The Last Of Christine

 COURTROOM E- 10:30 AM MONDAY MORNING

I'm Keith Jones, Attorney at law, Associate Attorney at McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt, today I was with my associates,

My wife, Beatrice Evans-Jones, Associate Attorney at McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt,We affectionately call her Bee Bee.

Our friend and Associate, Sofia Garcia -Ahmed ,Associate Attorney at McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt

My buddy and her husband, 

Kahlil Ahmed, Associate Attorney at McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt..

and our boss and Lead Attorney in this case, the lovely and sexy 

Mrs. Yvette Jones-Lockwood...Managing Partner, McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt..  She started lobbying for the four of us to intern and become part of this firm , shortly after we graduated from law school and her alma mater- The UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, SCHOOL OF LAW... and shortly after the four of us passed the bar... We came to work for her... She was an Associate Attorney then.. Since then , she's risen to Senior Associate Attorney and Managing Partner, with her own staff...

US! We have our own office at Penns Landing...

Also standing with us was our Investigator, Former Tokyo Homicide Detective , Mrs. Jade Lee -Ho, who came to us, three months after we started... We helped her get her American Citizenship and  she has been our investigator ever since.

and then there is our client..

Cecil Butts, accused of First Degree Murder, who we had just finished defending... We had given our final argument and closed our case on Thursday....The Jury deliberated all day Friday and into the weekend, Saturday and Sunday and here we were Monday, coming to a decision...

He was sweating profusely.....

"I caint die....I'm Innocent...I can't go to the gas chamber and I hate needles..."

"Cecil, would you calm down...We gave you a credible defense..We are certain we created enough reasonable doubt to free you from these charges..."said a confident Bee Bee.

''Yes calm down...Even if we don't get an acquittal...We have an appeal all ready to be filed..." said Ms. Yvette.

"If I'm reading that jury right, I think we got this." said Kahlil...

''They took so long and they asked so many questions.That started to worry me." said Sofia.

"That's the sign of an intelligent and engaged jury and that's what we wanted isn't it/" asked Ms. Yvette.

''Yeah, I suppose...It just unnerved me when they couldn't reach a decision by Friday." I said.

"You worry when the jury comes back too fast and you worry when they take too long." laughed Ms. Jade.

"I knowwww...I've been through enough of these trials..You're always on edge, regardless." admitted Ms. Yvette. "Here comes the Judge.

Judge Julie Wong, nicknamed 'The Hot Judge" walked in...

She was followed by a confident and especially cocky, Lt. Arthur Tragg, who had ,I have to admit worked this case pretty hard and was certain he had brought in a good case..

And Assistant District Attorney Cal McCafferty , who had been as tenacious as ever and determined not to lose this case... He looked confident...

"Has the Jury come to a decision?" asked Judge Wong.

"We have your honor.." said the Jury foreman..

He gave the piece of paper with the decision to the Judge , who read it... She was emotionless..

"Read it.." she said to the Bailiff.

"IN THE MATTER OF CECIL BUTTS VS. THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA ON THE CHARGE OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDENT, NOT
GUILTY!!!"

"WHAT? They found me not guilty?" asked Cecil...

''Yes Cecil, they found you not guilty...You're a free man!" said Ms. Yvette..

"That means they believed me over that boob , Lieutenant Tragg..." said Cecil.

''Yes and it means you should change your shirt when you go home....This one is soaking wet." said Bee Bee.

''Oh thank you...Thank you soooooo much...."said a grateful Cecil Butts. He shook my hand profusely, hugged Sofia and Jade and shook Kahlil's hand.

He hugged both Yvette and Bee Bee hard and rocked them back and forth...

"OHHHHHHH THANK YOU!!!! I THOUGHT I WAS HEADED TO DEATH ROW....THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I WAS EVER IN ANY TROUBLE." he said.

''That's  why we knew you didn't do it.. Someone else? More than likely, but YOU!  No way!!" said Ms. Yvette..

"Now go home and change your shirt.." said Bee Bee ,laughing..

