Ruffled Feathers

Olivia ,Beverly and I were escorted throught the hallways of Prime Brokerage by Patrick Gibbons... Elizabeth Perry's Personal Assistant...Usually guys that took these type of jobs were gay, but Patrick was anything but...He was practically salivating over Beverly...

"So lawyer eh?" he said, showing all of his teeth..

"I prefer the term Attorney." said Beverly....

"Well...Attorney..I'll call you whatever you want if you flash them pearl whites...Anybody ever tell you, you got a sexy smile?" he said.

"No...but thank you for telling me just now." said Beverly...

"So uh....Are you spoken for?" he said.

"I have a boyfriend.." she said.

"Yeah? You love him?" he asked..

"You writin a book?" asked Beverly...

"Nah, but I could...You are a very interesting subject matter.." he said.

"Patrick...Just what is it that you do around here besides flirt?" asked my wife Olivia with a smile...

He eyed Olivia and smiled...

"You two sisters? I can sort of see the family resemblance.." he said.

"That's my aunt." said Beverly...

"Your Aunt??She looks like she could be your sister...Both of you two are fine.." he said..

"You didn't answer my question Patrick?" asked Olivia...

"Okay...I pay her bills, I arrange meetings...I bring clients like yourself to her...I also park her car, bring her coffee ,and any damn thing else she asks me to do.." he said with a trace of rancor...

Olivia continued to smile...

"Okay...Okay..I didn't mean anything...I was just asking...My husband was here the other day and you're one of three people he missed..." she said...

He looked down the hall..He saw me walking towards them..

"Ohhh, that must be your husband...eh?" he said..

"That would be he?" said Olivia ,still smiling..

"He's a very lucky man...You're a very beautiful woman yourself  ,I see it runs in your family..If you were single and didn't have such a fine niece..I might be flirting with you." he said.

"Why thank you Patrick...I am so flattered." said Olivia sarcastically..

"Ms. Perry will be right out.." he said..

I kissed Olivia on the cheek...

"Heyy babes.. I didn't have any luck seeing Bonnie Deeds..She wasn't in today." I said.

Bonnie Deeds was another Attorney who worked here...She was Elizabeth Perry's best friend at this firm...A very attractive white woman, with long Blond hair and short,short skirts that showed her tan and shapely legs..It was said that she knew where the bodies were buried..It was very important that I talk to her..

"Oh Bonnie has been in court the past few days..." he said.

Beverly turned and smiled at him...batting her eyes..

"Hey Patrick...I'll bet you know a lot about what goes on around here don't you?" she asked..

"They say Bonnie knows where the bodies are buried..but I'm the one..." he bragged..

"Wow!  I'll bet you are...Our Office manager, Josie is like you..She knows it all.." said Beverly...

"If you go to lunch with me...Maybe...I might remember some things....You know what I'm sayin?" he laughed and winked..

"Surrrre..I might show you a few things." she said seductively...

Olivia  looked at Beverly, but I knew exactly what she was doing..

Just then...Elizabeth Perry walked into the lobby..

"Olivia..Beverly...Donnie Ray...How are you?" she said...

She looked at her assistant...

"Okay..I'm here now..Find yourself something to do that looks like work." she said..

"Lunch Bev?" he said..

"Sure...You guys don't need me right now do you?" asked Beverly...

Olivia gave her niece the side eye, So did Elizabeth Perry...

''We are good.." said Olivia..

Patrick and Beverly walked toward the door...

Elizabeth frowned...

"Bev can't be serious...Is she?  She can do better than Patrick...He salivates over everything with a skirt on in this office.." she said.

Olivia just smiled and shrugged her shoulders...

I knew what Beverly was doing..She was going to play this guy for information...He was one less person I needed to interview.

II-

''Girl this is some office..." said Olivia as we walked into Elizabeth Perry's suite..

Both of us looked around with awe..It was bright..so huge and spacious...

"Coffee?" she asked..

"I'll take a cup.." I said..

