Stonewall

I sat in the interrogation room at Police headquarters laughing...I couldn't believe that I had been arrested!  Arrested for assault at that!

 

That goofball Lt. Tragg walked into the room and sat down..

He was quiet for what seemed like forever...I continued to snicker..How many times had I done the same thing to rattle a suspect...Who did he think he was dealing with? Finally he spoke..

''Something Funny Mr. Alexander?" he asked.

"Yes..As a matter of fact it is...but I choose to keep it to myself."I said and continued to snicker..

"You know...I don't like Private Investigators...Never have...but some detectives here seem to have an affinity for them....You do realize you're in serious trouble Mr. Donnie Ray Alexander don't you? This is my city..and I won't tolerate cowboys..You beat the snot out of the city treasurer's aide.." he said.

"Save it...Why don't you just let me go and save yourself the aggravation. He's not the City Treasurer's aide..He's his hitman though.."I laughed..

"This is funny to you? You are accused of beating the snot out of The City Treasurer's aide..Mr.Lionel Jefferson..and you're making jokes.." he said.

"Oh really? Come on Tragg...You're a detective..Hell you're a Lieutenant...So you must have something on the ball...Did you check him out? That's a phony name..Everything about him is as phony as a two dollar bill...Did you ask the City Treasurer what exactly this guy does for him?  Did you check his prints? Do you wonder why his prints match a certain felon named Forrest Longley..a known thug and suspected contract killer? And if you've seen him..Does he strike you as the type of guy who would have to call the police after a physical altercation?  Come on man?" I said.

I paused...

"You didn't know did you? You didn't do a background check on him at all did you?  You don't even have him down here to make a statement....Oh My God! You arrested me based on a phone call?...Could have been a prank call...You didn't even do the basic detective work...This guy is pulling your chain." I said.

"Look you...I don't need YOU to tell me how to police this city.." he snarled..

"I suppose not." I said in disgust.

"I don't know anything about that.... Those charges you are making." he said.

I wasn't surprised...I wondered how this guy made Detective,let alone Lieutenant...but then I had seen many many guys just like him in New Orleans..Why would Philly be any different...Plus I had heard that his father had been a Lieutenant in Homicide years ago...That Junior here was a Lieutenant was no surprise..

"Why don't you call him?  He gave you a number right? See if he answers that number."I said. "He's a thug and he pulled a gun on me...A gun that's down in evidence..I was defending myself.."I said.

"Tell it to the judge...You're going to lock up .."he said.

"I don't think so....Donnie Ray,Don't say anything else.." said my wife, Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander who walked in with a mug shot of "Lionel Jefferson" aka Forrest Longley, convicted of Man-slaughter, suspect in 12 contract killings in Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. and a letter from City Treasurer, Bob McCloud, disavowing any knowledge of Jefferson or Longley..

"Is this the man my husband is accused of assaulting? A known thug, suspected killer?" asked Olivia ,starring daggers at Lt. Tragg...

I suspected Longley had pulled this stunt to get me off the streets so that he could bully and shake down Livy,Bev and or Josie..It was a cute trick but it wouldn't work.

Lieutenant Tragg said nothing, he tossed the report tersely on the table.

"Two Detectives and three officers went to the address he gave...He doesn't live there and the number he gave you is to an untraceable burner phone..This entire charade is bogus.Here is their reports...Does he sound like a City Treasurer's aide to you?"asked Olivia.

Lt. Tragg was beat red....I didn't know if it was from embarrassment that he'd been played or that this little lawyer had outsmarted him.  Could have been both!

She was pissed....She and I had been enjoying a late night snack at Jake's Hot Dog Emporium when Tragg and several policemen and a throng of reporters had arrested me... I had been here at the station for about three hours...I didn't need to make a phone call...My wife and her niece were two of the best attorneys money could buy..

Lt.Tragg looked at it and turned beet red...She was a lawyer and she had done a better investigation in three hours than a Lieutenant in the police department...Again..No surprise.

Beverly was also there...

"If you're not going to charge Mr. Alexander....And it doesn't look like you can, considering you have no complaintant...We are done here!!.." she said.. "Oh and Mrs. Brown told me to tell you hi." snickered Beverly...

Lt.Tragg looked like he had drank three cans of paint...

I stood and nodded..

"You know...I'm beginning to like you Tragg...I find you amusing to say the least...You have a good day sir." I said as Olivia, Beverly and I walked out..

"Always a pleasure Lieutenant." said Olivia with a sarcastic smile..

As we walked out ,I kissed my wife on the cheek and hugged Beverly.

Olivia looked at Lt. Tragg with disdain....Then me...

"You poor thing...I got you out as soon as I could."said Olivia to me ...

"And you did a good job too..I am both proud and  impressed..."I laughed.

I kissed her cheek...

