An Angel By Any Other Name

 

  

Olivia Marissa Bennett-Alexander

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law, Trial Advocacy -Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Louisiana, Texas, California

 Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender, -Philadelphia PA.

Worked for Bach and Roach LLC, as Associate Attorney

Founding partner-Alexander & West , Attorneys at law..

Divorced- Elwood Barnes..,Corporate Attorney 

No Children, two miscarriages..

Married-Donnie Ray Alexander

Beverly Cheryl West-East

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Trial Advocacy, Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Louisiana, Texas, California

 Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender,-Philadelphia PA.

 Founding Partner-Alexander & West Attorney's at Law.

Daughter of Olivia's Older Half Brother, James West... Olivia's Niece

Married to Nelson East.

Nelson Sean East

Graduated, West Catholic High School-Philadelphia PA.

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law- St. Johns University, New York City
Psychology Minor...

J.D. -St. Johns University Law School, New York City..

Passed The Bar , New York, Pennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey, Texas, California 

Speaks Spanish , French and Russian Fluently...

Worked as Public Defender, -Philadelphia PA.

 Associate Attorney at Robert Foxworth and Associates.

Associate Attorney at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law.

Married to Beverly West

Donnie Ray Alexander

Born and Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Educated in New Orleans Public Schools..

Associates Degree- New Orleans Community College-Administration of Justice, Pre Law

Homicide Detective, New Orleans Police Department, Retired.

Principal Investigator, Alexander and West Attorneys at law-Philadelphia PA.

Married to Olivia Bennett

Also a semi-professional musician

Josephine Boyd

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Raised in Red Hook Section of New York City 

Bachelors of Science, Architecture from Fisk University

Master in Business Administration- University of Pennsylvania.

Para -Legal -Alexander & West Attorneys at law.

JD- Drexel  University Law School..

Passed the Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware, New York, Texas, California

Associate Attorney-Alexander & West, Attorneys at Law, Philadelphia.

Married to Paris Boyd

Bresha Billips

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice,/ Trial advocacy /Pre Law- Lasalle University, Philadelphia PA.

J.D.- Middleton Law School, Bayside ,Pennsylvania.

Passed the bar, Pennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey, New York, California.

Speaks Spanish and French Fluently...

Associate Attorney at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law...

Married to Attorney Tony Billips.

THE OFFICE OF ASSSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY NICOLE EDWARDS

"The important thing to know Chelsea is before beginning  any trial, know everything you can about opposing counsel." said ADA Nicole Edwards to her young intern, Attorney Chelsea Lake..

"I knew about Olivia and Beverly before you got this case...I think everybody has...They've got quite an extensive history in this town, I just didn't know all of this personal stuff about them like Beverly is actually her niece and she's married to Nelson East, the only male attorney on the team...and Olivia is married to that handsome investigator...No wonder he stares at her so lovingly at times when she's talking or so lustfully at other times...He adores her." said Chelsea.

"They prepare well, so we've got to prepare well.. They've got an advantage over us.. They have a good investigator.. and we....We have Lt. Arthur Tragg of Homicide..  He has given us a razor thin case...It's like Cotton Candy , tastes good but no substance or value.. We have a motive.. The dead guy, a piece of crap if ever there was one.. was blackmailing the doer...She used to be a pro...back in Atlantic City....I almost admire her...raised by a single mother.. Deadbeat dad, who was barely around.. She managed to finish school and parlay her earnings into an education...Community College, Montclair State College and Rutgers Law School...I imagine she wanted to get as far from her old life on the Atlantic City Streets as possible...She meets a man who she thinks will take her away from all that and it turns out he's a degenerate gambler on the hook to the same guy who is blackmailing her, threatening to expose her past life to the world... This guy murders and robs her fiance and it appears she snaps, murders him..

I so feel for this girl....If she hadn't of killed this guy...I'd buy her a beer.. but the case against her is razor thin." said ADA Edwards..

"You have three eyewitnesses." said Chelsea.

"They didn't really see her shoot the man...They heard two loud gunshots, they saw her at the door..Outside in the hallway , screaming and then running.. Not one of them saw her with a  gun and we haven't found a murder weapon... The police searched the dumpsters in the entire area and the sewers...They found guns..but not thee gun... See? We need more.. What we have isn't enough.. And speaking of Tragg...When we are in court...I want you to sit in between me and him... The man has a  thing for me and I'M NOT INTERESTED...He follows me, stalks me.. He's walked up on me and my boyfriend two times and last night...I thought I saw him outside my window...watching me undress..

