The Scales (The Black Land Series Book 3)

by D. Camille

  “Mac?” Tauri prodded.

  He gave her a look. “Yes, Chief Green.”

  Tauri smiled. “You’re making steaks for her?”

  “You all need to stop.” He warned. “I can’t believe all of you are involved in this.”

  She looked innocent. “Involved in what?”

  “That innocent look doesn’t fool me one bit.” Brandon said seriously.

  Tauri shrugged. “I tried.”

  He shook his head. “Can you all help with my campaign and put your cupid suits away?”

  “Of course Brandon, you have our full support. We’re here to do whatever you need.”

  “Thank you.” He walked to the door. “Don’t stay here too late. I don’t want your husband calling me.”

  Tauri’s light brown eyes twinkled. “Yes, sir.”

  Brandon exited the office and headed to the elevators. Outside in his car, he drove to the Eastern Market and purchased some choice steaks for dinner before heading to his house. Inside he changed and prepared the meat before heading into his backyard to set the grill. True to Michigan’s weather it was an unusually warm day, so it was perfect for grilling.

  Looking up at the sky, Brandon reflected on the last few days. Running for Mayor had never been an agenda item for him. He’d gone to law school because he’d wanted to serve his community and keep it safe. Brandon had also wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Being a single parent had not been easy for Benjamin Williams who’d been devastated after the loss of his wife, Ann.

  Brandon’s memories of his mother were of a loving woman who smelled of roses. He remembered a beautiful smile and a warm touch. He’d missed her everyday she’d been gone and had done his best to make her and his father proud by serving the city they all loved.

  “I’m going to make a difference Mama.”

  He turned at the sound of the bell and went inside to answer the door.

  ******

  Mac left her home and climbed into her vehicle. She’d stopped to change out of her uniform before going to meet with Judge Williams and Brandon. She smiled as she thought about Brandon’s father. She’d met him in the midst of a frenzy when he’d been the top attorney in the city of Detroit.

  Rion had introduced her to Brandon when he’d come to assist his father on the blockbuster case he’d been working on. From the jump, she’d been entranced by the green-eyed college student. As a high school senior, she’d been enthralled by his cool demeanor.

  He’d greeted her with a “hello Mackenzie”, and she’d immediately told him that everyone called her Mac. He’d smiled and nodded, then said, “It’s nice to meet you Mackenzie.” Since that day, he was still the only one who called her by her full given name and just like the first time, it still gave her tingles. She’d given up, at this point, trying to figure out why.

  As Mac drove through her city’s streets, she kept a keen eye out. She’d pledged to serve and protect this place that she now called home. Not being a native Detroiter, Mac had to earn their acceptance. The residents had made her prove her loyalty to them and now she was their beloved police chief. There was still a lot of work to do, but Mac focused on changing things one day at a time.

  She was interested in what Judge Williams had in mind for this new initiative. Mac had never run into any problems working with Brandon, it was usually their temperaments that bumped heads. Brandon liked to run things and so did Mac. In the end, however, they were always able to accomplish their goals as they both had mutual respect for one another and their positions.

  Mac continued to drive to Brandon’s, then decided to stop and pick up something to drink. She pulled up at the convenience store and headed to the door. She could hear the loud voices as she approached and prepared herself.

  Weapon on her hip, she walked inside and saw the storeowner behind the counter with a gun pointed at a young black male. Instantly, she drew her weapon pointing it at the man with the gun.

  “Police! Put the gun down!” she yelled over them.

  They both turned to her. “Arrest him!” The storeowner yelled with his gun still on the man.

  “I won’t say it again,” she warned. “Put the gun down or I will shoot.”

  The owner froze and slowly lowered his weapon and raised his hands. “I want him out of here!” he yelled standing in place.

  Slowly Mac approached and looked at both angry men. At the counter, she leaned over and picked up the handgun. “What else do you have back there?” she questioned the owner.

