Crabs In A Barrell

We were enjoying ourselves on a nice lazy Friday Afternoon in the Mermaid Crab and Ale House....Formerly the Mermaid Bar....

 ''Wow...I never came in this bar..Not ever." said my wife Olivia.

 ''Real rough joint I take it." I said.

 "That's not the word for it...I came in here once...To talk to a client...Back when I was a Public defender.." said Beverly..

 "I remember...I came with you...They seemed to know who my Uncle was and they left us alone.."said Nelson, whose Uncle, Arthur "Fathead" Newton once owned all of the real estate in West and Southwest Philadelphia and beyond before he retired from a life of crime and his criminal empire was split up and decimated.

"My dad once owned a piece of this bar." said our para-legal, Josie Boyd, whose biological father, Gangster Joe Boyd was somewhat of a Philadelphia  Crime legend... He had been gunned down by rival mobsters years ago.

Once the Mermaid Bar had been peopled by the underworld...drug crews, stick up boys, shot callers...
That was all in the past now...Two people...Mikey Avaricious and Attorney Austin Worthy

had partnered up and purchased the bar from it's previous owner who was close to being in foreclosure... They allowed Joe Neptune to continue to be the Manager and Head Bartender...but they closed it and had it remodeled from top to bottom.

Now it's clientele was completely different...

Decent people...

More Upscale....

We had a plate full of crabs...

and corn on the cobb...

"Oh My godddd this is delish.."said Beverly....

"Yesssssssssssssss." agreed Josie..

Another plate of crabs arrived...

"Mmmmmmmmm these are good...."said Olivia...

I must say ,I was enjoying myself....

 The Beers and the Martini's arrived...

and to make it even better , the drinks were cheap, cheaper than Josies...and the Crabs were inexpensive and good too!

"I haven't had steamed crabs this good since we went to Baltimore...Remember Boo?" asked Beverly..

"Yeahhhh, Maryland Crabs...Nothin like em.."said Nelson, who was chowing down

"Honey Bunny, we have to take a trip to Maryland soon.." said Olivia...

"If their crabs are like this...I'm there.." I said..

II-

While we chowed down, Attorney Austin Worthy came over and sat down with us.....

''So How are you guys liking my new joint? Huh?" he asked..

I burped....

''Excuse me.." I said.

 Olivia cracked up...

''He likes it." she said.

"I'm stuffed Austin...Thank you for inviting us.." said Beverly...

"I'm really just a silent partner...Mikey runs the day to day....Look, the meal ,the drinks...It's all on the house..Your money is no good here, Livy, Bev, Donnie Ray, Nelson and cutey pie there.. You guys saved me from being sent up on a murder rap..." said Austin.

''Awww Austin come on..."said Olivia..''

''No...look around..." he said.

We observed the happy crowds

We heard lips smacking at almost every table..

"We pack em in here every night....This place is a money maker... You five eatin and drinkin for free tonight is not gonna hurt us and besides...I may be needing your services ladies and gents.." he said..

''Who'd you kill now?" joked Beverly, who couldn't know how prophetic her joke was....

Austin laughed..

"HA! Good One Beverly...Nah it's not that kind of case thank god." he said..

"I heard you've been having problems with your partners....They're suing you..."said Olivia..

''One is..You've heard already?" asked Austin, astounded..

"Not much gets by Liv.."I said..

As another plate of crabs arrived...

 "Ouu give me some.."said Beverly...

"We'll all sleep good tonight.."  said Josie...

"Austin, we travel in the same circles...I hear things.."said Olivia...

"What have you heard?" asked Austin..

"Your law firm was subjected to a $10 million judgment in U.S. bankruptcy court. You allegedly   defaulted on a $440,000 judgment in back taxes, penalties, and interest that you were personally obligated to pay under another bankruptcy settlement. 

The U.S. Attorney's office asserted in court that a motion seeking payment would soon be filed against You. One of your partners  had been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and, in December 2017, had agreed to pay $4.8 million in unpaid fees to another former partner, $2 million in back taxes, and $1 million to other creditors .

 In June 2018, one of  your former partners, filed a motion in U.S. bankruptcy court asking for a lien on any and all legal fees your firm might collect, up to $10 million, from clients in 54 cases  Last year, a few days after your arrest on the murder charge we defended you on,, Your law firm was evicted from its office in the tony Flomar Building after skipping $213,000 worth of rent payments. And a few months ago, a former client filed arbitration against you, alleging misuse of settlement funds your firm had received in trust. Austin, I'm amazed you were able to pay me for our defense of you in the murder case and how did you have enough money to become a partner in this?"  asked Olivia..

"WOW!  Who told you all of this? None of it is true...Check my records..I have made restitution in almost all of those cases...Unfortunately I couldn't save my office or my friendship with my two partners....Shame it came to this...We were together since law school.. We started out in a little storefront and as my fame grew on Television you know...The money came in and we moved to the 17th floor of the Flomar Building... I didn't mis use any settlement funds Liv..That's a lie... My partners mishandled a lot of money, that's why they were forced to file bankruptcy and I didn't have to..."said  Austin Worthy..

''I know an Attorney ,who is also an accountant , who can help me muddle through your financial mess and maybe figure this out..."said Olivia..