To my surprise ,She had several Kurigs and an assortment of coffees and teas ....

"I checked the ip address of that transaction....It was made last Wednesday at 1:45pm from this computer right here in your office."I said.

"Well that proves I didn't do it...I wasn't even here then I was out of the office.." she said.

''Okay..Where were you?"asked Olivia....

Elizabeth looked a little embarrassed...

"I'd rather not say." she said.

"Come on Lizzy..We have to know if we are going to mount a credible defense.." said Olivia...

Elizabeth Perry seemed to be blushing heavily...

"I was with Robert Carver....Not in his office...but in the spare office here...." she said.

"Lizzy...My goodness." said Olivia...

"WHAT ?? I'm not wifed up like you Livy.....I go for months without getting any...And ....Well as you can see Mr. Carver is uh very proficient in what it is he does...and well....I don't want to have to use our trysts as an alibi..The man is married after all.." she said.

''Right now that's our only alibi..."I said..I had spoken to Carver's Uncle and to his best friend,Rod Thornton and was pretty certain that they didn't set him up...Neither was in the office on the day of the tryst...So now we were back to looking at this company as being the source of the leak.

''Well you can tell that transaction came from this computer...Can't you tell who made it?" she asked...

Both Olivia and I gave her the side eye...

 "We know at least 25 people who didn't.." she said.

III-

Beverly and Patrick Gibbons had a delicious lunch in the corporate cafeteria of Prime Brokerage...

"Impressed?" said Patrick...

''I am...Wow...This is the bomb...This place is better stocked than some restaurants." said Beverly...

Patrick paid for both of their meals....

"So Beverly...Tell me about yourself...." he asked..

She was used to guys talking about themselves...She liked that he wanted to know about her...

''Well my name is Beverly Denise West...I grew up in West Philly...My father is a photographer...My mom was just a...well..she never married my dad..." she said..

"Your Aunt is your mom's sister?" he asked..

"No...she's my dad's sister..She's much younger than him...12 years younger...She's only nine years older than me."said Beverly...

"She's Fine....I see where you get it from." he said.

"Thank You." she said.

"So wow...you two were kind of like sisters....You two grow up together?"he asked.

''We did..After she finished law school ,she helped me..."said Beverly...

"You look like you went to Girls High.." he said.

"My Aunt went to Girls High...I went to Central.." said Beverly...

"Word...So Did I...I was at Cheyney for two years then I left and went to Community to get my head straight." he said...

"Me and my Auntay both went to Penn for Undergrad and Penn Law School after that.."she said..

"Oh...So you got bucks huh?" he said.

"No...My Grandfather and my brother both worked there...At Penn ,if you're an employee and your child has the grades...They can attend free of charge..and they pay a portion of your grad school...My Auntay was a model for awhile..to pay for her portion and by the time I came through...She paid for my portion...I may have taken out one or two student loans." she said.

"Nice...You two had the hook up." he said.

"Kinda Sorta."

"You pledge anything? " he asked..

"She's and AKA...I'm a Delta..." said Beverly...

''Wow, yall aint that close then.." laughed Patrick...

"You pledge anything?" she asked..

"The Kappas wanted me but I wasn't feelin them and I almost pledged Alpha..but I wasn't feeling them either...I wound up not pledging nothin.." he said.

"Scared Huh?" she laughed...

''Nah....Just didn't have time for that foolishness..."he said laughing.

"Yeah right...You was scared." laughed Beverly...

"Your boyfriend....What is he?" asked Patrick...

"He's an Attorney too and he's a Nupe..." she said..

"Ohhhhhh a Kappa eh?  Figures you'd go for a Nupe..yall both sport the same colors."he laughed.

They both laughed..They talked about general things for close to an hour...

After they finished their meal...They walked back down an empty hallway to an empty office...

"This is your office ?" said Beverly...

"Yeah...It's not as big or as spacious as the other offices...but it's cool..." he said...He closed the door..

"I imagine it's not a lot of traffic down this end of the hall is it?" asked Beverly..

