A Missing Eyewitness

Olivia and Beverly were in court today....At the beginning of a major murder case...…..

Olivia sat with our client...27 year old, Abner Loumini,

An Immigrant from Africa, who had just recently gotten his Green Card...He was accused of the brutal mid morning murder of his American Wife...29 year old Hillary Benn

So what else was new? Beverly, my wife's niece and law partner was busy checking out some documents...

 I'm Donnie Ray Alexander, Investigator , Former Homicide Detective....Olivia is my wife..

 Josie is our Para-Legal...she's in law school...She's been with my wife and her niece's firm since day one when she was an office manager...Now she's a para-legal and a law student...she was busy passing documents to both Olivia and Beverly...

I sat with Josie and Nelson....Josie had come late...She had been in school....Nelson East, Beverly's husband and also an Attorney was once again helping us with the case...He had helped pick a jury of 7 recently naturalized American Citizens who were from West Africa...No mean feat...But he was brilliant at reading jurors and juror selection...An asset to our team...

Court was packed today....This was a very important and once again controversial case...

It was being tried by the brilliant and dashing ADA , Miles Ellis....

The arresting officer was unfortunately Lieutenant Arthur Tragg… who enjoyed being at the center of a controversial case and thus on Television and in the papers more than he did actually doing good police work..

Miles Ellis did not want to try this case or any case with Lt. Tragg involved...He had already lost several cases to both Olivia and Beverly and his former protoge' Yvette Jones and her young upstarts.

Clearly he didn't relish losing this one to Olivia and Beverly and their team...

 Olivia listened intently to the Forensic people and the CSI personell who told what everyone already knew...

That early in the morning...About 4:45 am... 29 year old Hillary Benn, a white woman..

 received a phone call...The call must have been disturbing because she left the loft she had been living in and attempted to let someone in....

Whoever that someone was...plunged a huge meat cleaver into her chest, killing her almost instantly..
It was a horrifying crime that caught the attention of the city...

 Beverly looked at her aunt, but paid close attention to the scenes from a faulty camera, which caught Hillary Benn's last moments...but doesn't show the face of the killer...

Surprisingly enough there is a grainy shot of another man, a few feet behind her...A man everyone in the city was looking for...This man inadvertedly walked up on the murder in progress...He had to have looked right into the face of the actual murderer...

The man is seen running away from the scene as the killer hurls the meat cleaver at him and misses...

The actual street cam on the block malfunctioned, it may or may not have caught a better angle of  the entire incident..

A new camera had been placed on the street....

Nelson listened attentively to the sometimes dull and boring testimony...

The three of them did not cross examine any of the CSI or Forensic people...There wasn't any need.. They were only giving the jury cold hard scientific facts...

I studied the crime scene photos and like Lt. Tragg, questioned everybody that lived in the loft, including someone we knew..

Attorney Alexandria Miller, The former live in lover of Olivia's ex-husband,

Elwood Barnes and the current girlfriend of the man prosecuting this case..

Assistant District Attorney Miles Ellis..

She had been asleep and hadn't heard or seen a thing....She didn't know Hillary Benn, who lived two floors down from her.. Had only seen her in passing..

This was the same story of all of the residents.....

It was 4:45 am...All of them were fast asleep.. And no one was on the street....

I traced the phone call she got...It came from an untraceable burner phone...and not the phone our client owned...

He admitted to Olivia and Beverly that he met Ms. Benn a year before ...They had a brief Sexual relationship that was in his words "Mildly romantic..They got married strictly so he could get his Green Card and stay in America...while working on getting his citizenship..

They were now a bit estranged and he was not living with her at the time of her death..In fact..She had filed for divorce...just a month before what was their first year anniversary of marriage..

Lt. Tragg with next to no evidence other than they were married and estranged, arrested him and charged him with First Degree Murder and Conspiracy to commit murder...

Olivia and Beverly argued that there was a rush to judgement...

I certainly agreed... Mr. Loumini maintains his innocence, citing he was nowhere near the area when the murder occurred...but he has no witnesses who can back his story and thus no alibi...

After court that day, Josie said what was on everybody's mind..

"The only person that can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt Mr. Loumini is innocent is that eyewitness, that man who walked up on the murder.."she said.

"He, whoever HE is must have looked right into the face of the killer..He's the link to this whole case."said Beverly...

Olivia said to Lt. Tragg...

"Are you looking for the mystery man? The eyewitness who ran from the scene? Whoever he is..he saw the killer.." she said.