He's a freak and a pain in the ass...I don't want his grubby little hands up my skirt, rubbing my legs.." she said.

"Oh My God...What a pest!" said Chelsea.

At the moment.. Lt. Tragg was in Sam Mother's Diner...Having Breakfast..

His usual, Fried Eggs, Hash browns, Sausages and Hot Coffee.

He was livid!  Once again.. someone on our team had discovered our tracking device and palmed it off on a random car, a car that belonged  to ADA Nicole Edwards, "the wide load"as her old colleagues in Homicide now called her..

She had been a brilliant and very successful Homicide Detective, working her way up to Sergeant while putting herself through law school at night...and leaving the force once she passed the bar..She also lost her incredible figure and put on a considerable amount of weight...Now she was an Assistant District Attorney, who still had incredibly large breasts, but was far too heavy for him to take serious anymore..

Last night instead of trailing newly freed murder suspect,

Attorney Khadijah Barnes, a very attractive woman he would have loved to have seen in her panties and bra...he wound up on a different side of town..staring at Nicole Edwards undressing.

He was stunned... He had now seen way more of her than he wanted to... Just wait, Just wait until he ran into Olivia and her husband and that bunch...Just wait..he thought to himself.

Just thinking about us and how we must be laughing at him drove him nuts...

In fact at the moment, he was the farthest thing from our minds..

"Come and get it..Dig in folks." said Alfreda.  She and Olivia had made Pancakes this morning..

"I so look forward to these breakfasts with you guys... I'm glad we started this tradition." said Olivia, who along with Beverly and Nelson missed out on a good breakfast many mornings when they were Public Defenders.. She loved having her own firm  and living on top of it and being able to have breakfast with her staff on the days when they weren't in court.

"Mmmmmmm dig in...I hope we made enough Pancakes." I said, smiling.

We had a stack of Pancakes, Sausages, Hash Browns, Milk and Orange Juice.

And everybody had healthy appetites..

"Ummmmmmmmm I sooo needed this..I was starving." said Beverly...

"I think we both needed this. After what we did last night " whispered her husband, Nelson.to her...

Beverly giggled and softly rubbed Nelson's knuckles.. Thinking about last night and everything they did..

She sighed and looked lovingly at her husband..

''Pass me the sausages Bree." said Josie.

''Here you go." said Bresha, who was so glad to be a part of us.. So glad to be eating breakfast Monday through Thursday, sometimes Friday with us and working in this comfortable enviroment.. She could walk to work, didn't have to drive or commute and worked at a Black owned..Black female run law firm where most of the attorneys were not too much older than her... She never imagined life like this in her wildest years.

We all were sipping our hot coffees after our breakfast...

We had a Heavy day ahead of us...

II-

Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha were busy doing their research in the law library today... Doing the usual.. Looking up predicates, laws pertaining to the case, and simular cases... Nelson was helping them with witness statements and looking at evidence and autopsy reports.

"Auntay says that they are speeding up cases because it's getting close to the holidays." said Beverly...

"I know that's why I'm in here with you guys today.. I expect some help looking at the jury pool." said Nelson with a smile.

"Oh I'll definitely help you Nelson." said Josie.

"It'll be different working in the other part." said Bresha.

"It'll be good training for you guys...I've already worked in there with him." said Beverly.

Bresha, Beverly and Josie , Joined Nelson and Olivia in the Media Room...This was exciting for Josie and Bresha, because they didn't spend a lot of time in here.

"This is a potential jury pool..All of these people on the monitors.. Donnie Ray has already vetted them and done breakdowns on them... What I do is decide what kind of juror we want, who best fits our narrative...It's not an exact science." said Nelson.

''Nelson has been doing this for me since we've been working together...I was working with him without the benefit of an investigator as we have now or all this scientific equipment... Algorithms and the like...So Ladies, consider yourselves fortunate...This helps him do his job even better and for this trial..We all have an equal say in the jury we are going to pick, if this trial goes to a jury."explained Olivia. 

"It would be nice if we could win it in the preliminaries.." said Bresha.

"Yes it would, but outside of the real killer showing up and confessing...I wouldn't bet on that."said Beverly.

"We don't even have a suspect identified." said Josie..

"But neither do the police...Our whole thing is that this is a rush to judgement..." said Nelson.

