Another Morning at the office
Attorney Brenda Jordan looked around..
"Ouuu Yvette, this is soooooooooo nice... So Modern..." quipped Attorney Brenda Jordan, looking around..
She was speaking of Me, Keith Jones, my wife, Beatrice Evans-Jones, our friend, Sofia Garcia-Ahmed, her husband, Kahlil Ahmed and our investigator, Jade Lee's offices..
"Girl, I had a messy case of three people, A Father, his daughter and his older brother accused of wire fraud.. The government had an iron clad case against the Father and the Uncle..I had them plead out and I finagled a deal in which they would serve no jail time, but make full restitution to their victim and do three years probation and supervised release... The daughter however was innocent and I got the government to drop all charges.. Guess who the U.S. Attorney was? Bill Strong..
"Same guy that tried to lock me up for 15 years for Jury tampering..." laughed Brenda....
''Ouuuuu girrrrrl...So this was kind of revenge for you huh? Twisting up a case he thought he had in the bag huh?" laughed Ms. Yvette.
A far cry from our cubicles at the old building and the two offices we shared before we all left. Jade didn't even have an office.
"Yes ..it is a big change...This office is certainly more colorful than the one I had before..We are all getting used to it." said Ms. Yvette.. "I heard you've been busy lately..." laughed Ms. Yvette.
She was incredible....She lawyered the hell out of the daughter's appeal and won a 10 million dollar settlement.. I loved it , Handing old Bill Strong a pair of defeats...
Our good friends,
Olivia Bennett-Alexander, her niece, Beverly West -East and their team, Nelson East, Josie Boyd, Bresha Billips and Donnie Ray Alexander. Defending her from a disbarrment and a possible 15 year term in federal prison, winning a 3.5 million dollar civil suit for her new boyfriend and successfully defending him of murder charges had earned them a top spot in Brenda's heart...
"He's taken me to Cancun so far, a couple of nice dinners , a Flyers game ,A Sixers game and breakfast a few times...He's trying to make up for cheating on me....He asked me to move in with him....That's not going to happen...I like my independence too much...but we are in a good place right now."said Brenda.
"Ouu that sounds nice." said Brenda as the two left the office..
While Sofia was on the phone in her office... Just another morning in the new office....
"I AM THROUGH BILLY...THROUGH COVERING FOR YOU!" screamed the woman..
"I can't believe you.....I can't believe you.....You're fired! I should have fired you a long time ago, CLEAN OUT YOUR DAMN DESK!" screamed the woman..
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" screamed the man...
"YOU ARE MAKING MY HEAD HURT!" screamed the woman....The veins in her head were bulging..
In another part of town , a loud argument is occurring that will have shocking developments...
"Look..I told you...I'll return the money...I needed it." said the man."
"YOU HAVE EMBEZZLED CLOSE TO $100.000.00 from the account....YOU SHOULD BE FIRED!" screamed the woman...
"I've replaced $25.000.00 already.... and I plan to put $50.000.00 in tomorrow." he said..
She produced a meat cleaver and plunged it into the man's chest...
Blood squirted from his chest... His legs shook furiously and then they stopped..
The man died right there on the floor.
Half way across town at a coffee shop..
their two cups of coffee..
knowing that it was.
"Yes and their youth, their purity and their zest for the law gave me the shot in the arm I needed..I loved mentoring them and hanging out with them...They became more than just employees or staff, in time they became my friends, my family...I never imagined us all living on the same block though..
and smiling... She really, really liked us.. and thought we were fine lawyers.
That peace was soon to be coming to an end.
II-
At this moment ,across town...
Crime Scene Investigators were snapping photos and looking for prints and DNA... No real urgency though..
They had the killer, Sarita Romero, a Manager at the Richardson Collective...A Business Development responsible for new housing and attracting businesses to the neighborhood. She was complaining of an
"extreme headache."
Dr. Marcy Martin, one of the coroners placed a cold towel on her head...
"The victim works here.. his name was William "Billy" Baldwin...He worked for Ms. Romero...A few other employees said they were having a rather loud argument before the uh unfortunate incident."said Hazel.
Lt. Tragg walked in...
"What have we got here?" he asked..
"According to eyewitnesses and other employees, the victim here on the floor, Billy Baldwin was having a loud argument with his boss, the young lady over there with the cold towel on her head and she plunged the meat cleaver in his chest, killing him almost instantly.." said one of the CSI guys..
Lt. Tragg stared at the woman from across the room..
"Hook Her up boys (Handcuff her) and read her her rights." said Lt. Tragg. 'My first case since coming back...Nice to have an easy one."Lt. Tragg laughed.. "Bag and tag that Meat cleaver , get this body out of here..." he said.. He looked at Marcy and Hazel and smiled. "Guess I won't need much of an autopsy report will I?" he chuckled.
Hazel chuckled!
The body of William "Billy"Baldwin was wheeled out of the building..
Another brisk ,cool Philadelphia afternoon.
The end of the day...We were all heading home..
''Why don't you and Bee come over and we can play cards?" said Kahlil.
