D.C. Confidential

Two days later, we hit the road in my SUV from Philly to our nations capital, Washington, D.C.  I was driving, while Olivia sat next to me....

"Kind of nice , all of us going to D.C. and not taking a flight.." I said.

"It is nice...Josie...I still you owe you a road trip with us...This isn't it..." laughed Olivia....

It was the first time we were leaving with our Office Manager, Josie Boyd...She sat in the back with Nelson and Beverly...

"Thanks Mrs. A.  I'm just happy to be getting out of Philly for awhile.."laughed Josie..

"Jo baby, you can call me Liv...We've known each for several years now...We are friends....I know you work for me, but this isn't a very formal office..."said Olivia..

''So I can call you Liv too?" joked Beverly...

"No I'm still "Auntay" to you smarty." joked Olivia..

"Are you Beverly's only Aunt?" asked Nelson...

"Nooooo, she has other Aunts and some Great Aunts....but they are all older...much older...I'm the only one close to her in age.." said Olivia...

''She's my favorite Aunt and I'm her favorite niece...." laughed Beverly....

"Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that's about right..."laughed Olivia...

"Isn't Kayla your niece too?" asked Josie..

''She's our cousin..."laughed Olivia...

"You girls all have birthdays next week....Hopefully we wrap this up and get home in time for the three of you to celebrate..."I said..

"My birthday is three days after Auntays and Kayla's birthday is the day before mine.." added Beverly..

''Wow...I gotta go out and buy presents for the three of you..."said Nelson..

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.." said Olivia and Beverly...

Although Olivia didn't say it...I know that she had invited Nelson along , not just for extra legal help, but to be company to Beverly, who detested Annette Collins...She brought Josie along to co-ordinate for us as she usually did when we were at home, but also to be some company to Beverly and keep her calm...Josie was good at keeping Beverly's head straight when she got all emotional...

I enjoyed the additional company....

II-

Washington , D.C. in the spring was beautiful.....I loved it....Like Philadelphia ,it was rich in history...

Washington, DC, our nations capital, is a compact city on the Potomac River, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. 

It’s defined by imposing neoclassical monuments and buildings – including the iconic ones that house the federal government’s 3 branches: the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court – but also its museums and performing-arts venues such as the Kennedy Center.

 "You guys been here before?" I asked....I had come here as a teenager on a class trip and again as a young man, playing my trumpet with some guys I had just met a time before...and once before with Olivia and Beverly...This was my fourth time here..

"I was here twice on class trips when I was in school...Once when I was in Law School and a few months ago for a case..."said Nelson...

"I've been here lots of times." said Josie... "Me, Anita Jenkins and Nicole have been down here to clubs a lot." said Josie..

"Cool...You can show Nelson and me all the hot spots." laughed Beverly...

Road Tripping was fun...

III-

 We stopped in Downtown D.C. and had a meal and then headed for our Hotel, which was NOT in Washington, D.C. ,but in neighboring ,Alexander, VA.

The Hotel was everything Annette promised....We were met in the lobby by a middle aged ,but well dressed and kind of portly Black man...

"Olivia? Olivia Bennett-Alexander?" he asked when we entered the lobby...

"Yes...I am she, and this is my niece....Attorney, Beverly West....and our associate, Attorney Nelson East and my husband, Donnie Ray Alexander ,our Investigator and my Administrative Assistant, Ms. Josie Boyd." she said.

He looked us over ...

"Hmmm, Annette only told me that you and your niece and your husband were coming....She didn't mention another attorney or your assistant...but it's okay...I have provided a three room suite as she requested.."he said.

"Where is Ms Collins...She is supposed to be meeting us here?" I asked...Surprised that Annette didn't mention Nelson and Josie, since she knew they were coming...That seemed odd...That was the whole reason for the three room suite.

''She didn't tell you did she?"he said shaking his head..

"Tell us what?" Asked Olivia..

"This is a very highly sensitive matter...Judge Courtland is a very distinguished Federal Circuit Court Judge ...He is also a client of our firm Richard Lundy and Associates...And we wish to get him out of that facility as soon as possible and end this nonsense with his niece and nephew..."said the man..

"Richard Lundy and Associates...I've heard of you guys...Real Heavy Hitters....Does Annette Collins work for you?" asked Beverly..

"She is an Associate as am I...The name is Gaskins...Floyd Gaskins Esquire..I am an Attorney and close friend of Ms. Collins.." he said.

"So if you guys are such heavy hitters...Why are we here?" I asked..

He frowned...

"Did Annette explain to you uh how sensitive this matter actually is?" he asked giving us all the side eye..

''She told us that she and Judge are engaged and that he has been tossed into a mental health facility..Our job is to get him out...But Why can't you guys do that?" asked Olivia..

