VENTURES: Hedge Fund Homeboys

Special Prosecutor, Bert Bennett

had been a career prosecutor on both the State and Federal levels before resigning to teach law at Middleton Law School and run his own practice..He was very meticulous and well versed...He had heard of us of course...but he wanted to know about backgrounds...The Backgrounds of everybody involved in this case.. He opened the files on his desk and looked at the photos and descriptions..

Olivia Marissa Bennett-Alexander

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law, Trial Advocacy -Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Texas and California.

Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender,

Worked for Bach and Roach LLC, as Associate Attorney

Founding partner-Alexander & West ,Attorneys at law..

Divorced- Elwood Barnes..,Corporate Attorney

No Children, two miscarriages..

Married-Donnie Ray Alexander

Beverly Cheryl West-East

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Trial Advocay, Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Texas and California

Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender,

Founding Partner-Alexander & West Attorney's at Law.

Daughter of Olivia's Older Half Brother, James West... Olivia's Niece

Married to Nelson East.

Nelson Sean East

Graduated, West Catholic High School-Philadelphia PA.

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law, Trial Advocacy- St. Johns University, New York City
Psychology Minor...

J.D. -St. Johns Univeristy Law School, New York City..

Passed The Bar , New York, Pennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey ,Texas and California.

Speaks Spanish , French and Russian Fluently...

Worked as Public Defender,

Associate Attorney at Robert Foxworth and Associates.

Associate Attorney at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law.

Married to Beverly West

Donnie Ray Alexander

Born and Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Educated in New Orleans Public Schools..

Associates Degree- New Orleans Community College-Administration of Justice, Pre Law

Homicide Detective, New Orleans Police Department, Retired.

Principal Investigator, Alexander and West Attorneys at law-Philadelphia PA.

Married to Olivia Bennett

Also a semi-professional musician

Josephine Boyd

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Raised in Red Hook Section of New York City

Bachelors of Science, Architecture from Fisk University

Master in Business Administration- University of Pennsylvania.

Para -Legal -Alexander & West Attorneys at law.

JD- Drexel University Law School..

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

Associate Attorney-Alexander & West, Attorneys at Law, Philadelphia.

Bresha Williams

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre Law, Trial Advocacy- Lasalle University, Philadelphia PA.

J.D.- Middleton Law School, Bayside ,Pennsylvania.

Passed the bar, Pennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey, New York

Speaks Spanish and French Fluently...

Associate Attorney- Alexander and West , Attorneys at law.

He smiled.. The opposition was very formidable.. He had known Olivia's first husband, Elwood Barnes, a very talented Attorney...He remembered Elwood telling him that his wife was also an attorney and was a Public Defender. She now had her own practice with her niece, also an attorney and three other attorneys..Including Bresha Williams...one of his former students.. He was impressed with all of them.

Then he looked at the Defendent,

Benjamin Franklin Akers-

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Central High School, Philadelphia PA.

B.A. -Trial Advocacy, Administration of Justice, Pre Law- Morehouse University, Atlanta , GA.

J.D. - Georgetown University School Of Law, Washington, D.C.

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

MBA- Business Administration- University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA.

Special Counsel, Highland and Rifkin Inc. Wilmington, Deleware

Cheif Counsel, The Bluffington Group, Philadelphia PA.

Associate Attorney Bach and Roach, Philadelphia PA.

Assistant Chief Counsel, The Millenium Advisors Hedge Fund Group

Benjamin Ayers, Attorney at Law , Managing Partner, Philadelphia and Cherry Hill

He didn't think this guy was so bad...Certainly no murderer....but, anyone could be a murderer if put in the right situation, he mused. Still, he had impressive credentials.

He then looked at the murder victim-

Bernice Damita "Bunny" Johnson

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Father deceased, Mother, Office worker

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls..

B.A. Liberal Arts, Lasalle University, Philadelphia PA.

