VENTURES: Light A Fire

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, Louisiana, Texas, California

Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender, -Philadelphia PA.

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 Advocacy, Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

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

Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender,-Philadelphia PA.

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 University 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, -Philadelphia PA.

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,/ Trial advocacy /Pre Law- Lasalle University, Philadelphia PA.

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

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

Speaks Spanish and French Fluently...

Associate Attorney at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law...

THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAKE PATAIS aka "Lawyer Bae" 9:00 AM

''Diane, thank you for these dossiers. But you know I'm familliar with Olivia and Beverly and the lawyers and investigator who works with them...I remember them from when you've faced them." said ADA Jake Patais..

"It is important that you really know them....They are what we call in the legal profession.."Killers" They are very good, the best... and this cookie cutter case Lt. Tragg has put together is tailor made for them no matter how open and shut it may look from the outside.." said ADA Diane Baronski, his girlfriend and a prosecutor we had gone up against numerous times... She knew us very well.

''"What do you mean 'cookie cutter' case?" asked Jake.

Diane snapped her fingers...."Wake up Jake...First of all, All you've got is very circumstantial evidence...Condoms with semen says consensual sex, safe sex even, not murder... Fingerprints in a hotel room?? Really?? She was the featured singer in his band, He would be in her room.. an "eyewitness" who HEARD them having sex...Really? so what?? Some people who heard an argument, but didn't see who she was arguing with and can't identify the voice.. You'd better go back over this case and come up with something more sufficient.. because if I'm shooting down your arguments by myself right now...what do you think will happen in court when Olivia ,her niece Beverly, Beverly's husband, Nelson, Josie and their new girl, Bresha get to rolling? Especially after her husband, Donnie Ray does his investigation, which is always more thorough than Lieutenant Tragg's?' she said.

...Light a fire up under him, get him to recanvas , talk to some more witnesses..find a smoking gun...Definitely something more than this..." said Diane.

"You've certainly lit a fire up under me." said Jake Patais.

He kissed Diane passionately...

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I've lit a fire in your trousers." she said..

"Yessssssssssssss." he moaned softly in between hot steamy kisses...

He opened her blouse and started kissing her even more passionately....

He had her clothes off within minutes and dimmed the lights and locked his door.. They were engulfed in slow passionate kisses..

"OHHHHHHHHHH DIANE!!" he moaned...

"OUUUUUUUUUUU YOU BAD BAD BOYYYYYYYY,WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOUUUUUUUUU??? OUUUUUUUUUU!" she moaned as he slipped her panties down...

and lifted her up, entering her slowly and gently....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU JAKE....JAKEEEEEE!" she cooed.

Our Office/Duplex- 6:20 AM.

Olivia cracked open the door of the spare bedroom....

"They finally stopped.. whoooooooo ,they were really going at it." she smiled and whispered to me.

Bishop Coogan was lying on his back with a wry smile on his face.. His fiance, Melody Baker was sleeping soundly on top of him...She looked very content..

I smiled.. "They'll wake up when they smell the food." I said.

OUR KITCHEN, TWO HOURS LATER-

Alfreda, Olivia and I were fixing breakfast.....

"Hot Cakes Up." said Alfreda..

"Yours are so perfect and round Freda....I remember that from when my brother used to take me around your house when I was a little girl." said Olivia.

"Omelette Up! everything else is ready." I said.

We fixed Pancakes, Hash Browns, Sausages, an Everything Omelette for me, Hot Coffee and Orange Juice. Beverly, Nelson, Josie, Bresha and Karen all sat around the table.

Beverly yawned...

''Everybody sleep good last night?" asked Nelson..

"Yeah, how bout you Bree?" asked Josie.

"That Banana Split was just what I needed." said Bresha.

''You guys do a lot together...I like that...I could have used a Banana Split or some Ice Cream Myself." said Karen, smiling...

Melody and Bishop emerged from their bedroom and joined us around the kitchen island... We had plates for them ready...

"Oh My God, Olivia, you really are the excellent hostess...I love it." said Melody, who looked well rested..

