VENTURES: Special Assignment

The Next Morning , We were all in the office..

"This should be an easy day..."said Bee Bee..

''Yeah, the day after a big trial usually is.."said Sofia..

"Heyyy Guys, dig in." I said as Kahlil and I arrived with Breakfast.

"Hot out of the oven of Cake Man Raven's Bakery.." said Kahlil..

Hot Coffee and Fresh oven baked doughnuts

and Bagels, cream cheese and jelly...

as we layed everything out on the table and everyone took their cup of coffee, the doughnut of their choice and the hot bagel of their choice..

This was going to be a nice easy day...Or so we thought!

In her office , Yvette was reading the news of last night's murder in the newspaper, while talking to Jade..

"I had just left him...Maybe an hour or an hour and a half before this happened..I can't believe I was the last known person to see him alive."said Yvette.

"You know what this means don't you? Lt. Tragg is going to arrest you for his murder.."said Jade, laughing..

"That's not even funny Jade, but I'll bet he'll be by here..He saw me with Lloyd in the courthouse yesterday..." said Yvette..

Mr. McCluskey, our founding partner

and Federal Judge, Mason Denehey walked into the office.. We had been in his courtroom..He knew us..

"Looks good guys....Great job in court yesterday and that work you guys did recently with the uh Wrongful Conviction Unit..Stellar...I would ask for a doughnut or a bagel...but I'm on a diet... Is Yvette in?" he asked, looking over the doughnuts and bagels

and smiling..

"She's in her office sir."said Sofia.

Bee Bee, and I and Kahlil stared..Anytime one of the Founding Partners and a Federal Judge came to our office...It had to be big.

Judge Denehey walked in...

''Hello Mrs. Lockwood.. So Nice to see you again."he said.

"Hello Yvette, This is Judge Denehey...I believe you guys tried a case in his courtroom recently...A very successful case....Which is why he is here.."said Mr. McCluskey...

"Yvette...You're good...I watched you in my court...We have a problem...A U.S. Attorney was murdered last night...A U.S. Attorney who I believe threw his own case...I believe he and another attorney and two of my Judges are involved in a conspiracy...I can't trust any of my U.S. Attorneys fully, So that's why I came to my old law school chum, Billy here to ask for your services as a Special Prosecutor.. I need you to get to the bottom of this..Investigate the three people I'm talking about and if you can find out who killed U.S. Attorney Lloyd Johnson, as well as the court clerk, who your client Cecil Butts was accused of killing that will be great...I never believed that boy committed that crime.."said Judge Denehey.

"You want me to be a Special Prosecutor?? I'm a Criminal Defense Attorney...but I can prosecute a case if need be.. Can I have my own team?? My Own people??" asked Yvette.

''Why of course.." said Mr. McCluskey..

Judge Dennehy looked us over...By now we were all in the office...

Jade Lee, Investigator

Me, Keith Jones,Attorney

My wife, Beatrice Evans-Jones, Attorney

Sofia Garcia-Ahmed, Attorney

And her husband, Kahlil Ahmed, Attorney

Lt. Tragg walked into our office just in time to see all of us..

''Yvette, I'm sorry to be breaking up your meeting, but I need to ask you some questions about Attorney Lloyd Johnson..He was found shot to death last night....I saw you talking to him in the courthouse yesterday..." he said.

"I take it you're with the Philadelphia Police...I'm Federal Judge, Mason Dennehy....I have appointed Mrs. Yvette Jones-Lockwood ,Special Prosecutor...She will be in charge of running this investigation...Everything you do must come through her...She can share information with you at her discretion...but this is now a federal matter." he said.

"Ohhhhhhh no you don't ,I am the Lead Detective here..THIS IS MY INVESTIGATION, I CALL THE SHOTS! SEE?" said Lt. Tragg.

"IT IS MY INVESTIGATION....PLAY BALL OR GO HOME!! " said the Judge...

At that moment, Lt. Tragg's phone rang..It was the Deputy Of Operations.

