The Lonely Hearts 06 The Grunt 2

by Latrivia S. Nelson

  When they sat down, Mr. Benson and his team gathered in the corner in clear view of Leo and his attorney. He was internally trying to intimidate them and whether he knew it or not, it was working.

  Brett and Courtney had worked with Benson’s dream team for a month to get ready, every day for an hour, Monday through Friday. One black woman, one black man and white man all under the age of 30 with plenty of energy and clinging to Mr. Benson’s every word, the lawyers had combed through every piece of the case and prepared an ironclad defense for the Black family. Now it was time to execute their masterplan.

  Gavin scooted over as Brett sat beside him.

  “Hey,” Brett said, removing his cover. Already he had started to sweat in all the layers of clothes.

  “What’s up,” Gavin said, wiping his tired eyes. In a sleek black Michael Kors suit and shaven face, he looked like a different person than his normal rugged self. And his presence continued to grab the attention of Catherine, who was glad that Benson had given some space between her and the sexy private investigator or she might have just reached over and attacked him.

  “Late night?” Brett asked, looking over at his friend.

  Gavin’s voice was low and brittle like he was battling a hangover. “Oh yeah. Spent most of it at a fucking golf course last night.” He huffed and rubbed a hand over his head. “I hate golf.”

  “Some girl you chasing got a father with some money or influence you need?” Brett asked, scared to hear the answer.

  Gavin looked over at Brett and smiled. “I’ll tell you later.”

  “Alright, let me give you guys and gals an update,” Mr. Benson said, clasping his hands together as he returned to them. He heaved a deep breath. “We have had a slight change in today’s events. The judge who was assigned to hear the case, Barrington, got really sick yesterday at the golf course and was rushed to the hospital.” He raised his palms. “Don’t worry. He’s alright. Just really bad food poisoning. Something tropical and very nasty, but he’ll survive. He’s going to be out for a few weeks recovering, but we have a very capable judge taking his place. Her name is Ellen Warford. You may have heard of her before. She has a twin sister, Mae Warford, in Raleigh, NC who is a judge also. They’re like royalty around these parts and from what I’ve seen a very fair and balanced judge. Anyhow, she’ll be hearing the case and hopefully, helping us reach a verdict.”

  Diane had heard of the fabulous Warford sisters. They had made all the social papers for the last decade. Smiling, she leaned into Jeffery. “Ellen Warford is a black woman married to a white retired Marine,” she said astonished at Mr. Benson’s skill. “This is a perfect match for the kids.”

  “Too perfect,” Jeffery said, shaking his head. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he did know that it was no coincidence. “As long as it plays in our favor, I won’t complain.”

  Brett turned to Gavin and frowned. “How much of this were you responsible for?”

  Gavin yawned. “Leo’s ex-wife was easy to find and eager to burn him at the stake. The MP was happy to help after he found out you were a Marine.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

  “And the golf course?” Brett asked.

  “Plausible deniability, bro,” Gavin said, pushing back on the bench. “Learn it and love it.”

  Brett looked down at the bench about 20-feet down from them. “Is that Leo?” he asked, eyeing the man like he wanted to kill him.

  Gavin didn’t bother looking over at the guy. “Yep, that’s him.”

  “What happened to him? Was that you, too?” Brett asked as he sat back.

  “I can truly say that I didn’t do that,” Gavin laughed. “Evidently, the guy ran into a few Navy SEALs who were not too happy that he was a poser.” Though he was responsible for the introduction he wasn’t responsible for the outcome. Pity.

  “Well they fucked him up,” Brett smirked. “Damn, I wish I could have been there.”

  Courtney grabbed Judy’s hand and held it in her own. “You’re a life saver,” she said, smiling at her. “Thank you for this.”

  Judy cracked a wide smile. “Your attorney offered me the opportunity to sit on a stand and call Amy Black’s narrow ass a whore.” She chuckled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Courtney suddenly understood why Mr. Benson was so incredibly confident. He had assembled a group of people that would not only vindicate her husband and vouch for his character but also help crucify Leo Tabor and Amy Black posthumously.

