Another Girl

A beautiful sun kissed morning in mid December greeted us as we all agreed to go to Sam Mother's Diner for breakfast....Me and my wife,Olivia and Beverly and our office manager, Josie..The office was closed today....No major cases...

So we all decided to meet for breakfast at Sam Mother's Diner...

Olivia and I had Blueberry Pancakes, Sausage and Hash Browns....Beverly who was in surprisingly good spirits and very talkative ordered Two eggs, over hard, Bacon and Hash Browns..While Josie ,also in good spirits ordered Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Bacon and Hash Browns...We all had Orange Juice and tumblers of Hot Coffee..

Our conversation was lightweight..mostly about Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, food and the like...Nothing concerning cases...

Our food came and we chowed down...We were all famished ......It was a nice vibe...For a few minutes anyway.....

Willie Crawley Jr. walked in the diner furious...He slammed the newspaper down on our table...

"Have you seen this?  Have you seen this??"he bellowed...

Olivia calmly looked at the newspaper headline...

"PUDDIN AND PANTIES!!! BLACK ENTREPRENEUR, WILLIE CRAWLEY JR. ACCUSED OF DRUGGING AND RAPING SEVERAL AREA WOMEN!"

The story had photos of several women and their stories about Willie Crawley Jr.'s activities with these women...

I checked my tablet....It was all over the internet..Facebook, Twitter, Instagram....There were videos of Willie denying the charges, swearing that he'd done no wrong...With Attorney Robert Foxworth by the side of his main accuser, Barbara Montgomery who was suing him for an undisclosed amount...To make matters worse he was now being sued by10 other women....

"THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE KEPT QUIET.." he bellowed...

Sam Mother walked over to him...

"Sir ,you're going to have to lower your voice or I'm going to have to insist that you leave." he said.

Willie Crawley Jr. looked around...He got himself together..

Olivia looked at him....

"Are you insinuating that we leaked the story?  Why would we?  We were trying to proffer a quiet settlement."said Olivia with an icy calm that surprised me..

"Well...Well...Robert Foxworth said the same thing...The same thing...His attorneys..Chance Howard and Nelson East are out of town and that other one, Cole ,is acting as his second on this...He swears it wasn't him....So I had to figure it came from here..." he said.

"I'm the only one working this case..I have no second....Beverly is not working this case...

He looked surprised....Up until then, he had thought that she was.

He stared at Beverly...

 

"Did you do this?" he asked...

"Why would I?  Like my Auntay said...I'm not working this case at all..."said Beverly dryly...

"YOU SURE?" he said giving Beverly the side eye...

Beverly stared at him with an icy hatred....

"DO YOU REALLY WANT ME TO GO THERE WITH YOU?" she said...

Now Olivia and Josie were stunned...They didn't have a clue what Beverly was talking about..But I did..

He backed off somewhat!

"Willie ,what is my niece talking about?" asked Olivia now visibly upset...

"Nothing..Nothing..She is just a little aggravated..."he said.

"Why would she be aggravated?" asked Olivia staring daggers at Willie..

"Why don't you ask her?" he said staring at Beverly...and sweating bullets......

Olivia looked at Bev...

"Baby...Do you have something to tell me?" asked Olivia...

It seemed like the air left the room...We all stared at Bev...

"Nope!!...It's all good Auntay."said Beverly with a phony smile..She continued to eat....

"Anything else Mr. Crawley?  We were eating breakfast."said Olivia..

"I'm all over the media...This has turned into a shit storm...And now this other woman, This Tanika Phillips, who I only know casually and haven't seen in months mind you is accusing me of drugging her and taking her to the home of City Councilmen,Roy Knuckledon...Incredible...I'm being accused of everything."he said.

"Ohh poor poor you!" said Beverly ,not trying to hide her sarcasm..

Olivia and I both noticed..but we didn't say anything... Beverly didn't look at him, she continued eating...Only I knew what was behind the sarcasm..I looked at Beverly with sympathetic eyes...She wouldn't look my way...

"What do you want me to do?" asked Olivia...

"Contact this Phillips girl...Put a muzzle on her..Or contact her Television Station...She's the local Weather girl....Tell em to shut her up!!and get Foxworth in on this...I need a deal cut to quiet this down...People are already talking and asking me uncomfortable questions...Sponsers are blowing up my phone and dis-associating themselves with me....Two projects I was trying to find backing for has now been put on hold...My prospective backers..backed out...Livy, do something please." he said and stormed out...

"Let me call Robert Foxworth and set up a meet." said Olivia..

