The Devil You Know

PRELUDE- A MONTH AGO-

"WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDENT, ARTHUR CLARK NOT GUILTY on the first count, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE  , ON THE SECOND COUNT, WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDENT, ARTHUR CLARK NOT GUILTY, Conspiracy to commit murder....On The Third count, WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDENT, ARTHUR CLARK NOT GUILTY of possession of an instrument of crime." said the Jury foreman...

Defense Attorney Austin Worthy let out a yell..

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

He grabbed second chair, my wife, Olivia Bennett -Alexander and kissed her in the lips..

Olivia was shocked...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." she said,laughing...

"Donnie Ray I hope you don't mind...." he said

"Long as you don't kiss me.." I joked, laughing..

"No,I don't think I'll do that..." he laughed...

He grabbed Beverly, her niece and co-second chair and lifted her up and swung her around..

Beverly giggled like a high school girl and mildly protested..

"Put me down ,Put me down,Put me down.... Crazy man...." she said, laughing...

He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek..

He hugged our para legal Josie also...

"Ummmmmm...Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm you all were god sends..."he said.

Josie, like Beverly, giggled like a school girl...

The defendent, Arthur Clark, a local Television personality shook my hand vigorously and hugged Olivia , Beverly and Josie...

"I can't thank you guys enough.." he said. He had been accused of murdering his ex-wife and conspiring with his brother to do so...with the insurance policy of a cool two million dollars split two ways as the motive...

His Brother had unfortunately died of natural causes ,while he awaited his trial... We were able to not only cast doubt, but to at last prove that he didn't physically murder his ex-wife...

Hot shot local Attorney, Austin Worthy who represented several local personalities, Politicians, Athletes, Actors, Singers, Rappers and Businessmen in contract negotiations, divorces, pre nups etc.  felt early on that he might be out of his depth with this case...That and the fact that he had a reputation to uphold of having never lost a case...




To make sure he didn't ....He paid us a visit..

He was Cocky, Egotistical, Incredibly glib and and surprisingly..Very Likable...

"I've followed you guys for years!!!...I love your style....I need you!!..I'll double your going rate.." he said..

It wasn't a hard sell....

"You know Bev....I've never dated any white guys...but for him,I'd make an exception.."Mused Josie..

"Same here...but he'd have to slow down the talking...He talks like a used car salesman.."laughed Beverly..

"He does, Doesn't he? Reminds me of those late night commercials on Television where the guy is shouting at you.."said Olivia...

The three women laughed....

"So are we taking his case?" I asked..

''With the money he's paying....I can't say no..."laughed Olivia...

"That could be our next vacation..."laughed Beverly...

And so we took on the case....Austin's firm hired the four of us as Consulting Attorneys,

The Assistant District Attorney, Brad Hammer

was the exact opposite, A dour, snarky, seemingly always angry ,pugnacious guy.....but a damn good attorney....

He was super prepared...and very articulate.....

I knew I had to be on my A game....I investigated this crime, like I would a Homicide when I was a Homicide Detective back in New Orleans... and I worked it hard, recanvassing the crime scene,which was by now a month old and re interviewing key witnesses....

So when Austin Worthy appeared in court with Olivia and Beverly as his second chairs and Josie as para-legal he was more than armed for the battle....

And a hellacious battle it was too....Lasting for three weeks...

Nelson stopped by to watch us when he could and he surveyed the jury..He was excellent when it came to reading the jury...He whispered in Beverly's ear when he felt she needed to tone it down a bit and be sweet..

Which she appreciated...

And he helped Olivia with strategy after each session, which was invaluable..

"Bev, I love your husband.....I knew him first you know."joked Olivia..

''Auntay, You know I'd give you my left toe if you asked...but you can't have him..He's mine.."joked Beverly showering Nelson with soft kisses..

"Ummmmmmmm." she moaned..

To which Nelson giggled like a teen aged boy...

I continued to look deeper and deeper into what at first seemed like an open and shut case and with each day was becoming something more...

I was able to clear Arthur Clark, without determining who actually killed his ex-wife...but as my wife,Olivia often said..

"Our job is to free our client, not to solve the crime..."

That was the job of the Philadelphia Police....I mused...not my job anymore..

Austin was still pumping his fists...Jubilant in his latest victory when Assistant District Attorney Brad Hammer walked over to him..

