A Big Footed Man

       

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 -The Thomas Kline 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

ONE WEEK LATER-

THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY  JEAN STAPLES-

ADA Jean Staples was handling this case....She had googled us on her laptop...

Special Prosecutor Justine Logan came in and looked at her files... She was second chair on this case.  She was familiar with us...She too was a Graduate of the Philadelphia High School For Girls.. She graduated two years before Olivia Bennett-Alexander..She too attended Temple University where she got a degree in Administration of Justice, Trial Advocacy and Pre-Law...but unlike us, she didn't attend PENN  LAW.. she traveled to New York City where she attended COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL, graduating two years before  Olivia Bennett graduated from PENN..

She had returned to the area and been a Public Defender in the city of Camden and moved on to be an Assistant District Attorney in Cherry Hill, New Jersey...Returning to Philadelphia to work as an Assistant District Attorney for awhile.She now worked  for a private law firm...She had an office with a window where she could look down into the streets of the teaming city...An Investigator on speed dial and an interning attorney, who also fetched her coffee..She was so far from this and out of practice..She was doing this as a favor to Jean Staples, a personal friend..

" They're good, but they've got a real loser case here...This is a paint by numbers case." said Justine.

"Looks like Lt. Tragg got lucky for once huh?" laughed Jean Staples.

And at our Office/Duplex-

Beverly, Josie and Bresha were in the law library doing much needed research..

"I think we've got as much information as we need girls...but the truth is...Our defense is still weak." said Beverly.

"Him being at the scene...His fingerprints on the murder weapon....Pretty hard to defend..." said Josie.

"But look that unidentified shoeprint....That size 13 that accidentally stepped in the blood...That's our loose end...That's the extra person in the room that can't be identified..." said Bresha.

"A Size 13...That's a pretty big foot." said Josie.

"You know what they say about men with big feet?" said Beverly.....

All three women burst into laughter...

And in our media room...Nelson, Olivia and I weighed in on the kind of jury we wanted and trial strategy...

"I am satisfied with these jurors...If I can get six of them, I think we can put up a good defense.."said Nelson.

"We've got an up hill fight in this one...but I think we can pull it out." said Olivia.

"I need to find that man who belongs to that footprint in the blood...He's proof that someone else was there and took advantage of the situation...." I said.

We adjourned into our conference room where we were to have our final meeting....

"I've got coffee brewing...you guys not eating today?" asked Alfreda.

''We've got sandwiches coming from the sandwich shoppe...I  ordered one for you too Freda...Your favorite....Pulled Roast Beef..."said Olivia,

I sat back and took a deep breath......

"We are all going to Aqua Bar tonight..." said Beverly.

"Yeah it's Taco Night..."said Nelson..

"Ummmmmmmm I could use a nice Taco...A Mojito too!"laughed Josie..

"Girllll you aint never lied..."said Bresha..

Just then the doorbell rang and there was a banging on the door.

It was Lt. Tragg-

"OLIVIA, BEVERLY, FRONT AND CENTER...I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!!" it was Lt. Tragg..

"What a pain in the tush!! Let him in Alfreda." sighed Olivia.

"It was so much fun leaving him out in the street." said Alfreda, who opened the door..

She said nothing....She motioned for him to come in...

He strutted into our conference room.....He looked at all of us snarkily and then began his spiel.

"YOU LAWYERS, YOU MAKE ME SICK....YOU'VE ARRAIGNED AND RELEASED TO THE STREETS A COLD BLOODED KILLER....DO YOU REALIZE THAT?" he bellowed.

"That's funny...has anybody else been murdered in a condo since then?" asked Beverly...

Her husband, Nelson, Josie and Bresha cracked up laughing.......

"WHERE IS HE?" snarled Lt. Tragg.

"Is this why you've been coming around here on three seperate occassions banging on my door? You don't have to bang...The doorbell works just fine..."said Olivia.

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION." bellowed Lt. Tragg.

"He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance....No bail, no ankle bracelet....He can go whereever he wants as long as he makes his court appearences...Which I assure you he will." said Olivia.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" he asked.

"If you don't have a court summons or warrant and most importantly , proof that Blake Daniels has committed any type of crime, as his attorneys we don't have to talk to you or answer any of your questions....So goodbye Lieutenant and the next time you come by here...Have a warrant or you will not be allowed in...Good day Lieutenant." said Olivia calmly and softly....

He stood there and stared balefully at us for a minute..

"Come on let's go...Get to steppin!" said Alfreda....

He angrilly turned and stormed out...

"Sensitivity training did nothing for him..." said Beverly...

I snickered...

II-

A Rare Wednesday Night that found our younger associates and their friends needing to get out and cut loose...They began their night at Stoley's Lounge ...

