VENTURES: For A Few Dollars Less

DAY THREE- THE TRIAL OF WENDELL COBB! LUNCHTIME!

Ms. Yvette sat by herself , eating her lunch...She didn't usually eat with the other jurors...She looked up and smiled when a familliar face sat down with her...

"Little Mamasita!" she said with smiles.. It was Sofia...One of the Attorneys she supervised..

"Hola Boss Lady!" said Sofia. "How's it going?" she asked.

"Wellll, ADA Jake Patais

rested his case today...It's not much of a prosecution...

The guy was defending people in the neighborhood , charging only $25.00... He was representing people in traffic ticket cases, cases that usually go to Small Claims Court and a few minor criminal cases.. He was good, won over 100 cases with no losses.."said Ms. Yvette..

"He must have been some good , to be that successful for so long without losing."said Sofia.\

"The guy is a total nerd...He read law books on his spare time for fun....the way people read novels and anything in court he didn't understand..he looked it up on the internet..He's been doing this for four years, so he's quite versed in the law...Only problem is...He has never seen the inside of a law school and his only education is a high school diploma and an Associates Degree from Community College in Administration of Justice.." said Yvette.

''WOW! And to think I did four years of college and an additional three years of law school." she laughed..

"You know in California...He wouldn't have to go to law school...All he'd have to do is take the Bar , which I think he could pass with his experience and he'd be a licensed Attorney..Still he broke the law...Practicing without a license..but on the other hand, he was offering a service to his frineds in a poor community who couldn't have afforded a lawyer otherwise...He never charged over $25.00 dollars."said Ms. Yvette.

"You like him don't you Ms. Yvette?" asked a smiling Sofia.

"I think he's fascinating....I got into college with a scholarship and some student loans...My parents couldn't afford to pay for my college...And Beverly and Olivia

got into college because Liv's Father

and her older brother, Jimmy

Beverly's Father both worked at University of Penn and their employee benefits paid for them both to go to Temple and PENN...

I won an academic scholarship at Lasalle that allowed me to go to PENN LAW for my first year and I paid for the last two with student loans.. Liv supplemented her income with modeling jobs...A whole lot of us would be in his situation if not for fate."said Yvette.

"Me and Bee and Kahlil got to college and law school the same way...Student loans and Academic Scholarships...We all came from very poor neighborhoods and parents of modest means.."said Sofia.

She was right...

They were right...Only I,

who also came from modest means got a free ride to college..because my father, a Judge, married to someone other than my mother paid for me to go to Howard and University of Pennsylvania Law school for my mother's silence about the affair that produced me..

"So Baby Girl, Did you produce the note?" asked Ms. Yvette..

"Sure did..Word for word like you told me..Printed it on a computer at the Law Library, used latex gloves and put it in an envelope..No prints or DNA..."said Sofia.

"Okay, make sure Stewart James gets it..Subtlely...He can't know where it came from..." said Ms. Yvette..

"He already has it... I slipped it between the windshield wipers of his car ,like a traffic ticket."said Sofia, smiling..

"Good Girl!" said Ms. Yvette smiling... "Now, how about our case?" she asked..

'We've visited Della at Valhalla twice.."

"She's doing a little better.."

"She feels like she's doomed, Like she's thrown her whole life away..."

"We try to keep her spirits up....

We bring her hot coffee and Bagels and Doughnuts sometimes and yesterday we brought her cheese steaks

That really made her smile and cry a little bit too..

Ms. Jade has done some real god investigative work on her assailant...He is a class A sociopath, with a record of attacking and stalking his victims after the initial attack.. She had eyewitnesses and statements from his two previous victims and a lot of psychological documentation... He called Della threatening her a record eight times after the Saturday night rape...She was already traumatized, this led to her extreme emotional distress." said Sofia.

"You guys are going to mess around and become great attorneys right before my very eyes.." said Ms. Yvette proudly... "Tell everybody to hold down the fort..I'll be back soon." she said and smiled.

"I will." said Sofia, as she got up to leave.

II-

In The Shower at ADA Jake Patais's Condo...

The shower was running...Hot water was splashing down on the soapy bodies of Diane Baronski and Jake Patais...

