Romantic Vendetta

 In a very tony restaurant in Philadelphia... Assistant District Attorney Dan Diorgio...

is dining with an Attorney friend from New York...

Calvin Himmler.... His eyes are on Assistant District Attorney, James "Jumpshot Jim" Taylor and his date...Assistant District Attorney Amanda Grayson...

They were enjoying a delicious meal..

Lamb chops 

and a nice wine.....

They kissed each other in between bites of food and sips of wine..

"She's done with no other woman has been able to do,. Keep old boy occupied for more than a month...Usually by now he'd be trolling behind some other woman....Mandy has kept his attention. She must be hell in bed!"laughed Don Diorgio, smiling wryly....

His dinner guest saw no humor in what he was saying..

"I despise him! He's a walking erection....I asked Amanda out for dates 7 times, 7 times and she always found an excuse for not going out with me.....I spent well over $200.00 sending her flowers and I got nothing, nothing...just a terse thank you....Next thing I know...She's canoodling with Jumpshot Jim....Ouuuuuuuuuuuu damn it...He makes me so mad..."THE CITY'S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR....OUUUUU!! He was almost in jail, almost in jail for murder...I was enjoying it.. but Auntie and Niecy of all people got him off... As many times as they have faced off against him in court...You would think they'd be the last people to defend him....but this is a strange city with strange scenarios..I guess if he could pay their fee...They could forget about their past battles and represent him." spat Calvin Himmler.

Speaking of Olivia and Beverly..

and the rest of us, Nelsoin East,Josie Boyd, Bresha Billips and myself, Investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander, who also happens to be Olivia's husband of nearly 10 years.

"Cal, Cal, relax.....She's just one chick....There are millions of women in this city...Jumpshot can't and hasn't slept with them all..and as far as Olivia and Beverly defending him......He went to them with hat in hand I heard....and yes, he did pay them.....You gotta understand....In this law game...We don't hate each other...We don't take these cases personal...It's just a job...On to the next one.. I just lost a case to them recently....Sure ,I was pissed that I lost....but I won my next 13 cases after that loss....I'm not mad at them....You're a litigation lawyer....You don't try criminal cases...It's different for you...."explained Don Diorgio.

But Calvin Himmler wasn't listening....He was busy watching Jumpshot Jim and his girlfriend, Amanda

Grayson and getting angrier and angrier....

"Ouuuu...I could strangle both of them..." he snarled.

Jumpshot Jim paid the bill and gingerly signed a few autographs...

Amanda Grayson laughed as she took his arm and the two of them left...

"If it's the last thing I do...I'm going to get him!" snarled Calvin Himmler...

We were all relaxing at our Office/Duplex..

We had had a large order of Chinese Food  delivered form our favorite Chinese Restaurant, Chinese Bob's.

Alfreda had whipped up some Guava Punch for us to wash it down...

"Dig in guys, enjoy...My small gift to you guys for all of the hard work you've done."said Olivia.

We had recently won three straight cases... Two customers were well heeled and paid us well and one case was pro bono (free.) We tossed one of those in there every once and awhile.

"Pass me those chop sticks Shortcake...."I said.

"Here Mr. Fancy Pants."laughed Beverly...."Ouuuuuuu this food smells so good and is sooo hot." she said.

"I can teach you how to use Chop Sticks Honey Bun." said Nelson.

"That's okay...I prefer my fork."laughed Beverly.

"Donnie Ray taught me how to use chop sticks...on our honeymoon...When we were in Paris of all places."laughed Olivia.

I smiled as Olivia and I ate our food with chop sticks.

"Awwwwwww that's sooo cute." said Josie.

"This is sooooo nice...Just us for a change."said Bresha.

"Yes, just us."said Alfreda as she heaped hot Chinese food on a plate and poured herself some punch..

We had no idea that something explosive was brewing.....

II-

The next day in Chinatown..

Jumpshot Jim was having coffee in a Vietnamese Coffee shop with recent new Assistant District Attorney Jesse Colin..

"Mannn you are a rising superstar Jesse...Won 10 straight cases, including the recent McPherson case..." said Jumpshot Jim.

