Proving her innocence...at all costs

The exciting second book of the To Serve and Seduce miniseries

Former Chicago cop Mingus Black is used to liars. So why does the PI believe a teacher who insists she’s being framed? Joanna Barnes is totally convincing...in more ways than one. The chemistry between Mingus and Joanna becomes perilously potent, but until he can find out who framed her for a heinous crime, everything they love hangs in the balance.

Writing since forever, DEBORAH FLETCHER MELLO can’t imagine herself doing anything else. Her first novel, Take Me to Heart, earned her a 2004 Romance Slam Jam nomination for Best New Author. In 2008, Deborah won the RT Reviewers’ Choice award for Best Series Romance for her ninth novel, Tame a Wild Stallion. Deborah received a BRAB 2015 Reading Warrior Award for Best Series for her Stallion family series. Deborah was also named the 2016 Romance Slam Jam Author of the Year. She has also received accolades from several publications, including Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. With each new book, Deborah continues to create unique story lines and memorable characters. Born and raised in Connecticut, Deborah now considers home to be wherever the moment moves her.

Also By Deborah Fletcher Mello

To Serve and Seduce

Seduced by the Badge

Tempted by the Badge

Truly Yours

Hearts Afire

Twelve Days of Pleasure

My Stallion Heart

Stallion Magic

Tuscan Heat

A Stallion’s Touch

A Pleasing Temptation

Sweet Stallion

To Tempt a Stallion

A Stallion Dream

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Tempted by the Badge

Deborah Fletcher Mello

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09376-7

TEMPTED BY THE BADGE

© 2019 Deborah Fletcher Mello

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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“Suddenly I’m guilty before I’ve even had the chance to prove my innocence.”

There was the faintest hint of sympathy in Mingus’s tone as he answered, “I know.”

Joanna blew out a soft sigh. She took up her fork and began to eat. She suddenly paused, the utensil stopped in midair. “You said we’re going to figure out your brother’s next steps. What are you going to do? And what am I supposed to be doing?”

Mingus narrowed his gaze, amusement sweeping across his face. “You are going to sit tight and stay out of trouble. And you’re not going to worry about what I do.”

Her gaze skated across his face, trying to read the emotion staring back at her. She finally shook her head, rising from the table as she grabbed his plate and hers. “Well, I can tell you now, that’s not going to happen, so try again, Mingus Black. I need answers and I don’t plan to leave your side until I get them.”

* * *

Don’t miss future installments in the To Serve and Seduce miniseries, coming soon...

Dear Reader,

No lies! This story worked me! Hard! It was challenging from start to finish, the characters continually turning left when I was trying with everything in me to herd them right! But I absolutely love the final product. Once again, it was about family and the strength of their love and their commitment to doing right, when it would be so much easier to do wrong!

I loved fleshing out Mingus Black. He’s a bad boy to his core and yet he’s a big softy when it comes to the delightful Joanna Barnes. The two are sheer perfection in all their flawed beauty. Together, they are fire! I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing their story.

I really love this book! I hope you will, too!

Thank you so much for your support. I am humbled by all the love you keep showing me, my characters and our stories. I know that none of this would be possible without you.

Until the next time, please take care and may God’s blessings be with you always.

With much love,

Deborah Fletcher Mello

www.DeborahMello.blogspot.com

To Kay Edmondson

You are a joy and a blessing to know!

Know that you are much loved and valued!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

The noise level in the small classroom rose substantially as the door flung open and students began to parade inside. Joanna Barnes looked up from the papers she’d been grading, a bright smile pulling at her lips. Greetings rang out warmly as one student after the other found their way to a seat for the third-period history class.

“Good morning, Ms. Barnes!”

“Hey, Ms. B!”

“Ms. Barnes! What up?”

She twisted the cap back onto the red pen she was holding and slid it and the test papers from her previous class into her desk drawer. Rising to her feet, she returned the gesture, greeting each student warmly as she moved to stand by the door.

“Mr. Parsons, good morning! Miss Hayes, how are you? Take a seat, please, Mr. Tolliver!”

The energy in the room was palpable, everyone anxious about the test they would soon be taking. This was one of the honors classes, the students all exceptionally bright and especially motivated. Over half had already been notified of their early acceptance into college, with most of them headed to Ivy League institutions. They were considered the elite of their graduating class. They challenged Joanna to insure the curriculum was one that would not only boost their individual class rankings but also kept them interested; boredom was easily the kiss of death for any teacher.

The test they were taking was on the early Industrial Revolution in England and Wales, with the emphasis on the plight of women during that time period. Joanna had no doubts most, if not all, would pass with flying colors. There were one, maybe two exceptions determined to buck the system, no matter where they were in life.

The last student through the door was one of her more challenging pupils. Standing a foot taller than most of the class, Damon Morrow was one of their star athletes, playing varsity football and basketball in the fall and baseball in the spring. Keeping him off academic probation had become a full-time job all on its own and, despite his obvious intellectual genius, his was an issue of effort, or rather lack of. He was smart and talented, but he was lazy as hell. Damon Morrow was content to fly through life on his dashing good looks and the trust fund he would inevitably inherit when he turned twenty-one.

“Mr. Morrow, good morning,” Joanna said warmly. “You studied, I hope.”

The young man shrugged broad shoulders. “Do we have to take this test today, Ms. Barnes?”

“Yes, we do,” she said matter-of-factly. “Everything under your desks, please. And get your pencils ready.”

Damon sat, still scrolling through messages on his cell phone instead.

“Phones away,” Joanna said, tapping her nails lightly against the desktop. “If I see any phones during the exam, I will confiscate them. Your parents will have to come get them from me at the end of the semester, and I mean it.”

Damon shot her a quick look. “Hey, Miss Barnes, did you hear?”

She blew a soft sigh. “Did I hear what, Mr. Morrow?”

“Everyone’s talking about it!” another student interjected.

Joanna looked around the room, her eyes scanning their faces as she mentally took attendance. “Has anyone seen Mr. Locklear?” She gestured toward the only empty seat, going off topic for a brief moment.

There were shrugs and looks of disinterest, no one seeming to care that one of their own was missing.

She shook her head ever so slightly. “So, what is everyone talking about?” she asked, her eyes shifting back to the student staring at her.

“One of the teachers is getting fired,” Damon stated. “Someone’s been giving it to a student on the side,” he said with a snide laugh and an inappropriate hand gesture. He slapped palms with the boy beside him. “I bet it was Coach Peterson. Which one of you girls has been giving it up to him in the locker room?” he quipped.

Laughter rang around the room and the noise level rose slightly. Joanna winced, unable to fathom how any adult could even consider taking advantage of a student’s trust. That her kids were piqued by such an abhorrent rumor didn’t sit well with her. It didn’t sit well with her at all. She shook her head. “That will be enough of that, thank you.”

“He’s serious,” a young woman named Shannon Heigl said. “One of the teachers has been having an affair with a student and the student reported it to the administration.”