The place was packed...

And a couple of DJ's who had spun at Josie's weeks before were providing the entertainment..

They left their and went to Aqua Bar....

Which also had a full house..

It was Taco and Salsa Night..

There was also a special on Mojitos...

Other drinks were a plenty also....

and the house D.J. kept them on the floor dancing and salsaing.  Especially Sofia and Kahlil and Jessica and Chip...They were teaching Brooke and Sean how to Salsa...

"Ouuuuuuuu get it girl....You're catching on fast Brookie.." said a jubilant Sofia Garcia-Ahmed.

"Hey if you could teach me...it was a cinch Brookie could learn."laughed her husband, Kahlil..

Jessica was dancing a very sensual salsa that had all of the men looking....

And getting an admiring glance from her husband, Chip, who was dancing with her......

"Ouuuuuu la la.."laughed a very happy Brooke...

"Girllll, I am so turned on right now..."whispered her husband, Sean in her ear...She giggled..

Beverly and the others, exhausted from so much dancing sat at the bar, quaffing down their drinks and talking...

"It was nice to get out tonight.. I think we all are a little work weary and needed to cut loose.."said Beverly.

"How about tomorrow?  No couples night at Curley's?" asked Nelson.

"Nah...Not with Lt. Tragg on the warpath...."said Josie.

"Josie's is the move for tomorrow night." said her husband, Paris.

"I like the local bars in our neighborhood. The ride home is shorter and we can all walk from Josie's." said Bresha.

''Yeah , I agree."said Toni.

"Josie's suits me just fine tomorrow." said Bee Bee.

"Yeah me too!" said Keith Jones.

Jazzy kicked her heels off and laid her head in her husband's lap...

She raised her head...

"OUUUUUUUUU...You're hard." she exclaimed...

"You're Hot ,I can't help it.." he said, smiling sheepishly.

"Horn Dog....You are soooo nasty."giggled Jazzy.

"Flattery will get you somewhere.."laughed Kayla, who was sitting on her own husband's lap and feeling his erection....

Her husband, Ray laughed sheepishly...

"You really like those Mojitos don't you?" said Renee to her husband, Tyrell..

"Yeah...this was my third one...I think I'd better cool it...and speaking of cooling it."laughed Tyrell...

He looked over at Natalie and David Charles...

They were kissing passionately.....

"Have another one if you like...It's not like we are driving home." said Renee... Beverly had rented a mini bus to transport them back and forth tonight..

Even with no chance of seeing Lt. Tragg, she still wanted everyone to return home safely and not under the influence.

Our client, Attorney Blake Daniels had been keeping the lowest of profiles...Eating his meals at our Office /Duplex and living in our sub-basement with Laverne...

Laverne was still staying with him, but she was back to work,leaving in the morning on the train...

The two of them  were out tonight and sitting on the opposite side of the bar...

in a corner, kissing passionately.....and with his hand far up her skirt, feeling her shapely legs.......

Also in Aqua Bar was Vanessa Decker, the other woman and the girl who was in the condo , right before Blake Daniels entered...

She was accompanied by a much older gentleman, Colby Steele, a corporate attorney and a business partner of her late boyfriend...

She saw Beverly and walked over to her...

"Mrs. West-East...Tee Hee, you do go to the best places....I saw you and your friends earlier in Stoleys....I tried to get your attention, but I couldn't shake my uh shadow...." she said reffering to her well heeled friend who was sitting at her table.

"You could have worse company....I know him...Colby Steele....A Corporate Attorney, My Aunt and I tried a case against him and his client years ago...He's very good and very loaded ....Go head girl, you know how to snag em." said Beverly...

"Yeah, only I don't want him....He's two years older than my father....He's been on my ass for years...Even before I got involved with Vic Damone...He hates Vic and Vic believed that he was secretly funneling false information to your client over there in the corner, kissing that woman, which caused him to lose two of those cases last summer." said Vanessa.

"He sure has some big feet...." noticed Nelson...

"You know what they say about a big footed man." chimed in Jazzy....She had faced Colby Steele in court too!

Beverly and Vanessa cracked up laughing...

"I've heard....but with him....I wouldn't know..He's not going to get that far with me for me to know.He wears a size 13....Isn't that something?"she said firmly....

Colby walked over to them.....

"Beverly West....it's been a few years....Hello Jasmine......Come on Vanessa, the ice is melting in your glass." he said.

"See you around Beverly.." sighed Vanessa....It was obvious, she was annoyed..

Nelson discreetly took his phone out and snapped photos of the man's feet from several different angles...

Otherwise..it was just another Wednesday Night in Aqua Bar..

