VENTURES: Convicted in Absentia

PRELUDE-

A warm sunny fall Saturday Afternoon-

I, attorney David Charles was home by myself relaxing...Just hours ago I had been at the No I.D. Bar with the gang enjoying a delicious brunch...

"Ummmmmm, another great Saturday morning Brunch." said Jazzy.

"I was famished....I was glad to go to this." said Dabnis.

"We are all going shopping at the mall afterwords...our malls...What are you fellas doing?" asked Kayla.

"We might go to the playground and run a few games of basketball." said her husband, Ray.

"Sofia, Bee Bee, Jade and I will be down with sodas and snacks." said Jessica.

"Yeah I'll be down once I change."said her husband, Chip.

"I'm going with Vettie and Olivia to the mall to go shopping." said Karen...

"Me....I'm going home and take a nap...maybe watch a movie.." said her husband, B.L.

"Well it's shopping for me, Brooke, Jazzy, Kayla, Beverly ,Josie, Bree and Renee.what are you doing sweetie?" asked my wife, Natalie.

"I'm going home, take a nap or watch a movie.." I said.

"I know you're running basketball with the fellas." said Brooke to her husband, Sean.

"Yeah.....for a little while. We all can work some of this good food off." said Sean..

"I'm not going shopping today so I'll be home when you come back.."said Zoey to her husband, Lem..

"Why don't you come down, see us play...They'll be sodas and snacks." said her husband, Lem.

"Okayyyyyy!" said Zoey, smiling.

"You guys have a good time...We'll see you when we get back." said Renee smiling.

"I wish you were coming." said her husband, Tyrell.

"Next time babes." said Renee with a smile.

"Gary you and Donnie Ray are actually coming with us?" asked Ms. Yvette.

"Only because we both need to pick up a few things."said Gary.

"We are going to miss you on the court Gary...but we'll find an extra guy." said Keith Jones.

"We got the snacks ready?" asked Bee Bee.

"They're over at Olivia's...but they're ready." said Sofia.

''Cool. We can stop by Liv's and pick them up."said Kahlil.

"This will be fun... "said Jade who looked forward to these lazy, sunny fun Saturdays when we weren't going anywhere specific and just hanging loose.

So did her husband, Danny Ho.

"I'm not going shopping." said Virginia..

"Good....I'm not either."laughed her husband, Jetty... who imagined an afternoon, frolicking in bed with Virginia.

"Vettie, Karen...We'll take my car..." said Olivia.. "Beverly is taking the SUV.." said Olivia.

"I'll meet you in front of your house in an hour." said Karen, our boss lady...and the newest resident in our neighborhood.

''Same here Livy...Thanks." said Yvette.

"There's enough room for you and Gary and Karen and me."laughed Donnie Ray.

"Good Luck in your game today sweetie." said Beverly to her husband, Nelson...

"Thanks....Next time we do this, I want you girls to come..You and Josie and Bree...I need a cheering section for me."joked Nelson..

"Oh we are always cheering for you in spirit." joked Josie.

Her husband Paris began laughing.

''What is so funny? We do cheer for you guys in spirit."laughed Bresha.

''Yeah well it's always better if we see your bodacious bodies in the flesh."laughed her husband, Tony.

"Well you and I are staying home. Aren't we?" whispered Alfreda alluringly to Rockland..

"Yess...Yessssssssss." said Rockland...

as the two of them kissed passionately...

at their table. They two were going to be frolicking in the bed.

This was an average Saturday Morning amongst us.

And so at home, alone- I was resting , half sleep...I didn't hear Natalie when she returned...

She smiled at me and ran her finger across my lips... "Look at those kissable lips."she whispered softly..

She was wearing a white mini skirt and white blouse...with matching white heels.

I had been taking a nice nap on the couch of my house....and when I woke up..I was treated to a vision of lovliness.

"Natalie? Natalie. WOWWWW!" I said.,She had on a new white outfit....

