Hot Potato

We all sat in our media room watching the morning news... It had been quiet for two weeks since Detective Dennis Ellis had first come to us...Telling us he was a "person of interest" in the disappearance of his estranged wife, Janice Ellis...Everything had been quiet while a thorough investigation had been conducted by Detectives Brice of Homicide and Jones of Missing Persons...Now they had pulled the trigger...They had arrested and charged not only Dennis Ellis, the husband, but Detective Kelly Garrett,his former live in lover with "Suspicion of Homicide."

We watched video taken yesterday afternoon of Sgt. Brice taking Dennis Ellis into custody and of Sgt Sam Jones taking Kelly Garrett into custody.... 

''Well, this is the move I said they had to make..And I guess they made it."said Olivia.

"I didn't expect them to arrest Kelly.." said Beverly..

"Wowwwwwwq. a twofer.... Lt. Tragg couldn't have done this better if he were the arresting officer...It makes for great press."said Nelson.

''Don't Blame these guys too much...There is a lot of pressure on them...That Jackie Johnson, the sister in law put a lot of pressure on the police department...She was on every local news station and even wound up on CNN, FOX, MSNBC and the national news... The ID Channel is even doing a special report...So Is Headline News... She knows how to play the media, better than Lt. Tragg....This has become a real Hot Potato of a case." I said.

"District Attorney Garcetti is up for re-election and he's trying to play both ends. On the one hand...He is citing that he is a veteran reformer..you know with his "Wrongful Conviction Unit freeing 250 wrongfully accused men and on the other hand, he's still tough on crime...Great city we live in huh?" snarled Josie.

"Most of the attorneys in this very neighborhood have assisted in saving those wrongfully convicted, who shouldn't have been prosecuted in the first place...Now he's bending under pressure and jacking up two people with no real proof of any wrong doing...We don't even know if she's dead or not...They haven't located her car... "said an equally angry Bresha.

"Wowwww...this is a real Hot Potato." said Alfreda.

"You know....There was a hit on her debit card....Yesterday...In all of the hub bub, Nelson and I forgot to tell you." said Olivia.

"Somebody gassed up in Richmond, Virginia."said Nelson.

"WHATTTTTTTTTTT???" I said.

"Yeah...We 've been watching for movement with her bank accounts and her credit cards...This was the first movement in seven weeks since she's been missing."said Beverly.

"I'm sorry dear heart...You were interviewing Ms. Garrett and Josie was interviewing Ms. Johnson."said Olivia.

"Well assuming that Sgt. Sam Jones and Sgt. Brice aren't the lunkheads that Lt. Tragg is...This might be enough to prove that Mrs. Ellis is still alive!" said Bresha.

''It doesn't prove she is alive..It just proves somebody is using her bank card , could be her killer...but one thing we know for sure...It's not Kelly Garrett or Dennis Ellis." I said, smiling.

Olivia smiled at me and gave me a slow ,soft and sweet kiss.....

Speaking of Lt. Tragg, 

He was on the Marine Boat, Eating his Breakfast...

An Omelette, Hash Browns, Bacon...Coffee with a little bit of Jameson's Irish Whisky poured in it...He had seen the latest news...

He watched Television footage taken yesterday afternoon of Sgt. Brice taking Dennis Ellis into custody and of Sgt Sam Jones taking Kelly Garrett into custody.... 

"This was a case everybody in the city was talking about..a "Hot Potato" case...The kind of case that had his name written all over it..He wondered what took those two so long to make an arrest...Two weeks.. He'd of had them in cuffs long before that.

He then saw..

"FAMED ATTORNEYS OLIVIA BENNETT-ALEXANDER AND HER NIECE, BEVERLY WEST AND THEIR ASSOCIATES ARE REPRESENTING DETECTIVE DENNIS ELLIS!"

"DETECTIVE ELLIS, who was seperated and living apart from his wife at the time maintains his complete innocence."

"I'll be damned!  The guy just got arrested yesterday and already they are repping him...They connect themselves to any controversial case... " he said as he finished his food.. He couldn't wait to get off this tub and get back in the spotlight... He should be running this case.. He wondered who would be prosecuting the case?

