Tempted by the Badge

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  A medley of vanilla and berries scented the air. The aroma made him instantly hungry. He peeked into the kitchen to find two place settings at the ready. Fresh flowers were posed in a crystal vase with two elongated candles decorating the countertop. The oven temperature was set on warm and when he peered inside he was delighted to find a meal ready and waiting. No one had ever had dinner ready and waiting for him before. I could get used to this, he thought.

  He moved from the kitchen to the living room. The stack of boxes that had been there when he’d left that morning were gone. The contents of each had been unpacked and placed around the home. Everything about the room felt different. For the first time, Mingus felt like the space was actually his and not a bed-and-breakfast he visited on the regular.

  “Joanna?” He called out her name. When she didn’t answer, he climbed the stairs to see if she was in his office.

  The surprises kept coming. His files had been neatly organized, his desk meticulously arranged. She had brought order to the chaos. He tossed a glance toward the case wall. He had no doubts that it would soon be coming down. He called out for her a second time, moving swiftly back down the stairwell.

  “Joanna! You here?”

  “In the master bedroom!” she finally answered, her smooth, alto voice ringing warmly through the home.

  Mingus moved swiftly down the hallway, flinging open the bedroom door. Joanna lay sprawled across the master bed. She was propped up on one elbow, her head resting in the palm of her hand. Her body was extended and her legs were crossed at the ankles. Her other arm lay casually down the length of her body. She was completely naked.

  Mingus grinned, appreciation flooding his face. “It must be my birthday because it’s definitely Christmas come early!”

  Joanna laughed. “See what happens when you make a wish!”

  Mingus traced his tongue over his top lip and then bit down against his bottom lip. He suddenly found himself fantasizing about what he wanted to do to her. Her dark, smoldering eyes dazzled, drawing him in like a spider to a web. She was intoxicating and he was suddenly drunk with wanting.

  Joanna crooked her finger and gestured for him to come to her. “What’s taking you so long?” she asked. “It’s not nice to keep a girl waiting.”

  Mingus’s grin widened. “Well, I certainly don’t want to do that.”

  He moved slowly in her direction, casually dropping his clothes with each step toward her. The protrusion between his legs hardened, swelling magnificently for her attention. He palmed the bulge with both hands. The gesture made Joanna smile and she grinned from ear to ear. Reaching the foot of the bed, Mingus teased the bottom of her foot with his fingers.

  Joanna laughed, the wealth of it vibrating throughout the room. She sat upright, shifting her body toward him, reaching her hand out to touch him. The feel of his flesh against her palm was so incredible that he didn’t want her to ever let him go. She stroked him slowly, her eyes darting back and forth between his face and his manhood. Her ministrations had him panting softly as he throbbed beneath her palm. Mingus suddenly leaned in to kiss her.

  His lips were soft and warm, and she opened her mouth to welcome his tongue inside. Their mouths wrestled in a delightful game of give-and-take. His mouth left a damp trail from her lips to her cheeks, against her eyes and at the tip of her nose.

  Mingus climbed onto the bed and hovered for a brief moment above her. “I love you, too, Joanna!” he said. Then he plunged his body down sweetly against hers.

  Chapter 18

  Detective Danni Winstead hugged her fiancé’s three brothers, Parker, Ellington and Mingus greeting her warmly. Danni had been engaged to their brother Armstrong for only a few months and the wedding was just weeks away. The two had met a year earlier when Danni had been assigned to a special task force headed by Detective Armstrong Black to take down a sex trafficking ring. Together they had beaten the bad guys and found love in the process.

  “Gentlemen, good morning! How are you all doing?”

  Mingus hugged her warmly. “Detective! It’s always a pleasure to see you.”

  “I bet you say that to all the pretty women,” she teased.

  “He’s only saying it to one woman now,” Parker interjected.

  Ellington laughed. “Another one bites the dust, Danni. Mingus has given up his playa card!”

  Mingus shook his head. “You all really need to leave me alone.”

  Danni laughed with them. “So what’s going on? I hear you have a special job for me. What do you guys need?”

  Parker gestured for her to take a seat at the conference table, taking a moment for them to all get settled. It had been less than forty-eight hours since Mingus had made the discovery on the school tapes and had called in his favor. They were all anxious to move the case forward another step.

  “We need you to handle an interrogation,” Parker said. “This one’s a bit sensitive and Mingus felt you would be the best person for the job. Not that Mingus gives any orders around here,” he said, cutting an eye in his brother’s direction.

  Mingus shrugged and grinned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I ever do is stay in my lane.”

  “Well,” Parker continued, “why don’t you give Danni an update?”

  For the next few minutes Mingus shared the details of the case. What they knew, what they were sure they could prove, and what they could cast doubt on. “We know the young man has lied,” Mingus concluded. “We’re still not sure why, but I think if you can work him the right way, he might break and tell us the truth.”

  Danni nodded. “I’ll do what I can, but I don’t think I’ll have any problems getting you what you need.”