"That is correct..This is our strategy...They've got to prove that she did it.. put the gun in her hand..and I don't think they can do that." said Olivia.

A little while later...Olivia gave Khadijah and update on her case's progress via the portal.

"Khadijah, my team is working at warp speed on your defense...they are speeding up cases because it's getting close to the holidays.We are going to have you in court in a matter of days...Can you tell me anything about that night...Anything that could help us?? They don't have prints or any DNA forensic evidence linking you to the crime and the police have failed to uncover the murder weapon believed to be a Nine Milimeter, which I don't think a person with your small frame could even handle." said Olivia.

"Well, I heard the two shots the minute I got off the elevator...and I heard the back stairs door slam...I walked up to the room and I saw Elon Gentry on the floor, staring at the ceiling...He had a big hole in the middle of his head and one in his chest and blood was just oozing out...I screamed and I ran to the backstairs door..we were up 18 floors....I heard footsteps a few floors down running also.. and I heard the back door open and slam before I got to it...but I didn't see anybody...right then, I just wanted to get out of there."said Khadijah...

"You probably heard the killer...Beverly and I  saw you stop and heard you scream...We ran up to the room assessed the situation and escaped through the service elevator..." I said.

"I think the killer was a woman...and whoever she was , was wearing a very nice fragrance...I recall smelling it as I got closer to the door."said Khadijah...

"That's all very important...Very Important...Remember all of that!" said Olivia.

"Lunch is here folks." said Alfreda as seven Hoagies's  and  Cole Slaw we ordered was delivered..

"After Lunch we'll look at those jurors some more  with you honey bunny." said Beverly...

"Thank you..."said Nelson..

"You know we got you." said Josie, who had come to see Beverly ,Nelson and Bresha as siblings

she never had...

"Most definitely..." said Bresha, who also saw Beverly, Nelson and Josie as older siblings she never had.

They often refferred to Olivia and me as "Mom and Dad" , even though we were only Nine years older than everyone except Bresha... we were 13 years older than Bree...

Khadijah was there by herself.. She lay in bed...remembering the last time she was with her fiance, Chris.

They were at his Olde City Condo...just a few days before he was murdered...

They began kissing passionately....

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm girrrrrrrrrrl" Chris moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU CHRIS!" she moaned softly.. in between kisses.

He slipped her dress off of her.....She unzippered his trousers and slipped his shirt and undershirt off..

They fell up against the wall kissing...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...OHHHHHHHHHHHH! KHADIJAH" he moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! CHRIS!!!" she cooed softly...

H slipped her panties down and off... He hadn't had any sex in four days...He had been away on business in Atlantic City...He was very excited and she could  tell..

"Chris, your penis, your penis is shaking...You must be very excited." she said, Stroking him gently

"Yes....it's been awhile....Four Days." he said.

"It's been the same for me too! OUUUUUUUU!" she cooed.

"AWWWWWWWWWWW LAWDDDDD!" he moaned.

"Slip my panties to the side.." she said.

Chris slipped them all the way off.

He lifted her petite body up and began long stroking her.... her body began trembling... She had a quick, intense orgasm right away...

"WOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she screamed.

He placed her on the bathroom sink and began thrusting into her slowly and kissing her softly...

She stared into his eyes...Tears flowed down her face and her body began to tremble slowly again...

She began crying like a baby...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU CHRIS!!! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

MYYY GODDDDDDDD!" she screamed out!

She mounted him on the side of the bed and rode him, continuing to stare in his eyes and kiss him...

She rode him cowgirl style on  top of the bed... He was nearly delerious..

"AWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWWD!" he screamed out....pumping his fists...

He humped her across the bed....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu baby!" he moaned.

"Chris  UMMMMMMMM!" she cried out..

They made sweet sweet love for the next NINE TO TEN HOURS....enjoying each other immensely..

"OUUUU CHRIS I LOVE YOU!" she cooed.

"I love you too baby!" he said.

They finished  the night , Sleeping soundly on top of each other.

That was a sweet memory ...Their last night together.  a few days later.. Chris was shot dead!!!

III-

I went back to the Hotel where Elon Gentry was gun downed...

The room was still a crime scene..I had a court order from a Judge that said as an investigator for the defense, I had permission to look over the crime scene...The blood was now dried and still within the chalk line..

