Rainy Day Money

TWO DAYS LATER-

Olivia convened a meeting in the conference room to kind of see where we were on the case...

''Well, Donnie Ray , myself

and  Bonnie Shay

 met with Brenda 

We went through all of her devices, Personal Phones, Buisness Phones, Laptops, Tablets and we discovered she was hacked....The withdrawal of 50K came from a pocket account she has but never uses...It's like "rainy day" money...She had over 100 large in that account..but now it's been compromised.. With Bonnie's help..She has changed account numbers for all of her personal bank accounts and has set up safeguards." said Beverly.

"Yeah, but that's like closing the door of the barn, once the horse is out.." said Nelson..

"So the money was transferred to this Sam Gentile's acount huh? " said Josie..

"Yeah and here is the kicker...It was transferred the same day, Mr. Gentile was picked as the alternative juror." said Beverly...

"The juror they had got violently sick didn't she?"asked Bresha.

"Yes.. she came down with a violent case of food poisoning...She had to be rushed to the hospital and have her stomach pumped... She was fine...but she required rest...No way she could come back and serve on that jury...not with three days left before testimony ended..and deliberations started." I said.

"A Nice Neat frame huh?" said Olivia..

"The Sweetest Frame I've ever seen." said Nelson..  "This took big money...It took a Private Investigator to research the facts and find out about Brenda's bank accounts..Especially that pocket account... A regular bank transaction would have looked too obvious...Had to come from her uh "Rainy Day" Money...Money that is used in emergencies.." said Nelson.

"Well, we've caught him in one lie....There was no handoff of cash...In fact...there is no proof that outside of the courthouse there was ever any meeting between the two of them.." said Olivia.

"Uhhh I don't know if they met...I doubt it....but there is on Brenda's credit card report AND HIS...

That both of them were drinking in a bar in Cherry Hill , the night the juror got sick and an alternative juror got picked...I'm going to scan the bar's cameras and see if they made any contact..." I said.

"Any number of people can be drinking at the same bar at any given time.." said Josie..

"Yeah...that bar is near my husband's job...He and I and a lot of lawyers in the South Jersey area have frequented that bar." said Bresha.

"Good Point..They didn't have to ever meet or talk...but maybe he and somebody else DID!! A represenative of SMOKEHOUSE...They lost 150 million dollars... They were losing the case badly anyway..What better way to have the verdict tossed out on appeal than to say the jury was tampered with?" said Olivia.

"And Brenda, I hate to say it...Is an easy target...She's brilliant, but cut throat...will do almost anything to win and has been in involved in some questionable practices.." said Beverly..

A look at Brenda's record showed...

BRENDA JORDAN

Born Brenda Denise Bains, Arlington , Virginia.

Was Captain of Cheerleaders at her high school.. Graduated in the top 5 percentage of her classmates.

Won Ms. Arlington Beauty Pageant...

B.S. Administration Of Justice, Trial Advocacy, Pre Law with a Psychology minor- VIRGINIA UNION

J.D- Georgetown University Law School

Passed the bar , Washington-D.C. , Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware and New York.

Married Attorney Virgil Jordan...

Associate Attorney- Butler & Hawkins, Washington D.C.

Associate Attorney-McGarrett & Williams, Washington D.C.

Associate Attorney - Ruffin and Ajong, Washington D.C.

Senior Associate Attorney- The Griffen Group, Washington-D.C.

Censored in D.C. because She allegedly had sex with a prospective client in the Judge's lounge. 

She allegedly seduced a court employee and told him to steer wealthy clients her way...which got her  dismissed from The Griffen Group and led to her and husband seperating and latyer divorcing.

She moved to Philadelphia and became  Assistant States Attorney under former States Attorney Eville

Younger, resigned, moved back to Washington D.C. area. Divorced her husband, Virgil Jordan.

Returned to Philadelphia where  she is Senior Associate Attorney on a fast track to being partner at

Watson and Dietz ,Attorneys at Law.

She just brought in a 154 million dollar settlement in the Smokehouse Case.. The largest settlement in that law firm's history.

"Josie, Nelson and I 

read the transcripts to that case...She lawyered the hell out of that case... That case should have  put her on the map and sealed her ascendancy to a partnership." said Beverly...