''As a matter of fact, the police department has offered a fifty thousand dollar reward to this mystery guy if he would come forward and we've heard nothing...The poor guy is scared to death...He has no reason to be...We have the real killer on ice....or at least we did before you two bailed him out."said Lt Tragg sarcastically..

"That's because he's not the real guy...He's innocent.. He was her husband for godsakes.."said Beverly..

"Righhttttt..He married her to get a Green Card...They were headed towards divorce court.."said Lt. Tragg..

"Why would he kill her? she wasn't a monied person..He had absolutely nothing to gain.."said Olivia..

"That's right." parroted Josie...

Just then Miles Ellis walked up...He smiled..

"Olivia...Beverly...Nice to see you two again...I suggest you save your arguments about Mr. Loumini's innocence for the courtroom." he said with an arrogant snicker..

Nelson sought to buffer the situation...

"Come on guys...let's get out of here.." he said.

"That's a good idea.." I said.. I was going out and do a little digging...I figured whoever that man was..He was visiting somebody in that loft...He had to be...I had a list of all the residences and had talked to them...Whoever he was,,,He wasn't one of them...

Miles Ellis, Alexandria's boyfriend was out of town that week...He was in D.C. so that ruled her out as having company...Which meant this man was visiting someone else...

But who?" I wondered...

I had no idea at the time that I was wrong about something.

II-

ONE MONTH BEFORE-

"I must admit...I never thought I'd ever see the inside of this place..."said Elwood Barnes as he looked around Alexandria's loft..

"This place is gorgeous...It must cost you a mint..." he said..

"Not as much as you might think.."said Alexandria..

"You did good kid...I'm proud of you....All independent ,on your own....Nice!"he said nodding and looking around...

"Thanks for giving me a ride home...When my car broke down and they had to tow it...You were the only number I could think of.."she said..

"I was glad to be of service...by the way..Where is lover boy?" he asked.

"If you mean Miles...He's in D.C. he has a meeting with a Federal Judge...."she said proudly..

''You mean a job interview.."said Elwood knowingly...

"Nooooo.. .but this does involve a case he worked on a few months ago...A case this judge was very impressed with and requested a meeting with him.."said Alex..

"Like I said...A Job interview...Mr. Ellis is a man somewhat like myself...Ambitious..Working as an Assistant District Attorney in Philaelphia was never going to be enough for him...Trust me.."said Elwood with a knowing glance..

"I did trust you once."said Alex softly...

They were both quiet for a few minutes, then Elwood spoke....

"Baby, I made a mistake...For three years...Three years I was good, the best man I'd ever been..I didn't look at another woman..because I was so into you...I wanted to marry you...I was going to be sooo good to you....You could have given me another chance...."said Elwood..

''Okay Elwood...Let's not go down that road again...We are speaking again...Let's be happy for that.." said Alexandria.. She glared at his trousers...They were standing out like a circus tent..

"Oh My god!  Elwood..."she gasped..

He smiled sheepishly...

"I'm sorry....You ..You just do it for me..You leave me speechless.." he said..

Alexandria hated when he got like this...Seductive...She hadn't had any sex in two weeks...She was a little horny and here he was...in her loft, all hard and talking low...

"Alex baby...right now...I've got this huge erection....and it's all for you...It's been hungering for you...."he whispered...

''Elwoood…" she said...She saw the huge bulge in his trousers...She smiled.. "WOW! Yes you do..." she said and she stroked it lightly...

"Ummmmm just like I remember...." she whispered and giggled...

''Alex ,I've missed you so much, all I have been able to think about is you...I miss waking up next to you in the morning..I so miss your warm body next to mine.."Ouuuuuuuu..All I can think about is putting this inside you right now Alex..." he moaned..

Enjoying her soft strokes and thinking he was in like Flint....

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...Ouuuuuuuuuuuu, I could stand here all afternoon baby..." he moaned...as she softly stroked him for a few minutes...

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately....

That man did know how to kiss a woman....she admitted...His kisses made her knees weak ....

His kisses made her dress come unzipped and her panties slide off and her bra unhook...Soon they were both naked in her living room, kissing passionately...She fondling his now huge and erect penis in her soft hands...

Within minutes he had lifted Alexandria up and was entering her warm and soft center.....She was so wet he couldn't believe it...He had run into her at the right time...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHH ELWOOD!!!!!' she moaned.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ALEXXXXXXXXXXX babyyyy!" he moaned...

Soon they were on her couch making sweet sweet love...

