Lem

We were dining in a tony new Bistro called ironically enough..."The Green Room"...That would be me, Donnie Ray Alexander,Investigator for Alexander and West ,Attorneys at Law...

My wife and her niece, Beverly West's law firm.. I'm a former Homicide Detective from New Orleans who moved to Philadelphia to marry and work for the love of my life, Olivia Bennett-Alexander...

Today, Me and my girls, Olivia, Beverly and their Office Manager, Josie Boyd

were enjoying the great Pasta salad they had here,

along with our guest.....Attorney Zoey Easter, who had been Olivia's divorce attorney at one time..

"Olivia, this food is delicious....I had no idea this place was so close to where I live..." said Zoey...

"My Husband is a foodie....He knows more restaurants and bistros in Philly than Bev and I know and we were born and raised here..." said Olivia..  who kissed me softly...

"He's also a traveling musician....He's been here a lot more times than he's willing to tell us." laughed Beverly, who hugged me and kissed me on the cheek...

Zoey smiled and looked at me...

"You are a fortunate man Mr. Donnie Ray...you have two beautiful women who love you..."she said.

"Make that three...I forgot to thank you for taking me to that mechanic last week who hooked my car up." said Josie...

I smiled....

"I love my girls too!" I said as I called the three of them...

"Oh well look a there.."  laughed Zoey, who continued to eat her Pasta salad..

"Ummmm Livy, Bev, Josie...I can't thank you girls enough....It was so refreshing hanging out with you guys last weekend...I love the two shopping malls or centers near where you live...They have every store imaginable...and hanging out at Josie's, Aqua Bar and Stoleys...Oh My God...that's more fun than I've had in a long time..." said Zoey...

"I missed you Zoey...We were just starting to get close, when you moved to New York to take that job with the Knicks.. I'm so glad you're back.." said Olivia..

"Liv...I need to talk to a realtor....I want to move....." said Zoey...

"Move? You have a nice Loft....A beautiful Loft." I said.

"Yeah, but I'm all alone and halfway across town...I want to live closer to you guys....I like that area you live in now Liv, Bev, You have that great shopping mall, two of em...Great bars and clubs and a lot of Condos and Lofts and new housing...and a lot of nice people...I mean you introduced me to Celeste,Soloman and Bridget and Sissy, Carlotta, Angie, Hazel,Sirena,Sharon and their husbands...and your cousin, Kayla and her man...You guys seem like a fun bunch of folks..." said Zoey..

"Well I know two realtors...Sepia Morris and Bonita Foxworth...They sold me my Duplex/Office...They not only sell houses they sell condos, apartments and lofts if that's what you're looking for." said Olivia.

"Yeah...I'm looking for something like what I have ...A loft...until I meet a nice guy and want to make a home with him..."said Zoey...

"You haven't met anybody yet? I mean uh since Ethan's death?" I asked.

"I met a guy...I thought he was nice...but he was a dog....and a liar..." said Zoey...

"Sounds Like your ex-husband Auntay..." said Beverly....

Zoey began coughing so violently that I slapped her back.....

"You okay Zo?" I asked...

She smiled weakly...

"Y-Yes...Y-Yes...I'm, I'm fine..." said Zoey...

"I think it's so nice that we will be working together again too!  A first...." said Olivia, smiling..

Zoey expressed that she wanted some hands on knowledge of actually being a trial attorney...She specialized in Divorces and civil litigation...She was used to boardroom and office negotiations or of trying a case in front of a judge, not a jury..In a unique move, Her firm Cowen, Cowen  and Young and Associates contracted with Alexander & West for Zoey to serve as an observer/consultant with Olivia and Beverly when they had their next big trial....

What we didn't know was that that trial was coming up sooner than we know..

"Girl, the past few months...I've been spending every weekend in my loft, listening to music or binge watching TV shows and movies and eating popcorn and drinking wine and sleeping on my couch...It was so nice to go shopping and club hopping with you guys..." said Zoey, who allowed a few tears to run down her cheeks..

"Hey..Hey, Hey , no tears...no tears...You can always call us..We love hanging out with you too..."said Beverly....