Another student added her two cents. “They’re going to press charges and whoever it is plans to sue the teacher and the school district!” she exclaimed.

Joanna’s gaze skated from one face to the other, everyone suddenly looking at her to either confirm or deny the rumors she was hearing for the first time. A string of expletives suddenly rang through the air, Damon cursing as he continued to scroll through his phone. “This is so effed up!” he said with a snide laugh.

“Mr. Morrow! Watch your mouth!” she chastised. She held out her hand for his cell phone. “I said no phones.”

The young man eyed her sheepishly. “I was just shutting it off. I swear,” he said as he shoved the device into the top of his book bag and the book bag under his desk. He dapped the palm of her hand and gave her a wink of his eye.

Joanna met the look he was giving her with a stern stare, her eyes narrowed. She shook her index finger in his direction. “You’re walking a very fine line with me, Mr. Morrow. You do not want to test my patience.”

As she turned, she saw him leaning to whisper to the boy beside him. “The student is male! The teacher’s a woman!” he quipped, the two giving each other a high five as if that was something to celebrate. A titter of laughter and hushed whispers swept through the room.

“All right, that will be enough,” Joanna said as she moved to the front of classroom and began to count off test papers at the head of each row. “Let’s focus on something useful, please. It doesn’t matter who did what to whom, regardless of gender—if such a thing happened, it’s wrong! Let’s not waste any more of our energy on unsubstantiated accusations. Spreading rumors only serves to hurt people unnecessarily. You all should want to be above that.” Her eyes connected with each student, finally coming to rest on Damon Morrow’s face. He was still grinning from ear to ear, his chest pushed forward arrogantly as he and his desk mate whispered one last time.

“Take one and pass it back,” she said to the students at the front of each row.

Minutes later their heads were down, pencils scribbling away as they diligently tackled question after question. Joanna moved back behind her desk and took her seat. She’d been teaching since forever at Riptide High School, the Chicago, Illinois, staple rich with history. She’d also been a student here back in the day, the senior class president of her graduating class and a cheerleader. Her parents had both been graduates, as well, and before them, her maternal grandfather, one of the first to integrate Riptide classrooms before it had been court mandated.

Joanna came from a long line of educators, beginning with her paternal great-great-great grandmother, who’d taught other slaves on a Georgia plantation how to read and write. Her mother had taught English at Riptide’s rival high school for most of her career, only recently retiring from her assistant principal position to tend her beloved gardens. During the spring and summer, she grew the fruits and vegetables she intended to can in jars while catching up on her reading when the weather turned. Joanna’s father was a math professor at the local community college, determined to trek to his day job until they laid him in his casket. Both loved what they did, and so did Joanna.

She had always known she would be a teacher, even preferring to play classroom instead of house as a child. Despite the challenges of students who were self-absorbed, more abrasive and less focused, she enjoyed everything about sharing her love of history with the students who came every September and were gone by June.

And Joanna loved history. She found it fascinating that if you examined the past closely enough you could find a precedent for most current situations. She loved helping her students discover that for themselves. It was thrilling when she could show them a correlation between their own challenging academic environment and the courts of the Italian Renaissance, giving teens philosophies on how to survive in their dog-eat-dog world. When there were questions of integrity they studied Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Thomas More and people who, through the ages, epitomized the fight for what was right. When students bemoaned their home situations, she made them research life in the Middle Ages and its lack of comfort and convenience. There were lessons to be learned from the past and Joanna enjoyed everything about exploring them.

The time passed quickly and when the bell sounded, announcing the end of class, a few of them jumped in surprise. Joanna stood. “Pencils down, please, and leave your tests in the basket on my desk on your way out. There is no homework tonight, so enjoy the break!”

Chairs slid against the concrete floor and the noise level rose as the class marched single-file past her, sliding exam papers into the wicker container on the corner of her desk. As the last student made his exit, they were still spreading gossip, cell phone messages and social media updates being shared. Joanna couldn’t help but wonder if there was any truth to the allegations, but figured she’d learn more before the day ended. She had no doubt there were as many teachers gossiping as there were students trying to dig up information.

As Joanna bound the test papers with a large rubber band and a sticky note detailing the class and time, her friend and associate barged into the room.

“You’re on break now, right?” English teacher Angel Graves gushed, tossing a look over her shoulder.

Joanna nodded. “I’m chaperoning fourth period study hall and grading these test papers. What’s up?”

“Haven’t you heard? The administration is in an uproar and there’s been two police detectives in the principal’s office since this morning. Someone’s in some serious trouble. Mrs. Magee says it’s about to hit the fans!”

Joanna shook her head from side to side. “Mrs. Magee gossips too much! I don’t know why you pay that woman any attention,” she said, referring to the office secretary.

“I pay attention to her because she’s that inside line to everything that goes on in this school. You should give her more credit. Besides, aren’t she and your mother old friends?”

“Which is how I know she gossips too much!”

“Yes, but she always has the best gossip!”

Joanna laughed as they made their way out of the classroom and down the hall toward the other end of the school building. Their conversation was easy and casual as they maneuvered their way through the throng of students hurrying to their next period class before the late bell sounded. “So, who did what this time?” she asked.

“It’s serious. They’re claiming teacher misconduct and inappropriate contact with a student.”

“Are they saying who?”

Angel shrugged. “Only that the student is a senior.”

“I just can’t believe it. I know some of the men around here are slimy, but I can’t imagine any one of them doing such a thing. That would just be horrific!”

Angel shrugged her shoulders. “You’re preaching to the choir! I wholeheartedly agree but you just can’t trust people like you used to.”

Joanna shook her head. “I swear, if it’s not one thing around here, it’s another. Last week it was all about the district wanting to close our doors and sell off the building, and the week before that our accreditation was supposedly in jeopardy. It’s anything that will get the school board up in arms. That last school board meeting lasted an hour longer than necessary. I can just imagine what a scandal like this will have them ranting about.”

“Yes, you can. They’ll revisit the dress code, insist on psychological background checks to detect predatory tendencies, maybe even contemplate a no-touch, no-tell policy. You know the drill.”

“No touch, no tell! Now you’re being funny,” Joanna said with a soft chuckle.

Angel laughed with her. “You have to have a sense of humor if you plan to make tenure.”

“I already have tenure.”

“Retirement, then. Either way, if you don’t laugh at foolishness like this, you’ll go crazy.”

Their banter was suddenly interrupted by someone calling Joanna’s name loudly from the other end of the hallway.

“Ms. Barnes! Ms. Barnes!”

The two women exchanged a quick look before turning in the direction of the high-pitched squeals piercing through the thick chatter of students crowding the hallway. Marion Talley tossed up a slight hand as she stomped her size-eleven heels in their direction. Before reaching their side, she admonished one student for cursing, a second for groping his girlfriend inappropriately and sent a third to the office for the length of her skirt. She herself wore a black knit dress that hugged one curve too many, remaining baby weight from her two middle-school-aged daughters still clinging to her midsection and hips.

