I Spy

She saw me looking at her and said-

"Okay Donnie Ray, you can stop drooling...Put your tongue back in your mouth....We've got somewhere to be.." she said as she touched up her hair in the mirror.

I smiled...I adjusted my tie in the mirror...Olivia came over and gave it one final tug...

"You smell good.."I said.

"Thank you dear..and you look very handsome today.."she said..

There came a knock on the door...It was Beverly...

"Hey guys..we ready?" she said.
I tossed her the keys...

"Yup...Let's rock and roll...We can get some breakfast on the way." I said.

We were headed to the McGarry-Edelman Pharmaceutical company to get some answers about the late John Pryor who we had known as Jake Robinson for a year or so. This had been his last place of employment...So it was logical that we start our investigation here.

II-

The company was massive and actually outside of West Chester,Pennsylvania.....but close enough...I understood why Olivia dressed the way she did...

When she and Beverly appeared at the gate saying that they were attorneys and smiling and showing their credentials...The male guards were putty in their hands and they were let inside and given the royal treatment...I on the other hand would have had a rougher time getting access if I got any at all..

The three of us got an audience with the Deputy CEO of the company... A portly white man who at first glance reminded me of a department store santa claus..His name was Bert Perkins

He was all smiles as we sat down...

"Hi...I'm Bert Perkins....That's uh...Mrs. Alexander right?" he asked..

"Yes...We are from Philadelphia...We worked with a former employee of yours...John Pryor , who we knew as "Jake Robinson for close to six months...I defended him and his company in a recent case..."said Olivia.

"I know you did...We had people in court monitoring the entire thing." he said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Beverly..

He looked at her with a little un ease...Olivia raised her hand...

"This is my second Attorney, Ms. Beverly West..." she said.

He smiled...

"She looks like she could be your sister." he said checking her out..

"Actually, she's my niece...and that is Mr. Alexander...He's my firm's investigator and my husband."she said.

He looked at us and smiled..

"I like that...A family business....Well, Since poor John is dead, I might as well explain what he was to you...He was in fact...Still working for us..He was an industrial spy!!" he said.

"What?" said Olivia..

"Yes...A year ago, he was caught in the bed with an official's wife...They wanted me to fire him, but I figured anybody who could talk their way into that woman's bed would serve a better purpose...We pretended to fire him, but we built a new identity for him and fished him into our competitor's company in Philadelphia..See, their CEO used to work for us...He broke off and started that company,complete with all he learned here and for awhile was killing us in profits....We gave him a new identity and false references....Several different phone numbers that were owned and paid for by us in case they checked."he said.

"And you put John there as Jake  to spy and give you information....Information you couldn't get otherwise."I said.

"Yes...Yes...As immoral as it may look, it's not against the law." he said.

I grimaced...He was after all right...

"So He got a paycheck from you guys...under the table right?" I asked.

"Yes...He was listed only as a Research Operative ..We gave him a new car,paid his living expenses and allowed him to take a check from them...He did great work...Got us good information...Our profits are up and we are closing in on them because of the work he did..Then all of a sudden, his information wasn't panning out...It was off or wrong and we wondered if he'd been compromised...We were going to pull him,when we were told that he died." said the Deputy CEO..

"His wife never knew?" asked Olivia.

"No....but that was his choice...not ours... She thought he had taken a new job in Philly...He stayed there Monday -Friday and came home ,here on the weekends and holidays...She never knew he was someone else..And we told him to avoid going to any part of the city where he might be recognized by family or friends...That meant Center City,West Philly and South Philly." he said.

"Did you know he was engaged to be married?" asked Beverly, very upset.

"The girl..Her name was Gretchen Carter right? She was the executive secretary to the CEO of that company....John talked his way into her heart and later her bedroom and had her passing him the most sensitive of information...Only thing was...I think he was starting to really get hooked on her..I think he forgot that this was a job...and he was playing a role...He really fell for her...I told him he was walking a thin line, but he said he could handle it...I was thinking of pulling him out, for his own sake...but I suppose his recklessness did that for me..I had no idea..He was using Coke and Heroin." he said.

"Wow!  This is crazy."I said.