"Maybe, but I've got a long way to go to catch up with you Bro....but thanks for the coffee and the compliment.." said Jesse Colin.

"Don't sell yourself cheap Jesse...You're going places." said Jumpshot Jim.

"Nice ride you got outside.." said Jesse admiring Jumpshot Jim's new car from the window.

"Yeah Maddie loves it too!"laughed Jumpshot Jim...

"You and Maddie huh?  She could be the one to make you give up your playa cards huh?"laughed Jesse.

"Well uh yeah....Speaking of which, She's meeting me here...How would you like to take my ride for a spin?   "said Jumpshot tossing Jesse the keys.... You know who my mechanic is...Eddie Singleton....Drop it off at his shop...I'll pick it up in a few hours."said Jumpshot Jim, tossing him the keys..

"WOW MAN, THANKS!"said Jesse Colin, smiling from ear to ear...

"The Coffees are on me !"laughed Jumpshot Jim.

Blocks  away at the Bridge Building...We were all having lunch with our friends 

in their modern cafeteria.

"Since it's rather quiet this weekend...I think we should have another laundry day."said Olivia.

 

"That's fine with me...I've got two loads of stuff." I said.

"Same here...I'm ready..." said Beverly.

"You know soon we should invest in washers and dryers in our basement."said Nelson.

"That's right...I've been thinking about it.."said Josie.

"Not a bad investment.It would save us a lot of money." said Paris.

"And time too!." said Bresha.

"Though I would miss the get togethers at that laundromat." said Tony.

 "Yeah , I would too!"laughed Yvette.

"We've been driving up to our old building, doing some of our laundry in their basement.." said Keith Jones.

"Yeah they have washers and dryers."said Bee Bee.

"And we got to visit with Lee and Matthew." said Sofia, hugging Lee.

Lee smiled.

"Not to mention, Nina and Carlos too!" said Kahlil.

"I think we all have cheated a little bit."said Nina.

"It's not cheating if you desperately need to do some laundry and can't wait for a "Laundry Day."said Jade, who had also "cheated" and drove to her old building.

"They need to improve the laundromat in our neighborhood.. It could use a reset."said Virginia.

"Yeah it is archaic." said Jetty,

"Well you all are welcome anytime we are home to let you in."said Nina.

"Si" said Carlos. 

"It's a nice quiet night...I'm all for staying home Netflixing and chilling."said Natalie.
 

"That sounds good to me." said Dabnis.

Kayla yawned... "I might go to sleep early." she said.

"Same here...I'm exhausted after the week we had last week in court." said Ray.

"Same here.. We'll be at Curley's tomorrow night...So I'm relaxing tonight." said Jessica.

"Same here."said her husband, Chip.

"I've got to stop and purchase some pantyhose after work, even though in this heat...I probably won't be wearing it."said Karen.

"Then don't buy it...Come on home and relax."said her husband, B.L.

"Listen to your man Karen, go home and relax...That what me and husband are planning to do... I can't say the night will end up that way." said Natalie, slyly...

"I'm as horny as hell right now." whispered David in her ear...

Natalie smiled....She blushed a little.... "You're always horny..." she said softly....Smiling at David.

Brooke smiled..."Guess I'll be your little porn star tonight huh honey?" she said.

"Yes...under air conditioning of course."laughed Sean....

"Yes lord...You sweat a lot." laughed Brooke.

"Would you like some Ice Cream tonight honey?" asked Zoey...

"Yeah,let's stop at the Food Court after work...Get Banana Splits to go." said her husband,Lem.

"Ouuuuuuu that sounds nice."said Renee.

"Yeah real cool." said her husband, Tyrell.

"I like the idea. I think Matt and I will stop by too!" said Lee.

A Nice peaceful afternoon at the Bridge Building.

III-

And at this moment at Jumpshot Jim's loft....

''We are being naughty, working a half day Jimmy." said Amanda..

"Can't be goody two shoes all the time.."laughed Jumpsot Jim...

''What about your car?" asked Amanda.

"I can go to work in your car....The kid will bring it to work....and I'll take him home after work..."said Jumpshot Jim...

"You've got all the answers don't you?"laughed Amanda.

