VENTURES

Our Supervisor, Karen Page-Benz brought us coffees from Mocha Joes, across the street from our building. Ms. Yvette swears it's the best coffee in the city..She's not far from wrong.

In our Conference Room ,Brooke, my wife, Natalie and I were hard at work on Eugene Grime's case..

looking at Trial Testimony, The Autopsy Report, The Crime Scene Report and Witness Statements as well as looking for Predicates in like cases, Laws pertaining to this case and Laws used in like cases..

It was boring ,tedious work, yet work that had to be done before we could write an appeal that could be argued in an Appellate Court.

"Our client and Dillard Scott met when they both were in the youth study center.. Two young White Boys....I suppose they had to bond and watch each other's backs... Once out on the street...They were back at it, committing petty stick ups...Dillard Scott was back in the Youth Study Center until he was 21. He got his GED while he was there...Eugene Grimes didn't get into any more trouble with the law, He graduated from High School and did a year in Community College. He worked in a local bar." said Brooke.

"There he met Linda Sue Carson, a flirtatious Bar Maid, Three years his senior.. The two moved in together and began a torrid , though toxic affair..She got pregnant twice by Eugene and aborted both babies. They broke up but continued to work together... Dillard Scott and his friend, Wardell Warrington, a Black Guy he met while in youth study center began coming to the bar...Linda Sue was by all accounts, very flirtatious and she flirted with both Wardell and Dillard. This angered Eugene and lead to his quitting and getting a job at a meat packing plant. He began to smoke a lot of weed and party with a different crew..."said Natalie.

"On the morning on June 5th 2023, Lisa Sue Carson was found in her aparrtment in just her panties and half ripped bra...Dead....Cause of death was blunt force trauma...She'd been beaten to death and raped..Sperm from at least two men were found in her body... "I said.

"Of course DNA and fingerprints of Dillard Scott and another unidentified person was found on the premises... and Police immediately arrested Dillard Scott and Eugene Grimes and charged them both with Rape and Murder..."said Brooke.

"The other DNA was inconclusive.... Grimes's attorney asked for another test, but the Judge, James Smith denied the request...His Attorney was going through a divorce and didn't contest it any further...

Grimes was high as a kite when he was arrested at another girl's house in Kensington." said Brooke.

"So we could make this case on DNA right?" said Karen.

"We could and dissembling the testimony of one eyewitness who swears she saw Grimes leaving the scene ,which goes against the girl he was found with , who swears he was with her the whole night."said Brooke.

"Stay with it.. Sean and I will need as much as you can muster to put up an argument in his defense at Appellate Court." said Karen.

''And we don't have much time, with his execution date coming up in three weeks."said Natalie.

I leaned over Natalie's shoulder to get my coffee and I whispered in her ear.

''Do I get another spontaneous "I love You" kiss today?"

"It wouldn't be spontaneous now because you asked for it...I may surprise you before the day is over." she giggled.

"David are you whispering sweet nothings in Natalie's ear?" asked Brooke.

"Kinda!" I laughed...

"I'm going to have to pour a bucket of cold water on you mister....Was he always like this about you

Natalie?" asked Karen, laughing.

"NO! I worked with him for two years, close to three in the Public Defenders Office and not a peep...He didn't even try to flirt... I did catch him looking at me if I had on a Mini Skirt or a tight fitting dress.."said Natalie.

"Like the one you're wearing today right?" laughed Brooke... "David would buy her coffee and treat us both to pastries from time to time..but he basically went un noticed because we had much more aggressive and colorful guys around us vying for our attention."said Brooke.

"How did he finally get through?" asked Karen.

"He saw me in Aqua Bar one night and bought me a drink and took me from the table I was with to sit with him and we talked each other to death until closing..We were the last ones in the bar, everybody else was gone.. We uh wound up in my apartment and it was a wrap.. We've been together ever since."said Natalie.

''She made breakfast for me the next morning." I said.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" laughed Karen.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU It really was good!" laughed Brooke.

"You just don't know..." laughed Natalie, looking at me and smiling.

"You can't have any worse luck than this guy."said Sean. "His Original Attorney on the case died this morning...Pancreatic Cancer...I never got to talk to him... I did however get some notes that he kept on the trial...Some appeals he was going to send..."said Sean.

"Well, every little bit helps...Has anyone heard from Monique?" asked Karen.

"Yes, they found a body where Dillard Scott said it was buried...but it hasn't been identified yet."said Brooke.