"OHHHHH, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN....A CASE INVOLVING YOU WOULD BE A DISASTER!!!  OHHHHHHHHHHHH!" said an exasperated Assistant District Attorney,  Cal McCafferty to Lt. Tragg and storming angrilly out of the courthouse..

Lt. Tragg looked like the cat caught with the canary in his mouth... He had done several press conferences declaring Cecil Butts guilt and saying there was no way a jury could find him innocent of the murder he was accused of...

Our neighbors and good friends, Jessica Sanchez-Burrows and her husband, Charles "Chip" Burrows, Attorneys for the Innocence Project and  Defense Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander all appeared on the talk show HARD BOTTOM, hosted by our friend, Fellow Attorney B.L. Benz decrying Lt. Tragg's tactics and bombastic declarations at Press Conferences..saying he was hurting any chance Cecil Butts had for a fair trial..

None of this mattered now..We had gotten an acquittal...

"I'm hungry and at the same time I'd like a cold one.." said Sofia.

''I hear you girlfriend..and I'm there with you.." said Bee Bee.

"I think I know a place.."said Ms. Yvette..

"Lead the way!" I said..

"Yes Mam!" said Kahlil.

Ms. Jade laughed as we all slipped out the side door...

Leaving Lt. Tragg fuming!

PANTYS GALORE- Lingerie Store

Ms. Virginia Worked a Half day today...She was told she could lock up and go home shortly after our verdict was announced...

She was in one of Bridget Jones' Lingerie stores..PANTY'S GALORE, shopping on her lunch break..

"Oh My Godddd, Virginia Shaw!!!!! How the hell are you doing?" came the voice of a white woman....

" Hello Christine!" said Virginia... "Christine" was Christine Lockhart, who like herself  had been a Senior Associate Attorney at the Harris Group where she had last worked before being disbarred and incarcerated... The two were competing for a partnership... They had never really been friends, but rivals who were cordial towards each other.

"Girrrl, you still look fabulous....I heard you got paroled....What are you doing for yourself now since you can't practice law anymore?" she asked.

"I work at McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt." said Virginia..

"WHAT?, that's a law firm!" said Christine.

"Yes I know." said Virginia.

Virginia pulled out her photo ID out of her purse  and showed it to her

Virginia Shaw

Office Manager /Consultant\

McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt & Associates

Attorneys at Law

She showed her a photo of the outside of the apartment complex she lived in...

and a photo of her apartment.

''Well I'll be..You got paroled and got right back in the game.... Do they uh know about your past?" asked Christine...

"Yes they do....I work at their Satellite office out at Penns Landing....I work for their managing partner, Yvette Jones-Lockwood.... Here are some more photos.." said Virginia.

"This is the building I work in....

"That's our office suite

"That's Managing Partner, Mrs. Yvette Jones-Lockwood, my boss and good friend."said Virginia with pride.

''Oh They made a Black woman, a partner..That's pretty forward thinking... The Harris Group should follow suit." said Christine.

''Yes, they should have.. It's the 21st Century..." remarked Virginia..." And these are photos of me and my colleagues...." said Virginia..

''Me of course...

''That's Ms. Yvette, Managing Partner...

And that's Attorney Keith Jones,

His wife, Attorney Beatrice Evans-Jones...

Attorney Sofia Garcia -Ahmed..

Her husband, Attorney, Kahlil Ahmed.

and our investigator, Jade Lee-Ho.." said Virginia, proudly...

"WOWWWWW, A NICE LOOKING GROUP....The Attorneys look so young....." said Christine Lockhart...

"They are  young, but they're good." said Ms. Virginia.

Ms. Virginia took her three pieces up to the register....

''Ouuuuuu those are "I gotta man " panties...You seeing someone?"asked Christine..

''I am....unfortunately, I don't have any photos of him yet and that's surprising because we've been together for a minute and I just came back from a weeklong vacation with him in Florida...Marcos Island." said Virginia.

''Wowwwwwww, not bad, not bad....Well I'm certainly glad you landed on your feet girl..." said Christine. "I haven't made partner yet...I'm still a Senior Associate... You should stop by the office.. People would be glad to see you." said Christine..