  “Okay,” she said, releasing her anxiety. “This is going to work out.”

  ***

  Leo pulled at his restricting neck brace and tried to ignore the aching pain shooting up his knee to his groin and the dull ache in his lower back as he tried to get comfortable on the hard bench. But there was no hope. Wearing a full cast on his left leg, a less-than-attractive back brace and a neck brace, he sat beside Sharon and William Riley, while the lawyer looked over the files one last time as if he would discover some miracle that hadn’t sprang forth since they started this shit.

  It occurred to Leo as he lay in the hospital alone for those weeks that this had been a bad idea. In fact, it ranked as the worst idea of his life. If he had just stayed away from the Riley’s and Brett Black, he would have still had a perfect nose, a bright smile and some sex appeal that might have landed him an old cougar to mooch off of until he got back up on his feet, but in his current condition, no one wanted any part of him.

  That was something he wasn’t used to. He had been beautiful his entire life and now he was just handicapped.

  Leo had been sulking about his pathetic situation for weeks. After being jumped by three Navy SEALs in the bathroom of the strip club the same night of the fight with Gavin, he had been hospitalized for weeks and left with an enormous doctor’s bill. To make things worse, things were now very shaky with Amber, who promised to put him out on his ass if he didn’t win this case. He knew she was a gold digger but he thought she would at least keep her cool until after the trial, but after being found out about being a defunct Navy dentist with a missing tooth he couldn’t afford to replace, she treated him like pure concentrated shit.

  Damn, he hoped to win just so he could rub it in Amber’s face before he hobbled his ass on a plane and said goodbye to the United States.

  “This isn’t good,” the lawyer said, shaking his head. Benson was going to make him into his bitch in that courtroom today with what they had and he knew it. He had begged Leo to walk away, but the man wouldn’t, and so he had to proceed.

  “What isn’t good?” Sharon asked, trying not to look down at all the people who had come to Brett’s defense. She didn’t even know he had that many friends. Now she wished that William had allowed her to bring some of the congregation from the Church, but he had insisted that this was a personal matter that would not be discussed outside of the home.

  “We have a new judge.” The lawyer closed his files and shoved them back in his briefcase. “Barrington is sick. Word is that he’s got some kind of food poisoning you can only get from India.”

  “What’s wrong with having a new judge?” Sharon asked, wishing William would have a little more buy in to this trial. He had checked out of the entire process since Brett Black showed up at their door nearly three months ago. It was like he didn’t even care anymore.

  The lawyer lowered his voice and turned to her. “She’s a black woman.”

  Sharon’s eyes grew big. Even though she knew what the lawyer was implying, she still prodded. “That’s not supposed to matter. The judge is supposed to be impartial.”

  “They are going to call you to the stand and make you confirm the fact that you used racial slurs about Courtney Black.” The lawyer rolled his eyes. He wasn’t too keen on what Brett had asserted in the briefs. Evidently, the First Lady of their Church was a racist.

  Sharon swallowed hard. “Well, I will just say that I was angry.”

  The lawyer was not impressed with her answer. “Brett is also accusing you
both of being a part of the Klan. He’s saying that Amy told him very proudly before offering to take him to a rally herself.”

  “We can deny that.” Sharon blinked fast like the lawyer had just slapped her.

  “You won’t say anything at all,” William finally said to Sharon. He turned to the lawyer. “I’m seriously considering leaving here with my wife before this begins.”

  “Sir, if you leave, this case will bomb for sure,” the lawyer threatened.

  Leo smacked his lips. And he thought he was a piece of work. These people were just as disgusting. No wonder Amy was such a fuck up.

  “William, we are not leaving.” Sharon sat back and crossed her arms. “And what about that woman over there. Who is that?”

  “Which one,” the lawyer said, refusing to make eye contact with Mr. Benson. Everyone knew he was a bully both in the courtroom and outside of it. Plus, the Riley’s had said Brett Black was broke, but he knew that Benson’s retainer started at $200,000, so there had to be a lot of money somewhere.

  “The well-dressed white woman in the black suit sitting by Judy Mabry,” Sharon said. “Who is that?”