Sam Mother walked over to me as I was paying the bill...

''A word Donnie Ray." he said.

"What's up Sam?" I asked..

"Crawley lied to your wife...About Tanika Phillips...He was in here a few days ago with that Phillips girl..I uh kind of overheard your conversation....I didn't pay them no mind...But she was in pretty bad shape when he took her out of here man..She was out like a light....In no shape to go anywhere on her own....Now he said he took her home....But she winds up in the bed with Roy Knuckledon??  I'm just sayin Donnie Ray...It don't add up..I think she's tellin the truth..I think he took her to that guy's house...They are friends you know." said Sam Mother...

"Thanks man....This guy seems sick...If I was still a cop,I'd give him the help he really needs...Know what I'm sayin Sam." I said.

"Absolutely! Da Bum!" said Sam Mother.

II-

"Liv..I swear..we didn't leak anything...Why would we?" said Robert Foxworth....

"Same here Robert...Nobody in my camp leaked the story..."said Olivia...

"People are talking...There are now ten other lawyers involved and they want a piece of this guy...And personally...I hope they get it...I think your client is guilty as hell. By the way...He's on the cover of magazines and all the local newspapers...Probably not what he wanted." he said.

"You're probably right...I  can't believe what he's being charged with...He's saying that he's innocent..but he isn't very convincing..I looked up to this man."said Olivia...

"We all did...All the great charitable work he's done for the community and the schools." said Robert Foxworth..

"He needs help..He's got a problem when it comes to women..."said Olivia...

"So what do we do here Livy? How do we handle this?" asked Robert Foxworth....

"Maybe we can do a structured plea....Like criminal defense lawyers do with mob bosses...We agreed to pay all of them one set amount ." said Olivia...

"What are we paying them for?  He can't be prosecuted ,even if they had proof, which none of them do....The statute of limitations has long since passed on all of them...He can't even be sued by most of them..My client was raped twice by him....The last time being last year...Can't sue him for the first rape...But we are gonna get him for last summer.. And now there is this Phillips girl..She's suing Councilman Roy Knuckledon...but she's accusing Willie Crawley Jr. of delivering her to him..His name is mud...His Pudding sales have dropped...He's been fired from the board of directors of practically all of the  major companies and universities he sat on the board of...And sponsers and business people are falling all over themselves dis-associating themselves from him...The man has definitely taken a hit in the pockets..."said Robert Foxworth...

"He deserves a lot more punishment...but that's another story...He basically wants a cease and desist and he's willing to pay for their silence." said Olivia.

"But it's out...People are already talking about it and asking questions."said Robert Foxworth.

"These things blow over Robert..You know they do...Let's meet with all of the girls and offer them a one time only payment from him...One million a piece...Take it or leave it.."said Olivia...

"Okay....I can live with that. What about Phillips?" he asked.

"Right now she is suing Roy Knuckledon....She's not our concern." said Olivia.

I smiled...Over 11 million dollars, plus our fees would be a substantial hit in his pockets.....Hopefully it would teach him a lesson..

"I feel like taking a shower behind all this...It's so smutty."said Robert Foxworth..

"You and me both...I'm not sure I want to represent him ever again...He makes me feel uncomfortable when I'm around him alone..When my husband can't be around me, I keep Josie close by...I don't ever want to be alone with him."said Olivia.

"You? I don't want to be alone with him and I'm a man." said Robert Foxworth....The three of us busted out laughing...

Robert Foxworth,Olivia and ten other attorneys met..Talked and hacked out a deal...They settled all of the claims in huge out of court settlements...Within days..the talk died down...Other things began to take over the news....Willie Crawley Jr. paid Robert Foxworth and Olivia handsomely for their services...He was glad to be done with the accusations and with the nasty ,while true stories of him drugging and sexually assaulting women.

Olivia was glad to be done with him...I was with her, So he behaved himself..He kept his hands to himself....He didn't think of asking her out for a drink.

Olivia and I left and headed home..

III-

So a few nights later...Josies Bar and Grill was as usual ,jumping...It was Ribs and Chicken night...Barbecued Ribs, Chicken and Jumbo Shrimp was on display tonight and Cheap beers too..As could be expected..The joint was packed..No band was performing tonight...but they had two D.J.'s  ,One from Brooklyn and another one from London...They were jamming...I was at the bar with Clerow, my fellow Louisianan and his friend, Owen Todd..Drinking and talking crap with Gus..The bartender and owner.

Willie Crawley Jr. had had his eyes on Josie Boyd since he'd first came to our office...He was sitting with her at a table...He was rubbing her back and allowing his hands to wander down along her waist and her rear end...

