The Price Of Extortion

 SATURDAY MORNING BRUNCH AT THE NO I.D. BAR-

"That girl your client is accused of killing, Sheila Stevens...I knew her...She and I graduated from law school at Drexel together....She missed taking the Bar exam when I did...I guess she was going to take it at the next round.." said Lee... 

"It is a small world...When Mr. McClurkin said that he had paid her tuition and that she was taking classes at Drexel, I thought of you..I wondered if you two knew each other."said Olivia as we took our seats with our plates of food.

 

"Must be nice! Having your Boss pay your entire tuition for three years of law school." I mused.

"Oh she paid for it.. I'm sure her panties slipped off more than a few nights in exchange.."said Beverly.

"Oh I'm certain that was the case...She was already working at The Harris Group as a para-legal.  I saw her pay stub..She was making as much as the average first year attorney and once she passed the bar, the sky would have been the limit."laughed Lee.

"I wish they had waffles here." said her boyfriend, Attorney Matthew Akes..

"Yeah so do I...I'm going to suggest it..."said Nelson.   "I heard that she was engaged to another fellow and had told Mr. McClurkin that shortly before she died."said Nelson.

"It's true, but the guy has an alibi...He was in Atlanta at the time of her death...He apparently didn't know anything about her "arrangement" with her boss.  I checked it out." I said.

"My husband is nothing ,if not thorough. "laughed Olivia, hugging me..

''Apparently Mr. McCormick knew she was seeing someone else and he didn't care. They had "one for the road sex" that last night before she died." said Josie.

"Hmmmmmmm sounds pretty fishy to me...For once Lt. Tragg might be on to something."joked Paris.

"Trust me , he's not!!!!...He's as wrong as two left shoes as usual...Our client didn't kill her..He had no reason to..He liked her. He liked her a lot.!"said Bresha.

"The Power of the Pantays."joked Tony...

"I was getting ready to say the same thing. That's a fine example...Panties in exchange for tuition."laughed Alfreda.

"Pass me a sausage dear?" laughed her husband, Rockland.

"Wanna go shopping after breakfast Vettie?" asked Nina. 

 "Sure, Olivia ,Zoey,Karen and Me were going to do that anyway....One more person to the mix isn't bad..."said Yvette,.

"I'm chilling out at the crib..."said Gary...

"We are having a little get together at our house around 3:30..."said Keith Jones..

"Yes...We are having Sofia ,Kahlil and Jade over and Renee and Tyrell and Lee, you and Matthew are also invited." said Bee Bee.

"Thank Youuuuuuuuuu, I couldn't think of anything to do..."said Lee.

"Yeah thanks...We'll be over." said Matthew..

"Thank you. I'll have to return the favor." said Renee.

"Yeah.." said Tyrell.

"Jessica..You and Chip are invited too." said Sofia.

"Thank you...Sounds like a plan." said Jessica.

"We'll bring some playing cards." said Chip.

"We'll provide snacks.."said Kahlil.

"Sounds like a fun afternoon.." said Jade.

"If I don't have too much work to do this afternoon...I'll drop by." laughed Danny.

"I know what you want to do...lay up in the bed and screw me all afternoon." said Virginia.

"That's right!"laughed Jetty as he filled his plate with seconds.

"Horny Toad."laughed Virginia.

 

"Bev you coming by to wash and set my hair this afternoon?" asked Jazzy..

"Yeah....I'm doing yours and Kaylas." said Beverly..

"Just like when we were teenagers..."laughed Kayla..

"Except there were no guys around...I'll bring some drinks and some snacks."laughed Natalie.

 

"You guys gonna be in your underwear?" joked Jazzy's husband, Dabnis.

"NO!  "laughed Kayla.

"I know that's your fantasy...but no free show today!"laughed Jazzy.

"My Husband was thinking the same thing."laughed Kayla.

"We couldn't be so lucky...Come on man..We'll find something to do." laughed Kayla's husband, Ray.

Jessica laid her head on her husband's shoulder...

Chip smiled and hugged her.

"You know I'm going shopping with Olivia, Zoey, Nina and Vettie don't you?" asked Karen.