"It's a very competitive world Mr. Alexander...anything one can do to get an edge, one will do." he said.'Uh Mrs. Alexander..do you still represent that company?" he asked.

"No...I was representing him...My dealings with that company are over..."she said.

"I would pleased if you kept what I disclosed to you confidential...I will deny that this conversation ever took place."he said with a sardonic smile..

"But of course....Your secret is safe with us...I just wanted to know who I was working with." she said.

"Mrs. Alexander...Sometimes ,you never really know a person and they never really know you."he said.

Olivia and Beverly stood up... I stood up and shook his hand..

"Thank you for your time sir."I said as we left..

As the three of us walked towards the car I turned to Olivia and Beverly and said.

"I feel like I need a shower."

Beverly laughed...Olivia looked at me and said-"Me too Donnie Ray, Me too!"

III-

As we prepared to drive out of town...We passed a church and saw Black people assembled...I looked up and saw, Juanita Pryor walking down the church steps..I parked the car and the three of us got out...

Surprisingly, She smiled when she saw us...

"Heyyy, how are you guys?..I didn't think I'd see you again.."she said.

"We were in town, investigating McGarry_Edelman, where John worked last." said Olivia..

"You mean where he still worked.."she said.

"You knew didn't you?" said Beverly.

"Someone inside the company told me...They thought I should know...I know that he was fished into that company to get them information...and that he cozied up to that trollip in Philly because she was close to the boss...In the end he was true to me...He was only using her....And to think, she thought she was his fiance.."she said ,laughing...

I smiled weakly....

"Yeah, Imagine that?" I said.

The pall bearers placed the casket in the hearse...Juanita looked at us and smiled..

"Well...I gotta go...I may run into you guys soon...I've put this house up for sale...I'm moving back to Philly...Start over again...John left me well taken care of financially...He was a good man..such a good man."she said.

Olivia and Beverly hugged her...I waited by the car..

IV-

I drove on the way back...Olivia sat next to me with her head on my shoulders...Beverly was in the back seat looking out the window...

"Hey D.R." asked Beverly..

"Yeah Bev?" I answered..

"You think Juanita really believed what she told us ? That John was a good man...That he didn't cheat on her? I mean we know different..."she said.

''Sometimes People believe what they need to believe Bev."I said.

Olivia looked up at me and smiled and then laid her head back on my shoulder and drifted off to sleep eventually...

Soon, Beverly was asleep in the back seat also....

I turned the radio on low...and cruised back to Philadelphia.

(CONCLUSION NEXT)

Who Are You ,Really?

Olivia, Beverly ,Juanita Pryor and Gretchen Carter sat in the M.E.'s office with me a few days later...We were waiting for a report from Forensic Investigator,Dr. Hazel Hunter-Baylor...Olivia's friend...She had taken DNA samples and fingerprint samples from the dead body of the man Olivia, Bev and I as well as his fiance, Gretchen Carter had known as Jake Robinson...

Olivia had repped him for close to six months..had been to his place of work, Beasley- Reese Pharmecuticals and had met his supervisor and other fellow employees...Against his wishes of course..He had introduced her to Gretchen Carter, the executive secretary to the CAO of Beasley -Reese.

We had both at least been by the loft that he was living in...We certainly had thought that we knew him all this time...Apparently ,he had fooled us or the woman claiming to be his wife or all of us...My guess was that he had successfully fooled all of us..

I must admit...To my surprise...The two women...The alleged wife and the fiance were more civil than I expected considering the circumstances...They didn't snipe or bite at each other...They sat quietly between me and Bev and said nothing...I felt like saying something...but I didn't..

Olivia looked at her watch and said..
"I wonder where Hazel is..I have a court appointment soon."

I was wondering the same thing...I didn't have a court appointment, but I wanted to go and run some things down...The cop in me..

Finally after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Hazel entered the waiting room...

II-

"Hi everybody...Sorry I kept you waiting.." she said... ''My findings are cocnclusive...he was in the system..he had a drunken driving arrest from four years ago and another bust for possession a year ago..He was never convicted and never did any jail time for either..but his prints and DNA were in the system...That man lying on the slab has been positively identified as John Lee Pryor Jr." she said.

