The exchange of words continued for another few minutes then, just like that, it was over. Alicia threw her arms around the man’s neck and kissed him, a tongue-entwined exchange that would have made a porn star blush. The two climbed into his car, moving on to their next destination. Mingus sighed, his body settling back against the car seat. As they pulled out of the parking space, turning right toward downtown, he followed.
Surveillance lasted longer than Mingus would have liked. By the time the couple was done with their business, the early morning sun was just beginning to rise. Mingus sat in front of their Maplewood Avenue townhome until he was sure they were done, no one making any surprise trips back out.
As he headed toward his own home, he found himself once again thinking about Joanna and that twinkle in her eye that gave him pause. Wanting to see her happy made everything he found himself doing well worth it.
Chapter 10
The Black family home was located in the heart of Chicago’s historic Gold Coast neighborhood. Characterized by timeless stone-and-brick architecture, it was situated on a large corner lot. The solid wood-and-glass front door was unlocked and Mingus entered without knocking. Stepping inside felt like entering the comfort and quiet of a family retreat. Laughter echoed through the interior as he called out in greeting.
“Hey! It’s just me! Who’s here?”
His mother’s voice responded from the rear of the home. “We’re back here in the kitchen, Mingus!”
Mingus moved through the home, past the walls papered in silk, the sparkling chandeliers, ornate wood moldings and fireplaces meticulously carved in stone. The windows were draped in sumptuous fabrics and every detail, from the coffered ceilings to the highly polished hardwood floors, reflected his parents’ taste and wealth. His mother met him as he sauntered through the family room toward the kitchen.
The Honorable Judith Harmon Black was a tall woman, nearly as tall as her sons. She had picture-perfect features: high cheekbones, black eyes like dark ice and a buttermilk complexion that needed little if any makeup. A hint of blush to her cheeks complemented her fair skin and her lush silver-gray hair fell in thick waves past her shoulders. She wore a red-silk dress, low black heels and her requisite pearls. The sight of the family matriarch made him smile, her own bright grin reaching to kiss his cheeks.
“Hello, baby!” she said as she wrapped him in a warm hug. “I wasn’t sure we were going to see you today.”
“You really need to answer your phone, son!” Jerome Black’s deep baritone voice vibrated across the room. He sat at the kitchen table with Ellington and Davis. Parker and Armstrong stood at the kitchen counter, filling plates with food.
He and his brothers had inherited their father’s good looks as well as his height and his athletic frame. Their patriarch was a distinguished man with salt-and-pepper hair, a rich, dark complexion and a full beard and mustache.
Jerome Black was also in a mood, clearly not happy with his son. “I left three messages for you. What’s the problem that you can’t call me back?”
Mingus and his mother exchanged a quick look.
“I can’t help you,” she said. “You ignore my calls, too.”
“He ignores all of us,” Vaughan added as she stepped into the room behind him. She reached up to kiss her brother’s cheek. “Hey, big brother!”
Mingus wrapped her in a big bear hug and kissed her forehead. “What’s up?”
“We should be asking you that. What’s up with you?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“Yeah, what’s up with you?” Ellington interjected. “And where’s Ms. Barnes?”
Simone suddenly peered around the corner from the family room, moving into the space. “What do you mean ‘where’s Ms. Barnes’? What’s wrong with Joanna?”
“Where do you want me to start?” Ellington quipped. “Yesterday she spent the entire day at your brother’s house. Almost twelve hours. Ask me how I know.”
Mingus rolled his eyes skyward. “Shut up, Ellington!” he snapped, annoyance rising swiftly. He had expected an interrogation but had hoped they’d let him in the door to enjoy his meal first. His family could be a bit much on a good day. He was grateful that he was in a good mood.
The women chimed in simultaneously. “Why is Joanna at your house?” Simone questioned.
Vaughan looked surprised. “A woman is staying at Mingus’s house?”
“Who are we talking about?” Judith asked, her gaze sweeping over her children.
His brothers laughed heartily.
Simone shook her head. “My friend Joanna Barnes. You remember her, Mom.”
Their mother nodded. “The teacher! Yes, I do! I really like that young woman. I hate that she is going through such a difficult time right now.”
“Isn’t she in jail or something?” Vaughan probed.
“She was arrested,” Armstrong added, “for sexual misconduct. But she’s out on bond.”
“The charges are extremely serious,” Jerome Black stated matter-of-factly.
“She didn’t do it,” Simone snapped.
“And why is she staying at your home, Mingus?” Davis queried.
Mingus suddenly felt like a circus side show, his family staring as they waited for him to answer. He shook his head.
“Sorry, Dad,” he said, moving to the table to shake hands with his father. “But I did try to call you back. I called last night but it went right to voice mail.”
“That’s because your father forgot to charge his cell phone,” Judith interjected. “He never charges that thing!”