Sofia laughed too and then her phone rang.
"Okay, calm down Judy, calm down...I'll find out where she is and see what I can do." said Sofia.
"You mean so me and Sofia can beat you two again?" laughed Bee Bee..
"I have to take this...It's from Judy...Judy Romero." she said.
"Hola Judy." said Sofia.
"Hola Sofia....I-I-I need your help mami....My aunt is in trouble...big trouble..She's been arrested for murder.." she said.
"MURDER??? Your Aunt Sarita?? Your Jazzy Aunt Sarita?/" asked Sofia.
"YES...They're saying she really did it..That she remained on the scene..Oh Sofia..I don't know what's going on....but she needs your help, oh my god ,this is horrible." said Judy.
"Ohhh thank you Sofia..Thank you." said Judy.
"I remember her...She was Mad Cool that night and so proud you and Bee graduated from law school and made something of yourselves.."said Kahlil..
"So why are we standing here? Why aren't we headed towards Central Booking ?" I said as we headed out.
III-
The "Fishbowl" , the nickname the detectives gave to the interrogation room was smelling extra rank today... It was hot as usual and it smelled like sweaty socks, under arm odor, bad breath among other things.
Lt. Tragg walked in with a tablet..
"I'll get you a doctor, but first I need you to do something for me.. I want you to write your confession on this tablet." he said and put the tablet in front of her and a pen.
Lt. Tragg picked the empty piece of paper up...
"WHAT? Are you trying to be cute or something?" he snarled..
"Oh My God....Sofia and Bee Bee...I'm so glad to see you.....And this must be your husbands...
Judy told me you two got married , bought homes and work at a big time law firm now...I'm so proud of you... I take it you two are lawyers too?" said Sarita.
"Yes...I'm married to Beatrice...I'm Attorney Keith Jones, We work together." I said.
''And I'm Attorney Kahlil Ahmed.. I'm married to Sofia..We also work together." said Kahlil.
"Auntie you don't look so good, you alright?" asked Judy...
"Wait a minute, Who are you? Are you an Attorney??" snarled Lt. Tragg.
"Nooooooooo but that's my aunt." said Judy...
"She's a friend of ours." I explained.
"If she's not an Attorney, she can not be in this room." snarled Lt. Tragg.
Lt. Tragg gave us a baleful stare , then departed the room, slamming the door, along with Judy, who stood outside ,looking in..
Bee Bee went out and got a bottle of water from the vending machine...She caught the eye of several
young uniformed officers who were admiring her sexy legs and shapely hips and bountiful breasts...
She returned with the water and an aspirin..
''Take this Sarita.. you'll feel better." she said.
''Due to the lateness of the hour..It's going to take some time. It'll probably be some time tomorrow, but we are going to be on it.You sit tight." said Kahlil..
''Sofia, Bee Bee...I love your husbands...They are handsome and kind...Do either of them have brothers?" asked Sarita jokingly..
Bee Bee and Sofia laughed..
Kahlil signaled to Lt. Tragg that we were finished with our interview..
He had the duty officer handcuff Sarita and take her to her cell, upstairs on the 6th Floor.. He looked at us..
"Where is Yvette tonight? Does she even know you kids are here?" he asked.
"Licensed Attorneys well over the age of 21." said Bee Bee.
''We can drink and vote even"added Kahlil.
"On a good day, yes." laughed Bee Bee..
Ms. Yvette knew nothing of our afternoon...She was at home , sitting on her husband's lap on the side on the bed...
"I didn't see my kiddies this afternoon..The lights were off at their homes and I know they weren't still at work." said Ms. Yvette.
"I'm sure they're alright..You know them, they probably stopped for something to eat or they went shopping or something.."said Gary.
''And I deserve to go to town on youuuuuu."said Gary, kissing her slowly and softly..
Her husband Gary wanted it constantly....He sometimes chased her around the house to get it...With her always giving in....
She removed them immediately...
Yvette argued that Ms. Moreno had no prior criminal record, not so much as a traffic ticket and if she did commit said crime, she was arguing that it was diminished capacity and under exreme duress and therefor should be granted bail.
Sofia, Kahlil, Bee Bee and I presented 39 of her fellow employees who testified to her good charactor and the good work she did in the community....and one family that agreed to put her up if she was released on bail.
Sarita was in tears....
"Ughhhh I've got a splitting headache.. wait.." she said.. She took the pen, she was holding it upside down trying to scribble something..
Ms. Yvette got the funniest look on her face as she watched that...
So did Sofia.
Ms. Yvette took the pen from her...her hand was still shaking.
"There is something more to this than just diminished capacity." said Ms. Yvette.
Lt. Tragg didn't appreciate the sarcasm!
"You've got a loser here..She did it..We've got the murder weapon with her prints on it and a half dozen eye witnesses.. She's as guilty as sin...No way you're getting her out of this...NO WAY!" said Lt. Tragg.
He snarled.
"Is he always like that?" asked Judy as we left Central Booking..
