Tempted By The Badge. Deborah Fletcher Mello

to anyone. Don’t answer any questions until I get there. I’m on my way.” There was a moment of pause, the other person speaking, and then Simone said, “It’s going to be okay. I promise,” before she disconnected the call. “Mingus, I need you to come to the police station with me.”

      Mingus eyed her with a raised brow. “What’s going on?”

      “Do you remember my friend Joanna Barnes? She and I went to Western Illinois for undergrad. Joanna is one of my sorority sisters. She went to the Center for Teaching at the University of Chicago for her graduate studies.”

      Mingus shrugged, having no real interest in putting a face to the name. “Sorry, it doesn’t ring any bells,” he said as he moved back behind his desk and sat.

      Simone frowned. “Well, she’s been picked up for questioning. They’re alleging she had a sexual relationship with one of her students.”

      Mingus shot his sister a look. “She’s a teacher?”

      “High school, and she didn’t do it,” Simone said matter-of-factly.

      “How do you know that?”

      Simone scowled. “I know her. Joanna is not that kind of woman.”

      “Are you sure you know...” he started.

      Simone waved her index finger at him a second time. “I know.” She reached into her purse and pulled a dollar bill from inside, dropping it onto his desk. “I need to hire you to help prove she’s innocent.”

      Mingus laughed as he picked up the currency, smoothing it between his fingers. “You really don’t expect me to work for free, do you?”

      “Of course not. That is just an unofficial retainer. We’ll work out the details later.”

      He laughed again. “I’m not an attorney, Simone. I’m a private investigator. There’s no privilege that needs to be established.”

      “I know that,” she answered, irritation rising in her tone. “I just need you to come to the station with me. Please.”

      Mingus blew out a heavy sigh. He had a lengthy list of things he needed to complete and taking on another case was not something he had planned to do. He watched as Simone headed for the door.

      Simone tossed him one last look over her shoulder. “So, are you coming?”

      Mingus tossed up his hands in frustration, knowing that if he were honest with himself, he really didn’t have any other options. His sister knew there wasn’t anything he would not do for her. Even when she irritated him. She had already banked on him saying yes. He’d follow her to the station and he would work whatever case she needed him to work. She had him wrapped tightly around her little finger and, despite his best efforts, he had yet to unravel the string to set himself free.

      “I’ll meet you there,” he said, reaching into the desk drawer for his keys. “I need to drive my own car.”

      Despite his reservations, Mingus was at least willing to show up. He didn’t know Simone’s friend, but her relationship with the woman was already a cause for concern. He always kept his distance when dealing with people he knew personally in a professional capacity and knew that friends weren’t always truthful if there was something they didn’t want you to know. He didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news if Simone’s friend wasn’t everything she believed her to be.

       Chapter 2

      Mingus shifted into fourth gear, his Nissan 370Z Coupe picking up speed. He’d kept straight instead of turning right when his sister did, Simone believing the shortcut through downtown would shave some ten minutes off her travel time. He knew they’d arrive at their destination within minutes of each other, Mingus parked in the lot when she pulled in. It would irritate her to no end and that gave him the slightest bit of satisfaction.

      The Chicago Lawn district police station was on West 63rd Street, around the corner from the West Communities YMCA. The surrounding neighborhood was a modicum of small businesses and modest single-family homes. During his brief stint on the Chicago police force he’d been stationed there and then at the West Harrison Street station.

      Mingus had followed his father and older brother into law enforcement after graduating from Loyola University Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His parents had expected he would join the ranks of detective, eventually climbing the law-enforcement ladder to lieutenant before heading his own precinct as commander. But the rank and file of being an officer hadn’t been for him. Mingus didn’t play by the rules that others did. Even when he was on the straight and narrow, he wasn’t above deviating down his own path to get a job done. His work ethic was impeccable, just not necessarily above board. He approached most things, including his relationships, with a wary eye. He defied expectations, rebelled instead of acquiescing, and often took shortcuts others had issue with. He often thought he was simply wired differently from everyone else. The uniform and badge had often tied his hands and Mingus didn’t take kindly to his hands being tied. Giving it up had been the best decision he’d ever made, even if it had disappointed his parents.

      Mingus came from a family of high achievers. His father, Jerome Black, was the Superintendent of the entire Chicago Police Department. His mother, Judith Harmon Black, was a federal court judge, and both were well respected in Chicago’s judicial system. They were all in the spotlight, doing their civic duty to make Chicago a safer place. Mingus was just as dedicated to the municipality. But he worked alone, sometimes in the dredges of the community, beneath the cover of darkness, getting his hands dirty. He sometimes did what others weren’t willing to do and he did it exceptionally well.

      When Simone pulled her car into the empty parking space beside his, Mingus was standing against the hood of his vehicle with his arms and legs crossed. As she stepped out the driver’s-side door, he stole a glance at his watch, a sly smirk pulling at his mouth. His sister was not amused and she said so.

      “You’re going to get another speeding ticket and they’re going to pull your license.”

      “My license is already revoked,” he said matter-of-factly.

      Simone blinked, her lashes batting feverishly. “Are you crazy? And you’re driving?”

      Mingus laughed. “No, I was joking. You need to stop being so serious.”

      “You play too damn much!” Simone snapped, suddenly unleashing her frustrations on him. For a good two minutes she recapped everything that had ever been proclaimed about him. He wasn’t focused or driven, and he was too unpredictable. He took too many risks, played too many games and was surely headed to hell if he didn’t change his life around. For two good minutes Mingus let her rant.

      “So, are you done?” Mingus finally asked, his tone even.

      “Sorry,” Simone muttered softly. “I didn’t mean...”

      “Yes, you did. But it’s all good.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gave her a warm hug. “Are you okay?”

      “No.” She stepped out of her brother’s grasp and took a breath. “No,” she said again, her head shaking. “I was just on the phone with Danni,” she said, referring to their brother Armstrong’s bride-to-be. “They’re going to formally charge Joanna with sexually assaulting a student.”

      Mingus nodded. “But you knew that was a possibility.”

      “I was praying that it was a horrible mistake. But this also means I can’t represent her. I’ve called Ellington to see if he can take her case. He’s on his way.”

      “Have you talked to your office?” Mingus asked.

      She nodded. “I had to make sure I recused myself. I can support her as a friend, but it’s a conflict of interest with the prosecutor’s office for me to do anything more.”