"Hello, Oh Yes sir...I'm interviewing someone now...What's that sir? Yes...The Judge is here now...What? I am to give him and his SPECIAL PROSECUTOR my complete co-operation...but sir, this is my investigation...No SIR SIRRRRRRRRRR! YES SIR SIRRRRRRR! Yes. No sir, my head is not up my ass..No Sirrr Sirrrrrrrrr...Yes sir..Yes sirrrrrrrrr sirrrrrrr!" he said..

He put his phone away...He was a s red as a beet!

Yvette smiled..

"Lt. Tragg, awwww you don't wanna work with me?" cooed Yvette... "Look at it this way...We'll be on the same side for a change. It'll be fun." said Yvette.

Lt. Tragg stormed out of the office...He didn't even ask Yvette any questions..

"Gee, I guess he doesn't want to work with us.." I said..

"You don't really care do you?" asked my wife, Bee Bee, who was laughing..

"He'll come around and maybe..just maybe , we can keep him from arresting the wrong person."said Ms. Yvette,putting her arms around us..

"This sounds like it will be fun." said Sofia.

"Not with Lt. Tragg involved.."said Kahlil..

"Maybe he'll just stay away." said Jade.

"Not a chance." said Yvette.

"He's an Asshole from what I've seen of him....Remember Yvette, you're the boss..If he gives you any problems...You call me and I'll handle it." said Judge Dennehy .

Mr. McCluskey smiled at us...

"I know you'll do your best Yvette." he said.

II-

A Civil Case was just breaking up in the courtroom...

"Has the jury come to a verdict?" asked Judge Wong...

"Yes your honor they have " said the Bailiff, who passed her the verdict..

"Read it."she said..

"We the jury rule in favor of the plaintiff...and we agree that the plaintiff be paid , 2.5 million dollars in damages..." he read...

"YOU'RE A DOLL BABY! THANK YOU." said the client, Arthur Tate.

"I told you I could handle this for you...Now go home, get some rest.." said Attorney Helen Gist...

Yvette stood in the back of the courtroom clapping..

"Bravo Helen , bravo...you did well..." she said.

"I remember you...Yvette Jones...from McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt...Aren't you primarily a Criminal Defense Attorney? What are you doing in a civil case courtroom? " asked Helen Gist.

"I'm a Special Prosecutor for the time being...I'm investigating the murder of Attorney Lloyd Johnson...

He was shot to death yesterday...You know him?" asked Yvette as they walked down the hallway..

"I knew him casually...Why? What's this got to do with me?" she asked.

"His phone shows 29 calls between the two of you over the past two months...I'd say that was more than casual and the last call on his phone was to you , yesterday at around 4:45 pm..." said Yvette..

She looked at Yvette..

"I knew him okay? ....I talked to him on the phone...That's it.. You want anything else...You'll talk to MY LAWYER." she said and smiled.. "Oh there is my elevator..See you around Yvette." she said.

and got on the elevator..

"Oh Most definitely!" said Yvette

Ms. Yvette met with us in Sam Mother's Diner...

We all ordered coffee's..

"I made contact with the first of our three suspects...Attorney Helen Gist....She won a civil case for an Arthur Tate...A Lock 15 operative...A cool 2 million dollars...He was quite happy." said Yvette.. "I asked her about Lloyd Johnson...she lied and said she barely knew him...When I brought up the 29 phone calls or more they made to each other over the past month...she got nervous...Lawyered up, said if I had any more questions for her, to talk to her lawyer." said Ms. Yvette, smiling..

"This Arthur Tate has had at least two other civil cases that he's managed to win..."said Bee Bee.

"And each time, she's been rewarded not only her fee, but a cool 150 large from Lock 15....."said Sofia.

"They are listed as consulting fees." said Kahlil...

"Which could be anything..." I said..

"Here is the book on her..."said Jade, who passed us a file..

HELENE GIST

Born in Montgomery County, PA. Lankenau

Graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (A Private School)

Graduated from Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, Liberal Arts Degree

JD- COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL

Passed Bar in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware

Speaks Russian Fluently...