They were kissing passionately, while Diane softly stroked his huge penis..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Jake,, myyyyyyyyy goodnesss....ouuuuuuuuuuuuu you are huge.........Ummmm

this doesn't make any sense..." Diane cooed..

"You don't make any sense being this damn hot!" said Jake..

She giggled like a school girl...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuu Jakkkeeeee,,,Ouuuuuuuuuuu my goodness...What am I going to do with all of this ?" she asked..stroking his penis mildly and staring into his eyes....

"I just love your sheets.."Laughed Diane as they emerged from the shower and toweled down..

She took her bra and panties and tossed them to the side..

She eased herself down on his penis, which was throbbing...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"Jake Moaned..

"It's what you've been waiting for.." she cooed..

"ALLL DAY!" he moaned in near delirium...

The kissed slowly and she moved slowly up and down on Jake..she was so wet, so moist, her skin so soft and nice smelling, Jake was losing his mind..

"OHHHHHHH MYYY GOODNESS JAKE! OUUUUUUUUUU!!! THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!" she moaned as she bounced on him and then began to move faster, riding him cowgirl style..

She was now pretty much in love with Jake, she didn't want to lose this good feeling ever...

"OHHHHHHHH JAKE!!! I LOVE YOU!!!" she moaned... There , she had said it again!...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, I LOVE YOU.....I LOVE YOU TOO!" he moaned..as the bed began to squeak out of control and the headboard began to shake and slam hard against the wall..

EIGHT TO NINE HOURS of slow ,tender love making slid by...

Both Diane and Jake were deeply enthralled with each other.....

"UMMMPH JAKE!!! YOU ARE A BEAST!"she exclaimed as he plowed into her from behind...She was shaking, her head was moving from side to side and tears and sweat were flowing down the side of her face like a river...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" JAKE YELLED out as he began to cum with wild abandon..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" she cooed loudly, she was having an orgasm like she'd never had before..

They returned to his shower, kissing and laughing..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuu , holster that horse...Myyyy goodness.." she laughed..

They decided to have dinner at Sam Mother's diner... they saw the five of us in a booth , having our dinner. Surprisingly, they both waved..

"That's Yvette's people ..They are so cute, they're always together, They do everything together.."laughed Diane.

"Yeah they do..Including screw....Four of em are married to each other.. Talk about a loser case, they're working on that case of the Barmaid from Aqua Bar who shot the guy who raped her in cold blood in front of witnesses...I don't know what if anything they can do for her, other than get her a reduced sentence..Shame they don't have Yvette to tell them what to do." he laughed.

"That's because you have her on your jury...Are you sure that's a wise idea? Attorneys usually don't want other Attorneys on juries..Juries are better when they have laymen, who don't understand the law ,who don't know all the nuances and tricks of lawyers...Whose idea was it to pick her for the jury?" asked Diane.

"That old buzzard, Stewart James....I started to reject her...Send her home...I could look at Yvette and tell that's what she wanted, that's what she expected... To be sent home..You should have seen the look on her face when I said she was acceptable to the prosecution...Pure shock and that's not even the funny part...They made her the jury foreman..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed Jake.

''And you think that's funny? She could pay you back in spades for picking her for jury duty...Oh and that "Old buzzard" Stewart James

you were laughing at...Has won more cases than you can imagine..He's no slouch...He's been around for years...I thought he was dead or retired at least....Don't get too cocky...." she warned.

"You know, I didn't think so at first...but Jake Patais and Diane Baronski do make a cute couple."said Jade.

"Think so huh?" I said.

"I think so..."said Bee Bee..

"Ms. Yvette said he rested his case yesterday and Mr. James begins his defense today...This should be a quick trial." said Sofia.

"We gotta get back up to the prison to visit Della...The First Preliminary Hearing is the day after tomorrow." said Kahlil.

Lt. Tragg walked into the diner just then...He walked over to us...

"You guys still think you have a chance to do anything with this girl other than plead her out to a lighter sentence..?? " he asked.. he just shook his head... We said nothing..We kept eating...He stared at Jade..

"I've got my eyes on you." he said.

''Sorry, I'm taken." she replied.

Bee Bee and Sofia cracked up laughing...