"Donnie Ray, you always were a great cook... I remember in New Orleans after a gig, you'd invite the band and their girlfriends back to your apartment.. and prepare Steak and Eggs for all of us.."said Bishop.

"Good times huh?" I said. I remembered...That was the closest I had to the community I had here with Olivia and Beverly and all of their friends...and even that wasn't as close and loving as this was here with them. This was my home...They were my family.

I prepared to dive into my everything omelette..

Karen looked at me..

"You gonna eat all of that? " she asked.

"I most certainly am." I said.

"You got everything but the kitchen sink in that egg...That thing will kill you." said Karen.

Olivia, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha broke out into loud ,raucous laughter....Karen finally got a laugh.

''See? It's not just us who thinks that is an extreme Omelette." said Olivia.

"I told him it's gonna kill him one day." said Beverly, hugging me.

''Do your thing Donnie Ray. I'm here for it." said Nelson enjoying his Pancakes and Sausage.

Josie was tickled pink.. "Might as well, You Only live once." said Josie.

So was Bresha. "It does look inviting, but that Omelette is just too much for little ole me." she said, smiling.

''I like a man with a good appetite. I find it sexy." said Alfreda..

"I hearrrrrrd that." said Melody, softly rubbing Bishop's leg....

Bishop smiled lustfully at her.

II-

NORTHEAST AIRPORT- Back End-

"Damn, this smell is killer." said a Crime Scene Investigator...

"Looks like ole boy has been out here a couple of days...Rigor has set in....The body is blue.." said another one..

"Well move him....That horn is still blowing.." said another one.

"I can't believe he's been out here this long..." said another one, who was snapping photos..

"I can...Way back here...Nobody comes back here...and there are no cameras....Nothing...It's the perfect place to hit somebody. Nobody heard or saw a thing for days." he said as they lifted the body

out of the sky blue Cadillac. ... Dried Blood and brain matter was all over the front seat.

''What a mess...a nice neat hole right between the eys....That shot probably killed him....There is an exit wound in the back of his head.." Said Deputy Coroner Dr. Marcy Martin...

"The killer shot him an additional three times in the chest for good measure." said Deputy Coroner Dr. Hazel Baylor.

"There's a lot of prints on the car and DNA evidence..." said a Crime Scene Investigator..

"It's Thursday....From the onset of Rigor...I'll estimate his time of death as either Monday Night or Tuesday..." said Dr. Hazel Baylor, who looked up... "Ohhhh Damn!" she said.

Two police cars drove up, Parked facing each other... Four Uniformed policemen got out...

An unmarked police car with flashing lights drove up.... Meaning one thing, The arrival of Lt. Tragg, Homicide..

"Alright...Alright...What have we got here?" he asked.

''African-American Male, 25-26 years old.. Cause of death , 4 gunshot wounds...One to the head and three to the chest...Judging by rigor..I'd estimate his time of death was somewhere between Monday and Tuesday.." said Dr. Hazel Baylor.

Lieutenant Tragg looked around....

"Look at this area....Way back here...Nobody comes back here...and there are no cameras....Nothing...It's the perfect place to hit somebody. Nobody heard or saw a thing for days."he said. "He got any ID on him?" asked Lt. Tragg.

"He has a drivers license...It says his name is Peter Gibson...He's 27...He's a talent agent for World Class Booking Inc. It's got a number." said Dr. Marcy Martin.

''Hmmmmmmm" said Lt. Tragg.. "alright, get him outta here and call a tow, Have that car towed to the police garage and gone over good for prints, DNA, whatever...Girls, you know the drill, get the autopsy report on my desk as soon as possible." he said.

"You know...For moment...It actually seemed like he was doing good police work." joked Hazel to Marcy...

"Just for a moment right? Tee Hee.." laughed Dr. Marcy Martin.

The Body was put in a body bag and strapped to a gurney and removed...

and the car was towed away....Soon it was deathly quiet in that part of the small airport again.

