Johnny Come Lately

Seemed like the mornings were always overcast in Philadelphia now of days.
 

But early in the morning the highways were light.... It was actually before rush hours.

We headed upstate to the local prison...

Chip had rented a 2023 Kia Sports coupe for the trip...

He drove it up on front of our building...

Jessica and Brooke got in the front with him...

While David and Natalie, newly engaged , got in back....

and kissed passionately the entire ride....

While they headed on the road and on their way...

They were having a special today...New York Strip Steaks and Eggs....

"How's it feel to be a boss...to have a team....some Help?" asked Yvette Jones-Lockwood, Karen's friend since law school...

"It's a new feeling Vettie....It takes a lot of the load off my shoulders.... I know how you and Liv feel, having bright young lawyers around you...It kind of gives you a boost...You're a teacher and a mentor and a student all at once "said ADA Karen Page, the head of the Wrongful Conviction Unit and Brooke, Natalie and David's boss..

"You've got some good people working with you....They aren't some green attorneys just out of law school, just passing the bar that you have to mold and teach from scratch...These guys are professionals...They've been around the block a few times....Natalie and Brooke took me and my guys to the well and Olivia and her team to the well....We beat them, but it wasn't easy...They are damn good and Olivia was very impressed with David Charles...the way he handled himself..."said Yvette...

Both women scanned the dining room , looking at the young attorneys they worked with and among..

Jazzy- Jasmine Coley, went to Penn Law with Beverly, Olivia's niece and Kayla, Olivia and Beverly's cousin,,,,, Was A Public Defender, tutored and mentored by Olivia, along with her niece, Beverly and Nelson, Beverly's eventual husband.. Went on to be a very successful Assistant District Attorney and now a very successful litigator at her present law firm...A Senior Associate Attorney with her eyes on Partner.

Dabnis Coley- Jasmine's husband. Studied at Howard University, Got his law degree from Columbia University in New York, A Brilliant Defense Attorney and Litigator at his law firm... Has helped several people study for the bar.

Kayla Bennett St. Jacques- Olivia's first cousin and Beverly's cousin , Graduated from Temple and PENN Law, a brilliant Defense Attorney and Litigator with the same firm that Jazzy works for... In littlee over a year she has become a Senior Associate Attorney...

Ray St.. Jacques...A Morehouse Man and a Graduate of Howard School of  Law, Worked as a Brilliant Litigator in Atlanta and Now an equally brilliant Litigator here in Philadelphia at his law firm which was right downstairs.

And then Yvette's own "Babies" , All graduates of PENN LAW SCHOOL and plucked and handpicked by Yvette herself ,soon after they passed the bar...

KEITH JONES - Mister Smooth,  Brilliant Defense Attorney, Can read juries, knows who to play to to get results.. Knows how to argue facts and get to the point.

HIS WIFE, BEATRICE "BEE BEE" EVANS-JONES - Smart Analytical, knows how to take the basic facts and put them together ,no matter how puzzling...

KAHLIL AHMED- Like Keith Jones Can read juries, knows who to play to to get results. Like Bee Bee, Smart Analytical, knows how to take the basic facts and put them together ,no matter how puzzling...

AND HIS WIFE, SOFIA GARCIA-AHMED -Passionate, empathetic, Like Bee Bee and her husband,Kahlil...Like Bee Bee, Smart Analytical, knows how to take the basic facts and put them together ,no matter how puzzling...

Yvette had taken these four raw law school graduates and molded them into fine attorneys...with help from Olivia and Beverly and Nelson.

And new comer, Tony Billips, The husband of Olivia's newest attorney, Bresha Billips...A Very good Attorney, aggressive, learns fast...Being groomed well by Ray St. Jacques....

They were sitting down at a large round table together,  enjoying their food and laughing and talking....

"You're right..my people are good and they are surrounded by such proffessionals...How can they not succeed?" said Karen, who felt like a Big weight was off of her back..She no longer had to take on every single case.. So Far these three had been doing exceedingly well. She had nothing but praise for them.

