Connecting The Dots

"Donnie Rayyyyyy , We've got to go back downstairs....before people think we are up to something." cooed Olivia as she and I kissed passionately......

"We are up to something....I'm Kissing you." I said as I held her in my arms and kissed her...

"I knowwww and we can't be up here doing this while they're working so hard to finish up this case...now come on before you have my clothes off and we wind up back in beddddd, come on nowwwwwww.." she begged....

as we continued to kiss softly...
 

"I've got something to tell you...About the case." I said..

"Tell me when you come downstairs....After you've uh gotten yourself together." said Olivia ,pulling out of my embrace and smiling as she headed back downstairs..

I stood there staring at her...and smiling...

While Downstairs-

In the Law Library... Beverly, Josie and Bresha were as usual researching Laws, Predicates and Like cases related to this  and going through the old case files, autopsy reports and crime scene reports and photos...They were finishing up their preparation for the upcoming preliminary hearing.

..

"We've established a firm alibi and an alibi that will hold for Emille on the night of the murder.."said Beverly...

"And that and the fact that they don't have motive, nor opportunity bodes real well into our favor.....Just like last time....Lt. Tragg really screwed the pooch with this one...He did absolutely no investigation at all Didn't check an alibi , Nothing...We can win this one in the preliminary and force him to do an investigation."said Josie.

"We have enough for a preliminary win here....He clearly got the wrong man... I wonder what's holding up that DNA information/  I'll check again today." said Bresha.

Next door in our  Media Room,

Nelson had finished picking potential jurors and had prepared questions for them..

He too had been looking at Case files, Autopsy Reports and Crime Scene Photos and Reports 

"Got our Jury all picked out Liv.... Let's put our heads together and begin a trial strategy." he said.

"Great work......Everybody in the conference room, Donnie Ray has something to tell us." said a smiling Olivia..

In the Conference Room, I addressed the guys...

"I was looking at the Case files and I remember seven years ago Lt. Tragg did interview one of Emille's employees...A Lester Terrell, his right hand man.. Assistant Manager... That was the guy who told him that the Tulips that were found in the first victim's hands were from Emille's Flower Shop....but he didn't know who had waited on her..  Employees from all three of Emille's Flower shops at thr time were interviewed by both Lt. Tragg and myself and not one could remember waiting on or seeing the woman..

I did some digging and found the wrapping on the flowers....They were from a different flower shop altogether.. The cashier said they were paid for in cash and gave a description of the man who paid for them and had them sent to the victim... It wasn't Emille...

Before the trial was even over.. Terrell quit and left Philadelphia. He moved to New Haven.... Get this..

in 2019, a young woman was found in New Haven in a park...She was Blonde, clad in only her panties and bra....in the middle of the winter with fresh Tulips in her hands.. The Case was never solved...And no one thought to call around and see if another like minded crime occurred somewhere else.

Guess what Terrell was doing in New Haven?? He was managing a flower shop....He left New Haven last year and returned to Philadelphia.. He's now Emille's district manager, managing all 10 of his flower shops for him....

It's funny how this guy returns a year ago and we've got another woman found with only her panties and her bra and tulips in her hands.. It fits a pattern don't you think? 

Anyway....I called Hazel and Marcy and told them to call the Medical Examiner's Office and their PD and compare the DNA samples they have with the Tulip Murder they had there in 2019. " I said.

"Oh My God....That's what you had to tell me?  I remember him...He was supposed to testify as a hostile witness for the prosecution...but he quit his job and left town before the trial was over.. ADA Dane was so disgusted at this point that he never had a fugitive warrant issued and Lester Terrell was forgotten about... He just vanished and nobody cared..."said Olivia.

"Yeah, I remember that guy too! Donnie Ray and I tried to talk to him...He was nice enough...but he wouldn't tell us anything.. He even lawyered up...remember?" said Nelson.

"He was so insignificant...We just overlooked him in the hoopla of the trial...So did everybody..."said Beverly...

"I wonder where he was the night of the murder?" asked Josie.

"I'm going to see if the Medical Examiner has made a hit on that DNA..." said Bresha...

"You know there was DNA taken in the first case.... The killer left saliva on the victim's bra...but he didn't finish the sex act .There was no semen and the DNA from his saliva wasn't a match for anyone..."said Olivia.

"Which just means he has no criminal record...Maybe he has amassed one since then..."said Beverly...

"Come on Bree...I'm going with you...We can stop and have lunch with our friends..."said Beverly..

"Yeah, I'll go too..." said Nelson..

