Here Kitty Kitty

 There was a small puddle of blood near the 2021 Nissan Murano belonging to the late Rod Tazzie..

I leaned down....and looked at the blood... The body was long gone..

"This front seat is loaded with blood..It's all on the passenger side....That's odd. This is just a few blocks from the Garment warehouse...The vehicle is cold...it's been here awhile.." I said.

Olivia, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bree stood to the side on the pavement...

"Blood on the passenger side...That means he was obviously riding with someone, Someone who was driving."said Olivia.

''Donnie Ray and I saw him leave last night...We saw him." said Beverly..

"You sure Honey Bun??...Look at those windows..They're tinted..You saw this vehicle leave...but you can't be sure you saw him driving it..." said Nelson..

He had a point...a good point..

"Yeah, you make a very good point Boo... Donnie Ray, maybe you and I should have followed him last night." said Beverly..

"Hindsight is 20/20 Shortcake..Nobody expected this." I said, sighing..

"What does this all mean?" asked Josie.

"It means things just got real.." said Olivia.

"Heads up guys...We have company!" said Bresha.
Two Police Cars sped up....Both facing opposite directions...

an unmarked police car drove up flashing it's lights..

Lt. Tragg got out and walked over to us..We hadn't seen him in four weeks..He'd been away at Quantico at the FBI's refresher course for Homicide Investigation...It had been the most peaceful four weeks we'd all had.. No one really missed him....Not the ADA's, Not the cops, especially not attorneys.

He looked at us and laughed.

''When I heard your voice on the phone..I knew you guys were mixed up in this somehow...Was Rod Tazzie your client?" he asked.

"You know better than to ask me that question Lieutenant...but for the record, no, he was not." said Olivia.

''Who pray tell is your client?" he asked.

"You know we don't have to tell you that!" said Beverly.

''What have I said about Junior Partners being seen and not heard huh Bev?" he said. ''Look at your husband and your other two associates.. Not saying a word.." he said, looking at Nelson, Josie and Bresha.

"You should follow suit." he said.

''Donnie Ray, we got the shells..Two forty caliber shells.. He was killed by two shots..both in his side..He bled out as you can see.. We are about to have this vehicle towed and dusted for prints...DNA,et al...I have something for you here.." he said and passed me an envelope with my name on it..

It was a subpeona..

"You're kidding right??.I'm an investigator for the defense." I said.

"I know and I know you and Junior Miss over there were at his place of work yesterday, interviewing 21 lingerie models.....about Tazzie... You should have left your wife's niece at home Donnie Ray..Va Va

Va voooooooooom..I know that was something wasn't it?" he said.. Anyway, we want all of your notes concerning those interviews..." said Lt. Tragg... "I'll send a man by tomorrow to pick em up.." he said.

"Anything else?" I asked him..

"Noooooo, I think that covers it all..Your wifey won't tell me who you guys client is...but I'm sure I'll find out when I make my arrest... Have a nice day.." he said, smiling and hopped in his unmarked police car..

Just as he was about to pull off, Beverly said.

"I see you haven't replaced your car yet...There is a sale at Springfield Mitsubishi.." she said..

This brought gales of laughter from Olivia, Nelson and Josie, 

Who High fived Beverly

and Bresha.

Lt. Tragg was still furious that someone had blown his brand new car to smithereens weeks ago.. The bomber hadn't been caught as of yet... Him not having that car was a sore spot with him...The sardonic grin left his face...He was beet red...Furious..

He pulled off in his unmarked police car... Three of the four hub caps came off as the car roared down the street... The car had to stop and one of the uniformed officers had to get out and chase the hub caps down, and get back in the car with them, before the car took off again..This time, the fourth hubcap came off...Another officer had to run and chase that one..

This brought guffaws of laughter from all of us..

''Springfield Mitsubishi.."said Beverly ,loudly...

Nelson and I were laughing so hard, our sides were hurting..

Olivia, Josie and Bree were laughing so hard , they were holding each other...

Finally the car roared off into the afternoon.. We knew Lt. Tragg was going to be in a bad mood and that we'd better not risk eating at Sam Mother's today..

"I'd better call Vettie and tell her and her guys not to eat at Sam Mother's diner today.."said Olivia, still laughing.

II-

Alfreda was laughing so hard when we told her about what had happened with Lt. Tragg, that she couldn't finish her work..She had to sit down..

Tears were flowing down her cheeks...Then she cautioned her daughter..

"Please be careful baby...He's a vengeful bastard...You see what he did to Rockland.. I don't want to have to kill him for doing something to my precious baby!" she said in all seriousness..