Associates Degree- Business Administration, Community College of Philadelphia

Worked several Modeling Jobs in New York City and Los Angelas

Appeared in several music videos, New York City and Los Angelas.

Office Administrative Assistant-Community College of Philadelphia

Winner "Ms. Panties" , 2017

Office Manager-Millenium Advisors Hedge Fund Group....2018-2019

No job or visible means of support after that...

Living in a very expensive ,Tony Condo, driving a very expensive Car...

Bank account mysteriously closed after death, Car returned to leasing agency...

Bert Bennett called Lt. Tragg into his office.. He didn't know the lead detective, but from what he had seen..He was not impressed..

"Lieutenant...I need to know who was paying for this girl's condo and who leased that car....It doesn't show here where she worked anywhere from 2019 until her death, yet in those two years her bank account rose and her standard of living.." said Bert Bennett.

''Why are we wasting time on that? You've got the killer right there, a slam dunk case."said Lt. Tragg..

"Lieutenant, No Case is a slam dunk case unless you have a confession and even then sometimes it's not a total slam dunk as you say...So just get me that information..." he said .

"He failed the Polygraph!" said Lt. Tragg..

"You can't use that in court...Now surely YOU know that...I heard when it was being administered , you were yelling and screaming at him the entire time...How could anybody remain calm under those conditions..They wanted him to retake the test without you being present...but you wouldn't allow it.. Olivia and Beverly would have a field day with that, if they are not planning to already... Recanvass that crime scene and look into that Condo and Car lease please." said Bert Bennett.

It was as if he hadn't said anything...Lt. Tragg brushed him off and left...He had better things to do with his time.

I agreed with Special Prosecutor Bert Bennett and had already begun looking into that as I explained to the guys..

This morning against our best wishes...We decided to have breakfast at Sam Mother's Diner..

Hot fluffy pancakes, sausages, hash browns and hot coffee was served...

Olivia, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha sat around the table chowing down...as did I..

I talked to them as we ate...

"I checked Bunny's financials... In 2018, a Visa credit card with a limit of 100K was issued to her by the Millenium Hedge Fund Group,....It was paid off in full every month, also by the Millenium Hedge fund Group...That's pretty hefty for a mere office manager.../office worker.. None of the other workers there had such or even knew she had such...She had a debit card...issued by the Millenium Hedge Fund Group...and a Bank Account of nearly 300K... The bank was a pocket fund , rerouted to a bank in the Caymen Islands..whose owner was as it turns out a phony name.. This same phony name leased the car she was driving by internet, paying directly...The people at the leasing company only knew her...They never saw or met her benefactor.....

You gotta wonder how a girl making under 50K the last year she was working and never had more than $4000.00 in the bank prior to this and who was living with girlfriends in Mt. Airy..Suddenly quits her job...Her bank account balloons , she gets a nice tony Condo and a fly ass car just like that..." I said..

''Sugar Daddy"laughed Josie.

"Say it girls!" said Olivia..

Olivia, Josie, Beverly, Bresha and even Nelson blurted out- "THE POWER OF THE PANTAYS!"

I busted out laughing......

Lt. Tragg walked in as we were laughing and naturally marched over to our table...

"Olivia, Donnie Ray...I need to talk to both of you....You're defending a murderer...He's as guilty as hell, this is a travesty of justice...and Donnie Ray, I need you to stay off of my crime scene..Next time I have to tell you...I'm running you in and you could have your license pulled.." he said..

None of us said a word..He couldn't run me in and he couldn't pull my license...He knew I knew it..He was just wasting his breath.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO LOOK INTO THOSE THINGS FOR ME...WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" came the voice of Special Prosecutor Bert Bennett...

"CAN'T I GET BREAKFAST?" asked Lt. Tragg, who didn't like being talked to like this and didn't like this man...

"THEN GET IT AND LEAVE THESE PEOPLE ALONE!!!...AND THEN LOOK INTO WHAT I TOLD YA!" said Beck Bennett..who walked away...