"Me too!" said Josie.

"Where are they off to?" asked Alfreda..

"In Town...To the M.E.'s Office and then to the Bridge Building.." said Olivia..

"Guess I'll tidy up the Law Library and the Media Room.."said Alfreda..

"And after you finish that...You can go home for the day Freda...We're all done here.."said Olivia.

"Thanks Liv..."said Alfreda...

Olivia puled out her phone...

"I just sent Beverly a text....I told her and the others to eat lunch and dinner at The Bridge Building...I'm not cooking dinner tonight." she said... "I am giving my brilliant investigator husband a treat all his own." she said and winked..

I smiled raffishly...

"Ohhhhhhh myyyy!" I said.

She kissed me softly.....

"Let's go upstairs.." she said.

Upstairs, we would definitely be up to something..

"Come get your rewarddddddd!" Olivia cooed

"OH MY GOD!" I exclaimed..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" I moaned , throwing Olivia up against the wall and opening her blouse...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...I remember when you first moved here, before we got married , how many times a day we'd slip off up here and do the nasty.... I know Josie and my niece knew what was going on...."said Olivia.

"They know now..."I said.

"I don't carrrrrrrrrre..."said Olivia..

As we continued to kiss...and undress each other..

I slipped her panties down.....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu I remember you bought these at Bridget's Store in the Bayside Mall.." I said.

"You like them?" she asked.

"Of course I do..." I said. 

"Of course you do..." she said and smiled..

We stood there and kissed passionately........

Olivia scooped our clothes up and I followed her into the bedroom...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!"she cooed.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM"I moaned....

I lifted her up in the air and entered her slowly....She gasped...... 

"OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDD!!! UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" she said..

She rode me on the side of the bed as though her life depended on it...

and then we settled down in bed..for a nice  EIGHT TO NINE HOUR SESSION of sweet and slow ,uninterrupted lovemaking..

We didn't know Lt. Tragg's car was parked outside of our Office/Duplex or that he was on the door..

"OLIVIA!!! BEVERLY!!! DONNIE RAY!!! FRONT AND CENTER!!! OPEN THIS DOOR!! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE...I NEED TO TALK TO YOUUUUU!" he bellowed...

But Alfreda 

was home across the street,

 and Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha were in town...

and Olivia and I...

were upstairs making sweet love and not about to answer the door.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!"she cooed.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM"I moaned....

"OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDD!!! UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" she said..

"OPEN THIS DOOR , I KNOW YOU'RE UP THERE......I'LL BE BACK!! WITH A WARRANT!" Lt. Tragg  bellowed.

II-

Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha met with Dr. Hazel Baylor and Dr. Marcy Martin

They took them to the Lab Area...

Where they had somewhat good news...

"I tell you, your Donnie Ray is as sharp an investigator as they come  and I'm the wife of an elite detective...We compared the DNA from the semen in this girl's panties and the saliva on her bra to the saliva on the Bra in the last Tulip Murder in 2016 and we got a match....It's the same man, whoever that may be...He took a 7 year Haitus...At least from Philadelphia.  We called New Haven P.D. and we airmailed our DNA to them and guess what??? Our boy must have traveled....We got a DNA match with their crime....Apparently the same man who strangled the woman here in 2016, Strangled and Raped the woman in New Haven in 2019 and is responsible for this latest rape and strangulation here... If your guy is innocent...We are looking for a serial killer." said Hazel.

"WOW!!!   It frightens me that Lt. Tragg is involved in a case so serious.. He's arrested the wrong man once again and the real killer is among us and poised to strike again..."said Bresha.

''Well, unfortunately...It's his job to catch the killer not ours...We just want to prove our client innocent..We'll get you Emille's DNA sample."said Beverly.

"You don't have to...It's on file from 2016...Your Aunt had him submit a DNA sample....but the DA never had a comparison done...He was so sure he had the right man..."said Dr. Marcy Martin.

"Then he was as big a jackass as Lt. Tragg...A DNA comparison would have cleared this whole thing up...Please do a test...The Preliminary Hearing begins in two days..."said Nelson.

"It would be nice to wrap this up in the preliminary and be spared a long drawn out trial.

"I wish You guys luck!" said Hazel as they all left.

They headed to the Bridge Building...

where they had lunch with their neighbors and friends..

"Hi Husband..."said Bresha..

"Hey Sexy!" said Tony....

"Heyyyyy guys....Nice seeing you."said Jazzy...

"Just in the Area?" asked her husband, Dabnis...

