Super Lawyers

 One thing I'll say about Philadelphia....It has some pretty interesting skyscrapers.....This particular one was so high we had to take the elevator to one floor and catch another set of elevators to get to the the floor we were headed to...

"Wow Liv....You ever think that it might have been cheaper if you had bought some space in a building like this for your law firm?" I asked her jokingly...

"I thought about it...but I worked at a law firm in a building like this...I wanted to be a little more grounded, more down to earth and no...it wouldn't have been cheaper..." said my wife, Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander..

"The monthly rent in a place like this would have ate up our early profits...Auntay lucked out and bought that duplex office lock stock and barrel...which left us with enough money to hire you and Josie.." said my wife's niece and partner,Attorney Beverly West...

Olivia smiled at her niece...."She's right you know..."

We had been summoned to the offices of Prominent Attorney William ''Slim" Johnson of Johnson /Colgate /Young and associates...

"Liv, do you even know this guy or why we are being summoned?" I asked.

"Nope, I've never heard of this guy or his firm...but he requested a Monday Morning meeting with the three of us..Curiosity got the best of me.." said Olivia..

"It'll be Tuesday by the time we get to the floor this firm is on."I said...

Beverly laughed and kissed me on the cheek...

"You are sooo country Donnie Ray....but we still love you.."

"Aint he though???...but I love my country mannnnnnnnnnnnnn.." laughed Olivia...

"We are here.....Wow...I do feel like I've aged a year." said Beverly...

II-

We walked into the spacious and modern office suite...The first thing we noticed was that our friend and Beverly's significant other, Nelson East was already there, drinking a tumbler of coffee and munching on a croissant..

"Liv, Beverly , Donnie Ray...You got the letter too huh?" said Nelson..

"Nelson!!! What are you doing here?" asked Beverly....

"We didn't get any letter...We got a phone call from someone named Slim...William "Slim" Johnson.."

"Oh Yeah Mr. Johnson...He'll explain this all to you...I told you guys about this a few months ago...You forgot.." said Nelson...

"Nelson, what are you talking about ?" said Beverly..

"I'll explain that..."said a Hulking White man who walked in the room...."Hi I'm Slim Johnson."he said..

I was astounded...

"You're Slim Johnson?" I asked...He was about six foot four and at least 250 pounds....

 "Donnie Ray" said Olivia, trying to hide the fact that she was laughing...

Beverly smiled...

"It's okay...I get this all the time...My nickname is kind of uh a little inside joke.." he said..."Sit down, have some coffee...We have croissants , butter, strawberry jelly, grape Jelly.." he said..

Nelson already had Beverly's coffee ready for her and a croissant...

She smiled sweetly at him and sat down next to him...

"I love you boo." she whispered in his ear...

I poured two tumblers of coffee...One for Olivia and another for me ...

She sat down next to me... We hadn't had any breakfast and we were a little hungry...

"You guys , you three are phenomenal attorneys...You are aware of course that You, Mrs. Bennett-Alexander and You Ms. West, Along with Mr. East are three of 6 attorneys from the area who have been named to the 2017 edition of Pennsylvania & Delaware Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multi-phase selection process. Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor..I was on that research team....I saw you guys in court against Rockland Cambridge, who was on this list last year and against the brilliant and ruthless Wallace Payton...I was very impressed....You two held your own and bested both of them, not once...but twice...And I observed Mr. East in a couple of notable cases....I understand all three of you came out of the Public defenders office....Again..I am impressed...Which is why I've called you here..Every year we pick  several worthy attorneys and we pay for them in association with the innocence project to defend one deserving case....And we have just such a case...A man is facing an almost certain execution in Louisiana in a few weeks...Who may be innocent." he said.

"I'm From Louisiana...I was a Homicide Detective on the New Orleans Police department for years.." I said..

"Excellent...Then you'll be right at home then...I have  Airline Tickets for New Orleans and I have two rooms reserved for you in a really nice hotel.. Before you leave today...Mrs. Bennett-Alexander, Ms. West and Mr. East...You will give me your account information and I will wire your pay to your respective accounts..." he said..

''Are you serious?" asked  Olivia, who appeared to be overwhelmed by everything.