"Gloating counselor?  You would have never have gotten an acquittal on your own, you hack...You only won today because you brought in Auntie and Niecey!" he scowled ,

using the nickname the ADA's called Olivia and Beverly behind their backs...

"Do you ever smile Hammer or was that scowl on your face at birth?" asked Austin...

"I'd like to put a permanent scowl on your face....Stay away from my wife you hear?" he snarled..

''Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh So That's what this is about huh??  Ex-wife pal...Ex Wife..You two are divorced...For about a year now....and you can relax...I'm not seeing her anymore...We broke it off.." said Austin...

"YOU LIE!!!!..YOU CALLED HER TWO DAYS AGO!" snarled ADA Brad Hammer..

''What did you do, clone her phone???We are still friends...We are just not sleeping together anymore.."said Austin...

"WELL YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID...STAY AWAY FROM HER!" snarled Brad Hammer..

Austin could see Brad was getting angrier and he didn't want a scene here in court....So he smiled and walked away...but not before he got in one last dig..

"According to her latest restraining order......That's what YOU have to do. See ya around pal." he said.

I had seen the exchange...

"Everything alright?" I asked..

"Oh yeah,yeah, He's not one of my fans....for more than obvious reasons....But enough about him....I know a restaurant near here that serves the fattest steaks and the beer runs long and cold...Dinner is on me..All four of you....Bev, call your husband and tell him to meet us there.."said Austin...

"Austin, you're alright with us.."said Olivia..

 "I'm calling Nelson right now..."laughed Beverly...

"Austin, you're a great guy...I don't care what ADA Brad Hammer says about you." I joked.

"Hahahahahahahaha" he laughed...

Josie laughed herself...

But ADA Hammer stood off to the side watching us and he didn't look happy at all...He never looked happy...

II-

 LAST NIGHT-

Several uniformed policemen had the area cordoned off.....A crowd had gathered around....

Crime Scene Investigators took photographs of the badly beaten woman....lying face up in the driveway....

She had on Tan , now blood stained Khaki slacks ,She was missing one of her sandles and a blood stained white blouse...Every button was ripped off...and a black bra...

Forensic Investigator, Dr. Hazel Baylor observed the body....

"Oh My God!  "she said...

Another uniformed police officer observed...

"My god...Somebody beat the hell out of this woman..."he said..

"Her neck was broken and she's been beaten about the face so bad I can hardly recognize her..and to top it off, she's been shot twice..."said Hazel..

"Somebody was very angry....Officer get these crowds back.."said Hazel as she observed the body of the young woman...

A car drove up...followed by two police cars.....

Hazel sighed...

"God....Why would HE have to be the case detective on this?   I'd like whoever did this brought in."she said to herself...

"I know what you mean"said a sympathetic uniformed police officer..who heard her.

Lieutenant Tragg walked up and looked at the body...

"Geeez louise..." he said...Even he was shocked at the brutality...

"Her neck was broken....She was beaten and shot after she was already dead..."said Hazel..

"My god!!!!...Any shell casings?" asked Lt. Tragg..

"None sir..."said a uniformed officer...

"No murder weapon?" he asked.

"No sir."said the officer...

 "I think she was killed somewhere else and dropped here...She's missing a sandle and we haven't been able to find it..."said Hazel..

Lieutenant Tragg looked at her foot...

"Manicured tow nails...newly painted...Her foot is clean...No ,she didn't run anywhere without that sandle.. Hey guys...look up and down the street...See if you can find a sandle that matches this one..See if you can find a gun...."said Lt. Tragg...

He shook his head...

"My god!!!!..." he said...

An officer walked over to him...

"We found this purse in the trash over there.. Her name is Joan Hammer...she's 39, according to her drivers license.."

"Joan Hammer...Joanie Hammer?? That's uh Assistant District Attorney Brad Hammer's ex-wife..They divorced last year....He's a friend of mine...Somebody better call him, inform him of what's happened..Find out where he was.."said Lt. Tragg...

"Can I release the body?" asked Hazel....Glad that she and Lt. Tragg did not get into a knock down drag out spat tonight...

Lt. Tragg actually looked a bit upset...

"Yeah....you can take it.." he said and sighed...  "My god...such violence..." he said..

The body was put in a stretcher and carted off...