"We've earned it..We paid our dues in court in our early days...Nice to have young talented , fresh eyed attorneys taking the loads off our shoulders and besides....It gives us a little extra time to go shoe shopping." said Yvette,laughing..

"Yes...I truly miss when we worked in Center City when you I, Olivia and Zoey used to go shoe shopping...Nina Rios too! Now We are all down here."said Karen...

"Yeah, but we have peace." said Yvette.

Karen and Yvette smiled as they continued eating... They were soon joined by Jade, Virginia and Judge Jetty Dukes.

''Hey Boss Lady...Chip, Jessie , Brookie ,Natalie and David are just going to be sick that they missed today's specials."said Jade...

"I know...I wish I could save em something...but it wouldn't be the same." said Virginia.

"They'll be alright...I talked to the cook...They're having the same thing Friday...They'll be here for that."said Jetty as he joined his wife and the others for breakfast.

They entered Morningside Correctional Facility.....The State's newest prison...

The client Jimmy  Lee or James Lee Woods sat in the waiting room...He had become something of a jailhouse lawyer..reading law books and googling laws and writing briefs ana appeals based on his case...

.On New Year’s Eve, 2017, James Lee Woods’s then girlfriend Everly Ann Lewis was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The next day, the then 26-year-old James Lee Woods was charged with her death. Despite the prosecution’s key witness—a neighbor who claimed to have seen him arguing with Ms. Lewis  the night of the murder at 3:30 a.m. from a few hundred feet away—being unreliable, at best, and Woods having several alibi witnesses testifying to his whereabouts that night, James Lee Woods was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He maintained his innocence from day one, continuously writing letters for help, requesting appeals, and filing applications to reopen evidence.

The Philadelphia Innocence Project have taken up the case...Which was how Jessica and Chip became involved.,

He was convicted in Philadelphia....which is how the case came to ADA Karen Page

of the WRONGFULLY CONVICTED UNIT... She assigned the case to her new staff attorneys..

Brooke Kennedy-Mars

 Natalie Tennison

 and David Charles.

II-

"Hello Mr. Woods , I'm Attorney Charles Burrows...You can call me "Chip"  My Boss Slim Johnson was very impressed by the brief and appeal you wrote,,,,He has assigned me and my wife,

Attorney Jessica Sanchez-Burrows to your case." said Chip.

|"Pleased to meet you Mr. Woods.. We will be assisted by Attorneys from Philadelphia's Wrongful Conviction Unit...

Brooke Kennedy- Mars....

"Pleased to meet you." said Brooke.

Natalie Tennison

"Pleased to meet you.." said Natalie..

"And David Charles.." said Jessica.

"Hello..Pleased to meet you." said David.

"I'm glad somebody finally took my pleading and brief and appeal writing seriously....I've been fighting my conviction since 2017... I am 100 percent innocent, I did not kill anyone...That woman who testified against me has changed her story six times...She's a liar and all of the so called eyewitnesses changed their statements a number of times." said Jimmy Lee.

"I read the trial transcripts and you're right.....Your original Public Defender was stalled by the Judge and by the original Prosecutor who ignored all of this... "said Natalie.

"Your original Public Defender is unfortunately deceased...He died in 2020.. and the original Prosecutor is in a home...He has Dementia.. So we ,may have an easy road to presenting your case.." said Brooke..

Nothing was further from the truth..

For at this moment in Philadelphia...THE OFFICE OF RICK MADEWELL

''So I'd like you on my team to be second chair."said Rick Madewell.

"You want me to be second chair with you???....ON THIS CASE?  A six year old case of this guy...

James Lee Woods....Ugh Ugh.....First of all, I don't do second chair with anyone...No Offense.. Second, You're a new guy here...There is a pecking order fella...So some advice for you...Leave this case alone...It's A Wrongful Conviction Case... The young lady running it.. Karen Page..is virtually undefeated in over 300 cases..She only picks winnable cases...That already leaves you at a disadvantage..

And now she's added two staff attorneys who are not only very good in Brooke Kennedy and Natalie Tennison, but are the darlings of our bossman , Mr. Garcetti...They're his little superstars."said James "Jumpshot Jim" Taylor.

Brooke Kennedy- Mars....