II-

THE OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY GIL GARCETTI

"People...This is a Hot Potato Case...The entire city is talking about this...and as you know I'm up for re-election....It's important that this case is handled with seriousness.. Thank God, Lt. Tragg is not involved in this..We 've got to handle this and handle this right.. That's why I've assembled you three.  I understand Mr. Ellis already has legal representation..." he said and he tossed the files on the desk.. "Look at em..Study em..You're probably already familliar with this team..." he said and tossed our photos on the desk.

 

  

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...

Married to Attorney, Tony Billips.

ADA Jake Patais smiled . He had lost a case to us..

as had ADA Jill Jones...She smiled.. She was checking Jake out.. He was known to all of the female attorneys as "Lawyer Bae" because of his boyish good looks...She had been attracted to him since she'd first come to the D.A.'s office... She knew all about us...She wanted to know more about him.

The other attorney, Relatively new ADA, Lynne Hewitt had the misfortune of losing her first case to us...She too knew all about us.

"All of these cases had one common denominator. Lt. Arthur Tragg...This case does not.. Thank the lord! It had two relatively good detectives who brought in good cases...

Detective Sgt. Lenny Brice  of Homicide

 and Detective Sgt Sam Jones of Missing Persons.  That's why I want a full court press, no pun intended..

A Team of good prosecutors to match Olivia ,Beverly and her team..As you all know...They are no slouches.. They are never surprised and always well prepared... You've got two detectives who aren't slouches either...I want you to prepare well and to give Olivia and Beverly a stunning defeat!" said D.A.

Gil Garcetti

Sgt. Brice ran a completely different operation than Lt. Tragg... He had been in the Air Force, prior to joining the police department..

He had the ''Fishbowl", the nickname the detectives gave the interrogation room's floors swept thoroughly and mopped twice a day, everyday... He had the trash cans emptied and new bags put in them....He had air fresheners placed at strategic areas and he had the doors opened and powerful fans blowing at night...

As a result the room didn't smell bad at all... The stench and smell of rotting food, underarm odor, bad breath and cigarette smoke was completely gone.. The room actually smelled nice..

Detective Dennis Ellis's badge and gun had temporarily been taken from him...He was suspended with pay pending the result of this hearing..

He told Sgt Brice he intended to exercise his right to remain silent.

"Dennis, I'm not trying to jam you up...I'm just doing my job...I'm going where the evidence leads me."said Sgt. Brice.

"I know that Lenny, but this whole thing is political now..My lying ass harpie of a sister in law made it like that...She played to the media, they put the pressure on the D.A. , he put the pressure on The Deputy of Operation and the Captain and you and Jones have to serve me up as a sacrificial lamb...I know how this works."said Dennis.

"Not another word."said Olivia.

Sgt Brice smiled "Hello Olivia, Beverly, Donnie Ray...I expected you." he said.

''Wow! It smells good in here...It's clean.. That's commendable."said Beverly, nodding her approval.

"Sgt Brice, let me show you something.."I said as he left the room. I followed him.

''What'cha got Donnie Ray?"

"As you probably guessed or know.. I have been following the investigation of Janice Ellis also for obvious reasons...We are representing Detective Ellis and possibly Detective Garrett... I've been shadowing her debit card and credit card activity...There was none until yesterday activity, look at this." I said and showed him the credit card receipt.

"Wow...I missed this...You know, we had stopped looking.. It's from uh Richmond, Virginia."said Detective Sgt. Brice.

"That's right...And that means neither Detective Ellis or Detective Garrett is using that card...nor were either in Richmond ,Virginia...It means that Janice Ellis is still alive." I said.

"No it means that someone is using her debit card...She could still be dead!! But I am definitely going to look into it...Thanks for the heads up." he said.

And in the interrogation room.

'We got you a Judge...You'll be arraigned in the morning at 9:00 AM" said Beverly.

''So sit tight...Don't talk to anybody, I mean anybody about your case.."said Olivia.

"I won't...What about Kelly? She absolutely had nothing to do with this.." said Dennis.

''We have people meeting with her..If she'll have us..We'll represent her too."said Beverly.

"You obviously care a great deal about her don't you?" said Olivia.

"I do." said Dennis.

"Let's go girls..We are done here....Dennis, sit tight...We'll see you in the morning."I said.

"Don't Worry." said Olivia.

"We'll see you in the morning."said  Beverly...

III-

Detective Kelly Garrett sat in the "Fishbowl" listening to a F.O.P. Attorney offering a plea deal for her.