Another murder in the city...

III-

HOURS BEFORE!  (YESTERDAY)


In another part of the city in a tony condo

Attorney Austin Worthy is entertaining a beautiful young woman...A woman he had just met at Mulberry Street, The rooftop bar and grill...

They had really hit it off and had gone back to his condo...

"Ohhhh Brad..." she moaned..

"My god girl, why are you so damn hot?" he moaned in between hot ,sweltering kisses...

"Tell me.." she moaned as they fell upon the bed...

They were totally nude and kissing like it was going out of style...She tossed her mini skirt and blouse in the corner...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  counselor...ouuuuu. you are a horse amongst ponies.."she moaned...

"That's what they tell me." he said.

She was grabbing and rubbing his engorged and hard penis very hard.....

 Ohhhhhh Mister Worthy..ouuuuuuuuuuuuu goodness..ohhhh my goddddd." she moaned as he pressed her against the wall and began devouring her huge breasts, which he couldn't get enough of..kissing in between them, kissing her neck, her earlobes..her cheeks and finally her sweet lips...

She then got on her knees and took all of him into her soft lips and mouth and began going back and forth like it was nobody's business...

"MMMMMMM, Mister lawyer man..Mister lawyer mannnn......just like I like it..ummmmmmph"she moaned and hummed.... and slurped

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..GEEEZ!!!!" he moaned as she continued sucking and licking..."just Like I LIKE IT!!!..whoooooooooooooooooo.." he moaned...
 
"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph!" He moaned...He was nearly losing his mind...

Finally They went back to the bedroom..

"Oh My god...You have a nice soft bed Mr. Worthy?  Ouuuuu this is so nice...."she said...

  Austin smiled sheepishly....

  They began kissing more and Austin  entered her warm, wet lusciousness.. How lucky am I? He thought  "Awwww Geez." he mused.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.."he moaned...as she moved up and down on him slowly....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Mister Worthy..."she cooed...

"Babyyyyyyyyyyyy.." he said.

"Darling." she moaned..

  They made sweet love in that room for SIX TO SEVEN HOURS.. Austin couldn't get enough...She was the sexiest woman he'd had in a long time...She smelled like a newborn baby and really knew what to do with a man in bed...She climaxed so hard..it scared even AUSTIN...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.." she screamed....

  AUSTIN came so hard it frightened him....

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...ummphhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed as his body stiffened and he exploded...

She smiled...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Mistah Worthy....Oh my goodness..has it been awhile for you too?"she asked....

  He just smiled...Actually, he had been having sex with Joanie Hammer all week long.. She was taking a break today...Said she had some last minute shopping to do.

"Ummmmmmmm Mister Worthy ...ouuuuuu you wore me out! Ouuuuu, you're  great in bed....Ouuuuuuuuuuu....I needed this ,It's been a few months..." said the young woman....

She kissed him softly...

, passionately for a few minutes.....until he came again.....

"Goodbye Mister Worthy...It was nice seeing you and screwing your brains out....I needed that baby!" she giggled. "If you're ever in New York, Look me up.." she said..

"I'll be sure to do that." he said and smiled..

He drifted off to sleep!

When He woke up, his female guest was gone!!!! He was actually glad....The sex was good, but he didn't want her hanging around....He considered what they had done this afternoon, just taking care of some unfinished business...

She had really rocked Austin's boat...All he could think about was her... for the moment.

He didn't know how long he had slept...but when he looked at the clock beside his bed..it said 4:30pm....

He showered and shaved and put on a nice fragrance..

His phone rang...

"Who is this?" he mused..."Helllooooooooooooooooooo." he answered..

"Feelin pretty good asshole? Enjoy it..because it won't be long.." came the voice..

"Who is this?"

"Who I am isn't important...I just wanted to hear your voice asshole..."came the voice..It sounded muffled..

"What do you want?" asked  Austin...

"I've got all I want right now!" came the voice...

(Click!)

"Wonder what that was about?" asked Austin to himself...

He was soon about to find out...

He watched his door coming off the hinges..

Armed police officers stormed his apartment...

"POLICE!!!! FREEZE!!!" they yelled...

"WHOAAAAA! WHAT IS THIS??That's a $5000.00  custom made door you goons just demolished...You guys better have a warrant" yelled Austin, throwing both arms up in the air..