And at our Office/Duplex-

''Karen, I was at Curleys.. I checked the sales receipts and credit card receipts for the time you were there.. Rock Muhammad , real name, Marion Hodges...and a guy named Pete Gibson were the two guys at the Bar with you....I got their photos off of the camera inside the bar.. Look familliar?" I asked.

"YES, THAT'S THEM!!! The big bald headed guy is . Rock Muhammad...His name is Marion? Really? Marion? No wonder he goes by the name of Rock Muhammad...I would too...I bet he fought a lot in school." said Karen..

Olivia, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha busted out laughing, So did Alfreda and Mel and Bishop....

''I know both of those two..... Rock Muhammad owns a talent booking agency called "World Class Booking..he fancies himself as a Manager , a talent scout...What he really is ,is a hood.. He was trying to pry Laura out of her contract for about a year now..He has pried other stars out of their contracts by using pressure tactics that amount to extortion and threats of violence.. I filed an injunction against him and threatened him with court action and he backed off.. WORLD CLASS BOOKING has only two employees...Him and Pete Gibson, who is basically his errand boy." said Melody Baker.

"I know Rock Muhammad too.. He used to be a leg breaker for the drug boys...He just missed being a

guest of the State because two of his victims refused to testify and one changed his story...He's nothing but a two bit hood... That guy Pete Gibson is his number two... He's the savy face you see when he's trying to make a deal..Take your act from you...I tossed him out a number of times... he had a thing for Laura...but she wasn't interested in him." said Bishop.

"I ran a make on Marion "Rock Muhammad" Hodges... He's had 16 Arrests going back a few years for Extortion, Book Making, Making Terroristic Threats, Assault but no convictions for anything...He's never served a day in lock up....Not even Juvey.....but you're right...He is a lightweight hood posing as a legitimate businessman. This other guy, Pete Gibson has no sheet at all.. He has a B.A. in Accounting from Temple and a Masters in Business Administration from PENN of all places.. He really shouldn't be running around with the likes of Rock Muhammad." I said.

"Him! The young guy...Pete Gibson...He's the one I definitely heard say that he accidentally strangled

Laura Costnor." said Karen.

"You don't accidentally strangle somebody Karen.. The girl's larnyx was crushed.. He murdered her in a fit of rage..."said Nelson.

"We should find him."said Beverly...

''We are not cops Beverly....That's not our job...but we should tell the cop who is involved, shouldn't we?"said Olivia, smiling seductively and winking..

"You guys care for lunch at Sam Mothers?" I asked.

"I uh think I'll stay here, and get some rest." said Karen.

''Yeah we think we'll stay here too!" said Bishop.

''Yes, we are going to take a little nap too!" said Melody.

We loaded up into the SUV..

"Hmmmph! Take a Nap! Right? Those two are going upstairs to do the Hibbity Bibbity." said Beverly..

"He was rubbing her legs all morning and she was just smiling..I agree with Bev.. when we get back, Liv, you and Donnie Ray better stay downstairs for awhile." said Josie.

"I know that's right...Karen is probably the only one over there asleep...but Mel and Bishop...They are going to be enthralled in passion." said Bresha from the back seat...

Nelson ,sitting up front with us, Just shook his head and smiled.

"Listen at them." said Olivia, shaking her head and laughing.

"Our Little Girls are growing up Dear." I joked.

We all had a big laugh as we pulled off.

III-

"OLIVIA!!!! DONNIE RAY!!! BEVERLY!!! LONG TIME NO SEE GUYS!" said a very happy Sam Mother...

"Well you know nothing can keep us from our favorite diner for too long!" said Olivia with a smile.

"What's Good Today Sam? " I asked.

"Hmmmmmm I smell some Meat Loaf and it smells delish." said Beverly...

"Yeah I'll Take the Meat Loaf special..." said Nelson.

"Hot Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes for me." said Josie.

"Same for me...What she's having." said Josie..

Four Meat Loaf Specials

And Two Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with Mashed Potatoes came up...

It was good comfort food..