"Not all the answers.....Like how do I get in those panties of yours?" he chuckled as they began to kiss.

"Wellllllllllllllllll you're close to getting the answer to that."she said softly as they continued to kiss.

They undressed each other slowly...

He unsnapped her bra...

and slipped her panties down and off.....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM JUMPSHOT, TAKE IT TO THE HOLE!" she moaned.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BABY!" he moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUU YOU FEEL SOOO DAMN GOOD BABY!" she cooed.

"AWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWWWWWD!! SO DO YOU!" he said.

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

Mandy spread her legs and straddled him, moving up and down slowly... Her head began to turn from side to side, sweat and tears streamed down her face and her body trembled something fierce...She was having an orgasm the likes she had never had before..

"OHHHHHHH!!OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU  WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" she squealed.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWD!" he yelled out..

She rode him like a surfer rides the waves.... He didn't know if he was coming or going.

"JUMPSHOT....OUUUUUUUU YOU ARE SCORING HONEY...OUUUUUUUUU SWISHHH!" she yelled.

"AWWWWW...AWWWWWWW..OHHHHHH LAWD!" he yelled.

TWO MORE HOURS WENT BY....

They ended up on the side of the bed kissing passionately ,while she moved up and down on him....

ANOTHER HOUR WENT BY....before he came with wild abandon and she too had another intense orgasm..Her head began to turn from side to side, sweat and tears streamed down her face and her body trembled something fierce...She was having an orgasm the likes she had never had before..

She rested on his chest...He was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat...She was drenched in sweat also....just smiling from ear to ear...

The Next Morning at the Auto repair Shop, ADA Jesse Colin showed up to pick up the car.

"Heyy Eddie...I'm here to pick up Jumpshot's car.." said Jesse.

"It's over there, ready to go.. Jimmy will pay me when he sees me..You can take it."said Eddie Singleton, tossing Jesse the keys.

"Thanks..."said Jesse as he got in the car and happily pulled off..

He loved driving this car...He loved the way it felt on the road.  He was off from work today and Jimmy was in no rush...

He took the car out on the road on the fringe of the city...

He was like a little kid....The wind was hitting his face as he drove...He pushed the car to 100 mph....That was a big mistake.

The Car exploded!!!!!

The Fire department was on the scene almost immediately......

Emergency Crews arrived immediately too...They were able to pull the badly burned body of Jesse

Colin out of the wreckage...

He lived for a few minutes, then unfortunately....He died.

Crime Scene Investigators were on the scene.....

"This was a car bomb....and it was rigged to go off after the car hit a certain speed."said one...

"I just checked the VIN Number....This car belongs to Assistant District Attorney James Taylor..You know Jumpshot Jimmy."said another CSI guy...

"Yeah, but that aint Jumpshot Jimmy."said another CSI man...

"His Drivers License says he's Jesse Colin... Here is a Bar Association Card...He's some kind of lawyer."said a Detective on the scene.

"I know him...He's an Assistant District Attorney....He's a new guy."said another detective.

"He was a new guy.... He's a dead guy now... A Murder victim." said Dr. Hazel Baylor.

"Damnnnnnn, I knew him...a nice kid...He'd just started..." said Lt. Tragg.

"Wow! Had he been around long enough to make that kind of enemy?" pondered Dr. Marcy Martin.

"No!   This is Jumpshot Jimmy's car...I saw him preening and driving around in it all last week.. He's a big showoff..  This was directed at him... I'm willing to make book on it.. I imagine a lot of people, women and men hate his guts..."snarled Lt. Tragg,

"Including You Lieutenant....Where were you the past few hours?" joked Dr. Hazel Baylor.

Lt. Tragg laughed....

"Yeajh that's a good question, heh heh heh....Bag him and tag him girls and uh get me that autopsy report as soon as you can, even though we know what caused this poor kid's death.:" he laughed.

His charred body was put in a body bag and strapped to a gurney and wheeled into a van that would take him to the Medical Examiner's Office.

That afternoon at Dinner...The talk was about the young Assistant District Attorney who died in a fiery explosion.. 