"We have a warrant! You're under arrest counselor....The charge is first degree murder.." said Lt. Tragg...

"Tragg you're off your nut....What is this about?" yelled Austin...

"I'm off my nut???....No you're off your nut...the way you beat that girl and then shot her."yelled Lt. Tragg..

"WHAT???Beat a girl??? Shot her???...Huh? WHO? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"yelled Austin, now afraid....


An officer searching the apartment walked in with a sandle...A sandle that matched the missing sandle on the woman's foot...,

"It was in the trash Lieutenant!"said the officer.

"Who's sandle is that?" asked Austin....

"You tell me!" said Lt. Tragg.....

Another Officer came in with a gun... A .45 caliber...

"Found it under the bed!" said the officer.

"HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY THAT'S NOT MINE!!!  I don't own a gun."said Austin...

"Bag it and tag it."said Lt. Tragg... "The serial number has been filed away"  He looked at Austin and shook his head...

"You sick son of a bitch, beating that woman like that and then shooting her.." he said.

"Artie, what the hell are you talking about? Huh?" asked Austin...

"You're under arrest for the murder of Joanie Hammer..."said Lt. Tragg  "Read him his rights, then hook him up and get him the hell out of here.."said Lt. Tragg...

"This is insane....Joanie's dead?? I was with her yesterday....She can't be dead!!!...I didn't kill her!!!"said Austin Miles..

"What do you Attorneys always tell your clients?   To shut up and not say a word until you have legal representation...I'm tellin you to shut up because it's all I can do not to beat the hell out of you for killin Joanie Hammer...Her husband is a good friend of mine..."said Lt. Tragg..

"HER EX-HUSBAND...EX HUSBAND AND I DIDN'T KILL HER....I WOULDN'T HURT JOANIE...JOANIE WAS MY FRIEND!!" screamed Austin as the police handcuffed him and took him out of his condo...

Reporters were outside snapping photos of Austin as he did the perp walk...

HEADLINES SCREAMED!

"CELEBRITY ATTORNEY ARRESTED CHARGED IN MURDER OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S ESTRANGED WIFE!!!"

IV-

 TODAY!

At our Office/Duplex...We were all out of the office......

Our Office Manager, Alfreda Johnson, had just come back from lunch with her boyfriend, ADA Rockland Cambridge..They were kissing passionately...both were breathing heavily.....

"Okay Rockland....I enjoyed my lunch...but I've got to get back to work now...Any more kissing and..and..well..." said Alfreda..slowly easing out of his embrace...

"You might call out for the day and come back to my place..."said Rockland..

Alfreda laughed..."You'd like that wouldn't you? But I can't..I've got to put these files back....."said Alfreda..who smiled,looking at how Rockland's trousers were standing out like a circus tent..She smiled and put her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter...

"You need to sit down and calm yourself down before you go out.."she said..shaking her head...and pointing at the huge bulge in his trousers...

He smiled sheepishly and sat down...He was sweating...

She giggled like a high school girl....She couldn't believe the effect she had on this man..

"Damn Alfreda...You ,You just do it for me..." he said..

"I know, you tell me that every day Rockland.....You do it for me too!  Now go to work...."she said softly, smiling at him...

He stood up...

"Yeah okay....I'll be by at 5:00 to pick you up..." he said..

"Okay..." she said...

She waved and blew a kiss as Rockland got in his car and pulled off..

She looked at her phone...There were several messages from the county lock up....

"Hmmm  this is interesting...Somebody is really trying to get in contact with the girls..Somebody is in trouble" she said as she hit "Message" and put in the password to hear the messages..

Nelson was the first one back....He was done for the day...He hugged Alfreda and kissed her on the cheek..

"Hey Ms. J..  No one else is here?" he asked.

"No, they're finishing up  a case.."said Alfreda..

"Oh I was in court...I didn't see them.."said Nelson..

"They're not in court...They're at another law office...This was some kind of negotiation..."said Alfreda..."You Hungry?  There's some Hoagies in the refrigerator.."said Alfreda..

Just then...Olivia and I, Beverly and Josie walked in...

"Well, that ended better than I thought it would ." I said.

"Thanks to you...They really got blind sided..."smiled Olivia..

"Did you see the looks on their faces? They had no choice but to settle.."laughed Beverly...

