Cleaning His House

 TWO DAYS LATER-

The colorful flowers bouquet arrived early in the morning..

Alfreda put them in a vase and watered them...

"Ouuu Freda...They are beautiful...Rockland sure loves him some Freda..." laughed Olivia..

"Yessssss he does...but these aren't from Rockland and they aren't for me...They're from uh that fine ass U.S. Attorney you guys are going up against and they're for uh Aida..Apparently he's quite fond of her."laughed Alfreda as Beverly ,Nelson and Josie walked in..

"Ouuuu they are beautiful....We haven't seen Aida in about two days.."said Beverly..

"Yeah, I hope she's okay...Probably out looking for a place to stay."said Nelson.

"Think so?" laughed Josie..

"She's here...She came in late last night.."said Olivia..

Aida stumbled into our conference room...

"Good Morning you guys." she said..

"Those flowers are for you..

"As is this coffee"said Alfreda...

"Thank you!" said Aida as she sipped her coffee..

"Mmmmmmmmm so dish girlfriend...You and Todd huh?" said a smiling Beverly...

"Mmmmmmmmmmm ummmph!" said Josie..

"Wellllllllll...Uh yeah, kinda...it all happened so fast." said Aida.

"With the fine ones it usually does." said Alfreda..

Beverly cracked up laughing..

So did Olivia...

More cups of coffee were poured...

"He wants me to move in with him....I'm not ready for that yet...and I need to talk to Bee Bee...I mean I know she and Todd were engaged once.."said Aida..

"That was a long time ago...before we knew her....She was with Keith, when we met her and they're happily married now..." said Beverly...

"That's true...I understand how you feel...but Bee Bee is married...You don't have to feel obliged to discuss this with her right now if you don't want to...Your relationship is still kind of new.."said Olivia.

"Very new...My head is spinning...had just been told I got the job and the next thing I know..There he was, talking to me, Taking me to Lunch one day, Breakfast the next, then out on two nice dates and uh now..."said Aida..

"Guys we wanna order lunch or go out someplace and eat?" asked Nelson..

"Let's go to Sam Mother's place." said Josie.

"You guys go...I'm waiting to hear from Donnie Ray."said Olivia.

II-

I had gone to visit juror number 12, Robert Phillips, only to find him shot to death in his living room..

His door had been open.

"Two gunshot wounds to the chest Doc...That's the cause of death..."said The Crime Scene Investigators..

Dr. Hazel Baylor  kneeled down and observed the body with her latex gloves..

"Body temp says he was shot and killed early this morning..." she said..

Lt. Tragg walked in, two uniformed officers spoke to him..

"Neighbors didn't hear anything...The Doc says he bought it early this morning.."said one of them..

''Who is he?" asked Lt. Tragg.

"His name is Robert Phillips."I said.

"What are you doing here?" asked Lt. Tragg...

"He was a juror in our last case...He was the only one who voted to convict...I looked into him..Seems like he got a mysterious infusion of cash right at the start of the trial..150 large.. and another large infusion of cash after the trial..250 large..He spent a few nights in Atlantic City,lost a bundle...Came back up here and played some more at Eddie Lee's card game..I wanted to know about the cash and if somebody paid him to hang the jury..

We subpeoned him...I called him last night...We were supposed to meet this morning...I was going to buy him breakfast and talk to him...only when I got here the door was open and he was on the living room floor in a pool of blood.. Somebody didn't want him talking to me or in court.."I said.

"Oh yeah...you guys are defending that fed, Jerome Glenn... Three hung juries...wow!   And you think this guy was compromised...Somebody got to him eh?" asked Lt. Tragg..

"That's what my investigation has shown so far.." I said.

"No longer your investigation...THIS IS MY INVESTIGATION NOW!!  I don't need any help, you've given me enough to start with."said Lt. Tragg..

Hazel looked at me and shrugged her shoulders...she knew what I was going through.

I watched as the body was being removed from the house... Yet another stumbling block in this damn case..

I met the gang at Sam Mother's Diner..

"This is the worst thing that could happen...Having Lt. Tragg a part of this investigation...We are having enough problems as it is..."I complained..