He didn't like being laughed at...And out of the corner of his eye he saw something he disliked even more.

Assistant District Attorneys Diane Baronski and Jake Patais

Staring into each others eyes

and kissing passionately...

He turned and stormed out of the diner...

''Well that's one way to get him out of the diner..." laughed Kahlil

He pulled Sofia to him and kissed her passionately..

"I'll just kiss Mamasita." he said..

He can come in as much as he wants.." I said taking Bee Bee in my arms..

she was laughing,

"You both are fools...He was angry at them kissing, not us.."she said.

As we kissed...

Diane broke her embrace..

''Come on Jake, let's get out of here..." cooed Diane..

He smiled and took her by the hand after he paid the bill and they walked out..

III-

The next day

Steward James began his defense of

Wendall Cobb, accused of practicing law without a license...

Stewart James, the old master himself.. The Attorney's Attorney began his argument..

"Ladies and gentleman of the jury.....AS I TOLD YOU A FEW DAYS AGO! I'm an Attorney myself.. I did four years of college at Dartmouth, an Ivy League institution and I did three years at Penn Law School.. I know how hard it is to become an attorney...

My client here...Graduated from High school, Took Administration of Justice at Community College and earned an Associate's Degree... That is an introductory course that most budding attorneys take when they are undergrads.. He got a job at an Insurance Company, selling policies.. but on his spare time when most guys were at the Bar, watching sports on TV.. Chasing women, this man, this remarkable man was at the law library downtown

Reading law books for fun....FOR FUN!! Most licensed attorneys don't do that..." he said.

The Jury roared with laughter...

"Anything he didn't understand, he looked up on the internet...He had a natural gift of gab and he was remarkably successful 100 times, 100 times !! Think about that...This man, who is self educated..He apparently had been doing this for four years...Has the knowledge of someone who studied for three years in law school..."

"He's not a criminal...He has no priors and he was doing no more than helping people in his neighborhood who could not afford a regular attorney...I could see charging him with a misdemeanor and fining him...but a felony?? Commmeeee onnnnnn..."

"Why are we here? Why are we here? We are here because he embarrassed the D.A.'s son... He beat a seasoned prosecutor , a man who went to four years of college and three years of law school and passed the bar and had the Philadelphia Police Department at his disposal for investigation...

He embarrassed a represenative of the legal establishment.. This man with a High School Diploma and an associate's degree.." said Stewart James.

Yvette loved his opening argument...She would have argued the exact same way...She sat fascinated..

"The ADA has kept you here for three days, three days and he's paraded witness after witness who said that although they thought this man was a lawyer...He won their cases for them and they only had to pay $25.00 dollars...As my cross examination showed you...At no time did he ever TELL any of these people he was an Attorney... but he did knowingly let them think that... For that he is sorry.

" He didn't bring the ADA here, the one who he beat, The one who he embarrassed, the only reason we are here...No he didn't... I'm going to call my client to the stand and let him tell you his story....Wendell...come up here." he said..

He nodded at Yvette and winked. He knew the note on his windshield had somehow come from her.. He was no fool. The note advised him to let his client tell his story to the jury so they could see the human side of him.. Only another attorney would advise that.!

Yvette smiled at him!

"Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury...My Name is Wendell Cobb... I uh presently am employed by the Slipp ,Skip and Tripp Insurance agency... I have wanted to be a lawyer my entire life..

I watched reruns of Perry Mason and Matlock most of my childhood...I would put on my Sunday School suit and stand in front of the mirror and pretend to be a lawyer. I would go to court and watch all sorts of trials on my free time and take notes...

After I graduated from Community College with an Associates Degree in Administration of Justice.., I got my present job at the Insurance Company...I spent my lonely hours at the law library,listening to the lawyers talk, reading law books for fun and looking up predicates and other cases on the internet...I listened to the real lawyers talk about witness statements and gathering of evidence and such...

Quite by accident, I went with a friend to traffic court...I argued his case and won...I never told him I was a lawyer, but he thought I was and word got around the neighborhood aand soon I was making a little extra money representing people in court..None of the witnesses the ADA brought forth ever said that I told them I was an Attorney, but I guess I'm still wrong because they thought I was and I knew they thought I was..