III-

After leaving Aqua Bar, everybody returned to their homes, safe and sound..

And Blake Daniels and Laverne Scott returned to the safety and coziness of our sub-basement apartment.

"AWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWD LAVERNE, I NEVER REALIZED HOW SEXY YOU ARE." moaned Blake, who by now was totally enthralled with Laverne.

"Till you saw me shake it and salsa huh? " Laverne joked....

They had been kissing passionately all night, but now their kissing got steamier....

They began slowly undressing each other....

He unsnapped her bra...

and slipped her panties down.....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH" he moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" she cooed, silently and softly caressing and rubbing his erect penis...

"Every girl should have one of these....OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! To keep in a jar in case of emergency...OUUUUUUU YOU ARE SO BIG...SO DAMN HARD...WOUUUUUU" she cooed.

He laughed....

He laid her across the bed and spread her legs....entering her slowly and softly...

"OHHHHHHH GIRL, I'M ABOUT TO LOSE MY MINDDDDD!" he yelled out...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! OH MY GOD BLAKE!!! BLAKE...WOUUUUU LAWDDD!!!!! YOU ARE AS BIG AS A HORSE...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed loudly..Her whole body trembling, her head turning from side to side and she crying tears of joy.....

He felt like his  whole body was just blending with hers...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH  MY DAMNNNNNN!" He cried out..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU  BLAKKKKKE!!!!!!" she cooed.

She grabbed his butt, almost like she was guiding him inside of her...She had another intense orgasm....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH PUT IT INSIDE ME...WOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! PUT ALL OF IT INSIDE MEE....OH MY GOD!!!" she screamed...

"LAverne, I love you..." he said...

"Blake I love you too!  I love you too!  OUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed...

They made love for EIGHT TO NINE HOURS...

She lie on his chest, breathing heavy, trying to catch her breath....smiling at him....The only thing she regretted was not being able to have seen the beautiful full moon that had been out tonight as they made sweet love..

The next morning at Breakfast....

"Here's the photos of the man and his size 13 feet " said Nelson...

This was met by guffaws of laughter...

"Good Work Nelson...This gives us a name and another suspect....I know this guy....Colby Steele...You and Beverly tried a case against him....Years ago, when I first came to Philadelphia.." I said. 

"That's him...One of the first cases the three of us worked together...Before Nelson joined the firm, Before Josie had even entered law school..That's him...I remember the case, but even I never knew his feet were so big." said Olivia. This was met by howls of laughter.

 

"He was at one time Vic Damone's personal attorney....Then he was let go....There was a personal rift between them." I said.

"Vanessa told me..He hates Vic and Vic believed that he was secretly funneling false information to  Blake Daniels ,which caused him to lose two of those cases last summer."said Beverly.

"That explains a lot...I was getting a lot of anonymous information from informants and via emails and texts that all turned out to be false flags in both cases....I should have known better...I never suspected him." said Blake.

''Still, we can't prove any of that and without proof....We can't use that." cautioned Nelson...

"But it goes to Motive....It gives us good questions to ask, whether he denies or not..."said Josie.

"Josie, you have become a great attorney before my eyes..." beamed Olivia, hugging Josie...

"We need to start working on a subpoena" said Bresha..

"That's right Bree, let's get started right now." said Olivia.

"One thing I know and this is just gossip....Vic, although married was fooling around with a young lady....A young lady who Colby Steele had his eyes on...That could be this Vanessa Decker...I don't know...I wasn't acquainted with her...but there was a bitterness between the two men, especially Colby Steele that was beyond reason....A Lot of people at their office knew it."said Blake.

"Ummmmmmmmmm um ummmmph, Talk about Juicy.."laughed Alfreda. 

 "People...we've got a case....Another Motive...and a viable suspect...It was what I was waiting for." said Olivia.

"Time for me to go out on the street and do some digging." I said.

"He was all over Vanessa last night...He didn't like her talking to us too long...He came over and got her and I could  tell she was irritated."said Beverly...

"Yeah , he was plying her with drinks  and you know what that meant!" said Nelson...

"It was obvious she didn't want to be with him." said Josie.

"Yeah she looked like she'd rather be anywhere else but with him last night." said Bresha.

"And yet she was there with him and he was spending his money on her." said Alfreda.

Olivia smiled.

IV-

THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY  JEAN STAPLES-

"I'm looking at these crime scene photos....were you aware of this bloody footprint Lt. Tragg?" asked ADA Jean Staples..  "The fingerprints and DNA have been matched to Vanessa Decker...who left before Blake Daniels arrived there, Blake Daniels and Vic Damone's fingerprints and DNA is attesed..but this footprint doesn't match either Blake Daniels or Vic Damone's shoe size....It's rather large, a size 13 and apparently this person slipped or stepped in the blood." she said.