Associate Attorney, Bach and Roach-Philadelphia.

Associate Attorney, McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt-Philadelphia

Sr. Associate Attorney , Reynolds and Younger & Associates. -Montgomery County

"She worked for us?" I asked..

"Yes, for a little while..She and I actually worked a case together once...I was second chair...She was very condescending ,I remember..." said Ms. Yvette..

Lt. Tragg walked in.. He was, as usual, furious... It took him off guard when Ms. Yvette actually invited him over and pulled a seat up...

"You stormed out of the office before I could tell you the gist of my conversation with Lloyd Johnson..

He is an old boyfriend of mine you might say, who I hadn't seen in four years..We went upstairs and had a rather pleasent conversation about old times....Going to D.C. for a weekend at the Black lawyers Association, His failed marriage, My Recent marriage and what not...We talked for an hour..I got no impression that he was in any kind of trouble...He got a phone call from an Attorney, Helen Gist...just as I was leaving and that was around 4:45 pm..That was the last time I saw him."said Ms. Yvette.. I talked to this Helen Gist earlier today....She lied to me and said she barely knew him...but when I asked her about the 29 phone calls between them over a month, she lawyered up... Jade pass him the file on her."said Yvette.

Jade passed him the file..

HELENE GIST

Born in Montgomery County, PA. Lankenau

Graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (A Private School)

Graduated from Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, Liberal Arts Degree

JD- COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL

Passed Bar in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware

Speaks Russian Fluently...

Associate Attorney, Bach and Roach-Philadelphia.

Associate Attorney, McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt-Philadelphia.

Sr. Associate Attorney , Reynolds and Younger & associates. Montgomery County

Lt. Tragg looked at the file, he shook his head...

"Good work...I can pick her up...I'll get a confession out of her!" he snarled.

"Uhhhh noooooooooo, not yet...We don't have anything on her except that she was the last person known to have talked to him...What you could do is put a plain clothes team on her...Unmarked cars..

Watch her...I've got two more people I need to look at....and I'll of course give you an update.." said Yvette.

"You'll give me an update?" he asked.

"Well, look how much I've given you already? We are just lawyers...You're the cop...You're ultimately going to make the arrest in this case."said Yvette buttering him up...

"That's right...That's right...Okay....I'll put a tail on her...Thanks for the heads up Vettie."said Lt. Tragg.

''Seeee, working with me is not sooo bad is it?" asked Yvette, smiling.

"Yeah, we'll see."said Lt. Tragg as he got up..

"The man is insufferable." said Sofia.

"True Statement." said Ms. Jade.

"So what's our next move Ms. Yvette?" I asked.

''We need to speak to a Judge Wilford Brenner..And that job is tailor made for you two girls...He likes the ladies...You two may get something out of him.."said Yvette.

"I just hope he doesn't get handsy.."said Bee Bee.

"Yeah!"said Sofia..

"Maybe I should go with them."said Kahlil..

"No...I have something for you and Keith to do...but don't worry...It's tomorrow."said Yvette.

III-

The Morbid in her made Yvette travel to the Medical Examiners office to see the body....

"I understand from Lt. Tragg, this was an ex-boyfriend of yours...He was uh special to you." said Dr. Hazel Baylor as Yvette looked at the body of Attorney Lloyd Johnson...She saw the two bullet wounds to his chest and the one to his forehead...Both of his eyes were closed... She wondered if a woman did this..If he was so horny and excited about getting laid, he'd never seen it coming?

"He wasn't my boyfriend...He was a colleauge, We went to D.C. one weekend...He got me drunk and screwed my brains out ,all the while failing to tell me he was engaged...and when we got to Philadelphia, I never heard from him again until yesterday...He wanted to pick up where we left off five years ago...Unlike him, I informed him that I was married...So he took another call....From a woman.." said Yvette, matter of factly.

"Ohhhh!" said Hazel silently...