  There was a knock on the conference room door and then it swung open, Parker’s secretary announcing David Locklear’s arrival.

  “Thank you,” Parker said, “please put him in the interrogation room.”

  “Yes, Lieutenant.”

  “How old did you say he is?” Danni asked.

  “He just turned seventeen,” Mingus said.

  “I just need a few minutes to prepare.”

  Mingus grinned. “Take whatever time you need.”

  A few minutes later David Locklear, his mother and their attorney sat around a table in the small room. Parker, Ellington and Mingus stood on the other side of the two-way mirror, unable to be seen. Mingus stood with his back against the wall and his arms crossed. He hoped he’d been able to convey just how important this interview was; Joanna’s freedom depended on its failure or its success.

  When Danni entered the interrogation room, she had pulled her hair back into a ponytail and had traded her tailored blazer for a floral-embroidered sweater. She gave David and his mother a bright smile as she shook hands with their lawyer.

  David sat forward in his seat, smiling back. His smile was cocky, his arrogance visible. He was amused when others had expected him to be unsettled. On the other side of the wall, watching, the brothers realized Danni had put the three visitors instantly at ease, her appearance nonthreatening.

  “Good morning! I’m Detective Black. I appreciate you coming in to speak with me. I apologize for the delay, but someone parked the prettiest red car in my spot!”

  “That was your spot? My bad!” David said with a slight shrug, his smug smile showcasing a mouthful of braces. He swept a hand through his thick hair, leaving the lush strands in place.

  “Dude, that’s your ride? It’s seriously nice. That must have cost you a grip!”

  “I got it like that!” David boasted. He winked at her and Danni giggled.

  “Detective, I’m sure you didn’t call us down here to discuss my client’s transportation issues,” the attorney said, clearly annoyed.

  “Of course not! We’ve come into some new evidence that we need to ask David about.”

  The lawyer postured. “I’m no
t sure what we can tell you that hasn’t already been said to the other detectives. My client has suffered immensely.”

  Danni gave the man a look. “I’m sure.” She shifted her attention back to his client.

  “David, we were made to understand that you and your teacher engaged in sexual activity during school hours, is that correct?”

  “Yeah. We did it during school and after.”

  Danni nodded and gave him a slight smile. “Can you tell us again specifically where these encounters occurred?”

  “Sometimes in the bathroom. And we had this special place near the gymnasium where we used to go.”

  “Is that the little spot, sort of tucked away at the bottom of the stairs that looks out over the football field?”

  “Yeah! You seen it? It’s cool, right? Not everyone knows it’s there.”

  “It’s disgusting,” the mother snapped, chiming in for the first time. “They should hang that woman from the rafters for what she did!”

  Danni nodded her agreement but she didn’t verbally reply. Instead she opened the file folder she’d entered the room with, flipping through the pages as though she were searching for something. She dragged a finger down a list and stopped midway.

  “That’s great!” she exclaimed. “They do have cameras installed there. We’ll be able to view the video.”

  “Video?” David suddenly sat forward.

  His attorney echoed the sentiment. “What video?”

  “For security purposes, the school installed video cameras in strategic locations. You know with all the trauma in our schools these past few years, you just can’t be too safe.” Danni gave them both another bright smile.

  “Well, you got them pictures, so you don’t need video, do you? ’Cause I’m not sure we’re on them cameras. In fact, I’m sure we’re probably not.” The boy’s voice was suddenly shaky, his comfort seeming to diminish ever so slightly.

  “Well, there’s an issue with the photographs. Because none of them show your teacher’s face, it casts doubt on their validity. The video will just help us reinforce our case against her.”

  “I’m sure any video will corroborate what my client claims.”

  “Oh, most certainly! I have no doubts. I just have a few more questions for you, Mr. Locklear.”

  David sat back in his seat, his arms folded defiantly. He shrugged.

  She gave him another smile. “Now I understand your teacher has a number of tattoos. Are you able to describe them all for us?”

  David shot the lawyer a look. “Well, there’s the one on her thigh. It’s in them photos.”

  “And the others?”

  The young man hesitated. “She got flowers and stuff.”

  “But you two did have sex, is that correct? So, you won’t have any problems identifying any she may have in her private areas? And I only ask because we’ve be made aware of a specific tattoo that the defense will probably want you to detail.”

  David suddenly looked nervous. His eyes flickered back and forth as if he were trying to decide what he needed to do or not do. “What if I can’t remember?”

  “That would not be good. You filed a civil suit against her, correct? I’m sure if her defense can poke any holes in your story that they’ll probably throw your case right out.”

  The attorney bristled. “I think we’ve had enough.”

  “You okay, David?” his mother asked, noticing his sudden discomfort.

  David fanned a dismissive hand in her direction.

  “I just have a few more questions,” Danni persisted. “Please! If you can just bear with me a little longer.”

  “Make it quick. I got to get to school,” David snapped.

