The Secrets Of Men

Judges Chambers of Elise Cummings
 

Judge Elise Cummings looked at the Subpoena...

She looked at the subpoena on her desk.

And then she looked around the room at all of the parties involved,  Attorneys Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Beverly West -East, Myself, their Investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander, the only one in the room besides Lt. Tragg, who was not a lawyer.  Josie Boyd, Nelson East and Bresha Billips, Assistant District Attorney Bradley Dell and Lt. Tragg.

For our part, we were all very relaxed... 

Assistant District Attorney Brad Dell looked very irritated and aggravated,..He couldn't seem to sit still and his hands were shaking.

Even Lt. Tragg noticed. He gave him the side eye!

Judge Cummings looked at Lt. Tragg...

"YOU KNOW...LIEUTENANT! YOU REALLY OUGHT TO KNOW BETTER! She said sternly...Isn't this the third time you have tried this???... Do you retain any information you learn?/" she said.. And YOU, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY BRADLEY DELL, YOU DID GO TO LAW SCHOOL....I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.....You have heard of a little thing called "People VS. CRANDLE???  "People vs. Crandle was used in certain situations, basically when it was thought that the defense attorney might be a possible co-conspirator with the defendent and even then one must tread lightly on how it is used... There is no evidence in this case and though you can challenge my ruling if you prefer at a later date...I am not going to allow it at this time.." she said. She ripped up the subpoena.

"This is no more than a substitute for lazy police work... Lt. Tragg, as a Homicide Detective, you have Olivia and her team at a huge advantage, You have the crime labs of the police department and the FBI , who have been helping with the investigation on this case at your disposal...I understand you told the Feds that their help was no longer needed?" said Judge Cummings.

"YOU DID WHAT?" bellowed ADA Brad Dell, who didn't know about this. "YOU IDIOT!!! YOU EGOTISTICAL IDIOT!! " he screamed.

"Now Now Now....ENOUGH!  There were 520 party guests , not including Mrs. Bennett-Alexander's client and the deceased... You could have interviewed them and processed them by now as Mr. Alexander has done..He even interviewed the staff.  If I know right ,you haven't read any of the Tox Analysis or Crime Scene reports or the Autopsy....as Mr. Alexander has..So because of your laziness and dereliction to duty....You want to subpoena Mrs. Bennett-Alexander for information you're supposed to have gotten by now?  NO, I won't allow this...and ADA Dell, I'm really surprised at you...being a lawyer ,you know you're on very thin ice trying to subpoena a defense attorney....There is only so much she can tell you anyway without violating Attorney/Client privilege. Shame on you... Little Ms. Bresha Billips.

 

a second year attorney, fresh out of law school, just passed the bar....Knows that." said the Judge ,smiling at Bresha.

"This matter is closed." said Judge Cummings.

"Thank You Your Honor." said Nelson...

''Elise..thanks." whispered Olivia.

It was always good to have a Judge in your corner.

I got a text on my phone..

"There's a Sale on crab legs today"  That was code from the equivalent of a confidential informant...The man known as Pink.

"You guys use every stunt, every legal trick of the trade to get around things don't you?" snarled Lt. Tragg.

"No tricks...We just know the law... We spent four years in college and three years in law school...That's seven years of our lives...We should know something, don't you think?" said Beverly softly... The most 

cordial she had spoken to Lt. Tragg in years...

"And we are still studying and learning." said Josie.

"Everyday...We learn from our mistakes too, as do you in your profession." said Bresha.

"Yeah, I guess we all do." said Lt. Tragg, who was caught off guard both by the beauty and charm of Olivia's girls  and innocence of the conversation..

But ADA Brad Dell was livid..

"TRAGG, YOU ARE OFF THIS CASE....I AM HIRING AN INVESTIGATOR FROM THE D.A.'S OFFICE TO CONTINUE....YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT LOUSE THIS CASE UP FROM THE BEGINNING....TELLING THE FBI THEIR HELP WOULD NO LONGER BE NEEDED? ARE YOU NUTS?  WITH ALL OF THE FORENSIC INFORMATION AND PRINTS THAT NEEDED TO BE PROCESSED?  YOU ARE DONE..OVER AND OUT!"

