Supoenaed

 PROLOUGE- WRONGFUL CONVICTION UNIT!

Assistant District Attorney ,Karen Page looked over the papers in front of her..Her close friend, Attorney Jasmine Coley was with her.. Jasmine Coley's law firm across the hallway, allowed Assistant District Attorney Karen Page, the sole employee of the city's WRONGFUL CONVICTION UNIT, to use an empty office as her office. Karen didn't even have a staff...Jasmine or "Jazzy" as she was affectionately known by her friends helped her out from time to time..When needed..She contracted out Attorneys through the city to research and argue these cases...

"Jazzy, this case is very extensive... The case of Sean Allen, Executed 15 years ago for a Rape-Murder of a sexy young housewife...Jessica has really done her research....here..The State of Pennsylvania may have executed an innocent man.." she said.

"Karen, does this even count as a Wrongful Conviction case??...The man is dead!  The Crime is 17 years old and he was executed 15 years ago. what does his daughter hope to gain, even if we can prove he was wrongly convicted and executed?" asked Jazzy..

''Absolution Jazzy! Absolution.. Clearing her father's name.. That's all she's got left... and that's priceless to her.The man's daughter, Angela Allen,who Jessica is representing wants his case reopened and her father's name cleared..which we can do...but what disturbs me is ...Look at who the arresting detectives were.." she said and passed Jazzy the charging document..

"Lead Detective, Dominck Evans... He's in prison...Serving 15 years to Life for multiple murders himself..Hahahahahahahahaaha, this ought to be an easy case.."she laughed..

"Look at who his partner was..."said Karen..

"Oh My Goddddd!  Detective Arthur Tragg!!!! Who is now Lieutenant Arthur Tragg?" said Jazzy..

"One in the same....We have to subpeona him...Our friends Olivia, Beverly, Yvette and her team are going to be involved in this case and they eat at Sam Mothers Diner..He already makes it impossible for them in the best of times to eat in peace...Once he finds out they're involved in this..They won't have a moment of peace..I can't ask them to serve him these papers...I have already hired them and have started them doing research. I guess I'll have to do this myself." said Karen..

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

II-

At Sam Mothers Diner, The Orders came in...Sam Mother had allowed us to put two big tables together...

The orders came out....

Attorneys and our neighbors , Jessica Sanchez-Burrows and her husband, Charles "Chip" Burrows of the Innocence Project and our neighbors had mapped out the work she wanted us to do as far as this case was concerned..

The Innocence project had reached out to us..

My wife, Olivia Bennett-Alexander

her niece, Attorney Mrs. Beverly West East

Myself, Donnie Ray Alexander, Investigator

Beverly's husband, Attorney Nelson East...

and our newest attorney, Josie Boyd..

and our good friends,

Attorney, Mrs. Yvette Jones -Lockwood,

Attorney, Mrs. Beatrice Evans-Jones

Her Husband, Attorney, Keith Jones

Attorney, Sofia Garcia-Ahmed

and her husband, Attorney Kahlil Ahmed.

Rounding out our table was Jade Lee, like me an ex-cop and investigator.

It was the first time we all actually worked together in awhile..We had been hired by the City Of Philadelphia to do the research on the Sean Allen Murder Case.

Our food came and we placed the documents and case files in the middle of the table..

The fact that we now were all neighbors made this easier.. We had decided to work, Three days at the Wrongful Conviction Unit near Penns Landing and eat our meals in Camden... The other two days we would all meet at our Duplex Office and order our meals inside..

Anyway this morning..We all were quite hungry and we chowed down!

AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER-

We were surprised ....We were actually able to eat in peace and actually finish our meals in peace today..

Then, HE WALKED IN..

Lt. Arthur Tragg walked in...And as usual, He couldn't resist walking over to where we were..

''What is this? Someone's Birthday?" he sneered.

"It's called having breakfast Lieutenant.."said Yvette softly...

"Nah this is more than breakfast....I see all of the legal documents on the table and papers...You guys are up to something..." he snarled..

"No Grass grows under your feet.."said Beverly..

Jade cracked up laughing...

"Keep it up, Just Keep up the smart remarks...It's going to get one or both of you locked the hell up!"snarled Lt. Tragg.

''Aren't you hungry? Didn't you come in here to eat?" asked Olivia softly ,trying to change the subject..

"Because we are having breakfast and tending to legal work...Which we are not inclined to discuss with you under any circumsances." said Olivia softly.

"It's my job to ask the questions...I just get nervous when I see all of you guys at one table." he said.

ADA Karen Page walked in..

Jazzy was at her side..

We knew what was coming..We gathered our papers and went to the counter and paid our bills and quietly filed out...We had all finished our meals anyway.

Lt. Tragg smiled...He was still very attracted to Karen Page..

"Karen Baby..." he said..."You still with that loser, B.L.?" he asked..

"Arthur I hate to do this...but this is a subpeona..." she said and placed it in his hands..Ignoring his attempts at flirting.

The smile left his face...

"WHATTTTTTTT? Who is Angela Allen?" he asked.

