as Sin!" he said.

"My husband thought you were." said Olivia..

"I know he did...He's an ex cop...Cops can smell guilt on a guy...But you still tried this case anyway and you got a win...You are like me...a true lawyer..." he said.

"I'm nothing like you...I took this case because we used to be friends...You're married to my friend...."said Olivia...

"Just so you know...I wasn't involved in this from the outset....No...Claude Fleecum and Dmitriv Roganoff had been doing this for close to seven years...We all worked together at that law firm...a firm that was never going to make me a partner...For years I watched these guys with their fine homes, their yachts, their great vacations and something didn't add up...I knew how much they were making, How could they afford this?  So I got close to them...started hanging out with them....Did a little digging..After young Claude Fleecum got caught and convicted...I practically knew what they were doing by then...Insider Trading...I approached Dmitriv....I told him...Either break me off a piece of the action or I go to the SEC....It was then I became his silent partner...Those other 16 people never saw me..That's why they told your husband that they didn't know who I was...They didn't..I dealt directly with Dmitriv...Within a year...I was a multi-millionaire...I got more money tied up in off shore accounts than I can spend in a lifetime...I just work this job to have something to do. You gotta reach for the brass ring when you can...That's all I did.." he said.

"Evan...they're all going to jail..." said Olivia...

"Most of em will be out in a year and that fine won't hurt any of those guys, believe that.....They got money like you wouldn't believe...Their greed is what put them in the jackpot situation. Dmitriv got a sweet deal too ,if you're feeling sorry for him.....and he lived up to it...He'll be out in two years tops and he won't lose his law license....He's lost his job..yeah...but he can go somewhere else and get work...What would have happened to me? What do you think they would have done to me Livy?  A Black man??? I'd of got ten years,lost my license to practice, my job, everything...They would have made me look like the worst person in history!! You know how they do us??The way it turns out..I didn't lose a damn thing..For once , Just once..I wasn't the sacrificial nigger." he said.

"And that makes it right? That makes all of this right...??" asked Olivia..

"Makes it right for me..."he said.

"What about Britney?" asked Olivia...

"What about her? She left me....but I know where she is...Now that I'm free and clear,she'll come back..." he said.

"You gonna keep beating her?" asked Olivia...

He held his head down...

"I'm going to get some help for that...Anger Management....You'll see...I'm gonna treat her better...We gonna have some babies...I'm gonna invite you and Donnie Ray down next summer, and Bev and her fella too, We gonna sit on my yacht...Yeah...I got one...We gonna have a good time...you'll see." he said.

"Evan why are you telling me this?" asked Olivia.

"Because even though you don't like what I've done and you probably don't like me right now, I respect you Livy...I always have...and I still consider you a friend...and I didn't want to lie to you...I want to redeem myself in your eyes and in Britney's eyes." he said.

''I Hope you're successful Evan. Redemption is a long and hard road to travel"she said and shook his hand...

I stood in the now emptying courtroom with Beverly ,Nelson and Dallas Houston...

''Everything alright?" I asked.

"Yup...He was just thanking me for my services..."said Olivia...

Dallas Houston smiled...

"My offer still stands...You guys follow me in your car and I'll show you where that steakhouse is...They make the fattest New York Strip Steaks imaginable and  the drinks are cold.." he said.

"Sounds like a plan to me Auntay." said Beverly...

"I'm parked just down the street." said Nelson...

''What are we waiting for? Let's go get some food...and uh Nelson...You don't mind taking two extra people back with you to Philly do you?" I asked..

"Of course not...That's why I rented this...To have enough space for you and Miz Olivia..." he said..

"My baby thinks of everything.."said Beverly...

We all laughed and headed out to the restaraunt with Dallas Houston...It had been a very good morning afterall..

EPILOUGE- 

Evan hadn't lied... The 16 co-defendents all took pleas to avoid a trial..They were hit with stiff fines and had to repay some of the money they took....None of them were in jail for more than a year....Some even less..

Dmitriv Roganoff was sentenced to two to four years for his part and given a stiff fine..
He was released two years later and moved his wife and two children to Toronto, where he is running a small business...

A month later...Evan Peters found out where Britney was staying....He begged her to return to him...He pretty much gave her the same speech that he had given Olivia...

Britney was hearing none of it...In frustration one night, he slapped her face....He may have hit her one time too many...She calmly walked into the foyer and grabbed a loaded  pistol and shot Evan in the chest and the side...

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...I DON'T BELIEVE IT...I'VE BEEN SHOT!!!" he moaned and fell down the steps...wounded and bleeding...

Britney calmly walked back in the house and closed the door like nothing happened...

A torrid rainfall began and it poured something fierce ....as Evan lie on the pavement bleeding and wounded.. he looked straight up towards the seemingly unforgiving sky...


Surprisingly enough...Evan Peters survived...but just barely!!! Surgeons told him how lucky he was to be alive...

"I couldn't take another hit from him..I had had enough..." she told the police as they handcuffed her and escorted her out of her cousin's townhouse.

Olivia and Beverly defended her and kept her from going to jail....She surprisingly got probation...She has to wear an ankle bracelet and will be on house arrest for two years.

They represented her in her divorce and got her half of Evan's assets....Evan was forced to sell the townhouse and now lives in a condo in Alexandria ,Virginia...

He left Fleecum,Greesum and Run  law  firm...and is currently unemployed..He mostly stares out the window now of days and sips rum!

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Sometime later,Olivia sat on my lap in our bedroom...I was clad only in boxers and she was clad in a frilly babydoll...

"Wow, we've had a  real roller coaster ride lately...I'm glad that business in D.C. is over..How is Britney?" I asked..

"She's fine..Last I heard..She's even seeing somebody...A detective from D.C. Homicide."she said.

"Ahhhh, she can't lose there...A Lawyer and a Detective...Perfect match."I said and kissed her...

"You think so, huh?" said Olivia in between kisses...

"You don't?" I asked..

"I do...I do..." she said and leaned her head on my shoulder...

I sat there holding my wife and I thought about Evan Peters...He had been a guilty man, who had gone free...but in the end...the universe had punished him for his other crimes...

You don't mess with the universe....Because after all....God Don't like ugly!

FOR SLC!