''Very....Your flight leaves in a few days...When you get to New Orleans ,my associates, Mr. Ronald Tackett and Ms. Molly Thomas will meet you and fill you in on the case. They like you are fine Attorneys."said Slim Johnson..

"Ronald Tackett?? " I asked..

"You know Mr. Tackett? asked Slim Johnson..

"I sure do...He was an Assistant District Attorney when I was a Detective...I know him quite well." I said.

''Well he left the D.A.'s office a few years ago and now he's a defense attorney with the Louisiana Innocence Project.."said Slim Johnson.

"You guys are like us...You work with the Innocence Program from time to time huh?" asked Olivia..

"We do...We also refer attorneys to them....from time to time, when we can't spare a man, like now!...When you return I'd like to talk to the three of you about sitting on the review board for next years nominees...Rockland Cambridge was on it..but he's back in therapy...He's brilliant, but a troubled guy.." said Slim Johnson...

Olivia looked at me..She smiled.

"You get to go home Donnie Ray...This will be nice...You can see your sister and brother in law and the kids and your father.."said Olivia...

"She's going to want to put all of us up...but I think it's better if we take the hotel.." I said..

''Oh wow Auntay...This is great...Puerto Rico, Seattle and now New Orleans....I'm loving this year...We gotta go shopping before we leave.." said Beverly...

"Mr. Johnson...could you add one more room?" asked Olivia..

"You have another attorney?" asked Slim Johnson..

"We have a para-legal who is very essential to our operation..."said Olivia...

''Consider it done...I'll try to get you adjoining rooms..or at best on the same floor."said Slim Johnson..

''Mr. Johnson, you just made my day." I said.

"You guys just made mine...Good Luck...I'll have your revised Hotel reservations at your office at end of business tomorrow.." said Slim Johnson...

"We'll be there...And thank you Mr. Johnson.." said Olivia..

''What's with this Mister Crap???...Call Me Slim...My friends do and I hope we can be friends.." he said.

"You're my friend.." said Nelson ,smiling... "Wow...I gotta go home and pack..."said Nelson..

"Auntay..We gotta go shopping..New Orleans, here we come...Whoo Hooo" said Beverly..

"Indeed....I've got to make arrangements to ship our law books, laptops and other equipment down there." said Olivia..ever the pragmatist!

We got on the elevator....

I couldn't believe it...We were headed to New Orleans...My Home...

III-

Kayla's boy friend, Ray drove Olivia, Beverly ,Nelson and me to the airport a few days later...

''Ray, thank you so much for driving us to the airport.." said Olivia..

"Ahhh, it was no problem...Mrs. A.  Kayla would have come but she was still sleeping when I left...She just finished a big litigation....She had the day off.." he said.

"She didn't have last night off did she?" whispered Beverly to Ray....

Ray smiled...

''Well Uhhhh what can I say?" he said and smiled sheepishly.....

They both laughed...

"Anybody see Josie?" I asked as Nelson and I grabbed our suitcases....

''Here she comes now!" said Nelson...

Josie was nearly out of breath....

''Hey Guys...Sorry I'm late.." she said.

"You're not late...we just got here ourselves.."said Olivia, smiling...

"Paris kept you up huh?" said Beverly, laughing...

''Girlllllllll, I don't know what gets in him....He never wants to stop...I started not to stay over his place last night..." said Josie...

"That's why I had Nelson stay with me...So we wouldn't be late..." laughed Beverly....

''Well, you Super Lawyers have a great trip and uh Donnie Ray...mail me one of them Po Boys back if you can.." said Ray..

"Now you know you gotta eat them hot..." I laughed....

Ray smiled...He'd been to New Orleans enough times on business for his firm, whose home office was there to know that.... He waved one last time and watched us as we headed into the airport to board our flight...

IV-

The flight wasn't that long, only a few hours but Olivia and I must have kissed each other the entire flight down there...

We had the luxury of not sitting near Beverly and Nelson...

who were doing the same thing..

Josie was sitting a few rows up from them by herself..

I kind of felt sorry for her..

It was all good once we got to New Orleans  though.....I called My sister.....I told her I'd try to get out to see her tomorrow..

''Aww Donnie Ray, I sure wish you had told me you guys were coming ahead of time.." she said.

