The Heart Of The Matter

 PRELUDE-

It had been a tempestuous trial...

Defense Attorney  Justin Brown had been vigourously defending his client, Sonya Lopez-

A mute Brazillian Born domestic accused of murdering two elderly women she was taking care of and making off with 200 large of their money... As of yet, the money hadn't been found at her residence or anywhere else... Neither had a murder weapon..

Although Ms. Lopez could not speak, She could hear perfectly and wrote down several times that she did not kill  either woman and certainly did not steal her money...

The Prosecutor, Asisstant District Attorney, "Hanging" John Wiltshire.. known for sending people to death row was asking for the death penalty in this case because it was a double homicide...

Justin Brown and he had argued , bickered throughout the entire trial like children to the point where this had gotten personal between the two men...

The Judge, Tamera Perry was equally exasperated with both men, but seemingly more exasperated with Justin Brown , at the end of the day she said sternly to him..

"Mr. Brown, I am fining you $5000.00 dollars..and another stunt like that and I am going to hold you in contempt and have you jailed...do you understand me?" she said.

"Yes your honor, I apologize your honor..." said Attorney Justin Brown....  That $5000.00 fine was going to clean his savings account out..He wasn't happy about that...He was extremely stressed and it showed in his face...He was sweating profusely...More so than he should be...

This brought a guffaw of laughter from Lt. Tragg, the arresting officer...who was enjoying the hell out of this case and was pleased with the ADA, Hanging John Wiltshire.

"His Kinda Guy"

"Due to the lateness of the hour, I am adjourning court for today...Court will resume tomorrow at 9:30 AM... Attorneys be on time and be ready for trial. Good Afternoon." she said.

He looked at Sonya and said..

"Hang in there...It'll be better tomorrow." he said.

She looked at him funny...

"Are You Alright? You don't look well.." she wrote on a piece of paper.

He smiled at her , before the sherriff's deputies came to escort her back to Valhalla Women's Prison...

"I'm fine doll...Just fine...I'll see you in the morning.." he said and walked out of the courtroom...

He walked out of the courthouse building... He felt hot, winded..He unloosened his tie...He felt dizzy and he felt chest pains... before he knew it...He had fallen down on the side walk...

He was breathing heavy....He pulled out his phone..

"Hello 911...My name is Justin Brown...I'm an attorney...uh I think I'm having a heart attack... Please send someone for me...immediately... I'm at the City Courthouse, outside on the ground...You can't miss me...Send someone quick! Please!" he said..

By the time an Ambulance arrived...He was still alive , but unconscious...A Small crowd gathered as he was  put in the ambulance...

and rushed to the hospital's emergency ward...

The next morning, the Judge declared a mis-trial...

ADA "Hanging John" Wiltshire immediately refiled charges.

FOUR DAYS LATER-

''Dig in Everybody breakfast is served..." said Alfreda..

We were having breakfast at our Office/Duplex

Alfreda, Olivia and I and even Beverly prepared breakfast this morning.. Everybody was famished and dug in.. 

''Alfreda , you make the best pancakes." said my wife, Olivia.

 

"Mmmmmmmmmmm everything looks and smells delicious if I don't say so myself." I laughed.

"Listen at you Mister Modest." joked Beverly.....

"Well you'll get no argument from me..." said her husband, Nelson..

"Of course not... Could you pour me some coffee please?" laughed Josie.

As Cups of hot steaming coffee was poured for everyone..

Bresha smiled.She was our newest member...She was overjoyed to be amongst us, be a pert of us..A Black owned, Black female run law firm and a small firm where she could stand out and wasn't swallowed by a corporate giant, which is what she had feared would happen to her..

Just as we all stared eating...The doorbell rang..

''Who could that be?" asked Alfreda who turned on our doorbell monitor..Every Home should have one.

It was Former Assistant District Attorney, Nina Rios, Now a Staff Attorney at the Women's Law Center.

"OH MY GOD!! IT'S NINA!  BUZZ HER IN!!  Come on up Nina!" said Olivia.

Nina walked up...She hugged her good friend, Olivia..

"Hi Olivia, Donnie Ray, Beverly, Nelson and Josie." she said. 

"Hiiiiiiiiiii Nina...Long time no see Lady." said Olivia.

 

"Heyyyyyyy Nina..." I said, hugging her..

"Heyyyy Nina.."said Beverly,also hugging her..

"Hi Nina." said Nelson, whose mouth was full of food.

"Hi Nina.... I don't know if you've met her, but this is Bresha, our newest Attorney...She's been with us about two years mow." said Josie.

"Two years? Has it been that long since we all hung out?" laughed Nina.