Joanna forced a smile to her face, her mouth bending upward as she feigned interest in the woman who chaired the school’s English department. Marion Talley spent every opportunity she could find to make Joanna’s life miserable. The two of them had history that took them both back to their own high school days, resentment harbored over teenage antics that should have been long forgotten.

“Mrs. Talley, what can I do for you?” Joanna asked, mindful of all the ears shuffling past them.

“I was hoping to catch you before you left your classroom. You must have rushed out before the students. You do know leaving early without permission is grounds for disciplinary action. If someone were to tell, of course.”

Joanna bristled slightly, the little hairs against the back of her neck rising.

“Cut the crap, Marion,” Angel snarled under her breath. “You know she left her classroom the same time you left yours. You’re always trying to start something.”

Marion narrowed her gaze on the other woman, her face skewing with irritation. She bit back a comment, turning her attention onto Joanna instead.

“Mrs. Donato would like to see you in her office. I’m headed down to cover your study hall.”

“Did she say what it’s about?” Joanna asked.

Marion smirked. “No. But then there’s so much going on around here today. I’m sure it’s nothing, though.”

Joanna gave her another smile. “I’m sure, too.”

“Humph!” Marion grunted as she turned on her high heels and stomped back in the direction she’d come from.

When Marion was out of earshot, Joanna muttered under her breath, “I really wish she’d fall into a large hole and disappear.”

Angel laughed. “I know two sophomores who would gladly make that happen for you. Just give me the word.”

* * *

Minutes later Joanna sat in a wooden chair across from Valentina Donato, the school principal, and a police detective from the Chicago police department. A uniformed officer stood at the door. Joanna was shaking and on the verge of tears.

“Your union rep will meet you down at the police station, but you might want to consider hiring your own attorney,” Valentina was saying.

Joanna shook her head. “I didn’t do anything.”

“I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding,” Valentina said, “but we have a legal obligation to have the charges levied against you investigated. The allegations are very serious, Joanna! David Locklear claims you had a sexual relationship with him and that you held that relationship over his head and threatened his grades. We can’t just ignore that.”

Joanna turned to the man standing at the edge of the desk. “Am I under arrest? Because I certainly didn’t do what you’re saying I did!”

The detective cleared his throat. The man was short and slightly obese. He wore a gray suit that was ill-fitting. He was sweating profusely, his eyes darting around the room. He was clearly uncomfortable and he refused to look directly at her. His gaze finally rested somewhere on the wall behind her head. “For the moment, we just need to ask you some questions, Ms. Barnes, and under the circumstances we need to do that down at the station.”

Joanna could feel herself nod but everything seemed like an out-of-body experience. Her arms and legs were heavy and she was shaking. Her nerves felt completely fried. The wave of shock that had washed over her was consuming and, for a moment, Joanna wasn’t sure she could keep her emotions in check. She took a deep breath and then a second, filling her lungs with air as she struggled not to cry, or worse, rage aloud.

The detective rose from his seat and gestured for Joanna to do the same.

“I have my car...” Joanna started. “I can meet you—”

The detective shook his head. “I need you to ride to the station with me, Ms. Barnes.”

Her eyes widened. “I don’t... I can’t... I need to...” she stammered, suddenly unable to complete a coherent sentence.

“It’s not an option,” the detective added. “Right now, this is just a formal questioning and I’m willing to spare you the embarrassment of handcuffs as long as you cooperate.”

Joanna stood. She took another deep breath. “I need to make a call,” she said, her voice a loud whisper. She reached into her handbag for her cell phone. “Please? I need to call my attorney to meet us there.”

The detective nodded. “That is your right.”

* * *

Mingus Black rolled his eyes skyward, not at all amused by his sister Simone. The sixth child and the youngest girl in his family, Simone Black was being a proverbial pain in the ass as she pranced around his office, giving orders to his staff like she paid the bills. Despite him being older, his attorney sister was notorious for bossing him around, wielding control when it was least wanted. She got that from their sister Vaughan. He was grateful when her cell phone rang, announcing an incoming call, because he was just seconds from throwing her out the door on the heels of her Manolo Blahniks.

“I need to take this,” she said with a light laugh. “But when I’m finished, we need to talk about you incorporating this business. You can’t keep running it all willy-nilly like you’re doing.” Mingus rolled his eyes a second time as she depressed the talk button on her phone. He went back to signing the checks his secretary had dropped on his desk earlier that morning.

Simone’s lighthearted expression suddenly deflated like air being sucked from a balloon. Her brow furrowed, shock and concern flooding her face. She was listening intently and from where he sat he could sense the anxiety of the person on the other end of the phone line.

Mingus met his sister’s stare as he shifted forward, lifting himself upright. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice a loud whisper.

Simone held up her index finger, still listening attentively to the party on the other end. Rising, Mingus rounded the desk and moved to stand beside her. He brushed a large hand against her back and shoulder when he realized she was shaking, something having moved her to distress.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” Simone said, clearly fighting to contain the worry in her voice. “I will meet you at the police station. Don’t say anything 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.”

Mingus nodded as she continued.

“I really need you to work your magic, big brother. I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know Joanna is not capable of what she’s being accused of.”

“No promises, Simone. I know she’s your friend and you say she’s innocent, but that might not be true. We don’t even know what they have on her yet.”

Simone took another deep breath. “Let’s go find out!”

* * *

Joanna couldn’t stop shaking as she wrapped her arms tightly around her torso. She’d been sitting alone in an interrogation room for almost an hour, no one speaking to her until her attorney arrived. She’d called her bestie, Simone Black, because she hadn’t known who else to call. She’d only needed an attorney once before, when she’d purchased her townhome. She doubted highly that the man her parents had recommended, who’d represented her at closing, would be able to help her through this situation.

Despite knowing she hadn’t done anything wrong, Joanna sensed things were not going to go well for her. For the life of her she couldn’t begin to understand how she’d come to be in this position. Never in her wildest dreams could she have fathomed anyone believing she would take advantage of one of her students. But they did. She’d seen it on the principal’s face, and the detectives were treating her like a pariah. No one was answering her questions and she had dozens she wanted to ask. The room’s door suddenly swung open. She didn’t recognize the man who stepped through the entrance and she felt herself tense.

“Ms. Barnes, my name is Richard Pearce,” he said as he extended his hand to shake hers. “I’m an attorney with the teachers’ union. I’ve been assigned to your case.”

Joanna gave him a slight nod of her head. Richard Pierce was of average height and slightly overweight. His suit was expensive, a polished black silk partnered with a white dress shirt and red paisley necktie. “Thank you for coming,” she said, her voice a loud whisper. “That was fast.”

“Actually, it’s your lucky day. I was in the area on another matter when I got the call. Typically, it takes a day or two for us to get to you.”

“I don’t feel lucky,” Joanna muttered.

“That’s understandable. Obviously, I’m going to need to get up to speed with the case, but I’m told they have a significant amount of evidence against you. Eventually we may try to plea it out and hope that—”

“I didn’t do it.”