"Hi Lover." she said.. "Give mama some sugar." she said. "I hope you like this...because I can't wear it again until spring...It's after labor day you know and it is white...But I had to wear it home for you to see."she said.

She leaned over and kissed me softly..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, You can wear it for me here in the house...I won't tell anybody." I said.

We continued kissing.....

"You are so nasty....." she said as we continued kissing..

"And horny" I added...

"You stay horny..." she giggled as we continued kissing on the couch...

"Did you miss me?" she asked..

"You know I did." I said as she lie on top of me , kissing me and I slipped her new dress off...as well as her blouse...

as well as her bra and panties.

"UMMMMMMMMMM!" I moaned...

"UMMMMMMMMMMM Listen at you.." she said, laughing...."Hard as a damn iron pipe...." she added...

I spread her legs and entered her slowly...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAVID!! UMMMMMMMMMMMM!" she moaned as I entered her moist, warm center....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NATALIE....UMMMMMMMMMMMM" I moaned.

"We said we were going to stop doing it on the living room couch..." she whispered and giggled.

"We won't do it again.." I said... "UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Girrrll1"

"Okayyyyyyy!" she said meekly...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed as I stroked her masterfully.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMM HONEY....OUUUUUUUU BABYYY!" she cooed..

"OHHHHHHH GIRRRL!" I moaned.. Natalie was so soft and so wet and felt so good...I was damn near delirious.

We made love for the next FOUR TO FIVE HOURS...

Natalie and I took a nice long shower together....and got dressed afterwords...

"Hey let's go grab a bite to eat...everybody was talking about that new seafood place in our neighborhood that just opened up." said Natalie..

"Sounds good to me..." I said.

II-

It was a beautiful Saturday Afternoon....Last Saturday Afternoon, Natalie and I had stayed in...A few of our friends, Olivia, Donnie Ray, Beverly, Nelson, Sofia, Bee Bee, Jade, Danny, Virginia, Jetty , Renee and Tyrell had come here and were raving about it...

Tonight, we all were here..and then some...Judge Charlotte Peterson and her boyfriend, Attorney Eric Becker was here tonight..as well as our entire group and our friend Attorney Justin Brown and his girlfriend... They didn't live in our neighborhood...but everyone had read the rave reviews about this place and decided to come out...

"Ouuuuuuuu look who's here...the entire bunch.." said Judge Charlotte Peterson.....

''Wow...We have filled this joint up." said her boyfriend, Assistant States Attorney Eric Becker.

"We had to come out this weekend...Everybody had raved about this spot all week long at work."said Jazzy.

"How are you Charlotte? Yeah, this is a nice place and it smells so good." said Dabnis.

"It does...and the ambience.." said Kayla.

"Nice to have a spot within walking distance." said Ray....

"I love this neighborhood." said Jessica, glowing.

"Yeah , I love it to." said her husband, Chip.

"Hello Karen...I'm glad I run into you guys...Look, I uh don't want to talk shop here...We are all eating, but I need to meet with you guys on Monday....I've got a case right up you guys alley." said Justin Brown.

"Oh Okay....Nice seeing you again. Come on up Monday, we'll be there...We just wrapped up two cases." said Karen..

"Yeah haven't seen you since I interviewed you.."said B.L.

"Ouuuuu, a juicy case I hope." said Natalie.

"If Justin is coming to us....you know it is." I said as the waitress brought us our food..

"Ouuuu I can't wait Justin , the suspense is killing me." gushed Brooke.

"It won't kill you , just enjoy this meal." said her husband, Sean..

"Yessss...He wants to talk business all the time." said his girlfriend, also an attorney like the rest of us, named Alicia Masters.

"Ummmmmmmmmm this food is good and hot.."said Zoey.

"And I like that they have more here than just seafood." said Zoey.

"Yes, I do too..Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!" said Renee.

"Yes..Good food!" said her husband, Tyrell.