"I can't believe Jesse Colin is dead!  I lectured him at Middleton Law School..Next to Bresha, he was one of my favorite students." said Olivia.

 

"I heard he was driving Jumpshot Jim's car...He had gone to the shop to pick it up." I said.

"I'll bet this was aimed at Jumpshot Jim...This poor kid was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."said Beverly.

"Maybe it was somebody he sent up, wanting to get back at him."said Nelson.

"Or some Angry Woman or their boyfriend wanting revenge."said Josie.

"This had to be more than that....I can't see somebody making a car bomb to kill someone over that.

I'm with Nelson...This might have been someone he sent up."said Paris.

"I had several classes wirth him....He was a nice guy....He didn't deserve this." said Bresha.

"I had some classes with him too. Nice guy."said Tony.

"It really is a small world."said Alfreda.

"I knew him...He had just started working there...He idolized Jumpshot Jim, hung on to his every word.

He probably went to pick that car up for him....Damnnnnnn!" said Rockland. 

"Who would do something so cruel?" said Olivia.

"What could he have done to deserve this?" asked Bresha.

"I don't think he did anything...This wasn't aimed at him."said Beverly.

Shortcake was right.

IV-

A FEW DAYS LATER- THE NO I.D. BAR-

It was Saturday, We were having brunch..

"You know, I actually had a few classes with Jesse Colin when I was at Middleton Law School." said Lee Phillips.

"I remember when you graduated from Drexel....He was there to congratulate you... He must have thought highly of you..."said her boyfriend, Matthew.

 

"He kinda liked me... He kept up with me after I left and enrolled in Drexel..Nothing became of it...We never even went out."said Lee.

"Baby girl, you just be killin the game, you got all these guys liking you.."laughed Jazzy.

"Yeah,but I'm the important one." said Matthew.

"Yes...Yes you are." laughed Jazzy.

"He's staking his claim girl.....You got a keeper."laughed Kayla.

Lee giggled and hung her head on Matthew's arm.

 

"Shame about that kid...I can't get over that...He was doin a favor for somebody, not realizing that person was marked for death." said Dabnis.

"We keep saying that...but do we know for sure?" said Kayla.

"This wasn't aimed at him...He was a new guy...He wasn't around long enough to make any enemies...besides...He was driving Jumpshot Jimmy's car....Jumpshot was supposed to pick that car up."said Ray.

"That's right...he was...That bomb was definitely meant for him..." said Jessica.

"Damn... not that it didn't get Jumpshot...but that it did get an innocent person..Poor Kid didn't realize what was happening or why."said her husband, Chip.

"He was so young, just starting out."said Karen, so glad she was no longer prosecuting people.

"I heard his parents are going to have his remains cremated once the M.E.'s office releases the body."said B.L.

"His body is so badly charred from the explosion it's not recognizable.." said Natalie.

"Damn, what a way to go out." said her husband, David.

"It does send a cold chill through your spine doesn't it?" said Brooke.

"Indeed!" said her husband, Sean.  The ATF is studying the bomb and trying to trace it's origins and who might have ordered it.  Lt. Tragg isn't too happy with that...He says it's his investigation." said Sean.

"He's Always saying things like that...That's how he goofed up the last investigation....That plane crash...Got the wrong person, didn't wait for the body to be identified."said Zoey.

"He's already made an arrest!  Last night he and his men arrested the auto-mechanic who last worked on Jumpshot's car... Turns out Jumpshot sent this guy up for three years on a drug rap."said her husband, Lem.

"Sounds good, but knowing the Lieutenant,it's probably the wrong guy." said Renee.

"More than likely, it is."laughed her husband, Tyrell

At another table, we were having a similar conversation... 

"I hear Lt. Tragg made an arrest in that young ADA's car bombing murder yesterday."said Olivia.

 

"Knowing the Lieutenant and his track record,it's probably the wrong guy. You know how he rushes to judgment" I  said 

"You're probably right Donnie Ray. "laughed Beverly as she ate her food.

"I heard The ATF is studying the bomb and trying to trace it's origins and who might have ordered it.  Lt. Tragg isn't too happy with that...He says it's his investigation." said Nelson.