"Well, that's a start." said Natalie.

II-

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE-

"Well I've got good news for you Monique...We identified the body by his dental records... That is a 24 year old Black male named Wardell Warrington. His cause of death is gunshot wound...a .22 caliber to the back of the head." said Dr. Hazel Baylor.

"Just like the executed man Dillard Scott told us,. He said he told Warrington he had a stash of weed in the basement of his grandmother's house.. He lured him to the basement of an empty row house in Kensington and shot him to death...Then later that night , her took his remains and buried him. This boy has been missing since late July 2023....Dillard Scott and Eugene Grimes were both arrested and tried for the murder and rape of Linda Sue Carson, a barmaid at a local Kensington Bar." said Monique.

"I remember that case.. That Jackass Lt. Tragg brought it in...He didn't do the most thorough investigation..We told him the second man's DNA was inconclusive...

We needed more time..More DNA.. but that Judge James Smith denied the request... He kneecapped the defense like he was known to do. And now he's on death row himself."said Dr. Hazel Baylor.

"I know all about Lt. Tragg...The two cases I lost was basically because of him....and as for Judge James Smith or former Judge James Smith...I had the horror of meeting him yesterday when we were at the prison for Dillard Scott's execution..."said Monique.

"This is where he confessed everything?" asked Hazel.

"Yeah...He said that he and Linda Sue and Wardell was supposed to have a threesome, but she got paranoid and things got out of hand....They were all high and when they came to...Linda Sue was dead...

Her skull was fractured and he was certain he hadn't done it...He was just there for the sex...They both fled and in anger, he murdered Wardell... He wasn't sure which one of them had killed the girl, but he didn't want to go to prison behind it." said Monique.

"But he let his friend, Eugene Grimes take a fall for something he knew he didn't do and he waited until now to say something...He could've said something back then." said Hazel.

"He said he tried to say something, but no one would listen.."said Monique.

"You believe him?" asked Hazel.

"I do.. Poor White Boy, Poor Black Boy...Nobody listens to them...That's why I got into this law game...To give voice to the unheard." said Monique.

"I remember that trial....

Assistant District Attorney Lloyd Jenson was the prosecutor...

And James Smith was the Judge..They were buddies.

"Those two didn't stand a chance." said Monique..

''Well Good Luck" said Hazel."

That afternoon in the Laundromat at the top of our block!

Brooke and Natalie were doing their laundry...

''We get our laundry done quicker...but I miss laundry day, when we all were together on a Saturday Morning doing our laundry, laughing ,talking and dishing." said Brooke.

"I know , we are never all here at the same time anymore..I miss those days too!.. Maybe Bev and Renee can organize another one, one of these Saturdays." said Natalie.

"With a Catered Breakfast." said Brooke.

"YEAH!" said Natalie.

Monique walked in just then...

"Your Husband told me I'd find you two in here.." she said and sat down....

"Well, did you find the remains of the third guy in this drama?" asked Brooke.

"Sure Did...Hazel identified him through his dental records.... He's Wardell Warrington alright, complete with a .22 slug in the back of his head." said Monique. Hazel is going to try and get positive DNA and get back to me tomorrow...Then body was buried for three years in a plastic trash bag... the remains were mummified....almost unrecognizable." said Monique.

"Missing for Three years and nobody was looking for him except his mother...Has she been contacted?"asked Natalie.

"I called her...she was very relieved...She said she knew he was dead, she just wanted his remains so she could give him a proper burial." said Monique. "Hazel took enough tissue to get some DNA evidence and she said she might get some from his mother when she comes to pick up the body." said Monique.

"That's great....We've built a nice case for appeal.." said Brooke.

''Well have Karen and Sean ready for Appellate Court day after tomorrow."said Natalie.

"Excellent...I may go with them." said Monique.

After they finished their laundry....Natalie and Brooke returned to their homes.

At home I helped Natalie unpack her laundry...

She unloaded her laundry bag..and began hanging up some of her bras and putting her panties away...

I watched her putting her things away...with rapt attention after I put my things away.

I helped her fold and put some of her panties away....She cracked up, watching me...

She saw me and smiled...

"See something you like?" she asked.

"I do, but I like taking off whatever you're wearing better..."I said.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" she giggled as I unzippered her form fitting dress....

and relieved her of her underwear....

"Does this count as a spontaneous "I love You"kiss?" asked Natalie, kissing me..

"It can." I said as our kissing got hotter...