"I usually don't say anything to him mommy...but he was just pissing me off the way he was talking to Auntay and Donnie Ray and sneering at us.. I had to hit him where it hurts now of days..His car." said Beverly..

"You could mention his failed relationships, with Julie Baisden, with ADA Hayden King, who has slapped the beejesus out of him how many times now?" said Nelson.

''I'm losing count now."said Josie.

Bresha laughed.

I had my arms around Olivia's waist...I was kissing her neck

She was trembling a little bit when her phone rang..

"Hello...This is Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Attorney at Law, to whom am I speaking?" she said.

''Ms. Olivia..This Is Kitty Wells...I left you a letter yesterday...I need to meet with you and your staff

today...It's of the utmost importance...but I can't meet you there at your Duplex/Office...It has to be someplace else..You name the place.I'll be there..We have to talk." she said.

"Okay, write this down..We'll be there within an hour." said Olivia.

"That was Ms. Kitty Wells...She wants to meet us in private..I gave her a place to meet...Let's go guys..

"Never a dull moment with you guys." laughed Alfreda.

"I wish for dull moments." I said to Alfreda.

as we boarded the SUV..

Olivia was driving..I was sitting up front with her..

While Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bree sat in the back....

Alfreda waved as we pulled off.!

Like she said...Never a dull moment with us.

III-

We all met at the rooftop restaurant and bar we had discovered a month ago..

"Well, at least she picked a cool place to meet." I said.

"I picked this place." said Olivia.

"I stand corrected." I said, smiling.

Beverly laughed.

''Well since we are here...we might as well order something." said Nelson.

"I agree." said Josie.

''Me too! She's already late..Who knows how long we'll have to wait?" said Bresha.

''Don't I have a group of persuasive attorneys with me?"laughed Olivia... "Okay, let's order." she said, laughing and shaking her head.

We all ordered something different..An Egg and Tomato skillet meal...better known as a Friatta..

''We were on a case out in San Diego and I first had this and it was sooooooo good." said Beverly..

'Yesss it was.." said Nelson..

"I remember, I didn't go on that trip...I was just the Office Manager then, but I remember you raving about this." said Josie. "Mmmmmmm it is good..

"Yesssss, this is delish." said Bree.

"Yes...it does look good...Hi...I'm Kitty Wells..I'm sorry I am late, but I had to make sure I wasn't followed here. I took three cabs and walked in the opposite direction and doubled back." said Kitty Wells, an attractive young woman..

"You did all that? You really got problems babe!" I said.

''Grab a seat...catch your breath and tell us all about it..I'm Olivia Bennett-Alexander...That was my husband, Donnie Ray Alexander..He's our investigator..

"This is my niece, Attorney Beverly West-East....

And her husband, Associate Attorney, Nelson East...

Associate Attorney, Josie Boyd...

and our intern, Attorney Bresha Williams" said Olivia.

"So let me explain...As you know...I am engaged to Dexter Lee, The CEO of Silky Soft Lingerie Inc.

I know he hired you to represent our company....and I know he suspects Rod Tazzie of selling our designs to competitors....but I assure you...This time he was innocent.. I know all about his history with Bridget Jones..

and Lady Chatterlies Lover, Panties and Bras for the Discriminating Woman.. He's told me all about how he and Bridget were lovers and then business partners...and how he betrayed her for his ex-wife, Lucy Luckenbill..

who he still carried a torch for..

You guys soaked her in that Copyright infringement case...caused her to have to file a second bankruptcy and close her doors...She was furious for years and then she went to France..Had a whirlwind romance with a wealthy Frenchman , who loaned her the money to set up a second business..

PANTY'S GALORE!   She opened a shop in Paris and one in London and another in Philadelphia. 

She was attempting a hostile takeover of our company...Silky Smooth...but we fought her in court and in just plain old good business and held her off..

Then some of our top designs...including Mr. Tazzie's began showing up with only a few changes in other people's catalouges before we could put them out and for lower prices.

My fiance suspected that Mr. Tazzie was up to his old tricks again and he told me he was going to get legal counsel..The Best...He talked to Bridget and she reffered him to you guys...I called to set the record straight before Mr. Tazzie was murdered...It wasn't him." said Kitty Wells.

"How do you know this?" I asked...

"Yes..How are you so sure?" asked Olivia..