"Yeah I know..I'm gonna take a nap while you're out."said B.L.

"Josie, Bree, Brookie.. You hanging out with us?" asked Natalie.

"Yes, we'll be over." said Josie.

"My hair could use a wash and a dry too!" said Bresha.

"I'm taking a nap..."said David.

"I'll be over." said Brooke.

"Bring us back something to eat..."laughed Sean..

"Oh you know we will or you all can drive over to pick us up  and take us some place to eat." said Brooke, smiling.

"Now there is a good idea Brookie." laughed Beverly, hugging her.

"This is one of those Balmy, Breezy ,Overcast Saturdays..A day when nothing is planned and we all are just hanging out..." said Zoey...

"I'm watching the game.." said Lem.

''What are you doing Honey Bun?" asked Renee.

"I'm watching the game, Carlos , you're welcome to watch the game over my house." said Tyrell.

"Sounds like a plan." said Carlos.

We all sipped our mimosas...A typical Saturday for most of us.

At this same time...at a tony rooftop restaurant ,miles away...Someone else was having breakfast..

Attorney Lloyd Connor was having a quiet breakfast..

Sitting across from him was Lionel Grant.,recently released from jail..

He was eating breakfast and looking at Lloyd Connor across from him...  He picked up his platter and his coffee and moved to Lloyd Connor's table...Inviting himself to breakfast..

"EXCUSSSE ME!! WHO ARE YOU?? I DON'T BELIEVE I INVITED YOU TO MY TABLE!" bellowed and angry and exasperated Lloyd Connor.

"Hold Up Mr. Connor....I KNOW YOU!.....You see I've been watching you... I know you're a recently fired Lawyer from the Harris group...I know you've set up a private practice a few blocks from here.. I need an Attorney..  My wife has left me,. closed all of her bank accounts, taken everything out of our house that was hers and simply vanished...I'm certain she gave birth a few weeks ago....but I don't know where or where she is living...I've turned this city upside down and I've recently gotten papers in which it is stated that she wants a divorce!" said Lionel Grant.

"Gee !I can't imagine why!" said Lloyd Connor sarcastically..."What do you want from me.?" he asked.

"I need you to represent me in court...Plus I know you know investigators who can locate my wife..."said Lionel Grant.

"YOU CAN'T AFFORD ME!!!" he said.

"You're going to uh how do you lawyers say it?, Do this pro bono." said Lionel.

"And why would I do that?" asked Lloyd Connor.

"Funny the things you hear when you sit in the bar... or in the cafeteria. I've sat in bars behind you and near you...Heard you with your clients , heard you on the phone... I know about a certain Insider trading scam you and one of your clients got into...Your client is doing a bid in Federal Prison, You should be disbarred, but your firm had mercy on you and just fired you...Yeah, I know about that....

And late one night....I was walking...I had come from a nearby Bar...I was depressed because my wife had left me and who do I come across , but you...putting a bloody knife in somebody's car trunk...Then I read about that girl...That Babe ,Sheila Stevens, who was murdered and Mr. McCormick being accused of it and I figured it out...You set him up!! You framed him because he discovered your insider trading deal with your client.  He fired you! But he didn't report you....Had he of done that ,you would've been disbarred buddy."laughed Lionel.

"How do you know all of this?" asked Lloyd Connor, a little worried now...

Lionel pulled out his work I.D.   "Like You once did..I work at the Harris Group, In the mailroom...I'm somebody you never notice, Somebody a big Mahoff like you walks past every day.. Now I need a favor...I need you to contact one of the investigators you know and locate my wife first off and then I need you to represent me in Divorce Court...You will do this or ,I have information that Mr. McCormick's defense attorneys...Olivia Bennett-Alexander and Beverly West and their team...would love to have....

 

or perhaps...

Lt. Tragg of Homicide...."

"Do you see where I'm going with this?" said Lionel.

Lloyd Connor was definitely afraid now..Afraid of this little man, the type of guy he walked past everyday at work, now having him by the short and curley's , now being able to possibly wreck his world.....

II-

SEVERAL DAYS LATER-

At our Law Library, Beverly, Josie and Bresha..were working dilligently on the case..looking at everything...