I've been doing this for four years...It was wrong and I don't intend to do this anymore...I've been exposed..I'm just asking you to please don't convict me and send me to jail...Then I won't ever be able to practice law... I've been saving my money and I learned about an excellerated law program at Drexel University which I enrolled in.. I had just passed the LSAT's when I was arrested..If you people give me a break...I give you my word..I will attend this program and graduate and pass the bar and be an actual practicing attorney...Don't send me to county...I'm not a criminal." said Wendall.

There wasn't a dry eye in the jury pool or the spectators section...

Where the five of us sat...

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury..The Defense Rests!" said Stewart James.

ADA Jake Patais smiled confidently..

"THAT WAS HIS DEFENSE?? One hour?? Oh mannn this is sooo easy, I definitely won this one...Though I hate to put ole boy away, even for four months..He doesn't seem like a bad person, I might recommend a suspended sentence and a lightweight fine." he said.

"You're too cocky...I mean, I like that about you...It turns me on in the bedroom, but in the courtroom that can be a disadvantage...I'm just saying..Don't be sooo sure you won this."said Diane..

IV-

ONE HOUR LATER-

The Jury had come back with a verdict...

"WOW! This is like waiting on a verdict for one of our trials.."I said.

"I know, but it's not....Thank goodness."said Bee Bee...

"Ms. Yvette is the Jury Forewoman, You know she wanted to be done with this trial and fast."said Jade.

"True That!" said Kahlil..

"Here they come now."said Sofia as we all headed into court and took our seats.

Judge Wong banged her gavel...

"Has the Jury come to a decision?" she asked.

"Yes we have your honor." said Ms. Yvette ,the Jury forewoman...She passed the envelope to the Bailiff.

The Judge read the decision and passed it to the Bailiff.

"Read it!" she said unemotionally...

"WE THE JURY IN THE MATTER OF COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA VS. WENDALL COBB FIND THE DEFENDENT NOT GUILTY!"

Wendell Cobb broke into tears and hugged his lawyer, Stewart James.

"OHHHHHHHH THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!" he said.

"You're welcome...When I read about you in the paper, I had to come out of retirement to represent you...Now here's your $25.00 dollars back....You graduate from that law program at Drexel and for a few dollars less ,I'll help you study for the bar.." said Attorney Stewart James..

He turned to Ms. Yvette as the jury was filing out..

"Always nice to have an Attorney on the jury...Who said it wasn't.?" he said and laughed.

"I know, who said it wasn't?" she said.

She smiled and filed out of the courtroom with us.

"Nicely done." I said.

"And Just in time...The first preliminary hearing is the day after tomorrow.."said Bee Bee.

"At least you have some time to rest." said Kahlil.

"Yeah, a little time.."said Sofia.

"You said that trial would be done in three days...You were right once again."said Jade.

"Yeah, let's go grab some Pizza and a few cold ones."said Ms. Yvette.

"YOU!!! YOUUUUUUUUUUUU , This was an easy case...Open and shut...and you had to get cute..You lost to an old man , an old dinosaur who came out of retirement.!" screamed Chris Garcetti to Jake Patais...

"But he's a licensed attorney though!" said Jake, jabbing at Chris..

"WHYYYYYYYYY YOUUUUU!!!!" screamed Chris Garcetti,livid with anger..

"CHRIS!!!! CHRIS!!!! RELAX!!!" said Diane, getting in between the two men....

At Ms. Yvette's house..

We all ordered a Two large Pizzas and some cokes....

"Ummm this Pizza is so good... This is from Chris Thompson's place isn't it?" said Bee Bee.

"Yessss..."said Yvette.."Ummmmmmmmm" she moaned as she enjoyed the hot Pizza.

Jade and I passed her the investigative information and witness statements, so she could be up to speed on our case..

Kahlil passed her the Autopsy report..

And Sofia passed her an outline of our defense strategy, along with predicates and similar case files.

We heard a key in the door...That meant Gary was home!

"How's my baby? Trial Over?" asked Gary, grabbing Ms. Yvette around the waist and spinning her around..

"Yup, they found him not guilty.." said Yvette..."He's already enrolled in that excelerated law course at Drexel..The One Josie Boyd was in.."said Yvette..