A Little Discretion

After Another disastrous set....Nelson took Karen by the arm and took her to a nearby Bar and Bistro called Delights...He marveled at the artwork on the wall..It was of a Black woman in a body of water...Nude! except for Gold jewelry around her neck,  smelling dafodils...

Karen looked at him sarcastically....

"You like that huh?" she said.

Nelson laughed...

"As a matter of fact..I do.." he said.

''Does that make you horny?"she asked...

"Artwork?  Nah." he said.

"Do I make you horny?" she asked...

Nelson looked at her...

"You used to at times.." he said.

"Where is your little lawyer girlfriend tonight?" she asked...

"Probably out with her girlfriends..." he said.

"So what is this about?" she asked...

"You..." he said.

"Me?"

"Yeah you...What are you doing?  You stink as a comedian...I'm just going to be honest with you...Who are you fooling? But I bet you're a great attorney...The girl I knew had a brilliantly analytical mind...What happened to her?" he asked..

"She felt like a fraud..She felt like a sell out...Unlike you....I didn't work in the criminal justice system with the dregs of society...I was a corporate attorney....I was nowhere near making partner...Day after day..I made sleazy deals for even more sleazy people and day after day I sold my soul for coin and day after day...I began to feel like I was somebody I didn't know..." she said.

"So you became a comedian? That make you feel better?" asked Nelson..

"It paid the bills for awhile...When I started out I was actually kind of good...but my material is more and more bitter and less funny huh?" she said.

"Yeah.." said Nelson.

II-

Robert Carver sat in his office sweating...He was looking at a photo taken inside of a hotel room recently...A hotel room I had bugged just days before...

Bev and I had discovered that he and Karen went to the same hotel at least twice a week...I duked a guy some cash and got the room number...He let me in and I bugged the room with a micro listening device and a micro video cam...

We had him and Comedian Karen Whitley...dead to rights....Only I wasn't showing him the photo...Olivia and Beverly were...

"That is you correct?" asked Olivia..

''How did you get this? " he asked..

"I have my ways..." she said.  He smiled...

"I'll bet you do..." he said...

"This is serious Mr. Carver." said Olivia

"I thought you told me that Elizabeth wasn't trying to blackmail me?" he asked...

"She isn't She doesn't even know about this photo...She is being accused of getting inside information from you , which she leveraged into a million dollar payday...If convicted, she'll lose her job..." said Beverly.

"I didn't give her any stock information" he said.

"Oh we know that...but you may have given this young lady some....You know ,Pillow talk..." said Beverly...showing him a photo of Karen.

"She was a struggling comedian...she was horrible...You oughta have caught her act..Anyway..We got to talking and drinkin after one of her sets and I find out she's actually an attorney...So now we got things  to talk about...But she can't make her rent...She's about to lose her job at the comedy club. ..So I uh may have uh ruh given her some inside information for some stocks to invest in...you know..Pillow talk in those uh awkward moments...I was just trying to help her out financially." he said.

"Well she gave that same information to an Attorney at Elizabeth's brokerage firm named  Bonnie Deeds, do you know her?" asked Olivia..

"No..I don't believe I do.." he said.

"She's an Attorney at Elizabeth's brokerage form...She and a mutual friend enlisted her..They probably gave her money too ,to bug your office...Then they just rolled the dice...Knowing you and Elizabeth might just wind up in your office since she too was sharing your bed...When you did..They made that tape and bought stocks...It was a plan to set Elizabeth up..." said Olivia...

''Well I'll be damned...Dirty dogs...and in her own company too..Lawd have mercy..And I thought this place was cut-throat...Sheeeeet. They uh aint tryin to blackmail me are they? I mean my wife won't see this ??" he said.

"No...She won't..."said Beverly in disgust......"This isn't about you..it's about removing Elizabeth...But this could get nasty...Spill over to you..." she warned...

"What do you need me to do?" he asked..

Olivia passed him a piece of paper...While Beverly adjusted her IPhone...

"Just sign this affidavit and give us a statement...You have our word...This will be kept in the strictest of confidence...You're an Attorney like us...You know the drill." said Beverly..

"And Mr. Carver...In the future...A little discretion goes a long way." said my wife...Olivia...

"I thought I was being discreet." he said.

III-

"Lord...These drinks are good Nelson...You bring your girlfriend here?" asked Karen..

"She brought me here.." he said.

"So what is this? You want to get me drunk and hope to get some? This is two nights in arow you've taken me out for drinks after my set..." she asked..

"No...I'm not like that...If I wanted some..I'd just ask you." he said.

"Tonight ...You'd get it too.."she said smiling salaciously...

"Don't you think Mr. Carver would be a little upset if he knew?" said Nelson.

Her eyes got as wide as saucers...

"You know about me and him?" she asked..

"I saw you two together twice...One time leaving here and another time leaving the hotel.." he lied...I had supplied him with that information from my survieliences..

"Yeah...I've been bangin him...But it aint serious....He gave me some stock tips...They panned out too...I made a pile...Soon I'm going to stop this and move away..." she said.

"You then gave some of that information to some folks at a Brokerage firm..." he said.

"Yeah, what is this? You been following me?" she asked..

"Not really...In fact..I don't even care...Some friends of mine are reppin somebody from that firm..." he said cooly..

"Yeah...a guy I used to see...Patrick Gibbons put me on to some white female lawyer...Her name is Bonnie Deeds...I think he was bangin her himself..She paid me for my information...Guess she wanted in on my action too...I don't know how they knew I had it..She was with some  other white guy...I heard her refer to him as Arthur..He aint say much..He just watched."she said.

