Would I Lie To You?

 We took the train into town to go see about" Dougie Balls" Our Attorney friend , real name, Douglas Baldwin. 

"Lt. Tragg almost always jumps to the wrong conclusion....I imagine his arrest/conviction rate is abysmal." said Olivia.

 

"And yet he keeps a job..." I laughed.

"They were found in a car at the Lovers Lane." said Beverly.

"Hmmmm there have been two instances where bones have been found there." laughed Nelson.

"Or Lt. Tragg has snatched the door open of somebody's car and it's been the wrong person or persons."laughed Josie.

"Remember the Mayor's Niece and her lover?" laughed Bresha. 

"Oh My God that was a total disaster." said Olivia.

 

"It was kinda funny...and yet it wasn't....The only reason why he wasn't punished or fired is because they didn't want anymore publicity on it... She didn't even sue him, she just left the city." I said.

''We had some pretty good memories of that Lovers Lane ,didn't we?" whispered Beverly to Nelson.

Nelson blushed... "We sure did." he said...remembering the times they had in a parked car in that lovers lane.

"I imagine Lt. Tragg is in Dougie's Ear right now, trying to get him to confess."said Josie.

"Doug is an attorney , he knows he has a right to be silent." said Bresha.

As our train rushed into Center City....

THE "FISHBOWL", the nickname the detectives gave to the interrogation room...

"Artie I'm through talking to you....You know me, you know I'm no killer...How many years you known me huh? I'm not violent..I'm a lover, not a fighter."pleaded Doug Baldwin, the attorney now facing murder charges.

"I've also drank with you Dougie...How many bars did we close out? How many times did I have to carry you to your door, huh?" said Lt. Tragg.

"That was years ago Artie... I've been in AA for two years...I don't drink anymore...I haven't had a drink since 2023.   I drink Bottled water at Bars when I do go....I went to dinner last night with Haley...She had one drink...I had none...We ate a meal and I was driving her home...I was driving her BMW...She asked me to come up for coffee...And then the lights went out...I'm telling the truth." said Doug.

"What happened Dougie?  You two got into an argument?...She refused to pull off the panties? You were drunk and you choked her out by accident? Isn't that what happened?" asked Lt. Tragg. 

"Not another word Dougie...We are here." said Olivia.

"Oh MY GOD!  YOU!  You guys are on this?" said Lt. Tragg.

 

"Dougie is our friend. We worked a case with him a few years back." I said.

"Yeah, I remember...And he damn near almost made a fool out of himself during that trial, coming to trial drunk everyday..Falling asleep in court...If it wasn't for you guys , he would have lost that trial..."said Lt. Tragg.

"People Change Lieutenant...EVEN YOU!" stated Beverly...

"Yeah, look at you...Kelly Ann has had a great effect on you.. We don't war with each other anymore like we used to...Outside of this." said Nelson.

"Can we have the room please?" said Josie.

"Yes ,can we?" said Bresha.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" said Lt. Tragg, who left the room.

II-

"Liv, Bev, you guys know me...You know me..I'm no killer and I didn't do this..I swear I didn't do this.."said Doug Baldwin...

"Dougie, We believe you." said Beverly...

"Don't say anything else...We are going to get you arraigned as soon as possible...It's Wednesday...Too late to get you arraigned tomorrow...but Tuesday we'll get you arraigned....So Sit tight...No talking to anybody...Not Cops, Especially not inmates..Nobody...Just us...You're an Attorney, you'd tell your client the same thing."said Olivia.

"You're right Olivia...I sure would and I have....I'm in your capable hands."said Doug.

"Doug tomorrow I'm going to have a photographer take some photos of your head injury and we've already ordered a urinalysis."said Josie.

"Give me and Bresha a list of as many people as you can who can attest to your good charactor." said Nelson.

"We need Phone numbers, addresses and Email addresses." said Bresha.

I gave him a pad and a pen..

"I'm on it..." said Doug...

TUESDAY- SIX DAYS LATER-

COURTROOM C-

NIGHT COURT-

When we saw Dougie on Wednesday Morning, it was too late to get him a Thursday Night appointment, so unfortunately , he had to spend six days in lock up before we could get him arraigned.

In Philadelphia, Night Court only operates two nights a week....Tuesday and Thursday, Tonight was Tuesday...and fortunately...We got an arraignment date of 8:00 pm. 

The Judge in this case would not be the Judge in the actual case....

Lt. Tragg was not there... He was probably snuggled up with Judge Kelly Ann at her loft...Night court was too low profile for him anyway....No witnesses...No media..and a bunch of  Judges  and ADA's who were mostly older Judges and ADA's about to retire...It was lightweight. It was in session from 7:00 pm- 10:00 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays...We were quite fortunate to get a date.

The ADA that did show up was not going to be the ADA that tried the case...He had only the basic out line of the case at hand... He basically wanted to go home...So he didn't really put up much of a fight.

We presented 27 charactor witnesses , all attorneys.

Our client, Attorney Douglas "Dougie Balls" Baldwin was a Gregarious and Charismatic presence. He was known to the Judge and the ADA...They both liked him.