"15 Years ago...Angela Allen was  a 12 year old girl.. 15 Years ago, she watched her father,Sean Allen executed by Lethal Injection...

You and your partner, Dominick Evans

arrested him and charged him with Rape and Murder...He was convicted and sentenced to die and despite a fight to get DNA evidence used that might have exonerated him, it was denied and he was executed.. She's going to have a hearing in a few weeks..We are researching the case.."said Karen.

"I knew it...I knew those guys were up to something.." he snarled, now noticing that we had all left.

"They were hired to research the case that's all...They won't be arguing it...Jessica Sanchez-Burrows and her husband will be arguing the case..They aren't important..What is important is that you show up to my hearing to answer questions..I'm sorry Arthur..If I were you, I'd get legal counsel...This is serious."said Karen..

Jazzy stood with her.

"You have anything to do with this?" he asked her..

"Nope!  I just came with her..."said Jazzy.

"That was a good case... I made Sgt. right after that case..."said Lt. Tragg...

"I know....and Sean Allen died....I'll see you in court Arthur.."said Karen, who turned and left with Jazzy..

He was furious...

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT....I'VE BEEN SUBPEONED!" he said..

A soft rain began to fall...

II-

We all met back at our Duplex...

We decided to start our research early...We were going to start first thing tomorrow morning right here...

"We'll Meet here tomorrow Morning at 9:00 am...We'll break up into teams... You and I will be Captains ,Vettie." said Olivia..

''Always so much fun ,working together Livy... Kinda like the times when we went away to Houston and to Cali.." laughed Yvette..

"I know right? We haven't been out of town that much lately...We've been working so hard here in Philly." said Beverly..

''And living in the same Air BNB.."said Nelson..

''Staying up all night playing cards and going to clubs at night in the different cities." laughed Josie, remembering those times..

"It's a 15 year old crime...We've got to locate living witnesses." I said to Jade..

"I have witness statements from his trial and autopsy photos and reports already." said Jade.

"It's nice to be connected."laughed Keith Jones..

"It wasn't Danny Ho this time.. Jessica managed to get ahold of all of that." said Bee Bee..

"She's knows a guy in records who was kind of sweet on her when she was a Public defender.." said Sofia.

"You know that You know who is going to be livid, if he isn't already and he'll probably be banging on your door tomorrow...If not ringing our doorbells tonight.."said Kahlil.

"Nobody gets in here tomorrow without a warrant...Oh except my caterer... A Catered Breakfast and lunch will be available to you guys for the next three days.."said Alfreda...Who was glad we weren't leaving town and would be around...She liked it when we entertained other people as well..

"You stayin over tonight Josie?" asked Beverly...

"Yeah...I gotta call Paris..." said Josie..

"You guys are welcome to hang out with us ,play some cards, Watch a movie tonight..Our last free night." Beverly said to Keith ,Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil..

"Ok Cool, this would have been impossible years ago when we lived blocks away...but now when we get tired, We can just walk across the street." I said.

"Togetherness." said Bee Bee.

"Yeah!" said Sofia.

"Can't beat it." said Kahlil.

"Never knew how much that girl liked to entertain until she moved here ."laughed her aunt , Olivia.

"I know.."laughed Yvette...

"It worked out for me...When we were going together...She hated for me to leave...She'd often call me to come back.."laughed Nelson...

"Awwwww that's soooo cute.." laughed Yvette.

The doorbell rang...It was Gary and Paris...

''Heyyy Guys..I'm working for Karen Page this week, So I'll be joining the Investigation team.."said Gary, Yvette's new husband of only a few months..

"I've ordered some Steaks , Wings and Pizzas...but Judging from this crowd...I'd better order more.."said Paris.

"I'm re-imbursing you for the food Paris...and you won't have a problem driving us in the Bus to The Bridge Building three days from now , will you?" asked Olivia..

"No prob at all Liv." said Paris, who had become our unofficial driver and valet.

III-

We , and by we..I meant my wife, Olivia, Beverly, Nelson and Josie  and Yvette, Keith, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil and especially Jade knew that eating in Sam Mother's diner was off limits...Lt. Tragg was going to be in there fuming,looking to pick a fight, yelling and screaming and demanding to know what we were up to...

Jessica had never felt his wrath and we forgot to warn her...She was sitting in Sam Mother's diner, waiting for her husband, Chip , who was finishing up a court case when Lt. Tragg walked in..she was the only person he saw that he recognized..and he zeroed in on her..

"WHAT IS THE BIG IDEA?? WHY ARE YOU OPENING UP A 15 YEAR OLD CLOSED CASE??"he barked..

"You know I don't have to talk to you at all...but if you must know..The daughter of the executed man came to us...Angela Allen, Came to me and said that her father was innocent ..That the State of Pennsylvania never gave him a DNA test...A DNA test that might have exonerated him..I looked into the case just a little bit and I found a number of inconsistancies..So I asked the Innocence Project to hire my friends, the best lawyers I know, Olivia and Beverly and Ms. Yvette and her team... They are going to be doing the research needed for my case..I have a couple of other cases to try...They're looking at all of the case files, witness statements, Autopsy reports etc. concerning this case...I've got three great investigators looking up witnesses from the original trial.. When they are finished...I'm going to the Wrongful Conviction Unit, who has agreed to look over the case ..It's easier than going to Appellate Court.." she explained softly..