''Nah...it's not.." he said and moved closer to her...

"Ha hah ha..."laughed Beverly uneasily..

"Heh,heh, heh." he laughed...He was eyeing Bev's cleavage and getting a little too touchy feely for her...

''So..Patrick...Tell me about yourself?" she said trying to ease away...

"What's to tell? I grew up in North Philly..Went to Central..went to Cheyney State ,then Community College and began working here..After I work here a year ,They'll pay for me to go to Temple or Drexel..for grad.." he said.

"You planning on going to law school?" she asked..

"Nah...Business Administration will be my thing.."he said.

"That's good..." she said..She liked a guy with ambition and a plan...She thought for a minute that if she wasn't going with Nelson, that this guy wouldn't be so bad...

He laughed...

"Heh..heh..heh.." he laughed...

"What's so funny?" she asked..

"Nothin...you just look so sexy.." he said...and put his arms around her...With one hand he slyly opened her blouse, eyeing her black floral lace bra....

She removed his hand and buttoned it back up...His other hand slid down her back and softly rubbed her hips...She slowly removed it and backed away from him for the second time..She could see that he was becoming very aroused...

"Okayyyy...I think I'd better go.." she laughed...

He blocked her path...

"Heh,heh,Heh..Don't go Beverly Denise....That name is soooo sexy" he laughed and leaned in and kissed Beverly....

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately...She could feel his erection getting harder....but  at the same time, she was amazed at how soft his lips were...She was almost enjoying his surprisingly soft kiss..

"Ohhhh damn girl...I've wanted to do this ever since you walked in the door..." he moaned..

After about another minute...She eased out of his embrace...

"Okay that's enough....I have a boyfriend...I told you that Patrick..." she said..

"You didn't act like it just then." he said..

"I know..." she said...mad at herself...

He tried to kiss her again..but she put the palm of her hand in his face...

"Okay...chill out..I didn't come here for that..."she said..

''What did you come in here for?" he asked..

"Not to make out with you...I just met you." she replied.

"Aww come on Bev...You got me all steamed up baby..." he said..

"That sounds like a personal problem." she said..

''Well this is one of the ways I can get to know you.." he said and attempted to kiss her again..She turned her head..and then moved away..

"Awww come on Bev....You got me hard as a damn rock girl...Don't do me like this...I won't tell nobody...Aint nobody lookin for you right  now...Come onnnn...I been feelin you since I laid eyes on you girl..damnnnnnnn.." he said.

"I have a boyfriend I told you that.." she said and eased away from him...but not before she placed a carefully hidden micro listening device that I had given her in the office...I wouldn't have to interview him..

Beverly went and sat down in a chair....

"So I bet you know everything that goes on around here...huh?" she said trying to change the subject.

"I know a lot ,yes.." he said..Trying to calm himself down...He felt as if he'd gotten played...

"You know why we are here..right?  Your boss lady is in a little trouble." said Bev..

"Is she? ...They say she got some stock tips from some dude she was bonin over at Lock 15 and she made a fortune recently...She gone need every bit of that money she made on those stock tips to stay out of jail....but that's just the gossip I hear." he said laughing..

"You don't seem so broken up about it.." said Bev..

"Because I aint..That bitch gets on my nerves...With her phony English accent and her siddity ways. I know she your aunt's friend and all....but she aint mine."he said.

"You think her friend, Bonnie Deeds might be able to shed some light on this situation?" asked Beverly..

He didn't answer...

''Open your top." he said.

''What?" she said.

"Open your top.." He said...He softly unbuttoned Beverly's top again, revealing a Black lacy bra...

''Ohhhh My Godddd.." he said..

She buttoned her top back up...He was going bananas and she was getting a little afraid...This might not have been such a good idea she thought...Still she played it as cool as a cucumber..

''You need to chill...It's not that kind of party .."said Beverly...