While next door..

in the Media room..

Nelson had practically picked the kind of Jury he wanted and a few alternates...

As for me I was back at the crime scene....Sharing information with Detective Pike and a few other Homicide Detectives...Lt. Tragg would have hit the ceiling if he had known...but they were Homicide Detectives just like I used to be and we were all trying to find the truth.

"My team is nearly ready to press your case Mr. McCormick...We know that Ms. Stevens fiance was in Atlanta at the time and he wasn't even aware of the uh relationship between you two...but others in your office knew about it...as office gossip goes...The Knife that the police has doesn't have your fingerprints on it or any DNA, but it does have one fingerprint smudge...Unidentified, that isn't yours...Police are looking into it. We know that a certain Attorney at your firm took the New York Bar....I took the New York BAr too and you have to leave your fingerprints..We match that smudge with his prints and we have your killer...That Attorney is Lloyd  Connor, who you fired for insider trading..He would have the motive to frame you and he disliked Sheila...He called her a suck up." said Olivia.

"Olivia, I've been thinking the same thing, but the problem is...I fired him two days before and took his building ID.. How would he have accessed the suite?" asked Ken McClurken

"Hmmm that could be a problem..but my husband is at the crime scene right now with Homicide Detectives going over everything."said Olivia.

"Young Jason was right about you Olivia, you and her your niece, your husband and the rest of your team...I've watched you guys this past two weeks...You're damn good..He said if he were ever in trouble..You guys are who he would call..He was right!."laughed Ken McCormick.

"Is he still up for that job at your firm?" asked Olivia.

"If he wants it...Though why would he want it after all of this mess?" said Ken McCormick.

"I think he thinks the world of you...He put everything on the line for you...He obviously believes you are innocent." said Olivia, managing to smile.

Back at our Office /Duplex

It was the end of the day....Beverly had cut everybody loose, including her mother, Alfreda, who usually cleaned up..Instead. her and her husband, Nelson cleaned up...

"Well that's it..We are all done..We are ready for trial.." said Beverly...

"I wish we could have one case , just one case where we didn't have to do so much research.."said Nelson..

"I know right?" said Beverly smiling as Nelson walked toward her...She didn't try to walk away...She knew what was coming..

"You're...You're going to kiss me aren't you?" she asked.

"Hopefully I can do more than that." whispered Nelson...

"OUUUUUUU.. you are so nastyyyy!" said Beverly...

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM BEVERLY, I'VE WANTED TO DO THAT ALL DAY!" moaned Nelson.

"I drive you crazy, don't I?" asked Beverly, smiling an impish grin..

"Yes you do!" said Nelson...

Beverly giggled as they continued kissing..

Their kissing got more passionate......

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I LOVE YOU HONEY BUN!" moaned Nelson...

"I KNOW YOU DO!...I LOVE YOU TOO!" she said in between more passionate kisses.

Nelson snaked his hands up Beverly's skirt..

He slipped her panties down and off and dropped his trousers and  boxers..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU LOOK AT YOUUUU!" Beverly said.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GODDDDD!" moaned Nelson...

He pulled her legs apart.lifted her up and entered her slowly....She was very wet and warm....He was delirious...He didn't know if he was coming or going....

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...OUUUUUUUUUUUUU LAWWWD!" Beverly moaned.

Her head turned both ways...Tears streamed from her eyes and her body began to tremble something fierce...

He placed her on a table ,spread her legs and began to stroke her slowly, both of them enjoying themselves immensely.

THREE AND A HALF HOURS SLIPPED BY!!!

NIGHTFALL!

Beverly and Nelson finished up in the law library and walked upstairs to their domicile.

"We'll sleep good tonight huh?" she said.

"Yeah..."Nelson agreed.

She rested on top of him the rest of the night.

III-

COURTROOM D- WEDNESDAY MORNING!

Lee and Jennifer Grant appeared in court on Monday Morning for the Divorce Hearing.. Lionel had been served papers and he knew he had to come to court...

An hour went by and he did not show, nor did any attorney....That was strange.

