Elvira Gentry

Olivia's Brother Jimmy wasn't lying...He and his wife, Malinda,Olivia's childhood girlfriend  had a nice seaside inn and had booked two additional rooms... One for Olivia and me

and another for Beverly and Nelson...Which was a real surprise....The protective way he is about Beverly....No one expected him to approve of her having a room with her boyfriend...

 "Our rooms are just beautiful Auntay."said Beverly...

"I'll say..we got a room with a window view..."said Nelson...

"What did you guys think?  I was going to have my Baby sister and her husband and my daughter in a hut or somethin? "said Jimmy..

"Jimmy who is paying for this?" asked Olivia...

"Liv,Liv,Liv...Always so practical....The magazine I'm doing this story for is paying for it...This is my shot at greatness."he laughed...

"The magazine knew I was coming....Didn't they Big Brother? Once you heard Richard Graves was in custody ,you got out here as fast as you could and you set this up didn't you? YOU TOLD THEM I WOULD BE HERE..So you could get the inside scoop?" said Olivia..

"Uh..I kinda sorta...did that Livy...You were his lawyer, he was begging for you...He's fired his two public defenders...Come on...I couldn't pass this up?" he said.

"You are a trip.....If you weren't my brother..I'd...I'd...I'd be furious with you." she said laughing heartily....

Jimmy hugged Olivia and spun her around...

"I've missed you sooo much baby sis...When did you get to be so smart?" he said..

"Because I had to be." she said.....

She had idolized her brother when she was a child and he had always been protective of her and Beverly....But as she got older ,she began to see him for what he was....Immature at times, a womanizer and at times, a manipulator....Still she loved him with a fierceness that only siblings understand..

Jimmy turned his attention to Beverly....

"So young lady....This is your uh boyfriend...Your man ,huh?" he said..

"This is Attorney Nelson East.." she said..

"This is Attorney Nelson East!"he said, mocking her...."Hi Nelson..."he said and shook his hand..

"Hello Mr. West." said Nelson...

"I uh arranged for you and my daughter to have a room together....I wouldn't normally do this..But I figure, you're both adults....and I know you two are probably already doing grown folks things...You do use protection don't you?" he asked..

''Yes Sir."said Nelson..

"DADDY!!!" said Beverly ,obviously embarrassed!

"If You had used protection...SHE WOULDN'T BE HERE!" came the voice of his wife...Malinda..

"MALINDA!!!"said Olivia as she hugged her and they spun each other around...

"Heyyyyyyyyyy girl....Long time no see."said Malinda..."Come here Beverly.."she said and hugged her step-daughter...

"I know you aren't still mad at me for marrying your dad."she said.

"No Malinda...I was never mad.."said Beverly...

''Good cause you were almost always as much family to me as your aunt Olivia.."she said and kissed Beverly again.

But it was weird...Malinda and her Aunt Olivia were best friends growing up and she had always felt like one of the girls...Malinda was like a big sister or another aunt to her...So seeing Malinda married to her father was like seeing one of her friends married to her father...

Beverly hugged her.....

''So this is your boyfriend huh?" she said looking at Nelson...

"How you doing Mrs. West..."said Nelson...

"Call me Malinda..."she said.

"Mrs. Malinda if you're nasty"laughed Olivia..

"Donnie Ray, your wife always been so funny??  She forgets ,I knew her before she became a celebrity attorney."laughed Malinda..

I laughed....

"So Jimmy...You said you have some domestic brews on tap right?" I said.

''Sure do...Malinda and I are staying down the hall from you...Beverly and uh Nelson are on the floor below us...I tried to get their room on the same floor, but I couldn't." he said.

"That's cool...Let's get some food and some drinks..We've been traveling...We are starving and thirsty."I said.

"Best idea I've heard this afternoon."said Jimmy.

II-

The six of us quaffed down some domestic beers and wines at the local bar...

Olivia looked at her brother and smiled...

"Jimmy this is all so nice...The room...The drinks and all....Thank you so much for putting us up."she said.

"Come onnnnnnnnnnn, yall family!" he said laughing...

''So , I hate to put a damper on all this...but where is Richie being held?" she asked.

I had to admit...I wanted to know myself...So I could begin my investigation...

"He's at the county jail under heavy lockdown...The FBI wants to extradite him back to Philly....but the Bar Harbor authorities want to try him for the murder of the lobster man..."said Jimmy...

"Tomorrow..Bev...you and I will go and talk to him..."said Olivia..

''Here we go again...another hostile town...Another hostile small town police force and District Attorney."said Beverly sighing..