“It’s why we have a house phone,” her husband responded. “If you really wanted to reach me, you could have called there. No excuses!”
Ellington shifted in his seat. “So, are you going to explain yourself?”
“We are not about to have this conversation,” Mingus answered. “What I don’t have to do is explain what I do on my time and who I do it with.”
Ellington tossed up his hands in frustration. He yelled, “She’s a client!”
“She’s a friend!” Mingus snapped back. “Now, let it go!”
Simone shot both of her brothers a look. “I swear, if you two numbskulls screw this case up, I’m going to kill both of you.”
Suddenly they were all arguing like toddlers in a sandbox in dispute over some toy they all wanted. It was controlled chaos with chatter that was loud and disruptive.
“Enough!” Jerome’s raised voice brought the entire conversation to a complete halt. His annoyance painted his expression as he glared at each of them.
Looks skated back and forth between them, each waiting to see who was going to jump first. No one said anything as the brothers went back to their meals and Simone exited the room. Vaughan followed her sister, their footsteps echoing up the stairs to an upper bedroom.
Mingus grabbed an empty plate and moved to the stove. His mother had fried pork chops and he helped himself to two. He added candied yams, mac and cheese, and a soft dinner roll to the mix, then sat, taking the empty seat between his father and Parker.
“Everyone good?” Judith asked. She held a pitcher of iced tea in her hand, moving to refill her husband’s glass.
The men all nodded.
The matriarch rested her eyes on each of them, stopping when she reached Mingus. She called his name. “Mingus?”
Mingus glanced up to meet the look his mother was giving him. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Right now, I need to go up and help your sisters. But make sure you and I talk before you leave this house this afternoon, is that understood?”
He swallowed the bite of macaroni he’d taken. “Yes, ma’am.”
No one else spoke, the men eating in silence after Judith exited the room. Their father’s booming voice had always been the barometer for what they could and could not do and him shouting tha
t something was enough easily brought any disagreement to an abrupt end. It had been that way since Mingus had been a small boy, little about their family dynamics changing since. His parents commanded obedience, despite each of their children being grown and independent, and had earned their respect. Not complying wasn’t even a consideration for any of them.
It was only when their father rose to get them each a slice of the chocolate pound cake resting on a plate on the counter that any of them spoke.
“So how is this case going?” Jerome asked.
Ellington shrugged. “We’re a long way from getting the charges dismissed. The prosecutor has offered a plea deal, but it’s been declined.”
“She didn’t do it,” Mingus muttered, knowing he sounded like his sister.
Ellington nodded. “I don’t want to believe the charges are true, either, but, you have to admit, some of the evidence is damning.”
Jerome nodded. “Obviously this family has a personal connection to the case. Simone’s friendship with the young woman and now your relationship with her, Mingus, calls all of our actions into question.”
“It’s not like that—” Mingus started.
“Maybe not,” Jerome interjected. “But what we want to ensure is that it doesn’t look like any of us is affording her special favor because of her relationship with this family and your connections to the police department.”
Parker nodded. “You need to let my officers do their jobs, Mingus. She’s on an ankle monitor for a reason. If they come to the house to check, you need to let them. Don’t tell them it’s okay for them to not do their jobs and to ask me if they have any issues. Because they do check, and then I have to jump on their asses because they screwed up.”
“He wasn’t going to find anything, and she didn’t need the interrogation.”
“He needed to do his job,” Parker said matter-of-factly.
Ellington added to the conversation. “I just need you to not make things harder than they need to be. Like when you circumvent me with the monitoring company, you make things difficult. You can’t just add addresses you want her to visit without telling me, because when they call and I don’t know what they’re talking about, it makes us all look like we’re aiding and abetting some wrongdoing. If I had to stand before a judge and explain it, I couldn’t.”
Mingus sat back in his seat. He blew a heavy sigh, a gust of hot air blowing past his full lips. He folded his hands in his lap and nodded. He was being scolded and although it was something he was used to, his brothers and his father giving him a hard time never sat well with him. It also didn’t change that he would always do what he thought he needed to do, whether they agreed with his decisions or not.
“I remember Joanna,” Davis said, shifting the conversation. “I thought she was really cute. I tried to ask her out but of course your sister blocked that! She said I was too young!”
Jerome laughed. “My girls can do that well!”
“At least Simone’s good for something!” Mingus exclaimed. For a split second he thought about what might have been, had their sister not been there to stall his baby brother’s advances. Would Davis and Joanna have been able to develop a romantic relationship? Would he have not been interested because his brother got there first? He was glad he would never need to know the answers.
Armstrong said. “I’ve seen pictures, but I don’t think I’ve ever met her in person.”
“Mingus was abroad, and you were studying for your detective’s badge when she used to come to the house on the regular. I know she was at a few Sunday dinners,” Ellington noted. “And she’s definitely beautiful, there’s no denying that. But I’ve seen how she looks at Mingus. I don’t think anyone else would stand a chance with her.”