''And don't worry about finding a man...The men will find you...You're new..They don't know you...They'll be flocking around you.." said Josie..

"That's for sure.. Remember when we were new Josie?"said Beverly.....

"That may be more than I want.." laughed Zoey....

"You'll be alright girl...We'll be there to guide you through the terrain." said Olivia, rubbing her back...

II-

Two weeks later...That opportunity we were talking about came...An Attorney from the innocence project contacted Olivia and Beverly about helping him appeal a death sentence of a person he believed to be innocent and unjustly convicted..

Beverly and I were just finishing up a murder case....She had gotten her client acquitted.....

Olivia met us outside of the courthouse...

"So glad your case is just finishing up....I just settled my civil case today too and just in the nick of time too..We have a Death Penalty appeal case...Call Zoey....This is her chance to work with us..." said Olivia..

"How did you get this case so fast?" I asked..

"The Attorney in question sent me a text, while my case was in recess ...He's an associate of Larry North....I met him while I was out in San-Francisco last year...Larry told him that Bev and I had experience in appealing and retrying death penalty cases....We exchanged numbers.. He told me he might have a case here in Philadelphia that I might be interested in....I told him to give me a call if his case came up...and now he has..." said Olivia..

"You did tell this guy that you're married, didn't you?" I joked and pinched Olivia..

"Ouch! Yes I did Mister....It wasn't like that..It was professional." said Olivia, who then whispered in my ear..."Your attempts at jealousy are making me very hot...." she said...

"Oh Myyyy.." I said, blushing mildly...

"Oh Stop it you two..."laughed Beverly....

"The Attorney in question will meet us tomorrow morning in our office." said Olivia..

"I just texted Zoey....She texted me back....She'll meet us tomorrow morning at the office." said Beverly...

"You girls hungry?? I'm thinking of going back to that Green Room joint and getting another Pasta Salad.." I said.

"Ouuu yes....You must have been reading my mind..."said Olivia..

"Mine too! Let's go." said Beverly...

III-

The next morning...A Tall and Handsome young man met me at the front door of our Duplex as I was returning with Bagels and Coffee for the Meeting..

"Hi...You must be Donnie Ray Alexander, Olivia's husband....She talked about you a lot when we were in San-Francisco last spring.." he said.

"I am...You are the uh Attorney from the Innocence Project right?" I said.

"Yes..I'm Lemeul Anderson....I'm originally from Philadelphia....I was working in San-Francisco for awhile, but I just recently moved back out here..I'm still affiliated with the Innocence Program as is your wife..." he said..

"Well come on, let's go inside...They are waiting for you." I said..

Josie had set up water and fruit for us...

"This is our Office Manager and Administrative Assistant, Ms. Josie Boyd.." I said. "Josie this is Lemeul Anderson, Attorney at law.."I said.

"Pleased to meet you."said Josie, smiling...

He smiled broadly, checking Josie out....

"Pleased to meet you too, Heh, Heh, Heh..." he laughed...

Josie blushed like crazy....

I just smiled.

"Nice set up you have here...The office and conference room are on this floor and you rent out the top two floors...." he said.

"Olivia and I live on the top floor and her niece, Beverly lives on the floor below us.."I said..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...Nice....Sweet...Beverly would be Beverly West....Her niece...Also an Attorney..I've seen photos.." he said.

"Yes, here she comes now..."I said.

Josie whispered to Beverly...

"Gurrrrrrrrrrrrl that Attorney you guys are going to be working with is cute!" she said.

Beverly looked at him...

"WOW! You aint never lied girlfriend." she said ,high fiving Josie...

"This is Ms. Beverly West, Attorney at Law. Bev, this is Lemuel Anderson" I said..

"Pleased to meet you...Just call me Lem for short." he said....His eyes nearly popped out of his head....Checking out Beverly's curves....

"Pleased to meet you too." said Beverly, smiling...and blushing also...

Olivia entered the room smiling...

"Lemeul...You made it here..." she said..