With a Pitcher of Ice tea to wash it down ......We were enjoying our food for about a HALF an HOUR

when on cue...our prey walked in..

He was stunned to see us... Naturally , he stopped by our table and peered at us..

"OLIVIA!!! Not eating at home today?? Not having a big wing ding with Half of your neighbors attending?? I guess that was getting pretty expensive eh?" he laughed.

We knew he had plain clothes cops watching us and reporting movements in and out of our Office/Duplex...he just proved it.

"Or it could be...I can't prepare Meat Loaf as good as Sam's cooks." said Olivia.

''I'm smart enough to know that you wouldn't dare tell your client to evade the law..My Guess is that they are holed up in an area hotel and using their correct names aren't they?" he asked.

''Actually, they've been staying with us.....You mean to tell me you knew about our dinner guests and that slipped by you? Your guy in the unmarked car must have fallen asleep." said Beverly..

Nelson, Josie and Bresha cracked up laughing...

Lt. Tragg was livid.. he hated being the butt of the joke...and he hated them knowing he had an unmarked car and a plain clothes cop in their neighborhood. EVERYBODY KNEW IT!

"Pete Gibson" I said.

Lt. Tragg's eyes lit up..

"What do you know about him?" he asked.

''I got it on good word from a reliable source.....That he's the actual killer of Laura Costnor. He works for a talent agency or management company called World wide Booking that's run by a two bit hood named Rock Muhammad...You should be talking to him also.." I said.

''I already talked to Mr. Muhammad...He has an iron clad alibi... He was here having lunch at the estimated time of the murder and his debit card and Sam Mother will testify to that." said Lt. Tragg..

''We didn't say Rock Muhammad killed her, We said his boy, Pete Gibson did it." said Beverly.

"WRONG SUGAR BRITCHES,,He SAYS HE HASN'T SEEN GIBSON IN A WEEK OR SO!" said Lt. Tragg.

"I'm surprised he did THAT much police work!" Josie whispered to Nelson..

Nelson smiled. "I know right?"

"DO YOU HAVE AN APB OUT ON GIBSON?" asked Olivia.

Lt. Tragg smiled... "You guys don't know do ya?" he laughed.

''We don't know what?" asked Nelson.

"Peter Gibson won't be answering anyone's questions about anything..HE'S DEAD!!! Somebody shot him four times and left him in his car at Northeast Airport....We found his body earlier today...He'd been dead for three or four days...You wanna come again with your theory of him killing Laura Costnor?? I suppose you wanna blame Rock Muhammad for that one too? Face it...your client killed Laura Costnor and that's all there is to it." he said smiling... "Nice talking to you guys Heh heh heh!" he laughed and actually got up and left...

"You know...I heard an ADA say once that Lt. Tragg couldn't catch a killer, if the killer confessed...He wasn't lying..We gave him the killer on a plate....And the motive for Gibson being dead is that he screwed up the deal with Rock Muhammad....I mean, who can't see that?"said Josie.

"Lt. Tragg can't see it."said Bresha, shaking her head..

"He has tunnel vision...He gets one idea in his head and won't back off...And especially if it comes from us..It's almost as if it hurts to admit he might be wrong about anything..." said Beverly.

"He's going to look like such a jackass when this comes out in court...I feel like talking to Lawyer Bae...but you know what? I'm through giving them any help.." said Olivia..

"Draw Up a Subpoena... I'm gonna have a little talk with Rock Muhammad." I said.

THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, JAKE PATAIS..

''Tragg, are you really that stupid? Olivia and Beverly never talk to you....They avoid eating in Sam Mother's diner largely because they don't feel like dealing with you...Yet Today...Olivia and her entire team are there eating and get this...They aren't giving you the silent treatment, they're talking to you...They're giving you information you should look into. It never occurred to you that Rock Muhammad has been trying to get Laura Costnor out of her contract for a year now.? Even I know that!!" said Jake Patais.