Natalie Tennison

"Yeah..So I heard...So you had them on your team and you fired them for no apparent reason....

in favor of the boss man's son, Chris Garcetti and another attorney..

who  bolted for whatever reason.. Perhaps you're not as good with the ladies as everyone says....eh Jim? You definitely have a problem with smart intelligent female attorneys ,who uh just might be smarter and more capable than you, I don't know...

And then the other Wrongful Conviction attorney, a young Public Defender named David Charles aided by Olivia Bennett-Alexander, her niece Beverly West and their very talented attorneys and  their investigator proceeded to mop the floor with you in the so called "Trial of the Century"said Richard Madewell..

Isn't that right ADA Taylor? It appears he knew about team building and had no problem at all working with smart ,talented and I must say, pretty women. " asked Rick Madewell.

Jumpshot Jim didn't like being reminded of his most recent loss...An embarrassing loss of a case that looked like a slam dunk to everybody...A loss to a young Public Defender, who out thought him every step of the way and got help from "The Best Defense Attorneys money can buy"

He didn't like this Rick Madewell either...He thought of him as arrogant....A little too much like him...which he wouldn't admit as well as insulting and disrespectful...No way he was going to work with him and be SECOND CHAIR AT THAT!!! He could forget it!

He smiled.

"This conversation is over.. Good Luck!" he said and walked out of his office..

Rick Madewell smirked...

''Asshole!" he said to himself.

III-

A DAY LATER-

"Good work Guys...You got to talk to him and you filed a brief to have him transferred."said ADA Karen Page.

''Yes, the brief was very successful...He'll be transferred to the same Holding Facility Yvette's  former client , who was on death row was transferred to." said Brooke.

" We need the adresses and phone numbers of all of those witnesses " said Natalie.

"And I suppose we are going to need an Investigator.." said  David Charles..

''Done!  Gary Lockwood, 

the husband of our good friend, Yvette Jones-Lockwood is an Investigator for the D.A.'s office that I share with ADA Rockland Cambridge...I'll call him and put him on it...He's a very thorough investigator." said Karen Page..

"Well...Well Well...Looks like you've got it all together.. Mr. Garcetti has given you three very good attorneys and  a great investigator...A fitting reward for you practically running this thing on a shoestring budget by yourself and winning all of these cases ADA Page.. Your reputation proceeds itself.. I've heard of you...and uh one of your attorneys here, Ms. Natalie Tennison and I have history...a very steamy history if I must say...Heh heh heh...The name is Madewell... Assistant District Attorney Richard Madewell.. I will be going up against you in the Jimmy Lee Woods case... You might as well send him back upstate to prison...because he's guilty and I intend to prove it!" said Rick Madewell, who looked at Natalie..

''Yes, I was told that you were going to oppose us on this case... I don't usually get much opposition when I reopen or retry these cases...but things have been going a little differently lately...Everybody wants to be the one to knock me out ,since I've been successful and never lost a case so far..."said Karen.. "Isn't that why you want to take on this case, this simple little case?" asked Karen.

"I'm purely interested in Justice...Mam, Justice... I think he's guilty...Nothing personal against you or your team, especially Ms. Tennison here,, Heh heh heh." he laughed, gazing lustfully at Natalie..

"You are so full of it Rick!" sneered Natalie..

He saw the sparkling engagement ring on her finger that hadn't been there two days before  and his whole demeanor changed... The rock really shone... It was the real thing..and it looked like it cost a mint.... She had told him she was living with a guy and that the guy had proposed... He hadn't believed either story...It appeared it was true.

"Natalie....You...You...You ...You really are engaged...." he said incredulously...

"Did you think I was lying? This sweet young man here, asked me two days ago and put the ring on my finger that night...."said Natalie.. "We plan on a spring wedding." said Natalie, hugging a smiling David.

"Pleased to meet you." said David, who extended his hand... Rick didn't shake it.

''Well...this is a big year for you....You won the big case and now you're engaged to ....to Natalie.."said Rick Madewell, who looked sick to his stomach... "Do you , do you live with her?" he asked..