"Yes...the traffic wasn't too bad...I took Public Transportation.....I uh don't have a car as of yet....I just moved back to Philly....I should have a car by the weekend though...Just got situated in a nice Loft...Not too far from here...A subway stop away" he said jokingly.

''So you've met my team...My Husband is our Investigator, My niece, Beverly  is my Associate Attorney..You've met Josie..." said Olivia..

"Yes....Yessssssssss" he said...He turned to me... "I'm jealous bro...You work and live with these three gorgeous ladies...Wow!  I'd trade places with you any day.." he said and smiled..

I smiled...I liked him...He seemed cool...

''So you have a Death Penalty case you're appealing correct?" said Olivia...

"Yes...and it's right here in Philly...Right up your alley..."said Lem...

"Oh before we get started , there will be another Attorney joining us..." said Olivia..

"Oh? You have another staff member?" he asked..

"No...She is with another law firm...She does a lot of out of court litigation and she wants some insight to being a trial lawyer,so she will be sitting in with us as an observer/consultant....Is that okay with you?" asked Olivia..

"Not a problem...The more the merrier.." he said and smiled.. The doorbell rang...

"That's her now!" said Beverly...

"I'll get it." said Josie..

Josie let Zoey in....

Josie whispered to Zoey...

"Gurrrrrrrrrrrrl that Attorney you guys are going to be working with is cute!" she said.

 Zoey took one look at him and got weak in the knees...

"Lawd!  Ouuu girl, you aint never lied.." she said.

"That's what Bev said." laughed Josie..

"Hi Zo.....Zo this is Attorney Lemeul Anderson back to Philly from San-Francisco...Lem, Zoey Easter was my Attorney years ago in my divorce from my first husband...She was the Chief counsel for the New York Knicks at one time too!..She is now an Associate Attorney with Cowen,Cowen and  Young"said Olivia..

Lem was spellbound...It was as if no one else was in the room but Zoey....He couldn't take his eyes off of her...

"WOW! That's quite a resume...Uh...Uh ..pleased to...Uh Pleased to meet you, Ms. or Mrs. Easter...?" he stuttered...

"Ms. Easter...." said Zoey, shyly...

He was older than Beverly and Josie by a few years...but a little younger than both Olivia and Zoey...but it was obvious to everybody that he was spellbound by Zoey...

"Well uh..Er ruh, Let's get down to uh cases..." he said. He looked at me ....

''Bro....My god....Is it always beautiful women like this around you?" he whispered..

"Pretty much.." I said smiling...

''Lawd Jesus....I hope I can concentrate during this presentation." he said..

"Well there is Bagels and cream cheese and Muffins and coffee and orange juice here...Why don't we all have a bit to eat first...Get acquainted before we start?" said Olivia..

"Yeah...I mean yes...That's a good idea.." he said and made sure he sat down next to Zoey...

''So uh you'll be observing us huh? A consultant and an observer?" he asked her..

"Uh yes.." said Zoey...

Although she wasn't as obvious....This man was making her temperature rise too...She found him very attractive..She couldn't take her eyes off of him...

Beverly smiled and whispered to her Aunt....

"Auntay...I think our boy has a thing for Zo...." she said...

"Yesssss..She's a little older than him...About two years....but age is just a number..." said Olivia..

"Listen at you two...Playing cupid...." I said smiling...

"Zoey's been alone or with the wrong man for a long time...This could be the break she needs...And not a bad break at that....Whoa!" said Beverly,laughing...

"Well, we've got a case to contend with...Let's just let nature take it's course or not." said Olivia..

Lem got up to get some water....He whispered to me..

"Yo Bro...What's the story on that Zoey babe?"

"She was my wife's divorce lawyer, from her first husband...Before I met her...She moved to New York City to work for the Knicks for a time and now she's back here working for a law firm downtown...Cowen,Cowen,Young and Associates...She wanted some Trial attorney experience...So her firm offered to pay for her to sit in and observe with us when we got another big case..." I said.

"Ohhhh she's trying to make partner...When I worked at a private firm like that....I had to do that..and I still didn't make partner...but that's just me....She married..Divorced..??" he asked..