"It was short notice, real short notice sis.." I said.

''We are going on Vacation tomorrow...We are leaving for Miami " she said.

"Dang....." I said..

"Let me speak to my sister in law..." she said..

I passed the phone to Olivia..

"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Sis...How are you?" said my sister, She loved Olivia...

"Hey girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl....It wasn't your brother's fault...It really was short notice...We have a case down here..." said Olivia...

"Yeah, he told me...We are leaving for Miami tomorrow...You all may be gone by the time we get back!"she said...

"We'll make sure we drop down during the holidays..."said Olivia...

''Is baby girl with you?" she asked..

"You mean Bev? Yes , you know we are joined at the hip..." said Olivia...

I rubbed her hips softly.....and pinched her butt..

"I'd like to be joined to those hips.." I whispered to her...

She giggled...

''Will you stoppp." she said..

"Tell my brother to control himself..."said my sister.

Olivia laughed.

"Ouuuuuuuuu, stop it Donnie Ray!!" said Olivia, laughing....

"Is my brother being bad?" asked my sister..

"Yes....he's being very bad!"laughed Olivia....

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.." said Beverly to my sister...

''Heyyyyyyyyyyyy baby girl, how are you?I'm so sorry we won't get to see you this time...Maybe over the holidays...."she said..

''Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.." said Beverly...

Just as we were finishing on the phone, a familiar figure walked towards us..

He was a well dressed hulk of a black man....with a Pork Pie Hat on...and a goatee...

''Donnie Ray? What are you doing here?" he asked..

His name was Ronald Tackett....He was an Attorney.... When I worked here as a Detective, he was an Assistant District Attorney...One of the few Black ones in the Parrish... Also like me, he was a musician on the side...He played Trombone...

''Well damn Ronnie, No Hi, No hello? That anyway to greet an old friend?" I said and we hugged each other...

"How ya been boy?" I said, laughing...

"I'm here to meet Attorneys Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Beverly West and Nelson East..." he said..

"Look behind you..."I said...

He was stunned....

"She...She's your wife!!!!  Oh My God...I heard you'd moved up North, got a P.I. License and married a big time attorney....This was the big time attorney.." he said.

"He married me a little before I became uh big time, as you say.....He's my in house investigator..."said Olivia...

"Wowwwwwwwwwwwwww!" he said...."And this is , your niece, Beverly West.." he said checking Beverly out..

"Pleased to meet you..."said Beverly.....

"Which makes you, Nelson East..." he said looking at Nelson...

"That would be me.." said Nelson, shaking his hands...

''And this is our paralegal...Ms. Josie Boyd...she works for us also..." said Olivia...

Josie smiled..

"Pleased to meet you." she said..

''Yesssssssssssssssssssss..." he said...He didn't know who to eye Olivia, Beverly or Josie..

''Well put your bags in my car...Let me take you guys down to the quarter to get some food...and then I'll drop you off at your hotel..." he said.

He took us to one of my favorite local joints... A place cops and attorneys often went to eat after a trying day....

We had fried chicken that fell off the bone, fried catfish, greens, mac and cheese and sweet potatoes as well as good cornbread...

There was beer too....

We talked about how Olivia, Beverly and I met, Their law firm and our living arrangements....

He seemed a bit disappointed that Beverly was off the market and with Nelson... and that Josie had a man at home...but I knew Ronnie...The fact that Josie was here alone gave him hope!

''Donnie Ray always bought in a good case...He made my life easier....He was a great Homicide Detective....but a not so great Trumpet player.." Said Ronnie..

We all busted out laughing...

"He has made my life easier....I haven't lost a case since I met him...."said Olivia, who knocked on wood..."I don't want to jinx myself.." she said..

''We didn't really start having fun until Donnie Ray showed up." said Beverly...

''So true.."chimed in Josie...

"You're a lucky man...Donnie Ray...You got three gorgeous ladies that love you...." Well, let me get you guys to your hotel..." he said..

He drove us to our hotel.....

It looked like a palace to Olivia and Beverly....I was astounded....I used to dream of staying at a place
like this...and now here I was and with the woman of my dreams....

Let the games begin..

(TO BE CONTINUED)