But it was as if she hadn't said anything at all...Lt. Tragg was furious..

"WHY ARE YOU REOPENING A CLOSED 15 YEAR OLD CASE ,AND WHY HAVE I BEEN SUBPEONED?? THE CASE IS CLOSED..THE MAN WAS CONVICTED AND EXECUTED...I CAN'T HELP IF HIS DAUGHTER HAS DADDY ISSUES...WHAT DOES SHE HOPE TO GET FROM THIS??" he bellowed...

Patrons were turning around, staring..

"I just told you why....Weren't you listening to anything I just said? I've told you all I'm going to tell you...You are not to go to Olivia and Beverly's house or the homes of any of the other attorneys involved in this case...If you do...I'll slap you with a Cease and Desist order..I've heard how you harrass Attorneys and you are not going to harrass the attorneys working for me.." she said quietly...

But again..Lt. Tragg had heard nothing she had said.

"WHY ARE YOU REOPENING A CLOSED 15 YEAR OLD CASE ,AND WHY HAVE I BEEN SUBPEONED?? THE CASE IS CLOSED..THE MAN WAS CONVICTED AND EXECUTED...I CAN'T HELP IF HIS DAUGHTER HAS DADDY ISSUES...WHAT DOES SHE HOPE TO GET FROM THIS?? HE'S DEAD...HE'S BEEN DEAD....IT'S NOT LIKE HE'S GOING TO COME BACK TO LIFE!" he bellowed...

"That's enough...You will not scream at my wife!!!!!!..."said her husband, Chip who had just walked in..

He kissed her passionately for about a minute..

Only to find Lt. Tragg still standing there, as red as a beet..

"I hope you didn't eat here.babe!..I stopped by the supermarket and bought a few things...I'm going to cook us some dinner."said Chip..

"Ouu that's so nice...Let's go home!.." said Jessica as they both got up..

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING? I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!!" snarled Lt. Tragg..

"We are going home, which is what one does when a conversation is over!" said Chip..

"Good Night,Lieutenant Tragg..Remember what I said about harrassing my friends! " said Jessica, as they both left, walked over to the parking lot and got into their cars..

Leaving Lt. Tragg standing there furious...

He thought about the old case...He was a young detective when that case went down..

Olivia , Yvette  and even Karen Page were probably still in law school...Hadn't taken the bar  exam yet...

Her smart mouthed Niece, Beverly, her husband, Nelson and her new protoge' Josie were probably in grade school...maybe  just beginning high school...They didn't know they were even going to be lawyers yet..

Yvette's snot nosed youngins...Keith Jones, Beatrice Evans, Sofia Garcia and  Kahlil  Ahmed were even younger,just kids, didn't even know they wanted to be lawyers...

Donnie Ray, Jade Lee , they might not have even joined their respective police forces yet.

They were nosing around in a case that had nothing to do with them...A Case older than their careers . He didn't need anymore bad press..He had loused up a couple of cases...Cases that had been widely carried on the news...He had even done another stint on the Marine Boat..Any more bad publicity and he might wind up back on that boat or worse..In records..Where Detectives go to die!

He needed info on this investigation and he needed to derail it...and fast.

IV-

He sat in Curleys Bar a little later with private Investigator ,Burt Vandenburg..

"Get Lost Artie..I'm not going down that rabbit hole with you again...Olivia and Beverly's place is impossible to get into...Their Office manager doesn't let anyone in..Unless they have an appointment and they have the place swept for electronic devices every two or three days and whoever does it is good..because they find everything.. And that Bridge Building is super secure...Plus they're lawyers..it's just not worth it." he said.

"I don't want you to surveile Olivia and Beverly or Yvette and her team...I know what they're doing..They're doing resaearch...They won't even be trying the case...I need this girl, Angela Allen looked at...She'd be about 28 years old by now..I want to know everything about her...Especially anything negative."said Lt. Tragg.

"Alright Artie..I'll look into her..."said Burt....

"Thanks Burt." said Lt. Tragg.

While He steamed....

Beverly and Nelson hosted  Josie, Paris, Keith and Bee Bee Jones , Sofia and Kahlil Ahmed in their Domicile..

They played a couple of games of cards...

While Alexa played Old School Hip Hop... By midnight, it had begun playing Classic R&B slow jams

and soon the young couples were in a romantic mood..

By 12:30 am , They were all kissing passionately.. in the corner, on the couches...

While a floor above, Olivia and I were already making sweet love..

"OHHHHHH DONNIE RAY....UMMMMMMMMMM, YOU ARE ALL UP IN THISSSS.." moaned Olivia...

I had her in the living room, long stroking her..holding her petite body and thrusting away as her head turned from side to side and her body trembled..

Perhaps that made all the difference in the world why Lt. Tragg was always fuming..He wasn't getting any loving.

(TO BE CONTINUED)