I smiled..

"You like her huh?" I asked..

He smiled..

"She's nice...Cute...Just my type.." he said.

"Well to answer your question...She's neither..Married ,nor divorced...And she's single as far as I know..Her last boyfriend died a few months ago...but I'll let her tell you that story..."I said as we walked back..

"Damnnn, I hope she tells me a lot of stories.." said Lem....

We weren't the only people talking...At the table....The girls were talking...

"Oh My God Livy...You didn't tell me the other Attorney was such a hottie..." said Zoey...

"You didn't ask honey....Between us...We think he's sweet on you.." said Olivia..

"He could barely get a sentence out when you came in....Go for it girl..." said Beverly laughing..

"He's a little young..." said Zoey....

"He's two years younger than us Zoey." said Olivia...

"I don't usually date guys younger than me...but FOR HIM, I'd make an exception...Whooooo he's fine with a capital F..." said Zoey...

"Aint he now?" said Beverly....

As we ate...Lem began to speak on his case....And he revealed that he was indeed a very serious Attorney and astute....

After we ate he passed out photos...They were crime scene photos of a couple ..an elderly couple who had been shot to death...

"My client sits on death row accused of masterminding the double murder and safe robbery of this couple...$250.000.00 was stolen from the safe by two career criminals who I believe lied on the stand...They fingered her then boyfriend as one of the co-conspirators and a woman named  Polly Singelton, the then wife of one of these men....testified that my client was the brains behind the entire thing...There was no forensic evidence, no eyewitness, no nothing ,just what I believe was perjured testimony...Both of the two career criminals, Ed Singelton and Harry Peirson are now deceased....They got life sentences for fingering her...One was stabbed to death in a prison fight and the other died of cancer....On his death bed..Singelton wrote a lengthy confession,saying that my client had nothing to do with it...and neither did her boyfriend, a Jimmy Valentine, also now deceased, who they fingered...and he said that the ADA knew it because he was sleeping with his wife, Polly Singelton..." said Lem.

"Do you have that written confession?" asked Olivia.

"I do. It's right here...The original...Someone who was clerking for me, found it in the pile of evidence, the last Public Defender who represented her left behind...He had this all the time and somehow it got lost in the shuffle. When I found it, I immediately began working on my appeal and I thought about you and Beverly and your past death row cases and I called you." said Lem..

''We can base our appeal on that...but we are going to need a lot more to be successful." said Beverly...

"Which is where I come in....I need Crime Scene Photos and Case files from the Case Detectives and address and phone numbers of anyone still alive who is involved with this case..."I said.

"And at some point...Bev,Zoey,Donnie Ray and I are going to have to go to the prison to talk to your client...Where is she, Muncy?" asked Olivia..

''Actually...She's in Valhalla..Right here in Philly."said Lem...

"That makes it even better..." said Olivia.

We discussed strategy well into the afternoon...Zoey was picking up everything and taking notes...

"Wow you guys are something...The education I'm getting..." she said...

"Well...Thanks for helping me guys...We have a preliminary hearing before an Appellate court at the end of the week...I'll call you in the meanwhile...Uh Liv, you got a number of a cab company? I won't have a car until  the weekend...I'm still getting myself situated." he asked.

"I have a car....I can drop you off...Where do you live?" asked Zoey...

"Oh, I uh don't want to put you out Ms... Ms. Easter..." he said..

"Oh Nonsense...We are all on the same team right? We are going to be working together...I'll drop you off.." she said.

"Well, if you uh don't mind." he said and looked at me slyly and winked..

"Besides...I'm sure you don't mind, do you?" she asked..


I had to hand it to Zoe...She wasn't lacking in confidence...She was a good looking woman and she knew it...

Lem looked a bit taken aback.....He smiled shyly....


"N-No...Not at all..." he said....

''Don't be scared...Ms. Zo don't bite..." she joked...

I smiled a devilish grin...

"I'll see you guys in tomorrow.." he said.

"Liv, I'll talk to you tomorrow....See you Liv, Bev, Josie and Donnie Ray..." she said,

 "See you girl." said Olivia, smiling slyly....