"People talk..People watch..Especially where money is involved...Just be careful Karen..know who you're getting in bed with...Literally and figurtively.."said Nelson..

She rubbed his crotch...He was erect and hard....

"Ummmmm...you know me...You know who I am...You've been in bed with me.." she cooed...

He removed her hand...

"It's very tempting...but I don't play that...I never cheated on you...Wish you had of not cheated on me...We might still be together..." he said.

"Variety is the spice of life Nelson...We are still young...We aint married...If you want Fidelity ,put a ring on it.." she said...

"See...that's why you should be a lawyer,instead of a comedian..." he said.

He put a few dollars on the table...

"It was nice seeing you again Karen...Take care of Yourself..And remember, next time...employ a little discretion." he said and left...

She smirked....She ordered another drank and preceded to get herself drunk.

IV-

A day or two later, based on my information...FBI agents handcuffed Arthur Connally and Bonnie Deeds and led them out of the office...

"I don't believe this...I'm under arrest..Me...Arthur Connally...This is an outrage!" he grumbled and stomped his foot as they dragged him out..."DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" he snarled..

"Yeah We know.." said an FBI Agent.

"This must be a mistake..." said Bonnie Deeds...

"We don't think so mam." said the agents as they dragged her out...

All of the employees clapped and cheered as they were marched out...

Elizabeth Perry walked into Patrick Gibbons office...He had just missed getting arrested..

He looked at her and smirked..

"I guess I'm fired huh?" he said.

"You know it...Pack your stuff....How much did they offer you." she asked..

"Huh? What?" he asked.

"How much they offer you to sell me out?" asked Elizabeth...

"More than you ever offered me.." he snarled..

"GET OUT!" she said and walked away...

He looked at Bev with disgust...

"Damn girl...you played me..." he said.

"Just like you were playin me...It's not like you were in love with me.." said Beverly...

"True...but I sho did want to hit that though.I wasn't lyin about that.If you ever change your mind...." he said smiling...

"Don't worry...I won't." said Beverly...

He laughed...picked up the box with his things in it and walked past us out the door.

I put my arms around Bev...Olivia looked at both of us and smiled...

"Olivia..Beverly, Donnie Ray...I don't know how to thank you...You saved my job ,my freedom and good name and showed me who my friends really are...."said Elizabeth Perry...

Just then she got a text...It was from Robert Carver...

"I need to see you...I'm as horny as a cat!" it read..

She scoffed...

"It's Carver...He's one I won't be seeing anymore.." she said.

Olivia hugged her friend...

"In the future Lizzy...A little discretion goes a long way..." she said.

"Thanks Livy....Next time I'll insist my guy get me a hotel room." she smirked and the two women laughed..

EPILOUGE:

Arthur Connally was sentenced to 10 years in Federal Prison..He was released after eight and moved to California...Where he lives quietly.

Bonnie Deeds was disbarred and sentenced to 8 years in Federal Prison...She was released after four and a half years and also moved to California where she married an 80 year old millionaire who died within a year and left her with a fortune...Unfortunately for her...He owed the IRS a huge amount of money...After she paid the IRS and his creditors, She was left with a little under a million dollars..She is still living in California..

Josies was jumping Friday night...Alcohol was flowing and people were dancing and eating barbecue chicken wings....

And in a seperate booth...a Birthday cake was brought for our office manager...Josie Boyd, who was celebrating her birthday tonight...

Josie's eyes were as huge as saucers as she eyed the strawberry shortcake birthday cake Bev and Olivia had ordered for her...

"OH MY GOD...IT'S BEAUTIFUL...I ALMOST DON'T WANNA EAT IT!" exclaimed Josie...

"You'd better...because I certainly want a piece." said her boyfriend...Paris..Who was there with his buddies..Blake,Cherish, Chance Howard,Anita Jenkins ,Cole and Nicole Butler....and of course Beverly and Nelson...

''Oh Bev..Nelson...Thank you so much..." said Josie...

"Happy Birthday Buddy." said Beverly ,hugging Josie....

"Happy Birthday Josie." said Nelson.

"Okay Josie..Blow out the candles and make a wish" said Olivia as Josie blew out the candles and everybody clapped...

I smiled...Olivia took me by the arm and whispered in my ear....

"I know it's not your birthday yet...but I bought something for you." said Olivia...

"You bought that portrait from the other day...right?" I said...

"No something better...but why don't you let me show you.." she said looking at me in a peculiar way...

"Huh?" I said.

''Come with me.." she said and she walked down the dark hall to the restrooms..."

" Pick one.." she said...

Naturally,I picked the mens room...I looked around...No one was in the men's room and I pulled her in..

She eased her dress up...

''Liv what are you doing? You want to do this here? Now?" I asked..My eyes popping out of my head...

"No silly...I just want to show you something..." she said. Lo and behold , she was wearing aqua colored panties under her dress...

My eyes nearly fell out of my head...

"WOW!" I said..

She giggled... "You are so silly...I wouldn't do this for just anybody...Consider yourself special" she said and eased her dress back down...

"I do.."I said..

I pulled Olivia to me and kissed her...She eased out of my embrace....

"Cool it playboy....I'm not going to do you in the restroom...and especially not in Josies...Anybody could be walking in here at any moment..." she said.

''Damn Livy...You've uh got me kind of aroused right now." I said..

''I know.... Calm down....When we get home...You can ease them off of me...and gawk at them some more..Let's go back out to the party before we are missed."she said

''A Little Discretion goes a long way right?" I said ,repeating her words to Lizzy...

''That's right baby.." she said and kissed me and and softly took my hand and led me back to the dance floor..

We partied with Josie the rest of the night...but all I could think about was getting Olivia home...and looking at my early birthday present...

FOR L.