Italian Eggs

And so the battle between two cities...Philadelphia and San Diego began....Olivia and Beverly successfully got the federal interstate flight to avoid prosecution charge dropped since...No one knew where Richard Graves was in the time in which he was indicted and the time in which the FBI eventually caught up to him and it couldn't credibly be proved that he knew he was under state indictment in Pennsylvania or Federal Indictment..

Score one for our team...

Next...The District Attorney here in San Diego formally charged him with the more recent murder of Barbara Ann Green...Richard's one time lover, who was shot to death shortly after she was subpeoned to testify in Pennsylvania about what she may know about the mysterious disappearence of Elaine Graves ten years before..

ADA Nina Rios said that Pennsylvania had a right to him....Olivia, Beverly and the San Diego District Attorney argued that the murder here was a more recent crime and one that they could try and prove while they weren't even sure in Pennsylvania if they even had a murder case, since they didn't have a body or murder weapon or even proof that a murder in fact had even taken place...

It was a weak argument, but a Judge ruled in favor of Olivia ,Bev and the District Attorney...partially....They said that after the trial here....Mr. Graves would be returned to Philadelphia to face murder charges there...

Partial victory for both sides...

Richard Graves appeared in court a completely different man...He had gotten a haircut, had shaved ,had showered and had on an expensive suit ,expensive shoes and was wearing a very fresh fragrance...He looked like the millionaire mogul he used to be and not like a beach bum..

He smiled at Olivia and Beverly...

"You girls are my saviors...I don't know what I'd do without you...I don't have to go to Philly, You got those federal charges dropped...Damn I love you both.." he said.

''We aren't out of hot water yet Richie...There is still the murder charge here and you still have to go home and face murder charges there..." said Olivia..

He ignored her...He smiled...

''Check your bank account when you get out of here and there is a little something for you both when you get back to your hotel rooms.." was all he would say.

The old devil had wired an additional 2.5 million into both Bev and Olivia's personal accounts..I got a mere 100 G's...but that's alright...I'll take it...and two very expensive pairs of shoes were delivered to both of them..

He was very observant..He knew their sizes and apparently their tastes..

He left a note that said-

"THANK YOU MY LITTLE LEGAL EAGLES...THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME AFLOAT!"

Olivia and Beverly both said...

''Awwwww,he's so sweet...Creepy....but sweet."

II-

For all their success...They were not successful trying to get him bail...He was considered a flight risk and try as they might...The judge ruled against them...

I took Nelson with me...Since he was here..he might as well make himself useful....I knew that Olivia needed Beverly to help her out legally and in court...

Acting on a hunch, I cross referenced the paticulars of the Barbara Green Murder with simular murders in the surrounding area...

My hunch paid off...There was a murder of a Betty Watson....A young woman about Barbara Green's age and build in nearby Lemon Grove about six months before...She had been shot with the same caliber weapon...There was no forced entry and there was a spermicidal lubricant found inside her body...The last person she had sex with had used a condom...

And also...just like in the Barbara Green case...a letter had been sent to the local P.D.. A letter where the killer had cut letters out of the newspaper and fashioned a letter telling the local police that a body could be found at such and such address....

"Imagine  two murders so alike Donnie Ray?" said Nelson...

"Yeah and because this happened in Lemon Grove...Chances are, they didn't know about or talk to the cops here in San Diego about it.." I said..

We drove out to Lemon Grove and compared notes from the two crime scenes...This got the detectives to talking to the detectives in San Diego...

Still...Nelson and I kept cross referencing and digging trying to see if there was yet another murder in the area...

It took some time...but we in fact did find a simular case.....

In nearby National City...The summer before...Beatrice Jefferson, a busty ,curvy bombshell of a woman had been found shot to death in her home....She had been shot with the same caliber weapon...There was no forced entry and there was a spermicidal lubricant found inside her body...The last person she had sex with had used a condom...And also...just like in the Barbara Green and Betty Watson cases...a letter had been sent to the local P.D.. A letter where the killer had cut letters out of the newspaper and fashioned a letter telling the local police that a body could be found at such and such address....

The difference there was a loaded condom that had been found in the trash can outside of the house...I was surprised that nothing else had been done about this...Nelson and I were told that the lead detective had died before he could finish investigating....

Nelson and I asked Detectives in Lemon Grove and San Diego to test for DNA from their letter's envelopes and compare it with the condom's content from the first murders....They did and it was a match...We now knew that all three letters were sent by the same man.. We then compared them to Richard Graves DNA and lo and behold ....It was not a match!!!!

Now the detectives in all three cities were trying to find a connection between the three women...There was none..They didn't appear to know each other or have any other connection...until we ran their credit cards.....

 All three women frequented the same rooftop bar and grill that Olivia ,Bev and I had been at our first night in San Diego...last summer....

Nelson and I went there...

''Wow Mr.A. You guys eat at some classy places...This reminds me of Mulberry Street in Philly.."said Nelson...

"That's what your girlfriend said..."I said..

We pored through hours and hours of film footage from the past summer and pretty soon...Olivia and Beverly joined us in looking..

Finally Beverly spotted something...

''Look...There is Barbara Green....Who is that she's leaving with?" she asked..

''And here is your other woman,Betty Watson...Leaving with the same guy in this footage..."said Olivia..

"Now mind you...All this means is this guy came here with two different ladies..."I said.

''He's in here the most with the first woman...Beatrice Jefferson..." said Nelson...

"Copy all three photos...I need a favor from a friend." I said..

III-

In Philadelphia...Deputy FBI Special Agent in charge, Sharon Ferrell-Hopkins answered the phone....

''Donnie Ray Alexander do you realize there is a four hour difference here?  I'm about to get off work...Yeah..I know you and your wifey are out in Cali...What can I do for you?" she asked..