"You've got to be kidding me right?" she said.

"Look Baby, they got you....They got you cold...Now you have two options, I can plead you down to conspiracy two ,get you ten years with a promise of parole in five...Not a bad deal..You'll still be young when you get out or...orrrrr you can turn states evidence and I can get you full immunity...You don't lose a thing." said her F.O.P. Attorney...Soloman "Settlement " Klein.

"Or you could do your job and defend me...I'm innocent...I'm not guilty... and neither is my friend, Detective Dennis Ellis. "said Kelly Garrett.

"No Babe No...You don't want to touch that ,him with a ten foot pole.. He's too Hot.. He's the Hot Potato....He's got to go down...and plus...I don't go to court...I don't dig it...Ya dig?? I settle..That's why they call me Sol "Settlement" Klein...heh heh heh!" he said.

"I'M INNOCENT!! I'M NOT GOING TO PLEAD GUILTY TO ANYTHING AND I'M NOT GOING TO PERJURE MYSELF BY LYING ON MY FRIEND!" said Kelly.

"Then you don't need me babe...I'm Sol "Settlement" Klein..." he said,.

"No You Don't..You need us...I'm Attorney Nelson East...I'm married to Attorney Beverly West, the niece and partner of our boss, Mrs. Olivia Bennett-Alexander and if you'll have us, we will reptesent you and fight for your innocence an acquittal, just like you wanted Mr. Klein here to do." said Nelson.

"I'm Attorney Josephine Boyd...You can call me Josie, I'll be second chair." said Josie.

"And I'm Attorney Bresha Billips...I'll be third chair..."said Bresha.

"Olivia and Beverly...You're with them, but aren't they representing Dennis?" asked Kelly.

"Yes we are..and we also want to represent you." said Nelson. "Will you hire us? we'll work with you on payment." he said.

"Yes, you're hired...Anyone is better than  this guy." she said staring at Sol Klein.

"Welllllllllllllll I never." he said.

''And you shouldn't..bye now!"said Bresha.

Josie laughed as he stormed out..

Detective Sam Jones laughed too!  He hated that this had become a Hot Potato case, a political football,

That the Politicians ,The D.A. and the Brass was hindering their investigation and practically forced them to make two hasty arrests of two good cops...He hated it.. He secretly hoped Olivia ,Beverly and crew embarrassed them all.

"We've got you both a Judge...You'll be arraigned tomorrow morning at 9:30 AM, so sit tight..Don't talk about your case with anybody...and we'll see about getting you out of here."said Nelson.

"Thank You so much.!" said Kelly Garrett.

"We'll see you tomorrow." said Josie.

"Keep your head up...We're gonna get you out of this." said Bresha as they left.

"Thank You So Much!" said Kelly as she was handcuffed and walked to her cell in the "Cooler."

And Back at Home-

Olivia laughed and laughed and slapped her thighs.. "Sol "Settlement" Klein.....Oh wowww! Now there's a blast from the past." she said.

"You know him Liv?" asked Nelson.

''Don't you know by now...Auntay knows everybody." said Beverly...

"Yesssss, unfortunately I do.... He was once a Public Defender..before either you or Beverly or Jazzy came there to work.. He was everything in a lawyer I did not want to be...He has an aversion to court..

He settles everything by plea deal....He's sent so many people to jail who didn't belong there it wasn't funny... He was an Assistant District Attorney for awhile too...Did the same thing,made plea deals with defense attorneys, usually lazy Public Defenders like himself to avoid actually having to go to trial. Now he's a F.O.P. Attorney...Wowwwww and he wanted her to either plead out to a lesser charge for 5-10 years or turn in States Evidence for immunity....Either way she loses..."said Olivia.

             

        "I'll say. She pleads out and loses her badge, her pension, goes to prison for at least 5 years...or more.. or she turns in States Evidence and gets a free ride with immunity while sending her partner and friend to prison..No cop would ever trust her again or want anything to do with her..Her effectiveness would essentially be shot. and that's no way to live..." I said.

"When we got there...She was on the verge of firing him anyway...They were arguing." said Josie..