"Sounds like him...Remember Rosie? How he rushed to judgement in that case...Didn't wait for the body to be properly identified ,made a quick arrest and once again it was the wrong person....I don't trust any arrest he makes." said Josie.

"Last night he and his men arrested the auto-mechanic who last worked on Jumpshot's car... Turns out Jumpshot sent this guy up for three years on a drug rap."said Paris.

"He would be the most obvious suspect....But I'm with Josie..I don't trust any arrest he makes. "said Bresha.

"Even a broke clock is right twice a day. "said her husband, Tony, smiling wryly...

"Lt. Tragg hasn't been right once!"said Alfreda.

 Her husband, Rockland spit his coffee out, laughing so hard...

"You guys are terrible." said Nina Rios, rubbing Rockland's back...and also laughing at what Alfreda said.

Her boyfriend Carlos laughed as well. 

 "Well I hope Lieutenant Tragg got it right this time...Shame about that kid...He was just starting out." said Yvette.

"Yeah..I heard his folks are going to have his remains cremated after the body is released."said Gary.

"Might as well...The body was so badly charred it was unrecognozable I heard." said Keith Jones.

"EWWWWWWWWWW! No More.."said Bee Bee.

''Speak of the devil....There is Jumpshot Jim and Amanda Grayson over there having breakfast."said Sofia.

"I didn't know they ate here."said Kahlil.

"This is no longer our best kept secret."said Jade.

"With you all working down here...It was bound to get out."laughed Jade's husband, Danny.

"For Sure."said Virginia.

"I was down here before all of you guys arrived,and I thought it was just a dive bar...I never ventured inside of here." said Jetty, sipping his Mimosa.

Jumpshot Jim and Amanda helped themselves to hot plates of food

Marveling at the selection and sat down to eat.

"Jimmy, look...There is Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her niece and some of the attorneys they hang with..."said Amanda.

"Would you believe they all live on the same street, all attended the same schools at some point and a lot of them work right across the street in the Bridge Building?" laughed Jumpshot Jim.

"Talk about togetherness huh?"laughed  Amanda Grayson.  "You know yesterday...I was in court...Well actually I was in the courtroom waiting area, sipping a coffee, when that creepy Calvin Himmler...the bond attorney approached me..

"Amanda...Amanda...I am soooo sorry...I heard about Jujmpshot Jim getting killed this morning in some kind of car explosion....I am so sorry...I am here to comfort you.....Let's go to breakfast.....I've already cleared it with your boss.." he said.

"Gil did suspend all trials for today....The office is in mourning, but not for Jumpshot...He's very much alive...." I said.

"HE IS?" he said, almost shocked,.

"Yes.....He wasn't driving the car.....Our young ADA Jesse Colin was driving...He went to pick it up for Jimmy...Jimmy was with me." I said.

"You would have thought the sun fell out of the sky....He just turned and walked away.."said Amanda.

"Strangest thing." she added.

"Yeah it is...Excuse me a minute Amanda."said Jumpshot Jim... He walked across the bar to where we were sitting..

"Good Morning, Olivia, Vettie, everybody...Olivia can I uh have a word?" he said.

"Sure, what about?"  said Olivia.. "Oh and I'm so sorry about your colleague." she added.

"That's what I'm here about... Lt. Tragg arrested my mechanic Edward Singleton for the car bombing...

Eddie Singelton is an excellent car mechanic...but he's no car bomber..."said Jumpshot Jim.

"Are you asking us to rep him?   You sent him up for three years for a drug rap."said Beverly.

"Yeah I did...and when he got out...I helped him get that job at the garage...He was making decent money, had a nice apartment....We had buried the hatchet...He worked on my cars all the time..."said Jumpshot Jim.

"So there was no malice?"I asked.

"No, None at all....He recently got me Phillies tickets...I don't think he did this...Could you throw in a pro bono case, as a favor?   I'd be forever in your debt."said Jumpshot.

"You're already forever in our debt."said Beverly with a smile. We had just defended him and gotten him out of a murder rap...

"Ouuuuuu Jimmy, you're going to owe me a real big favor." said Olivia.

"Thank you Olivia." said Jumpshot Jim.

(TO BE CONTINUED)