"You think so?  I don't think so..." said Virginia..

"Let them see YOU! Let them see how you overcame obstacles...Despite being disbarred and incarcerated...You've been paroled , you're working for a great law firm as an office manager and a consultant...Got a great apartment and a man...You're doing better than some of the people there who haven't gone through what you've gone through..." said Christine..

Christine bought her pieces up to the counter...

"Hmmm looks like you got some "I got a man" panties yourself.." laughed Ms. Virginia.

"Noooooooo...I'm holding auditions..." laughed Christine...

Both women howled with laughter and hugged..

II-

Ms. Yvette found us an amazing rooftop restaurant and bar, where we could have brunch and a couple of drinks...

"Ms. Yvette this place is amazing." said Bee Bee.

"Gary brought me here once...before we were married, before we were a couple...He was trying to impress me I suppose." said Ms. Yvette thinking back to those days and now marveling the fact that she is married to Gary now.

"Look at this view." I said...

''WOWWWWWWWWW!" exclaimed Sofia.

''This is some view.." said Kahlil.

"Indeed." said Ms. Jade.

Our Breakfasts came..We were famished.. We chowed down...

After Breakfast, our drinks arrived....  At the bar was at least one familiar figure. Frank Jerkins, the man who had been on the floor below on vacation at Markos Island, Florida.

And on the plane coming back..

The entire trip he had had a tendency to get a little too handsy and inappropriate with women and got slapped at least three times..  At least three women claimed he had ripped their panties...which caused him to get slappped.. He was worse, if that's possible than Lt. Tragg.

''Well Hello.. Bartender, Another drink for the lovely lady here." he said..

A Lemon Martini was delivered..

"Ohhhhhhhhhh thank you." said Christine Lockhart, smiling..

''My name is Frank, Frank Jerkins.. I head my own construction company...what is it that you do?" he asked.

"I'm an Attorney...My name is Christine Lockhart...I am a senior Associate Attorney at the Harris Group." she said.

"My company built one of your offices...The new one in Camden....That seems to be all I'm meeting now of days, Attorneys... I was on a week long vacation to Marcos Island and there was a floor full of attorneys from Philly on the floor above me.. They seemed like nice people.." he said.

"I hear it's fabulous....Beautiful beaches...water you can see straight through...Oh myyyy." said Christine Lockhart.

''Hey Ms. Yvette look...Isn't that the guy from our vacation trip....over there talking to that woman?" asked Kahlil.

"Yes...that's him..Old Slappy white." said Ms. Yvette.

''The Panty Ripper." said Bee Bee.

"That is him!" I said.

"You wanna take a wager that he rips this woman's panties off?  he can't seem to help himself.. Look at him, he's already got his hands up under her skirt." said Sofia.

"That is what you Americans call a sucker bet."laughed Ms. Jade.

An HOUR AND A HALF had gone by...

Christine Lockhart removed Frank Jerkins hands for the fifth time from up under her skirt...

"You know, I don't allow men who know me to grope me in public like this...Now while I'm thankful for the drinks....I'm very uncomfortable with your hands rubbing my legs and snaking further up my dress....I don't know you...We just met.." she said.

"This is a good way for us to get acquainted baby...I find you extremely attractive and I'm single, you're single , how come we can't mingle?" said Frank Jerkins..

''Oh My God!!! did you just make that up? You are tooo funny..." she laughed and again removed his hands from up under her skirt and off of her legs...

"Okay....now I've asked you nicely to stop with the handsyness....Cut it out!"| she said firmly and removed his hands yet again...

'Why don't we leave here?...Go someplace nice and quiet, have some wine, quiet conversation...and see what happens?" said Frank Jerkins, who now had his hand up her skirt again and was palming her butt and pulling ever so lightly on the waistband of her panties..

"I see you can't take a hint.." she said and slapped him so hard, everyone in the establishment heard it..

"OUUUUUUUUF!" he said as he fell out of his seat.... Several Patrons turned around...

"YOU IDIOT!!!!!...YOU NEANDERTHAL!! YOU JUST RIPPED MY PANTIES!!!!!! I just bought these a few hours ago... OH MY GOD!!!!" she said and ran into the restroom...