She got Judge Elise Clemmons, who everyone told her was a good Judge, Liberal and Progressive in views and a fighter for women...

When two hours went by and Lionel , nor his attorney showed...Judge Clemmons told them to go on..

Lee Argued Brilliantly that throughout the marriage Lionel had been cruel and demeaning verbally to Jennifer as well as manipulative...He had done something to her birth control, causing an unwanted pregnancy which she carried to term...There was presently a restraining order out on him...

Lee presented 25 women, Women who worked at the Shelters who testified how Lionel brow beat them and verbally assaulted them until they gave in and released Jennifer to him..

Finally Lee presented two women who had been married to him before, who got their marriages annulled. They told horror stories of how he verbally and psychologically abused them too!

Judge Clemmons had heard enough...

"DIVORCE GRANTED!" she said.

All the women in the courtroom applauded!

Jennifer hugged Lee..

"You are an angel...I'm free..I'm Free." she said,.

"I find it weird that Lionel didn't show up...He told me last Wednesday that he had "A super lawyer..." his words and that he was coming to court to kick both of our asses." I expected him to be here..I prepared for a battle royale.. This was too easy...I'm worried..Something is wrong here. He's too much of a braggart to not keep his word." said Lee.

"I don't care...I'm free of him!!!...Officially...and I owe it all to you.." said Jennifer ,kissing Lee on the cheek...

"Did you get a new phone and change your phone number like I asked you to?" asked Lee.

"Yes I did mami!"laughed Jennifer..."And I'm changing my name back to my maiden name..Gonzalez..My baby's name too!" said Jennifer.

"Good for you...Enjoy your life Jennifer and kiss Emilio for me." said Lee as she waved at Jennifer...

She couldn't help wondering what had happened to her annoying ex-husband...The last thing he would want would be to lose without putting up a credible fight.

Later at her apartment- Lee was entertaining us after her victory.

"I'm telling you...It was the spookiest thing...He never showed up.. No lawyer ,no nothing..Friday ,when I last saw him, He was bragging about the super lawyer he had and how he and this "Super Lawyer" was going to wipe the courtroom floor up with my inexperienced ass." said Lee. 

"You won today, that's all that counts...With all of the witnesses you had and the testimonies...I doubt if any lawyer  could have beaten you."said Olivia.

"Olivia is right! You won today...If he and this mysterious Super Lawyer didn't show up....Well that's their loss..They can't reverse it." said Her boyfriend, Matthew Ake, a lawyer himself.

 

''Enjoy it Lee, but I share your concerns...From what I hear about this guy...He didn't shy away from controversy...and this would have been the first time he'd laid eyes on his wife in weeks..He wouldn't have shied away from that...Something must have gone wrong...Maybe this "Super Lawyer" of his dropped out."I laughed.

"Maybe he couldn't PAY this super lawyer...He worked in the mailroom at the Harris Group...If his lawyer was a Harris Group lawyer...He couldn't afford him." said Beverly...

Nelson laughed.. "Yeah , the guy realized he was a deadbeat and he wasn't getting paid and he took a powder."laughed Nelson.

"It didn't have to be a Harris Group Attorney just because he worked there."said Josie.

''Well who could it have been? You can't get a Public Defender for a divorce hearing."said Paris.

"Bottom line, neither he nor his so called "Super Lawyer" appeared in court.and Lee won."said Bresha.

"Lee baby, relax...Take the easy ones...I promise you...Some hard ones are coming."said Tony.

Lee smiled.

"He's right baby...Celebrate the easy ones." said Alfreda..

"Salud!" said Rockland..

We had brought Champaigne..

We all lifted our glasses and toasted!

IV-

It had been quite an eventful full weeks..

We had all left and gone home....

Lee was happy to be done with the case and was sure Jennifer was safe...She had gotten her divorce, Changed her name back to her maiden name , Gotten a new apartment in this area, new friends and a new job...For the time being, she wouldn't have to worry about her ex-husband.. She knew that men like that never really went away...and she worried about the next woman he would terrorize!

"You look tired!  I suppose you are...But the case is over." said Matthew.. "I made you some tea." he said and poured her and himself a cup of Organic Orange tea..