"Look....All I know is Bonnie and Mr. Connelly have been talking a lot about Lock 15...and some young girl was in Bonnie's office last week..She was some kind of lawyer lookin for a job...She was a lawyer but hadn't practiced law in awhile..She was workin as a stand up comedian...aint that a kick? She paid the girl some money to do somethin for her..I don't know what.." he said.

"Would you know this girl if you saw her again?"asked Beverly..

''That's going to cost you another kiss...and maybe opening your top again.." he said..

Beverly smiled..Fixed her dress...

"That's okay...I don't want to know that bad..." she said..."Thanks for lunch.." she said and headed for the door...He jumped up...but Beverly got to the door first..Unlocked it and left the office...

"Heyyyyyyyyy come on Bev...Don't do me like that....Don't leave me all steamed up like this.." he said. He was still so aroused he couldn't walk out into the hallway...His trousers stood out like a tent...He had to calm himself down...

"I've heard a cold shower can remedy that...They have showers here,use them." she said.

"Awwww baby girl that's cold..Youse a tease.." he said.

She headed down the hall where she saw me and her aunt...

"Shortcake,You okay?" I asked...

"Yeah...I'm good." she said.

"Bev..You had us worried.." said Olivia ,who hugged her niece...

Beverly smiled..

"Piece of cake...I planted the bug....All we gotta do is listen...He did tell me that Bonnie hired some young girl...A lawyer who hadn't practiced to do something for her and that she gave her an envelope full of cash last week..Sounds like Nelson's ex-girlfriend, Karen White."she said.

I hugged her...

''Good Girl...Let's go see Bonnie Deeds..She's here now.I'm going to ask her." I said.

IV-

Bonnie Deeds was a very attractive white woman...An Attorney and very non-chalant...She gave you the impression she didn't have a care in the world..

"So you're the Attorneys that Lizzy hired...You must be Olivia..She's told me about you."she said.

"I'm Olivia Bennett-Alexander...This is my niece and fellow Attorney , Beverly West and my husband, Investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander.."said Olivia..

"Umm Hmmm...Nice looking bunch huh?   Well Lizzy has done stepped in it now...Earned herself a cool million and may have to spend every penny of it to get herself out of jail...At any rate, she's as good as done here...damn shame..She's been here a long time....She is a damn good attorney..You should make a pretty penny from this." said Bonnie Deeds..

"If she's innocent and we can prove that.. She not only won't go to jail...She 'll still be here.. and I suppose you still won't be able to move up."said Olivia..

"Innocent? The transaction came from her computer and did you see that video? She was straight boning that dude from Lock 15...She had him eatin out of the palm of her hands...He told her everything." she said ignoring Olivia's remark.

"How do you know all of this? We didn't mention where the transaction came from?" said Olivia..

Bonnie looked like she'd drank a can of paint..

"Well ...Well uh people are talking...It's known..." she said.

"By who?...I carefully interviewed 25 people the past few days and none of them know about the sex tape or that Ms. Perry was in any kind of trouble...Now so far...The only people who know is you, Patrick Gibbons and Mr. Connelly..."I said.

''Well we are closest to it.."she said...

"How Close?"asked Beverly...

Her entire demeanor changed..

"You know what?  I don't have to talk to you...This conversation is over." she said and she got up and stormed out...

"I think we have ruffled somebody's feathers.."laughed my wife,Olivia..

"I think you're right.." I said..

Just then a tall white man in a very expensive looking business suit appeared..He had two beefy security guards with him...

"I'm Arthur Connally, Deputy CAO of This Brokerage firm" He said.

Olivia smiled..

"I'm Olivia Bennett-Alexander..I'm Elizabeth Perry's Attorney..These are my associates.."she said..

He didn't crack a smile..

"I know who you are...And if you want to talk to me about anything..You can talk to my attorney..I'm not talking to you...Now if you've concluded your business here...Which I deem you have..I'll ask you three to leave."he said.

"Hmmm...Ruffled his feathers too..." I mused..."And we didn't even talk to him." I said smiling..

With that the three of us left ...We had worn out our welcome anyway.

(TO BE CONTINUED)