Ex Factors

Our Client's name was Mark Dowell....He wasn't much older than Bee Bee and I...He was White and from the main line and had that priviliged air about him...

Mark Dowell wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill snake oil salesman either. He was a driven and talented trader whose star shone early in his career. From a young age, Mark Dowell was determined to rise above the middle-class existence provided for him on Main Line Suburbs of Philadelphia.

He worked uncommonly hard, obtained an economics degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and entered the workforce as a junior trader at Gunnar and Associates. He rose quickly in the boutique investment bank, running his own trading group by the age of 28. He would eventually amass a mini-fortune, which he used to start World Capital Advisors.

 For even the best of traders, however, the sheer size and consistency of the returns generated by SAC seemed impossible. Markie Dowell wasn’t just a passive trader who had gotten lucky for a few years; he was an active trader who placed large bets on big-news events. Dowell's edge was to “get as much information as possible… to make money either on the upside or the down side depending on how a company’s earnings come out.” 

He was impressed with us..

"Nice to be defended by two people who attended my alma mater..You guys went to Penn Law huh?"he said..

''Yes we did..Graduated last year.." I said.

''Nice and landed a job at a firm like McCluskey huh? Good for you..." he said..

''You're a Wharton Grad aren't you?" said Bee Bee...

"Yupper...Graduated three years before you two...Top of my class.." said Mark Dowell, proudly...

As we waited for the courtroom to open, we saw our investigator, Jade Lee..

She had a tumbler of coffee for both Bee Bee and myself and she had a tumbler...

"And she brings coffee!!" I said, smiling..

''I figured you might need it, Being here this early in the morning.." she said..

It wasn't eight o'clock yet..  It was Wednesday....

Bee Bee did stay with me, Monday, Tuesday and tonight would be her last night..After we met with our client..We stayed up studying and going over the charges...Jade was with us...After I walked her home..

Bee Bee and I were so tired, We kissed each other a little and went to sleep...We promised each other we were going to make love before the week was over..

"God Keith, We sound like a married couple..Working so hard we don't have time for anything else.." said Bee Bee last night..

"That's okay...We'll get around to it...We aint going nowhere..."I said..

We kissed each other until we went to sleep...

II-

The next day we were in the office with Jade Lee, our investigator...

"Jade, you did a good work up on our guy..." said Bee Bee..

"Yeah Jade, I'm so glad you could be with us today.." I said.

"I'm only with you for the morning...

This afternoon I'll be in court with Sofia and Khalil.." she said.

"They got a deep case too" I said..

"Yeah they do..Terrorism and Immigration..."said Jade..

''That's right up Sofia's alley

..I take it' she's first chair?" said Bee Bee..

''No , Khalil is..

It's one of his countrymen.." said Jade with a sexy smile..

I smiled...

 A few hours later , we were  back in court....

''Beatrice? Beatrice Evans is that you?" came the voice of a tall light skinned guy with wavy hair...He was wearing a nicely tailored dark suit and was carrying a briefcase...

''Todd...Todd Dellums is that you?" said Bee Bee..

''Well I'll be damned..It is you....You look sensational as usual.." he said..

"So.....You're back in town?" she asked..

"I am....I'm The Assistant U.S. Attorney that's trying an insider trading case today..." he said.

''You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Mark Dowell case would you?" I said.

"I am indeed...Don't tell me you're defending him?" he said with a superior sneer..

''We are!" I said.

''Oh Where are my manners...Keith, this is Todd, Todd Dellums..He and I kind of grew up together.." said Bee Bee.."Todd Dellums, Attorney Keith Jones" she continued..

"Kind of Grew Up Together? Beatrice we were engaged to be married once...I took you to your prom..."he said..

"Yeah, that was uh a long time ago.."said Bee Bee, obviously uncomfortable..

''So uh you went to Temple huh?" said Todd..

''I did and then went to Penn for Law School.." said Bee Bee...

''Okayyy very good..I of course went to Harvard for both undergrad and Law School..." he said..'Where did you attend Keith??" he asked..

"I did my Undergrad at Howard and Law School at Penn, where I met Bee Bee.."I said.

'That's where we met...We both work for Mclusky ,Cozen and Associates" said Bee Bee..

''I am impressed..Whatever happened to the Spanish girl you used to hang out with?" he asked.

"Sofia??

She graduated from Temple with me and she attended Penn Law too...She also works at Mcclusky, Cozen and Associates." said Bee Bee..

He smiled...

"You two are inseperable...Next thing you'll be telling me, that you two live together.." he said and smiled..

I cracked up laughing...

"You do?? Oh My God!" he laughed...."You two got somethin goin on?" he joked..

"That's not funny..." laughed Bee Bee..

"Well Look, give me your number and address..I'd like to come see you and catch up...Maybe we could uh go out for drinks.." he said.

'Something you should know....I'm uh in a relationship...I'm kind of seeing someone.." said Bee Bee..

"Is it Serious?" he asked..

Bee Bee kissed me softly..

"Very serious."she said..

''Ohhhhh...I see...Well Uh , congratulations are uh in order I suppose...I hope you don't take it too hard when I thrash you in court.."He said.. "You guys have a loser of a case.." he said smirking as the courtroom doors opened and we all went inside..




III-

Like I said, Our client, Mark Dowell had an edge...This "edge" apparently caught the attention of the U.S. Attorney here in Philadelphia, . In the past three years, WAC’s two biggest funds combined for an average net return of almost 29% per year, compared to less than eight percent for the broader stock market. In one year, gains reached as high as 73% while the S&P 500 was down 12%. The government issued an “extraordinarily broad” subpoena  to learn more.