''And now it has the stain of jury tampering tied to it.. Here is our game plan guys..We are going to hammer home that her account was hacked...Even though we don't know by who.. We are going to hammer home that he lied..That there was no physical hand off of money.. and we going to fight like hell to supress any mention of her two past scandals in D.C.  I think we got a chance here." said Olivia.

She looked hopeful for the first time.

II-

Brenda was indicted for jury tampering, not murder... She had already made bail...There was no need for her to stay inside like some fugitive, So She came to Sam Mother's.. a place she found comfortable...

"Good Morning counselor..Haven't seen you in awhile..Sorry to hear about your troubles...It's in all the papers." said Sam Mother.

"Can't believe everything you read in the papers Sam... I'm innocent.. I didn't do what they said I did.but then I would say that, right?" she said and then decided to stop talking..She as an Attorney knew better than to discuss her case out of court..

"Steak and Eggs and Hash Browns Sam and coffee." she said.

Her platter came up....She ate ..She was starving....She hadn't ordered any food the past two days...Had just watched TV and ate cereal...She got up, showered and dressed and came out for some real food today...

She had kept her nose clean since her return to Philly...Throwing herself into the law..Winning big cases and working hard...And on the eve of her biggest victory..she becomes tainted with this. She almost felt like someone was personally trying to take her down, destroy her reputation and her period.

She had faith in Olivia and Beverly...

and the team they had around them...a loving trusting team...She had heard of them, their  many courtroom victories..Long before she actually met them...She remembered the first time she actually met them in a lingerie store of all places.

 Olivia and Beverly were in the Shopping Center in Bridget Jones's store LADY CHATTERLIES LOVER, PANTIES AND BRAS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING WOMAN...They decided to spend lunch together today.. They called it Auntie /Niecey time!

They bought a couple of pairs of shoes, a dress or two and a few pieces of lingerie from Bridget's store.. Bridget wasn't in today....

"This is nice...You and I out shopping together...Seems so long since we've had time to do this.. Either you've been in court or I've been in court or we've been in court together.." laughed Olivia..

''I know.. No Auntay and Niecey time..."laughed Beverly...

"We should have brought your mother with us...Alfreda might have wanted to buy some new pieces." joked Olivia..

''Auntay..That would be a little weird for me.. Like I was being disloyal to daddy." joked Beverly...

"Yeahhh I know what you mean...Me too...Considering you're my brother's daughter.. But your daddy is out in San Francisco, very, very married you know." laughed Olivia.

"Yeah, I know.. That is true.. Besides, the way Rockland looks at my mother...She doesn't need to buy any sexy lingerie. She could be wearing a KKK robe or a potato sack  and he'd get an erection.." laughed Beverly..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuu girl, you are so bad, but that is true....My god, he stares at your mother like a hungry wolf sometimes.. Let's buy these few things and go to the food court.." said Olivia.

Brenda remembered walking up on them.  She was carrying several bras and pairs of panties herself...She smiled..

"Hey ladies!! I love this place.. Olivia and Beverly...you two are as tight as glue...If you see one ,you see the other.." she laughed..."I am a big fan of both of you and I think your relationship is so cute.. You don't see many Aunts and Nieces that are as close as you two are...Hell, you don't see many sisters that are as close as you two are.." she laughed..

Both Olivia and Beverly smiled.. Olivia said nothing.. It was as if this woman knew them...

Beverly felt the same way...She followed her aunt's lead...

The woman passed them a brown envelope with their names on it...No return address...

"Do you two know him?" she asked...Still smiling innocently...

It was a photo of Basil Riley, the long dead drug dealer and abusive former boyfriend of Alfreda Johnson, who she dated years before.

 Olivia said nothing...She stared at the photo poker faced, betraying nothing...She  angrilly stared at the white woman.

"Who are you?" she asked softly...

Beverly looked at her aunt, but she didn't say anything.

"Me? Oh I represent a law enforcement interest...You two must know him, Basil Riley...Especially you Beverly.. He dated your mother didn't he?  She has about five domestic violence complaints on record concerning him...She used to live with him for a  time...He wasn't very nice...We would like to talk to him...Only thing is .Nobody  has seen or heard from him in years.. We thought your mother might know since she was his last known girlfriend." said the woman..