"Okayyyy!" she said...

"I love you." she said as we lie on our bed, kissing like two horny teenagers...

"I love you too!" I said.

She lowered herself down on me... She was wet and felt wonderful.....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM GET IT BABY!" Natalie screamed out...her body trembling, her head moving from side to side and tears flowing down the sides of her face....as she eased down on me...

"UMMMMMMMMMMPH! GIRL THIS IS TOO GOOD!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID!" she cried out....

"OH MY GOD NATALIE JEAN!" I moaned.

"I LIKE THAT YOU CALL ME BY MY GOVERNMENT NAME.....OUUUUUUUUUUU I ONLY LIKE MY FULL NAME WHEN YOU'RE SAYING IT!" she moaned.

"OH MY GOD NATALIE JEAN!" I moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID! DAVID!!!! OUUUUUUUUUU!" she cried out....Natalie screamed out...her body trembling, her head moving from side to side and tears flowing down the sides of her face....

She was riding me and kissing me and driving me to near delirium....

"GET IT BABY!"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!" she moaned...
Sitting on the side of the bed , while she moved up and down on me...

"UMMMMMMMMMMPH! OH MY DAMNNNNN!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID! OUUUUUUUUUU! IS IT GOOD TO YA BABY?" she cried out....

"OH MY GOD NATALIE JEAN! NATALIE JEAN....NATALIE JEAN..AWWWWWW LAWWWWD! YESSSS!" I moaned.

"YOU LOVE MY NAME DON'T YOU?" she laughed, continuing to kiss me..

"I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!" I HOLLERED....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed.

I turned her over and entered her missionary style...

"OH NATALIE, THIS HAS GOT TO BE A DREAM.." I yelled out..

"THEN I'M DREAMING TOO! OUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she screamed out....

"AWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWWWWD!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUU DAVID!" she said as she had another intense orgasm, her body trembling, her head turning from side to side,tears flowing down her cheeks...

She opened her legs wide and allowed me full access, while wrapping her arms around my neck..

"UMMMMMMMMMMPH! GIRL THIS IS TOO GOOD!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID! IS IT REALLY?" she cried out....

"OH MY GOD NATALIE JEAN! YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!" I moaned.

"UMMMMMMMMMMPH! GIRL THIS IS TOO GOOD!" I moaned..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID!I'M GLAD!!! OUUUUUUUU YOU'RE GOOD TOO!! OUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cried out....

"OH MY GOD NATALIE JEAN!" I moaned.

We made love for the next NINE TO TEN HOURS!

"Ouuuuuuu I love you." I said with Natalie resting on top of me..

"I love you too!" she said as she dozed off into a peaceful and deep sleep.

WHILE NEXT DOOR!

"You and Boss Lady will be arguing Eugene's appeal in appellate court in a few days." said Brooke.

"Yeah ,I hope we get a good Judge.." said Sean.

"Hopefully you'll get Delores Sykes, your old flame." said Brooke.

"Awww come on Brooke." said Sean..

"I'm serious.,..She'll look at you and remember that big penis of yours and how good it was and rule in our favor." said Brooke.

"You really think that will affect the outcome huh?" asked Sean.

"I'm a woman! I know how women think....I do.." said Brooke..

He pulled Brooke to him...."You are a woman....That much is true......" he laughed.

"I want to prove it to you tonight..." she said as she kissed him slowly and softly, driving him berserk!

"Alright " he said rubbing her behind and running his hands up under her babydoll.

"I removed my panties before I got in the bed.." she whispered softly..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUU!" he moaned....his body trembling...

Sean spread Brooke's legs and entered her slowly....She was wet and warm and smelled good...He was delirious...

OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! WOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! LAWDDDDDDDDDDD! BROOKE!" he moaned...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYYYY GODDDDDD!!OUUUUUUUUUUU
WOUUUUUUUUU! Oh My God Sean, you are so hard....ouuuuuuu and so big! Ummmmmm" moaned Brooke.." she screamed. Tears flowed down her cheeks!

Her body trembled and she had a quick almost embarrassing orgasm....

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.LAWWWWWWWWWWD BROOKE, MY SWEET VANILLA!!!" he moaned.

The bed squeaked loudly and the headboard rattled....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! CHOCOLATE DADDY!!!" she moaned..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM VANILLA MILKSHAKE!" he cried out..
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HUSBAND! OUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she moaned.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"he moaned loudly...