"I know baby...part of the game.."sighed Olivia..

"That's my sister...every bit as tough as I am.."laughed Jimmy with pride..He looked at Nelson..."Aren't you going with them? You're an Attorney?" he asked..

"Daddy!"said Beverly...

"Daddy what? I'm asking a question." said Jimmy...

"He's coming with me...I need another person with me when I do my initial investigation and I can't think of a better person than an Attorney.."I said diplomatically...

Nelson was a bit intimidated by Jimmy...I could tell...Olivia told me that he did that to all of her dates and some of Beverly's as well...Only the bravest, who hung around in spite of him won his respect.

I was lucky...He had liked me from the time we first met....

"Oh..I guess I'll cover my sister and daughter."he said...

"You can cover us Jimmy, but stay out of the way...No questions and no comments...and anything you hear is strictly confidential ,unless I tell you it can be released to the public."said Olivia..

"Can you believe I'm 12 years older than this girl and she still has me wrapped around her little finger? Both of em...Her and Bev....Okay Livy, Baby girl...You're the boss.."he laughed..

"Enough shop talk...more drinks?" said Malinda...

"Works for me!"laughed Beverly....

Malinda hugged Beverly and kissed her on the cheek....

"I'm so glad to see you and Liv."she said.

III-

 Detective Clint Mcdonald sat at his desk....He looked up as Nelson and I walked into his office...I passed him a hot ,steaming tumbler of coffee and a bottle of Jameson's...Irish Whisky....

He looked at me and Nelson and smiled..

"What is this, a bribe?" he smiled..

"That's coffee and Jameson's...The homicide detective's medicine." I said smiling...

"You sound like you're either on the job or you used to be." he said..

"I used to be a Homicide Detective, back in New Orleans...I'm a Private Investigator now...I live in Philadelphia PA... I work for Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander and Beverly West..I'm Donnie Ray Alexander."I said and extended my hand..

''Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...That's your wife isn't it?" he asked.

"So you know who she is?" I asked.

''I do my homework...I know she and her niece got him off of a murder rap in San Diego..and he jumped bail on her in Philly...I'm really surprised she'd want to represent him again after he burned her like he did.."he said.

"Between me and you..I'm surprised my damn self...but she believes in his innocence..."I said.

"You want to look at the evidence against Mr. Graves, also known as Elvira Gentry...Try to discredit me right?" he said.

"I want the truth...no matter where it leads...so we know how to go about defending him or getting him a deal..." I said. "You seem like you know your business..and you strike me as being very thorough...I think we can help each other.."I said."Oh..this is my associate,Mr. Nelson East...He's an Attorney."I said introducing Nelson..

"Hello Detective McDonald." he said..

"Hello... Hmmm..anybody that brings me coffee and Irish Whiskey can't be all bad...For the record...I'm Scottish....but I do partake of the Irish whiskey...I have the case file right here...And I have to tell you...I have a few doubts myself."he said.

"You do?" I asked, very surprised..

"I didn't arrest him...I am the lead detective on the case....but he was actually arrested by Deputy Jim Skylan...He's a deputy who's anxious to make detective.....I don't have a lot of evidence against your boy....but he is a wanted fugitive and he was concealing his identity as  a woman named Elvira Gentry..Oh and this...He lived next door to the dead Lobster man...He took a powder soon after the lobster man was seen last..." said Detective McDonald..

''That's all you got?" I asked.

''It's enough for suspicion..Come on Mr. Alexander, Mr. East....Let's take a ride to the Morgue.." he said..

IV-

Olivia and Beverly were at the county jail visiting Richard Graves...Jimmy used his press pass to get through.....Naturally, there was a lot of news coverage...

Jimmy snapped as many photos of his sister and daughter as he could...A deputy stopped him..

"This is as far as you can go...Only the two lawyers can go in to see him....Their conversation is barred from outsiders " he said.

Jimmy didn't protest....

Richard Graves sat at a table in the small visiting room....Olivia told me he looked good considering..He was clean shaven, had a fresh haircut..Was wearing a crisp and pressed Orange prison jumpsuit and white skippers...

He stood up,but his ankles were restrained by shackles...Only his handcuffs were removed..

"Olivia!!,Beverly...Come here......I have missed you both so much." he said..

"Richie..Richie..Richie...You disappoint me....What was that little stunt you pulled in Philly about?" asked Olivia smiling and hugging him....

"I'm sorry ladies..but Nina Rios is trying to railroad me...My family is paying her to do it..I wasn't going to sit by and be railroaded..."he said.