Olivia delivered a stunning appraisal of his entire legal career , lionizing his many cases, his teaching at area law schools and his mentoring of many young attorneys,including her niece, Beverly.

 

Beverly spoke of the fact that he had no prior criminal record and was an officer of this very court..She assured everybody that he was not a flight risk...

Nelson, Josie and Bresha presented 27 charactor witnesses , all attorneys., All attesting to his sterling charactor.

The Judge released him on his own recognizance.....

The Bail Bondsman who we brought along just laughed.. Again he wasn't needed.

but Olivia paid him for his time anyway..

We all retreated to Sam Mother's Diner-

Doug was famished.. He ordered Steak and Eggs and coffee..

"Liv, I'm telling you...I did not kill this girl...I went ...We went to Bottom of the C. for dinner later on that night.. "said Doug as he ate..

"Are you sure she was just a client? I mean...We aren't taking you to Bottom of the C." said Beverly..

Doug and all of us exploded into raucous laughter!

"Good One Beverly!"laughed Doug. 

"Oh Doug, you know better than to get emotionally or otherwise involved with a client."said Olivia.

 

"She wasn't technically a client anymore....The case was over." I said,.

"Good Point Donnie Ray." laughed Doug.

"MEN!" laughed Beverly....

"How about being madly in love with your associate , and wanting to screw her brains out after we leave here?" whispered Nelson in Beverly's ear.

"Well uh that's different!" whispered Beverly in Nelson's ear, smiling and Blushing.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuu yall nasty!"laughed Josie..who had heard Beverly and Nelson's side conversation.

"Continue your story Dougie."laughed Bresha.

"We had a delicious meal at the restaurant...She wanted to go to a bar afterwords...I told her I don't drink..But we went...I had a Club Soda...That's all...Maybe two club sodas..Then we kissed a little bit outside the bar and she asked me if I wanted to come up to her place for uh ruh "coffee" , Well you know what that meant?  We drove to her condo..We walked up...as soon as I entered ,that's when the lights went out...Somebody hit me from behind...and I was out for the night..  I didn't wake up until the next morning at Lovers lane...in the passenger seat ,next to her....She's dead and I'm covered with whiskey, Whiskey I didn't drink.." said Dougie.

"Your head injury proves you were hit in the head from behind...We have photos and Josie took a photo of the injection prick in your left forearm..."said Olivia.

"There was Jameson's Irish Whiskey All Over your suit jacket and your prints are all over that bottle." I said,.

"I didn't drink that stuff...I swear."said Doug.

"We know..."said Nelson.

"The Urinalysis I ordered showed absolutely no alcohol in your system at all...and the blood test shows there was some type of drug in your system that knocked you out for hours..." said Josie.

"So this is what it looks like , a nice neat frame..." said Bresha..

"I told you...Would I lie to you?" asked Doug.

III-

Doug got an overnite bag and checked himself into a hotel...under his real name and parked his car in the hotel's indoor parking lot.  We offered him our sub-basement apartment, but he insisted on a hotel room.

We all went home...

It had been a long day.....

Beverly and Nelson couldn't wait to get home..

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMM you couldn't wait could you?" moaned Beverly..

As she and Nelson fell up against the wall kissing..

"No Honey Bun, I couldn't.." said Nelson.

"I saw you staring at me in court.." Beverly whispered and giggled as she and Nelson kissed in the hallway...

"I was...I always stare at you."moaned Nelson..

"Awwwwwwwwwwww" said Beverly....as they continued kissing..

Nelson undressed and took Beverly's skirt and blouse off...

Nelson quietly took her bra and panties off..

He lifted her up....and entered her slowly...

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! UMMMMMMM!" she moaned...

"AWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWD!" Nelson moaned... Beverly was as usual, soft as a newborn baby and so wet...and ready for him....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HUSBANDDD!" she cooed..

He sat her on the dresser drawer and pulled her legs apart and entered her again....Her body began to tremble...her head moved from side to side...and she experienced an orgasm like she hadn't experienced in a long while.. She took both of her hands and banged on his back..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GODDDD HUSSSBAND!" she cried out...

'OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU GIRRRRRLL!" Nelson moaned as he plowed into her..

Her legs shaking......

While in our sub-basement apartment.

It was a good thing Dougie had decided to go to a hotel...and not taken us up on our offer to house him!...Rockland and Alfreda were down there at this very moment...in post coital bliss...They had made love all afternoon and most of the time we were gone... Alfreda was sleeping peacefully on top of Rockland.  His arms caressing her butt, when she woke up and stared at the clock on the wall.. It was 3:00 AM and they were not in their bedroom.

"ROCKLAND!! ROCKLAND!! WAKE UP!!  GET DRESSED...OH MY GOD!!!...It's three in the morning...We shouldn't be here....We have a house across the street...GET UP!!  I'D HAVE BEEN SOO EMBARRASSED IF LIV AND BEVERLY HAD BROUGHT BACK THEIR CLIENT AND WE HAD BEEN CAUGHT DOWN HERE!!!    I should have never let you talk me into this...GET DRESSED!