"Not Really...Just out for the day...We just come back from the Medical Examiner's Office, getting a DNA report for our case." said Josie..

"That's right you're defending the allegeded "Tulip Killer" said Josie's husband and newly minted Para-legal, " said Paris.

"I can't believe Lt. Tragg would arrest the same man you guys acquitted seven years ago."said Jessica ,who was familliar with the case.

"Why can't you? Look who's on the case... It'll never get solved." said her husband, Chip.

"Hey Cousin." said Kayla, hugging Beverly...

"Heyyyyyyyyy Boo Boo." said Beverly, hugging Kayla.

"What's Good Ray?"said Nelson....

"You got the hot hand man...I can't stand it.."said Kayla's husband, Ray.

"HEYYYY BEVERLY, NELSON,JOSIE, BREE....Where is Olivia?" asked Ms. Yvette.

"Heyyy Ms. Yvette....She and Donnie Ray didn't make this trip...the four of us went to the M.E.'s Office for DNA information concerning our case."said Beverly...

"That's right you're defending the alleged "Tulip Killer" said Josie's husband and newly minted Para-legal, "said Keith Jones..

"Oh Yeah, the Tulip Killer...Didn't you guys get him off seven years ago??"I can't believe Lt. Tragg would arrest the same man you guys acquitted seven years ago."said Bee Bee.

"He's Lazy and he knows it makes good headlines..." said Sofia.

"You know he's really becoming a menace...."said Kahlil..

"Becoming? That Knothead has been a menace my entire time in Philadelphia."said Jade.

"You won't believe this...but I actually remember a time when he was a halfway decent cop....but that was a long time ago...He discovered he looked good on TV giving interviews and that took a back seat to actually doing a thorough investigation..."said Virginia..

'Who said he looks good doing interviews?? I look good doing interviews.."said her husband, Judge Dukes..

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm yes you do Big Daddy!" cooed Virginia..

Giving him a wet sloppy kiss.

"Hello Beverly, Nelson. Josie and Bresha and spouses....So Nice to See you."said Karen Page.

"Hi we were out and about today and we figured we'd join you guys for lunch....possibly dinner."said Beverly...

"Hello Everybody ." said Nelson..

Josie, Paris, Bresha and Tony smiled and waved...

"Hey Bev, Josie, Nelson, Bree...Nice to see you guys."said Natalie..

"Hey Guys...." said her husband, David.

"Always a pleasure ." said Brooke

"Hey Guys." said her husband, Sean.

They continued and had a nice lunch and dinner...

HOURS BEFORE-

THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY- FRANCIS DANE-

Assistant District Attorney Francis Dane was eating her lunch...A Corn Beef Special an assistant had run over to Sam Mother's diner and gotten for her..

and some ice tea....

She had just finished looking over the case files of the past Tulip Murder trial and this present case..

Lt. Tragg walked in and sat down... He had asked her to have dinner with him three times and three times she had turned him down...There also was no repeat of the night a few nights before when she had come over his house and the middle of the night and they had made crazy love into the morning hours...

He had been calling her up asking when they could get together again.

"How have you been kid?  You haven't returned my calls or texts..." said Lt. Tragg..

''Arthur, I'm studying this case.. You appear to have less evidence against this man than you had during the first case... The Killer is either left handed or he uses his left hand...Emille Slaughter is right handed...Why was the DNA not tested and compared in the first case??  I ordered a DNA comparison yesterday and guess what I found out? Olivia's investigator already ordered one .....He's on the ball...He's interviewed all of Mr. Slaughter's employees too!" said Fran..

"I know...Everywhere I went yesterday, He had been there already."said Lt. Tragg angrilly....

"He's on the ball...He's doing his job.....I need you to get on top of this...This man was at The Egyptian Club and he left at 3:03 AM...He took an UBER...but we don't know what the dead woman did after 1:03 AM...That was the last known charge on her credit card..Did you know that?  Please tell me you did! If you didn't ,it's okay. Donnie Ray and Olivia's Niece were already there a few nights ago, asking questions and looking at tape.....Find out where  Hazel Nelson  went , who she left with...Who she associated with...Go to the Egyptian Club...The Preliminary is in two days....I don't want to look like a fool."said Fran Dane..

Lt. Tragg certainly didn't like her praising me or any other investigator over him..

"Now in other news....When are you and me going to get together huh?" said Lt. Tragg, pulling her towards him and kissing her .. 

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SWEEEET BABY!"he moaned in between hot smoldering kisses.

Running his hands up her skirt.....