Frank Jerkins got up off the floor..  There was mixed laughter amongst the patrons...

He brushed himself off and angilly stormed out of the restaurant....

''Soooooo glad I didn't take that bet.."laughed Jade.

"You would have lost." laughed Sofia..

"Oh My God!!!....Slapped again! And again he's ripped somebody's underwear.." exclaimed Yvette..

"You know there is a certain finese to removing a young woman's underwear ." I joked..

''Well one thing you should make sure you're actually in a relationship before you actually try that. THEN when the two of you are in private, slowly remove them, Slowly and Gently." said Kahlil.

"You are absolutely right.. I think in his case...He should practice with a department store mannequin." I said.

"Ohhhhh Listen to the two professors here."said Bee Bee..

"I know right?" said Sofia.

"You all are tooo cute...Keep your money...This goes on the corporate card...This was a "Buisness meal"

an after verdict report meal." laughed Ms. Yvette, even though we didn't discuss the case at all..

We headed for the elevator.

A tall Blonde man appeared on the elevator, getting off...

Christine looked at him with pure fear and leaped on the elevator with us, just as the door closed.

"I'm...I'm sorry...I was just in a hurry to get out of there." she explained.

''No problem at all..."said Ms. Yvette.

None of us said anything about what we had just witnessed...

"OH MY GOD!!! I RECOGNIZE YOU GUYS!!! You're attorneys right??? McCluskey /Cozen/Conner & Pratt !!! You work with Virginia Shaw...I ran into her earlier today....She showed me photos of you guys..."said Christine Lockhart... "I'm Christine Lockhart, Senior Associate Attorney with the Harris Group. Virginia worked with us before she was disbarred and incarcerated." said Christine

''She's doing a great job for us as an Office Manager and a Consultant." said Ms. Yvette..

"I'm so happy for her....Working at a law firm, Got a nice apartment...a new man ,she tells me."laughed Christine.

''Yes we are happy for her too and glad to be a part of that happening."said Ms. Yvette.

We all exited the elevator.. We headed for the commutor train station, While

While Christine hailed an Uber.....

None of us realized this was the last time we'd ever be talking to her.

III-

The Doorbell rang...

Virginia knew who it was... Judge Jefferson T. Dukes... Her beloved "Jetty"

"Hiiii Jetty." she said.

"Heyyyy baby....ouuuu look at you!" he said.. As usual, his trousers had a huge bulge in them... The thought of her got him erect, she thought to herself.. She looked at it and smiled , shaking her head.

He brought a six pack of beer . (They drank three bottles a piece..) and  

two turbo joints which they smoked completely, flushing the residue in the toilet.

They were both very mellow and laid back now... The kissing began... Both were very very horny... Virginia was anyway... Jetty woke up that way....They sat on the couch deep throat kissing...

Finally they stood up....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHH I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU ALL DAY GIRL!" said Jetty...

"I know.....I'm all you think about isn't it?" laughed Virginia.

"Noooooo I think about the law and the proper application of the law to solve social problems." said Jetty half seriously..

"Maybe for a few hours..but mostly, you think about me.." said Virginia..kissing him slowly and softly...

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsSss...I CONFESSSSsS!" Jetty yelled out.. Her soft kisses were driving him bananas ...He didn't know if he was coming or going..

"OH MY GODDDDDD!" he moaned, slipping her panties down.... ''ARE THESE NEW?" he yelled out!

''Yes, I bought them today.....I knew you'd notice and like.." she said, softly fondling his penis...

He unbuckled her matching bra.....

He kissed her passionately and squeezed her butt....

"OUUUUUUUUU WOUUUUU!" screamed Virginia . Jetty lifted her up and long stroked her... She screamed with pleasure as she had an intense orgasm, very quickly..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GODDDDDDD!" he moaned loudly as he sat her on the counter table and pumped away...She was so soft, so wet and smelled so good.

