Femme Fatal

It was a beautiful warm, spring night in Philadelphia...We were all at the tony restaurant and club known as Red Booth...We were celebrating my wife , Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander, her partner and niece, Attorney Beverly West-East and their cousin, Attorney Kayla Bennett-St Jacques Birthdays...

All three women's birthdays were all within three days of each other... Kayla in fact had been born the day before Beverly...Two days after Liv's ninth birthday , while Beverly was Three days after Liv's ninth birthday....

"Your ninth birthday was a special birthday huh Liv?" I said.. I'm Donnie Ray Alexander, a former New Orleans Homicide Detective, lucky to cross paths with Olivia one summer night at Essence fest in New Orleans...My life was never the same...I quit my job, got my P.I.'s license and moved to Philly just in time for Olivia and her niece Beverly to start their law firm...I became their investigator and Olivia's husband....

"My Ninth Birthday was my best birthday ever....I got two presents....My two favorite people in the world, next to you...were born...My niecy pooo and my sweet little cousin..." said Olivia ,kissing and hugging both Beverly and Kayla..

 ''Awwwwww" said Beverly..

''Awwwwwwww" said Kayla..

''Lawd have mercy...Bennett women." said Kayla's husband, Attorney Raymond St. Jacques..

We all laughed...

Beverly's husband, Attorney Nelson East walked in with the cake..

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIV, BEV AND KAYLA!" he said..

 Para Legal and Law student, Josie Boyd, who had been with Olivia and Beverly from the very beginning hugged Olivia and Beverly...

"You guys are like the sisters I never had.." she said, openly weeping..

 "Awwwwww, we love you too Josie.."said Beverly...

''We love you too!" said Olivia...

"It's okay babes...Don't cry..."said her boyfriend, Paris..

We all clapped...

''A Toast to my very best friend in the whole wide world, who is like a sister to me..Olivia Marrisa Bennett-Alexander" said Attorney Yvette Jones..who was there with her four young attorneys , who had worked with and been mentored by Olivia and Beverly from time to time..

 Attorney Beatrice Evans-

"Happy Birthday Olivia, Beverly and Kayla." she said.

 Attorney Keith Jones

''Happy Birthday Bennett Women."said Keith Jones.

 Attorney Sofia Garcia

"Happy Birthday, Olivia, Beverly and Kayla." she said.

 Attorney Kahlil Ahmed

"Happy Birthday Olivia, Beverly and Kayla." he said.

and investigator Jade Lee..

"Happy Birthday ladies." she said.

"Happy Birthday Liv, Bev and Kayla." said Gary Lockwood, Yvette's boyfriend, Like me, a former Homicide Detective, Now Investigator for the D.A.'s office..

 "Happy Birthday Livy , and my two other baby girls,Beverly ,my daughter and Kayla, my niece!..."said Alfreda Johnson....Our office manager and Beverly's mother and Kayla's aunt...She kissed and hugged all three women....

''Three years ago, you couldn't have told me...I'd be at an event like this...With you all...But I'm glad I am....Happy Birthday Olivia and Beverly and Mrs. St, Jacques..."said ADA Rockland Cambridge...

ADA Karen Page was there also....

"Happy Birthday Livy and Beverly and Kayla..." she said..

Several Glasses were raised....

''Thank Youu…….Where is B.L.?" asked Olivia.

"Taping that damn show of his, Like he's always doing." said Karen with the first signs of consternation in her voice...

Everyone got quiet....Karen smiled..

"But hey...This is about you guys...HAPPY BIRTHDAY....I LOVE YOU BOTH DEARLY...YOU KNOW THAT!" said Karen...

More Drinks arrived....

Citris Martini's....The girls favorites...They had turned everybody else on this drink also....

Outside in a car with tinted windows...Detective Mike Grisly sat with Lt. Tragg...

 ''Some Shindig they're having in there huh?  That's a pretty classy joint...Red Booth.."said Detective Mike Grisly...

"They can afford it...They're all lawyers..."said Lt. Tragg..

''Your girl is in there...What's the occasion? The National Association of Black Lawyers..Huh? heheheheheheheh, She the White token?...Heheheheheheheh" laughed Mike Grisly..