 "See you Zo." said Beverly ,winking at Zoey...

 "See you Zo."laughed Josie...

I smiled..."That was real smooth I thought...

IV-

Zoey drove Lem to his apartment complex......

"So you live here huh?  Nice.." she said.

"Thanks for the ride...Wanna come up, See my place?" he asked.

"Well I...Uh..Well uh..." she said, at a loss for words..

"I'm just asking you to come up Zoey....take a look...I just moved in here a few months ago...I can brew us some coffee if you like..If you're in a rush, I mean....it's okay." he said.

"Okay.. I guess I can come up for a minute...For uh coffee." she said..

"I'm a gentleman Zoey..." said Lem with a raffish grin..

Once inside his loft, Zoey was amazed......

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh wow, this is nice Lemeul... And you're very neat.. No clothes strown  around like most men" she said..


No other women's panties, she thought...

"Please ,call me Lem...We are gonna be working together for I suppose the next few weeks..." he said.

"Okay!" she said..

He brewed a pot of coffee...


"I always end my day with a nice tall cup of joe." he said and smiled..

"So...Tell me about yourself Lem." asked Zoey as he fixed her a cup of coffee.

"Well, let me begin...I was born and raised here as I suppose you were too.."he said.

"I was educated in Philadelphia Public Schools....I started out at Lasalle....played Basketball there...Transferred to Temple where I finished and got a B.A. in Administration of Justice...I won a William Crawley Jr. Scholarship in Debating ,which helped me get into Penn Law School....I worked as an intern/clerk for a lawyer downtown to pay my way through Penn...I graduated and passed the bar and went to work at a corporate firm very much like Cowen,Cowen ,Young and Associates where you work. I met a woman...Also an Attorney, She took a job out in San Francisco with the Innocence Project, She got me hooked...It was far more interesting than torts and corporate litigation...I actually felt like I was doing something worthwhile...We moved to San-Francisco together...The work was good, intriguing...Unfortunately...We weren't that good...We grew apart.. She's with another guy now.. Just had a baby...No hard feelings.. It's just like that sometimes...So I packed up and moved back here...The work is still good and worthwhile" he said.

"Wow...That's some story....How did you know where I work?" asked Zoey...

"I asked...I hope you don't mind.." he said.

"Why did you ask?" asked Zoey with an alluring and salacious smile..

"Well if you're interested in somebody, you ask about em." he said.

"You interested in me huh Lem? You never saw me before today...."said Zoey...

"I like what I see...I mean I'm interested in what I see...It only takes a moment....I didn't say I was in love with you...Just that I'm interested...Love and feelings come later or they don't come..." he said as he sipped his coffee..

Zoey liked his openness....but he was younger than her...She'd hurt this young guy she mused...


"I ,like you was born and raised here...I was educated in Philly Public Schools and attended the University of Pennsylvania...My daddy was an Attorney , with the city...Ironically enough , Liv and I were there the same time ,had classes together, but we didn't know each other or hang out..

We saw each other in passing...We graduated in the same class and passed the bar around the same time...She worked as a Public Defender and I went in the corporate world.. .."said Zoey...

"Boyfriends?" he asked.

''A few, none worth talking about....I represented Olivia, when she was divorcing her first husband..

That's how we met and became friends...She was in the corporate world by then too, I was referred to her by another mutual friend of ours, Celeste Tate...She's an Attorney too...We worked out in the same Gym...She was an ADA at the time. When I met Olivia, she was a few months pregnant and was talking about starting her own law firm..." said Zoey.

"Liv never mentioned having any children.." said Lem...

"She had a miscarriage during the divorce precedings.." said Zoey...

"Damnnnnnnnnn, the stress." said Lem..

"Yeah.. She was going through the divorce, her husband was having multiple affairs and she was trying a murder case all at the same time...It was too much, poor thing..

Her niece, Beverly was still working in the Public Defenders office.. Next time I saw Liv, a few years later....She was married again to Donnie Ray, an ex-Homicide Detective she met while vacationing in New Orleans.. You met him today...

 and her and Beverly had the Duplex/Office you saw today and a thriving Law practice...   I had moved to New York.." she said.