Lt. Tragg was as red as a beet...He walked over to the counter and placed his order..

Beverly snickered a little and then laughed loudly....

So did Josie and Bresha...

II-

At his Hotel room...

Attorney Benjamin Akers sat on the side of his bed , talking to Assistant District Attorney Janice Hankins.. They had had quite a night of marathon lovemaking...

"Janice, I uh have spent the last decade, either in school or working...My whole life has been work, advancement..Money....I realized I haven't lived, I haven't had any fun in a longggggggg time...I haven't had a steady girlfriend, since I was in college..Morehouse..I gotta find a way to live some...Last night....You...You made me realize that....I haven't felt that good in a long time..I just want to thank you..." he lamented..

"Benny last night was...was.. Amazing..At least it was for me..We both said some things while we were making love that was , well very revealing....I uh...I uh would like to uh , if you want to, explore us maybe having a relationship..." said Janice..

"I would love to....I thought you were going to give me the last night was nice, but we can't do this again..speech because we are friends.." said Benny..

"Benny no.....No.....You sell yourself short.. You're a successful Attorney, single, no kids...You have your own law firm and you work for a Hedge Fund...so you gotta a little bit of dough..You're intelligent, you dress nice...You're a very kind and warm person...You're quite the catch...I've told you that...Any girl would be most fortunate to have you as their man...and if you'd ,if you'd consider being my boyfriend, I'd consider myself very fortunate.." said Janice..

"I'm the one that's fortunate...To have you! Uh by the way...I'm chilling out here while I'm under indictment...Don't you have to be at work?" he asked.

"Nope! I won my case yesterday...I took the day off.." she said..

She leaned over and kissed him softly.....

"Your lips are so soft..." he said..

"So Are yours.." she said in between kisses...

'So...ahhhh we are going to do this again huh?" he asked..

"Uh Huh..." she said..

"I'd like to do it as much as possible.." he said..

"I'm uh pretty sure you would." she giggled..in between more kisses...

She eased herself down on his massively erect penis again and began to move up and down...

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Benny I think I'm hooked on this.OUUUUUUUUU YOU'RE SO DAMN BIG.....OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! UMMMMMMMMMMM!!!" she said..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I think I'm hooked on youuuuuu....Ouuuuuuuuu" he moaned..as they continued to kiss...

She was sooo soft, like a newborn baby and smelled soo good..He was losing his mind..

"Janice this feels soooo goood...You've got a sexy little body..You're a great catch too! Intelligent, a successful attorney...Got your own place and car... .How come no one has scooped you up already ?" he asked as he humped her over the bed..

''Somebody has scooped me up...... YOU!" she said..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHH.....OHHHHHHHHHHHHH....OHHHHHHHH MYYYYYY...UMMMMMM!" he moaned..

"Ummmmmmmmmmm Bennnny!" she coooed.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuu Jannnnnnnice....Ummmmmmmmm!" he moaned.

She was softer and wetter than he ever imagined and smelled like a newborn baby...

And just like that, they were back in bed, making sweet love again....Their friendship had definitely blossomed and mutated into something a lot deeper...

"OHHHHHHHHH BENNNYYYYYY!" she moaned..

"JANNNNNNNNNNNICE....OUUUUUUUUUU." he moaned as the bedsprings began to squeak loudly...

THE NEXT EIGHT TO NINE HOURS , Janice and Benny were in a state of coital bliss, making love as though nothing else mattered

We drove to the building where Benjamin Akers made the lion share of his money...The Millenium Building..Where the Millenium Hedge Fund was located.. Benjamin's Philadelphia office of his law firm was also located there..

"Now this is doing it big..Benjamin used to work at Bach and Roach while I was there..He left a little before I did..I think he worked for another company and then he started his own firm...I began thinking I could do the same thing..and I did..I thought about opening an office in a building like this..Until I got my first check from my divorce and bought our office/duplex." said Olivia.