  He glared at the young man then looked at the Chief. “A shotgun and an AK,” he answered.

  She nodded. “Well prepared huh?”

  “This is a bad neighborhood.”

  “Where you make lots of money,” she commented. “And continue to have your business.”

  “I’m assuming those are registered,” Mac said referring to the guns in his possession.

  The storeowner snapped. “I have all the papers for these!”

  She turned to the young man wearing a Detroit Red Wings cap with the letter T on the side. “What’s going on here?”

  Before he could answer, the storeowner yelled. “He came in here threatening me!”

  Mac turned back to him. “I don’t think the question was directed to you. You’ll get your chance.”

  Turning back to the young man, she waited.

  “I told dude to give me a receipt and a bag after I paid for my stuff so nobody would think I was stealing,” he began. “I’m not trying to get shot over no bullshit!”

  Mac lifted a brow. “My bad Chief! Sorry. “

  “What happened after you requested the receipt and a bag?” she continued.

  “Dude started tripping, telling me I didn’t need no bag and get out of his store. I told him he was gone give me a receipt and a bag or I was going to fuck him up!”

  “See, he admitted it! He threatened me!” the owner yelled.

  “Why didn’t you give him a receipt for his purchases?” Mac asked looking at him. “And do you have bags?”

  He paused. “Yeah, I got bags.”

  “Then why wouldn’t you give him one?” she asked again.

  “I didn’t like the way he asked,” he admitted. “They come in here trying to tell me what to do.”

  Mac nodded. “Did you take his money?”

  The owner nodded. “Yeah.”

  “And there was no problem with that?” she questioned. “The problem came when he requested a receipt and a bag for the items he had paid for?”

  This was met with angry silence. “Give him a receipt and put his items into a bag,” she ordered.

  She waited as the man reluctantly followed her orders and pushed the bag towards the young man who snatched it from the counter. “Don’t worry, I won’t be back to this hole in the wall. You’d better hope this bitch don’t get burned down to the fucking ground!”

  Mac turned to him. “Hey! Shut up and go to the door and wait for me.”

  With his bag in his hand, he nodded and walked away.

  “I want him arrested!” the owner yelled again.

  Mac placed the weapon back on the counter and gave him a hard look. “You listen to me. The people in this area patronize your business and send your kids to college while their own barely get a high school education. You will not mistreat them and pull weapons on them for no damn reason! Do you hear me?”

  “Because you won’t have to worry about anybody burning this place down, I will close it my damn self!”

  “Now let me hear about you pulling a gun on another customer in this store!” she threatened.

  His angry eyes held hers. “I pay your salary!”

  “And I’m worth every damn penny…” Mac kept her weapon out and her eyes on the owner as she walked to the door.

  “Have a good day sir.” She told him as she led the young man outside.

  Walking him over to her car, she looked at him.

  “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” she asked hi
m.

  He looked away. “Man, I’m tired of this shit! I try to do right and get a gun in my face!”

  “Next time, don’t start a confrontation. I could’ve walked in on your dead body on the floor,” she explained.

  He spread his hands. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

  It was Mac’s turn to look away because she had no answer. “Listen, I don’t want to tell another mother that her son is dead or watch her face as I take you away in handcuffs.” She looked back at him.

  “I’m trying, but I need you to help me.” She finished. “If you know he’s prone to this type of treatment, stop coming here. If you have to walk another block or two over to where you’re treated properly, then do that. There are good business owners in the city.”

  “They come in here and just take over. Treat us like shit…” he complained.

  “What’s your name?” Mac asked.

  “Tremaine.”

  She nodded and figured that’s why he had the letter T on his hat. “Look Tremaine, I’m going to tell the Negus about this owner and have them pay him a visit. Will you let them handle it?”

  Tremaine smiled. “Hell yeah.”

  Mac shook her head. The Negus were really the kings of this city and the people loved them.

