The In Betweens

The day was nearly over......

Judge Elisa Clemmons was arriving at her apartment...

She was getting out of our SUV

She had no idea a car with tinted windows was parked across the street from her .

 Inside the car sat ADA Chris Garcetti , he was just watching her..

He just sat there watching her..She was so pretty, he thought...He couldn't get past that...

We drove her to her apartment...

 "Ouu Elise, this is nice..." said Beverly looking around..

"It is nice....You sure you don't want to stay with us?...We have more than enough room."said Olivia.

"I'm fine....You guys have done more than enough for me..Springing me from the Cooler and getting me bailed out and feeding me.."laughed Judge Elise Clemmons..

 "If you like, you can stay at my place."said Josie..

''Awwww thank you guys...but I'll be okay...I'm not afraid..."said Judge Clemmons.

"Okay...but if you change your mind or you need us...We are a phone call away."said Nelson..

"I'd sleep better knowing you were safe with us...but...I respect your wishes your honor." I said.

"I'm a big girl....I've got Mace and a loaded .22 cal inside that I am legally licensed to carry , I can take care of myself..but Thank you guys again...I love you all." she said..

We pulled off and headed home...None of us had noticed the car sitting across the street with the tinted windows..

 ADA Chris Garcetti took one last look at her...He sighed deeply...

She put the key in her door and walked inside...

He sighed and pulled off into the Philadelphia night.

While across the country in San Francisco..

A squad of FBI agents were descending on a home..

''Molly Chambers!! FBI! We have a warrant for your arrest!!" said the squad leader..

And just like that....The one person who could  tell us just what happened in the judges chambers that afternoon was in handcuffs and on her way back to Philadelphia..






II-

The next day we were sitting in our conference room trying to figure out a defense..

It was a beautiful spring morning..

 "I'm wracking my brains....I don't know how to tailor a defense in this case....There are no predicates for this type of thing...Especially a Judge.."said Nelson..

"Hmmmmmm...we really need Molly Chambers...She is the only one who can clear this thing up."said Beverly.

"Or Not..Who Knows what she'll say?" said Olivia..

I walked in just then...

"Well I don't know if this is good news or bad news...but the FBI arrested Molly Chambers in San Francisco last night..She's waived extradition and is on her way back to Philadelphia."I said.

''This is great!" said Josie.

"It might be, it might not...We don't know what she'll say." said Olivia..

 "Take Five guys.....I brought a snack.."said Alfreda..

who placed coffee and doughnuts on our conference table..

 ''Awww thanks mommy."said Beverly

 "Thank youuuuuu Freda."said Olivia.

 ''Thank You Ms. Jay." said Nelson...

 "Alfreda, you're the true MVP of this team.."I said..

''Yes indeed."said Josie.

ADA Gerri Williams walked in just then...

"Ouuuuuuuu something smells good.." she said..,

"Take a seat....Have some.."said Olivia.

''Oh thank you...these are delish..."said Gerri... "I'm here because the FBI caught Molly Chambers out in California last night...She's waived Extradition and on her way back to Philly.."said Gerri Williams.

''We heard."said Beverly.

''She's the one person who can clear this whole thing up...possibly...God knows what she 's going to say.."said Gerri.

She scanned the room...

None of us, Not Me, Not Olivia, Not Beverly, Not Nelson or Josie said a word.....

''My God...I've seen more life in a cemetary." said Alfreda, observing the room..


III-

Since we were in limbo anyway...we decided on a night out at the Mermaid Crab Tavern...

 At one time a haven for the dregs of society...

 Now with a new makeover...

and new ownership, it brought in a new type of client....Professionals, Families...law abiding citizens...

And a new Chef....

 Oysters

Crabs

and Beers....lots of beers..

"I love this place now....I used to be scared to come in here back in the day.."said Nelson as he quaffed down beer and chowed down on Crabs..

"I remember when this was gangsters paradise and I had to come here to interview somebody for a case...Nelson wouldn't let me go alone , he insisted he go with me..I wasn't even his girlfriend yet...Well not officially...and he went with me..and that's when I found out who his Notorious Uncle was..Nobody touched him or me and everybody said congratulations to him for becoming an Attorney and to be safe...I felt so safe with him and protected.."said Beverly hugging her husband..

"I remember when you told me that story niecey poo and I went to work and asked Nelson if he was really the nephew of Arthur "Fathead" Newton..He was so embarrassed..He said he was and that his uncle paid his tuition to college and for law school, but that he had no idea what his uncle did for a living until after he graduated...I told him...We can't help who we are related to..."said Olivia..

''Wow and I understand your dad was a bit of a gangster too huh Josie?" I asked.

"Yes..Joe Boyd ran these streets for years....And Like Nelson...I didn't know what he did or who he really was until I was grown...My mom and I lived in the Red Hook section of New York City...I knew I was born in Philadelphia but I only recall coming here about two times before I went to college at Penn...That's when I discovered who he was....Unfortunately , he was shot and killed by rival gangsters before we got a chance to really bond and know each other..That's when Kevin and Sepia took me in.." said Josie..