"This is a beautiful place and a lovely gathering." said Justin Brown...

He hugged his girlfriend, Attorney Alicia Masters as their food arrived.

"Liv was right about this spot...We should have come out last week." said Yvette.

"Perhaps..."said her husband, Gary...

"Our second time here...This place is great isn't it doll?" said Keith Jones.

"It sure is.." agreed his wife, Bee Bee.

"I'm especially enjoying the cracked crab." said Sofia.

"Yeah me too!" said Kahlil.

''We've filled this place up." said Jade.

"We certainly have." said her husband, Danny.

"I love this place, the food is good." said Virginia.

"Yes indeed."said Jetty.

"Nice seeing you again Justin, how are you doing?" asked Olivia.

"Yes how have you been?" asked her husband, Donnie Ray..

"I'm doing great, glad to see you guys again.." said Justin.

"How are you girlie? You need to come hang out with us one weekend Alicia, when we go to Bayside for shopping, dining and roller skating...Do you Roller skate?" asked Beverly to Alicia...

"I do.....I do...I'm trying to teach him....Let's exchange numbers.. I'll hang out with you guys."said Alicia.

"We've got a big tent and we include more people in it." said Nelson.

"You enjoying your food baby?" asked Josie.

"Sure Am....I wish we had come out the first week." said Paris.

"I do too!" said Bresha.

"Ditto that...but uh I didn't mind what we were doing.heh heh heh!" laughed Tony...

"Oh you are so nasty..." laughed Bresha..

Remembering the marathon sex they were having at home that afternoon...

"I heard that!"laughed Alfreda.

"Heh heh heh!"laughed Rockland.

"I wished we lived around here....You have such great restaurants and bars in this area.Not to mention shops and supermarkets...everything." said Nina Rios, who drove out tonight with her boyfriend, Carlos Diaz.

"The Food here is great...We should have come out last week." said Carlos.

A Beautiful afternoon for everyone involved...

SATURDAY!

III-

MONDAY MORNING-11:00 AM

We sat in our conference room and awaited our guest...

We had a pitcher of ice tea and glasses on the table.

"Well , Justin should be here in a few minutes." said Karen...

"This ought to be interesting....Justin always brings the interesting." said Natalie.

"That he does." said Brooke with a smile.

"And here he is." I said as Justin walked into our office, five minutes early. I loved people who were prompt and on time.

We poured him a glass of Ice Tea and Justin sat down...

"Hello guys...Thank you for seeing me.I have a client...John Atwood." he said. He pulled out a glossy of him..

In 2022, he went on a blind date with this young lady...

Her name was Jaunita Parker...

"She's pretty...they look like they made a nice couple." said Natalie....

"They went to dinner and then wound up in Josie's for drinks and after dinner entertainment...I'm pretty sure you guys are familliar with Josie's." Said Justin.

"We all live walking distance from Josie's...It's our neighborhood spot...Live entertainment...D.J.'s , Good Food, Good drinks." I said.

Thinking about Josie's and

the great crowds in there...and thinking how lucky we all were to buy the beautiful new homes that became available in this neighborhood.

"From what he told me, the date didn't go well at all and by the time they got to Josie's , he realized that they were not going to hit it off and she was not the girl for him..

"I suppose there was no Hibbity Bibbity in the for seen future." said Brooke...

"OUUUUUUUU that sounded like something I would say.."laughed Natalie.

"Or me.." laughed Karen....

Justin smiled and looked at me...

"You put up with this daily?" he asked.

"It's a living." I remarked and we all laughed.

Justin laughed....Anyway while there...Her girlfriend, this woman..." he said and pulled out another glossy..

Lavetta Lewis joined them.... Lavetta is a private investigator, I should mention... I've used her a couple of times...

The three of them had drinks and watched a live band...

