Love Was Never Here

ADA Miles Ellis stood on the corner and smiled as his girlfriend , Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla Williams approached him..

God she looked sooo good , he thought..Getting an erection just looking at her walk toward him...

''Hey Miles..What was so urgent? I have to be in court this morning.." she said..

He smiled..

"What are you smiling at me like that for?" she asked..

He took her in his arms and kissed her slowly, softly and passionately for about five minutes..

Karla was getting aroused...This man knew how to kiss a woman...She could feel that he was slightly aroused too!  She giggled..

"Wow, what was that for?" she asked...catching her breath...

''Good Luck in court today and just because." he said..

"You sure it's not because you want some?" she asked with a devilish grin..looking at his trousers...

"I always want some , but that will have to do for now." he said..

"It has been a few days hasn't it? I want some too...Come by tonight for a little while.." she whispered..

She kissed him again...He felt better... He had gotten so aroused seeing Kayla Bennett yesterday he needed a reminder of what he had..

"Ummmmmmm….Ouuuu  See ya baby...I gotta go." she said and smiled from ear to ear as she hurried to federal court.

 His colleauge Assistant District Attorney Karen Page

And TV show host, B.L. Benz were kissing so passionately in front of the restaurant that he was getting turned on himself watching them..

''Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh baby." said B.L.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu B.L.  I've got to go...I've got to be in court.." she whispered and wiped her lipstick off of his lips....

He waved and walked the opposite way.

Miles smiled..

"Sooooooooooooooooo is that the TV guy...The host of uh HARD BOTTOM? " laughed Miles..

"It is...We are uh kind of seeing each other.." said Karen..."Who was that YOU were sucking face with?" she said, smiling..

"That's my girl, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Karla Williams.."said Miles..

"Ouuu nice...Nice " said Karen..

"You know me..Go Big or Go home baby." said Miles.

"Did you know B.L. is an Attorney too?" asked Karen..

"You know I'd heard that..So it's true huh?" said Miles..

''Yeah...He's never been in a courtroom though."  said Karen..

"I figured...He looks like the Litigator in the boardroom type." said Miles as the two walked into the courthouse..

Observing the whole thing was an angry Lt. Tragg… It was bad enough seeing Karen Page with his one time friend, now enemy B.L. Benz , but he had been chewed out by the Deputy of Operations for harassing me and Bonnie..

Kayla had apparently called him..

just as she said she'd do...

We weren't actually bothering him or his investigation... Bonnie and I both questioned more people than he did and we compiled in the short time we were investigating a whole lot more than he did.. I saw his case file....






II-

Stephen Reddick was a native New Yorker...Had been educated in New York City Public schools, had done a semester at Julliard, then dropped out..Entered Community College in Queens, got an Associates degree and entered St. Johns for two years and graduated with his Bachelors in Communications/Journalism... He too went to New York Film School for his Masters...

Like Eric Rose..He started out making Hip Hop Videos and moved to Commercials and short films..He met Marsha Mayfield at a Film Festival in New York's Soho area a year ago...

She promised him in job if he ever decided to come to Philadelphia.

I knew that between that film Festival in May 2018 and December 2018 when Stephen Reddick moved to Philadelphia.. Marsha Mayfield took 17 trips to New York City, alone on Weekends...Leaving on Friday and returning on Monday afternoons...That seemed odd...

Bonnie and I met with him at his stylish studio Apartment..

''So let me get this straight...You're a Private Investigator, working for the Attorney who is reppin Eric Rose on his murder trial...and you are an Insurance Investigator investigating her husband's 6 million dollar pre nup claim...Oh wow, this is classic?" he laughed.

 "That's right...but before he can get a penny I have to dot all of my I's and cross all of my T's.."said Bonnie.

"And I'm just trying to keep an innocent man from going to jail for the rest of his life ." I said..

"I hear you...I didn't know Eric...and I felt bad that he lost his job....but that was Marsha...If she wanted something to happen, it happened." he said.

"And she wanted you to have that job right?" asked Bonnie.

"Yeah, I guess so.."said Stephen..

"Were you two lovers?" I asked.

''I wouldn't say that..She was in love with my penis...Love was never here." he laughed...

"In between May of last year and December...She made 17 trips to New York..."I said..