Lt. Tragg had had enough...

He grabbed ADA DELL up in the collar and slammed him into the wall..

"NO PAL, YOU ARE OUT!! THIS MY INVESTIGATION...MINE!! I CALL THE SHOTS...I AM THE DETECTIVE HERE.....YOU DON'T PUT ME OUT OF MY INVESTIGATION...YOU GOT THAT?" he said and pushed him away....

"NOW BOYS!!! BOYS!! PLAY NICE!" laughed Judge Cummings...

"Thank you again Elise." laughed Olivia.

"Thank You Your Honor." said Nelson.

"Thank You Your Honor." said Beverly, who was also laughing at the two men.

"Thank You Your Honor." said Josie..She was looking at ADA Dell and Lt. Tragg and just laughing.

"Thank You Your Honor." said Bresha. She just shook her head. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

"Liv , I gotta go...Gotta tip concerning this case...I'll see you guys later." I said. I pulled her to me...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuu" she said. She was caught off guard.

And gave her a soft, slow kiss....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu that was some kiss, more than a goodbye I'll see you later kiss...Don't be too long,If you know what I mean." said Olivia.winking salaciously at me.

"I certainly do..." I whispered to her..

II-

Any good Detective and or Private Investigator has sources on the street...People close to the underworld who are known as confidential informants...

The man known as "Pink" had once been a borderline criminal... He was defended numerous times by then Public Defenders, Olivia Bennett-Alexander, known then as Mrs. Olivia Barnes , her niece, Beverly West and her protoge' Nelson East

He had even endeared himself to Olivia's other protoge' Attorney Jasmine Jenkins then, as both a Public Defender and an Assistant District Attorney.

They were the reason he stayed out of prison.. And except for maybe a 30 day stay in the county lock up..He never did any hard time. He remembered them and some of the cops who were fair to him..

Like Lt. Sissy Van Buren and the detectives of the Criminal Investigation Division, Duke Baylor, Angie Belton, Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace, Tyriq Pile, Jimmy Barlow, Sirena Pile,Tony Hopkins and Lt. Danny Ho of Robbery-Homicide.

 Today, he is a legitimate businessman..He owns a very lucrative Seafood Restaurant and store and is pretty much retired from the street life.. Though he keeps his ear to the street...I was introduced to him by fellow Private Investigator Kevin Morris.

He has secretly given information on criminal activity to the Criminal Investigation Divison and Robbery -Homicide, who all "shop and eat at his establishment as well as Kevin and his operatives.. He has helped me numerous times because of his friendship with my wife and her niece..Today was one of those times.

''Sit down Donnie Ray, I was just getting ready to eat..Join me." said Pink.

''Don't mind if I do." I said.

He had Fried Catfish n Cornbread and Cole Slaw...

and some Ice Tea to wash it down.

"OUUUUUUUUUU BOYYYYY, YOU GONNA MAKE ME FORGET WHY I CAME HERE! Pass me some hot sauce." I laughed.

"HAHAHA..I knew an ole Louisiana boy like yourself would jump at this...Oh yeah and tell Liv, I got a pound of cajun shrimp and a swordfish for her...You can get it on your way out."laughed Pink.."Now let's get down to cases...What you're here for..I read in the papers that your wife and her niece are defending the Public Defender, Wallace Madison, who got hit by the police cruiser and got both his legs broke..

He and a hot young girl 

somehow got invited to the uh Egyptian club...

Got their freaky sneaky on and uh things got out of hand...Huh?   I know you Donnie Ray, I know you were thorough, you know that there isn't a DNA match to any of the guests or staff...and you also know that a number of them got robbed too, but aren't going to press any charges because they would be too embarrassed to admit they got robbed at an orgy...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....