Someone had knocked on the door... Elon Gentry had opened the door and obviously knew who he was letting in...Perhaps he was expecting this person.. He had no idea that Khadijah was coming..They had another place they were supposed to meet.

Anyway, this person took two steps inside, judging by the trajectory of the shots and fired two close rounds...The Kill shot to the head and the double tap to the chest...Meaning the shooter might have had a military background..

The Police report said the only fingerprints in the room belonged to Gentry and the  housekeeper who made the beds up in the morning and supplied clean linens.. She was long gone by now..A solid alibi.

The killer didn't have to touch anything..they came in and immediately shot and killed Gentry and then escaped out the back steps... The Police found no prints on the back door..I walked out the back door and down the stairs the entire way both girls ran... When I got to the door, I could still smell the strong perfume the killer must have been wearing..I agreed with Khadijah..The killer was a woman and she was about five foot six..She left no prints or forensic evidence behind and probably still had that gun with her since the police didn't find it.

I asked a couple of people at the front desk if Mr. Gentry had had any visitors during his two week stay.. One guy mentioned one woman...An Angel Peterson...He described her as being a Black woman , about 5ft. 5 or 6 inches tall, petite...He said she always came with a small briefcase...

I was surprised Lt. Tragg and or one of his men hadn't asked this question...then again, why should I be surprised.?

The next day at our home..

Olivia was talking to Khadijah on the Portal..

"Khadijah do you know an Angel Peterson from Atlantic City ,maybe from your past life?" asked Olivia.

"Nope, can't say that I do."said  Khadijah.

"I went back to the hotel, I studied the room...and I asked a few questions.. The desk cler told me that Elon Gentry had a visitor, a young black man about your height and build named "Angel Peterson " , who visited him twice in the month before with a briefcase.... I showed him your photo and he said it definitely was not you...He said this woman was a little darker skinned than you.."|    I said.

"Beats me.. I don't know her...but I assume, Elon was blackmailing a lot of people. Not just me and Chris." said Khadijah.

"Funny thing about this Angel Peterson..There is no record of her birth in Philadelphia or anywhere in New Jersey or Deleware...No school records , no nothing.. Her social security number belongs to someone who died in child birth and there is no employment records before a year ago... This Person works at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange has two credit cards and a debit card...and a bank account totalling close to 50K , but no prior job to justify that kind of money... Monday I'm going to check her out." I said.

"All of that sounds pretty shady..." said Beverly....

"I'll say...either she's in witness protection...or she herself is running from something or someone and forged a new identity that Elon Gentry must have discovered," said Nelson...

"Witness Protection!! WOWWWW, That's so cloak and dagger.." said Josie.

"She's not in Witness Protection.. I spoke confidentially to a friend in the FBI

and another friend in the U.S. Attorneys Office.. The Feds never heard of her." I said.

I didn't say any names.. but Olivia knew the two individuals I talked to.

''Wowwww this case gets more murkier as it goes on.."said Bresha

"We didn't get interesting and fun cases like this until we met Donnie Ray." said Beverly smiling..

"Well at any rate...just relax...We will be ready Monday to begin the Preliminary hearing...We'll see what the Prosecution has... I suspect a lot less than we do...It's Friday...We'll see you tomorrow at Zoey's place for the Seafood Get together."said Olivia smiling..

"Thanks Liv and thanks for everything you guys are doing for me...I'm glad you guys got me out in time for this..I wouldn't want to have missed this."said Khadijah, smiling faintly...

"Be of good courage baby..."said Olivia, signing off.

The train was pulling into the station two blocks away... Our  neighbors had completed a day of work and were headed home.. We could see them coming around the corner.... Jazzy, her husband Dabnis, Tony, Cousin Kayla, Ray, Paris, Jessica and Chip.. They were all laughing and talking.

"We don't have any plans tonight...We're staying in, Netflix and Chill." said Jazzy.

"We gettin old.. the cold weather didn't used to keep us in."laughed Dabnis..

"I'm gonna take Bree to the Food Court and get a couple of slices..Then we are turning in and turning up.."said Tony.

"We are probably going to order some food if we get hungry...but we are staying in too!"said Kayla.

"Yeah we are al geared up for tomorrow." said Ray.

"Us too, but I think I'm gonna take Jo to the Food court, grab some burgers.."said Paris.

"I wish they had a Mexican Restaurant around here.."sighed Jessica.

"Baby...when we get home.. I'll get the car and we'll find you one okay?" said Chip..