  “Give me your information so they can look you up,” Mac instructed and the young man gave her his phone number and address.

  He smiled at her. “Thanks Chief Green. My bad for getting so mad in there.”

  “I feel your pain young brother and I don’t want to lose you over some bullshit either.” She gave him a look.

  “I’m good now.”

  She nodded. “Well go home and don’t come back here.”

  “I’m not.”

  Mac waited until he’d walked away before climbing back inside her car. She shook her head, another day at the office…

  ******

  Brandon opened the door to his father. The two embraced then he ushered him inside. As they walked to the back, the Judge asked about Mac.

  Brandon looked at his watch. “She’s not here yet but she should be on her way.”

  He moved out to the grill where the smoke was rising.

  “Smells good,” his father commented. “I’m sure Chief Green will enjoy them.”

  Brandon looked at him. “This is a real initiative right Dad?”

  Benjamin smiled. “You know I don’t play about things like that.”

  Brandon turned back to the grill. “Okay, because lately everybody is focused on the wrong things.”

  “What are you focused on son?”

  Brandon paused tending to the perfectly cooking meat. “Becoming Mayor.”

  “And after that?”

  He turned back to his father. “I haven’t thought any further than that.”

  “You’ll need more than the city to keep you warm.”

  Brandon studied him. “What’s up Dad? Why are you on this bandwagon?”

  Benjamin took a seat on the patio. “I know what it’s like to grow old alone son. I don’t want that for you.”

  Brandon was again reminded of the reason his father had grown old alone. It was a constant reminder of why he’d become the man he was today.

  He took a slow breath. “Yours wasn’t by choice, Dad.”

  Benjamin looked thoughtful. “I really miss my Ann. She was a good woman and my first love,” he confessed.

  “There was another?” Brandon questioned in confusion.

  Benjamin smiled sadly. “That was a long time ago.”

  Brandon heard the sadness in his father’s voice and decided not to press that subject… for now. “Look Dad, I don’t plan to be single forever but right now I have to focus.”

  “I agree. I just don’t want you to lose focus of what’s most important and that’s your life.”

  “I hear you.”

  Brandon turned to remove the steaks from the grill then the two men headed back inside as the doorbell rang.

  “That must be Mackenzie,” Brandon said walking toward the kitchen. “Do you mind getting the door, while I put these in the kitchen?”

  Benjamin agreed and went to open the door for Mac and she smiled at him across the threshold.

  “Judge Williams! How wonderful to see you,” Mac said as she hugged him.

  “Hello Chief Green, you look lovely.” He returned her embrace.

  She smiled broader. “You know you can call me Mac.”

  “Thank you, but I’ll leave that to the Negus.” He teased while showing her inside.

  “Except Brandon,” she reminded.

  Judge Williams laughed. “Yes, Brandon does things differently.”

  “Did I hear my name?” Brandon entered the room and walked over to Mac.

  She caught his gaze and held. “Yes, your father was saying how you do things differently.”

  Brandon looked at his father then back at Mac.

  “I do.”

  He then smiled down at her. “Hello Mackenzie.”

  There was that damn tingle again. “Hello Brandon.”

  “Thank you for coming, the steaks are actually ready.”

  Mac sighed. “Sorry I’m late. I had an incident.”

  Brandon frowned. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m going to need the Negus to take care of something for me.”

  He nodded. “Let’s talk over dinner.”

  Benjamin watched his son. He wondered if Brandon even noticed his protectiveness over the Chief as it just seemed to come naturally to him and had since he’d first met her. He’d watched his son with the distraught, pretty girl all those years ago. Brandon had worked harder than he’d ever seen on that case.

  The three settled in for dinner consisting of steak, potatoes and grilled vegetables. Mac told Brandon of her encounter at the store and he promised that the Negus would handle it. She smiled as she took a sip of her drink. Mac could always count on Brandon to take care of things for her.