It turns out there were plenty of nefarious activities taking place. Damaging information was surfacing everywhere, and this ultimately led to WAC’s quick and decisive downfall.

In February 2017, two former employees were charged with insider trading. U.S. prosecutors charged WAC portfolio managers Noah Young and Donald Long with insider trading. A WAC analyst pled guilty of insider trading a few weeks later. In December 2017, a grand jury indicted former WAC portfolio manager Mathew Montana, in what prosecutors called the “most lucrative” insider trading scandal ever. Another top executive, Michael Steiner, was charged with insider trading in shares of computer maker Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL), which netted about $1.4 million in ill-gotten gains..

It was a mess...and I felt like I was in over my head...Thus the all night study sessions...

I could see why they called in Todd Dellums, He was smooth, articulate and knew how to work a jury pool..These were just preliminaries..

But I was no slouch myself... I would like to think I held my own against him, scoring a few points and tangling him up...

Bee Bee smiled her approval back at me when I made a point.,.

I could sense his frustration....but it got even worse, when Bee Bee took her turn...

She was arguing to suppress the evidence from other trials of other employees of his company and just focus on him...

He argued vehemently against that...

Watching these two go up against each other was interesting...

He was just like her...Fearless, Cocky, Self Confident to a fault...and a bit arrogant...They were so alike I could see without asking , how and why their relationship failed..

Mark Dowell looked at me and said..

"Your girlfriend is good...She's doing a number on him...Don't get me wrong...You got some good points across, but she is killing him...Look how frustrated he is.." he said.

All I could do was smile..

IV-

At a tony coffee shop in town, Yvette and Gary sat with Sofia, Khalil and Jade..

"How was your day in court?"asked Yvette..

"Rough...Our client appears to have been set up, to have been lured into this by others who have not been named.." said Khalil..

"I'm going to demand the names in Discovery tomorrow." said Sofia..

"Good Girl, what about the immigration angle?" asked Yvette..

"There is none..He's a citizen...He was born here in Philly, He and his family went back to Iraq for 20 years and then he returned here...He's still a natural born citizen..."said Khalil.

"Don't let them forget that."said Yvette..

"I'll do some more digging, see if I can get you those names.."said Jade..

''Yeah, So will I" said Gary...

"I wonder how Bee Bee and Keith are doing?" asked Yvette...

Just then , ADA Rockland Cambridge walked into the coffee shop...

"Ms. Yvette...I haven't seen you around in awhile.." he said and peered at the people at the table..

Sofia, Khalil, Jade and Gary... He knew Sofia and Khalil were two of the young Attorneys that Yvette supervised...He did not know who Jade was and was shocked to see his investigator Gary having coffee with them..Especially seated next to Yvette...

''Well, what a motley crew this is.." he said, laughing..

''What are you doing here Boss? I thought you'd be still celebrating."said Gary cooly , not betraying that he was in fact sitting with Yvette and her staff...

"I was...

My girlfriend went to New York on a Day trip with Olivia and Beverly and their uh para-legal...So I haven't got much to do.." he said..

 Another round of coffee's came..

 "So....Yvette, Dating anybody yet?" he asked..

''Why are you so concerned about my dating life Rockland?  You've found somebody , that's nice for you..."said Yvette..

"I know..I'd just like for you to find somebody...that's all..."he said and smiled snidely...

"How nice of you...I'm doing just fine..." said Yvette...

''So You Are seeing Someone?" he asked..

 Just then, Bee Bee and I walked in and took a table right across from them...

''Wow, what a day.." I said.

"Not only do we have a tough case...but the prosecutor , AUSA is my ex."said Bee Bee..

"Todd Dellums, the man who put the "A" in arrogant?" said Sofia..

"One in the same...but my Bayy Bayyy held his own against him and tied him up a bit..I was soo proud of him.."giggled Bee Bee..

She kissed me softly...

I smiled sheepishly...

"Mister Jones...I do believe you are blushing....You don't need to be embarrassed...We are all family here .We know you love Bee Bee..." Joked Ms. Yvette...

''Wow that must have been weird partner.."said Khalil..

''It was...We are in for a battle royal on this one.."I said.

''Want me to sit in with you guys on this one?" asked Ms. Yvette..

"I think we got it Ms. Yvette...but it is kind of awkward..Seeing your ex.."said Bee Bee..

''YESSSS, HOW ABOUT THAT?" said Yvette ,staring daggers at Rockland , who had ordered his coffee to go..

Rockland laughed a superior laugh...How like Todd Dellums he was..

''Alright Yvette..I'll leave you to your playmates here...But don't work so hard...Get out, Do some dating..You'll feel better."said Rockland..

''Did you learn that in therapy"" asked Yvette..dryly.....

I found myself smiling..

 "As a matter of fact...I did.."he said..and glared at me.....

"I'll remember that.."said Yvette..

"Good" he said and he left.....We watched him as he got in his car and drove off..

"Wow...What a petty man...."said Bee Bee..

"Yes he is..." said Gary..."Yvette, I'm gonna tell him about us...I mean..Why hide it?" said Gary...

"Nooo..I don't want things to be weird on your job...You know how petty Rockland can be..His ego is so fragile.."said Yvette, who kissed Gary..

"Besides...I want you to myself...for now."she said in between kisses..

Sofia, Bee Bee and Jade smiled..It was nice to see Ms. Yvette so happy....

''Look on the bright side homie..None of your exes showed up.."said Khalil..

I smiled..

"How about that?" I said...

(TO BE CONTINUED)