The man looked up from a manila folder he’d pulled from a brown leather attaché and had rested on the table. He seemed surprised to be interrupted. “I’m sorry?”

“I didn’t do it. I did not have a sexual relationship with any student.”

“Obviously, I’ll need to do some investigating, but the evidence—”

“I didn’t do it,” Joanna repeated even more adamantly as her tone rose significantly.

Mr. Pearce stared at her for a quick minute. He leaned back in his seat. “Ms. Barnes, I’m here to represent your best interests. Clearly, we want to do everything we can to minimize the damage to your reputation. I understand that you’re probably still in shock right now, but eventually we will need to discuss your options and pleading this case out may be your best recourse. I’m not sure—”

Joanna interrupted him a third time. “Am I required to use you, Mr. Pearce? Is it a condition of my union membership?”

The man bristled, his eyes widening. “No, of course not. You have the option of hiring a private attorney if you’d be more comfortable doing so. But the union is here to protect your interests.”

“You’re not protecting my interests if you’re already talking about me taking a plea deal. I didn’t do anything wrong and I certainly didn’t do what’s being said. I have no intentions of pleading this case out. I don’t want to go to trial, but I will if it means clearing my name.”

Before Mr. Pearce could respond there was a knock on the door, the entrance swinging open a second time. The two men moving into the room surprised both Joanna and the union representative. Joanna recognized the man who stepped forward, greeting her warmly.

“Joanna, I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Ellington Black. Simone’s brother.”

Joanna nodded. “I do remember you. We met once at an Alpha Kappa Alpha event. I appreciate you coming.”

Ellington smiled. “Simone said you needed an attorney. She thought I might be able to help.”

“She’s not coming?”

“She can’t represent you. She works for the state prosecutor’s office and it would be a conflict of interest. But she’s waiting to take you home.” He extended his hand to the other man. “Ellington Black, and you are...?”

“Pearce. Richard Pearce. I’m with the teachers’ union. I’ve been assigned to Ms. Barnes’s case.”

“Wonderful. We can use as many people on the team as we can get.” Ellington reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a business card. “Here’s my number. I’m sure we’ll need all the help available as we rev up the investigation. I look forward to working with you.”

Pearce traded business cards, seeming flustered by the turn of events. “I was just telling Ms. Barnes that we might want to consider a plea deal if one is offered.”

“That’s not an option,” Ellington said. He extended his hand in a firm handshake. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d like to speak with Ms. Barnes privately. So, if you’ll excuse us, I’ll be in touch when we need you.”

The moment was immensely awkward as Pearce rose reluctantly. He’d been summarily dismissed and as the three of them stood staring at him, he said his goodbyes and sulked. When the door was closed shut behind him, Ellington took the seat across from Joanna. It was only then that she turned her attention to Mingus, who stood against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. He’d eased in quietly, settling into the background as he stood in observation.

There was no missing the family resemblance. Both men stood well over six feet with lukewarm complexions that were a rich tawny with just the barest hint of mahogany undertones. They had the same chiseled features—sculpted cheekbones and strong jawlines. Both had solid builds and broad chests and shoulders. Ellington wore a navy-blue suit, the silk fabric expensive, pristinely tailored and polished. The other man was dressed more casually in black denim jeans, a collarless black shirt and black varsity jacket. His hair was cropped close and he sported a hint of mustache and a goatee. He met her stare, his expression hiding any trace of emotion. But there was something simmering in his eyes. Something hiding behind the blinking of his lashes. Something that captured Joanna’s attention and held it tightly.

“I didn’t do it,” she said softly. “No one believes me, but I did not sleep with my student.” She was still staring at the second man, her comment more for him than her attorney. She introduced herself. “I’m Joanna. Joanna Barnes. Are you an attorney, too?”

Ellington looked from her to the other man and back. “I’m sorry. I assumed you two had met before. Joanna, this is my brother, Mingus Black. Mingus is a licensed private investigator. He’s going to help work this case. We’re going to trust him to help us figure out what’s going on and why you’ve been targeted.”

The slightest smile pulled at Joanna’s lips. Her bottom lip quivered and tears pressed hot behind her eyelids. She gave him a slight wave of her hand. “Hi.”

Mingus nodded in response, his expression unchanging. But something burned hot in the pool of light dancing in his eyes. Had he been anyone else, his silence would have been unsettling, but Joanna found his presence eerily comforting and she had never before been attracted to the strong, silent type. It gave her a moment of pause as they seemed to be measuring each other up.

Ellington continued, Joanna focusing her attention back on him. He reached across the table for her hand and held it. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” he said softly. “When I open that door, the police are going to come in and you’ll be formally charged and arrested. They will handcuff you and then they’re going to take you downstairs to the jail to fingerprint and mug-shot you. After you’re processed, we’re going to go before the judge and I’m going to ask for bail. I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting it. Once we’re able to bond you out, Simone is going to take you home.”

Joanna closed her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she muttered. “Don’t I get to make a statement or something? I thought they wanted to ask me some questions?”

“What they were hoping was that they could push you into making an admission of guilt. They believe they have more than enough evidence to prosecute you. Them asking you questions was only a polite formality, the end goal being to discredit you.”

“But what evidence do they have? How can they have anything? I didn’t do this!”

“We’ll know more at your arraignment. I do know they believe they have a credible statement from your accuser.”

She took a deep inhale of air, blowing it out slowly. “Will I have to spend any time in jail? I mean, how soon will I be able to get bail?”

Ellington shook his head. “I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen very quickly. It’s still early. The judges are back from lunch, so once the police do what they need to do, there is no reason we can’t head right to the courthouse for a bail hearing. If all goes well, you’ll sleep in your bed tonight.”

He cleared his throat before he continued. “Unfortunately the press is all over this. They’re going to try to get you to make a statement. You have no comment. You are not to discuss this case with anyone. Not your parents, not your best friend, Simone, not your husband or your boyfriend. No one! From this moment forward the state will try to find anything they can to use against you. We don’t want you to give them anything they can use. First thing tomorrow morning, you, Mingus and I will sit down and go through what we know and figure out how to proceed. Do you understand?”

As she nodded her head in concurrence, Joanna’s tears finally slipped past her lashes, beginning to rain in a steady stream down her face. “I swear,” she said, her gaze shifting back to stare at Mingus. “I didn’t do this.” She wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. She then wrapped her arms around herself, hugging tightly.

* * *

A uniformed officer gestured for Joanna to stand and put her hands behind her back. She was a stunningly beautiful woman: long and lean with a petite frame and mile-high legs. She had delicate facial features, killer cheekbones, dark eyes and a warm umber complexion. Her skin was slick as glass with just a hint of pink undertones. Mingus imagined that if she ever blessed him with a smile it would be wide and full, showcasing the picture-perfect teeth currently biting her bottom lip anxiously.

Mingus watched the detective read Joanna her Miranda rights, his voice echoing around the room like an annoying fly buzzing in the space. Zip ties were secured around her wrists and then a female officer clutched her by the elbow and guided her out of the room.