She was going nuts. She hadn't had sex within a few days, Jetty had been busy with a case  and this felt so good. She was so glad he was here,,,,She had been lonely the few nights he hadn't been over.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUU...UMMMMMMMMMMMMM...OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OUUUU

I FEEL LIKE I'M GONNA CUM!" she screamed out loud.

Jetty  had Virginia on the floor pumping away...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he moaned loudly..."AWWWWW LAWWWWD!" he cried out!

He was making more noise than she was..but she felt great.. She had already had one intense orgasm...now she was having another one.. He didn't know if he was coming or going. Her body was trembling....She was bamming both hands on the floor...

"I been wantin to do it to you for the past two nights...but I was busy...ohhhhhhhh..awwwwwww"moaned Jetty..

''Don't be too busy anymore.." said Virginia..

"I won't...OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...AWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWD!! I WON'T." he screamed..

Virginia cracked up laughing... "YOU ARE SOOOOOOO WHIPPED" she said..howling....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" he moaned..

She took him by the hand and led him into her bedroom.

On the bed, she began to move up and down on him, amazed at his stamina and at his length and girth.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU JETTTY, I THINK I'M IN LOVEEEEEE.....OUUUUUUUUUUU
WEEEEEEEEEE!" she cooed.

She continued to smother him with sweet kisses..moving up and down on the bed.../her head turning from left to right...Her body trembling....

until they finally wound up in the bed ,making sweet love for the next NINE TO TEN HOURS!

before they finally came and came hard together......

He lie in between her legs, both of them sweating and trying to catch their breath...She had orgasmed four times.. Her body was still trembling..

"OUUUUUUU YOU ARE A BEAST!  ARE YOU ON SOMETHING?" she asked.

"I'm on you." he said and smiled. She loved his smile.

Her legs were still shaking.

"JETTY I'M IN LOVE!" she said, trying to catch her breath...

"VIRGINIA I'M IN LOVE....I'M CRAZY ABOUT YOU!" he said..

She gave him one last, soft, sweet kiss.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" she said softly..

She lie peacefully on top of him.. He caressed her buttocks.. They both drifted off to sleep...

Our evening was different... Two picnic tables were put out behind Olivia and Donnie Ray's House.. We were having an end of summer picnic after work...Olivia and Beverly had emailed and or texted everyone, telling us not to eat dinner, but to come over to their house with good appetites. We all did.

Ms. Yvette, myself, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil and Jade sat on one side of the table. While Olivia, Beverly, Nelson, Josie, Paris, Bresha, Tony and Ms. Alfreda sat on the opposite side..

"I uh started to call Ms. Virginia, but Jetty was coming by tonight and she hasn't seen him in two nights."said Ms.Yvette.

"I imagine food is the last thing on their minds right now." I said.

''Stop it..I think what they have is sweet."said Bee Bee.

''I do too." said Sofia.

''Let's make a plate for both of them and take it to work tomorrow." said Kahlil.

"That's a good Idea." said Jade.

"I'm so glad the weather didn't spoil this afternoon..It has rained so much you know." said Olivia.

"Well it didn't tonight...Everything smells delish."said Beverly.

''Yes indeed." agreed Nelson.

"One last summer outing." said Josie.

"This is sooo cool." said Paris.

"I'm so glad we don't have any upcoming court cases. and can relax." said Bresha.

"Yeah, a bomb ass vacation in Florida and now this.. I love it." said Tony...

"I know....I love this too." said 

At the second Table.. Jazzy, Dabnis, Kayla, Ray, Jessica and Chip and  Zoey and Lem sat..

''This is so nice, so relaxing." said Jazzy.

"I knew we made the right decision, moving around here."said Dabnis.

"I think we all did." agreed Kayla.

"I told you, Bennett women keep things poppin...Olivia and Beverly are the social directors of our neighborhood." said Ray.

''I agree with you, they are...They keep us together." said Jessica.

"Yeah they do." said Chip..

Ms. Yvette told everybody about our Brunch and of seeing Frank Jerkins, the guy from our vacation there and of him being slapped and ripping yet another woman's panties. Both tables howled with laughter.

"Oh My God, the man needs serious therapy." said Zoey..