OH MY GOD!" she said..

She slipped her panties on....

Rockland woke up and quickly got dressed....

"Damn girl, you look good." he said, staring at his wife, Alfreda.

"I can look good at home." said Alfreda,making up the bed... "I'm going to change these sheets and pillowcases tomorrow and straighten up down here....Now be quiet...It's three in the morning...Oh My God....I can't believe we came down here to do the nasty, when we've got a whole home across the street."said Alfreda.

As she and Rockland quietly exited our Office/Duplex and walked across the street to their house...

IV-

Today was an interesting day....

 

Olivia and I and Beverly and the group began our first day of working on Dougie Ball's case..

but we also hosted our neighbors who were working remotely "from home" in our law library.

 

I was going over the Police report, the autopsy report and Dougie's urinalysis report

with Beverly...

Nelson hadn't started thinking about jurors just yet...He and Josie were looking at Crime Scene photos

Josie was happy to have her husband ,Paris here, working on one of his cases while sitting by her side.

Paris was happy to be with Josie..

Bresha felt likewise..She was studying laws, predicates,simular cases and their laws

while her husband, Tony sat near us...

Alfreda helped with the catering...She supplied Meats and Cheeses ,Mayo,Mustard

and condiments and hard rolls for sandwiches for everybody...

as well as Thermos's of Hot Soup and Hot Coffee for everybody...

"Thanks Liv for hosting us....The Heat is off in our building and it's temporarily closed.."said Jazzy.
 

"We all had the day off...but we still have work to be done..Thanks for hosting us Liv."said Dabnis.

"This is kinda nice...Kinda cozy." said Kayla.

"Yeah, this is cool...Too bad it's only for a day though." said her husband, Ray...

"I love it."said Jessica.

"Yeah Me too!" said her husband, Chip.

"We love you Liv...When we go back to work tomorrow, we will be all caught up...instead of a day behind."said Karen..

"Good Lookin out Liv, Beverly...:said Natalie.

"And the food is good too!"said David ,munching on a sandwich.

"Nice that you took the day off to be with me."said Brooke to her husband, Sean..He didn't work in their building..but he didn't want to spend the day alone, so he took the day off..

"I have a lot of time saved up...So I took a day." said Sean.

"Liv you really know how to host , I have to give you that."said Zoey, sipping coffee while looking over her papers..

"This is cool, we should do this more often." said Lem..

"I know...It's comfortable...We are getting our work done and you're feeding us." laughed Renee.

Her husband, Tyrell laughed.. He couldn't imagine this.

"Awwwwww we like the company..."laughed Olivia.

 

 "I knowwwww"said Yvette, hugging her good friend...

"Wow This soup is good...and these meats and cheeses."said Keith Jones.

"Concentrate on those files and not so much on the food."joked his wife, Bee Bee..

"Olivia and Beverly are spoiling us...This huge law library, all the good food, coffee...Kinda takes our minds off of our work." said Sofia.

"It's fine by me..."laughed Kahlil, munching on a sandwich and sipping hot soup.

"A Perfect winter work day." said Jade.

"Only I don't feel as if I'm working."said Virginia..

"That's because YOU aint working...You're just being luscious and sexy." said her husband Jetty, who wasn't doing a lick of work.

"Awwwww you just say that because it's true.."laughed Virginia.

An interesting day in our law library....

at our home.

And halfway across town in Curley's.... A rare Wednesday Night... Lt. Tragg and Judge Kelly Ann Mercer were sitting in a corner ,kissing and quaffing down beers..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...AWWWWWWWWWWW LAWD!"moaned Lt. Tragg..

"OUUUUUU ARTHUR, BEFORE I MET YOU, I NEVER DRANK THIS MUCH BEER." said Kelly Ann..

She and Lt. Tragg were kissing passionately...

Their kissing was getting more passionate...

They both looked up to see, Lt. Jake Ludwig staring at them and smiling..

"Hello Artie, Your honor.." he said.

"Jake!" said Lt. Tragg looking up.....Judge Mercer's lipstick was on his collar and the side of his face...

"I just wanted to thank you for puttin that creep who murdered Haley behind bars.....even if his damn lawyers got him out." said Lt. Jake Ludwig.

"HE'S OUT? WHAT?" said a surprised Lt. Tragg.

"Auntie and Niecey got him arraigned and released on his own recognizance yesterday..but it's alright..I know where he is...In a hotel out by PENNS LANDING under his own name.. I'm watchin him..."said Jake.

"Jake, Jake, you carried a torch for that dame for years...You were obsessed with her, but she was married Jake..Married to another man...Forget her,,,Ironically enough...Her divorce became final the day she died.....You still lost out..Forget about her Jake!" said Lt. Tragg.

"I can't Artie, I just can't...but with her dead...I guess I gotta...Thanks for catching her killer....Good Night to youse." He said as he walked away..

"Arthur, who was that man?" asked Kelly Ann..

"A very tortured guy Kelly Ann....Very tortured.." said Lt. Tragg...

Jake Ludwig left the bar and went walking down the city streets..

(TO BE CONTINUED)