"So can I take the body?" asked his wife Juanita Pryor..

"Sure...just fill out these papers and we'll arrange for a hearse to deliver the body to the funeral home of your choice." said Hazel.

''I live in West Chester...I have my own Funeral Director coming to get the body...but thanks anyway.."she said.

''Oh, Okay then." said Hazel.

''Thank you so much Hazel" said Olivia...

Olivia and Beverly looked at Gretchen who was over in the corner crying softly...

"How could I have been such a fool?" she said..."We were engaged...we spent weekends together in that loft,making love...He told me he loved me..We were about to get married." she said.

Beverly put her arms around her...

"It's okay girl...He fooled all of us..Not just you...For close to a year he had us all believing he was one person and it turned out he was someone else altogether..

Juanita Pryor walked over to where Beverly and Gretchen were sitting...She spoke quietly-

"Think of how I felt...Only seeing him on the weekends..Him lying and refusing to ever let me see his loft in Philly....I was just as big a fool as anyone...I thought I had a marriage..thought I had a husband."she said.

I hadn't liked the man ,the night I had caught him flirting with my wife...Now I disliked him even more for the game he had run on these two women, who's only crime was that they had fallen in love with a liar and a cheat!

Yet ,I couldn't help thinking there was more to his story than what met the eye...I walked over to Beverly and whispered in her ear...

"Robin...I think it's time for us to head to the Batmobile.." I said.

Beverly giggled....

"Who is it this time ,The Riddler, The Joker??"she said laughing..

"Sounds like we got a real Joker on our hands."I said.

III-

Sometime later, Beverly,Olivia and I visited the loft belonging to the late John Lee Pryor......It was beautiful..Much more classier than I expected from him...

"This place is the bomb D.R."said Beverly...

"It's gorgeous."said Olivia..

''Bev, did you go to public records?"I asked.

"Yeah..I did...Found out some interesting facts."she said.

"Oh really? Like What?" I said.

"Like Jake Robinson and John Lee Pryor have the exact same birthday...Both grew up in West Philadelphia..Attended the same elementary school and the same Middle School..." she said.

"But there is no Jake Robinson...That was the phony alias he made up."said Olivia.

"No...There was a Jake Robinson...He's been dead for 15 years!  Our boy here took his name and social security number and built himself a new identity about a year ago..Had credit cards and bank cards in his name and everything else...He lied on his resume about attending Drexel University and Later, Columbia University in New York...he lied about all of the jobs he supposedly worked at as "Jake Robinson" and he purchased this loft with money that was wired from an account from the McGarry-Edelman Pharmecutical Company." said Beverly.

''Really?'I said.

''There is more...McGarry -Edelman in West Chester is supposedly where John Lee Pryor /Jake Robinson was last employed.." said Bev...

"So what is the story on John Lee Pryor?" asked my wife Olivia..Now very curious..

"He's a lot deeper than we could even guess...This guy graduated with honors from Central High...Went to the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with honors...Studied abroad at Oxford in London and then returned here and got a top job at McGarry-Edelman Pharmecuticals...Married Juanita James..three years ago and moved to a beautiful home out in West Chester.... I checked the records...Never missed a morgtage or utility payment on that house or this loft."said Bev.

"Jake?  ...I mean John?" said Olivia..

''He was fooling us all." I said.

"I often wondered how he got such a high position ...Jake just struck me as a player...Not as the brightest bulb in the socket."said Olivia...

I smiled...

''Apparently, he was a good actor ."I said.

"Yes...he fooled Gretchen and she's pretty smart."said Olivia.

"That's odd....He's maintaining a house out in the suburbs and a wife and a girlfriend and a loft here in Philly...On one salary, Smart or not...He wasn't making that much money...It actually seems a ,little impossible..I'm going to see if I can pull his tax returns..."I said.

I walked over to his phone...I noticed that in addition to two cell phones ..he kept a landline...A quick look at his smartphone showed that one was strictly for his John Pryor identity, while the other was for his Jake Robinson identity...I cross checked his calling lists...Different people for different phones.The landline had only a few calls...and one was from an angry caller...