"Guess you're wondering why I'm here Hazel? I've been appointed Special Prosecutor...It's my job to find out who did this him... Funny how things work out huh? He never figured I'd be standing over his body this way huh?" said Yvette..

"Funny How Things work out!" said Hazel....

Meanwhile at an office downtown..

"Soooo Mr. Tate , you have recently been successful in two straight law suits...One handled recently by Attorney Helen Gist and one handled last year by the late Lloyd Johnson, A U.S. Attorney... Isn't that odd a U.S. Attorney handling a case for you?" I asked.

"Mr. Johnson is an old friend...He took a leave of absence from the U.S. Attorney's office to temporarily assist me...In my libe of business, I get sued a lot..When I got sued the second time, he suggested Ms. Gist." said a very nervous Artur Tate.

"You have been sued four times in one year and Ms. Gist represented you two times before Mr. Johnson, So I don't think he reccomended her, I think maybe it was the other way around?" said Kahlil.

"You said he and you were old friends...I'm just interested in knowing...Where did your paths cross?You didn't attend any schools or colleges, never worked at any of the same places..Other than him repping you in court , what was the connection?" I asked.

"You guys say you are Attorneys?" asked Arthur Tate.

"Yes, we are Associate Attorneys at McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt, but we along with our supervisor are Special Prosecutors looking into the death of Lloyd Johnson."said Kahlil.

"I had nothing to do with that...And I'm not answering anymore questions....I'm going to refer you to Ms. Gist...Now I'm busy guys...See ya." he said and showed us the door.

As we walked towards the elevator, Kahlil said to me..

"We rattled him Homeslice."

"Ohhhhhhhh yeahhh!" I said.

Arthur Tate got on the phone.

"Helen baby....I think you'd better pay a visit to McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt law firm...Hand them a Cease and Desist Order oh and while you're at it...Get me those uh airline tickets..." he said.

IV-

While we were on our way back... Bee Bee and Sofia sat in the office with Jade.

''So ladies...how is married life? Have things calmed down yet?" laughed Ms. Jade.

"You mean have I stopped feeling like a porn star? No Not yet." laughed Bee Bee..

''When we were in seperate apartments...We balanced it somewhat..Especially when we were working different cases..but now...Now that we live together...Kahlil wants it constantly." said Sofia.

''Same with Hot Stuff...I-I- I mean Keith."

"Well if you call him hot stuff no wonder he wants it constantly.." said Jade..

All three women broke out into gales of laughter..

"Honey I'm Hommmme!" I joked as I enetered the office....

I grabbed Bee Bee around the waist

and planted a wet kiss on her lips..

"Heyyy mamasita" said Kahlil to Sofia..

''See what we mean Jade?" laughed Sofia.

As Kahlil placed a sloppy wet kiss on her lips..

"It's not so bad." said Jade with a smile..

Attorney Helen Gist walked in...She looked at us

and looked around..

She nodded..

"They've upgraded since I last worked here...In Office furniture and personell..." she said.. "Is Yvette Jones here?" she asked.

"She should be here shortly..."said Jade.

''Would you like to leave a message?" asked Sofia.

"No, I'll wait a little while." said Helen.

Yvette walked in ..

"Helen...I thought I'd be seeing you soon... Mr. Tate must have called you as soon as my two Associate Attorneys left him." she said, smiling..

"I'm here to hand you a cease and desist..Unless of course you want this firm hit with a multi million dollar lawsuit..." said Helen..

"Nooooo I guess I wouldn't want that....but we are uh on leave of absence from the firm temporaily, so you couldn't sue the firm... I am as I told you the deputized Special Prosecutor for the feds.. And this is my team of attorneys and Investigator. Until Lloyd Johnson's murder and the true killer of the court clerk, who was killed and who somebody set up a poor black autistic boy to take the fall for is solved ,I'm afraid your cease and desist order against this firm is null and void, Here ,let me take that off your hands.."said Yvette, who ripped it to shreds..