She pulled away from him...Removed his hands and fixed her clothes......

"Arthur, you help me get a conviction and I'll spend a weekend with you....Now please get out there and get me some more evidence...Something I can win this case with." she said softly...

''Anything you want baby." he said, smiling at her salaciously..

Which explained why a little while later , He was angrilly banging on our door and ringing the bell demanding an audience with us...He was Livid that I had beat him to the punch in interviewing witnesses and getting witness statements and ordering a DNA test....Angrier still that the present woman of his desires praised me ,over him for the investigation I was doing.

"OLIVIA!!! BEVERLY!!! DONNIE RAY!!! FRONT AND CENTER!!! OPEN THIS DOOR!! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE...I NEED TO TALK TO YOUUUUU!" he bellowed.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!! DONNIE RAYYYYYY...OUUUUUUU"Olivia cooed.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM"I moaned..

If he had listened hard enough he might have heard the bed squeaking and the headboard of our bed rattling a little bit.

And Olivia  having an intense orgasm...."OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDD!!! UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" she cried out with tears streaming down her face....

And of course , Olivia and I were upstairs in our bedroom making sweet love with no intention of stopping to answer the door for him...

III-

THE NEXT NIGHT-..

It was "Couples Night" at Curley's Bar- But we all decided that we didn't feel like being bothered by Lt. Tragg..We all wanted a relaxing night of just relaxing with our spouses...

All of us were at seperate tables for two that we had pulled together in the center of the bar... We had arrived early before the Hipster crowd gathered...

"This is sooooooo nice Donnie Ray...It's not Curley's with the Discounts...but it's nice and cozy "said Olivia.

"Being with you makes it nice....buttttt I still miss the discounts." I laughed.

Beverly and Nelson were sitting right across from us....

"I miss the discounted drinks too Donnie Ray...but, we went to three "Couples Nights" while Lt. Tragg was on the boat..Maybe he'll do something unhinged and wind up back on the boat. again."said Beverly.

"Or Better yet, He finally gets fired and is out of our lives for good." laughed Nelson...

"That would be nice..."said Josie..

"Yeahhhh" laughed Paris.

Bresha and her husband were having a completely different conversation...

"Look at us....Married..both practicing attorneys...Homeowners....and we got all of these great friends...It's like an extended family." said Bresha.

"It doesn't get any better than this...Most of us work across the street in that great building...No stress and commute home every day on the train...and when we hang out...We got these nice comfortable buses to transport us..So Nobody worries about a DUI....This is heaven." said Tony, rubbing his wife's hands..

"I miss the discounted drinks at Curleys on "Couples Night" ,but I don't miss that whining, bellowing, insulting Keystone Copper.." said Alfreda...

"Nobody does....I'd rather pay for the drinks here than go through that foolishness with Lt. Tragg."said her husband, Rockland..

''We spend a lot of time in here.."said Yvette.

''As much as we all used to spend in Josies....But considering this spot is across the street from where you guys work and it's pretty cool ..I can understand that." said Gary..

"I like this place..but I like Josie's more." said Keith Jones..

"I like this place because it's close to work.. and it's convenient...Three meals across the street and then drinks here."laughed Bee Bee.

"And No Lt. Arthur Tragg."laughed Sofia.

"I wonder where old sour puss is anyway." said Kahlil..

''Somewhere wondering where we all are and why he doesn't see us that much anymore." said Virginia.

"What a bum!" remarked Jetty...

"I see him almost everyday...I work with him."said Danny Ho.

"Oh You Poor Baby!" laughed his wife...Jade.

"I've got a client who says he can get us all tickets to the big show at Oceans Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City in a few weeks...Bev and Kayla said they'd look into room rates and if all us can get rooms together like we did recently...We could all go down to AC in the Buses...Wouldn't that be cool?" said Jazzy.

"Yeah, that would be good...Who is this client? Is he rich?" asked her husband, Dabnis..

"He's Loaded..He has a crush on Jazzy..."laughed Kayla...

The three of them laughed...

"I've got a crush on you Boo Boo." said Ray....

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww that's sooooo sweet.."laughed Jessica.

Her husband...Chip just smiled.

"I won't drink as much tonight....No Discounts..."said Zoey ,who met us there...

''That's good...I won't have to carry you to bed, like I do  after "Couples Nights" at Curleys..." laughed her husband..Lem.

Brooke cracked up laughing upon hearing that...

So did her husband, Sean.

Natalie was the happiest....She had a husband and she enjoyed being part of this large group of friends..