"That was a long time ago.. I haven't seen him, nor do I care to see him. Now like my aunt asked...Who are you?" asked  Beverly..

''Are you from the D.A.'s office?" asked Olivia.

"No, but I have ties to law enforcement...We'd just like to speak to Mr. Riley...He is a person of interest." said the white woman..

"Then I suggest you talk to the police and maybe they can help you find him.. He's of no interest to either of us.. I barely knew him"said Olivia, which was in fact true...

''We know how very close you were and still are to Alfreda Johnson.. I understand she works for you...She's your office manager now that young Ms. Boyd is in Law School and acting as your para legal...Perhaps she may know something that can help us.."said the woman..

"Why don't you leave my mother alone?" asked Beverly..

"Honey...Honnneyyyyyyyyyyyyy we don't wish to trouble your mother...or you guys.. Aren't you about ready to start on the Hortense Jefferson case..? You know about finding things from the past that weren't there.. Well we are trying to locate Mr. Riley...We might be having a conversation with ADA Rockland Cambridge today or tomorrow about this...and the Press ,Now why get him and the press involved when you can just tell us where Mr. Riley is, so we can talk to him?" she said.

Olivia smiled..

"You're not from the D.A.'s office...You work for Avril Younger huh?  We shut down the Hortense Jefferson case and this all goes away right? You could care less about some two bit drug dealer.." said Olivia..

"Did I say that?  I don't believe I've ever met Mr. Young.. I said I have ties to Law Enforcement..."said the woman..

"Good....Then you should be talking to them...They're better equipped to locate Mr. Riley than we are." said Beverly...

"Tell your boss.. Nice try , but the trial goes on....Good Day.. Whoever you are..."said Olivia. She and Beverly tossed the glossy of Basil Riley to the woman, she missed it and it fell to the floor..

 They both walked out of the store and headed for the food court..

Brenda smiled// They hated her guts then...She knew that....She never imagined in all of her days that they would one day be defending her and in so grave a matter..  She was facing disbarment and fifteen years in federal prison if convicted. Everything she had worked for would be down the toilet and by the time she got out of prison, the only thing she'd be good for is process serving maybe or a consultant at a women's legal clinic or something.. She didn't want to imagine a future like that...She wanted to have faith in her attorneys.. A lot had happened since then...

She looked at the files she had on her attorneys..

.  

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, 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, 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- 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, 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, Texas, California

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

Married to Paris Boyd

Bresha Billips

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre Law- 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 at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law...

Married to Attorney Tony Billips

"They're all very well educated and quite experienced...Three of em were Public Defenders....They have a little boutique law firm.." she mused.  Since she had last seen them, Beverly's husband, Nelson had left Foxworth and Associates and had joined his wife and Olivia...Josephine Boyd had graduated from law school and passed the bar and had also joined Olivia and Beverly and apparently they had added another young attorney..Bresha Billips, who she didn't know.

Nelson with his background in Trial Science and Psychology 

And Josie with her business background were very valuable fits....

She had a very good team of attorneys representing her...The very best...They were worth her depleting her rainy day money..Her pocket account for she mused as she ate,.

"More coffee Brenda?" asked Sam Mother.

"Yeah Sam, one more cup." said Brenda as she sat alone at the counter.

III-

"This had to be money...I'm telling you...It had to be money....I'm thinking Bill Clayton, the CEO of Smokehouse International Conglomerate..

"I've been following thig guy for two days and all I've got is Bill Clayton going inside of buildings, leaving buildings, getting in his limo, going to another building..Meeting his wife, going out to dinner, then going to another building.. Meeting his mistress, going to a hotel.. Riding in his limo to his home on the mainline..  Phone calls to his business manager , to his attorney to other businesses and that's it..

Not one phone call to Sam Gentile and no record of Sam Gentile calling him..Nothing." I said in frustration...Boy, I wished this was a murder case and boyyy I was glad we didn't get cases like this all the time.