"I love you...I do...I'm falling in love with you...If you weren't married to Donnie Ray who I consider my friend and who might hurt me...I'd run off with you.."said Austin Worthy..

Olivia cracked up laughing...

"Austin you are too funny,..." she laughed..

"Auntay.....I'm full...." said Beverly...

"Me too!" sighed Nelson...

I sighed and Burped again..."Oops ,sorry...I'm full too.."I said..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu....me too!"said Josie..

"You guys driving?" asked Austin...

''Nooooo, we knew we were going to indulge tonight so we called a Bus service... A Mini Bus will pick us up soon."said Olivia..

"Livy, You are such a lawyer.."laughed Austin.,

"Isn't she though?" I said, hugging Olivia..

who giggled..

III-

Mikey Avaricious..Austin's partner in the Mermaid Crab House..Came over to our table..

"So you two are the famous defense attorneys, Olivia and Beverly huh?  Austin ,you didn't charge them did you?" said Mikey, a short Italian guy..

"Of course not.... "Ladies ,and gents...My business partner, Mike Avaricious.."said Austin

 "This is Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander,

 her pretty little niece and associate attorney, Beverly West-East...Yeah, aint that a name huh?

 Olivia's husband and Investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander....Used to be a Homicide Detective..

 Beverly's husband, Attorney Nelson East..

and their para-legal, soon to be associate attorney, Josie Boyd, who is in law school right now.."said Austin...

"Pleased to meet you guys...Heyyy Look...I got a bottle of Wine..

A brand new port...Please enjoy with me...You guys aint drivin, you came in a bus...Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn….."said Mikey,.

I smiled..

"Ohhhh whyyy not..?" I said..

''Donnie Ray, if I drink that wine...forget about us doin the Hibbity Bibbity tonight....I'm going to go home and go straight to sleep.."whispered Olivia..

"Hmmmmm, you know...I'm full...Can I take a rain check?" I said..

Olivia cracked up laughing...

"Oh My God....I was going to drink the wine...You really love doing the Hibbidy Bibbity don't you?"she laughed ,shaking her head...

I did indeed....

 "Yes me too...I'll definitely be back...with some friends...I gotta tell Bee Bee and Sofia about this place..

she said..

 "Yeah and Keith and Kahlil too.."

said Nelson...Speaking of our new friends...

"Can I crash at you guys place tonight?" asked Josie..

"You gotta ask? Of course you can.." said Beverly, hugging her friend..

IV-

It was a perfect night...Well almost...Lt. Tragg and six policemen walked in and zeroed in to our table..

"Hello Austin...It gives me great pleasure to place you under arrest again and this time...It's gonna stick."said Lt. Tragg..

"Tragg You're off your nut..What are you talking about..?" asked Austin Worthy..

Lt. Tragg produced a plastic bag and inside was a gun.. A .38 smokeless...

"Recognize this gun Austin?" asked Lt. Tragg.

"It's mine...What are you doing with it?" asked Austin...

"It's been fired twice...and two of the slugs were found in the chest of Stephen Jameson...Your partner..or should I say your ex-partner...The one that is suing you or was suing you...and this gun has what I think are your fingerprints on it.." said Lt. Tragg...

''Stephen is dead? What? Nooooooooooooooooooo.."said Austin...

"Shot dead in your old office...The one you guys are vacating...We found him with some papers that said some pretty damning things about you...And the gun ,still hot in the drawer...Your old drawer.."said Lt. Tragg..

"I haven't been to that office in a week, I swear.."said Austin..

"Tell it to the Judge...Austin Worthy, you have the right to remain silent, anything and everything you say can and will be held against you...You have a right to an attorney....And as I see there are three and a half attorneys here...I suppose they will be representing you...If you can't afford an attorney one will be provided for you...Again, not necessary...And you being an Attorney and all, I know you understand these rights.."said Lt. Tragg.  "Hook him up boys."said Lt. Tragg..

"You're making a mistake..I didn't kill anybody.. I been here."said Austin...

"Don't say anything more Austin...I'll be down with money for bail in the morning.."said Olivia..

"Geee you sure know how to ruin a dinner.."said Beverly to Lt. Tragg...

Lt. Tragg looked around...

He shook his head..He looked at Mikey..

"You really classed this joint up...It used to be a dump..." he said.

''Yeah well I did the best I could...Hang in there Austin.."said Mikey,.

"Let's Go Guys.." said Lt. Tragg as they walked Miles out...

"By the time I finished getting Miles out of all of his legal troubles...I may own a piece of this place." said Olivia..

"I wouldn't mind bein your partner... You're much prettier than Austin." laughed Mikey..

"Austin is a trouble magnet.." said Beverly...

"That he is.. but he aint  no killer...that's for sure."said Mikey...

''Liv I want in on this.."said Nelson...

''Sure...I'm going to need all the help I can get...Josie, in the morning, call Attorney Lawrence Stephenson...I'm going to need his help too."said Olivia,..

''Will Do." said Josie..

''Our Bus is here...Well, all things considered.. It was still a nice night...Thank you Mikey.." I said.

"Hey Guys don't mention it." Good Luck.." said Mikey...

As we boarded our mini bus and headed home...Full, a little tipsy and with a new case...

(TO BE CONTINUED)