"No...It's Auntie and Niecey's birthday..Karen went to law school with Auntie...They're old friends.."said Lt. Tragg...

"Wow imagine that...Auntie and Niecy have the same birthday too? Damn, they really are close..They can't be any more than like six or seven years apart in age..."said Mike Grisly..

"I think Liv told me once, they are nine years apart in age.."said Lt. Tragg..

"Ummph...I wouldn't mind plantin my shoes under either one of em's beds...I used to think they were sisters..."said Mike Grisly.

"Never mind them, Did you set our uh little thing up?" asked Lt. Tragg..

''Yeah and I did it the way you said...So it won't come back on us...I got one of my C.I.'s to contact and pay the Private investigator you told me about...Three G's....

An ex-FBI agent named Bert Vandenburg.. My C.I. told him where to go and where to set the whole thing up..." said Mike..

''What about the girl?"asked Lt. Tragg...

''Stone Cold Pro...Used to be an exotic dancer...She got her instructions via text from a burner phone...It's picture perfect..My C.I. set the whole thing up. After he paid everybody...He was on the next bus to Atlantic City."laughed Mike..

"Perfect!" said Lt. Tragg..

"You put out a lot of dough for this..3 large for the P.I. , Two large for the Pro...and 2 large for my guy...You really hate this guy B.L. don't you?" said Mike Grisly...

''You can't imagine.."said Lt. Tragg..

II-

Hours later, Olivia and I were home...

It had been a wonderful night..

 "Thank you so much Donnie Ray...This was the nicest birthday party I've had in a long time...I wish Zoey and Lem had been there.."said Olivia..

"They're in Virginia at his parents wedding anniversary....but I got everybody else there.."I said ,smiling at her..

"Yes you did...I am soo happy...."laughed Olivia...She noticed me staring at her..

"You like this don't you, What I have on?" she asked..

'Yes, I like everything you're in..." I said..

"I bought this in London....Wait here...Wait to you see what else I bought.." she said, smiling and vanishing into our bedroom..

''Alright, come in..." she said.

I did and my eyes nearly popped out of my head..

"Whoaaaaa!" I said..

''Whoaaaa...That means you like it.." she said smiling..

"Yes it does.."I said..

She gave me a soft kiss....

"Mmmmmm Happy Birthday Livy.." I said..

"Okay, now let's really make it happy....get your clothes off.." she whispered..

I peeled her out of that dress,and hurriedly took off my clothes and we were basically in a sphere of love and light and warmth, and the rest of the world just vanished. It was better than I ever could have dreamed, it was the thing I had been looking for, that perfect mix of love mixed with the rapture of sex...

"Ouuu Husband of mine...you are ready..." said Olivia staring at my erect and engorged penis...

"I should be used to this by now...my goodness..." she said as we embraced and kissed each other passionately.

She stroked me softly...I was throbbing and shaking...Olivia whispered to me...

"It's alright...just relax....calm down...Don't get too excited...." she said..

An  impossible task....

The kissing got hotter and more passionate....and within minutes I was sitting on the side of the bed and
Olivia was sitting on top of me, easing herself down on my waiting penis..and moving up and down..

This was my favorite position,because I could look at her and kiss her passionately...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh, Ohhhhhhhhh baby....Ouuuuu,easy Donnie Ray...ouuuuu" she moaned...

"Damnnnnnnnnnnnn gurlllllll.ohhhhhhhh, you feel so good." I moaned... as I thrusted faster and faster inside of her....She was so round, so soft, so warm....

She wrapped her legs around me so she could take all of me in and I continued....as she moaned and groaned...We slowed it down some and got into a slow rhythm...

"Ouuuuu,ummmmm, I love you so much Donnie Ray." she moaned..

"I love you too Olivia..."I moaned..nearly out of breath as we continued to make sweet love...

 EIGHT TO NINE HOURS of sweet and intense lovemaking went by....

 "Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...ouuuuuu, you're as hard as an iron pipe..ouuuuuuu.." she cooed as she moved up and down...up and down...

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVIA"I said.


"THANK YOU BABY!"she said.

