The Bailif read the verdict and passed it to the Judge....
"Dr.Barbara Farber, a jury of your peers has found you GUILTY as charged of first degree murder....You will be remanded to the county lock up for women until next week when I will pass sentencing..."said Judge Jefferson. "No...NOOOO!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS....OH FOR GOD SAKE...I DIDN'T KILL MY AUNT...I SWEAR...I'M INNOCENT...OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH LAWWWWWWWD!!!" she wailed..
Beverly looked like she was going to be sick...She sat down and put her head on the table..
My wife Olivia stood stoic and stone faced and said nothing...
Josie hung her head.....
Since I had come to Philadelphia and began working as their investigator, Neither Olivia or Beverly individually or together had ever lost a case...but the law of averages says you can't win em all...Oh they had lost some appeals and had to appeal some things to a higher court, but they had never lost an actual case that they had tried and here they had lost a big one...
Rockland Cambridge on the other hand was joyous...
"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" he yelled out and did the cabbage patch right there on the courtroom floor...He leaped up, He tossed his papers in the air....He pumped his fists.. "I DID IT!!! I BEAT THEM...I DID WHAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE FAILED TO DO!!...I BEAT THEM..YOWSAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" he screamed... The Jury was astounded...but they laughed heartedly... Judge Jeff Jefferson was not amused..
"ADA CAMBRIDGE....YOU WILL COMPORT YOURSELF AS AN OFFICER OF THIS COURT OR I WILL HAVE YOU TOSSED IN JAIL FOR CONTEMPT....Ahhhhhhhhhhhh the hell with it...COURT DISMISSED!" he said..
It was the girl's first loss since they started their firm....Why did it have to be to him of all people? Sometimes Life was cruel...
Court was emptying out..... Barbara Farber was being handcuffed by a bailiff...She looked at Olivia.. "Liv..Bev...I swear I didn't do this..Please, don't let them kill me..Please...I swear, don't give up on me..."she pleaded..Tears were running down her face..
Olivia was stoic. As stoic as I'd ever seen her.... "I'm going to try to keep you off death row...That's all I can do for you."she said coldly..She felt betrayed by her client who had lied to her...A lie that had proven to be fatal! "Liv please...Appeal this...I didn't kill my auntie...I swear...Beverly....I love my auntie as much as you love yours...Could you ever harm Olivia? I couldn't harm my auntie...and for what? What would be my motive?? A $65.000.00 dollar inheritance...That's all she left me and my sister in her will....Liv, Bev, I'm a doctor...I make twice that much a year...come onnn." she pleaded as the bailifs dragged her away in tears..
Beverly was speechless...She followed her aunt and I out into the hallway where Rockland was putting on a show...Reporters were eating it up!!
Again, he was doing the cabbage patch and leaping to the sky!! A group of young African -American women who were not jurors...joined him doing the cabbage patch... "Go Rockland...Go Rockland..Go Rockland, it's your birthday..Go Rockland....ut..ut..ut..ut...ut, ut.ut ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" they screamed and laughed along with him... I'll say one thing for him....The man could dance... "Go Rockland...Go Rockland..Go Rockland, it's your birthday..Go Rockland....ut..ut..ut..ut...ut, ut.ut ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" they screamed in glee... Rockland then did the moonwalk to everyone's delight...Well almost everyone! The Press was eating it up... I DID IT!!! I BEAT THEM...I DID WHAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE FAILED TO DO!!...I BEAT THEM..YOWSAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" he screamed..."MY STREAK IS ALIVE!!!! 102 consecutive courtroom victories...OHHHHHH WILL THERE EVER BE ANOTHER QUITE LIKE ME??"he yelled out. It was the only time these girls had lost a case since I had been with them and the one and only time Rockland had beat them out of four tries.. I was viewing the film footage of that day..
Standing in the corner, watching the whole thing,unknown to us was young Attorney Justin Berkowitz...Why was he there? I wondered.. I continued to watch more film footage from that day.
Beverly's mother ,Alfreda was there...She was clearly embarrassed by Rockland's shenanigans....She looked at her daughter....She walked over to her and held her and rocked her slowly.. "I'm sorry baby..."she said..
"It's alright Mommy...You can't win em all...The Law of Averages says we were bound to lose eventually..We had a great run..." she said..
She saw Olivia and I...
"Heyy Alfreda...How are you doing?" said Olivia, trying to manage a smile..
"Hey Lady...First time I've seen you since you guys went to New York.."I said, trying to manage a smile..
"I'm sorry about this...I'm sorry about the way he's acting..He's acting like an ass!" said Alfreda ,who was thoroughly embarrassed..
"Mommy, Auntay and I high five when we win big cases...I guess he deserves this...It's good for him maybe.."said Beverly...Who was surprisingly understanding!