"Hey Jake, you asshole...I want my money or I'm going to break you in to...It's Willie Davenport in case you forgot.." was all the caller said.

Hmmm , judging by the area code...That call came from right outside the city...I was going to find out where and pay Willie a visit.

I picked up my IPad mini....I went through my databases....Willie or William Davenport was a common name...but not the one that had a record for drug possession with intent to sell and who shared that same area code....I located his residence in near record time.

"Livy...I'm going to need your car" I said.

''And how am I getting home?" she said.

"I called Josie...told her to meet me here." I said.

Olivia kissed me..

"You think of everything dear.."she said.

I pulled her to me and kissed her again...long and softly...

"When it comes to you, of course I do." I said.

''Holy mush, will you two stop it?  " joked Beverly..

Josie drove up and I kissed Olivia again as she got in the car...I pulled Beverly to me..

''Robin this calls for your expertise"...I tossed her the keys... "Drive" I said and got in the passenger side.

IV-

Beverly and I sat outside of the house...It was in a small suburb of Philadelphia...

''How did you find this place so fast?" she asked.

"Modern Technology and the fact that I did used to be a cop..."I said. "I knew where and how to look."I said.

"You're scary sometimes D.R." she said and laughed..

I pulled her to me and hugged her...

"Nothing either you or your auntay ever have to worry about...I work for you guys remember?" I said and kissed her on the forehead...Then I pulled out my wallet and gave her a few dollars..

"Here...go to that corner store down the street and get us some coffee and those uh Tastykake jelly krimpets you Philadelphians talk about so much...I've taken a liking to them." I said.

Beverly smiled at me..

"You're really becoming a Philadelphian D.R."she said.

"Next time you're in New Orleans...I'll have to introduce you and your Auntay to a Po-Boy."I said.

"Deal" she said and she got out of the car and headed to the corner store..

But before she came back...The man I was looking for walked up to the house...

"Willie..Willie Davenport!!"I called..

He went to run ,but I cautioned him...

"Don't run and don't make me pull out my gun."I said.  I really didn't feel like a foot race or a fight.

He froze in his tracks..

"You damn Narcos....I'm clean..." he said.

"I'm not a narco..."I said.

I showed him a photo of John Pryor..

"That's Jake!" he said.

"Yeah...he's dead.."I said.

"Ohhhh crap!   hey man...I didn't kill him...I haven't seen him since early Friday...Honest...I got a solid alibi for whenever he was killed."he said.

"He wasn't killed...it was natural causes...Heart attack, brought on by too much heroin ,mixed with cocaine and alcohol.." I said.

"Heyyy you can't blame that on me!!!!!...Yeah,I sold him some junk...but how he chose to use it or over use it aint on me." he said.

I laughed....

"You called his loft threatening him if he didn't pay you your money....Probably money owed for the last blast you gave him, am I right?" I asked.

"Y-Y-Yeah....He owed me 25K...but he paid me...in full on Friday....I didn't have no beef with Jake..he was just a little late with his payments ,is all..but me and him was good." he said.

"He paid you in full, 25K?" I said.

"Hey man, he wasn't like these college kids or some junkie in West Philly or North Philly...He had a big time position with some Pharmecutical company...He had the dough...He had a bad babe, nice crib...He liked to party...but he always paid...eventually!" said Willie..

I patted Willie on the back..

"Thanks"I said.

"You aint bustin me?" he asked.

"Nah....besides...I'm not a cop...I'm a private investigator.."I said.

By now Beverly had returned with coffee and Tastykakes...

"Get in the car...I already interviewed him...I'm going back to the store to get a Tastykake for your Auntay."I said.

"Way ahead of you D.R.  I already got her one...You're not the only one who loves her."she said and smiled.

She dialed Nelson as  We pulled off!

"Hello."he said..

"Hey Baby..You want some company tonight?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? Sure!" he said.

Beverly looked at me and laughed....covering her phone..

"He gets sooo excited over me...It's kinda cute."she whispered.

''Okay..D.R. is bringing me by in a few."she said.

"I'll be here."he said.

"You really dig him Bev?" I asked.