"Yeah, Heh Heh Heh...She was insatiable.. She couldn't get enough....She'd keep me in my bedroom all weekend.. All we'd do is make love...We didn't even stop to eat...I'd be so exhausted I couldn't get up on Monday...The woman was a Nymph..." he said.

"You did know she was married?" asked Bonnie..

"Yeah...She told me she knew her husband was bangin some model and she didn't care...That he was going to be a thing of the past soon anyway...I would have rathered they stay married...I didn't want a deep relationship with her...She was a horny old broad and the sex was good, but outside of that...I didn't care for her...I didn't like the way she talked to people..I didn't like the way she treated Bartenders, Waiters, Uber Drivers nothing..but I needed that cushy job she offered me so I just slept with her as much as she wanted and kept my mouth closed." he said.

"You were the last known person to see her alive.." I said..

''She came up here two nights before she died...We made love for EIGHT TO NINE HOURS at least... She offered me the job and told me she had fired Eric Rose and put her husband on notice that they were divorcing..She said he was stupid, that he had signed a pre nup that left him nothing in case of a divorce...He only got something if she died pre-maturely...

She left the next morning, the day she died..I didn't see her or talk to her again.." he said.

'

''Her Husband claims he went to San-Francisco to search for new talent.."said Bonnie.

"That's horse shit...I was the new talent...and she would have had to authorize his travel..She was the Boss , not him...Plus I saw him that afternoon...around dinner time..Him and his brother, having dinn er and I saw him in the bar around midnight...He was very drunk...He took an Uber home...Left his car in the lot and got it the next morning." he said..

"You saw this?" I asked..

"Yeah....He didn't see me...but he was in Sweeney's bar. You can ask...It's not far from here.." said Stephen...

''Would you testify to this in court?" I asked.

"Sure" he said..

"Thank you Mr. Reddick" said Bonnie.

"That destroys his alibi....He was never in San Francisco...He got someone else to go in his place...Probably his brother.." I said..

"Yup....I got him..."said Bonnie.

We next went to the stylish apartment of Model Claire Hudson

She was hospitable...

''What's this about?" she said.

 ''Joel Mayfield " I said.

"And his wife, Marsha Mayfield.."said Bonnie.

"I did some ads for the Atlas Advertising Agency....Until his bitch of a wife, Marsha fired me..."said Claire Hudson..

"Because you were sleeping with her husband right?" said Bonnie..

"No...we weren't sleeping together until after she fired me...We just never got along..She didn't know a thing about Directing of film-making and she just harassed that poor Black guy to death...He was better than me because I wouldn't have taken it as long as he did.. She knew even less about being a model and she would try to give me little tips about how I should stand and what not and I basically laughed in her face...I knew that it was inevitable that I was going to get fired.." said Claire...

"No love lost between you and Mrs. Mayfield..." I said.

"None at all..When I heard they arrested Eric for her murder....I clapped...I said good for you Eric, I totally understand...I hope that lawyer you workin for gets him off....Whoever killed that bitch deserves a medal. Love was never here, not for her!" laughed Claire..

Bonnie laughed..

"Wow, tell us how you really feel." she said.

I laughed too.





III-

We were next at a Preliminary hearing...This determined if the client should be held over for trial..

Bonnie and I and Sepia sat in the spectator section...

 Lt. Tragg glared angrily at us...or maybe just me..

ADA Miles Ellis looked as cool as a cucumber.

Kayla and Eric sat next to each other at the defense table..

ADA Miles Ellis was good..He was an excellent orator...He wove a very convincing story about how Eric Rose had been harassed by the murder victim for months and how he was fired unceremoniously and how he had angrily threatened the victims life, how he was in such a rage that he had gone to her house, at first to ask for his job back, then things had gone sideways and in a rage, he had beat her to death with his bare hands..

He called several people working there who testified about the verbal abuse Eric and generally everyone took from Mrs. Mayfield..and how after being fired, Eric screamed -"I hope you die bitch."

Kayla asked every last one of them had they known Eric to be violent and if his screaming of that was just the result of him being angry at being fired..

Miles objected, saying she was leading the witness..

Kayla smiled..

Miles paraded police, CSI people and Forensics people to the scene who described the scene when they arrived...and he showed photos of the beaten and bruised Marsha Mayfield that made even the judge wince..

Kayla asked them all if they had found one fingerprint, any DNA belonging to her client..

They all said no...