There are two people you didn't talk to that were there... The d. J. who was spinnin..His Name is Freddie..Freddie Gorman "Five Fingers Freddie" we call him on the street and his partner and fellow D.J.

Luther Sanders.... They managed to slip out of that party and off everybody's radar....Including yours...and I'm surprised at you Donnie Ray...

These two have D.J.ed and catered a lot of these exclusive, secret  parties or let's just call em what they are..Sex parties... and in every one, people have been robbed...Word on the street is they took a cool quarter million in jewelry and cash from this party alone and they've hit several others... They work with a crew of about five guys... I'll give you their names.. All of em have sheets.. They pose as equipment managers, The reason why you and the general public never hears about it is..Who is going to press charges and then have to testify in court that they were robbed at an orgy??" They've fleeced a lot of joints. " said Pink..

"But in addition to the robberies, somebody got murdered here! If they have a reputation for ripping folks off, why do they still get jobs?" I asked.

''Because they are good and there has never been any proof!  My guess is that young girl stumbled on to something she shouldn't have seen..and she was choked out...." said Pink. "Look, I'm going to write down the Pawn Shop they do business with...Check it out... They stopped by there , not too long ago and I'm bettin the stash they released was stash from the Egyptian Club,,,That one  D.J. Luther Sanders spins at Stoleys.....If you need to get a DNA sample... He eats at a local joint near Stoleys ....Both of them do..." said  Pink..

"Ummmmmmm this was some good eatin...Thanks for the tip Pink..." I said.

''Anytime!" said Pink.

I talked to Lt. Danny Ho of Robbery-Homicide..

They got a warrant for the pawn shop..

and they arrested all five of the crew members...Charging them with robbing the Egyptian Club and other parties...

The D.J. and boss of the crew, "Five Fingers" Freddie Gorman was also arrested.. None of them admitted seeing the girl or having any dealings with her at all and since none of them gave up Luther, who apparently was the shot caller...and who only dealt with Freddie...Luther was not arrested..

All six men were given DNA tests....None of them were a match for the DNA found in the second man's semen found inside the deceased girl!!!!

"It's got to be Luther. Luther Sanders....They have tested every single party guest and the staff as well and now the D.J. and the equipment crew... None of them said that they saw or knew Yasmin....He's the only one there who hasn't been checked and cleared...."I said.

"She must have seen something she wasn't supposed to have seen.."said Olivia.

"Or SOMEONE!! Wonder if she knew him..If their paths had crossed in some way?" asked Beverly.

"Hmmm that's worth looking into..  You guys dance and drink in Stoleys...Is there an after hours joint near there?" I asked.

"Yeah, but we never hang out in there...It's an all night diner, about two blocks down the street from there." said Nelson.

''A lot of Hipsters hang out in there."said Josie.

"Believe it or Not.. When I was dating Pinkney...He took me in there...." said Bresha.

''Really? You think he'd take Julie Wong in there?" asked Beverly..

"Not a chance."laughed Olivia.

III-

Olivia sat on the bed, watching me and smiling...

"I don't know how your trousers or your boxers contains all of that...wouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu,

my goodness..I remember the first time I felt it, when we danced in the club that night in New Orleans..I couldn't believe it.." she said.

"Believe it...and believe that I want to put all of this inside of you right now.." I whispered..

We kissed several times....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...When you kissed me today before you left, I felt as if that's what you had in mind.." said Olivia.

"I always have it in mind." I whispered.......

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed..

It had been an interesting and productive day...

Olivia was quite happy....

''Donnie Ray, let's stop playing and get in bed..I want you inside me." she whispered.

"With Pleasure. who's playing?" I said ,practically salivating...

I pulled her to me and dropped my trousers...Hiked her babydoll up and bent her over the sink..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, you are so warm, so wet..." I said..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!" she moaned as I entered her.. "You've been wanting to do this all day haven't you?" she said.

"Yesssssssss! I just couldn't get you alone." I moaned as we went at it hard for about  AN HOUR!