According to my client, Ms. Parker had been flirtatious the entire night... At their dinner date with the waiter, Claude Jenkins, a past boy friend...and tonight with another ex-boyfriend, Floyd Baxter, one known to have a very volatile temper and who was not to enthused with the fact she was there with my client..

They had words and then Baxter left... At 1:00 Am.. My client and Ms. Parker said goodnight to Lavetta

Lewis and he drove her home....

According to him there was no kiss goodnight and no offer to come inside for coffee...He let her off at her apartment complex and drove off...He never entered...

Lavetta told police that it was their custom that when out on first time dates , one or the other called to make sure the other was home alright....

There was no call that night....She called her and her phone went to voicemail....

Apparently her ex- Floyd Baxter had a change of heart and called to apologize...There was no answer, the phone went to voicemail.. According to him...He drove by her apartment...He found her door unlocked...He wisely did not go in or touch anything....

When the police arrived they found a horrific scene.... clad in only her panties and bra...Juanita Parker was dead... She had been strangled and sexually assaulted...There was a load of semen in her panties, inside of her and saliva on her bra.. She had been stabbed 28 times...

Dr. Hazel Baylor said it was the worst homicide scene she had seen that year....

Even Hard Boiled Lt. Tragg was sickened by what he had seen....

It was terrible.

Frank Baxter was immediately cleared....His DNA was not a match and he had wisely not gone inside...and Claude Jenkins...he was nowhere near the scene...Had a dozen witnesses who could vouch for him and his DNA did not match.

Lt. Tragg and Detective William Swift brought John down for questioning at least five times...Holding him for eight hours...grilling him and downright accusing him of murder, despite the fact that his fingerprints were nowhere to be found in her apartment...and the fact that he said they had gone out to dinner and nothing more.. They kinda tag teamed him..but the kid wouldn't break.

He refused to give them a sample of his DNA....and he hired me...

"He hired me and much to Lt. Tragg and Detetive Swift's chagrin, that ended the police harrassment...."said Justin.

"He could have submitted his DNA and that could have cleared up the entire thing." I said.

"It would have made his life less complicated."said Brooke.

"Of course you're right...but my client , who is an Architect...finished his studies at Penn and graduated and then left the country....In the meanwhile...

Detective William Swift took over the case charged him and got an indictment for Murder One against him....

and overzealous prosecutor, ADA James "Jumpshot Jim" Taylor charged him and tried him in absentia for Murder one...

"I tried to defend him...but it's hard defending someone who not only isn't present, but wanted by the FBI for interstate flight to avoid prosecution for murder.....I lost and he was convicted of first degree murder."said Justin., I appealed in state Appellate Court and lost... His conviction upheld.

"Convicted in Absentia?/" asked Natalie.

"It can happen...It has happened."said Karen.

"He has communicated to me...that he wishes to surrender to the authorities and fight these charges.."said Justin.

"You want us to help you rep him?" asked Brooke.

"Precisely..."said Justin.

"My husband is a federal Public Defender...This would be right up his alley." said Brooke.

"Good , see if he'll come in on this...The more the merrier." said Justin.

It was a productive meeting.

IV-

End of a regular Monday...

We all were riding home on the train...

Jazzy was nestled in her husband, Dabnis's arms...

as was Kayla and her husband Ray....

"I saw Justin Brown today....Heard he's hired you guys." said Jessica to Karen.

"Yeah, what's he got going on?" asked Chip.

"He has a client he wants us to represent, who skipped town in 2022....and was then indicted for murder....He was convicted in absentia." said Karen.

"It's possible he left town before he even knew he had been indicted...If so, we have a good case for having his conviction thrown out." said Natalie.

"I think we do.....He's planning to surrender himself soon." I said.

"Which brings me to you sweetheart..He's currently wanted by the FBI....When he turns himself in and that could be at anytime this week..The FBI is going to grab him...You're a Federal Public defender and...." said Brooke.

"Say no more.I'm on it." said Sean.