''Elwood...Elwood...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  I missed you too baby....Ouuuuuu,Ummmmmmmm."she moaned..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ALEX, this is all I ever dreamed of.....Ohhhhhhhhh My god!" he nearly screamed...

THREE TO FOUR HOURS of sweet sweet ,slow ,tender lovemaking seemed to drift by....It had gone from midafternoon to night time and they were still going at it...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ,ummmmmmmmmmmmmm.." she moaned..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH good lord Alex, you feel so damnnnn good baby!" he moaned..

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" she cried out, experiencing an orgasm like she hadn't experienced since she left his loft....

He exploded....

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph!" he moaned..

They stood up.....It was now dark outside...She took him by the hand and walked him up the stairs and into her bedroom...More passionate kissing...They both were going out of their minds with lust...

They fell on her softer than cotton bed...It was the softest bed Elwood had ever been in....This made the lovemaking that much better...

The only thing he didn't like was that the bed was noisy...It squeaked something terrible...and the headboard rattled..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu , ELWOOOD... ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.."she moaned...

. "Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God! ALEX Oh My God....You're driving me crazy...."he yelled...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh ELWOOD . Oh My God! Oh My God! Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" she moaned..

"GIRL, YOU ARE DOING THE DAMN THING IN THIS BED...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." he moaned..

"...Elwoooooooooooooooood, ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" she moaned..

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm...oh my god..ALEX, you are rocking my world...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." he moaned...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu babyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.."she cooed..

The Bed was squeaking something terrible and the headboard sounded like it was about to fall off..

She was cumming and cumming hard....She was actually starting to have feelings for Elwood again...

She was trying not to, but she was...She was crying now like a little girl and tears and sweat was running down her face...

 ''Yesssssssssssss, now that's what I like...You calling me baby...Wouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"he moaned...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Elwoood....baby! Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..." she cooed.

They had been making sweet tender love for  SIX TO SEVEN HOURS,

He lifted her up and began going to town....

"Ohhhhhh...OHHHHHHHHHH ALEX!!!" he cried out as he began to come and come hard...

"OUUUUUUUU ELWOOD!!" she cooed as she began to tremble and shake...






III-

Funny, how after you've had an orgasm or multiple orgasms in this case, how clear your mind can become...

They both took seperate showers and got dressed...

Alex fixed some coffee....

She felt ashamed...She had a man...A good man, Miles Ellis..

He's out of town for a few days and she cheats on him...She was no better than Elwood and knowing that, in that moment..She truly forgave Elwood....

Elwwod sat down , he drank a hot steaming tumbler of coffee...

"Alex..come back to me baby..."he said..

"No Elwood...The sex was good...Off the chain as usual...but in the end...I'm afraid that's all we had and afterwords we were both empty....I have a feeling you feel empty a lot.."she said..

How right she was...He didn't argue.. He was too tired and exhausted to argue...

He finished his coffee and stood up and managed a smile..

"Alright Alex...but if you should change your mind...You know where to find me..."he said..

She walked him to the door..She didn't watch as he exited down the steps...Too impatient to wait for the elevator....

She slammed the door and leaned against the door...She told herself...She wasn't married and she was in her own place and could do what or whoever she wanted....Then she felt pangs of remorse...Miles deserved better than that...

Her guilt overwhelmed her...She began to cry....

Alex got undressed and got back in bed...She had had a good work out...She felt good about the sex.....

She was happy that she was in her own place...She truly was independent...She drifted off into a nice pleasent sleep unaware of what was unfolding beneath her...

Elwood stumbled out the door just in time to see a man, a young black man about 27, about five foot ,nine inches arguing with a white woman...

"Porter Carr sends his regards.." he said and pulled out a meat cleaver and plunged it into her chest...

She screamed and then collapsed..

He had never seen anything so horrific in his life...There was blood everywhere..

The man saw him...He turned and ran for all he was worth...

The young man chased him about a block and  hurled the meat cleaver at him with an uncanny force...Elwood could feel the air as the cleaver missed it's mark and landed inside a wooden telephone pole..

He kept running and turned the corner...

The Young man pulled the meat cleaver out of the pole...He got in his car and scoured the neighborhood looking for Elwood..but there was no sign of him...He pulled off at top speed..

Elwood creeped back an hour later and got into his car and pulled off...

Sometime later, a crowd had gathered... It still wasn't daylight yet...Almost dawn though....

CSI and Forensic specialist were examining the area...Blood was everywhere...They snapped photos and searched for other evidence...but there was none..no fingerprints...no DNA...