"I do...We purchased a house together on Cotton Lane...We are renting with an option to buy... I know we are doing everything backwards, but we are adults.."said David.

"We used to work together for a couple of years in the Public Defenders Office...He liked me all of those years and finally got around to telling me a few months ago...We clicked and uh, here we are." giggled Natalie like a lovesick school girl..

She and David kissed passionately...

Brooke could see what was happening and giggled...This was obviously an old flame of Natalie's who'd been missing awhile, the entire time she had known her and who was back on the scene suddenly...but too late, a Johnny Come Lately.

Rick looked sick to his stomach.....His massive ego was brutally damaged...He thought he owned Natalie...He saw now that she hadn't been waiting for him to magically return...She had moved on..She couldn't see why he'd think that...Neither could Karen, who had assessed the entire situation.

''Are you alright?  Can I get you some water..?" asked Karen...

"Maybe you want to sit down..."said Brooke..

"No..No..No...I I I I uh better get going...I uh just wanted to uh make your uh acquaintence.. Uh, I'd uh better be going... Congratulations Natalie, David..." he said and rushed out of the office...

''Wow what happened to him??...He came off all arrogant and confident..and then when he saw your engagement ring , it took all of the wind out of his sails...What was that about?" asked a bemused Karen Page..who knew...

" He's an old boyfriend...huh?"asked Brooke.

"Very Old...He was more like a friend with benefits...and not a good friend...He never met a woman who he didn't feel he shouldn't  liberate her from panties and bra...He's been in California for years and a few days ago ,I found out he was back and an Assistant District Attorney....I guess our case is his first case." said Natalie.

''He didn't look like he had the heart for it..Seeing you engaged seemed to really knock the wind out of his sails."said David Charles.

"You don't know him...He's a supreme Narcissist...He's going to try extra hard to beat us, just because I'm engaged to you... He's going to want to beat both of us, badly...like that's going to change something...He's just a scared petulant little boy....I got me a MAN and he can't deal with that."said Natalie, who turned and kissed David again..

Her kisses sent David into orbit.. It was hard for him to keep his cool when her butter soft lips met his...

''Look at them, they're so cute...'said Brooke.

''Aren't they now?"said Karen.

David Charles smiled.

CURLEY'S BAR- A FEW HOURS LATER

Couples Night brought everybody out to Curley's tonight...You got two free drinks for every  two you bought as a couple.

''Ouuu after the week we had...I'm ready to get my drink on...Three cases in a row...One after the other."said Olivia.

"Three wins though....That's something to celebrate." said Donnie Ray.

"Indeed, as well as my girl Nat and David's engagement." said Beverly..

''Yes, there is a lot to celebrate tonight..We can sleep good tonight." said Nelson..

"Yes indeed.."said Josie.

"I love it when you guys win a big case." said Josie's husband, Paris.

''Any special reason?" asked Bresha jokingly... Josie had said that when they win a case, she breaks out new lingerie to wear for Paris and gives him "

The ride of his life." She knew why Paris was happy.

She sat on her husband's lap...Tony was quite happy with that!~She gave him the ride of his life nearly every night..

Alfrteda sat quietly and sipped her drinks... She was a little tipsy...

As was her husband, Rockland..

"I'm so glad Olivia owns that bus company....We can drink to our hearts content and don't have to worry about driving home."said Zoey,.

"Exactly...Good ole Livy!"laughed her husband Lem..

They were all sitting at one big table...filled with drinks..

Behind them sat Yvette Jones and crew.

"It's been quite a few weeks.. Four different cases...Four victories... I'm happy and proud of my team." said Yvette. She loved that her four handled their cases largely without her help and that they had learned how to build teams based on what they needed for trial..She was proud of them...They were all fine attorneys.

''Sometimes things are quiet for a week, then sometimes they come in waves."said Keith Jones..

"Yes...like last week.... It was nice working with you and Natalie...Brooke on the Abramson Case..even though it wasn't a wrongfully convicted case.." said Bee Bee.

''We were only too glad to lend you guys a hand." said Brooke.

"We kept that from becoming a wrongful conviction case." said Natalie.

''And look at all the shoe shopping we got to do!"laughed Sofia..