"Relax babes...Know what I want right now?" I said smiling at her...

"Auntay, right?" laughed Beverly....

"Well I always want your Auntay....but actually ,some food...I'm starving.."I laughed...

Olivia blushed...

Lieutenant Tragg stood in the foyer just glaring at the three of us as we walked out of Headquarters...

Lt. Tragg stomped his foot in anger...I looked at him...Somewhere behind all that slick hair gel and make up and vanity there once had to have been a good cop....I wondered..What happened to that cop?

III-

Olivia, Beverly and I kicked back at the office and enjoyed lunch and tumblers of hot coffee courtesy of Mabel Jenkins's Soul Food Joint...My boy,Clerow delivered the lunches.... Josie and Paris had had lunch in the office and Nelson had dropped by and brought lunch for him and Beverly...So if Longley had any plans to break in here thinking everybody was gone...That was thwarted...

"Thanks for getting me off dear..I owe you." I said.

"Oh I'm going to get my pay.I got you off and you are going to get me off" said Olivia looking at me salaciously..

''You two need to stop it."laughed Beverly...

Just then Josie walked in with a well dressed Asian Man...

"Guys This is Detective Danny Ho.." she said...He had two uniformed officers with him...Did Tragg send them here for more Harassment I thought? I soon found out I was wrong.

"I know who he is" said my wife Olivia.."I've known Detective Ho for years...Oh yes..That's Detective Sergeant Ho now.." she said.

Public Defenders know all of the cops ,just as Assistant  District Attorneys also know them...I knew all of the Public Defenders and ADA's when I lived in New Orleans.

''Hello Olivia..It's been a long time." he said.

"It has indeed Danny.."said Olivia smiling..."This is my husband, Donnie Ray Alexander, he is our investigator and you remember my niece, Beverly don't you?" she said.

He smiled..."I do..I do.Congratulations on the wedding.." he said.

"I'm with Special Investigations now...The reason I'm here is that I know that your client is innocent and I want to help you." he said.

''You know this how?" I asked..

''Because Special Investigations have been looking at City Treasurer Bob McCloud ever since your client published his first expose on him and brought it to our attention...I told Lieutenant Tragg from the beginning that the murder case against Orwell looked weak...but he wouldn't hear of it...He just wanted to look good in front of the Mayor and The Brass...They just want this thing quieted down..because an election is coming..They don't care that an innocent man is being railroaded...And they would rather turn a blind eye to McCloud's shenanigans rather than face yet another munincipal scandal." he said.

He showed me the same photos I had of Forest Longley in Stoleys and outside of the Motel that I had...and he had more..Photos of Langley and City Treasurer, Bob McCloud at a restaraunt and at Penns Landing and what looked like envelopes being passed between them...

"So much for him not knowing him...He lied." I said.

"That's not all McCloud has lied about."said Detective Ho.

He had sworn statements from some of the same people that Lawrence Stephenson and I had interviewed stating that McCloud and Longley had leaned on them for campaign contributions...

We compared what we had ,with what he had....I was impressed...He was real police..He had done his homework..He seemed equally impressed with me..

"You used to be on the job didn't you?" he said.

"I was Murder Police in New Orleans." I said.

He smiled.

"It shows." he said smiling.

''So why don't you bring this forward and bust McCloud.?" I said.

"You used to be Murder Police Donny Ray...I'm a Sergeant....You know how it goes when you deal with politicians...I'd like to make Lieutenant one day...Lieutenant Tragg will bury this and me...I've dealt with armed killers who had more integrity. It has to come out during your trial Livy.."he said..."But you can't ever tell anybody that I gave this to you..This meeting never happened." he said.

''Your secret is safe with us Danny. We have something better than that Danny...We have an actual taped conversation between McCloud and Longley discussing murder and photos taken of the event." said Olivia...

''WHAT??? Then by all means...Show this to the judge, so he can drop the charges on your client....Once the charges are dropped...S.I. is going after City Treasurer McCloud and nobody is going to be able to save him...I've got Lt. Sissy Van Buren and Captain Ed Cantrell on board....LieutenantTragg is not going to be able to stonewall this any longer...Plus with the problems the Mayor is having right now in his personal life...I don't think he will continue to try to save his friend." He said.

"You're right about him having personal problems." laughed Beverly...

"Beverly is representing his wife..."laughed Olivia..

"Oh My God...you have really moved up..Both of you...When I knew you guys..You were just Public Defenders..."he said.

"I remember when you introduced me to "Chinese Bob's" bistro...I still eat there ocassionally."laughed Olivia.

"Good seeing you again Olivia..and nice meeting you Mr. Alexander..." he said.

"Same here." I said and shook his hand. I liked him...Like Sissy,Carlotta,Duke,Jimmy, Tyriq,Sirena and Hop..He was real police.