"Oh Richie,that's nonsense and you know it."said Olivia.

''I don't think they're doing that Richie...Nina is as honest and upright as they get. What are you doing up here and disguised as a woman?" asked Beverly.

"I am the subject of a nationwide manhunt Bev...FBI and cops would be looking for me in Philly, New York and San Diego...but not in some small Maine town and disguised as a woman..."he said..

"Elvira Gentry? Where did you get that name from?" laughed Olivia..

"I made it up....I've always liked the name Elvira! I was in another town before this and I went as Mrs. Olivia Beverly..."he laughed..

"Richie, you goofball."laughed Beverly...

"I know, a little too obvious huh?" he said laughing.

"You think?" said Beverly...

"You're my two favorite attorneys....what can I say?" he said.

"Richie, you're too much."laughed Beverly.

"Did you see the photo of me being arrested? Weren't my shoes fierce?" he asked..

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....Where did you cop them?"asked Beverly...

"In New York...When you and your auntie get me off..I'll send you both a pair...I know your foot sizes.."he said.

"The question is...Can we get you off Richie?" asked Olivia...

"Liv..I didn't do this...I lived next door to the man...He was trying to come on to me half the time...and he confided some things to me...but I didn't kill him..Why would I? The last thing I would need is attention drawn to me for yet another crime...and I'm wanted in a nationwide FBI hunt for another crime?Why would I do that Livy? I know I seem odd at times...but I'm no fool Livy.."he said..

"No you're not..you're as crazy as a fox..."said Olivia...

"So you gonna get me bail babes...I want to get out of here.."he said.

"Nope...." she said..

"No Auntay?" asked Beverly...

"No...I didn't come all the way up here to have you flee again...I'm going to fight your extradition charges first, then we are going to fight this case and free you...Then Richie..you're on your own.."said Olivia...

He frowned...

"You do understand my point of view?" said Olivia..

Richie sighed...

"Whatever you say Liv...You're the boss." he said.

"It's for your own good Richie...This way you can't get in anymore trouble."said Beverly...

"If you say so....but I sure could use a drink...some decent food.."he said.

"In good time Richie....Don't talk about your case to anyone...you hear me...No one but Bev and myself..We'll be back to see you tomorrow."she said.

"Where is your husband?" he asked..

"He's here...He's looking into your case..."she said.

He smiled...

"I feel better already.."he said.

V-

Jimmy was standing there waiting when Olivia and Beverly walked out..He looked upset....

"Damn..I didn't get not one photo of him.."said Jimmy.

"When he goes to his hearing day after tomorrow, you'll see him.."said Olivia calmly...

''Richie is a hoot ,isn't he Auntay? Elvira Gentry!Hahahahahaha." laughed Beverly...

''Oh My God...He's like a child...He keeps me laughing..Mrs. Olivia Beverly..."said Olivia.

"You go way back with him, don't you sis?  I remember when you were a Public Defender, you defended him a couple of times."said Jimmy..

"You remember that? wow! "said Olivia, smiling...

"I kept up with you Baby Sis..No matter where I was...I was always so proud of you and so grateful to you for taking care of my daughter when I couldn't...and being a great example for her....Look at her...My daughter is an Attorney, Just like my Baby Sister.....I love it....And you made a good choice in a husband too...At least the second time..I know that Donnie Ray is a bit sprung over you....but I know he'd take a bullet for both of you...I never worry,knowing that he's around...He's my kind of guy..." said Jimmy...He stared at his daughter,Beverly...

''What is it Daddy?" she asked..

"This Nelson guy...He seems like a nice enough fellow...But he doesn't seem your type baby girl...You used to prefer em more worldly like Rollie Rollerson's nephew ,Wallace Anderson...I liked him...or Larry North or that smooth guy you were with when you were in your last year of law school.. Barry something or other...Oh yeah, Barry Fontaine...the lawyer that's on Television with those corny commercials...This guy Nelson, he seems a little slow and less uh flashy for want of a better word..for your tastes ,That's all I'm saying." he said.

 "Those smooth, flashy guys I used to like were basically just interested in sharing my bed,nothing more....with the exception of Wallace...I let that one get away..but Nelson is different...He's a lot like Wallace was..He loves me for me..warts and all...I'm a handful to deal with...He outlasted all of the fly guys,He got to know me...He taught me that sometimes the nerds, the so called corny guys will love you the best."said Beverly...

"Being around you paid off Livy....My daughter is a wise woman."he said..

"She is indeed..."smiled Olivia, who hugged her niece...