“It’s not like that!” Mingus repeated. “Really, we’re just friends. I’m just doing whatever I need to do to help her get through this. I’m doing my damn job!”
His brothers all exchanged a look and then burst out laughing. Mingus shook his head, knowing there was the faintest smirk pulling across his face.
Jerome tapped him on the shoulder. “Just know that if you need to talk, I’m here. Anytime.”
“We’re all here if you need us,” Parker and Armstrong echoed.
“Not me!” Davis chimed in. “Hell, I can barely handle my own love life, so I know I can’t tell anyone else what to do with theirs!”
Laughter rippled with a vengeance through the home.
* * *
Mingus found his mother in her office, her attention focused on her computer screen. She looked up as he entered the room, pulling her reading glasses from her face and resting them on the desktop.
“Did you get enough to eat?”
“I did. The food was good. Thank you.”
A smile shimmered in the older woman’s gaze. “The next time you should bring Joanna. I’d love to see her again.”
“Is it that obvious?” His mother knowing him better than anyone else, he wasn’t but so surprised by her question. Despite his efforts to keep his emotions in check and his feelings to himself, she could read him like an open book and often did.
“It’s obvious that you care about her and, under the circumstances, that’s understandable. But she’s a family friend and we don’t turn our backs on our friends. Especially when they need us most.”
Mingus nodded. He moved to the wing-backed chair in front of the desk and sat. “I like her, Mom. I like her a lot. But I don’t know if I can help her. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to prove her innocence.”
Judith sighed. “You’ll do what you need to do,” she said after a moment of pause. “Just remember to trust your instincts.”
“No lecture? I was sure I was going to get a lengthy lecture.”
“Not from me. You have always danced to your own beat, Mingus. There’s no reason for you to stop now, son! And you definitely don’t need your mommy to tell you what to do.”
He smiled. “Like that’s ever stopped you.”
Judith fanned her hand at him, the lilt in her laugh painting the room a warm shade of happy. “I give advice when it’s needed. Whether you take it or not is on you.”
“I promise I’ll try to do better about answering my phone and returning everyone’s calls.”
She rolled her eyes skyward. “No, you won’t. Don’t even tell that lie. You’ll answer when it suits you and respond when you have no other choice.”
Mingus laughed. “I said try!”
His mother laughed with him. “If nothing else, I do know my children.”
Mingus moved to stand but his mother gestured for him to remain seated a moment longer.
“I also need a favor from you, baby.”
“Yes, ma’am? What do you need?”
His mother passed him an envelope. It was sealed, and his name was written in his mother’s signature purple ink across the front. He met her eyes as she explained.
“I need you to find someone for me. All the information I have is there. Once you find him, I just need an address.”
Mingus nodded. “Him?”
His mother gave him a look, her expression stoic and unreadable. “It’s all there.”
“Okay, I’ll get right on it.”
She shook her head. “Finish Joanna’s case first. This can wait. It’s not a priority.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“And one more thing!” Judith said as he stood, moving to make his exit.
“Yes?”
“I’d appreciate it if you don’t say anything to your father or your siblings. I need you to keep this just between us.”
Mingus stared and his mother stared back. Theirs was a silent conversation, nothing explained and even less questioned. There was an understanding that what she asked was important to her and anything important to his mother was important to him. If she n
eeded his discretion, he would afford it to her without reservation. That she trusted him enough to ask for his help was all he needed to comply. There was nothing he would not do for his mother. Finally he moved around the large oak desk to kiss her cheek and made his exit.
Chapter 11
“There’s a school board meeting tonight!”
Joanna made the announcement like she was proclaiming the second coming of Christ. Her exuberance was telling, filling the room with an air of optimism. She shot Mingus a look. He knew his expression lacked the enthusiasm she had hoped for, so she repeated herself. “The school board, they’re meeting tonight. We really need to go! I think it might help my case.”
Mingus shifted his gaze to eye her. It had barely been two weeks since her arrest and they were no closer to solving the case. She was staring at him, her hands clasping the curves of her hips. She was stunning. She’d been working out for almost an hour and perspiration rained down her face. Her body temperature was raised a few degrees, her skin tinged a warm shade of pink beneath her dark brown tones. She wore shorts and a sports bra, exposing just enough flesh for him to appreciate her toned form. She’d forgotten her headband and her hair was unkempt, framing her face delightfully. She made him smile even when he struggled to maintain his composure. He had never let his guard down with any woman and with Joanna he found himself opening up and being vulnerable in ways that surprised him.
He shifted his eyes back to the television as he spoke. “That might not be a good idea, Joanna. Why would you want to put yourself through that?”
She spoke emphatically. “I’m not going to hide, Mingus. I didn’t do anything wrong. If they’re going to talk about me, they’re going to have to do it to my face.”
Tempted by the Badge Page 12