"It's okay ...that was a side investigation anyway..The important thing is...We have vetted every single juror and so have the Feds...Any funny money goes flying around and it's going to be immediately flagged.."said Olivia.

"Their phones are being watched too as well as their emails...We are going to have a safe and fair trial Donnie Ray...and besides you know Lt. Tragg will probably arrest the wrong person anyway.."laughed Beverly..

"You guys are right...but I agree with Donnie Ray, we don't need Lt. Tragg anywhere near this case, not now..."said Nelson..

Aida listened and half listened to our conversation...

Josie sat quietly...

It was her boyfriend, Paris who pointed to the doorway..

Bee Bee and her husband Keith walked in ,holding hands..

They kissed for a minute...

Sofia and Kahlil walked in...

They waved and took a seat in a booth across from us...

Aida turned to Josie...

"You know Keith Jones is finnnnne....Bee Bee is very lucky and she looks like she is happy.."

''She IS happy, she's not thinking about Todd."said Josie.

"I'm going to call her over here so you can have this out."said Beverly...who motioned for Bee Bee to come over.

''Welp..On that cue...I'm up out of here...I'll wait for you guys outside." said Nelson..

"I'll go with you." said Paris.

"Hey guys what's up?" said Bee Bee.

Beverly hugged Bee Bee..

"This is Bee Bee... Bee Bee is my little sister...and Aida, you are like a sister...We go back to playing jacks and making paper dolls...I don't want there to be anything between you two...Aida you have something to say to Bee Bee. Now is the time to  talk....."said Beverly..

"Bee Bee, you know I love you....You're my Spades partner...and..well...I can't hold this back from you, Todd Dellums and I are seeing each other." she blurted out..

Bee Bee was quiet for a minute, then she burst out in laughter...

"Is that all ? Is THAT what you were worried about Aida? Come here girl." said Bee Bee who hugged Aida..

"Todd and I were childhood sweethearts you might say...We got engaged...but it didn't work out...We were going in different directions...He even got married..He's divorced now..but that was years ago..

I've been with Hot Stuff over there for three years of Law School and an additional three years..

She said waving at her husband, Keith...who waved back and blew her a kiss..

"That's the love of my life...I wish you and Todd all the luck in the world girlfriend...I hope you can say that about Todd one day, I really do! Now when are we going to all get together and have another Spades Tournament..?" she asked.

"Me and Kayla are already organizing it...We want to wait until this trial is over."said Beverly.

''Well let me know.."said Bee Bee who smiled and returned to her table..

Olivia hugged Beverly and kissed her on the cheek..

"Look at my little negotiator.." she said.. ''Well Done."she added.

Aida smiled.

III-

 We sat in our conference room that afternoon with an interesting visitor, U.S. Attorney, Todd Dellums.

"Nice place you have here Olivia....I take it you called me here to proffer a deal...I'll drop First Degree Murder charges of a Federal Agent to Manslaughter- 10-15, with parole in 7...How's that?" asked Todd Dellums.,

"No, how about dropping all charges..Our client is innocent..And you know we practically proved it."said Olivia.

''Well let's see, Five people didn't think so in the first trial..Four people didn't think so in the second trial and one person didn't think so in the last trial." laughed Todd Dellums..  He was a stubborn prick...I was beginning to think this was more an ego thing with him..

"26 people overall think he's innocent if you want to play a numbers game...Aren't you tired of going through these trials?...It's been three long trials."said Beverly...

''Aren't you tired?"asked Todd ,leaning back in the chair and laughing..

"One of your jurors...The only one who voted to convict in the last trial was compromised.. he received 150 Large right before the trial...I've got his bank statement right here.... He transferred it to his daughters account as a trust fund... He and the wife are divorced..and she has a restraining order against him...He was unemployed at the time he was called to do jury duty.... He got an additional  250 Large right after he hung the trial... He lost all but 20K in an Atlantic City binge....He dropped a bundle in a card game in Chinatown when we subpeonaed him..."I said.

Now he looked interested.....