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!" I moaned...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" she cooed softly..

"YES.....YES....YESSSSSSSss..OHHH YESSSSSS! WE ARE ALONE NOWWWWW!!! OUUUUUUUU!" Olivia cooed as we wound up on the living room floor for another HOUR....

I lifted her petite body up and began long stroking her..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU....UMMMMMMM...OHHHHH DONNIE RAYYYY...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!YOU ARE ALL UP IN THIS!! WOUUUUUUUU!!!" she moaned..gasping for breath... Another HOUR passed by..

She took me by the hand into our bedroom where we undressed..

We sat on the side of the bed, kissing, while she moved up and down on me..

and then for the next NINE TO TEN HOURS, we were in bed ,making slow, sweet love..

Downstairs, Nelson and Beverly

were on the couch kissing until they couldn't stand it anymore...

"I know you like hugging me and kissing me...but I want something more." she said.

"At your service baby." said Nelson.

Beverly giggled..

Nelson's eyes popped out of head almost as Beverly slipped out her thong

and unhooked her bra...

Clothes came off and he lifted her petite body up and long stroked her in the corner...Beverly's loud howls of pleasure resonated outside the window..

He placed her petite body on the bathroom sink and plowed into her...

"AWWWWWWWW GOD HOW DO YOU STAY SO SOFT AND WET?" he asked.

Beverly pounded her hands on his back, her head turned from side to side..... She burst into tears..

as she began to have an intense orgasm...her body trembling..

"OH BEVERLY, I'M IN LOVE!" Nelson cried out..

"I KNOW YOU ARE, YOU'VE ALWAYS LOVED ME!" Beverly said, kissing him slowly and softly.

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" said Nelson, who didn't know if he was coming or going right now!

"I LOVE YOU TOO!" said Beverly, tearing up again.

They never made it to their bedroom , they wound up making slow and sweet love on their living room couch again for the next EIGHT TO NINE HOURS...

Stoleys Lounge- Friday Night

Stoleys was popping as the young people say... Lots of dancing, drinking and hanging out.. Beverly and Nelson, Josie and Paris , Bresha and Tony were hanging out with cousin Kayla and her husband, Ray, Jazzy and Dabnis, Jessica and Chip, Sofia and Kahlil and Keith and Bee Bee and having a good time.

"It's times like this when work mixes with play that are the most fun." said Beverly to her husband, Nelson.

''Yeah, you got a point." said Nelson.

"Our guy is here..There he is in the D.J.'s booth."said Josie.

"D.Jing isn't all this guy does.. He's got a small package.. I saw him dealing when I was in the bathroom." said Paris.

''Can't knock his hustle.. He D.J.'s , He's the shot caller for a stick up crew.. Or at least he used to be, they're all in jail now and he deals drugs on the side." said Bresha.

"America, the land of opportunity."laughed Tony.

"That D.J. is spinnin the hits tonight isn't he?" said Kayla.

"You're wearing that dress tonight,damn that D.J." said her husband, Ray...

''Thank You...You are sooo complimentary when you're  horny!"said Kayla, laughing.

''Whooooo..I'm hot baby..Let's get some drinks...whewww." said Jazzy..

"You aint lyin girl, you is hot...WOWWWW!"said Dabnis, admiring her curves...

"Ouu flatterry will get you everywhere." said Jazzy, sitting on her husband's lap.

''Aye Dios Mios...Let's get some drinks..."said Jessica , who had just finished dancing to seven straight songs...

"Okay, whewwww I'm tired and thirsty too!" said her husband, Chip...

"You havin a good time Sofia?" asked Kahlil..

"I am...This is the first time we've partied with all of our friends in a minute." said Sofia.

"I knowwwww, this is soooo much fun." said Bee Bee.

"Yeah, it is.."said her husband, Keith.

We all sat at our tables and ordered drinks....

''Alright, Ladies and Gentlemen... I'm gonna take a break...Be sure to tip your waitresses..." said  Luther

Sanders...the DJ.