Forensic Investigator, Dr. Hazel Baylor was looking at the woman's body...Her chest opened up...blood everywhere...Even she, who had been to several murder sights had never seen anything like this...She hoped that Sissy and the guys got this case...or even Danny Ho...Unfortunately, Lt. Tragg came bustling through with six uniformed officers..

"Coming through, Coming through...What have ya got?" he asked as if he was auditioning for LAW AND ORDER, SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT!

"It looks like someone plunged a meat cleaver or an axe to her chest...opened her up...death was instantaneous." said Hazel, who wished her friends had gotten this case...

"Oh good lord!!!!....No murder weapon?" he asked. .Even he was stunned at the gruesome scene and all the blood...

"No sir."said an officer..

"Anybody see or hear anything?" he asked..

''We are questioning the residents now.. No sir.." said another officer..

"Who is she?" asked Lt. Tragg..

"Her Drivers License says Hillary Benn.. She lives here" said another officer..

Lt. Tragg saw a wedding band..

"She's married...Where is the husband?" he asked.

"He's not here.. "said another officer..

"Go find him." |said Lt. Tragg..

The body was put in a grey body bag and carted to the Medical Examiner's Van.....

Reporters snapped photos and dubbed this..."The Meat Cleaver Murder"  ..It became the talk of the town!

Because he was the Primary on the case , it got Lt. Tragg back on his favorite show, HARD BOTTOM!  Which made him happy....He promised a quick arrest!

IV-

Which brings us to today...

"Ummmmmmm Alfreda...I can't control myself when I'm around you....Ummmmmm" came a deep male baritone...


"I can see and feel that....ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…" came a female voice.



Another ADA we once faced, Rockland Cambridge was kissing Beverly's mother, Alfreda Johnson...our office manager.

when we walked in....They both looked embarrassed when we walked in on them...

"Oh Uh Hi Guys...Uh how was court?" asked Rockland, looking like the cat who swallowed the canary.

For the first time today, Olivia smiled..

"It is the beginning...You know the drill, you ADA's bring out the cops, CSI and Forensics and they present the crime scene photos and assessment of what everybody knows happened.." she said..

I had never seen Alfreda blush as much as she did right now..and speechless to boot!

"Well we have to present the jury with a vision of what happened...You defense attorneys wouldn't do that." he said and smiled...

Beverly wet a cloth and wiped her mother's lipstick off of his lapel and his face...

"Sure we would..but we'd do it in a way that shows our client in a favorable light.."she said and smiled at Rockland.. Rockland smiled back at her...

He laughed..

"Yes you would, wouldn't you?" he laughed...

"After we eat...I'm going back out...back to that loft...Whoever that man is, he had to be visiting somebody in that loft.." I said..

"He was leaving at 4:45 am in the morning.. I'm guessing he had a late night rendevouz with someone and she didn't allow him to stay the night.." said Nelson...

 Olivia cracked up...

''Well now, look at that analysis.." said Olivia, cracking up!

 "Are you speaking from experience Husband?" asked Beverly...Then she did a double take..

"Not me!!!...I always let him stay the night...but you had other girls before me...Did they make you leave early in the morning?" she said, smiling devilishly..

"Tell her don't worry about it ,Nelson...Ask her if any guys made her leave early in the morning.?" laughed Olivia..

"Never!  They always wanted me to stay.."laughed Beverly...

"Oh Listen at you...Aint you hot stuff?" said her mother, Alfreda.....who giggled and playfully punched her daughter on the shoulder...

Josie cracked up laughing...

Nelson laughed and shook his head.....

''Don't you answer that question Nelson.." I said, laughing and slapping my knee..."Let's order some food." I said..

''I already did...I figured you guys would be hungry....Is Hoagies okay?" said Alfreda..

"Hoagies are fine Freda."said Olivia, who kissed her on the cheek...

"Didn't want you guys to think all I did while you were out was kiss Rockland all morning."she said..

"Oh No...why would we think that?" asked Olivia playfully...

''Why indeed?" said Beverly, chucjking..

"Not like we don't ever kiss.."I said

"I feel like kissing your daughter right now..."said Nelson...

''What else is new?" laughed Josie.

We all laughed...Including Rockland..

We laughed and chowed down when the seven Italian Hoagies arrived....

But if this case was to get any traction...I had to find that Missing eyewitness....whoever he was..He was the only one who could prove our client innocent.

(TO BE CONTINUED)