She laughed and then tossed her head back...moaning softly...Her body quivering softly....Her breathing getting heavy...

"Ohhhhh...Ohhh my god Donnie Ray...Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..YES....YESSSSSSSSSSS"she moaned...

"Ouuuuuuu...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Olivia....Ohhh my goddd.."I moaned as she moved up and down on me...

TWO MORE HOURS of sweet lovemaking followed...We were both enjoying ourselves immensely.....

Olivia riding me softly and slowly and me nearly losing my mind....I was like a machine tonight.....I wanted to cum at this point, I was exhausted... but I couldn't...

Olivia was sweating profusely and laughing one minute and crying the next....She began to climax slowly,intensely...her body shaking and she smiling the sweetest smile I had ever seen....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." she moaned...When I came it was so surprising and so intense that I began to shake myself....

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I moaned...

We cuddled in the bed softly....

"That was nice..Whoooooooooooooooo..." she said.

"That was better than nice..."I said.

While we lay drenched in sweat....I noticed that Olivia's cell phone on the table was shaking like mad...

She ,like I , had put our phones on vibrate...We didn't want to be disturbed tonight..

"I-I've got to take this.." she said.. "Hell- Hello.." she said.

''Olivia...it's me...B.L.   I'm in trouble!!! Big trouble.." I need your help..." he said.

III-

SOME HOURS BEFORE-

''Listen...I'm supposed to meet my girl at Red Booth , make this quick....You have evidence that a high ranking Police Lieutenant is involved in suppressing evidence that might free a wrongfully convicted inmate?" asked B.L.

"I sure do...and I have solid proof...It's looked in a safe deposit box...Here is the key....There is a zip drive in the box that has this man on tape confessing to what he did..and another high ranking official is also on the video..." said the woman..

''So why come to me? Why not go to the cops or the Feds?" asked B.L.

"I'm certain I'll be murdered if my name is known...That's why I brought this to you...For you to break the story..."said the woman...

"Naturally you want money.....Right?  I'll have to check out the information...If it's good..Perhaps we can work something out.."said B.L.

"Here come our drinks..."said the woman...

"I didn't order any drinks.."said B.L.

"I did..now put that key away.."said the woman..

B.L. put the key in his wallet...Then he and the girl quaffed their drinks..

The way B.L. would tell the story...

Everything went dark after that....

When he woke up...He was in a strange hotel room, nude with this woman, who was clad in only her panties and bra...lying on top of him, kissing him and then jamming his penis in her mouth and going to town...

All the while...a telephoto lense was snapping photos!!!!!!

The handiwork of Private Investigator Bert Vandenburg....

He was long gone when B.L. Benz awoke...Nude and with a splitting headache....

and his young female date on the floor, dead!!!! Her neck had been snapped.!!!!!!!

Within hours...He found himself under arrest for murder!!!!

"You don't know..what great pleasure it brings me to put the cuffs on you.."said an almost jubilant Lt. Tragg...

''Artie, whatever our past differences...You know me..You know I'm not capable of this...You KNOW ME MAN!!" said B.L.

"I thought I did....I really did....I didn't think you'd be capable of this.."said Lt. Tragg...

IV-

B.L. sat quietly in the ''Fishbowl." the nickname, suspects and detectives alike gave to the interrogation room..

Outside, Detective Mike Grisly was nervous..

''Artie...What the hell was this?  I thought you was just settin this guy up...I had no idea this entailed murder." he said.

"Will you be quiet!!!...Murder wasn't in the plan either..This is something else..He must have woke up, enraged and choked her out...I certainly didn't have anything to do with any murder...After Vandenburg took the photos..He paid the girl in cash and he left...He delivered the photos to your guy, who made sure Karen Page got em...end of story...That was it...If she got murdered that has nothing to do with any of us..."said Lt. Tragg..

"I don't like this Artie..."said Grisly..

"You think I do? Just relax...Nothin is gonna come back on you or me.."said Lt. Tragg..

He seemed almost relieved to see Olivia, Beverly and the rest of us..

He pointed..

"He's in there..." he said..It was obvious, he was beside himself with glee...

 "Oh, you're not grilling him?" asked Olivia..