 Olivia looked at me and Beverly.....

''A long time ago...when my first marriage was ending..Sgt. Ho was a very good friend to me...He helped me get through a very rough time...We uh dated for a minute....but it just wasn't the right time for either of us..He was seperated and eventually got back with his wife and I was so damaged from being married to Elwood Barnes that I just wasn't any good for any man at the time.." she said.

"It's okay babes...I've been there..."I said and rubbed her hand softly...

I looked at the girls...Olivia ,Beverly and Josie..

"You guys can't stay here tonight...Bev, you're going with Nelson..He'll be on his way here soon..

And Livy, You and Josie are going to stay at a Hotel in town..I've already registered you under assumed names...Leave out the back...Clerow's friend,Owen Todd will drive you."I said.

"As for me...I'll be here..I expect a visit from Mr. Longley tonight..I expect him to be good and angry about what happened yesterday and today...But when he gets here..He's going to get the shock of his life."I said.

''Donnie Ray...I'm nervous and I'll miss you."said Olivia.

"It'll be alright...I've got everything planned...He won't catch me off guard this time." I said. "Just be in court tomorrow with that information.."

"I will...You just make sure you're there.....I've got something nice for you after the trial..."she whispered in my ear..

I smiled...

"Welllll..that's incentive enough for me to uh stay alive."I said smiling sheepishly...

IV-

And in City Hall, Mayor Cecil "Get Right" Brown is talking to Bob McCloud...

"You know..the more and more I hear the more I think that maybe you are guilty of these things being said about you...You did seem to get a pretty sizable war chest pretty fast."said the Mayor..

"Yeah? Well some of that money helped you out when you last ran for election too,don't forget it." said Bob McCloud..

"I never knew where it came from."said The Mayor..

"You didn't want to know either.."said Bob McCloud..

"You know strong arming a law firm and a property management firm is one thing...pretty slimy..but murder..There are rumors that you had some hooker murdered..a Hooker you paid to get close to Orwell and that he's innocent....He's got himself a good lawyer...Olivia Bennett and from what I hear she's running rings around our ADA..." said the Mayor..

"She is becoming somewhat of a nuisance.."said Orwell..

"Well let me get something straight...Nothing better happen to her..You hear me? Nothing....I don't want to think that you'd stoop to murder...but she's no hooker..She's a high profile attorney..Hands off her."said The Mayor..

"What about her husband? He's just some ex-cop from New Orleans who is now a P.I.  Works for her."he said.

"I don't know him...but listen to you Bob..What has happened to you?  Are you really talking about murdering someone?" said the Mayor...

"I'm just saying...I wanted a lid put on this...Your boy Tragg is an idiot...He can't seem to control this..." said McCloud..

"I handpicked him because I know he's one of the boys...He plays the game...The others...They won't play and they've been around long enough to know that they don't have to...Tragg,I can aim him in any direction...He's eager to please.." said the Mayor. "And all that jackass did was go to the wrong room and catch my wife in bed with that other jackass who wanted the city contract.." he lamented...

''I suppose he didn't get it?" laughed Bob McCloud.

"Ohhh hell no..."laughed the Mayor..

"You know..this Olivia Bennett has a niece...Beverly West...She's a lawyer too representing your wife..." said McCloud.

"Bob...Nothing better happen to her either!!!!I don't like the way you're talking." said the mayor...

''Relax..Nothing is going to happen to them.." laughed Bob McCloud...

The Mayor's phone rang....

"Helllo Cecil....I'm naked.." came the voice...

"Anita!! Is that you?"he said ,nearly stuttering...

''Who else?  You got some other naked girl calling you?"

"N-No..No..Of course not!" he said.

"Then get over here now and take care of all this good good...We are still married and I am still willing to perform my wifely duties...Get right Cecil..Get right baby!"she cooed.

"Well Alright!!.....I'll be right over...I'm gone hit that thang right baby!" he said smiling.....

"Ouuu...you turnin me on Cecil...You'd better hurry up before I start a fire." she said.

"I gotta go Bob...Stay out of trouble." he said as he broke his neck grabbing his coat and running out the door.

Once the Mayor was gone...

Bob McCloud made a call...

"Hello!"

"It's me..."

"Yeah?"

"Everything as planned.." he said.

"I'm outside of their office now..I counted three females and one male inside.I couldn't get inside today..The office manager's boyfriend and another guy came by...then some cops stopped by...I didn't know who they were.." came the voice of Forrest Longley...

"No matter..Get inside tonight...Get that information...They have to have it on them...The last day of the trial is tomorrow...Kill em all,even if you don't find it and set the place on fire...Make it look like an accident!" said Bob McCloud.

"Not a problem...I owe that Donnie Ray Alexander some payback! Heh,heh,heh..." said Forrest Longley..

(CONCLUSION NEXT!)