"There was no other DNA in the condo....The guys did a thorough job...We never were able to put a name to the foot...A size 13....Geeez, that's a big footed guy.."laughed Lt. Tragg.

"This may not mean anything to you...but it means someone else was in that condo at the time of the killing...That's something, Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her team will capitalize on...They'll capitalize on anything, anything at all to give them air to breathe in this case...You of all people should know that...So put a name to that foot...." said ADA Jean Staples..

Lt. Tragg stared at her balefully....He didn't like being talked to like that by a woman.. and he didn't like going over what he considered an open and shut case.. He grimaced and walked out of her office...

THURSDAY NIGHT- Josie's Bar and Grill

We all had tables near each other...Most of us had walked here tonight...We lived close enough...The best thing was...We were assured that Lt. Tragg was nowhere near here.It would be a nice peaceful night. 

"Oh Hi Donnie Ray...I saved a seat for you." said a smiling Olivia.

 

"I got great news for us...I have a couple of witness statements on affidavits, I found Colby Steele and served him with a subpoena...We are all set for trial next week.Completely set." I said.

"That's great." said Beverly...

"I feel better about this case already.." said Nelson.

"So do I." agreed Josie..

"I'm learning so much....I wish my class could sit in on your case.."said Paris.

"It's possible...My class sat in on two actual  trials when I was in law school.."said Bresha,

"All you have to do is submit  a request and give them the trial date and courtroom and time of trial."said Tony.

"You guys get such interesting cases....Sometimes I wish I had gone to law school..."said Alfreda.

"You did just fine babe.." said her husband, Rockland..

"Hey Vettie how did your case go?"asked Olivia.

 

 "It went one day over the five I predicted, but we got an acquittal." said Yvette.

"I actually sat in on their case...They are good."joked her husband,  Gary...

"This is kind of like a celebration  night." said Keith Jones.

"And what better place to celebrate than in our neighborhood bar, Josies?" said Bee Bee.

"Yeah in peace."said Sofia.

"No Lieutenant Tragg...No stupid speeches...No whining and complaining and staring at us balefully."said Kahlil.

''Amen!"said Jade...

"He thinks he has an open and shut case....This Daniels case and it looked like that at first...but I looked at it...There is a shoe print..a bloody shoeprint in the room a size 13 shoeprint that is unaccounted for that even I can see being a problem for this case."said Lt. Danny Ho.

"You're a much better detective than he ever could be.."said Virginia.

"Hell that might apply to anybody." said Jetty. 

"I'm so glad we came here...We can walk home.."said Jazzy..
 

"Yeah, we can leave when we get ready..." said Dabnis...

"I'm thirsty, I'm ordering another round of drinks."said Kayla..

"I'm going to have to carry you home ."laughed her husband, Ray.

"Last night was nice and tonight is even nicer.."said Jessica.

"A nice celebration of our victory in court yesterday." said Chip...

"Yessssss.....We've all earned ourselves some rest....Vettie gave her team off tomorrow and I gave my team off too...You two should  take off too, you've earned it..."said Karen...

"I'm going to be interviewing all of you in the coming week about this landmark case."said B.L.

"Well We have the day off...Tonight ,I'm free to be your little porn star."whispered Natalie in her husband David's ear...

"CHECK PLEASE!!" joked David...

"Natalie must have told you she was free to be your porn star.."said Brooke,laughing...

"Just like you're free to be mine." joked Sean...

"I think we are the only people who drove tonight.."laughed Zoey...

"Yeah...we are taking, Nat, David, Sean and Brookie home, everybody else is walking.."said Lem...

"We drove" said Renee..

"Us High Fallutin lawyers."joked Tyrell mocking Lt. Tragg...We all burst into loud laughter.....

One person not laughing was Lt. Tragg... He was halfway across town at Curleys...Not a one of us was there tonight...He had no one to pick on...

He seemed a bit miserable...He had to find a phantom foot...a Big Footed man as yet unidentified...He had no idea how he was going to do that or if he should...He wondered where Blake Daniels was at the moment...No one had seen him...No one he knew....He may have fled town he reasoned...he hoped..

Blake was in our sub-basement apartment with Laverne...

His upcoming murder trial was not on his mind at all..

All he could think about was Laverne...

And all she could think about was him...

They chose not to go out tonight...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMM BABY!" he moaned....

"DARLING!" she cooed.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed..

"AWWWWWWWW LAWWWWD!" he moaned.

While we were all out at Josie's...They were making sweet love without a concern in the world..

(CONCLUSION NEXT)