Sofia, Kahlil and I laughed as we followed.
IV-
Ms. Yvette knew nothing of our afternoon...She was at home , sitting on her husband's lap on the side on the bed...
"Yeah, I suppose you're right..They are adults..and they have been working pretty hard as of late.. They just closed a number of cases and brought new clients to us...Paying clients...I suppose they deserve an afternoon on the town.." she said..
"You have such a way with words.." she giggled, returning his passion. Gary always knew how to kiss a woman...She could sit and kiss him all day... His kisses made her melt...
Her kisses had the same effect on him...He got as hard as a brick with just one..regardless of where they were..
"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu husssband!" she whispered...
He slipped her panties off and lifted her up...
"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !" she moaned loudly...
"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!! OHHHHHHHH VETTIE!" he moaned..
"OHHH MY GOD!!! I CAN'T GET ENOUGH!" he moaned, entering her warm, wet center..
"You never get enough.." she whispered..as he moved in and out of her slowly....
"VETTIE ,UGHHHH, I JUST LOVE YOU SO MUCHHHHH!!OUUUUUUUUU!" he moaned.
"I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, BECAUSE I LOVE YOU TOO!" she cried out..
She was a far cry from the lonely nights in her old apartment..
Sitting alone in the dark, clad in just panties and bra, listening to Jill Scott ....
She never sat alone in the dark anymore...
EIGHT TO NINE HOURS of sensuous lovemaking seemed to breeze by...
Yvette fell asleep afterwords on Gary's chess...peaceful...unaware of the case that loomed before her.
HOURS LATER-
We had filled Ms. Yvette and Jade in on our night and our client and they appeared in court with us and Sarita..
We were here for arraignment..
We were before Judge Michael King..
ADA Diane Baranski was the Assistant District Attorney...We hadn't gone up against her in awhile and even with an open and shut case like this.. She didn't relish Lt. Tragg being involved..
He had a pleased as punch look on his face.... He slyly and slowly ran his hands up under her skirt..
''We are NOT going to start that..Ugh Ughhhhhh!" she said firmly.
She argued that Sarita Moreno had plunged a meat cleaver into the chest of William Bradley as witnessed by at least 6 people during a heated argument, concerning his embezzlement of over 100 thousand dollars from the Community Based Collective that they both worked for.. Much needed funds.
and because of the extreme violence concerning this case..She should be denied bail..
We thought we had a good chance of winning.
Judge King didn't agree this time..
"Due to the extremely randomly violent nature of this incident..I am ruling that the defendent be held without bail in the custody of the Womens Correctional Center until the time of trial." he said.
Ms. Yvette gave her a pen and a piece of paper..
"Sarita, we'll be up to see you tomorrow.. Is there anyone who you want us to contact for you? Just write it down ." she said.
"Never mind...We'll ugh see you tomorrow." she said.
None of us said a word..The six of us turned and eased out of court along with everyone else.
"This is going to be a hard case to try..You know that...she did kill this man.. There are six eyewitnesses! But he had been embezzling funds up to 100 large for close to a year to pay off his gambling debts. she discovere it ,naturally she was enraged ,she confronted him , an argument ensued..
''So did I ."said Bee Bee.
"You've got a stone cold loser this time Vettie..Why are you even entertaining this case? even Olivia and Beverly passed on this one...because they know it's a loser.." he said.
Lt. Tragg looked around..
He saw ADA Diane Baranski...He also saw ADA Jake Patais also know as "Lawyer Bae" by most of the female attorneys, her boyfriend ,who was nine years her junior, but still very enamored with her.
Kissing passionately
And easing into the judges chambers and slamming and locking the door..
where he knew what was happening...her panties were slipping down, and she was being lifted up and Jake was entering her slowly...She had been in there with several others before Jake came along, including him himslef..
This left Lt. Tragg in a sour mood.. He had lunch at Sam Mother's Diner..
We weren't there for him to whine and pontificate about the trial.
He once again stormed into our old building and up to our old floor..
Naturally we weren't there.. The Firm hadn't placed anybody in our office yet...He found it locked and empty... He had no idea we no longer worked in this building anymore..
He left frustrated.
We were blocks away...
in our law library /conference room.
We are going to argue diminished capacity...She has no prior record of any kind of violence.. I've got Jade looking into her history just to make sure." said Yvette.
"I've known her all my life, since I was a little girl..She always looked after me and Bee. We were friends of her niece, Judy. I've never known her to be violent, ever..She was a peace maker."said Sofia.
"Yeah...If she got that angry , and did that, there had to be something more to it."said Bee Bee.
''Speaking of which..Did you notice the headaches? Her hand trembling and her trying to write with the pen turned upside down?" asked Ms. Yvette.
"Yeah ,she had a headache yesterday when we went to see her at Central Booking. She had gotten sick and vomited in the waste basket." I said.
"As Bad as that place smells and it's all hot..That's not surprising."said Kahlil.
Jade cracked up laughing..
"I noticed her hand shaking too and her writing with the pen turned upside down last night too."said Sofia.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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