"I need you to run a photo I'm going to send to you through facial recognition....I need to see if this guy is in the system."I said.

"I'm only doing this because you're married to my girl Liv...." she sighed...and then laughed...

''And I thought it was because of our long history together..." I said laughing..

''Oh did you?" she joked...

We both laughed....

"I'll call you back when I get a hit...If I get a hit." she said.

''Okay cool." I said.

I kissed Olivia on the cheek....

"I may have something to get your client off or at least to put doubt in the minds of the jury if this goes to trial."I said.

''I hope so...Richard can't remember a thing about his time line..."said Olivia.

"Not a problem Auntay...I ran his credit cards and debit cards....It appears that on the day Barbara Green was murdered...He was buying beer and wine in Long Beach....He wasn't even in the area.."said Beverly...

Just then, my phone rang...This was quicker than I thought...

''Sharon??Is this you?" I asked.

"You gave me a live one...His name is Lester Jefferson...and boy does he have a sheet...B and E., Assault..
Simple Assault, Sexual Assault...He just got out of San Quentin two years ago...He was a suspect in his wife's murder...but never showed up for a hearing..." she said..

"Thank you Sharon...When we get home...drinks are on me....all night. at Josies..."I said.

"I'm going to hold you to that Donnie Ray.." she said and laughed..

I looked at Nelson...

"Nelson...take these findings to the feds...FBI agent...Ray Stanton....Tell him he may have a serial killer and Richard Graves ,believe it or not may be innocent..."I said.

"I'm on it Donnie Ray."he said...I tossed him the keys to our rental and he took off..

"What would I do without you?" said Olivia who kissed me and then nibbled on my ear....

I smiled sheepishly...

"Auntay....He's blushing...Look at him?" laughed Beverly.

IV-

"Oh My God, this is soooo good..Ummmmmmmmm." said Beverly as she ate what was called Italian eggs at
a Tony Italian Bistro in San Diego...

Larry North had just happened to see Olivia,Beverly and myself sitting in the bistro and had invited himself to dinner with us...

Olivia and I sat together feeding each other Spaghetti and Meatballs..While adventurous Bev sat across from us eating Italian Eggs...

''Beverly?" asked Larry as he ordered a bottle of wine for the table..

''Yes Larry?" answered Beverly..

"You uh ever get horny?" he asked..

"Huh?? What??  Yes!!...I'm human...Of course I do."she said and kept eating...

"Really? "he said...His eyes darting from side to side and a wry smile creasing on his face.

"Yes...I was horny the other night...The first night we were here."she said..

"YOU WERE??  I-I-I mean really?" he said smiling slyly...

"Yeah and you dancing all close to me didn't help any..I'm glad we stopped when we did.." she said and continued eating... "Auntay,Donnie Ray try some of this...It is sooooooo goood..ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."she moaned and fed us each a piece.....

Larry North was really smiling now...and her moaning like that,even though it was over the food was driving him over the edge...

"Oh reallllly?" he said..''Aawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.."he moaned..

Olivia gave him the side eye and then whispered to me...

"Does he realize we are right here and can hear his entire conversation?"

I cracked up laughing...

"Yeah..but I'm over that now...I'm good.."said Beverly..

"And how is that?" he said..

"Ohhh My boyfriend, Nelson surprised me and came in the other night from Philly...He's been staying with me..."she said.

Larry  nearly spit out his drink....

"Larry ,you uh must have talked him up because here he comes." said Olivia trying hard to hold her laughter....

Nelson walked up to where we all were sitting...He was so excited he ignored Larry North...

"GUYS!!! You won't believe this...I took this to the FBI...and they and the San  Diego PD got a DNA hit on this mope, Lester Jefferson...he was already a suspect in his WIFE, Beatrice Jefferson's murder...but now they like him for all three murders...Once they started comparing notes...they began to get matches...He's in jail in Long Beach for a B & E...They arrested him, charged him with all three counts of murder...Richard Graves is off the hook!" he said..

We all cheered!...Beverly gave Nelson a big smooch...Olivia hugged me....

Larry North was nowhere to be found when we all looked around...Neither was his bottle of wine that he ordered for the table...He took it with him...What a chisler!!! I thought!

''Hey ,wasn't that Larry North?" said Nelson..

"Yeah...He was just stopping through to say hi.."said Beverly winking at Olivia and I...''Nelson...try these Italian Eggs baby...They are good.!" said Beverly...

"They smell like Pizza."he said as he sat down and Beverly fed him..

We ate and drank wine well into the night..Unfortunately...We were going to find out we were celebrating too soon.

V-

The next morning...Olivia,Beverly,Nelson and I appeared in court as murder charges were dropped against Richard Graves and he was released from custody....

"Olivia...What can I say? You and your team have once again saved my life...''he said..

''You're a free man..They have the real killer..." said Olivia...

''What do you plan to do now Richie?" asked Beverly..

"Ohhh spend a few days on the beach...go score some good weed....I shouldn't say that around you,but you're my lawyer...Attorney/client priveledge...hahahahahahahahaha."he laughed...

"Don't go celebrating too soon"said a Federal Marshal who placed handcuffs on Richard...

"Heyyy what is this?" he was cleared of the murder.."I said.

"Yes he was....Here...but he has to stand trial in Philadelphia...We are taking him back to Philly...I have a court order.."said the Marshall...

Beverly read it...

"It's good Auntay..."she said.

"Check Mate Nina..." was all Olivia would say...She looked at Richard...

"I'll see you in Philly babes..." she said.

"It's okay Olivia...You did a good job...Maybe it's time I got this out of the way once and for all." he said as the Federal Marshalls dragged him to a waiting car...

"Damn...That poor guy can't catch a break can he?" said Nelson..

"No...He sure can't.." I said.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)