She sat in her husband's lap and draped her arms around her husband, David..

Her husband David sat quietly, looking content.. There was lots of drinks amongst us....

Our client, Emille Slaughter walked in the bar... His Hotel was at Penns Landing...Not Far from the Bridge Building and Here...So He was keeping a low profile..He and Brenda walked in holding hands... With them was another man who I recognized....It had been 7 years....The Elusive Lester Terrell.

"Heyyyyyy Everybody....Full House tonight.." said a smiling Emille , who had only seen us by Portal for awhile.

"Heyyy Liv, Beverly, Everyone."said Brenda, who knew all of us..

Lester Terrell said Nothing...

"Hi Emille, We are all ready to go to trial , to get this over with once and for all."said Olivia..

I said Nothing... I stared at Lester Terrell though..

I could tell it was making him nervous.

"You Remember Les...He used to work for me , then he left for the greener pastures of New Haven.

Well he's back now and my right hand man...Helping me run my businesses."laughed Emille.. He decided to hang out with us tonight."he said.

They Ordered Beers..

A Man came out with two large trays that featured Fried Shrimp and Fried Chicken

Much to everyone's delight.....

"Hey Liv, Heyyyy Vettie...I see you girls are out with your whole crew and then some..."said Brenda.

"We come here quite a bit...Especially on Saturday Morning....They have an incredible Brunch..." said Olivia.

"You guys still go to Josie's for "Super Brunch?" asked Brenda.

"Sure do.....You ought to join us..." said Yvette..

At the Bar Lester and Emille Talked..

"That's some girl you got there Emille....She's pretty...I imagine she's hell in bed huh?" asked Lester..

"Oh My God , she has me climbing the walls...She's Incredible...Say Les....How come you don't have anybody?  Don't you ever date?  Or you still use Escort services??" asked Emille.

"Uhhhhh Nah man...I don't mess with whores anymore.....I-I uh am not currently seein anyone, but uh I had a steady in New Haven....Uh it just didn't uh er ruh work out..."said Lester Terrell.

"Relax...Relax...Do you man.....When it's right..you'll find someone..."said Emille...

Beverly and Bresha walked up to the Bar..They ordered Beers  and smiled at Emille..

Lester  took a liking to both of them....He loved their shapely legs and hips and bountiful breasts..

"OUUUUUU LA LA...NOW THERE IS SOME BROWN SUGAR!!" he said after they left with their beers.

"Get your mind off of them...They're both my lawyers...ANDDDD more importantly, THEY'RE HUSBANDS ARE SITTING OVER THERE." laughed Emille pointing to Nelson and Tony..

sitting at their tables , waiting for their wives.

"Married huh? Lawyers Huh?  All of the smart and pretty ones are married huh?" said Lester..

"I suppose." said  Emille.

We all drank and relaxed the rest of the night.

IV-

The Next Morning...

We were at our Office/Duplex having Breakfast...

Alfreda, Olivia and I, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha...the staff...

Hot Coffee was being poured for everybody...

French Toast and 

sausage was being placed on plates...

"Okay everybody, Dig in.."said Alfreda.

Nelson hugged Alfreda and kissed her on the cheek..."Mmmmmmm something smells good." he said.

"That's either me or this food."joked Alfreda.

Beverly laughed...hugged her mother and said "It's both mommy."

"Everything looks delicious.."said Olivia as she took her seat..

"YESSSSSSSSSSSS!" said Josie.

"Donnie Ray, Beverly and I have a surprise for you."said Bresha.

"Oh? and what is that?" I asked.

She placed Three Glasses on the table.

"These are three Beer glasses from last night.. Three Beer Glasses That Lester Terrell drank from.. His Saliva and fingerprints are on them...We snatched them up while we were at the bar buying beers last night...He was so drunk, he didn't notice."said Beverly...

"OH WOW!!! THIS IS MAJOR!! We have his DNA to compare against the DNA on both murdered girls."said Olivia

"And the murdered woman in New Haven.....Beverly, Bresha....THANK YOU!!!  THIS IS SOOOO MAJOR!   I HADN'T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT HOW I WAS GONNA GO AT HIM....I'm going to get this to the M.E.'s Office this morning." I said.

"The Preliminary begins Monday......We'll at least see what the prosecution has and it's not much...by the time it's our turn we'll know if we have a match or not."said Josie.

"They don't have motive or opportunity and we can prove a solid alibi....We can take this to a jury if need be and win again just like we did in 2016."said Nelson..

"That is the plan." said Olivia.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)