"Donnie Ray, Sam Gentile has been paid...and he has accused Brenda of jury tampering, thus opening the case up for appeal...an appeal they can most certainly win unless we can get Brenda Acquitted.Why would he need to talk to him any more.. Gentile is an English teacher at the high school..They don't exactly run in the same circles." said Beverly.

"The last thing those two would be doing would be hanging out together." said Nelson.

"Unless we could find a way to smoke em out." I said.

"No....I don't want any interaction between us and Bill Clayton...He's a plaintiff in the case against Brenda and Sam Gentile is a witness...One Jury tampering rap is enough without us being charged with witness tampering.." said Olivia.

"Besides...Guys like him....He's like a mob boss, they don't get their hands dirty.... He hired a P.I. to get the information on Brenda and he no doubt hired an operative to make the transfer of money to the account and to approach Gentile..  Gentile probably never saw or talked to him personally." said Josie.

''Josie's right...A guy like Bill Clayton more than likely made the dirt happen, but he's so far away from this, that we'd never be able to lay hands on him..No...We have to prove that the bribe never happened...Now he lied about a face to face meeting..We know that..and we know that Brenda's account was hacked..We can prove that." said Olivia.

"Liv, we know her account was hacked...but by who? and why?? For all we know.. Her account could have been hacked by someone wanting her Nexflix password." said Bresha.

She was right...

Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Olivia all burst into laughter at that moment..

A light hearted moment that let us all forget that our case was weak.....very weak..

In the kitchen, ADA Rockland Cambridge and Alfreda were kissing passionately....

"OHHHHHHHH YOU'VE GOT ON A DRESS TODAY!!" moaned Rockland..

"That gets you extra excited doesn't it?"  I'm not going to do anything...Not in here..They're all here...

Liv, my daughter, Donnie Ray, Nelson, Josie and Bree..Anyone of them could walk in here in any minute....Now calm down..." said Alfreda..

Just then, the doorbell rang..

''Who the hell is it?"asked Rockland...

"We'll never know if I don't answer it, will we?" said Alfreda with a smile..

She walked to the door..

"Well Hello!" she said, smiling..

"Hello. Is Olivia and Beverly in?" asked Brenda Jordan.

IV-

"Brenda...Cabin fever huh?" said Olivia..

"I miss being at work, being in court or the boardroom... I have no man, No life...Thought I'd visit you guys...That's the safest thing to do. Isn't it?" said Brenda.

''Now that you mention it...We all have been in here all day...Let's go have some drinks." I said.

"That's a good idea Donnie Ray." said Beverly..

"Yeah I think so too! Ladies are you down?" asked Nelson..

"Let me call Paris...Tell him to meet us there." said Josie.

"I'm texting Tony right now...Let's go." said Bresha..

"Freda, we are going out for drinks...We probably won't be back anytime soon..You can lock up and go home whenever you're ready...I'll see you tomorrow." said Olivia.

"Okay Liv, guys and gals...See ya tomorrow." said Alfreda.

No sooner than we were out of the door 

and our SUV pullled off.

Rockland grabbed Alfreda, and spun her around

"Put me down...Put me down..Put me down horny toad.." she laughed..

He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu you horny, horny man, you couldn't wait, could you?" she cooed.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ALFREDA, you know I couldn't!" he moaned in between kisses.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU ROCKLAND!!! ROCKLANNNNNNNNNNND! YOU'RE FRESH!" she  laughed as he hiked her dress up and began running his hands down in her panties.. She unzippered his trousers which dropped to his ankles and began to softly caress his penis...which was trembling..

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWWD!" he moaned....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM LOOK AT THIS!OUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she exclaimed.

He slipped her black bikini panties down...

"You nasty dog..." she said.

Rockland lifted Alfreda, long stroking her...

"OOOOOP! OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUWEEEEEEEEEEE!" she cooed...

He sat her gently on the counter top and thrusted away...He felt so good, he didn't know if he could stop...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS BABY...OUUUUUU

HANDLE YOUR DAMN BUSINESSS...OHHHHHHHHHH MYYY GODDDDD!" moaned Alfreda,

whose body was trembling...Sweat was running down the side of her face and she was experiencing an

intense orgasm...

Her and Rockland were deep throat kissing now...

At Curleys Bar tonight..We had two  tables next to each other.