"YESSSS, SEE? Wasn't that fun?" said Natalie, who really liked Sofia...

"And it was nice having you help us out too." said Kahlil to Tony Billips..

"Man it was an education... I enjoyed working with you all."said Tony.

Yvette's  husband, Gary was having a different conversation...

"I'll look into those witnesses..Thankfully it's only been six years and they are all still alive.." he said.

"That's good...We'll need them all to testify, sooner rather than later..."said David.

"So many inconsistancies in their testimonies...and the main eyewitness has recanted her statement a number of times since the trial and nothing was ever done about it."said Natalie.

"Nobody took her serious."said Brooke.

"But they did during the trial..Incredible."said Brooke's husband, Sean Marks, a federal Public Defender.

"I'm the only one here without a partner...I feel like the odd man out."said Karen Page.

"B.L. is filming his show tonight huh? Don't worry Ms. Karen, we got you...We can't drink all of these drinks."said Keith Jones.

"Yeah...I'm already wobbly." laughed Bee Bee.

"Me too!" laughed Sofia..

"I think after my next beer...I'll order some Ginger Ale.."said Kahlil.

"I might run out and grab a few coffees for us."said Jade.

"I'm so glad we are going back on the buses...I might sleep on my way back.."said her husband, Danny.

"You and me both."said Virginia..

"I will welcome that bed tonight." said Jetty...

and sitting behind them was the rest of the group... Jazzy, her husband, Dabnis, Kayla, Ray and Jessica and Chip..

"Us High fallutin lawyers doin all this drankin.."joked Jazzy, immitating Lt. Tragg's famous lines...

"I know right? I hope he doesn't show up tonight...We've been having so much fun..Nobody needs his bullshit." laughed Dabnis...

"We oughta tell Liv to stop at Jakes after we leave here and all of us buy him out of Hot dogs.."joked Kayla..

"Yeah, that would be fun..Shame tomorrow is Thursday...We still gotta go to work."said Ray...

"I know...."agreed Jessica .."Unlike you guys, we just started a new case." said Jessica.

"Yeah.." said Chip...

This was the only night this week they had all been out..

New ADA  Rick Madewell sat at the bar... He saw all of the couples sitting together...Laughing, talking, drinking...

Especially Natalie and David Charles...Natalie with that engagement ring...He had come too late...

He was Johnny Come lately...

Natalie looked happier than she had looked in ages.. and her happiness made her even more sexier..

And that ring sparkled..It was blinding...

And they kept kissing...That was driving him insane with envy....That should be him kissing her...

Lt. Tragg walked in... He scanned the room...and naturally he made a bee line to where everyone was sitting..

"Wellllllllllllll look who it is...the professional mouthpieces...bending and twisting the law, one law at a time?" he snarled..

Everyone ignored him and kept drinking ,laughing and talking... 

"Karen baby, come away from these people...Let me buy you a drink...We haven't talked in awhile..You know what I mean?" he said.

He put his arms around Karen's waist..

She removed his hands...

"No...I'm just fine right here, with my friends...Take your hands from under my skirt please!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" said Karen ,removing his hands a second time.

''Do you get off on being annoying?  You may need serious psychiatric attention." said Natalie..

Before Lt. Tragg could retort....

David responded..

"Come on Bae... Don't let him destroy our night of celebration..." he said, pulling her away gently....

"Celebrating what?"  Then he saw the sparkling ring on Natalie's finger..

"OHHHHHHHHHHH!   WELL WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT!!!  WHATTTTTTTTT? YOU TWO ARE ENGAGED???   SHE REALLY MUST BE HELL IN BED!!!!" he said..

"Is that your way of saying congratulations Lieutenant?" asked Natalie..

Before he could answer..He was punched in the mouth...

"OUUUUUUUUUF!"he groaned...and then hit with a right and a left that sent him spinning into an empty table...

"LEAVE HER ALONE YOU BULLY! I'VE HEARD ALL ABOUT YOU..." said  ADA Rick Madewell. He was drunk...soused..

He swung two haymakers... both missed...but Lt. Tragg didn't miss. he hit him with two rights and two lefts in his face...