"Chocolate Daddy ,I'm about to cummm....OUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"

"OHHHHHHHHHHH BROOKIE...SO AM I....AWWWWW LAWWWWWD!" he yelled out.

They made love for the next EIGHT TO NINE HOURS!

Brooke rested on Sean's chest, breathing heavily .

"Yes, I hope you get her ...She'll be remembering that big penis of yours and how good it felt and she'll rule in your favor."said Brooke with a smile.

Sean smiled as he held Brooke and softly rubbed her butt....

"UMMMMMMMMMM, I'M RULING IN YOUR FAVOR RIGHT NOW!!!! WOUUUUUU!" Brooke cooed as they both laughed.

III-

THE OFFICE OF KAREN PAGE- BENZ, WRONGFUL CONVICTION/CONVICTION INTEGRITY UNIT!

"Okay....Sean and I are set to go to our first Appellate Court haring tomorrow morning." said Karen.

"We hope it's our only one...We've got less than two weeks to save this guy's life..."said Sean.

"You've got a good case for an appeal...He didn't get a very good defense...Witness statements were contradictory at best....A third DNA test should have been done...DNA was inconclusive and there is now proof that a third man was involved...His body has been found." said Brooke.

"Where are we on that?" asked Karen...

"He's been positively identified...His remains were where Scott said they would be.. and Hazel has taken DNA from his mother and from his remains, to compare with the DNA samples they have from the first case... "said Natalie.

"We are going up to the prison tomorrow and get a fresh DNA sample from Eugene Grimes..." I said.

"Excellent...Things look good....Well, as good as they possibly can look." said Karen.

"Let's Hope we get a good Judge tomorrow !" said Sean.

"I'd love to have the Judge we had the last time. That Delores Sykes...She was nice." said Karen...

Brooke smiled.. She used her fingers to simulate a penis entering a vagina..

Sean Blushed...He blushed something awful.

IV-

LUNCHTIME!

"We've got a full house today." said Jazzy...

"Yeah, Monique and Olivia, Beverly and staff." said Dabnis.

"What brings my favorite cousins down here today?" asked Kayla.

''We are working a case with the Innocence Project."said Olivia.

"A Freebie?" asked Kayla.

"Nope we are getting paid by the Innocence Project...Scale and the Defendant's Church has raised a sizable amount for his defense. We are going to be paid handsomely. " said Beverly.

"That's always good." said Ray.

"I always try to compensate my help." said Jessica , playfully jabbing at Ray..

"It's a good case...Hopefully we'll be done by end of next week." said Ray.

"Monique I'm glad you came to join us for lunch." said Karen.

"I'm glad I came...This place is great....I see why you all are so close...You work in this great building, with this great cafeteria...You all live in the same neighborhood..wow!" laughed Monique.

"It also helps that we have a lot of history...High School, College, Law School, and some of us even further back than that." laughed Natalie.

"I graduated from Temple with you, Kayla, Beverly and Jazzy and yet I didn't know you guys until years later."I said.

"In other words, we are all part of a small world Monique."laughed Brooke.

"Very Small." laughed Sean.

"How's your case going guys?" asked Zoey.

"We'll see tomorrow...I'm going to Appellate court to watch Karen and Sean argue their appeal.."said Monique.

"And Brooke, David and I are going up to the prison to get a fresh DNA sample." said Natalie.

"You really think you can save this guy? He's got two weeks before his date with a needle." said Lem.

"We have to try...I mean, that's what we do..save wrongfully convicted." said Brooke.

"You've done this before." said Renee.

"Yeah but we are really cutting it close." I said.

"I'll say...The Pressure is probably killing you."said Tyrell.

"Imagine the pressure on the condemned guy."said Lee.

"Well when they get down to two or three weeks, they have usually accepted their fate."said Matthew.

"Yeah but now they have renewed hope. I hope his hope isn't dashed." said Nina.

"You ever sent anybody to Death Row Nina back when you were a prosecutor?" asked Carlos.

"Believe it or not , I did not...and I only sent one person away for life." said Nina, who got burned out and left the District Attorney's office..

"We represented a Death Row Prisoner once."said Yvette.

"He was involved in a robbery where someone got shot and killed. He wasn't the shooter, but he was convicted and sentenced to death anyway." said Keith Jones.

"The Shooter was executed and the other guy involved committed suicide....We tried to argue that since he wasn't the shooter. Why not give him life no parole, but they weren't hearing it."said Bee Bee.