"Rock Muhammad has a solid alibi..Solid..He was in Sam Mother's diner at the estimated time of the murder.. He had nothing to do with it..I already interviewed him in relation to the Gibson Murder...He said he hasn't seen Gibson in two weeks..Gibson is a punk...An accountant....He's no killer.. Liv was just trying to throw doubt on their client's guilt that's all, And what better way than to blame it on a dead man? You got a solid case. Stick to that!" said Lt. Tragg.

"No I don't...What I've got is a mess...First of all, All you've got is very circumstantial evidence...Condoms with semen says consensual sex, safe sex even, not murder... Fingerprints in a hotel room?? Really?? She was the featured singer in his band, He would be in her room.. an "eyewitness" who HEARD them having sex...Really? so what?? Some people who heard an argument, but didn't see who she was arguing with and can't identify the voice.. You'd better go back over this case and come up with something more sufficient.. because if I'm shooting down your arguments by myself right now...what do you think will happen in court when

Olivia ,her niece Beverly, Beverly's husband, Nelson, Josie and their new girl, Bresha get to rolling? Especially after her husband, Donnie Ray does his investigation, which is always more thorough than YOURS!" snarled a very angry Jake Patais.

"Is this you or is this your girlfriend talkin?" asked Lt. Tragg,

who knew all about him and Diane Baronski.

"Go get me some more evidence...EVIDENCE LIEUTENANT!!! Some witnesses who actually saw something, Some witnesses who actually know something to be a fact....Some forensic evidence other than they were having a consensual sexual relationship...EVIDENCE...My god...you're exasperating." said Jake Patais..

It was as if he hadn't said a word... "You work your side of the street Counselor and let me work mine." said Lt. Tragg.

ADA Jake Patais just shrugged his shoulders and sighed....

IV-

CURLEY'S BAR-

Beverly, Josie and Bresha sat at the bar....

Three drinks arrived for them.... They had just finished drinking the Martini's they paid for..

Curley pointed to their benefactor as Rock Muhammad.. Curley was a former detective... He knew about Rock Muhammad..he knew he was bad news...and he knew who Beverly, Josie and Bresha were..

Olivia's protoge's... Attorneys, Good Girls...He wondered what business Rock Muhammad , a two bit hood had with them..

He sat down next to Beverly... He looked her up and down...He looked at all three girls...he found them all to be quite attractive....

"You girls don't come in here often ." he said smiling...

''We come in here enough...Curley knows us." said Beverly smiling..

''Oh he does huh? Say you girls are all dressed nice and you smell good...What do you do for a living? Please tell me you aren't cops....You dress too nice to be cops.. That's a Fendi bag you got and your girlfriend is wearing some Manolo Blahniks..." he said..He knew quality clothes.. He was wearing a one thousand dollar tailored suit himself...And shoes from Europe that cost a cop's weekly take home pay.

''We're attorneys actually." said Josie.

"Really? All three of you/" he asked , smiling..

" All three of us.. We work for her aunt." said Bresha, pointing to Beverly...

"Her Aunt? OHHHHHHHHHH You're Beverly West..." he said smiling..."WOWWWWWWWWW! YOU ARE HOT!!! But uh as I can see, you're married."he said.

''Very Observant!! And you're Rock Muhammad." said Beverly, smiling sweetly..

"You know who I am?" he laughed incredulously....

"Sure we do! You manage a lot of local rappers and singers we listen to." said Josie.

''Heh heh heh....That's right...Hey you guys are reppin that cat accused of killing that singer, Laura Costnor right? You think he did it?" asked Rock Muhammad.

"Oh We KNOW he didn't...But we think you know who did kill him.."said Bresha.

''Who Me? Nahhh I don't know nothin bout that. And I don't want to talk about that no more...I'd rather talk about you girls." he said laughing and leering at the girls lustfully.

''Well Marion..We'd like you to talk about it , IN OPEN COURT..." I said. "Nelson pass him the subpoena." I said.

Nelson passed him the subpoena...

"This is a subpoena, for you, bedtime reading... Fail to show up and you go straight to jail..." Nelson said and patted him on the back...."See You in court Big Man." said Nelson.