"I have to tell you something...I'm not too proud of it..  I WAS SLEEPING WITH MR. TAZZIE!!! It was only two times....  I was dating Dex for close to two years...Prior to dating him...Mr. Tazzie and I were uh kind of flirting with each other..Teasing each other... A few months ago...I was in his office after work... He asked me to uh model some panties for him.. I said, "You can't be serious, I haven't been a lingerie model for five years....I know what you really want?" 

"Maybe I shouldn't have even joked with him like that...I was engaged.

He gave me that look...

"He's a very seductive man..

"UMMMMMMM COME HERE KITTY!" he said..

"MEOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!" I cooed..

and it was on...We did it right there in his office..

for the next, oh I don't know.. NINE TO TEN HOURS....

Neither of us knew that there were micro cameras and listening devices in his office.. Our whole little evening romp was recorded....

We saw each other in Aqua Bar about two months later...

and I wound up in his loft... Dex was in London on business.. And that night Mr. Tazzie gave me the business if you know what I mean and I know you do..

We were scandalous..on his living room floor..

In his bed for EIGHT TO NINE HOURS of non stop lovemaking...

The next morning on his couch...for another FIVE TO SIX HOURS...

just being nasty, scandalous... I felt so guilty... I told Rod that that was it.. The last time..for him not to call me anymore or text me or anything...and not to speak of this night or the time in his office..

Those were the only two times...That was the last time...only someone had his loft bugged with micro -cameras and listening devices..

Rod came to me with a video that had been sent to his phone...Of us..both in his office and at his loft.. He was being blackmailed.. The Blackmailer wanted $2000.00 a month and designs from our safe..

He was terrified...This could mean his job...He had been good for 5 years...Clean..no shenanigans..Now he was on the hook to somebody and he didn't know who..

I was terrified...If my fiance found out...It could mean the end of our engagement and possibly my job as a buyer. I'm still frightened." said Kitty.

"Do you have any idea who the blackmailer might be?" asked Olivia.

"If I had to take a guess...I'd say Lucy Luckenbill...

"She's in town and she's looking to step up in the Lingerie game..Even had a major display at the recent

"MS. PANTIES" pageant  that stole several of our designs.." said Kitty.

"Have you been contacted personally by the blackmailer?" asked Beverly.

''No and here is the kicker..Rod hired a Private Investigator..

Kevin Morris..He has an agency... His operatives swept our office and Rod's office and got all of that surveillience equipment out of there..  They even found the P.I.'s office that did the wiretapping and bugging and cleaned their devices of all of the incriminating video of our sexual romps..They did it without these guys knowing...

Mr. Tazzie paid him handsomely for his help...and he stopped the payments to the blackmailer..The Blackmailer had no more leverage... but another theft occurred.. He suspected that our blackmailer had somebody on the inside that was still capable of the thefts... Then we both found out that Dex hired you people..and I had to get to you, tell Mr. Tazzie's side.." said Kitty.

''And now somebody has put the bite on Mr. Tazzie." said Nelson.

''Maybe we ought to talk to Ms. Luckenbill directly." said Josie.

''Yeah."said Bresha.

"If Anybody talks to anybody, it'll be me.. I'm the detective here." said Lt. Tragg.

"At least that's the rumor." said Beverly.

"That FBI Refresher course has done you a world of good..You seem to be Johnny on the Spot lately."said Olivia, smiling both at Beverly's remark and period..

"That course taught me nothing I didn't already know..Nothing I haven't been doing for years..It was a waste of the city's money to send Me." said Lt. Tragg.

"I'll say." said Beverly..

This brought uncontrollable laughter from her husband, Nelson..

and from Josie..

Lt. Tragg bristled.. I could tell he was furious..  

"Officer place this lady under arrest.." he said as The uniformed officer placed handcuffs on Kitty Wells.

"Kitty Wells you are under arrest for suspicion in the murder of Rod Tazzie..You have the right to remain silent..Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law...You have a right to an Attorney, if you can not afford one, one will be assigned to you, do you understand these  rights as I am reading them to you? Take her officer.,Oh and Donnie Ray...I stopped by your humble abode.. Your lovely Office Manager did not know what I was talking about.. We'll try again tomorrow...I want those notes from your interviews...Or I'll be taking you in for contempt of court." he sneered...

"Your Meal looked good..I might try that..Good day folks." he said and smiled..

We watched from the rooftop as they loaded Kitty into the unmarked police car.. A small crowd watched as Kitty was placed in the back seat of the car...

They  pulled off in his unmarked police car... Three of the four hub caps came off as the car roared down the street... The car had to stop and one of the uniformed officers had to get out and chase the hub caps down, and get back in the car with them, before the car took off again..This time, the fourth hubcap came off...Another officer had to run and chase that one.. 