Mingus was still standing like stone as he watched them take her away. Something he didn’t recognize pitched through his abdomen, a wealth of emotion swirling like a cyclone through his midsection. Before anyone had come into the room, Joanna had asked his brother for a tissue, tired of swiping at her tears with her fingers and not wanting anyone else to see her cry. For a brief moment, just before she was escorted out, his eyes locked with hers and held. Her expression was stoic, her lashes batting up and down to stall the wave of saline from falling a second time. The look on her face yanked at his heartstrings. Hard.

As Ellington exited the room, Mingus moved in behind his brother, listening intently to the conversations being held. The detective was saying that the student and his parents were scheduled to come in again the following morning. Two uniformed officers were cracking bad jokes on the low, amused by the salacious details of the crime Joanna was being charged with. Mingus gave both men a look that cut their conversation short, leaving them red-faced and slightly anxious that they might be called out for the indiscretion.

Moving back to the lobby area where Simone sat anxiously waiting for an update, Mingus was surprised to find himself conflicted. Something about the case wasn’t sitting well with him. Despite the assumptions of guilt and what little he knew of the evidence, Mingus had believed Joanna when she’d said was innocent.

Simone pressed him for information. “How is she holding up?”

“She’s not unraveling, if that’s what you want to know.”

“Joanna’s a very strong woman. And she’ll fight this with everything in her. She’ll be fine.”

“How close are you two? She knew Ellington, but we had never met.”

“She’s one of my best friends. She was around more that year you spent in South Africa after you left the force. We talk often, and we hang out every chance we can, but our career choices keep us running in different circles. I think you, and maybe Armstrong, are the only siblings she hasn’t met.”

“Ellington mentioned her husband? Or it might have been a boyfriend?” Mingus looked nonchalant as he questioned his sister about her friend, but truth be told he was curious to know more about her. To know if Joanna had a significant other. If some man had her heart and her heart wasn’t available.

Simone finally answered. “She’s not married and, the last time we spoke, she wasn’t dating anyone special. I don’t think that’s changed.”

“Does she have an ex who might be looking to hurt her?”

“No!” Simone said, shaking her head vehemently. “No one I can think of. She’s always been very particular about who she dates, and most have been upstanding men.”

“Most? What about the ones who weren’t?”

Simone gave her brother a look. “Are you asking professionally or personally? Because I don’t know how that has anything to do with this case.”

“The more I know about her, the better I’ll be able to figure out who’s trying to hurt her. Is this kid acting out because she gave him a bad grade or has someone put him up to this? If someone is trying to frame her, then this is vindictiveness at the highest level. If there is absolutely no truth to the allegations, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to destroy her. A scorned lover would be at the top of my suspect list because this is as dirty as it gets.”

Simone blew a soft sigh. “I’m sure she’ll tell you whatever you want to know. She’s one of the most honest souls I know.”

Mingus pondered his sister’s statement. It spoke volumes that she thought so highly of her friend. That Simone attested so vehemently to Joanna’s character. For his sister to see Joanna as family meant he would welcome her as if they were kin. Family meant everything to him and for that reason alone, he would do whatever he could to help the beautiful woman.

* * *

Three hours later Joanna stood before the honorable Judge Margaret Walker and listened as the prosecutor proclaimed she’d had sex with a seventeen-year-old male student numerous times. Allegedly, sex acts had been performed in his car during school hours, in her home and off school property. The state was charging her with two felony counts of rape in the third degree and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. After a statement against bail from the prosecutor and Ellington pleading for leniency, the judge granted bail. Her bond was set at one hundred thousand dollars. She was also ordered onto electronic monitoring and, with the slam of the judge’s gavel, Joanna knew her nightmare was just beginning.

It took another hour for Ellington to meet with the bondsman. Joanna put her home up as collateral. Arrangements were made for her to be fitted with an electronic ankle bracelet. She struggled not to cry again as an officer explained the restrictions. When they were finally done, Ellington guided her to the front of the building where Simone and Mingus stood waiting to take her home.

Chapter 3

Women crying didn’t faze Mingus one way or the other. Truth be known, he’d probably made more than his fair share sob. But Joanna crying had him feeling some kind of way and he was having a hard time reconciling that feeling with rational thought.

The technician installing her ankle monitor had left an hour earlier, ensuring the new device was transmitting a radio frequency signal with the location to the receiver and from the receiver to the service center. If Joanna breached the permitted range, the police would be notified of her whereabouts.

Despite her best efforts to not let her emotions show, they were written all over her face, the wealth of it puddled in the water that clouded her dark eyes. She was angry and frustrated. She was also hurt, unable to fathom how anyone could ever believe she could do something so foul. She cried when she thought no one was looking and Mingus couldn’t stop staring.

He stood against the pantry door in her kitchen, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He watched as Simone and Joanna made an earnest effort to prep the evening meal, both pretending like nothing had happened. His sister was tossing ingredients for a large garden salad into a glass bowl. Joanna stood at the stove stirring a simmering brew of meat sauce in a cast-iron pot. Pasta boiled in a second pot on the other burner. Joanna was going through the motions, pretending to be okay when she really wasn’t. She was broken and just barely holding it together. He found himself wondering how long it would take her to snap, betting that she was probably not far from her breaking point.

Joanna’s parents sat at the kitchen table, visibly shaken by the news. Their frustration painted the walls a dank shade of blue as they peppered their daughter with questions she wasn’t able to answer.

“I just don’t understand,” Lillian Barnes was saying, her silver-gray hair waving with each shake of her head. “How can this boy say those things about you?”

“Boys lie,” Vincent Barnes snapped. “Young boys lie all the time. You’ve taught enough of them to know that.”

“Some tell little white lies about losing their homework. This is something totally different. Did you do something to lead this boy on, Joanna?”

“Of course not,” Joanna snapped. “Why would you ask me that?” She’d spun around to stare at her mother, her hand fastened around a wooden spoon. “You know I’d never do anything like that!”

Joanna’s father stood from the table, moving to stand between his daughter and her mother. “Calm down. Both of you. Joanna, your mother didn’t mean anything. She’s just concerned about you. We both are.” His gaze moved from his daughter to his wife. “You know better than most that kids these days are a whole other breed. It’s not like when we started teaching. These kids will manipulate the truth faster than you can blink.”

“It still doesn’t make any sense to me,” her mother persisted. “Clearly there had to be something she either said or did to give him the impression...”

Joanna’s tears had risen for an encore, her sobs stalling her mother’s words. She was visibly shaking, her last respite of calm exploding with a vengeance. She suddenly excused herself, slamming the spoon onto the counter before sweeping out of the kitchen toward the master bedroom at the rear of the house.

The matriarch stood abruptly, calling after her. “Joanna!”

Mingus suddenly stepped forward, an outstretched palm stalling them all in their tracks. “Give her a minute,” he said softly, his gaze sweeping from one to the other. His eyes rested on his sister last, something he couldn’t say aloud causing him to lift his brows.