"Where is this man now?"he asked.

"He's dead!  he was found shot to death in his living room today....."said Nelson....

"Here are his phone records...He got a call from this number the day after the trial began, then a deposit was made in his bank account...Then he got a call the day the trial ended and another deposit made into his bank account."said Josie..

"You guys did an incredible investigation....So one of the jurors was tainted...I had no knowledge of it.."said Todd Dellums.

"My husband did a thorough investigation...but take a look at that number...That's not a cell phone number...That's from an office in the Federal Building..."said Olivia.

Todd Dellums looked at it..He knew they were right...

"You want to use this as far as your theory that Mr. Glenn was set up from within...But I do take this serious...I intend to look into this...I'm going to put the FBI on this..."said Todd Dellums.

"Buttt you refuse to drop charges against our client?" asked Olivia.

''Sorry ladies...It doesn't wash...Two seperate cases.." he said.

"How can you say that? You can't see what this is?" asked Beverly...

"Let it go Niecey Poo..Alright Todd..We'll see you in court."said Olivia.

I knew he wasn't going to change his mind...but I believed he was going to look into this..To Clean his own House. I felt better with U.S. Attorney Todd Dellums looking into this than Lt. Tragg , who would only gum up the works and wind up arresting the wrong suspect.

Nelson poured glasses of Ice tea for everyone..

Everyone at the table..

"Thanks Nelson."said Josie..

Aida walked into the room just then...

Todd Dellums lost his superior smirk just then and sat up straight...It was like watching a total metamorphisis..He smiled from ear to ear..

"Hi Aida." he said.

"Hiiiii Todd!" said Aida.

Olivia, Beverly, Alfreda and Josie looked at the both of them and then looked at each other and smiled.

''Uh Excuse me guys uh...I'm uh pretty sure we are done here...Uh Aida..Can we uh talk outside?" he said and looked at his watch..."I've got to go soon." he said ,standing up..

"Sure." said Aida, getting up..

IV-

"Aida Baby, did you uh think about what we talked about last night?" asked Todd Dellums..

"I did...I gave it a lot of thought...I did.. I can't move in with you...I mean, we just met and things have escalated pretty fast...Faster than ever for me with a guy....I think it would be better if we get to know each other better and we live at seperate residences. I don't wish to live with a man I'm not married to."said Aida.

"Then Marry Me !" said Todd Dellums.

"You're Crazy....Ask me that in a year and my answer will be different....What's the rush anyway?  You goin somewhere? I'm not.. Be my boyfriend and let's slow things down..." said Aida..

"Damn girl, I cleaned my house...I made a space just for you..."said Todd Dellums...

"My own side of the bed huh? I'm flattered....I found a place..When I get it straightened up, I want you to come by...Spend the whole weekend...Help me break in that bed." she said and winked.

"Break in your bed?   I think I'd like that..." he said softly....It was the first time he had compromised today.

They kissed passionately......

"Awwww that's so sweet, they're kissing." said Beverly...

"Come out of that window Honey Bun , Give them their privacy.."said Nelson...

"Trial begins in two days...We are ready to go....Tomorrow We have one last visit with Jerome, getting him ready....So everybody rest up so we can give an energetic defense.."said Olivia.

"Hopefully, Dellums and the Feds  will get on this...and crack it before Lt. Tragg even gets close." I said.

"Oh dear heart you're still worried about that juror." said Olivia, hugging me...

"See you guys tomorrow....I'll give you a ride home Ms. Alfreda."said Josie.

"Thank you baby." said Alfreda as the two of them left..

Aida walked into the office.

"Well guys...I'll only be with you another two days...I've found a place...Gotta have you guys over when I get set up..." she said.

"That will be nice...I guess he took  your decision not to live with him pretty good huh?" said Beverly..

"He did...but he was so hurt that I wasn't coming to live with him..He said he had cleaned his house.."said Aida.

''Always good to know." Joked Olivia.

Nelson and I smiled at each other.

Meanwhile U.S. Attorney Todd Dellums walked in the night air to his car...

He felt lighter than air...

(TO BE CONTINUED)