  “We have to put these businesses on notice,” Brandon began. “You won’t mistreat these citizens and still operate in this community.”

  “I agree and I don’t want this to lead to violence of any kind,” Mac added.

  “It’s a good thing you stopped in there,” Benjamin told her.

  Mac nodded. “Yeah, but I forgot to get the wine I went in there for.”

  “I told you that you didn’t have to bring anything anyway,” Brandon reminded her.

  She took another sip of her drink. “I guess you were right.”

  “I’m always right,” he said smugly.

  Both Mac and Judge Williams looked at him. “Can’t agree with that,” Mac said shaking her head.

  “I can’t either,” the Judge co-signed.

  Brandon looked at them both. “Two against one?”

  They both nodded. “Yes.”

  “You two do know that I have a perfect conviction rate?” he reminded them. “I’ve removed a significant number of hardened criminals from the streets.”

  The Judge looked at Mac. “I think he’s practicing his Mayoral pitch.”

  “Sounds pretty good so far…” She nodded. “I think he needs to put a little more passion into it though.”

  Brandon looked at them. “So when did you two become a comedy duo?”

  They both laughed and finished their dinner. After clearing the table, all three retired to the living room. Mac took a seat next to the Judge on the sofa as Brandon settled into one of the comfy chairs.

  “Okay Dad, you called this meeting, so let’s hear it.”

  Benjamin looked at Mac. “Well Chief Green, you’re tired of arresting our young people, Brandon is tired of prosecuting them and I’m tired of sentencing them. I want the two of you to come up with something that we can do to diminish the number of our people we are putting through the system.”

  Mac nodded. “I agree sir.”

  “Did you have anything in mind?” Brandon asked.

  “I think that the three depart
ments need to work together in some capacity. I’m willing to get some other judges on board.”

  Brandon looked at Mac. “Is this something you’re interested in doing Mackenzie?”

  “Yes, I think it’s needed. The young man tonight could’ve been another statistic if I’d had to arrest him.”

  “Then let’s do it. I’ll get all my prosecutors on board once we’ve figured out exactly what we’re proposing,” Brandon offered.

  “And I’ll get my officers involved,” Mac added.

  Benjamin smiled and stood to his feet. “Good. I knew you two would be ready to tackle this.”

  Brandon looked confused. “Where are you going?”

  “My work here is done. You two don’t need me.” The Judge looked at the pair. “Let me know what you two come up with. Don’t take too long.”

  Brandon and Mac watched as he headed to the door.

  “Dad?”

  “Judge Williams?”

  Benjamin laughed as he walked out the door.

  Mac turned to Brandon. “What just happened?”

  “My father just played us, that’s what.” Brandon frowned. “He got a meal and dropped an initiative in our laps.”

  Mac shrugged. “He’s the Judge.”

  Brandon ran a hand down his face. “How does he think I have time for this with all that I have going on?”

  “Actually this will help your campaign. It’s definitely not something Patrice would think of doing,” Mac offered.

  He looked up at her. “You’re still willing to do this?”

  Again, he held her in that gaze. “Yeah,”

  Brandon stood to his feet. “Well I should feed you desert while we brainstorm.”

  “You have desert too?” she asked smiling.

  He looked her over slowly in her jeans and light blue shirt with her weapon on her waist. Her dark hair was pulled away from her face showing a beautiful jawline and neck. “Desert is my favorite.”

  Mac stood to her feet and studied his tall frame in jeans and a T-shirt. “What do you got?”

  Brandon looked at her lips. “Something to make your mouth water…”

  His eyes lifted slowly to hers. “Are we still taking about desert?” she asked quietly.

  “Of course Mackenzie.”

  He led her into the kitchen and Mac’s mind was trying to figure out what had just happened. Brandon’s voice had deepened to a seductive tone or had she just imagined it? She watched as he pulled a cheesecake covered with strawberries from the fridge and sat it on the counter.