He ordered a beer and a glass...He took a big swig of beer out of the bottle and then poured the rest in the glass.

"Bev look!  It's Assistant District Attorney Brad Dell, what is he doing here?" asked Nelson..

"He's a bit old to be hanging out in here." said Beverly.

ADA  Brad Dell walked right by the youthful attorneys.

"You think he saw us?" asked Josie.

"No I don't think so." said Bresha.

"If he did...So What? It's Friday Night..We are out drinking, hanging out..Just like everybody else.. He has no clue of any other reason we might be here."

"The question is...Why is HE HERE?" asked Nelson.

ADA Brad Dell was oblivious to the youthful attorneys, he went straight to the bar and sat down next to D.J. Luther Sanders..

"Luther, I need some help, you know what I mean?" said ADA Dell.

"I wish you wouldn't come to my place of business.. I work here, legitimately...mannn, you've got to stop this..

ADA Dell passed him a handful of twenties...

Luther passed him a package of heroin...which he put in his suit jacket.

"Now cool it !  Next time ,send me a text message and we'll meet somewhere.. Not in here..You got it?" said Luther.

"Okay...Okay... I-I just needed to take the edge off...I got a big trial coming up..." said the ADA.

Bresha snapped photos of the both of them without their knowledge....

Josie and Beverly slyly collected the beer bottle and the glass after Luther finished drinking from them and placed them into plastic bags in their pocket books..

2:00 AM-  Stoley's Parking lot.

We were in the parking lot... ADA Brad Dell rolled down the window of his car.. He was as high as a kite.

"ATTORNEY BEVERLY WEST!!! JOSIE BOYD!!!, OLIVIA'S GIRLS....I THOUGHT I SAW YOU IN THERE...YOU DID A LOT OF DRINKING...I HOPE YOU DON'T PLAN ON DRIVING HOME??? ALLOW ME TO DRIVE YOU HOME!" he said. It was almost an order!

"That's a two seater." said Beverly.,

"Besides. we came in that Mini Bus, we aren't driving." said Josie, pointing to the two mini buses that arrived to take, Beverly, Nelson, Josie, Paris,Bresha, Tony,Kayla, Ray,Dabnis, Jazzy,Jessica ,Chip,Sofia,Kahlil, Bee Bee and Keith home..

He saw the two Mini Buses and he saw us getting on with our spouses and friends..

"Oh, you were chaperoned... Oh Okay... Get home safely." he said..

"Girrrrl, I'm so glad your aunty owns this bus company...So that we can go places and drink to our hearts content and don't have to worry about getting home in one piece." said Josie.

"Or being needlessly harrassed by Lt. Tragg and people like this guy who is high his damn self, sitting in his car in the parking lot." said Beverly.

ADA Dell was still sitting in his car, by himself, nodding in and out of consciousness long after we left and were safe and sound in our beds.

IV-

FOUR DAYS LATER-

I walked into the conference room.

"Guess what Boys and Girls.. We got a match!!!  Luther Sanders DNA is a 98.9 percent match for the second semen found inside of Yasmin Dorcel...They knew each other... He was her connect on the street...She and her high school girlfriends used to cop from him. Marijuana and later Coke and H." I said.

"That proves he had sex with her.. and he knew her prior..Still doesn't prove he killed her." said Olivia.

"True, but he saw her.... Unlike the others and he might be able to tell us just what happened to her." I said.

''We have to turn this over to the ADA...It's part of discovery." said Olivia.

"Hmmmm about that! The Assistant District Attorney is his customer... Luther Sanders deals H. on the street.. He's a small time operator..but he still deals....I don't know who his supplier is yet.

Brad Dell has a history behind him... I did some checking.. Apparently in Boston, he was arrested on suspicion of posssesion while in Law school, Charges were dropped.. and again when he was working in Los Angelas...He was asked to resign from the Federal Public Defenders office because he appeared under the influence during a big case.. The same thing happened when he was a U.S. Attorney. They allowed him to resign..They suggested strongly that he get himself some help..but he didn't.