He shifted his attention toward Mr. and Mrs. Barnes. “Joanna really can’t discuss the case with any of you,” he said. “She’ll be better once she gets a good night’s sleep.”

Mr. Barnes shook his head. “I think we’re going to go. We’ll call to check on our daughter later.”

“Are you sure?” Simone questioned. “I know Joanna appreciates having you both here to support her. This is just a difficult time for everyone.” She threw her brother a look.

“We’re sure,” the matriarch said, attitude ringing in her voice.

Mr. Barnes rolled his eyes skyward. “Lil, this is not the time for you and Joanna to be at each other’s throats. She needs—”

His wife cut him off. “Our daughter needs some time. Clearly our asking questions is a problem for her right now. Simone, call us, please, if anything comes up we need to know about.” She gave her husband another look, then shifted her gaze toward Mingus. She looked the man up and down and his own stare narrowed as he gave her a look back. “And, please, tell our daughter we love her,” she added.

The moment was tense, and awkward. Mingus sensed Joanna’s parents were feeling completely out of sync and unable to be of any help to their only child. Since court, Joanna had been distant at best and neither could understand. Neither he nor Simone had any answers for them either.

“Yes, ma’am,” Simone said as she watched the family make their way to the front door. “I’ll call but I’m sure Joanna will ring you both later, too.”

Mr. Barnes gave her a nod of his head as he and his wife stomped out the door, the structure closing harshly behind them.

Mingus hesitated as Simone stood in the doorway, watching as the couple headed toward their car. When she finally closed and locked the door, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

Joanna’s home was filled with books. Shelves overflowed with tomes in every room.

As Mingus reached the open bedroom door, he noticed the music for the first time, the sound piped through the entire house. Joanna had turned up the volume in the space.

Joanna lay in the in fetal position across her bed, a plush pillow pulled beneath her head. Her eyes were wide open, her cheeks still damp with moisture. She lifted her head just enough to give him a look, seeming unfazed by his presence. She rolled to the other side of the bed and fell back into thought.

Mingus knocked against the door frame before he stepped over the threshold. He walked easily into the room and took a seat on the settee that rested at the foot of the bed. He sat listening to the music, some country crooner singing that his woman was better than heaven could ever be. His eyes skated around the room, noting more shelves lined with books. There was a mahogany dressing table decorated with assorted bottles of perfumes and nail polish. Her closet was overflowing with clothes on black-velvet hangers and shoes lined neatly in clear plastic containers. A framed photograph of a young Joanna posed primly between the parents he’d left standing in the kitchen with his sister decorated one wall. The shabby chic decor was an eclectic mix of soft florals and hand-painted furniture. It was a pretty room and Mingus sensed that much thought had gone into every aspect of it, and the rest of her home, to ensure it reflected her personality. Joanna suddenly spoke, pulling him from his thoughts.

“I’ve been trying to figure out why this is happening. Why did he pick me? I really need to talk to David Locklear,” she said, saying her accuser’s name aloud for the first time.

Mingus shook his head. “That’s not going to happen. Get the idea out of your head. They issued a restraining order against you. You can’t go anywhere near that kid and, if you do, they’ll revoke your bail so fast it’ll make your head spin. That is not a risk you want to take. Trust me.”

* * *

Joanna sat upright. Mingus was flipping through the pages of a signed, first-edition, leather-bound copy of Pablo Neruda’s Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. She was taken aback by the deep vibrato of his voice, the rich timbre like an aged cognac. It was the first time she’d heard him speak since their initial meeting.

He lifted his eyes to stare at her, the two locking gazes. He seemed taller, even though he was sitting, his six feet plus a few inches pulled upright. There was no denying the man was good looking with his chiseled features, delectable caramel complexion, haunting eyes and magnetic smile. But she didn’t care much about his good looks right then.

He dropped his gaze back to the book. She was slightly taken aback by his casual disposition, Mingus seeming unfazed by her situation. There’d been something final in his comment, almost as if he was executing an order and daring her to challenge him.

“So what am I supposed to do? How do I get the answers I need?”

“You trust me to do my job,” he answered matter-of-factly as he turned the page he’d been reading. “Despite what some people think, I’m really good at what I do.”

“Weren’t you with the police department once?” she asked, trying to remember what little Simone had told her about this brother.

Mingus nodded, meeting her stare for the second time. “I was.”

“What happened?”

“That, I wasn’t any good at.” The slightest smile pulled at his full lips. “I discovered I work better when I work for myself. I have issues with authority.” His eyes dropped back to the book, seeming genuinely interested in the poem he was focused on.

Before Joanna could respond, Simone poked her head into the room, eyeing her friend and then her brother. “Everything okay in here?”

Mingus shrugged his broad shoulders. He glanced at Joanna. “You good?”

Joanna nodded. “I’m fine. I just needed a moment to myself. My old people were just a bit too much for me to handle.”

“They’re just worried about you,” Simone said, trying to be comforting.

“My mother is doing what everyone is doing—trying to figure out what I did that caused all of this. She hasn’t once considered that maybe I didn’t do anything to provoke being attacked. Why is that?”

“Because you’re a woman,” Mingus answered. He rested the book back into the custom clamshell box where he’d found it. He continued. “Even if the situation were reversed and the teacher were male, there are those who’d be asking what the girl did to provoke his attention. More times than not boys and men are getting high fives for having scored while girls and women get labeled as community sluts.”

“Well, that’s not fair,” Simone said.

“Maybe not, but that’s how our society is.”

“It’s total bull,” Joanna snapped, the profanity surprising the other two.

Mingus chuckled, then he and his sister exchanged a look.

Simone moved into the room and crawled in beside her friend on the bed. “We’re going to figure it out, Joanna. Mingus will figure it out,” she said, leveling one last look on her brother as she added emphasis to his name.

Mingus moved onto his feet. “Are you staying here with Joanna tonight?” he asked, looking at his sister.

“I had planned on it,” Simone said, nodding.

“That’s not necessary...” Joanna started. “Really, I can—”

Interrupting, Mingus narrowed his gaze. “Someone needs to keep an eye on you. You’re already plotting how to get out of that ankle bracelet and over to that boy’s house to interrogate him. We can’t let you go out like that.”

He focused his eyes on her hands, her fingers twisting and turning the monitor around her ankle. When he looked back up, she could feel herself blushing profusely.

“I wasn’t...well, not really. I just...”

Mingus suddenly laughed, the sound of his voice bringing the first rays of comfort shed felt since rising that morning. The warmth of it vibrated through the space and bounced from one wall to the other. Joanna and Simone soon found themselves laughing with him, the mood in the room lifting ever so slightly.

Mingus winked at her. “If my sister wasn’t here, I’d show you how to get that off without getting caught. But since she is, it’ll have to wait until we’re by ourselves.”

Joanna smiled, the first warm bend to her lips since they’d met. “Promise?”

“I got you!” With one last wink, Mingus gave them both a wave. “Joanna, I’ll pick you up in the morning. Simone, I will catch you later. You two try to get some rest tonight.”