Rick swung again...wildly missing...

Lt. Tragg hit him in the stomach.....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" moaned Rick Madewell in excruciating pain...

He vomited all over Lt. Tragg's  suit and then toppled over to the floor....out for the night!

"GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ!" said Lt. Tragg...

A ROAR OF LAUGHTER erupted from the tables..

And on that note...All of them got up...paid their bills,left their tips on the table  and quietly left the bar within the next few minutes. It was quarter to midnight....but they had all drank their fill and didn't want to start with Lt. Tragg....

They boarded the buses and both buses pulled off...

Rick Madewell was placed in a police cruiser...Charged with Public Drunkeness and assaulting a police officer..

He would spend the night in the "Cooler.."

And poor Lt. Tragg, his suit ruined and smelling...

 finished the night at his home, taking a hot soapy shower.......

IV-

At their home..

Natalie and David were kissing passionately up against the wall...

"You know, we really need to be sleeping..." said Natalie in between kisses..

"Why do your lips have to be so damn soft?  That's making we want to do anything but sleep.."moaned David Charles in between kisses.

"I can't help that.......you've got to control yourself..."giggled Natalie as David continued to kiss her and they both undressed each other...

She softly rubbed his penis....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM OUUUUUUUUUUUUU LOOK AT YOUUUUUUU! I CAN SEE HOW YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOURSELF....UMMMMMMMMMMM!" she cooed.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NATALIE....I LOVE YOUUUUUUUU!" he moaned..

"I LOVE YOU TOO!!!" she said.

He helped her out of her clothes, unsnapped her bra and slipped her panties down...

He humped her on the bed...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU YOUU DON'T REALLY WANT TO GO TO SLEEP! DO YOU?" she cooed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I CAN'T LIE TO YOU....I WANTED YOU EVEN WHEN WE WERE IN CURLEYS!" he said....

"Oh I KNOW THAT!!!" she laughed...

as they went at it....on top of the bed..

FIVE TO SIX HOURS WENT BY....before they both came and came hard. bodies trembling and shaking...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuu thank you........ouuuuuuu that was sooo good.." she cooed, lying softly on top of him, with both of his arms around her butt....

"You're quite welcome.." he said and they both happily drifted off.

while next door..

"Tonight was a nice night huh? All things not withstanding.."whispered Brooke.

"It was very nice....and entertaining too." said her husband, Sean..

They kissed passionately.....

He undressed Brooke slowly....

slipping her panties down....

"Ohhhhhhhhhh my goddddd!" he moaned...Brooke softly and slowly rubbed his penis with her hands and bent down and kissed the tip...This made Sean shake.....

She giggled..."You're so silly when you're horny and excited..." she laughed.. Taking him completely in her mouth and sucking the life out of him....He shook something terrible, his eyes going into the back of his head...

She was  continuing to kiss him passionately...

and gasping as he entered her slowly and began to make love to her in their bed!

"OH MY GODDDDDDDDD!!! OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU SEAN!!! OUUUUUU

UUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed softly... "Don't stop...Don't stoppp, don't ever stoppppp, ohhhhhhhhhhhhh my sweet sweet husband...OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed as her head turned from side to side, tears flowed down the side of her face and her body trembled...

She imagined for the moment three men who wished they were where Sean was right now...

Bull Bailey...He didn't have a shot..Wasn't the least bit interested...The man was only about two years younger than her father..

James "Jumpshot Jim " Taylor.. He was handsome and cute...but too much of an egomaniac...Too full of himself..

Lieutenant Tragg, NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!!! HE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SHOT!!! she thought..

She was with who she was supposed to be with,...............

and he was curling her toes...

FOUR  TO FIVE HOURS WENT BY....before they both came and came hard bodies trembling and shaking...

Brooke fell asleep on top of Sean.....with his arms softly around her waist...holding her....

Rick Madewell slept it off in "The Cooler" for the night.

He thought about Natalie.....Seeing her happy and with another man made her even sexier than ever, Made him want her even more....but it was too late... He was Johnny Come Lately....

(TO BE CONTINUED)