"You are sooo sweet papi."said Jessica.

Our friends, Yvette, Keith, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil, Jade and Virginia were coming around the corner too.

"I can't wait until that seafood get together tomorrow."said Ms. Yvette.

"Yeah...I'm happy for Khadijah...Lucky for her Olivia and Beverly got her out on bail...It would have been such a bummer if she had missed this."said Keith..

"I know..Lt. Tragg almost ruined it for her."said Bee Bee.

"Doesn't he always... I'm glad he didn't see any of us or Khadijah this week.."said Sofia.

"It must drive him nuts..That he doesn't see any of us...for days, weeks at times and doesn't know where we work.."said Kahlil.

"I know..If not for the C&D..He'd bother Olivia and Bev more..." said Jade.

"I know right...he's such a pain."said Virginia..

Jetty was paying no attention to the conversations...he was lustfully looking at his new wife and drooling over her sexy body and the tight form fitting dress she was wearing..

Rockland yawned.. he had had a successful week ,all he was thinking about was cuddling up with Alfreda..

Olivia peered out of the window..

"Ladies, your husbands are here.. See you guys tomorrow." she said..

Toni Paris and Rockland were crossing the street..

'See you guys tomorrow!" said Bresha.

"Bev, Nelson, Donnie Ray, Liv, see you guys tomorrow." said Josie.

"Good night everybody."said Alfreda.

IV-

SATURDAY-

"Come in...Come In and welcome to our home..Some of you...This is the first time here...I hope it won't be the last..."said Zoey..who lived six blocks away from all of us..

''Come in guys.. I hope you brought the cards.."said Lem..

"Hi Everybody.."said Khadijah...

"Looks like we are the first ones here." said Olivia, smiling..

"More food for us to eat." I said.

"Hi Zoey, Khadijah.." said Beverly...

"Heyyyyyy everybody."said Nelson..

"I used to hate being the first ones at a party... but now I don't mind." said Josie.

"That's because you're in a group..We are the first ones.."said Paris..

"Heyyyyy Khadijah, Ms. Zoey, Mr. Lem."said Bresha..

"Heyyyyyy everybody."said Tony.

This was Alfreda and Rockland's first time here...

"Zoey girl, your house is gorgeous." said Alfreda looking around.

"We brought cards and Beer." said Rockland.

Rockland bought two decks of cards and two cases of Beer.

"Hi Guys..we brought Soda." said Kayla.

as she and her husband, Ray brought in cases of  Cokes.

"Heyyy Zoey, Dabnis and I brougt the sandwich tray like you asked."said Jazzy 

who with her husband Dabnis was coming in behind us...

with meats and cheeses of all types. Mayo, Mustard , relish and tomatoes ,lettuce, onions, pickles and hard rolls for sandwiches...

'We brought Beer. and cards." said Jessica and Chip, coming in behind, Jazzy and Dabnis.

"We went out last night and picked up the beer...we almost forgot." said Chip.

"Heyyy everybody " said Yvette and Gary..

'What's goin on?" said Gary...

"Heyy Guys."said Keith

"Hi Lem, Ms. Zoey, Khadijah."said Bee Bee.

"Hi Lem, Ms. Zoey, Khadijah."said Sofia.

"Hi Lem, Ms. Zoey, Khadijah."said Kahlil.

"Hello everyone." said Jade..

"Hey everybody." said Danny Ho.

"Heyyyyyyyyyyy Loves." said Virginia with her new husband, Jetty..

"I brought Wine and Champaigne." said Jetty..

"Heyyyyyyyyyyy mannn, you're my hero..."laughed Lem patting Lem on the back.

They had a nice spread...There was plenty to eat...plenty to drink and multiple games of Pinocle, Spades and Poker being played..

Alexa played Classic and Current Hip Hop and Neo soul..

A good time was had by all..

Khadijah stood by herself and watched us all...She loved all of us...She loved the fellowship and how all of these people had helped her, had taught her and was now defending her on murder charges.. She would never forget this experience...Never...a tear ran down her face...

Halfway across town," Angel Peterson" AKA Christine Barrett waited on a street corner for an UBER..

She knew that the preliminary hearing for the girl accused of killing that rat bastard, Elon Gentry went on trial Monday ...She felt bad that an innocent person was accused of this.. She shouldn't have been there...She just shouldn't have been there..she thought to herself.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)