  The lawyer didn’t respond. Instead he waited on Leo to give the Riley’s an explanation.

  Leo finally piped up. “She’s my ex-wife.”

  “That’s your ex-wife?” Sharon said flabbergasted. She made Amy look like a second class citizen with all her poise and elegance.

  “I thought you said she was a horror,” Sharon hissed glibly.

  “She is a horror,” Leo said, wishing that this day was over. “Just wait and see. She’ll say anything to destroy me.”

  It was more like anything she said would destroy him. For everything that these people knew, Catherine knew more and a lot worse. Now, she’d finally be able to use it all against him, just like she had promised a hundred times before.

  After much contemplation, he had started to throw in the towel when the lawyer prepped him the week before. After Benson submitted their interrogatories and listed evidence, witnesses and a boat load of requests including a drug test, he wanted nothing more than to walk away. But if he did, he would also be walking away from the money. So, he had to suffer through the extreme embarrassment in the hope of winning. If he lost, however, he would just have to change his number and move, which was a very real possibility anyway.

  “Our best bet is to rely on the expert witness who should be here in just a little bit. With her testimony about children doing better with their biological parents, it’s very possible that we can still win this,” the lawyer said, trying to be upbeat.

  “Well, at least if it looks like we are losing, we can request a continuance to another date,” Sharon said, rubbing Leo’s back.

  Leo grinned at her, but he knew better. After today, he had 15 days and then it was off to a new game plan.

  William stood up. Throwing his suit jacket over his arm, he nodded at Leo. “Son, I wish you well, but I’m not going to stay here and be embarrassed before the entire community.”

  Sharon looked up at him in shock. “Bill, sit down.”

  “No,” he said, offering his hand to the lawyer. “Good luck. Send us the bill and we’ll settle.”

  “You can’t be serious? I’m not going anywhere,” Sharon insisted.

  William kept his voice low. “Then don’t go anywhere, Sharon. But I’m leaving. I haven’t worked this hard to have my reputation snatched from under me. I’ll pick you up after the trial.” Turning away from her, he walked away leaving her on the bench between the lawyer and Leo. As he passed by Brett and Courtney’s bench, he kept his nose up and his eyes on the end of the hallway.

  “Where’s he going?” Brett asked.

  “I have no clue,” Gavin said, standing up. “Let me check on this and I’ll be back.”

  Mr. Benson looked at his watch and then went to the courtroom door. Opening it, he motioned inside. “Everyone, come on inside. Let’s get ready to rumble.”

  As Brett and Courtney took a seat at the table beside Mr. Benson and his team, who were given extra chairs, the rest of the folks filed in behind them quietly.

  In a black robe with her hair pulled back in a bun, Judge Warford stepped out of her chamber and headed for her seat. She sat down and immediately began to speak under her breath to the clerk before nodding and raising her eyes to the people in the room.

  The bailiff, a heavy set older man with a heavy gut, finally stood beside the side of the elevated platform and the stenographer. “All rise.” He paused as everyone jumped back to their feet. “This court is now in session. The honorable Judge Warford presiding. Please take your seats.”

  Judge Warford smiled. “Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Calling the case of Tabor versus Black. Are both sides ready?”

  “Ready for the Plaintiff, your Honor,” Leo’s lawyer said, still standing.

  “Ready for the Defendants, your Honor,” Mr. Benson answered.

  ***

  Opening statements from both sides were powerful, but Benson clearly overpowered the room using buzz words like adultery, conspiracy, dishonor and bigotry. It didn’t help that the pain on Brett and Courtney’s face as he explained what had happened to them made them look like saints.

  Round two was witness calling. Sharon went first. Making sure to seem as meek and humble as possible, she barely raised her voice as she was sworn in. Sitting on the stand, she continued to smile at the judge, hoping to butter her up, but based upon the concrete glare of the woman, the trick wasn’t working.

  “I loved my daughter and I love my grandson. All we want is for him to be closer to his biological family,” she said, answering one of many of pre-rehearsed questions by Leo’s lawyer. “It was so hard to lose her.” Tears fell. “It was even harder to be denied our grandson by Brett and Courtney. But after hearing that Cameron wasn’t even his biologically, it became abundantly clear that we had to fight for our grandson.”