''What has Nelson done to my daughter?" said Alfreda, trying to make a joke..
''She's right you know..This is all a part of the job....We don't take these things personally...Well most attorneys we know don't...Your boyfriend is in a different world.." said Olivia..with an uncharactoristic bit of rancor...
"Tell Me about it!" said Alfreda.
Rockland wasn't the only one celebrating...Lieutenant Tragg who had now brought in his second good case in awhile mugged for the press..
"Oh I knew she was guilty...When me and my men arrested her she looked at me with those cold narrow eyes of hers and despite her being a doctor...I knew I was staring into the FACE OF EVIL!!" he said dramatically...
He and Rockland actually took a photo together, smiling....They were hailed as the two men who brought a wanton killer to justice.. Amazing...Just months ago...ADA Cambridge was trying to get Lt. Tragg dismissed from the force for being a bungler...
Olivia and Beverly were asked how they felt about losing a big case for the first time...
"This isn't a spectator sport...A woman has lost her life and her niece may possibly be put to death...This is a tragedy all around..."said Olivia..
"There is no need to rejoice here ,regardless of the verdict.." Beverly said..
I was getting ready to whisk them out of court when Rockland grabbed Alfreda and planted a wet sloppy kiss on her lips..
"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..lawd woman,you are sexy as helllllll..."he moaned..
"I can't wait to get you in the bed tonight!" he said loud enough for people to hear...
"Have you lost your mind?You're acting like a fool...Okay you won your case...I get that!"said Alfreda..
"Not Just any case..I beat them....My nemesis's " he said..
Looking at Olivia, Beverly ,Myself and Josie..
"You do realize that Beverly is my daughter and Olivia is like a little sister to me?" asked Alfreda icily...She was clearly not amused by his behavior and his seeming taunting of us..
"But I'm your man..." he said..
He kissed her again passionately and whispered.. "I can't wait to get back to your place...Come on...The Judge has gone for the day...Let's go back in his chambers..There's a couch there.." he said...
"NO!!! Take your hands off of me...Stop it..What has gotten into you?" asked Alfreda..
"Come on baby,loosen up, let's celebrate!" he said..and grabbed Alfreda around the waist..
She slapped him so hard that even I winced...
Rockland let out a scream that sounded like a woman , grabbed the side of his face and ran out of the courtroom...
When these things happen...It seems as if the entire world, as if time stands still...
Lt. Tragg stood in amazement..
"WOW!" he said and smiled....then howled with laughter!
Judge Jefferson said- "YOWZA!"
"OH MY GOD!" exclaimed Olivia...
There was Justin Berkowitz again, laughing his head off at the slap!
WEEKS LATER-
MONDAY MORNING!
''Due to new information this office was made aware of over the weekend, The people move to drop all charges against Barbara Farber and rule that she be released from custody immediately." said ADA Rockland Cambridge..
''So noted...Ms Barbara Farber...You are free to go.."said Judge Turner Freeman.. Barbara Farber, Her sister, Myra Farber-Green and her brother in law ,Dr. Michael Green all hugged us... "Thank you so much...You got me off and we didn't have to bring up the unpleasentries that went on in Room 407..."said Barbara...
''We got lucky."said Olivia.
''Whew, I'll say.."said Beverly..
"That was too close for comfort..."said Nelson...
"I'll say.."said Josie..
"Heads up...Here comes Rockland..."I said...
Rockland walked over to Olivia and Beverly... "Nicely done you two....If I ever find myself in any kind of trouble...You two are the ones I would call immediately to defend me...I only hope after all of our courtroom battles, you'd take my case." he said..
"Of course we would Rockland...You're like...You're like family..."said Olivia...
"Yeah..."said Beverly...
Beverly's mom, Alfreda was watching the entire thing...She came over and put her arms around Rockland..
''Awwww that was sooo sweet.." she said an d kissed him...All was forgiven!
and there was Justin Berkowitz again... "His one victory overturned...Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Beaten again....You pompous son of a bitch.Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" he said.
(Click!)
II- TODAY!
I turned the monitor off...
"He was there at that trial, the one you guys lost...He filmed the dance sequence...He's more than likely a computer geek like a lot of young people...He simply photo shopped someone else's body onto Rockland's....blocked out the courtroom and replaced it with film footage from a local strip club......That's how he got the bogus film footage and photos and the phony story.." I said.
"That's...That's a pretty wild story Donnie Ray and I'm not saying I don't believe you...but how would we prove that?" asked Beverly...
"Yeah...I'm with you on this...but we couldn't take him to court on this.."said Nelson.
"You do have to ask yourself...Why was he even there and did he shadow any more of Rockland's cases?" asked Olivia..
"Yeah, did he?" asked Josie..