 "And Introduced her to us.."said Olivia..

"Just when we were opening our doors to the law firm."said Beverly...

IV-

More drinks arrived...

"Well look who is here....My legal team.." said Judge Elise Clemmons in a sensational Black Mini skirt that was turning heads..

 "You clean up nice counselor."said Beverly...

"Indeed, grab a seat.."said Olivia.

"That's your client? She's a Judge? DAMNNNNN!" asked Paris..

 "Yes indeed.."said Nelson..

I smiled..The Judge was indeed a babe!

"We have good news for you your honor.. Molly Chambers has been captured by the FBI and is on her way back to Philadelphia ."said Josie..

"Good...she's the one person who can clear this up."said Elise..

"We hope so."said Olivia...

ADA Chris Garcetti was also in the house tonight...He looked different in street clothes and not his designer suits.

He stared at Olivia , Beverly and Josie and thought...

DAMN!! All three of them are babes....their guys are sure lucky...he mused staring at

Me , Nelson and Paris..

but the real showstopper for him was Judge Elise Clemmons..

in a black knit mini skirt and chowing down on a Pasta Salad

while talking to us..

He walked over..He was surprisingly cordial..

"Hello Olivia, Beverly, guys...I guess we all had the same idea huh? Get out, get some eats, grab a beer..." he said..

 "Hello Chris.."said Olivia..

 "Hi Chris."said Beverly...

''What's Up man?" said Nelson..

"Hi Chris.."said Josie..

Paris and I nodded...

 ''Ahhh your honor...Uh may I have a word?" he said softly..

"We aren't working...You can call me Elise.."said Judge Clemmons..

They walked to the side..

"Uh I acted like a Park Ape in your courtroom a few weeks ago when I lost that case....You were right to send me to the cooler ….and I uh came to apologize.." he said..

She was stunned...

"Also , coming to your cell the other morning to taunt you was as juvenile as a person can get..I'm better than that....I apologize for that too..I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me..I'm really very sorry!" he said..

"Oh myyyyyy...Oh my God!!!...Two apologies from you in one night...I wouldn't have bet on that."said Elise.. "Apologies accepted..." she said..

"Look, I uh would like to make it up to you by buying you a drink sometime...." said Chris.

"You can buy me a drink now..."she said and smiled..

He ordered her a Mango Martini...

"Thank you, that makes it all go down better....Why were you so mean to me?  Especially since you know you like me?" she asked and smiled..

"Because I'm an idiot..."said Chris  Garcetti..

''Well be that as it may...I admire your courage to come and apologize....Like I said....Apologies excepted.."said Elise, sipping her drink...."Ummm this is delish."she said.

"I'd like to uh take you out to dinner...Someplace nice and cozy...Just the two of us." he said..

"Oh My....I don't know how that would look Chris....I mean I'm a Judge , for the time being anyway...and you're an Assistant District Attorney...I don't know.."said Elise..

"You're out with them and they practiced in your court too." said Chris..

looking at us...

"The difference is...THEY ARE MY LAWYERS...They're representing me...There is no conflict of interests.." she said..

"Yeah, I guess you're right." he said.

"But I'll go out with you.!!!..Just for drinks and dinner...I'm not promising you anything more..We'll go out and we'll see where things go from there..How about that?" she said..

"Hey that's great...." he said.."I'll see you around then..." he said.

''Uh Chris? Don't you want my phone number?" she asked.

"Oh I have it!...It's in the directory." he said as he walked off..

"What was that about?" asked Beverly...

''He apologized to me for the way he acted in court after you guys won that Murder case...and he apologized for coming up to the cooler when I was being held to laugh at me.."said Elise.

"HE DID THAT?" asked Olivia, with a flash of Anger...

"Yeah he did that....He was really being a jerk that day...He apologized for all of it..Then he asked me out."said Judge Clemmons..

"Ahhhhhhh and there in was the catch...He wanted a date."said Josie..

Nelson and Paris looked at each other, smiled and said  "Ahhhhhh"

"I told you he wants me...I knew it all along..."laughed Elise.

"I think it was the Mini skirt..."I said and pointed to Olivia.. "When she wears this particular dress..she can get anything she wants out of me.." I said and grabbed her and plopped her in my lap..

"Men are so visual...I told my husband here I'm too old to be wearing this dress...This was my old Freakum dress that I wore to parties back when I was single..I'm not trying to hook anybody now..but he likes me in it.."said Olivia.

''Auntay you still look good in it."said Beverly..

"You do.."said Josie..

"Yes you do...Keep him interested" said Elise , pointing to me..

I laughed.. "See?" I said, staring at her like a hungry wolf...

''So you goin out with him?" asked Nelson..

''Maybe....I find it funny he already had my phone number.." said Elise..

"That means you've been on his radar.."said Beverly..

"IT'S THE MINI SKIRT!" Olivia and I said in unison...

Josie, Paris, Nelson and Beverly all laughed..

''Well tonight it was anyway."laughed Elise.

(TO BE CONTINUED)