"You are a sweetie pie.." she said as they both sat down and sipped the tea....

"I'm going to say this and then let it go...It's never been easy for me...I'm always suspect when things come to easy for me...Like this case...It was soooo easy." said Lee.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh" said Matthew ,putting his index finger on her lips...

"Making me fall in love with you was easy too!" he whispered..

"It was...You got a glimpse of me in my panties and you got a boner and I haven't been able to get rid of you since then..." she laughed..

They began to kiss ...

"You may be right... I've got a boner right now." he whispered..

"I know...when don't you have one when you're around me?" she said softly...Stroking him gently and smiling...

"WOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU THAT THING IS MONSTROUS!" she exclaimed.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM You feel good." he moaned Kissing her...

"SO DO YOU." she said..

"You think I might eh get a glimpse of your uh panties tonight?" he asked... Opening her blouse...

and removing her bra...

"You're already getting more than a glimpse of my bra..." she giggled

"I think you have an excellent chance.." she giggled, as he slipped her panties down and off.

She undressed, put her night shirt  on, folded her clothes neatly and tossed her underwear in the hamper.. She grabbed the do not disturb sign and placed it on the door.

"Come to bed" she said..  This was almost a nightly occurrence..

She spread her legs, eased herself down on him and began riding him......

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU YOU ARE SO BIG...SO HARD!! OUUUUUU!" she screamed..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! AWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWD!" he cried out..

She was so wet, so warm...Her head turned from side to side...Tears streamed down the side of her face and she experienced two orgasms, one after the other...which made her whimper and then cry like a school girl.....

She kissed him passionately as he she continued to ride him.....

''Why don't you move in with me?...You're here more than your own apartment...It would be cheaper.." she said ,nearly out of breath..

"That's a good idea..." he said, nearly out of breath.....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! AWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWD!" he cried out..

"IS IT GOOD TO YOU? IS IT GOOD TO YOU BABY"???..OUUUUUUUUUUU IT IS GOOD TO LEE!" she said , speaking of herself in the third person...as she had another orgasm!

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAH!!! YEAHHHHH BABY!" he moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!" she moaned.

They made sweet love for the next EIGHT TO NINE HOURS!!!

Ending with Lee giving him a big kiss..

Before relaxing on his chest...as he wrapped his arms around her....dozing off in a deep sleep....While Lee rested her head on his chest , no longer worried about Lionel Grant...He was no longer Jennifer's problem or her husband... She did wonder where he was..

In the dark indoor parking lot of the building that houses the Harris Group in a corner far away from where the other cars parked was an SUV with tinted windows...

An SUV with tinted windows sat in the corner.. Inside was the lifeless body of Lionel Grant.. It was Wednesday Night.. He had been dead since  Thursday Morning of the week before....

LAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON!

Lionel had met with a woman, said to be a Private Investigator...Who told him from a blocked number to meet her there , that she had information on his wife's whereabouts...

Naturally, he went for the bait....

He met with the woman and they had drinks.. He found her very attractive...He flirted with her throughout dinner...She politely ignored him.

They Ordered Two Rum Punches...

His drink was spiked with  an anesthetic or sedative (such as sodium thiopental) to render him unconscious...He complained of feeling sick...(She offered to drive him home..) Pancuronium bromide to paralyze him and Potassium chloride to stop his  heart. This combonation is used in lethal injection at the prisons for death row inmates.

They left together...and that was the last time he would be seen alive. He had just enough in his system to do the trick... His breathing got heavy...Soon He couldn't move...His lungs collapsed..and within minutes ,his heart just stopped.

She helped him to his jeep and drove him into the parking lot of the building he worked in...The Harris Group..She exited his jeep and the parking lot unseen..

He was already dead....His lifeless body slumped over the passenger side..

Days passed by, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday... He was not at work, He was not seen or heard from. 

Wednesday Morning...came...And neither he nor his "Super Lawyer " ever appeared in court..

and now Wednesday Night, nearly a week after he was last seen alive..

In a dark indoor parking lot..

His lifeless, mouldering body lay slumped in his car ....un noticed by anyone...This is the price you pay for extortion.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)