"You've got it better Auntay...You live on top of your office and you're never late for work."said Beverly with a smile..

"True...I love that...Not having to jump up and get ready and rush to work...I know you all love it too...

He's got two offices now...This one and one in Cherry Hill..I understand it's him and another attorney and an Office Manager here.. And two Attorneys and an Office Manager at the other one." said Olivia.

"You've got four attorneys and one office manager AND an in house investigator...I'd say you're about even with him....Do you need another office?" asked Nelson..He was driving...His wife, Beverly was up front with him..

''No...Not really... I value every last one of you and want you around me constantly.."laughed Olivia , who was riding in the back with me ,Bresha and Josie..

"I want you around me constantly..." I said to her, hugging her and kissing her cheek..

She smiled and softly rubbed my hands..

"I always imagined I'd wind up working for a lawyer in an office that looked like this.." said Bresha..

"Any regrets? We are kind of a Mom and Pop operation."said Beverly..

"None at all!! You guys are the warmest, most nurturing fun group of people I've ever known in my life..." said Bresha, smiling warmly...

Josie smiled...I was glad she was along...With her business background , she explained to us what a Hedge Fund was and how it works-

"Hey Guys..A hedge fund is a pooled investment fund that trades in relatively liquid assets and is able to make extensive use of more complex trading, portfolio-construction and risk management techniques in an attempt to improve performance, such as short selling, leverage, and derivatives. Financial regulators generally restrict hedge fund marketing to institutional investors, high net worth individuals and others who are considered sufficiently sophisticated." said Josie..

''How exactly do they make their money?" asked Beverly..

"Hedge funds are collective investments that aim to make money whether the market is moving up, down or sideways. Unlike unit trusts, Oeics or investment trusts, which tend to only grow when shares rise, hedge funds can make money when share prices are falling. They do this using a range of complicated specialist techniques." said Josie..

"WOW!" said Bresha.

"Josie has an MBA from PENN's Wharton School of Business.."I said, smiling..

''When Kayla ,Jazzy and I were at PENN LAW SCHOOL... JOSIE WAS AT WHARTON...We didn't know each other then, We wouldn't meet for years...Isn't it funny how small the world is?" said Beverly..

"You're all very valuable to me.. Nelson has a second degree in Psychology..." said Olivia.

"Yup!" said Nelson...

''Which is why he's so good at reading and picking Jurors.."said Bresha.

''Exactly" said Olivia.

''We are here!" I said as I parked us in the massive parking lot...

III-

The Offices of the Millenium Advisor Hedge Fund Group, Office of Bobby Tomlinson and Teddy Cross..

"Good Afternoon Mr. Tomilson and Mr. Cross..Thank you for meeting with us..I am an Investigator for the law firm that is representing your uh co-chief counsel, Benjamin Akers in his murder trial...This is my wife, lead attorney

Mrs. Olivia Bennett -Alexander

"Pleased to meet you.." said Olivia.

Her niece and co-lead attorney, Mrs. Beverly West East...

"Pleased to meet you." said Beverly...

Associate Attorney, Mr. Nelson East, Beverly's husband.

"Pleased to meet you." he said.

Associate Attorney, Ms. Josie Boyd....

'Pleased to meet you." she said.

And Associate Attorney, Bresha Williams."I said finally.

"Pleased to meet you." said Bresha.

The Man on the left...Robert "Bobby" Tomilson smiled..

''Who in Philadelphia doesn't know who you guys are? Best Defense Attorneys money can buy they say...Benny hired himself some heavy hitters, good for him...I don't believe he killed anybody...This is all a big mistake." said Bobby...

"Yeah, I mean I know Benny had a crush on Bunny but uh he wouldn't have harmed a head on her body.." said his partner, Theodore "Teddy" Cross.

''I understand you two knew the deceased? Bernice Johnson...She worked for you?" asked Olivia.

"Yes..She was our office manager...but she hadn't worked here in two years..." said Bobby..

