Cut Bait

"Keith My Man, I can't thank you again....Mannn I was in a bad way....So you did it...You went on and became a lawyer...Wow...And look at your co-workers, lawd!" said my boy Rafer...

We had gone to college together, pledged the same frat and wrote many pages in the book of college life at an HBCU...I had gone on to Law School after graduation, passed the bar and was now an Attorney..

He had done two years of Med School before dropping out ,becoming a successful club DJ, Record producer and talent scout...He had a fledgling record company ,which had put out hit records on three new artists...He was a combonation of Berry Gordy Jr. and Puff Daddy..

Now he was in trouble, Accused of DUI and Vehicular Homicide in the death of a young woman ,who's car was hit by he and his girlfriend...Who he claims was the actual driver...

Me, Bee Bee,Sofia, Kahlil and Ms. Yvette contacted his record company, which paid his bail and we agreed to represent him....

We bailed him out and we went to Sam Mother's diner, where we all were eating breakfast...

 Cheddar Omelets

and tumblers of hot coffee...

He couldn't take his eyes off of my female co-workers...

Beatrice "Bee Bee" Evans

Sofia Garcia

And especially Ms.Yvette...

'Damnnn boy, you work with some finnnnnnnnnne women....Bee Bee is your girl huh? 

you met her in law school?" asked Ray....They were all at the counter getting knives and forks...Ray and I were sitting at the table talking..

"Yeah man....we've been inseparable since then..." I said..

"Sheeet, I don't blame you and that Puerto Rican  babe, Mamasita

...That's your boy's girl huh....

I like the hips and the legs on her.."laughed Ray raffishly..

"Yeah Sofia is a doll baby...she's my sister..."I said..

''Damn man, but your boss...

whooooooooooooo that's the one I like the most...She's got a body on her and she dresses so fly...Now that's the kind of woman I'd like on my arm...Lawdddddddddd!" he said.

"Ms. Yvette...She has that effect on guys...but uh she's got a man..."I said..

"Yeah? Is it serious?" asked Rafer...

"It's serious...She's in love.."I said and smiled..

"Damn, that's a shame.." he said and we both shared a laugh...

Bee Bee returned to the table and sat on my lap...

She kissed me softly...

as the plates of hot food and coffee were delivered..

Sofia, Khalil and Yvette joined us....

''I want to thank you guys for bailing me out once again..."said Rafer....

''You're welcome, but you do realize you're in a lot of trouble don't you? You're being charged with a DUI....Your second and Vehicular Homicide.." said Yvette..

Rafer smiled broadly at Yvette....

"I see you've already uh done your research on me.." He said..

"It' standard procedure....That way my associates and I don't get blindsided...You also have a drunk and disorderly on your record also..."said Yvette...

"Did you also see where it said I am an excellent lover also?" he said and smiled at Yvette leeringly...

 Bee Bee turned to Sofia and smiled..

Sofia smiled and shook her head....

Ms. Yvette was unfazed...She was used to shameless flirting by guys...

"Uhhhhhhhhh no...your record didn't mention that.." she said dryly...

'So uh look....You say that you weren't driving right? What happened that night?" asked Kahlil....

II-

Rafer got serious then...

"That night was a blur....

Kylie and I were at a very expensive rooftop listening party 

 for a couple of new acts she wanted me to see.. We got high...We did a little blow, then we took uh some Fentynol to take the edge off...That was earlier in the afternoon..We took her car later...I was driving then...

We went to Josies...

The joint was jumpin...as usual and some hot bands were playin....I sat in for one of The D.J.'s for a set...and then we left...

We hit Aqua Bar....Did some Salsa dancing...

That joint was jumpin...I don't know about her, but I did some more drinking...

Finally we hit Stoleys....

We danced and drank some more......

I was so wasted....I couldn't even set up straight...I think she ran into a cat she knew ,who gave her some more pills...We both took some with some water..

I couldn't drive anymore so she took the wheel.."said Rafer..

"She definitely took the wheel?" asked Bee Bee...

"God you are sexy....Keith , youse a lucky man...Wow....."he laughed.. "Yeah, I was in no shape to drive, I was barely conscious..."said Rafer..

Did you guys go anyplace else?" asked Sofia..

"Keith...You work with nothing but sexy women....damn man....Youse a playa for life.."he laughed..

"Ray man, did you go anywhere else?" I asked him again...

"One last place....Red Bar....

I didn't have anything else to drink....I remember her talking to two guys there and a lot of laughing..Then I remember her putting me in the car on the passenger side and saying..

"I'm gonna take you home baby.."

I don't remember the crash at all...All I remember is sitting on the sidewalk, lots of police around...Kylie was sitting next to me and our car was totaled, the other car was totaled and a lot of glass and wreckage...Next thing I remember was being handcuffed and put in a police car and told we had killed somebody.." said Rafer..

''You weren't driving, it's not your car...She was driving...How could you possibly be charged with Vehicular Homicide..?  What happened to Kylie?" asked Yvette..

"They handcuffed her, but they put her in a separate car...I didn't see her again that night." said Rafer.

''You do know who's daughter she is don't you?"I said.