"Pleased to meet you." said Nina.

''And this is Beverly's mother, Alfreda...She is my office manager, business partner and confidant.."said Olivia, smiling and hugging Alfreda.

"I think we did meet a few years ago.."said Alfreda.

"I think so too..I heard in addition to this law firm you own a bus company and a catering business..

Olivia...you are something else..I knew you when you were a struggling young Attorney."laughed Nina.

"We all were struggling...Well come in, sit down, have breakfast with us... We have food and an extra plate...Sit down...What brings you by here?" asked Olivia.

Nina sat down... It would be the beginning of our next big case....

II-

''So what brings you out this morning Nina?" asked her good friend as she ate breakfast with us..

"I need your help Olivia and I can pay you." said Nina Rios.

"That is always nice."laughed Olivia.

"As you know....I work at the Women's Law Center....We were representing a Brazillian Immigrant named  Sonya Lopez...We were helping her get her American Citizenship...She is here on both a student visa and a work visa..  She was curently taking classes at Temple University and working as a caretaker in Chestnut Hill for two elderly well to do women.. They gave her glowing reviews... Somebody slit both of these women's throats and stole a large amount of money...Sonya was arrested and accused of the murders and the theft.. Sonya swears she didn't do it and was not even at work that day...Sonya has a problem...She is a Mute...She can't talk, but she can hear just fine... We got her a very good defense attorney...Justin Brown...He works for Cochran and Grace Attorneys at law.." said Nina. 

''Oh we know him..We worked a case with him just a few months ago." said Olivia.

 

"Yeah Nice Guy." I said.

"Real Knowledgable." said Beverly.

"He could afford to lose a couple of pounds though."laughed Nelson.

"Keep eating like you do and you're going to look just like him." joked Josie.

Bresha cracked up laughing...

"Leave him alone, Leave him alone....I like a man with a good appetite."laughed Alfreda.

''Well you're right...He should take care of his Health...He suffered a mild heart attack  a week ago during the trial and was rushed to the hospital, where he is in intensive care...The Judge called a mis-trial, but the ADA "Hanging John "Wiltshire refiled the charges immediately.. 

"Hanging John...I thought he had retired...He's still practicing eh?"laughed Olivia.

 

"I figured you guys would know a colorful charactor with a name like "Hanging John." I laughed.

"He hates our guts..Me, Auntay, Nelson and Jazzy all beat him in court at different times, when we were Public Defenders." said Beverly.

"They call him "Hanging " John because he has sent quite a few people to death row,,, One third of the Philadelphia inmates on Death Row in this state are there because of him." said Nelson.

''So let me guess..because this is a double homicide ,it is automatically a Capital Case right?" said Josie.

"It would be anyway...in this state."said Bresha.

"Bresha is correct...I went to visit him yesterday in the hospital....He wrote me a message...He said he'd like you guys to take over the case...So I come asking you if you represent this young lady...She is so close to gaining her citizenship...A Conviction would either send her to Death Row here or a Brazillian prison which is about as bad." said Nina..

"Oh My God.." said Alfreda.

"Of course we'll represent her...Where is she?' asked Olivia.

"She's at Valhalla..She has a tough Judge, Tamera Perry...Justin brought in 100 charactor witnesses..

She only allowed 25 to speak and she refused bail and had her sent back to jail..." said Nina.

"I don't know the Judge."said Olivia.

"I don't either." said Beverly...

"WHATTTTTTTTTT? I don't believe it!" I said, laughing..,.

"I know her!! I clerked for her father, The late Judge Theodore Perry shortly before I became a Public defender.. She was a young lawyer then , working for a big city law firm...She used to come around.."said Nelson...

"I knew one of you knew her.." I laughed...

Josie, Bresha and Alfreda all laughed....

"It's Wednesday....Why don't we ride up to Valhalla and meet with her and then file briefs to be her new attorneys?" said Nina.

"Sounds like a plan." said Olivia.

III-

VAHALLA WOMEN'S PRISON -Actually the city jail for women.

We parked in the parking lot and headed towards the inside. As a cop and now as an investigator for lawyers I reckon I had been inside as many jails as the perps I put there.

William "Bull" Bailey, former Philadelphia Homicide Lieutenant and Former Federal Investigator, now reduced to checking people in at the prison was there..,He admired Nina's sexy body...He hated every last one of us...He blamed us for his present situation...The loss of his prestigious job...We had defended our friend, Brooke Marks 

for a crime, he was guilty of...He lost his job and was living off of his two pensions and social security and the money he made from this job....It could have been worse..he could have gone to jail for what he did.. Nevertheless...he had a bad taste in his mouth when you mentioned Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Beverly West or anyone affiliated with them.