When he was a Senior Associate Attorney at Clyborne in Boston, he was let go.. They asked for his resignation because of his substance abuse..Now he finds himself in Philadelphia, where he has won 25 straight cases so far with no mis-steps but he's apparently up to his old  tricks..Still snorting H." I said.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing Friday Night." said Beverly.

"He was copping, right out in the open..Right in front of us." said Josie.

"I got photos of the two of them's transaction." said Bresha.

"That was good thinking. Make copies of that report...Make sure Judge Clemmons gets one.Then turn it over for discovery..make a note of it.. Just in case this just happens to mysteriously vanish." said Olivia.

"I'm on it Liv." said Nelson.

"That poor girl...Nobody was looking out for her. She wasn't supposed to be there..she's with two guys, including our client.. Too damn old to be with her. They both took advantage of her...both of their nasty asses..and one of them killed her..She didn't deserve that." said Olivia.

THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY BRAD DELL-

"Hello, this is Assistant District Attorney Brad Dell."

"Yo Dell, you gotta do something man, I've been arrested. They are trying to roll me up into that Egyptian Club case...They claim they got a DNA match for me and that girl man, Aint that your case?" asked a frightened Luther Sanders.

"Quiet your mouth..Are you on a clean phone?" demanded Brad Dell..

"I'm using an inmate's phone...They don't know I have it..Look man you gotta do somethin..I can't go to jail...I scratched your back, now you gotta scratch mine..Come on man!" said Luther Sanders.

"I'll see what I can do...now get off this phone." said ADA Dell.

He walked over to the Police Evidence room and looked at the file that had Luther's DNA Evidence in it.. he took the file and slipped it into his coat.

The next morning , he slipped over the Medical Examiner's Office and took a copy of the same file and walked out with it.

He took a match and burned both copies.

A NIGHT LATER-

We were in a booth in an all night diner, down the street from Stoleys.

"You know, this chicken fried steak is delicious."said Olivia.

"It is.. Gives a new meaning to the term comfort food." I said.

"Mmmmmmmmm this Chicken fried steak is delish." said Beverly.

"Like you!" said Nelson ,who was enjoying his food.

"This meat loaf isn't bad either." said Bresha.

"hey, it might even rival Sam Mother's." said Tony.

"Nahhhh, it's good, but it's not seasoned like Sam Mother's" said Josie.

"I'll let you know tomorrow." joked Paris.

We were split between us, Four Orders of Chicken Fried steak and four orders of Meat Loaf..

Luther Sanders walked in... He had been released from lock up that fast...No doubt, thanks to his friend, the Assistant District Attorney.

He ordered an everything omelette.

When he looked up, I was sitting next to him.

"Mmmm that looks good.. That's the kind of Omelette I usually order. My wife says it's too big, that it's going to kill me one day..but I say, you gotta die of somethin, you know?" I said.

"Yeah " he said, chowing down.

"That's my wife over there in that booth, isn't she pretty?  Her name is Olivia Bennett-Alexander and that's her niece Beverly , Beverly's husband, Nelson and two of our other attorneys and their spouses.. We are defending the young man accused of  strangling and sexually assaulting that young lady at the Egyptian Club.. You were there that night remember?" I said.

He looked across the Diner and observed Olivia, Beverly, Nelson,Josie, Paris, Bresha and Tony enjoying their food..He recognized them from television. He knew who they were.

They didn't look his way.

"What's this got to do with me?" he asked.,

"A lot...We have a DNA match to you.. Your semen was in the girl's body in her panties and on her bra,.We need you to talk about that night and that girl." I said and slapped a subpoena in his lap.

"You got nothin... I wasn't there and you can't prove I was." he said.

"What I've got is DNA evidence, Finger prints and five or six people who are going to testify that you were. I'll see you in court." I said and got up and returned to our table.

He looked like he had aged three whole years!

(CONCLUSION NEXT)