"Where you became Co-Counsel for the New York Knicks...." he said and smiled.

"Wow! You really did  do some checking up on me...." she laughed... "Did you know I was engaged to an ADA from Philly too?" she asked.

"No...but I know your last boyfriend died tragically....I wasn't given the details.. I was told to ask you..."said Lem..

"That was him....An Ex-Philly ADA...He had a substance abuse problem...Heroin...He got me hooked too!....I took a leave of absence and dried out in rehab out in California...your neck of the woods...I've been clean for a year....I resigned from the Knicks and returned to Cowen, Cowen ,Young and Associates where I had once been a Junior Partner...I'm now an associate Attorney, who sits in a nice cubicle...Not like the office I once had...but it pays the bills...I go to a 12 step program three nights a week and the gym...My ex-Fiance died of an overdose a few months ago...I also have one abortion in my past....I don't care to even discuss that guy...Sooooo still interested in me Lem?" said Zoey...

"Baby...I don't judge....I'm no saint myself...I have a Juvenile record..... Assault...I was in the  11th grade...I spent seven months in Juvenile detention..I graduated from high school a year after I was supposed to...I just never got in anymore trouble....I decided that being incarcerated wasn't for me.. Talk about scared straight...Got my act together and graduated from high school and went to college...I'm an Attorney today only because I have no felony on my record...Nobody is perfect....I wasn't even gonna tell you that, until you were so open with me...And to answer your question...YES....I'm still very much interested in you...I suppose after all you've been through, a relationship is probably not your first priority..." he said.

"I'm alright...I'm getting myself together....I'm lonely a lot of times...I work, go to the gym, the 12 step program and back to my loft...That's why I'm moving.." said Zoey..

"Moving?" he asked..

"Closer to Liv and Bev....I hung out with them the past weekend...Shopped, Bar Hopped...Had the time of my life...Met their friends...I need to be around people...Start enjoying life..."said Zoey..

"You still wind up going home alone...It would be nice to have someone to come home to..." said Lem softly...

"You want me to come home to you Lem" she asked jokingly..."I'm just kidding..."she said.

"I'm not...I don't think it would be such a bad idea.. It would be great if you came home to me...I like you a lot...I haven't been able to take my eyes off of you since you walked into Liv's office.." said Lem...

"Awwww....I like you too..." she said quietly...."Thanks for the coffee....I'll see you later.." she said.

"Thanks for the ride...and the uh honest conversation..." he said and stared into her pretty brown eyes...

Before they knew what was happening....They were kissing passionately in the doorway......

"Oh My god....Zoey thought..."He's a good kisser tooo...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."

"Damn!" He thought, she smells great and feels so good....Her lips are so soft...I'm losing my mind..."


They kissed for close to a half an hour ,before they broke their embrace...

"Ouuu that was nice...Very Nice....A little fast, considering I just met you...but, wow...Very nice.." said  Zoey ..swooning like a high school girl...She hadn't felt like this in a long time...

"It was....very  very nice...Can I expect more?" he asked..

"Wow!  Maybe...We'll see..." said Zoey..."Good Night Mr. Anderson..." she said..

"Good Night Ms. Easter... Does this mean you're a little interested in me too?" he asked and smiled...

"What do you think? You think I kiss a man I just met that long if I'm not interested.?" she replied and smiled.

"Just like a lawyer...I'll take that as a yes.." he laughed...

"That was a yes..." she said..

They kissed again...Finally Zoey broke their embrace...

"Wow....I'll...I'll be by in the morning...Around 8:00 to pick you up.." she whispered...

"I-I don't think I can go to sleep right now....WOW!" said Lem..

Zoey smiled..


"You'll be alright..." she said and walked down the steps out into the street...

Zoey stood outside his building...The cool air calmed her down....


"Whoooooooooo..wow!" she thought..


This was going to be a good case...

For the first time in a long time she was looking forward to waking up in the morning..

(TO BE CONTINUED)