 This brought guffaws of laughter from all of us on the roof and the crowd in the street...

IV-

The first thing we did was appear in a downtown courtroom in front of a Judge..

Judge Wallace Hansen..

Olivia and Beverly were arguing on my behalf that I was illegally subpeoned and that Lt. Tragg had no legal rights to any information I had gleaned during an investigation since at the time, my investigation was not connected to any crime..and connected purely to a request by our confidential client , who was also not connected to a crime.. They cited the law and had several predicates and like cases...

We had brought Bresha  along so that she could learn from this.

The Judge agreed to this and over rode the original subpeona....

"If the police show up...Just show them this..It over rides their subpeona." said the Judge.

"Thank You Your honor..."said Olivia, beaming..

"Thank You Your Honor." said a smiling Beverly..

"Thank You Your honor!" I said.. "You know I appreciate you girls having my back like that...but there isn't a thing in those interviews that would help him. That's why I didn't protest...I just didn't have time to get them ready before we left to meet Kitty." I said.

"I know, but I didn't want Lt. Tragg to make this a habit in the future...I wanted to nip this right in the bud." said Olivia.

"If he wants to know what they had to say...He can always interview them himself..He is the detective." laughed Beverly..

''We'd better hurry home... Nelson just called me.. Dexter Lee is there." said Bresha.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER-

"Alfreda, Lt. Tragg will be here in about ten minutes... He followed us from the courthouse...He's been following us all day...Give him that....It's a court order that effectively nullifies his subpeona..He's not to come any further than that front door.," said Olivia.

"Oh this is going to be fun.."laughed Alfreda.

In our conference room, Dex Lee sat..

"Olivia... Kitty has been arrested..Suspicion of Murder, Rod Tazzie...She's innocent..She's no killer..besides..She and Tazzie were very good friends..She couldn't have done it!" said Dex Lee.

"I want you to defend her...I can pay." he said.

"She was with us when she got arrested...We were all having a light Brunch."said Olivia.

"We'll go see her, get her arraigned and arrange for bail in the morning." said Beverly.

"Yes...and we'll need to interview more people at both your store and your warehouse."said Nelson..

''Not a problem...I'll authorize all of my employees to give you guys their full co-operation.." said Dex.

''We would've gone today." said Josie.

''And you guys thought this was going to be a slow week." said Bree.

"I know right?" I said.

"I think now that Tazzie might be innocent of what I originally thought, but that he may have been privy to something, something somebody wanted kept secret.." said Dax.

One Unmarked Police Car pulled up..

Lt. Tragg rang the doorbell.. Alfreda answered the door.

"Don't you get tired of coming here?" she asked.

"I have a subpeona... Now Donnie Ray was supposed to have something for me..If it's not ready..Me and this officer here will come in and watch him compile it.." snarled Lt. Tragg..

Alfreda was silent for a minute..

"Liv said you'd be here..She told me to give you this." she said and passed him a legal envelope.

"You can keep it..We have a copy." she said, her face showing no emotion..

"What is this? It's a court order from Judge Wallace Hansen, it circumvents my original subpeona..Making it null and void!  They went and got a court order...WHY OF ALL THE NASTY STUNTS!!!!!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!" he fumed..

"Have a good day Lieutenant!" said Alfreda, who slammed the door in his face and locked it..

Lt. Tragg was furious...

They pulled off in his unmarked police car... Three of the four hub caps came off again as the car roared down the street... The car had to stop and one of the uniformed officers had to get out and chase the hub caps down, and get back in the car with them, before the car took off again..This time, the fourth hubcap came off...Another officer had to run and chase that one..

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF PETE!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR?" fumed Lt. Tragg, who was beyond embarrassed and frustrated..

They got back in the car and pulled off again and this time the back tire on the passenger side popped..and the car swerved and ran into a light poll.

We watched the whole thing from the window..

Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Alfreda were on the floor, laughing so hard they were in pain and with tears running down the side of their faces...

"I'm going to have to call 911 for my staff..." laughed Olivia.. "Maybe my husband too!" she said.

I was banging my hands on the wall and laughing so hard I was shaking.. This was three times today..Same car...I couldn't believe it!

"That is too much!" said Dex, who was just shaking his head..

A Tow truck arrived to tow the unmarked police car..

Lt. Tragg stood on the corner, humiliated.. He knew we all had seen what had happened and were probably inside laughing it up..but he was certain he would have the last laugh/...That he'd cracked this case..

(TO BE CONTINUED)