Rafer Grimaced..

"Yeah I know she's Senator Harlan Mills's daughter and she's white...But she cool, she aint like that....She's down.."said Rafer.,.,

 Bee Bee gave him the side eye and frowned, then looked at Sofia..

Sofia gave him the side eye too and grimaced..

"Yo Homie, She was bailed out almost immediately and she has legal counsel already...She didn't serve an hour in jail..She was home sleeping it off in her bed ,before you called my man here."said Kahlil...

''Come On Mannnnnn."said Rafer.

''It's true..."I said.

"You haven't heard from her...You've been locked up all night...She must know you're out by now...Has she tried to call you?  Why don't you call her, see what she has to say."said Yvette..

"Okay, I will." said Rafer...

He called Kylie...Her phone number went straight to voicemail......He was embarrassed..

The five of us looked on solemnly....

"I'll text her...She must be up by now..She always responds to my texts.."he laughed..

But there was no response...

"I-I don't understand..." he said..

''Maybe you should just worry about getting yourself out of this..She's surrounded by good Attorneys, I'm sure...and they've already told her to cut bait with you...You're not going to hear from her..."said Yvette softly.

III-

At the Medical Examiner's Office, Both Ms. Jade Lee, our investigator and Gary Lockwood, Investigator for the D.A.'s office were talking to Forensic Investigator and Coroner, Dr. Hazel Baylor..

''Gary you can pass my findings on to the Police Department ,who will pass them on to the case Detective."said Hazel...

Gary smiled...

"I heard that uh things are pretty frosty between you and him after he tried to have you fired for the second time...Doc Gibbons don't want him in here.." he said..

''You heard right...I'm so glad, I go back on my normal rotation next week and won't have to work any more cases that might come up under his jurisdiction." said Hazel..

"I'm just thankful you allowed me to come in..."said Jade..

"I provide information to the Police, The Feds and any licensed investigator, You, Donnie Ray Alexander, Kevin Morris...That Jackass, Lieutenant Tragg didn't want me talking to anyone but him, gave me an order like I work for him or something...Then tried to have me fired...That's two times, there will not be a third.."said Hazel..."But enough about him...Here is what you need to know..

Rafer Johnson had three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood system, he had Cocaine in his system and Fentynol...He was semi -conscious when I got to the scene..Police took him out of the PASSENGER side of the car....

Kylie Mills also had three times the legal limit of alcohol in her blood system, She had Cocaine in her system and Fentynol.....She wasn't in the car when I got to the scene...She was standing on the street corner ,crying her eyes out...Rafer was still in the car, semi-conscious ,when we got there...Oh and one other thing...SHE'S
PREGNANT!" said Hazel.

"WHOA! That's a bombshell.."I said..

"Oh My God....Senator Mills is about to have a bi-racial grandbaby.."said Jade....

"If it is...It's not Rafer Johnson's baby...I did a DNA test...It's somebody else's.." said Hazel..

"This plot thickens every minute.."said Gary...


IV-

As we left the restaurant Yvette said to Rafer...

''Go Home...stay off the streets for awhile and whatever you do..Don't attempt to contact Kylie yet....If  she contacts you...Don't talk about this case at all do you hear me?" asked Yvette.

"You know, if you came by to keep me company....It would be a lot easier..."he said and winked at Yvette...

"I don't think my man would like that...I mean he trusts me and all....but I don't think he'd trust you.." said Yvette with a sardonic smile..

Bee Bee, Sofia and Khalil laughed....

"Ray just do what she says man...Stay off the radar.....You have a preliminary hearing in two weeks..."I said...

"Okay....You got it...Thank you guys again for all your help"he said as we dropped him off near his loft..

"Ms. Yvette, I'm so sorry for his behavior..."I said..

"You have nothing to apologize about....I pay guys like that no mind..." said Yvette...

"I want to see Jade's Tox report....She's getting it from the M.E.'s office now...It ought to be interesting."said Sofia..

"Ms. Yvette, can you ask your uh friend to get us some  Street, Traffic and Business cam photos...Now that we know everywhere they went...So we can determine who was driving that car....So we don't get blind sided.." said Khalil...

"That's good thinking..."said Ms. Yvette..

"I know this is crazy...but we know next to nothing about the victim...I wonder if Ms. Jade got a Tox report on the victim?" asked Bee Bee..

''You know ,I didn't think about that.." I said.
V-

And At the Medical Examiners Office... Hazel continued talking to Jade and Gary..

"Your victim had enough opiates in her to kill her....her body was cold and stiff when I got there...and judging by the temperature of the body....It is my opinion that she was dead before impact..."said Hazel.

"That let's them both off the hook for vehicular homicide...But not the DUI..."said Gary.

''At best one or both would get a fine and a suspended license..."said Jade...

"Get this to that jack ass, Lt. Tragg before he's on Television making a fool out of himself again...

But it was already too late...Lt. Tragg was speaking at another press conference..

''All charges have been dropped against Ms. Mills..We are charging Rafer Johnson with Vehicular Homicide and DUI....He could face up to ten years in prison.." he said..

It was already too late!

(TO BE CONTINUED)