He spoke to Nina.

"Good Morning Nina." he said.

"Good Morning Bill." she replied.

 He said nothing to the five of us.

 

We weren't worried.. We just wanted to see our client.

Sonya Lopez smiled and she wrote on a piece of paper "HOLA NINA"

Nina smiled. "Hola Sonya... These are my friends, They will be your new lawyers.... 

This is Olivia Bennett-Alexander...

                                     "Hello Sonya."said Olivia.

Her husband, Donnie Ray Alexander....He's an Investigator..

"Hello Sonya." I said.

Her Niece, Attorney Beverly West- East.

"Hello Sonya." said Beverly..

Her Niece's husband, Attorney Nelson East..

"Hello Sonya." said Nelson.

"Attorney Josie Boyd.

"Hello Sonya...."said Josie.

"And Attorney Bresha Billips."said Nina finally.

"Hello Sonya." said Bresha.

Sonya wrote on the paper..

"Hello..I am pleased to meet you.   How is Justin?"

"I went to see him yesterday...He's still in intensive care...but he was conscious... He told me to tell you hello and not to worry about him...He was more worried about you." said Nina.

Sonia shed a tear....She then began writing....

"I did not murder those two dear sweet ladies...I loved them and they loved me...On the day in question ,I was not even at their home...I had school in the morning and then went and ate at a Bistro....Unfortunately, I  paid cash...but I was not there when they were murdered...and I certainly did not steal their money.....I didn't even know they carried that kind of cash on them.. They paid me by writing me checks , which I cashed at a check cashing location...I was going to start a bank account.. I don't have one. All the cash I own was in my purse, which is now in the evidence locker for this case. I tried to explain that to Lt. Tragg, but he would not listen."

"He doesn't listen to people who can talk.. He definitely wasn't going to listen to you..."said Beverly.,

"Should have known he was the arresting officer."said Nelson.

"Yeah this sounds like him all the way." said Olivia.

I had something to go on....Something to start with.....

"Okay Darlin.....you sit tight....We are going to go to work on your case.. We are going to get you out of here." promised Olivia.

Sonia wrote on a piece of paper...

"Thank you, Thank you for coming.." and she hugged Nina and each and every one of us...

"You're quite welcome Mami" said Nina.. " I sure wish I could get her out of here." she said to us. 

"Considering the severity of the charges , I doubt if you could've....Even if you "Night Courted " her.. It's a double Homicide..." said Olivia.

 

"And she's an Immigrant... That's Politics and the Court of Public Opinion going against you...

''We are going to start working on your case right away..."said Beverly.

''We still have time to go to court and file a motion for a new trial as her new attorneys." said Nelson.

"Yeah, it's just a little after one." said Josie.

''We can pick a whole new jury too!" said Bresha.

Bull Bailey watched attentively as we all left...He couldn't help but ogle all of the females in our group, including Nina.. He spoke to Nina , who he remembered from when she was an Assistant District Attorney, but he still said nothing to the five of us.

We'd had our day at the jailhouse.

It had been quite a  day...A Visit to the jailhouse, refiling briefs for a new case... I'm betting nobody thought Sonia would secure new counsel this fast...They might of thought she'd be languishing in jail waiting for her present attorney to recover from his heart attack.

"This was some day wasn't it Donnie Ray?" asked Olivia...

"Yeah...andddddd, it's about to get better...At least mine is.." said Donnie Ray.

"Ouuuuuu you are so horny....Do you mean to tell me that going to bed with me is the best part of your day?" she asked.

"Yes it is...I didn't want to say it..but since you asked." I said, laughing.

"Myyyyyyy goodness..I must admit I am flattered, but I don't think I'm all that good." said Olivia.

"You'd have to be a man to understand it.. Ask that horny judge always after you, hell ask Elwood even,." I said.

"If I was soo good, Elwood would still have me, he would have never of cheated on me.."said Olivia.

''Well Guess what? I'll never cheat on you and I intend to keep you as long as you'll have me." I said in between kisses.

 

"Awwwwwww Donnie Ray, you're making me cry...." she said..

We continued to kiss, she helped me undress.....

"Oh My godddd look at youuuuuu...OUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she exclaimed...and stroked me gently..

I slowly slipped her panties down...

"Myyyyyyyy wordd...young lady, what you wear under your clothes is simply scandalous.." I said in a fake English accent..

"You are so crazy Donny Ray. but these are new...glad you like them..."laughed Olivia.

I lifted her up and entered her slowly...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM  I like everything about youuuuuu" I moaned..