"Like you said...She wanted to plead Not Guilty and she refused to turn States Evidence and thus perjure herself for him...and he was refusing to go into court... "said Bresha... She then did her impression of him.. "No Babe No...You don't want to touch that ,him with a ten foot pole.. He's too Hot.. He's the Hot Potato....He's got to go down...and plus...I don't go to court...I don't dig it...Ya dig?? I settle..That's why they call me Sol "Settlement" Klein...heh heh heh!" she said sounding just like him..

Olivia doubled over in laughter....

"That's him...That's him...Oh My Goddd! you sound just like him."she laughed..

"I wish I had of been there."Laughed Beverly.

IV-

NIGHT TIME! 

It had just got dark...

Assistant District Attorney Jake Patais, nicknamed "Lawyer Bae" by all of the young female attorneys who knew him  had studied and prepared for the case all afternoon with Assistant District Attorneys

Jill Jones and Lynn Hewitt in the law library downtown....

 After they finished around 10:00 pm, Lynn Hewitt

 said goodnight and took an Uber to Curley's Bar..

While Jake drove Jill home, which is what she wanted.. She had the biggest crush on him.. They stood in her doorway..

"Thank you for giving me a lift Jake..I would have hated to have to have taken public transportation or an UBER. You are such a gentleman. My car will be out of the shop in a day or two." she said.

''Oh it was the least I could do." he said and stood there.. There was an uncomfortable moment when they stood quietly staring at each other..smiling sheepishly.... 

Jill could see a slight bulge in his trousers...Meaning he was just as attracted to her as she was to him...

"Well...Well uh, I would ask you in for coffee but I suppose you uh have to get home to Diane." she said.

"Diane is in Washington D.C. at a legal conference...D.A. Garcetti is set to join her in a few days. She left this morning on the train....Coffee?" he said.

"Come in..." she said and she let Jake into her apartment..

"Aren't you uh seeing Lt. Tragg?' asked Jake.

"He's not my boyfriend if that's what you mean? He and I are kind of like friends with benefits...I haven't seen him in like six weeks...I hear he had some problems.. He got arrested about four or five times..for violating Cease and Desist...He's obsessed with Olivia Bennett-Alexander... I think he's secretly got a thing for her..Why would you constantly be at someone's house like that?

Olivia and Beverly are very pretty...So are the other two young ladies who work with them...He can't keep himself away from them..."said Jill.

"I think he has an equal obsession with Yvette Jones and her staff....He just finished a case in which they were involved....

As usual, it didn't end well for him... Yvette and her associates won the case during the preliminaries..

Got the actual killer who Lt. Tragg overlooked and refused to investigate to confess in open court..It didn't set well with the Special Prosecutor, Christine Copeland.  Didn't sit well with D.A. Garcetti who was especially embarrassed.

And the  special prosecutor wrote a scathing condemnation of him...

That earned him a 90 day stay on that Marine Boat...You might not see him for awhile."laughed Jake.

"Here is your coffee Jake. Why are we talking about Arthur Tragg?" Jill whispered seductively...

Jake drank his coffee...

"Thank you. You're right..We shouldn't be.." he said..

He pulled her to him and kissed her softly...

"Thank you." he said.

'Ummmmmmmmmmm you are so welcome...oh my god, you are huge." she remarked.

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Jake! " she moaned as they kissed passionately....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SWEET BABYYYYYYYYY!" he cried out..

He helped her out of her dress 

and her panties..

"GOD BLESS AMERICA!" he said , admiring her red white and blue panties.

"I've certainly made you salute." she said staring at his erection..

They both laughed...

He bent her over the sink....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.......OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYY GODDDDDDDDD!" she moaned. She was having an intense orgasm already! Her body trembling. She had had the biggest crush on him for so long...Apparently , he had been looking at her too!

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW..OUUUUUUUUUUU...UMMMMMMMMM... SWEET BABYYYYY!" he moaned.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she moaned.. She was a very passionate woman!, he thought.

They were on her kitchen floor really going at it....

They sat on the side of her living room couch and she moved up and down on him and kissed him passionately.... She hadn't had sex in seven weeks...She needed this and was glad to be having it with a guy she had been crushing on for like forever,

They went in her bedroom and made sweet love for the next NINE TO TEN HOURS.

She admired his stamina. He admired hers...She was driving him to near delirium...He was doing the same to her.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.......OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH GODDDDDDDDD!" she moaned. She was having another intense orgasm! Her body trembling...