  “Thank you. I have no further questions,” Leo’s lawyer said, glad that she hadn’t fumbled. However, when he saw Mr. Benson smirk and close his leather bound notebook, his heart skipped a beat.

  “Does the Defense have any questions?” the judge asked.

  “Yes, your honor.” Mr. Benson walked from behind the table and pulled at his suit jacket. “Mrs. Riley you say that you only want what’s best for your grandson, Cameron Black. Is that correct?”

  “Yes,” Sharon said flatly.

  “Do you think the Black family is what’s best for Cameron?”

  “No,” she said, looking at Courtney.

  Mr. Benson slipped his hands in his pocket. “Do you plan to be a part of Cameron’s life in the event that the plaintiff is granted custody?”

  “Yes. We’ve already talked about it. We want to be there to help him raise Cameron and give him a strong upbringing, good morals and values.”

  Mr. Benson didn’t waste any time. “Have you ever called Courtney Black a nigger?”

  Sharon paused. “I might have when I was angry. I lost my cool.”

  “Is that a yes or no?” Mr. Benson asked. He gave Sharon a fuck-you smile.

  Sharon hesitated and the judge quickly jumped in.

  “Answer the question Mrs. Riley.”

  “Yes,” Sharon said, putting her hands on her knees.

  “Do you use that language often?” Mr. Benson asked, walking closer to the stand.

  “No.” Sharon tried to redeem herself. “I lost my head when Brett Black called my daughter a whore.”

  “That must have hurt. Why did he call your daughter a whore?”

  “Because he found out that Cameron was not his biological son. My daughter had an affair. But it only happened once and from what I am told, it was brief.”

  “If it pleases the Court, I’d like to submit Exhibit A and have it admitted as evidence,” Mr. Benson said going to his table to pick up a note from Amy to Brett about picking up laundry. After the clerk slapped a sticker on it and passed it back to him, he eyed Sharon
’s discomfort.

  “Does the Plaintiff have any objection?” The judge asked.

  “No, your honor,” Leo’s lawyer answered.

  “Would you be able to recognize your daughter’s handwriting, Mrs. Riley?”

  “Yes, anywhere,” Sharon said, nostrils flared.

  “Permission to approach the witness,” Mr. Benson said.

  “Permission granted,” the judge said, looking over at Sharon.

  “Can you verify that this is Amy Black’s writing?” He walked back over to Sharon and handed it to her. “Is that her writing?”

  Sharon rubbed the paper as though it was her only link to Amy. “Yes, it is,” she said, starting to cry again.

  Mr. Benson went back to the table. “Exhibit B, your Honor, for admittance into evidence. Mrs. Amy Black’s personal diary.” He went back to the table and picked up Amy’s diary. Walking back to Sharon, he sucked his teeth.

  “Can you open the diary to the first tab and read aloud the highlighted portion into the microphone, Mrs. Riley?”

  Sharon opened the diary and took a deep breath. “I wish that I could just move back in with Mom and start my life over sometimes.”

  “Is that your daughter’s handwriting?” Mr. Benson asked.

  “Yes, it is.” Sharon said, taking the Kleenex provided by the bailiff.

  “Will you please open the diary to the purple tab and read the highlighted portion, please.” Mr. Benson stood in front of her.

  Sharon re-opened the diary. “Mom says that if I want to be happy, I had better start to look at other options because Brett Black ain’t it. After I told her about my relationship with…” she paused. “with Leo, she was extremely upset that we broke it off and that I had started a new relationship with Jermaine instead of some of the other men that I had been screwing around the base. There is only one reason she doesn’t like Jermaine even though he’s an officer. She doesn’t like niggers. She has told me over and over again that mixing with them will end the world as we know it. But Jermaine is not a nigger, he’s a real man and we’re going to be happy together. One thing for sure though. I can’t tell mom about the baby and I can’t tell Jermaine about Cameron. I’m just going to have to start all the way over and go from there.”