"I have a boyfriend Mr. Crawley...I told you that...Stop feeling on me and Stop looking at my boobs...You're creepin me out."said Josie..Who had removed his arms from around her and his hands from around her waist several times.....

"I'm sorry..It's just that they are so uh prominent...My word..You have been blessed with a nice rack." he said with no shame..

"If you don't keep your hands to yourself..I'm going to get up Mr. Crawley...I have a man.." she said again..

"Welllll you aint married...I'm just asking you to meet me for drinks at a very exclusive after hours club...You want to be an Office Manager the rest of your life?  A young pretty girl like you could go places..Could do so much more..And I could do them for you." he said.

"Ms. Olivia and Bev pay me quite well and they treat me good." said Josie.

"I imagine they do...and they're good people...But Liv and Beverly are attorneys...They're always going to make good money..More money than you..Come have a few drinks with me Josie..I know people...People it would be good for you to know..It's always nice to make some connections Josie..You never know when you might need them...Here..you gonna babysit that Rum and Coke I ordered you?" he said.

"That's not my drink of choice.." said Josie..

"Ohhh don't be a baby..Drink it.." he said.

"I don't want it.."said Josie..

"Come on drink it." he said..

"I've already had four drinks with you....I think I'm going to go now." she said.

"Don't waste my money Josie..Drink that Rum and Coke.." he said..

"Oh alright ."she said.

A little after Josie drank the rum and Coke...She looked woozy...

"What's the matter Jo...You feel alright?" he asked....Smiling sheepishly...

"No...I -I feel a little woozy..I feel warm...Head feels weak.." she said..

He smiled...

"Here take these pills ,they'll make you feel better..Relax your stomach,heh,heh,heh..." he said..

"Nah....I don't take pills like that."said Josie..

"Come on...Why are you being so stubborn??...Take the pills..You'll feel better." he said.

"I don't want to...What is with you and the orders tonight? "she said..

"Come on...Why are you being so stubborn??...Take the pills..You'll feel better. Don't be a baby Josie." he said.

"SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T WANT THEM!" said Beverly...

He looked up and Beverly was standing there angrily staring at him...

"Why don't you run along?" he snapped..

"Come on Josie.. Come with me..You're staying with me tonight."said Beverly...

"Bev..I don't feel good..My head feels funny..I feel..I feel..I feel so warm...so dizzy...Can't hold my head up.."said Josie..

"Believe me girl...you'll feel worse if you take those pills.." said Beverly...

"Look...I've got this under control....Now just run along...Josie is a grown woman...I'll take her home..I understand she doesn't live too far from here..." he said.

"She's coming with me."said Beverly sternly...

"NO SHE'S NOT!!!....NOW EITHER LEAVE THIS TABLE OR I'LL CALL MANAGEMENT , AND HAVE YOU REMOVED!!....I KNOW GUS..The owner.."he shouted and slammed his palm down loudly on the table...People's heads turned...

"SO DO I!!!....Want me to tell him what you're really into? What you're really trying to do here?"said Beverly...

They were getting loud and people were starting to stare...

" Bev, my head!  I feel so weak...so loopy..."said Josie who was close to collapsing..

"Josie...He was going to take you to his place or possibly your place..Take your clothes off and rape you...Then he was going to get dressed and leave or call you a cab and send you home with $500.00 dollars...Isn't that how you do it? Or do you leave  a couple more hundreds  now?" asked Beverly..

"Ohhh you are just soo jealous...and bitter!" he said.

"Jealous? Don't flatter yourself...You're just a lonely,horny old pervert, too much of a chickenshit to deal with women your own age..So you drug and take advantage of women young enough to be your grand-daughters...because otherwise you don't have the game it takes to get a real woman to go to bed with you." said Beverly angrily...

"WHYYY YOU...I OUGHTA.." he bellowed..

"YOU OUGHTA WHAT?" I said.

"She's disturbing me and my guest,...We were having conversation...." he explained...

Josie was out like a light...I looked at him...

"Some conversation."I said and smiled..

"I was going to take her home..She's had a bit much to drink." he said.

"I'll take her with me...She's staying with you tonight Beverly?" I asked.

"Yeah...I've got an extra bed.." she said.

"NO..NO..NO..She is not staying with Beverly tonight!!...Now do I have to call Olivia?" he shouted...and slammed his hand on the table again...

"Call her...See what good it does you."I said getting angrier and angrier by the minute...