"Nice to be done with that...Anything else on our docket?" asked Josie..

"No, not that I can think of..." said Olivia..

Alfreda greeted us..

"Hey Liv, Bev, Josie, Donnie Ray...Remember that lawyer you worked with last month...The white boy?? Well he called you guys three times, left three messages...He's in County Lock Up, Charged with First Degree Murder...He wants your help."she said..

"First degree Murder??  He didn't strike me as the violent type..."I said.

"What?" said Olivia...

"Hey Guys....It's on the news."said Nelson turning on the 50 inch monitor on our Wall...And there we saw it..

"CELEBRITY ATTORNEY TO THE STARS, AUSTIN WORTHY WAS ARRESTED LAST NIGHT AND CHARGED WITH THE BRUTAL SLAYING OF JOANIE HAMMER, THE ESTRANGED WIFE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY BRADFORD HAMMER..

"Worthy, who has represented many of the city's movers and shakers is a known playboy and listed yearly as one of the city's most desirable bachelors had been romantically linked to Mrs. Hammer , who was either seperated or divorced from ADA Brad Hammer for over a year."

(Click!)

"Oh Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" said Beverly...

"I remember ADA Hammer and him had some words right after our trial...Something to the extent of "Stay away from my wife." And he told him, he wasn't seeing her anymore.."said Josie..

"I heard them too!  Hmmmmmmmmmmm that sounds interesting...Wonder where he was when all of this happened...?" I asked..

"Never a dull moment with us huh Donnie Ray?" asked Beverly, smiling...

"More exciting than I thought." I said..

''We've got to go see him and see if we can arrange bail.."said Olivia.

"Hey can I have in on this?  I haven't worked with you two in a minute..."said Nelson.

 "Awwwwwww you miss us?" said Olivia..."What do you think Niecy?" asked Olivia..

"Yeahhhh..give him a break...He can work with us.."laughed Beverly,hugging her husband..

"We might as well head over there." said Josie..

"He'll keep...I bought some Hoagies from "Hoagie Joe's" Eat first.." said Alfreda...

"Our Office Manager has spoken...and I for one agree with her." I said,laughing..

"Thank you Tall Southern and Handsome.."said Alfreda...

"Who am I to argue with my mommy?" said Beverly...

"She's my big sister...I'm not about to argue with her.." said Olivia..who always felt as though Alfreda was her big sister..Even though Alfreda  was her older brother's girlfriend..

"That makes it unanimous..."said Nelson, smiling as he went to the refrigerator and took out six hoagies ....

Josie got six plates and the six of us sat down and chowed down...

V-

Meanwhile at County Lock Up, Attorney Austin Worthy received a strange visitor..

 "How did you sleep asshole?" said Assistant District Attorney Brad Hammer...

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

"I came to see how you were doing....Your first night in jail and all..."said Brad Hammer..

"You came to gloat..."said Austin..

For the first time, Brad Hammer smiled.

"I did..They got you cold....Found the murder weapon in your house...and one of her sandles....Dude ,why didn't you get rid of that stuff???..It's incriminating." laughed Brad Hammer.

"Somebody planted that stuff in my house...I don't own a gun...and that sandle...I don't know how it got in my place...Joanie hasn't been over my condo in months...I always went to see her..This is a joke , a frame...Sayyyyyyyyyyyyy how did you know all of that? It hasn't been on the news yet..."snarled Austin..

"I know a lot!  Did you know, The police saw your car with your license plate in full view ,speeding away from the driveway where she was found..." laughed Brad..

"I reported my car stolen a day before..It's on the record.."said Austin..

"Yes..Yes you did!  How convenient for you...but by the time the jury hears all of the other incriminating evidence we got on you...Well that stolen car will just be a non important factor.."laughed Brad Hammer...

Austin looked at him...

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE???THIS IS YOU ISN'T IT?? YOU SET ME UP??  YOU FRAMED ME??" he bellowed..

"You'll have a hard time proving that...Harder than proving you're innocent of murder...See ya around pal...Oh no...I won't...So I'll say goodbye..And I mean goodbye...I'm going to see to it that you get a needle pal...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed Brad Hammer as he got up and walked away...

Things looked hopeless, but it's always darkest before the dawn!

(TO BE CONTINUED)