''She had a Visa credit card in her name with a 100K balance issued to her...and it was only discontinued after her death, isn't that a bit odd for an Office Manager..?" asked Beverly...

"Uh no...That was a uh business credit card...The Office manager orders supplies, books our flights, re-imburses us for meals... That's normal... You guys have an office manager and I'm certain you have an office credit card." said Teddy...

It was true.. We did have an office credit card for business expenses...Booking flights, paying hotel bills, paying for business meals and in addition to Olivia

Alfreda had one too, which she used for ordering food , paying for office supplies and the like.

It's limit was far less than 100K...That was for sure..

"I'm assuming you two hadn't been in contact with Ms. Johnson in the two years since she ceased working for you?" I asked.

"Oh no....Hadn't seen her in two years.." said Bobby...

"I may have seen her out socially a few times...At Mulberry Street Jazz Club, Once in the Mermaid Crab Tavern..but just in passing." said Teddy...

'When she left your employ...She was making about 60K a year and her bank account was never over 4-5000.00 dollars at one time.. Yet when she died...She had nearly 300k in her bank account that has now suddenly vanished.. was living in a very expensive condo and driving a very expensive European Sports car...now all gone and untraceable.."I said.

They both looked at each other in amazement....

"WOW!!! Imagine that!!! Well you know, she did do some modeling and uh she made a few films out in L.A. , Maybe she was uh end to a very influential guy in the film or the music business." said Teddy..They had an answer for everything..

Neither Olivia, Beverly ,Nelson or I believed a word these two said...but we couldn't prove otherwise...

"Uh-Ahem!" said Josie....

Bresha pointed...

There was Lt. Tragg , walking in...

''WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?"he asked.

''Getting Stock tips!" said Olivia.. "Come on guys,let's go."said Olivia.

Beverly, Josie and Bresha laughed at Olivia's remark...

"Never thought Lt. Tragg would get this far into his investigation.."whispered Nelson to me..

I smiled..

"Thank You Gentlemen for your time." I said as we got up.

Both Bobby and Teddy laughed at Olivia's remarks as they offered some coffee to Lt. Tragg..

who glared at us suspiciously...

The receptionist...A pretty young Black woman said as we were leaving..

"Bobby, Teddy...I'm taking my break.."

"Okay Connie!" they both said in unison...

We left...

We were parked on the rooftop...

As we walked toward our SUV...The same receptionist approached us...

"Hi My name is Connie...Connie Oakley...I'm the receptionist for the Millenium Group...You're the attorneys for Benny right?? Those two are lying to you...They are holding back...Look...I can't talk to you here...I can't be seen talking to you in public at all." she said.

"This is our address....We'll be home all day tomorrow preparing Benny's defense..You are welcome to come by at anytime." said Olivia..

Beverly passed her our business card...

"I thought they were a little too smug.." I said.

"Okay...I'll call out sick tomorrow and I'll stop by your office.." said Connie.

''Be careful."said Josie.

Nelson looked around to make sure there were no cameras and no one else in the parking lot..

So did Bresha..

"We'll see you tomorrow...Take care." I said..

We got in our SUV and pulled off!

That afternoon, Janice Haskins, back in town, stopped by her office ....

''Heyy girl, just stopped in to pick up my mail...I was off today." said Janice to her friend, Gerri.

ADA Gerri Williams brought flowers to ADA Janice Hankins office...

"Ouuu girl...Hope you enjoyed your day off...These came for you a couple of hours ago...I can put these flowers in your office now.. I put them in vases and water for you/...You're welcome! Now dish girl...Who are these from and what did you do to him?" asked ADA Gerri Williams..

placing the beautiful Tulips and multi colored roses in opposite parts of Janice's office..

Janice blushed and read the note attached to the Roses...

"Thank you for a wonderful night"- Ben.

and then the note on the Tulips

"I love you"- Ben

He had ordered them quick...She had only been gone from his hotel a few hours now!