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS.....SHE IS MY GUEST!!! NOW I INSIST YOU ALLOW ME TO HANDLE THIS!" he snapped.  I ignored him.

"I've heard about how you handle things." I said glaring at him...

"Donnie Ray...What are you doin here?  Ohhhhh my head...it feels soo heavy..Can barely hold it up.."said Josie....

"Come on Josie...This is Donnie Ray..You're going with us...With Bev and me.." I said.

''Oh My God..I feel paralyzed..I can barely move.." she said.

"Bev, take one arm...I'll take the other." I said.

"NO..NO..NO..There is no need for this..NO NEED FOR THIS!!!!...SHE WAS OUT WITH ME!!!!...NOW DO I NEED TO CALL YOUR EMPLOYER? THERE IS NO NEED FOR EITHER OF YOU TO INTERFERE.." he said stomping his foot.

"Heyyy man, lower your voice..my head is ringing." said a drawsy Josie...

Beverly looked at him...

"You and I  both know that there is INDEED a need for this." she said and helped me lift Josie and take her out to my car...

"I DON'T BELEIVE THIS....YOU ARE TAKING MY DATE!" he yelled loudly..Again people began to turn and look at him.

I came back in and stared at Willie Crawley Jr. who was now seething with anger...and standing...

"I know what you did to Beverly....Fortunately I stopped you from doing the same to Josie tonight you perverted, horrible old man and Let me get this straight... I'm not a lawyer...and I don't work for you...Fortunately ,for you..My wife doesn't know what you did to her niece...If I was you...I'd pray she doesn't find out." I said.

"Is that a threat Mr. Alexander?" he sneered...

"No...it's not...But it's a reality you don't want to see..And if you ever put your hands on my wife or Beverly again and I find out about it...I'm going to give you the help you been needing...because  remember....I aint a cop no more...Do I make myself clear old man?" I said as I walked out..

"I KNOW IMPORTANT PEOPLE...I'LL GET YOUR P.I. LICENSE SNATCHED!" he yelled.

He slammed the palm of his hand down on the table and stomped his foot.

I smiled...

"You are soo pathetic Crawley. That works with young girls...but it doesn't work with me..I am just glad our business with you is over...We all feel like we could use a good long shower. Tell me ..Have you ever had sex with a woman you didn't have to drug?" I said and walked out...

Josie was stretched across the back seat...Beverly was in the passenger seat...She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek..and hugged me for a long time...she smelled great...her body was so warm,so round...so soft...

"Thank you D.R.  I didn't know you were even in Josies....Thank you for looking out for me.." she said.

"We are family Bev...That's what Family does!" I said as we drove off into the night..

Willie Crawley Jr. had walked outside and he saw the three of us in my car,pulling off..He stomped his foot and cursed loudly as patrons who were entering the bar turned and looked at him.

"SON OF A BEEEEEEEETCHHHHH!" he yelled...jumping up and down like a petulant child...

IV-

Olivia and Beverly undressed Josie and placed her in bed...The extra bed in Beverly's domicile...Beverly put a cold towel on Josie's forehead...She slept peacefully like a baby..

Olivia sat on the bed in our bedroom some time later....She looked at me...

"Donnie Ray...You and Beverly brought Josie home from the bar. She was with Willie Crawley Jr.? "she asked..

"Yes.....She drank a Rum and Coke she said and the next thing she knew..She was feeling woozy...He attempted to give her some pills..but she refused..That was all I could get out of her before she conked out."I said.

"OH MY GOD!!!He was going to take her somewhere and rape her wasn't he?" asked Olivia..

"That's what Bev and I thought...Good thing we were there.."I said.

"Good thing...He really is a serial rapist....I have a confession to make...I leaked the story to the press....Not directly...I made sure someone got the information anonymously and they told someone, who told someone else...I wanted him exposed." she said.

"So it'll never come back to you...Hahahahaha..Smart girl..." I said.

"I can't believe he is capable of these things...He just paid out over 11 million dollars to all those girls,plus my fee and Robert Foxworth's fees..and he has the gaul to try and put the moves on Josie?  Un believable..what arrogance....I never saw this side of him before...He's not the man I thought he was.."she said.

"Sometimes people are just who they are Livy....Not who we want them to be." I said...

There was a knock on the door!   It was Beverly..

"Heyyy baby...How is Josie?" asked Olivia..

"She's sleeping soundly..." said Beverly...

"If it wasn't for you...She'd be the 12th victim.."said Olivia...

"Auntay...I have something to tell you..."said Beverly.


(CONCLUSION NEXT)