"Yeah...he's good people..Sometimes I feel so bad  at how I used to treat him."she said.

''Well..at least you know he's serious about you."I said and smiled.

"Can you put me off at Nelson's apartment?" she asked...

"Sure thing...You did good work today counselor." I said...She beamed with pride....as we pulled off and headed back to the city.

 IV-

When I got home, Olivia was sitting on the bed in her nightie working on her laptop...

"Hey" I said, leaning down to kiss her..

"Hey yourself..Where is Bev, at Nelson's?"she asked.

" Yeah...Our guy Jake or John had a lot of cash to spend and I don't think it came from Beasley-Reese.."I said.

"Oh it wasn't..."she said...."His tax returns show that he was still on the payroll at McGarry-Edelman in West Chester."she continued...

"He was working for two competitors at the same time?" Something is rotten in West Chester.."I said.

"I think we need to go to West Chester and talk to his wife tomorrow and visit that company."said Olivia.

''We as in me and you?"I  asked while stripping down to my boxers and laying across the bed..

"Yeah...you never take me on these adventures...My niece can't have all of he fun."said Olivia..

"I don't know uh, I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings."I laughed..

Olivia kissed me softly and tenderly...She ran her hands in my boxers and fondled my raging erection softly...

"You wouldn't want to uh, hurt my feelings would you?"she said softly, blowing in my ears..

"I certainly would not."I said ,pulling her closely to me and kissing her....

She began to laugh loudly then...

"Huh? What?" I said.

"You are sooooo whipped.."she said. "The three of us are going." she laughed...

"Come here you!!" I said...She leaped up and began running from me..I chased her...She was laughing and screaming as I chased her around the room...

"Stoppppp, get off of me.." she laughed as I finally cornered her and extended her arms against the wall and kissed her long, slowly and softly for five minutes....

"Wowzers....You're going to hurt me with that thing." laughed Olivia as she put both of her hands around my erect penis and stroked it a little bit more... She shook her head and smiled.. I slipped her panties down slowly...She stared in my face with those big expressive eyes of hers...She was breathing deeply and kissing me slowly...

I entered her and lifted her up and  begin to thrust inside of her  deeply. I tried to catch my breath, Olivia wrapped her  legs around me and her arms around my neck as if I was falling off a cliff.

We quickly got a nice deliberate rhythm right there up against the wall.. I just wanted to go hard and fast, but she slowed us down. I could barely stand it.It felt so good... I slowed it way down with deep, long strokes that make me feel like I was losing my mind...She kissed me softly and blew into my ears...

 ''Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...Ohhhhh Donnie Rayyy..ouuuuuuuuuuuuu." she moaned.

''YeSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yesssssssssss" I moaned....

We made sweet love this time for about a hour and a half before we both exploded in a passionate fury...

"Ummmmm,put me down....I'm getting a cramp in my leg." laughed Olivia as we both walked over to the bed and  rested ...I rested between her legs...She wrapped them around my lower back and played in my hair...I held her tight...

Olivia breathed  a little lighter and said to me...

"So tomorrow...West Chester right?" she said.

"Yeah...West Chester." I sighed...

"Donnie Ray?" she said.

"Yeah?" I answered..

"I'm whipped too."she said and smiled as I leaned up and kissed her softly.

V-
McGarry-Edelman Pharmaceutical company- West Chester,PA.

Two White men stood in the dark talking.....

"Hi ya Bert..."

''Hey Mitch"

''Our Boy Johnnie died down in Philly over the weekend."

''Yeah..I heard....Shame...He was a good dope drop...Always got us pertinent information...This guy should have worked for the government...The FBI or somethin..."

"Imagine that?  He was kind of a James Bond type..."

"Yeah...Shame he's dead....We uh got some visitors comin tomorrow Bert."

"Cops? I thought they said it was natural causes...??"

"No..Not cops...A couple of lawyers and a Private Investigator..."

"What do they want?"

"Probably know about his two identities.."

"You gonna talk to em?"

"Yeah why not...The cat is out of the bag now...We're covered...They can't hurt us."

"Shame about Johnny boy eh?"

''Yeah man, damn shame!"


(TO BE CONTINUED)