  “Real quick. Because we really want to nail this woman for taking advantage of you. I know you want to make her pay, right?”

  David shrugged. “What do you mean ‘pay’? Don’t the school’s insurance pay?”

  “They’ll pay what the school owes in any civil suit, but she’ll have to cough up any money she owes out of her own pocket. But we’re concerned with the criminal charges. We want to see her incarcerated for what she did. That’s a minimum of twenty-five years.”

  “Twenty-five years?”

  “Maybe even more, but she deserves it, right?”

  David seemed to drop into reflection, his face twisted. “She’s not a bad person,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Don’t you dare defend that whore!” his mother snapped.

  “I’m curious, David, we see you received a sizeable deposit recently. Can you explain where you got that money?”

  “We’re done here!” David’s lawyer stood, gesturing for the Locklear family to follow.

  “Too personal? Please forgive me. I take things too far sometimes. I was just wondering how you paid for that pretty car and...well...it’s not important.”

  Danni moved onto her feet. As she lifted the folder into her hands, one photograph slid from inside. A picture of Kyle Rourke and Alicia Calloway fell face-up on the table. She didn’t rush to grab it, allowing David to notice and recognize the couple. The color suddenly drained from his face.

  “Look at me!” Danni exclaimed. “I’m just so clumsy!” she said, retrieving the image and tucking it back into the folder. “Well, I think we’re done here, unless you have something we need to discuss?”

  David shrugged. “I...well... I need to talk to my attorney for a minute.”

  “Of course!” Danni moved to the door. “Let me know if you have anything you need to tell me,” she said as she exited the room and closed the door after herself. She flicked off the two-way mirror, impairing their view on the other side to afford David and his attorney their privacy.

  Mingus nodded. “She shook him! That boy is peeing in his pants right now. Nice job!” he exclaimed as Danni moved into the viewing room with the men.

  “He’s rattled, but I’m not sure it’s enough. I didn’t want to push too hard because the attorney was ready to run. He knows you’re on to him, though.”

  “We’ll know soon enough if it worked or not.” Mingus gave the woman a pat on her back. “Really nice work! If you ever get tired of this police kick, there’s always a position for you with my firm.”

  Danni laughed. “I’ll keep it under advisement,” she said.

  Ellington leaned over to give her a hug. He reached out to shake his brother’s hand. “I have to be in court on a case in thirty minutes. Keep me posted if anything changes, please.” He turned to Parker. “You really should try to convince him to come back to the department. I’m just saying!”

  Parker chuckled, shaking his brother’s hand. “So should you!”

  Danni took a quick glance at her watch. “I am going to go back in and check on our victim,” she said.

  Parker and Mingus exchanged a look as she exited the room.

  Danni returned almost immediately. “They’re gone. They just got up and left.”

  Mingus rolled his head back, stretching his arms over his head. He said, “No worries, one of my guys is tailing him. He won’t get far.”

  The phone in the room suddenly rang, drawing their attention. Parker answered, pulling the receiver into his hand. “Lieutenant Black speaking.”

  The man paused as he listened to the party on the other end. When he disconnected, he gave them all a look.

  “What’s wrong?” Mingus asked, the question washing over his expression.

  “That was the prosecutor. David Locklear’s attorney just called and apparently he and his client are headed over to their offices to make an official statement.”

  “Fingers crossed,” Mingus said as he and Danni high-fived each other.

  * * *

  When Joanna looked up from the grocery list she was making, the two newscasters on the television were shaking their heads. Her picture flashi
ng across the television screen had drawn her attention. She grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.

  “In a stunning development, the Chicago District Attorney’s office announced this afternoon that it would likely be dismissing all charges against high school history teacher Joanna Barnes. Barnes, an educator at Riptide High School, was accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a seventeen-year-old male student. According to District Attorney Michael Tambour, Barnes has been cleared of all rape allegations and the student has now admitted to lying about an affair. There’s no word yet whether or not charges will be filed against the student for filing a false report or if Barnes will be returning to her teaching position at the high school. For more on this story and others, join us for the six o’clock news with Joe Kody and Valeria Peyton.”

  Joanna was stunned. The announcement was a complete shock. She jumped from her seat to find her cell phone. She was shaking by the time she found the device wedged between a loaf of bread and the sugar canister on the kitchen counter. She had twelve missed calls from Mingus and almost as many from Ellington. She called Mingus back first.

  He answered on the first ring. “Where are you?”

  “I’m still at your place.”

  “Don’t leave. You should wait a minute before you leave for your house. It’s a media feeding frenzy in your driveway.”

  “Is it really over? Are they really dropping the charges?”

  “David Locklear admitted he lied. Right now, he’s still down at the station being held for additional questioning. I’m not sure what they’re going to do about charging him.”

  “Unbelievable! Has he said why? Did he give an explanation?”

  “No, baby, I’m sorry. He hasn’t told us anything useful yet.”

  “Well, at least it’s over. Now people will know the truth.”