"I love to hear you moan.." she whispered in my ear.. "I love that I make you moan." she added..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" was all I could get out..

She moved up and down on me....driving me to near delirium...

And rode me cowgirl girl style on top of the bed..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....UMMMMMMMMMMM...UMMMMMMMMMMM!" I moaned.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU LAWWWWWWWWWD!

OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed..

I flipped her over and entered her slowly, softly....

"UMMMMMMPH." I moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" cooed Olivia, her petite body trembling something crazy, her head turning from side to side and tears running down the side of her face..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..WOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cried out.

"ENJOY YOUR DAY DONNIE RAY...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she yelled out...

"I DIDDDDDDDDDD!!!" I roared.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I'M ENJOYING THIS NIGHT....OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she screamed as I humped her over the bed...

"UMMMMM I'm enjoying this moment!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUU I AM TOOO!" she cooed...

For the next NINE TO TEN HOURS....Olivia and I were in total bliss.

We rested peacefully under a nice harvest moon...It was the calm before the storm...

Like wise downstairs..Beverly and Nelson were making a night of it..

"Come here my Knight in shining armour.. Take my clothes off!" whispered Beverly, softly to Nelson..

Nelson hugged Beverly and squeezed her...

They kissed slowly , softly....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU WITH PLEASURE!" said Nelson..

''OUUUUUUUU YOU ARE SOOO NASTY!" said Beverly.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU HUSBAND!" moaned Beverly.....

"HONEY BUNNNNN!" said Nelson.

Nelson slowly slipped her panties down and off..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU, YOU ARE SOOO SMOOTH WITH THAT!" Beverly said..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GODDDDD!BEVERLY....WHERE DID YOU GET THESE?? WOWWWWW!" said Nelson, who was more amazed that Beverly was wearing a pair of panties he had never seen her in before.

Beverly giggled... "I bought them the last time we went to the shore...Kayla ,Jazzy, Renee and Natalie bought an identical pair...just different colors." she said...

He lifted her petite body up and entered her slowly and gently... bringing her to a quick orgasm...She wrapped her arms around him and spread her legs even wider..Nelson was losing his mind....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM..OHHHH MY GODDDDDDD BEVERLYYYYYY!" he moaned.

Once more, he placed her on the batroom sink, spread her legs and entered her again, slowly and softly...She held him for dear life , while her body trembled.. and sweat and tears ran down the side of her face,,she couldn't believe she was having another orgasm..She kissed him softly....They finally made it to the bed,

He flipped her over and entered her slowly, softly, she stared at him in pure amazement...his size, his girth, and yet his gentleness with her...it led her to have a deep and intense orgasm that brought her to tears..

Beverly was so soft, so warm, smelled so good...She was driving Nelson crazy......He likewise was driving her crazy....causing her to have another deep and intense orgasm..

OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU HUSBAND!" moaned Beverly.....

"HONEY BUNNNNN!" said Nelson.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" she moaned loudly....

 For the next NINE TO TEN HOURS....Beverly  and Nelson were in total bliss...Making sweet ,sweet love. Neither could get enough of the other...Beverly stared in Nelson's eyes with amazement at his stamina...while her body trembled something fierce.

Beverly ended her night ,sleeping on top of her husband, who was already snoring loud...She smiled..

He had earned it tonight..

It was a beautiful night.

IV-

THURSDAY NIGHT- CURLEY"S BAR- COUPLES NIGHT-

Hanging John Wiltshire was sitting with Lt. Tragg, having beers..

"You won't believe this...but the Lopez Trial is back on..." he said.

"Fat Boy is out of the hospital already? I heard he was in pretty bad shape." said Lt. Tragg.

"No...She got herself some new lawyers...They filed court briefs today to take over the case...You'll never guess who?  Auntie and Niecey and company." said  Hanging John...

"WHATTTTTTTTTT?  I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT....I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEY'D FIND A WAY TO INSERT THEMSELVES IN THIS CASE!!! DAMN IT!" said Lt. Tragg.

"Speak of The Devil...Look whose coming in?" Said Hanging John..

"They all come in here every Thursday Night for that couples night special...They come on chartered buses and the buses come back and take them home...They all live on the same street."said Lt. Tragg.

"How careful is Olivia huh?" laughed Hanging John..

As he and Lt. Tragg quaffed down their beers..  They watched us attentively.. 

"Did you notice who was in here?" asked Olivia.

 

"Yeah ,I see Lt. Tragg.." I said.

"That guy he's sitting with is Hanging John Wiltshire....The Prosecutor we'll be going up against."said Beverly..