The man named Gaskins seemed exasperated...

"If you guys know Annette from her days in Philly....You know that she is a very, very talented Attorney...She has won some major cases for us...She is also a very,  very attractive woman and...and she has a penchant for uh..uh...."he stumbled..

"I think we understand..." I said..

''Well ,I didn't know her and the Judge were uh engaged...I had an inkling that she was seeing him...A no-no within our company...And then she got a zip drive from somebody who is blackmailing her...That has some pretty incriminating video of her and another judge, not a client...having sex and her and the Deputy District Attorney also having sex....This is highly explosive stuff...If it got out, the ramifications could be disasterous...Not just for our firm, but Ms. Collins reputation and her employment...She just bought a house recently...." said the man named Gaskins...

''So we aren't going to see Annette while we are here are we?" asked Olivia.

"No you are not!!...She hired you through a second party...if anybody asks....I'm sure a private investigator is going to look you guys up once you are discovered....They'll find a name...a name of someone who doesn't exist ,who is paying you guys from a dummy account...to represent the judge...Once you are settled...I will need your bank account routing information so your fees can be routed to your respective bank accounts." said Floyd Gaskins..

This was odd...I got the impression that Annette was paying us out of her own money....I didn't know what this man was talking about.

"You'll get our routing information after the job is complete..So as far as the Judge knows...or anybody...We were not hired by Annette Collins is that correct?" asked Olivia..

"That's correct...." he pulled out a piece of paper...."Here all five of you, put this number in your phones...if you need anything..You call it and I'll take care of it for you...but after this meeting neither my name, Annette Collins or our firm, Richard Lundy and Associates is ever to come out of your mouths...This entire affair must be handled as discreetly as possible.." he said.

Beverly looked at him sympathetically...

"You must care for her a lot to be taking care of this for her." she said.

"She's like a daughter to me...I've mentored her since she got here...There are not too many people in a firm like this that look like me and you...So when I find someone like her with potential and promise like her...I try to help them as much as I can...She's brilliant....but her personal life is just so wreckless..She's on leave in Philly right now...I'm supposed to call her when this is all finished..Now let's get you up to your suite." he said.

Something about this man and his story didn't click...I didn't completely trust him...but then again maybe I was wrong...The cop in me I suppose.

IV-

 Our three room suite was beautiful...we had a view of the city from our window....and a gorgeous common room with plush couches...and tables...

"I could get used to this.."I said.

"I know right?" said Nelson who along with Mr. Gaskins ,helped me get everybody's luggage up to the rooms..

All three of the bedrooms had a flat screen television and a refrigerator full of soda and domestic beers..as well as a huge bed...that made no sounds...

Olivia and Beverly were like two little girls plopping down on the beds and bouncing up and down..

I smiled...That meant that we could make love without the sounds going out into the living room area or the next room...I'm sure they were thinking that too...

Josie immediately set up our workspace...

Laptops, Phones, Tablets and a fax machine we had brought with us...

"This is cool, we got a make shift office right here guys.." she said..

"You guys are quite efficient...I've heard of you...You should be pretty anonymous here...for the time being..." he said.

I smiled wryly...I knew that any good investigator worth his salt would find our location soon enough...We just had to maintain security...I kind of enjoyed the cloak and dagger of our latest case...

"Before I leave...This is the address of the facility the judge is in and the local courthouses....This should be all you need...but like I said...If you need anything else call that number I gave you." he said.

"Thank you Mr. Gaskins.."said Olivia.

"No...Thank you all." he said and left...

Olivia smiled....

"Well our work is cut out for us...Donnie Ray...get me the book on all of the players...The Judge, The Judge Annette was sleeping with as well as the Deputy District Attorney and the Niece and Nephew....Nelson...I need for you to do research of any and all laws pretaining to this type of case..." she said.

I smiled..

Nelson said..."On it Mrs. A."

"You're hurting my feelings Nelson...I thought we were close...You used to call me Liv." said Olivia..

"Okay Livy..."laughed Nelson...

"See, the more you say it...the more you'll get used to it.." she joked..

''So first thing in the morning, We go spring the judge right Auntay?" added Beverly...

"That's the plan..."said Olivia...

"Good we got a plan....But for tonight...Let's all relax..See if a good movie is streaming.." I said.

''Come on Josie...Let's order some food..." said Beverly...

Nelson whispered in Beverly's ear...

"Sooo when do I get to see your Big Girl Panties?" 

Beverly blushed...

"Tonight after everybody goes to sleep...Is that a date lover?" she asked 

"It's a definite date." he chuckled..

"Stop all that whispering you two..."joked Olivia as I put my arm around her and kissed her cheek..

This case had all the looks of one of our more interesting cases.

(TO BE CONTINUED)