Then she produced His credit card receipts, Time stamped as well as Receipts from Aqua Bar and time stamped video of Eric in Aqua Bar at the same time the murder was being committed.

She brought forth the bartender who served him, several girls he brought drinks for and the Uber driver who drove him home...

Proof that he was nowhere near the scene that night..

ADA Miles Ellis was livid..he glared at Lt. Tragg...

"I told you to recanvas that scene....I told you to get me more evidence..."he snarled.

Lt. Tragg glared at Bonnie and I..

 Bonnie smiled..

So did I...

We had found all of those people and compiled all of that evidence and more..A long drawn out trial would have brought even more evidence to light..

"Your honor....In Lieu of this new evidence...The People move to drop all charges against Eric Rose.." said Miles Ellis...

No way he was going to take this to trial and lose...

Our investigation was completed...We had even more evidence to present...but why do Lt. Tragg's job for him?

"So moved" said the Judge..."Mr. Rose , you are free to go." she said..

 Eric kissed Kayla in the lips, softly and slowly...

''Eric please" she said and broke away from his embrace.. She slapped him hard..

"I'm a married woman...I told you that.." she said sharply...

"It was worth it...I've always wanted you..." he said smiling and rubbing his face...

"How about a job?" I said.

''A Job?" he asked.

"I do this Private Investigator thing on the side...I own Morris Comunications...we could use a good director..We have a few projects..This is my card....Monday  you stop by, Ask for Sean Jackson." I said..

"Oh My God...Thank You...Thank you so much.." he said..

I had also hired Stephen Reddick...I could use both of them and their skills..

"Thank You Kevin, Thank You Bonnie "said a grateful Kayla, who hugged us both...

My wife Sepia smiled too..

"Let's celebrate...Let's all get some drinks...I know a nice place." she said.

Lt. Tragg was receiving a phone call..

"Yes sir...I know...but the evidence all lead to this kid...I  know uh..I interviewed the husband..He was out of town...I 'll re interview him sir..

"WHAT? I'm off the case? I was the Primary....WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M OFF THE CASE?  I worked it hard..." he screamed..

"No sir...I have not lost my mind...I raised my voice because...Yes sir sirrrrrrrrrr…..Well alright!" he said and hung up..

He was as red as a beet...He stomped his foot and stormed out of the court house...

''Wow...another happy customer." I said..

"I called the Deputy of Operations and complained. .Look, I want this case solved...She was a bitch on wheels...but nobody deserves to be beat to death like that...Somebody ought to pay.." said Miles Ellis.

 "Bonnie and I will turn over copies of all the information we have to you...I believe our investigation is complete...but if you give us 24 hours...We'll deliver the real killers to you." I said.

"Yes." said Bonnie..

''Do you know Detective  Duke Baylor? They put him on this..."said Miles Ellis..

"He and his partner are good friends of mine...

I'll turn over what I have to him..."I said.

"Good, it would be nice to bring in a good case for a change."said Miles Ellis.

IV-

It was a beautiful night...We all met up at the new rooftop Aqua Bar...

 ''Wow! This place is nice!" I said..

"Olivia and Yvette

 told me about this place..It's owned by the same guy who owns Aqua Bar..."said Sepia..

"It is Beautiful.."said Bonnie..

Who was here with her husband, Ronald...

 "I'm so glad...I didn't have to go to trial..Eric was way too touchy feely with me...That's what happens when you represent childhood friends."said Kayla..

"Although I might punch him in the gut next time I see him...I can't say that I blame him...I can't keep my hands off of you myself.."said her husband, Raymond St. Jacques...who had one arm around her waist...

"Oh Hush up You."laughed Kayla..

"All that's left is for me to wrap up your case Bonnie... Ronnie...I want you to call Joel Mayfield tomorrow, tell him you are ready to pay his claim, but stall him, Stall him as long as you can...He's the Alpha Dog and I suspect the actual killer...but he'll never crack...So we have to work on the Beta Dog, the weak one...His brother Ira...That's the one who is going to panic and tell us what we want to know.."I said..

"I'll do the best I can.."said Ronnie..

"Here come our drinks." said Bonnie..

"Oh look...they look fabulous.."said Bonnie..

''Don't they girl?" laughed Sepia..

I was glad Lt. Tragg was off the Case... With Duke and Angie, I was certain I could wrap this thing up..

(CONCLUSION NEXT)