"I thought he had retired...Guess not." said Nelson.

"Can't win for losing huh?" said Josie.

"Just ignore them...We have just as much right to be here as they do." said Paris.

"By now he knows we refiled to represent Sonia Lopez." said Bresha.

"Yeah he does...and if he knows like I do...HE IS THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE WORRIED." said Tony...

"That's telling em Tony."laughed Alfreda.

"I know him..He's a skunk and as slick as canned greased...You gotta come prepared for him.."said Rockland...

"I'm glad you came out drinking with us tonight Nina."said Olivia.

"I'm glad you're letting me spend the night with you guys....No way I'd be able to make it back to my condo from this place by car." said Nina, as our drinks arrived.

 

 "Is that ole Hanging John Wiltshire over there? I thought he was dead." said Yvette.,

"No that son of a bitch is still alive...When he does die they're going to have to screw his casket in the ground sideways." said Gary..No fan of the man.

Keith Jones cracked up laughing.

"Gee Gary, tell us how you really feel." said Bee Bee, laughing.

"I don't know him, but I heard one third of the Philadelphians on death row in the state of Pennsylvania were put there by him..." said Sofia.

"Thus the name, Hanging John" said Kahlil..

''Sounds like a real sweetheart."laughed Jade.

"Oh he is."laughed Danny Ho.

"Hanging Jack Wiltshire....I thought he was dead."said Virginia, who remembered him from her days as an attorney.

"No...He's very much alive..." said Jetty.

 

'Alive and kicking...I remember him when I was a Public defender,,,Me, Olivia, Beverly and Nelson went up against him...We all won too....When I became and ADA...he remembered...He still held it against me too!"laughed Jazzy.
 

''What Petty guys are in that District Attorney's Office." snarled her husband, Dabnis.

"My two cousins will be facing him when that Lopez trial reopens next week." said Kayla.

"Yeah well I wish them luck."said Ray.

"I never had to go up against him but I heard he's tough...As slick as canned grease too!"said Jessica.

"Yeah, that's what I heard."said Chip.

"He tried to date me... He smelled like Cigarettes and Stale Beer...No way I was going out with a guy like that."laughed Karen..

B.L. laughed heartedly....

"Look who's over there...Hangin John." said Natalie.

"Yeah I remember him...I lost a case to him...My former client is on death row...I haven't been able to do much for him."said David.

"That might be something we could look into in the near future."said Brooke.

"Don't you guys have enough pending cases?" said her husband, Sean.

"I wonder how Justin Brown is doing?" asked  Zoey, who had worked with him before.

"I heard he's still in the ICU, but it looks promising." said Lem.

"I'm just glad that girl, his client was able to get Olivia and Beverly to represent her." said Renee.

"Yeah, they would have thrown some green, brand new Public Defender on her case, who would've gotten eaten alive... That bully, Hanging John will face somebody who isn't afraid of him and who is just as good." said her husband, Tyrell..

As more drinks arrived.  Lt. Tragg didn't bother us at all tonight..No whining, no speeches about us high fallutin lawyers eating and drinking off the public dime and how he hopes we aren't driving after doing all that drinking.. No fighting with other customers.. No tonight he was on his best behavior and because of that we were able to drink and laugh and talk in peace.. Yet we realized...We were being watched closely by both men.

"I see a lot of people over there I know...One of your detectives, Danny Ho....I remember when he was Sgt. Ho...Now he's a Lieutenant in Robbery-Homicide and married to the investigator for Ms. Big Tits and her assorted bag of nuts...heh heh heh..She's married to Lockwood...He used to be one of your detectives, Now he's with the D.A.'s office.... I see Jasmine Coley over there.. used to be an ADA...was a Public defender too!   And Virginia Shaw...High priced Attorney...I heard she was in jail.."said Hanging John.

"She did a Nickel and change (7 Years) upstate and got paroled....Now she works as some kind of consultant for a law firm and is married to that Judge, Jetty Dukes, how do ya like that?

"Crazy world we live in huh Artie?   And isn't that Nina Rios?  She used to be an ADA....Now that's a piece of ass I would have loved to have gotten....So she hangs out with them too huh?" asked Hanging John..

"Nah, first time I've seen her in ages...but the rest...They're in here every Thursday  night like clockwork...The couples night special...Two drinks for every two drinks ordered.."said Lt. Tragg..

''And they come on a chartered bus and leave on chartered buses huh? Amazing.That way they avoid drunken driving charges...Pretty smart...Olivia's pretty smart and cagey....I'm going to have to bring my A game when I go up against her..." laughed Hanging John.

(TO BE CONTINUED)