“Good night,” Joanna said. “And thank you.”

“Later, big brother!”

The two women paused, listening for the front door to open and then close after the man. When they heard him rev the engine of his car as he pulled out of her driveway and down the street, both released easy sighs.

“I like him,” Joanna said, shifting her gaze to look at her friend. “Your brother. He has a good spirit.”

“He’s pretty special. But I worry about him and I’m not sure why because, of all my brothers, I think he’s the most capable of taking care of himself.”

“That’s an interesting statement.”

Simone shrugged. “Mingus never goes with the flow, never follows the rules, never stresses over anything and he always comes out on top. Every time! There’s nothing he hasn’t attempted that he hasn’t excelled at. Even when he was a police officer. He was one of the best. But he doesn’t like authority. He hates being told what to do and I doubt there is anything he’s ever taken seriously.”

“Why do you think that is? Your whole family is so by-the-book about everything. Why do you think he deviates from the status quo?”

“Wish I had an answer. Mingus just is the way he is. His way works for him. We stopped trying to figure him out when he was twelve years old!”

Joanna smiled, seeming to reflect on the comment as she thought about the tall, dark and handsome stranger who was suddenly so important in her life. Even without saying it Mingus seemed to understand her desperation, wanting to help her fix what was broken. In just the few hours of knowing him she sensed he was a man who said more with his silence than most men articulated with words on a daily basis. Despite his mysterious, bad boy demeanor, there was something about her bestie’s brother that was sitting comfortably in her soul. Something that made her feel like everything would be fine as long as she had Mingus Black on her side.

She shifted her body off the bed. “I hope you didn’t put all the food away. I think I’m hungry.”

“Actually, I didn’t put any of it away. And we made enough for an army. You’ll be eating spaghetti for the next month.”

“Good,” Joanna said, her smile widening. “I like spaghetti!”

Simone grinned. “So does my brother. You should have told him to stay.”

Joanna grinned back. “I should have. Maybe next time I will.”

* * *

Mingus sipped three fingers of Conviction bourbon. It was a rich blend of corn and malted barley with a hint of sweetness that reminded him of vanilla fudge and chocolate-covered cherries. He sipped slowly, his mind lost in thoughts of the history teacher.

Papers were strewed across his living room coffee table. Copies of Joanna’s arrest warrant and complaint, her employment file with the city and miscellaneous information his brother had deemed important. He’d read the report taken by police, the initial charges leveled against the educator and accounts from the victim reading like a romance novel gone very wrong. How she’d begun to pay extra attention to her student, offering to tutor him after hours. Then tutoring transitioning to something more when the young man expressed his attraction to her. Innocent flirtation and playful banter becoming more personal and then physical. David Locklear believed himself in love, consumed by desire, until he wasn’t. He’d felt defenseless, alleging his favorite teacher had threatened to compromise him graduating if he tried to leave the relationship. A failing grade on a thesis paper had been the final straw leading to the boy telling his mother, who herded him down to the police station to give a statement.

When he was done reading everything for the umpteenth time, Mingus settled in his leather recliner, lifting his legs up and out in from of him. He closed his eyes, remembering the hurt that had furrowed Joanna’s brow, questions steeped in the hot tears that had rained down her warm brown cheeks. She’d been adamant about her innocence, never once wavering. She had made no effort to make excuses for the charges. She’d called David Locklear a liar and had been unapologetic about doing so. She hadn’t been at all concerned about the optics, insisting that the truth would prevail and redeem her. In her mind, if the kid was willing to tell such a blatant lie, then he would have to accept the consequences of his actions.

The prosecution had already offered them a deal, believing their case against her was a slam dunk. Believing a guilty plea and short prison sentence would alleviate the embarrassment of a trial. Thinking that Joanna wouldn’t want to put herself, or her alleged underage lover, through the trauma.

But something about the beautiful woman told Mingus she wouldn’t hesitate to get on the witness stand to tell the world her truth. In fact, he’d be willing to wager Joanna Barnes would have no issues trudging to hell and back to prove her innocence. She was ready to battle and something about her had him wanting to get into the fight and go to bat for her. If he’d had any doubts about her innocence, her own actions had dismissed them summarily. Mingus could only hope that the teenage boy was prepared for the war that was coming.

He refilled his glass from the bottle on the end table by his elbow and took another slow sip. He knew sleep wouldn’t couldn’t come any time soon. He needed to put a plan together, to figure out his next steps. But for reasons he couldn’t begin to explain, he couldn’t stop wondering what the exquisite history teacher might feel like in his arms.

* * *

“Classroom to the courtroom! A teacher is facing sex abuse charges involving one of her teenage students. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us this morning at seven. I’m Mark Miller and this is ABC7 Chicago.”

The anchor sat in the news studio, his expression smug as he shuffled a stack of papers on the desk and gazed into the camera. Joanna saw her mug shot suddenly appeared in high definition across the television screen as the newscaster continued.

“The teacher in trouble is twenty-nine-year-old Joanna Barnes, accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a seventeen-year-old male student. That teacher is the third, and the only woman, from the local high schools to be charged with a sex crime in the last eight months. The ABC7 team’s Leanne Garner is reporting from Riptide High School.”

There was a shot of the high school as the students entered the building, the newscaster standing on the sidewalk. Leanne was young, wearing a vibrant blue dress that flattered her petite frame. She spoke with an air of confidence, like she’d scored the story of the year. “Mark, news of the teacher’s arrest has spread pretty fast and caused jaws to drop. The parents and students we talked to were shocked by the allegations.”

The camera flashed on someone’s father and a student Joanna didn’t know.

“She seemed so nice,” said one.

“I’m in shock!” said the other.

The newscaster continued. “As the allegations involved a minor, school officials here at Riptide High contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and Chicago police. Per a statement issued by Christopher Munn, Chicago Public Schools superintendent, the teacher in question has been removed and termination is pending.

“We wanted to know what the district is doing to ensure students are safe. The superintendent stressed the primary concern is always the protection of students, adding the district is taking the necessary steps to ensure the security of every child.”

Leanne concluded, “This case is still very early in the legal process, but according to the Chicago police and the arrest report, Ms. Barnes has denied the charges. Efforts to reach her for a statement have been unsuccessful.”

Joanna depressed the off button on her television remote, the room spiraling into silence. Rising from the bed, she moved to stand in front of the full-length mirror, staring at her reflection. She no longer recognized the woman looking back at her. Just twenty-four hours earlier she’d been contemplating a cruise to Cuba for the summer break or perhaps traveling to Italy instead for a holiday fling with a handsome stranger. Just one day ago she didn’t have a care in the world, her biggest concern being whether to repaint the master bathroom finch yellow or the dull beige her mother wanted.

Today the reflection staring back at her wasn’t sure if her holiday vacation would include a stint in a maximum security prison with her name on the state’s sex offenders registry, or worse, the unemployment line, her teaching license forever terminated.