"He's so nice Brooke....He'll do anything for you.Awwwwwww!" said Zoey...

"This ought to be an interesting case..."said her husband Zoey.

"I'll say....If you guys need any help I'm available.."said Renee.

"Convicted in Absentia, without being present...Is that fair?" asked Tyrell..

"Yeah,I was wondering about that myself." asked Paris.

"Me too!" asked Tony....

"Yes it is possible and it has happened before...but as Natalie said..If he surrenders himself you guys have a good case for getting his conviction thrown out and a new trial ordered...but that depends on the judge..."said Yvette.

"The Appellate Court Blues.tell me about it."said Keith Jones , who had had his time with Appellate Court Judges..

"It's no picnic guys, so do your research and due dilligence." said Bee Bee.

"Yes, by all means."said Sofia.

"I don't envy you guys...."said Kahlil.

''Well you never know...anything can happen."said Jade.

"I tried a case where someone was convicted in absentia...I successfully got the conviction tossed and got my client acquitted."said Virginia.

"Then we need to be talking to you." I said.

"Yes..can we pick your brain on this.?" asked Natalie.

"Yes, like tomorrow?" asked Brooke.

"By all means, come up and see me after breakfast." said Virginia.. She loved helping the young attorneys in our building...She no longer practiced law, but talking to the attorneys and helping them with research kept her closer to the game.

Her husband Jetty looked on and smiled.

Tender was the night!

Once at home...Natalie took her heels off and I helped her unzip her skirt..

''What a day....I'm as horny as hell.." I whispered in her ear...

She giggled that cute giggle of hers... "Is there ever a time when you're not horny as hell?" she said.. slowly and softly rubbing the crotch area of my trousers... Her eyes got as big as saucers...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU LOOK AT YOUUUUUUUU!!! MYYYYYY GOODNESSS!" she laughed... "I guess you aren't lying.." she laughed...

''No I'm not!"I said.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, I guess I'll have to take care of that, huh?" she asked, continuing to laugh....."OUUUUUUUUUU IT's SO DAMN BIG!" she said, kissing me slowly and softly...

We continued kissing...

and I took her bra off and I slipped her panties down..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH GIRRRRRRRLL!" I cried out.

"OHHHHHHHHH HUSH UP SILLY!" she said.

We lie on the bed kissing and smooching like two teenagers....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMM WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU?" she asked as we lie on the bed, kissing like there was no tomorrow.

"Anything...Anything you want.." I said.

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU I LIKE THAT!" she giggled as we continued kissing.

I turned Natalie over and entered her slowly...She was so damn soft, smelled like a newborn baby and so wet....

"Ummmmmmm I'm not the only one who was horny as hell.." I said and laughed..

"I never said I wasn't.Just not as horny as you!" she said....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! JUST PUT IT INSIDE MEEEEEEE...OUUUUUUUUUU!" she moaned as we began to make love....

"OUUUUUUUUU STOP LOOKING SO,,,SO.....HUNGRY..." she said...

I laughed out loud....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM YOU FEEL SO DAMN GOOD! I told you I was gonna eat you up..." I said.

"SO DO YOU!! OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! TAKE ME!" she cooed.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NATALIE, CAN YOU BE ANY SEXIER?" I asked.

"I DON'T KNOW!" she said laughing and gripping my buttocks.... "OUUUUUUUUUUU!" she cried out, tears streaming down the sides of her face and her body just trembling...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYY GODDD DAVID!" she moaned as we began making sweet love..She was having an intense orgasm......

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!! WEEEEEEEEEE!" she cooed loudly..

And Next door....

"Vanilla, you have no idea how bad I want you!" said her husband, Sean.....

"Judging by the size of that bulge in your trousers, I think I do.....Oh My Goddddddddddd Sean...WOUUUUUUUUUUUUU, how does your boxers contain all of that?" Brooke asked.

"I don't know.....They do quite well until I'm around you..." he said...