"I'm inclined to agree." said her husband, Lem.

Donnie Ray, Gary, Rockland and Danny Ho were cooking tonight..

"OKay folks, bring your plates....Food is ready." said Donnie Ray.

''We are all Family here...There are no guests." said Gary.

"Smells good doesn't it Danny?" asked Rockland.

"Oh yes.." agreed Danny Ho.

They had set up a few grills.

Two Grills with Burgers and dogs..

Another grill with Corn , Steaks, Hot Links and other meats...

and one last grill with seafood..

Plus Baked Beans...

and Cokes...

We had good music supplied by Alexa...

Several of us bought decks of cards and a couple of good games began , while we ate and drank ..

We started around 5:30 pm...It was Well after midnight before everybody finally went home.

Which for most of us was a walk down the street or across the street...

And for Zoey and Lem, a six block drive...

to their homes.

A Great Monday Night....and the calm before another storm.

IV-

Crime Scene Investigators were snapping photos and checking for any skin beneath the fingertips..

''A thousand people run through this square and nobody  saw nothin." said one uniform policeman to another.

"There is no sign of sexual violation or activity, although her panties were ripped...Maybe we can lift some prints off of them... This might have been an attempted rape gone wrong." said Dr. Hazel Baylor.

"Cause of Death was blunt force trauma to the head." said Dr. Marcy Martin.

''White female, Fortyish....Her ID says she's an Attorney at the Harris Group.. Her name was Christine Lockhart...

Lt. Tragg walked up on the scene..

'What have we got?" he asked.

''White Female, fortyish, found a little over an hour ago by joggers...Cause of death Blunt force trauma to the head. Time of death, about an hour ago...There is no sign of sexual violation or activity, although her panties were ripped...Maybe we can lift some prints off of them... This might have been an attempted rape gone wrong." said Dr. Hazel Baylor.

"According to her drivers license, she doesn't live too far from here. Her name is Christine Lockhart, she was an Attorney with the Harris Group. Robbery wasn't the motive, we found all her credit and debit cards in her purse and money as well ." said Dr. Marcy Martin.

"These Panties were brand new... purchased recently....The sales tag is still on them...These were part of the uh new Fall line at Panty's Galore.." said Lt. Tragg..

Hazel, Marcy and a couple of CSI guys all gave him the side eye.....

"I'm uh seeing somebody...Uh ruh she shops from this uh same lingerie outlet...." he said ,smiling sheepishly and as red as a beet.

''Alright..release the body... and uh girls get the autopsy and tox reports to me as soon as you can." he said..

The Body of Christine Lockhart  was removed, put in a white body bag , strapped to a gurney and rolled out of the square...

The next day at our building..

"Oh My God...Thank you guys for fixing us both plates...Tell Olivia, I said thank you...I'll warm this up for me and Jetty's dinner tonight. How was everything?" asked  Virginia.

"Oh it was so much fun...Good eating, we played a couple of games of Spades, Pinochle and a little Poker.... No alcohol...but still much fun... We all are full, that's why everyone skipped breakfast..I sent Kahlil out to bring us coffees..I can't eat a thing.. I'll be hitting that Gym we have here Friday and our local gym this weekend." said Yvette.

"Me and you both Ms. Yvette." said Bee Bee.

I hugged Bee Bee. " I don't see where you need to go to the gym." I said.

"You don't...but I do." said Bee Bee.

''A girl always knows." said Sofia.

Kahlil and Jade came back with coffees and a newspaper.

''You ought to see this. This was the woman we saw yesterday,,The one who got her panties ripped." said Kahlil.

AREA WOMAN FOUND MURDERED LAST NIGHT IN RITTENHOUSE SQUARE.

Christne Lockhart , an Attorney with The Harris Group was found bludgeoned to death in Rittenhouse Square last night. Robbery was not the motive and there was little sign of sexual assault.

''We are looking at this as a rape gone wrong!" said Lt. Tragg of Homicide.

"Oh My God...We just saw her yesterday." said a shocked Ms. Yvette.

"I just saw her yesterday too!" said Ms. Virginia.

( TO BE CONTINUED)