The bathroom was never going to be finished and life felt everything but carefree. What she did know for certain was that, for her, the school year was done and finished, and she might never be able to step foot into another classroom. Just the thought made her want to start crying again.

Joanna hung her head, her shoulders rolling forward as she felt as if she was suddenly struggling with the weight of the world. She’d risen early, having barely slept. She had tossed and turned for hours, despite her best efforts to rest. Having always been in full control of her life, she was suddenly out of control, someone else pulling her strings and intent on ruining her.

She took a deep breath. She was angry, frustration fueling rising rage. Mingus had been right. Had she been able to get to David Locklear, she would have probably been in handcuffs for murder because she really wanted to strangle the boy.

David Locklear had been a promising student, though slightly lazy and often distracted. He’d been raised by a single mother, his father having disappeared before his birth. His mother had been a stern disciplinarian and, for all intents and purposes, he’d been raised well. But he could be troublesome, using his teenage antics to impress his peers, no matter the consequences.

The attention Joanna had given the kid hadn’t been any more or any less than she’d given any of her other students. She had offered to tutor him when he was struggling. Had disciplined him when necessary. Had often reached out to his mother to keep her abreast of his progress and she’d advocated for him when others had been ready to write him off. He’d excelled, his grades better than average, and Joanna had been ecstatic for him when he’d been accepted to college. His accusations made no sense and she had no clue what had motivated his lies or what proof had been given to justify her being charged.

The smell of fresh coffee suddenly assaulted her senses and she realized she desperately needed a cup, maybe even two, if she had any hope of getting through the day. Pots and pans were rattling in her kitchen and she whispered a silent prayer of gratitude for Simone. The two women had talked for hours. Simone had made her laugh and had let her cry. There had been no judgment and the woman’s calming presence had been exactly what she’d needed to keep from losing her mind. Shortly after midnight Simone had retired to the guest bedroom and Joanna had been grateful to have someone else there with her in her home.

Joanna moved toward the door, swinging it open eagerly. She headed down the short length of hall to the kitchen. Her eyes widened in surprise when she found Simone’s brother Mingus standing room center, a foam container of eggs in one hand and a stick of butter in the other.

He gave her a nod of his head as her gaze met his. “Good morning.”

“Hey! Good morning! I was expecting to find Simone in here making all that noise.”

“She had to leave. She has a trial starting today and needed to get to her office to prepare. She said to tell you that she will call and check on you later.” He turned to the stove, resting the eggs beside a glass bowl on the counter. He threw a glance over his shoulder, deliberately eyeing her from head to toe. A slight smirk crossed his face, something carnal seeping from his eyes.

The moment was intensely awkward as Joanna suddenly realized she was standing there in sheer panties and a tank top, her bathrobe forgotten in the bedroom. The attire hid very little, all her goodies on full display. She cussed as she spun on her heels and hurried back in the other direction. Behind her, she could hear Mingus chuckling softly.

* * *

Minutes later Mingus could hear her in the other room, still muttering under her breath. Her reaction had been priceless and he was amused. Despite his best efforts he couldn’t stop thinking about the visual she’d blessed him with. The form-fitting garment she’d been wearing had flattered the round of her buttocks and the hint of cleavage between her pert breasts. Her skin was a rich, warm, gingerbread brown and with the length of black hair that hung past her shoulders, she’d been quite the sight to behold. But it had been her bright smile pulled from ear to ear that had him still grinning. He liked seeing her happy.

He had cracked the eggs into the glass bowl and seasoned them with salt and pepper. A second trip to her fridge produced cheese and an assortment of vegetables to complete the morning meal. He was sliding omelets onto two plates when she returned. This time she was wearing denim jeans and a white-and-blue button-up shirt. Her hair had been pulled into a ponytail that hung down her back. She was still just as stunning. He ignored the rising sensation quivering for attention in his southern quadrant, instead reaching for the coffeepot to fill two cups with brew.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

“I usually don’t eat breakfast, but it smells really good.”

“It’s the most important meal of the day. I always eat breakfast in case I don’t get to eat for the rest of the day.”

Joanna moved to take a seat at the table as Mingus pointed to her plate. “Does that happen often? That you don’t get to eat?”

“Sometimes.”

Mingus suddenly reached across the table, motioning for her hands. For a brief moment the gesture caught her off guard. She eyed him questioningly, her brows raised. He waved his fingers a second time until she extended her arms toward his. He clasped her hands beneath his own and lowered his head.

“Father God, thank You for the food we are about to receive for the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.”

Joanna was still eyeing him curiously as he let her go and leaned back in his seat. He reached for his fork and began to eat. She reached for hers, poking at the two-egg omelet filled with cheese, spinach, onion and tomato. She rested her fork against the plate and reached for her coffee cup. After splashing it with hazelnut-flavored creamer, she took a sip, her eyes closing as she savored the rich flavor.

“Coffee’s really not good for you,” Mingus said as he took a sip of his own brew.

Joanna smiled. “So, breakfast is good and coffee isn’t?”

“That’s what they say.”

“So why are you drinking it?”

“I never pay much attention to what they say. I do what I want, when I want.”

Joanna took another sip. “Works for me,” she said, tossing him a look of complicity.

Mingus resisted the urge to smile, his game face sliding into place. He swallowed a forkful of eggs, the melted cheese and vegetables bursting with flavor in his mouth. For a moment they both sat savoring the meal, neither saying anything until Joanna spoke.

“So, what’s on the agenda today?”

“I’m going to take you to Ellington’s office, so we can figure out his next steps. After that, you’ll come back here.”

“I need to get my personal belongings from my classroom and I need to pick up my car.”

“You can’t do that. I’ll get your things for you. If you go within ten feet of the school, it will violate your bond.”

She suddenly thought about the news segment, her face plastered across the television screen. People thinking she was a criminal when that was farthest from the truth. “I was on the news this morning. They called me a predator. A child molester. And they posted my picture. Suddenly, I’m guilty before I’ve even had the chance to prove my innocence.”

There was the faintest hint of sympathy in Mingus’s tone as he answered. “I know.”

Joanna sighed softly, took up her fork and began to eat. She suddenly paused, the utensil stopped in midair. “You said we’re going to figure out your brother’s next steps. What are you going to do? And what am I supposed to be doing?”

Mingus narrowed his gaze, amusement sweeping across his face. “You are going to sit tight and say out of trouble. And you’re not going to worry about what I do.”

Her gaze skated across his face, trying to read the emotion staring back at her. She finally shook her head, rising from the table as she grabbed his plate and hers. “Well, I can tell you now that’s not going to happen, so try again, Mingus Black. I need answers and I don’t plan to leave your side until I get them.” She tossed him one last look as she turned, moving to drop the plates into the kitchen sink.

Mingus watched as she rinsed the dirty dishes and moved them into the dishwasher. Her pronouncement came with much attitude in her tone and her body language showed she didn’t care whether he agreed or not. Her expression was stoic, her emotions tightly contained. She was learning not to show her hand and he was impressed. He appreciated her determination, even though he sensed she was going to be a royal pain in his ass.

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