Olivia, Myself, Brenda , Beverly and Nelson all sat at one table..

"Brenda, we've researched your trial transcripts...You did an excellent job on the case...."said Olivia.

"I've followed Bill Clayton  for days , haven't caught him doing anything out of the ordinary.." I said.

''And you won't...He's a shrewd man.. He has a lot of money to throw away...He wouldn't get his hands dirty if he did set this up." said Brenda.

"That seems to be the consensus..." said Beverly.

"We know one of your devices was hacked..but we don't know by who or why." said Nelson.

"I went to my bank..They said it was a legitimate transfer of funds..whoever did it, had my bank account number and everything...That's why I changed my account numbers and passwords and everything." said Brenda.

"That was smart.." said Olivia.

As our drinks arrived..

At the second table.. Josie and Paris and Bresha and Tony sat..

"This is the damndest case I've ever been a part of...and for once , I think we might be in over our heads..We might just lose this one." sighed Josie, quietly..

"It's always darkest before the dawn." said Paris , rubbing her back...

''Somebody...Somebody went through a great deal of trouble to not only frame our client, saying that she bribed him...but also to destroy her reputation, her entire career.. if we lose, she is disbarred and she goes to prison ,possibly for 15 years..." said Bresha.

"Dammmmmmnnnn...so basically, she's screwed.." said Tony...

"Pretty much." said Josie., who hoped to never be in a position like this.

"Basically, yeah." said Bresha, staring over at Brenda from our table.

Brenda excused herself and went to the ladies room...When she came out, she ran into a familliar figure.

It was Lt. Tragg!!

"Welllllllllllllllllllll look who it is.. Hellllooooooooooooo Brenda.. Heard about that big case you won and that now a juror is accusing you of bribing him...wowww! Sorry to hear that kid." he said and then stared over at our two tables.

Olivia and I, Beverly and Nelson, Josie and Paris and Bresha and Tony.

"You've got good attorneys...If anybody can get you out of this..They can!  They'll pull some stunt to get you over the hill.." said Lt. Tragg, who had Brenda up against the wall and his hands on her butt..

She removed his hands and eased out of his embrace.

"You really keep up with me don't you Lieutenant..don't you?" said Brenda, who had slapped him for getting fresh and handsy with her numerous times.

"You know I do and you know why I do...I figure uh in a desperate situation like you're in, you might need a ah ruh a nice rub down...a nightcap and quiet conversation and maybe something along the line of tender loving care tonight..Heh Heh Heh!" whispered Lt. Tragg.

"I gotta hand it to you Lieutenant...you are persistant and tenacious if nothing else.." laughed Brenda.

"You know my number and you know where I live." he laughed.

"That I do." laughed Brenda as she eased out of his embrace and returned to our table.

1:45 AM

Tony looked at his watch...

"It's 15 minutes before closing time.. and unlike you good people...I don't have the luxury of living on top of my office or across the street from my job... I gotta get up early....So We'll be saying good night to you all." he said.

He had driven the car here tonight.

''Good Night everybody...I'll see you in the morning." said Bresha , as she and Tony left.

"Yeahhh, I'm gettin up outta here too! Come on Jo... Good night Liv, Donnie Ray, Bev, Nels " said Paris.

''See you guys in the morning." said Josie as she and her husband left..

We had had a decent night...Drinks amd conversatiion and hadn't been harrassed or interupted by Lt. Tragg, even though he was here..

''Brenda can we drop you off somewhere.?" I asked.

"Oh Thank you no...I drove..My car is in the parking lot.. I'll call you guys tomorrow."said Brenda.

"Good Night Brenda." said Beverly..

"Good Night Brenda." said Olivia.

"Good Night Brenda." said Nelson...

The Four of us piled into our SUV and headed home.

2:30 AM

Brenda pulled up into a parking space on Lt. Tragg's block.. She was a little tipsy, a little horny and very desperate.. She thought for a few minutes..Then she rang his doorbell..

Lt. Tragg had just got in a few minutes before...He was getting ready to go to bed when the doorbell rang..

"VA VA VA VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" he said upon seeing Brenda on his doorstep..

Brenda sighed..

She was going to hate herself in the morning!

(TO BE CONTINUED)