"I'm seeing someone...He's an attorney...a corporate attorney..His name is Ben!" she said.

"Ummmmmmmm Ummmmph! So the workaholic Assistant District Attorney isn't such a workaholic after all....And apparently you put something on him...When men send TWO bouquets of flowers...IT WAS REALLY GOOD!" laughed Gerri Williams..

Again Janice blushed......then laughed along with Gerri Williams.

IV-

CURLEY'S BAR-

Special Prosecutor ,Bert Bennett sat as Lt. Tragg walked over to his table..

''Well?" he asked.

"Well What? I went to the Millenium Hedge Fund Group like you asked...She hasn't worked there in two years and they say they had no idea who paid for her condo or her car..but it wasn't them...She did win "Ms. Panties" and had modeled and appeared in some music videos...They said it was probably some Hollywood or New York Big shot, who didn't want his name known...The Bills were paid through a pocket account rerouted to a bank in the Caymen Islands...The owner had a phony name and closed the account the day after she died..The car was leased through the same pocket account..the people at the agency said they never met the owner of the account..Everything was done on line..These Hollywood and New York Big shots operate like this all the time.. I told you it was no big deal..We got the gun...Registered to Akers, found in his dumpster, behind his building."said Lt. Tragg.

"You find none of this odd huh? She quits a good job and the next year, she's living in a condo she couldn't have afforded the year before, driving a car she couldn't have afforded and with a nice fat bank account...All that dried up within hours after she died... There is a man behind this..a Man she was sleeping with and it wasn't Akers.. He makes a nice salary, but he couldn't afford all of this." said Bert Bennett.

"Your imagination is running wild...Maybe it is a man, a man that made Akers jealous..So Akers killed her.." said Lt. Tragg..

''And the gun? The Gun he reported stolen two months before?? He has it all this time, he shoots somebody and kills them with it and it just happens to wind up in the Dumpster behind the building he lives in, SO YOU CAN FIND IT!!! It doesn't play Lieutenant and if I'm making these arguments..

You can bet Olivia Bennett-Alexander , her niece , Beverly West and the rest of her staff are making the same argument, asking the same questions." said Bert Bennett.

"They're Wrong....They were there today too! At Millenium and they were told the same thing I was told..They hit the same brick wall...." said Lt. Tragg...

Beck Bennett could see that continuing to talk to Lt. Tragg was a total waste of time...The man was an idiot!

He thought about Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her staff...He wondered what they were doing now!

The answer wasn't too far from him...While he had been talking to Lt. Tragg, We had all walked in and took a large table in the back..

Steaming hot bowls of Seafood Pasta were placed in front of us...

Olivia and Beverly had Citris Martini's, their favorite..

Nelson, Josie and I had Lemon Martini's

And Paris, Bresha and Tony had Mango Martini's.

''Well we had a pretty somewhat successful day today..." said Olivia..

"I forgot to ask them if they knew Benjamin owned a gun...."I said.

"They were so glib, they would have smiled and denied it.."said Beverly...

"Yeah, they agreed on too much...I think one of them may have something going on that the other may not know about.. Did you notice the looks on Bobby's face , when Teddy said some things about Bernice?" said Nelson..

"I sure did....Frankly, Those two came off as being as slick as canned grease.." said Josie..

"I love hearing you guys talk about your cases.."said Paris..

Bresha smiled..

"I love being a part of these cases." said Bresha with a smile..

''Heads up...We got a dinner guest." said Tony...

Lieutenant Tragg stood by our table, staring balefully at us..

"Soooooooooo you guys ran into a brick wall today too huh?" he said..

No one said a word...We continued eating and drinking...as if he wasn't there!

"You can stonewall all you want....but I know you can't explain Aker's gun...The murder weapon being found in his dumpster or his name being scrawled by the victim in her apartment...Face it...THIS TIME...THIS TIME, You got a stone cold loser.."he snarled..