VI-

That night we all enjoyed a fabulous meal in town....

"So Malinda...how's the acting going?" asked Olivia...

"Pretty good...I just shot episodes of "Being Mary Jane", "Scandal", "Greys Anatomy" and  "How To Get Away With Murder" this season and "Blindspot" she said.

''Wow! you're on some good shows....Any movies?" asked Nelson..

"I just shot an independent movie this past summer...and in a few months,I'll be in Ireland, where I'm shooting a foreign and independent movie."said Malinda..

"Wow....Olivia and I love movies....Now we have something to look forward to." I laughed...

"How did you guys do today." asked Beverly..

"We met the case detective....Nice guy....He has some doubts about Richie's guilt too..."I said.

"Really?? But he arrested him."said Beverly...

"Actually he didn't..A Sherrif's Deputy arrested him on suspicion of homicide and then realized he had an FBI top 10 wanted fugitive and the collar of a lifetime."said Nelson..."Tomorrow Donnie Ray and I are going to interview some people..We went to the morgue today to look at the body....Since we are eating...I uh won't give out the gory details."said Nelson with a smile..

"Yes, thank you."said Jimmy...

Beverly looked at her father.......

It was quiet....Then Malinda stepped in..

"Oh Hush up Jimmy...He said he wasn't going to say anything...Stop being a bully..."said Malinda ,who looked at Nelson and said-

"Pay him no mind Nelson."

I looked at my wife....I know she didn't like that.....

"Oh Big Brother....A word in private please?" she said. "Excuse us."she said.

"Oh boy, Donnie Ray...I'm in trouble."he said laughing...

They walked outside...

"Jimmy, Don't start that...She's not a teenager...She's a grown woman ....and whether Nelson is YOUR KIND OF GUY or not...That's her man...You need to respect that..." said Olivia..

"She's my daughter Livy....I have to look out for her....I know she's your niece and you love her too..but you're not her mother..."he said. "Hell, you two aint but what,eight or nine years apart...you're practically peers and not Aunt and Niece...Hell, you're more like cousins...Hahahahah...Which is why you can't see it from my perspective."he said.

"Okay Jimmy, you win....but you keep it up and you're going to lose her...She's a grown woman...She's not your little girl anymore....Nelson is a nice guy....If he wasn't,do you think he'd even be up here on this trip??"said Olivia...

"I didn't say he wasn't nice...just a bit slow for my daughter's tastes...That's all I said..He using protection?? I don't want him to get my baby pregnant without puttin a ring on her finger...She's an Attorney now!"said Jimmy...

"YOU of all people aren't asking that.....Beverly is living proof you didn't always exercise that kind of judgement...not to mention the two abortions I had to arrange for you years later...I should have about three or four nieces or nephews by now."said Olivia,..

"You know how to hit below the belt baby sis....Okay...I won't say jack...I'll trust you...It's just I love my daughter so much."he said.

"And you think I DON'T? Ever since you and Mommy placed her in a crib in my room,when I was nine years old...I've looked after her..."said Olivia...

"Yeah ,you have...A lot of times...Better than me and Alfreda."said Jimmy...

"So how's married life?" she asked..changing the subject...She hated being angry with her older brother..He was still her hero somewhat!

"I must love her Livy...She's the only woman I haven't cheated on...I adore Malinda...That's why I'm hustling trying to get all of these great stories....So I can make as much money...So I can live up to her...I mean,she's making all these television appearences and shooting all these movies..Sometimes I'm afraid she'll leave me one day."he said.

"Malinda loves you Jimmy...I don't see that happening anytime soon. You don't need money to impress her...Trust me on that!"said Olivia...

Just then Beverly and Nelson were leaving..

 "Hey Auntay...Daddy..We are uh gonna go for a walk and then go back to the room."said Beverly...

"Good Night Mr. West." said Nelson...

"Nah wait..wait...Don't pay me no mind Nelson!!!...I was just playin with you...If I said anything to insult you, forget about it...I didn't mean it...I can be an asshole at times....MOST times...My sister here helped me uh see the error of my ways...Look, you two come with me...I know a great place where they serve the best Ice Cream...Come on...My treat...We can all get re-acquainted.." he said.

"Go on...I'm full...I can't eat another thing..."said Olivia, smiling at her brother....

By Now ,Malinda and I had walked outside..

"Everything alright?" I asked..

"Just fine.."said Olivia..

"While they're gone...Let's us three hang out...See if it's anything else to do besides eat and drink in this town."said Malinda..

I smiled..

"Sounds like a plan."I said.

(TO BE CONTINUED)