 "I'm surprised...I know you're thoroughly enjoying this."said Beverly..

Lieutenant Tragg smiled ruefully....He actually was enjoying every minute, still...He had nothing to do with any murder...Had B.L. snapped? Or was this something else??..Either way...He didn't care..He was enjoying seeing B.L. brought down a few pegs..

 "I don't get it..Something is off...Out of Sync here.."whispered Nelson to Josie..

 "Yeah..." she agreed...

I nodded...I felt the same way...

We walked into the Fishbowl..

"Liv , guys...I didn't do this...I swear...I don't even know that girl..." he said..

 "Girl? What girl? You were supposed to be with Karen at Auntay and my birthday party.."said Beverly.

"Karen said you texted her and told her you'd be late because you were taping your show. She was pretty pissed at you!"said Olivia.

"I never texted her!!! We weren't taping any show  tonight...Where is this coming from? I wasn't even at the station tonight..." asked a confused B.L.

"Check my phone, I didn't send a text.....I had a bottle of wine I bought as a gift to the both of you...It's still in my trunk.." he said.

''What Happened?" I asked.

"I had just come from the State Store...I was on my way to pick up Karen when this girl, I vaguely know...An exotic dancer named Doreen...That's all I know her by said she had a tip for me..An explosive story for HARD BOTTOM...She said she just needed a little bit of my time..I asked her if I could meet with her tomorrow..I told her I was on my way somewhere..She said it was a matter of life and death...Hers...So I went to a small café with her...

She told me she had information that a high up in the Philadelphia Police department implicated  himself in the cover up of evidence that could free a wrongfully convicted man...She gave me a key to a safe deposit box with a zip drive detailing the entire thing...She said her life was in danger and she needed me to get the story out.." he explained.

We had drinks....after I had my drink...the room went black...When I woke up....I was in some sleazy hotel and she was clad in her undies on the floor ,dead...That's all I remember.." he said..

"That's a fantastic story....but uh....because it's you...I believe it.."said Nelson...

"You think we can get him bail?" asked Josie..

"It's not going to be easy....but we have to try...He is an Attorney and noted TV Journalist...He has no priors...He's not a flight risk..We'll give it a shot.."said Olivia.

"Have you been formally charged?" asked Beverly...

"Yeah! Tragg is just tickled pink....He left me in here..because he knew you guys were coming.. Him and some of the cops had a raffle as to whether you were coming or Yvette Jones and her crew..."said B.L.

"I figured he'd be enjoying this...More than usual..."I said..

"Sit tight...We'll see you at the bail hearing tomorrow."said Nelson..

"Have you heard from Karen yet?" asked Josie ,who like all of us were surprised Karen wasn't here.

"No...I've tried to call her...but her phone just goes to voicemail.."said B.L.

 "We'll find her...Hang in there..B.L."said Olivia..

"Yeah, hang in there guy.."said Beverly as we left..

Hours later...Lt. Tragg escorted ADA Karen Page to the holding Facility...She had been crying...

"Baby, I been trying to call you....This is a horrible thing..." said B.L.

"HORRIBLE!   You blew me off last night..Blew your friends, Olivia and Beverly off talking about you were taping your show...I called the station..They said no taping was going on and that you weren't even there.."said Karen..

"That's right I wasn't at the station. I never texted you...I swear....I wasn't at the station!"said B.L.

"I received these photos under my apartment door this morning..

"THIS IS WHERE YOU REALLY WERE , at this small café...WITH HER!!!

and then in this sleazy motel with her..

''What? I didn't give you enough the night before?? You had to have it with her??" screamed Karen..

"No...This is a set up...Somebody is framing me...I certainly didn't kill anybody...I swear..."said B.L.

"Save it!....I hope Olivia and Beverly can get you off.....but you and I...We are through...You've always put that damn show ahead of me, ahead of us....You chasing ratings is why this happened....If somebody is FRAMING YOU as you say...They knew how to set the trap...Goodbye B.L., Goodbye and Good Luck!" said a tearful Karen Page as she ran off..

"Karen, baby please!" said B.L.

Lt. Tragg stood a few feet away, laughing his head off!!!


(TO BE CONTINUED)