"Actually he did, always in the shadows, always lurking...He was born here in Philadelphia PA. , attended private schools until high school , then he went to St. Joseph's Prep and from there to Temple University...after graduating Temple, he then attended Law School at the University of Pennsylvania,,,,Graduating and passing the Bar... His mother died that year in a terrible car accident. He accepted a job in Los Angelas , California at a law firm there and worked out there four four years before he returned to Philadelphia PA. He worked at two very prestigious law firms here... he and his father, Defense Attorney Vincent Berkowitz were very close...He idolized his father... He became an Attorney because his father was an Attorney...When he was a little boy he used to sit in the courtroom and watch his father try a case...while other little boys were playing catch... When he returned to Philadelphia, he and his father never missed a Sunday Brunch together....so you have to understand... When his father lost that last case and the way he lost it...He was devestated...You all remember how Rockland was then..Arrogant, a bit brash...He destroyed Vincent Berkowitz in court... Considering this man's reputation and status..Rockland considered it his coup degrace...Topped only by the one time out of four that he beat you two and you two got that case reversed and won the retrial over him." I said.
"Justin's father killed himself after that trial...Justin must have been devestated...Apparently, he hasn't gotten over it! I perfectly understand...Had someone of humiliated my Auntay like that, I wouldn't take it lightly."said Beverly, whose love for her Aunt Olivia was just as fierce...
''All these years he's carried that hatred with him..Of everybody involved in the case. He blamed the Judge...Humiliating him at first and then killing him with a car bomb! His murder remains unsolved! and especially for Rockland...He was just waiting for the right opportunity!"said Olivia..
''He humiliated Rockland at that first Tenent Meeting,made him look unprepared, un professional and downright foolish, then he humiliated and embarrassed him in the media and at his job with those photos of him in his drawers at a strip club.....then he blew his car up, almost killing him and then he sabotaged the pool he was trying to build, what will he do next?" asked Nelson..
"Oh he's going to kill him!!! He's done playing with Rockland...I imagine his anger level is through the ceiling at this point..He's going to kill him!! We have to watch Rockland or put him somewhere , where he will be safe...I've talked to him, he absolutely refused...He said he wasn't going to hide from whoever this is.." I said.
"Where is Rockland anyway? Where is Alfreda for that matter? I haven't seen either of them today." said Josie..
"Ohhhh They're around." said Olivia, smiling slyly...
"They're in the sub-basement...They stayed over last night after we cleaned up everything from our little celebratory meal."laughed Beverly..
"That's probably the safest place for him right now." said Nelson...
Josie giggled..
"You're right." she said.
That was right.. Rockland had taken a few days off from work...but he couldn't stay with us forever..Sooner or later, he would have to surface and when he did...His would be killer was going to strike..I knew it!
III-
Alfreda stared at Rockland in amazement...
"I don't believe you...We did it all night...You still want more?" she asked..
"I never get enough of you Alfreda.." he said..
"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph! The energizer bunny has got nothin on you.."laughed Alfreda as they kissed hungrilly.....
She eased herself up and down on Rockland , finding herself coming to an intense orgasm...
"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.." she moaned...
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, goood lawddddddddddddddddddddddd!" he screamed..
Alfreda kissed him passionately....
"Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" she moaned...
He had her bent over the sink , pounding her doggie style...
''Rockland....Rockland...I'm losing my mind..." she moaned..
"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww lawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd, so am I.." he cried out..
Then he had her on the floor, pounding her...
"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Ooooooop...ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm!" she cooed..
before they finally wound up on top of the bed, making sweet sweet love.....
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ROCKLAND....I LOVE YOU.....DO YOU HEAR ME? I LOVE YOU!" she found herself saying.. "I LOVE YOU TOO ALFREDA....SO MUCH I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT!" he said.. "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW....OHHHH MY GODDD ROCKLAND...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUWEEEEEE! OUUUUUU ." she moaned.. "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWD!" he howled...
EIGHT TO NINE HOURS flowed by.... Alfreda had an orgasm so intense, she got scared...
Rockland came so hard, he thought he was dying...
They were unaware that in the kitchen, their moans could be heard through the floor...
"Oh My God...I'm so embarrassed...They need to stop or go home...." said Beverly , who was mortified..
"They've been going at it like this all morning!" said Beverly....
"Awww come on Bev...You know when we are alone with our man, We sound just as bad..." said Josie.
"Come On, hurry up and finish those dishes, so me and you can go upstairs and make noises like that.."joked Nelson.
''Shut uppppppppppppppppppppp!" joked Beverly...
Giving him a sloppy kiss....
Josie just laughed...
"I'll see you guys tomorrow." She said as she dried her hands and let herself out...