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WEEEEEEEE!" he screamed out, cumming so hard, he felt as if he was going to die..

It was near daybreak and she was still kissing him passionately...

"OHHHHH JAKE!!  UMMMMMMM JAKE! I WANT SOME MORRRRE" she whispered in between slow ,soft kisses...

"JILLLLLL!!!! UMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" he grunted....

Diane was 9 years older than him , while Jill was 2 years younger.. He liked her nice soft, firm body.

She began riding him slowly...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he moaned. 

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU, JAKE!...UMMMMMMMMMMM! GIVE IT TO MEEEEE ,OUUUUUUUUUUU JAKE!" she cooed.

They made love for another THREE HOURS!! He came and came hard again... Her body was trembling something crazy...

He showered and got dressed.. .

She was at the door in just her panties..

"Thank you for last night Jake, bringing me home and all and uh keeping me company...."she said,.

"Anytime Jill!" he said..He still had a huge bulge in his trousers...She was very aware of it.. She giggled

"ANYTIME?" she asked and felt his crotch...He was still hard..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM YOU'VE GOT A NICE BONER Jake! OUUUUUUUU!" she said..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" he moaned.

They started kissing...

"Ouu, you're still hard....you're a nasty boyyyyyy!" she giggled.

"YES I AMMMMMMMM!" he laughed.

"YOU WANT SOME MORE?" she cooed.

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" he said helplessly..

Within minutes. his clothes were off..

and they were on her living room floor making love.. He couldn't help himself..He was hooked.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! MEOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!" she moaned..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" he yelled out...They were back in bed, making love again for another FIVE TO SIX HOURS! 

She was sleeping soundly  when he left..

He walked out of her apartment, awakened by the brisk cool air...Feeling incredible.. What a woman

this ADA Jill Jones...he thought.

CURLEY'S BAR- THAT SAME NIGHT!

It was couples night.  Buy one drink get one free...Half off on Martini's .Same Deal!

 Jazzy and her husband, Dabnis had Two Watermelon Martinis.

"Curley knows how to get people out...These drink specials and couples night promotions."said Jazzy.

"Yes, he does." said Dabnis, who was drinking with one hand and had his hand up his wife's dress, feeling her leg with the other hand....

Kayla and her husband, Ray Had a Lemon Martini and a Citrus Martin.

They were enjoying a passionate kiss.

Jessica and Chip had a Mango and Citris Martini.

While Ms. Yvette and her husband, Gary had two Citrus Martini's.

Keith and Bee Bee had two watermelon Martini's .

They were kissing passionately at their table.

Sofia and Kahlil had a Mango and Citrus Martini.

They too were kissing, but unlike the others were on their second round of drinks.

while Jade and Danny had a Citrus and Watermelon Martini.

Virginia and Jetty had a Citrus and Watermelon martini.

Alfreda and Rockland had a Citrus and Mango Martini.

Beverly and Nelson had a Citrus Martini a piece..

They were kissing so passionately, the ice was melting.

"Hey you two...come up for air."joked Josie.

"Ah leave em alone.It's couples night." said her husband, Paris.,

They had a Citrus and Lemon Martini.

Soon they were kissing as passionately as Beverly and Nelson.

Bresha and Tony both had Citrus Martinis.

Like Beverly and Nelson, they too were kissing so passionately, the Ice was melting.

We all were spread out...at seperate tables.  Not a worry in the world. With Lt. Tragg on that boat, we were relaxed and free to drnk and talk with no one bellowing and whining and glaring at us.It was the best feeling in the world. We all wished he was on that boat permanantly.

"I'm glad tomorrow is Friday. This is nice and relaxing." said Olivia.

"A Friday arraignment...I hope we can get em both out." I said.

We had a Watermelon Martini and a Citris Martini.

Zoey and Lem were out with us tonight...They both had watermelon martinis... Lt. Tragg wasn't here tonight  and we had a nice peaceful night of drinking and talking with no one glaring at us, trying to goad us into a confrontation of some type.. It was so peaceful. Curley loved it too..

He looked at the woman sitting alone at the bar.

ADA Lynne Hewitt, She stared at all of us.. She wished she had a sweetie to share a drink with...

Curley sent her a watermelon martini on the house.. She smiled and nodded. It was the nicest thing that had happened to her today.

(TO BE CONTINUED)