Beverly and Nelson hardly noticed....They were kissing passionately....Nelson had her skirt hiked up and was already attempting to slide her panties down....
and were soon making love in the kitchen with wild abandon.....
Olivia and I had already retired to our upstairs and locked our door.
"Come here girl." I said and pulled her toward me..
"Ummmmmmmm, ouuuuuuuu." Olivia cooed..
Soon we were kissing each other passionately....
"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.." she moaned..
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" we both moaned together as we settled into our bed.
IV-
A Day Later, Rockland returned to his housing development , where he lived...
We had dropped him off..
"Rockland, why don't you check into a hotel for a few days?" said Olivia.
"Yeah...Until we can sort this thing out." said Beverly..
''Yeah?" said Josie..
''Nothin to sort out..besides I need to be here to supervise or look at the work they are doing on my pool..Thank you guys for your hospitality and for your legal help...I am in your debt." said Rockland.
"Okay, if you say so...but I think you'd be a lot safer if you stayed with us.." I said.
''Yeah, stay with us.."said Nelson..
''Stay with me.....Please?" asked Alfreda...
"You need your rest babes...." he said smiling... "I'll check in with everybody tomorrow." he said and smiled..
We waited until he had closed his door, then we pulled off.
We saw the stylish sportscar as we pulled out...
Rockland Turned on the light in his kitchen....
No sooner than he did, he was hit with a powerful taser...
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he yelled and fell to the floor, stunned and shaking..
a gorrotte was placed around his neck and tightened...
"Hello Rockland....Remember me? I've been camped out in your house for three days...Just waiting, waiting for your return...I helped myself to your food... I hope you don't mind.... I'm going to kill you...But before I kill you, I want to tell you why... My dad... My dad....You humiliated him in court..Vincent Berkowitz...remember him? You didn't just win the case, you destroyed him...he never tried another case again...He took his life behind that....He was a saint, a better man, a better lawyer than you could ever hope to be...You don't know how long I've waited, waited for the right time to take you out...YOU JUST DON'T KNOW!!! " said Justin as he tightened the garrotte...
Rockland was temporarily paralyzed and couldn't defend himself...He was losing air and losing consciousness..
Justin squeezed tighter...He was close to killing Rockland...His face was one of manic glee...He was sweating profusely....
Justin didn't see the blue vase over his head...but he felt it as it cracked him over the head and exploded in many little pieces, knocking him cold...
''Hurt my man!!!....No the hell you wont."said Alfreda..standing over both men on the floor~!
"Good shot." I said.. We had doubled back , when Olivia and Beverly remembered Justin's stylish sports car.
Alfreda had a spare key to Rockland's place..We slipped in , in just the knick of time..We saved Rockland's life...
Nelson and I tied Justin up and gagged him...We applied cold towels to his head wound...He was bleeding profusely...
"Rockland are you alright?" asked Olivia, who with Beverly and Josie, got him off the floor and on to the sofa..
"I knew that ugly Blue vase would come in handy for something." laughed Rockland.
"Let me get you a glass of water.." said Beverly...
''Here , take your shoes off." said Josie.
"I'd prefer a beer." said Rockland, who was recovering from the taser blast and rubbing his neck..He had been very close to death...
Olivia went in the refrigerator
and passed him a cold beer...
"Here you are." she said.
"I'll call the police." said Beverly.
"Pack some clothes...enough for a week, You're staying with me...It's not up for discussion..Oh and bring those red boxers with the Devil and the pitchfork on the side that says "Hot Stuff." those were pretty sexy."laughed Alfreda..
Rockland, Myself, Olivia, Beverly, Josie and Nelson all burst into wild raucous laughter...
EPILOUGE-
ONE WEEK LATER
Gary Lockwood, Investigator for the District Attorney's Office stopped by our office...
"That guy, Justin Berkowitz is a slick one...We can't prove he rigged the car with the bomb and he's not copping to it either or the sabotage of the pool...All we got him on is Breaking and entering and Attempted Murder.. He'll get 10- 15 for that...He'll be disbarred , but being white and being a first time offender..I'm bettin he'll be out in five years tops, hating Rockland even more..." said Gary.
"Not to mention he more than likely murdered a Judge....Can't get him on any of that.."I sighed..
"Oh I don't know...There's something for you to look into , on your spare time....both of you."said Olivia, smiling..
''Well for now, he's on his way to prison..That will have to be good enough." said Beverly...
"Yeah, for now.." said Nelson.
"Maybe he'll get over it...With some therapy.." said Josie..
as she poured each of us some Ice tea...
I wouldn't bet on that....For in a holding cell at this moment..
Justin Berkowitz sits...
"You got lucky this time Rockland....but this aint over...and I'm gonna get you...JUST WAIT!!!" he snarled..
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