AlTonya Washington - Provocative Passion

How would he react when she told him of the promotion? she wondered. When? Sophia slowed her steps. Was she so certain they’d see each other again? Was it even wise to move ahead there? Sophia rolled her eyes, issuing a quiet order to herself to shut up. Wise or not, she missed the man’s touch far too much to deny herself the possibility of enjoying it again.

Sophia gave a quick, decisive toss of her head and moved to unlock the front door. It opened before she could touch it, and Sophia smiled at the unexpected guest who stood on the other side.

Laureen Bradford was obviously caught up in her own thoughts if her jumping at the sound of Sophia’s greeting was any clue.

“Oh!” Laureen gushed. “Sophia, honey, what a nice surprise.”

Sophia bought Laureen Bradford’s surprise; though there was more emotion mixed in than she could pinpoint. It was just as well since Veronica Hail was emerging at the door.

“Sophie, oh, baby, thank God.”

The greeting was a far cry from the one Sophia had expected from her mother.

“Laur, what do you say we run this by Sophia?” Veronica smoothed a hand along the sleeve of the woman’s burgundy floral-print blouse. “If there’s a way, she’ll know.”

Laureen sniffled. Closing her eyes, she bowed her head, which sent a few tufts of her feathered hair into her round, milk-chocolate face. She nodded. “I’ll get the papers from the car. Thank you, Sophie,” she whispered while hurrying past.

“What happened?” Sophia asked her mother as she watched Laureen move down the long brick driveway.

“Her boy Kenny got himself arrested for stealing a car.” Veronica sighed, smoothing five fingers along the tapered edges of her short hair, which accentuated a lovely oval face.

“Arrested?” Sophia cast a reflexive look across her shoulder. “Isn’t he on his way to college?”

“Not if he’s convicted over this.”

Veronica Hail and Laureen Bradford had been friends for years. Laureen’s small yet successful soul food restaurant was a yearly participant at the Reed House dinners. The women had launched a friendship while Laureen was preparing to showcase her cuisine during the first Reed House event.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” Veronica seemed to remember herself and pulled her daughter into a hug. “This is such a good surprise.” She applied a few brisk rubs to Sophia’s back. “It’s chilly out here. Let’s get inside.”

I guess it can wait another day. Sophia decided against sharing her news. She acknowledged that she was being a wimp, but being on the receiving end of parental ridicule was never fun. She was preparing to follow her mother inside when her mobile vibrated. Tigo.

Sophia let the phone shake twice more so as not to appear too eager for the call. Who the hell was she kidding with this stuff?

“Hey, Tig.” She congratulated herself on the coolly delivered greeting.

“I was wondering whether high-powered detectives ever took coffee breaks?”

Stop being a wimp, Sophie, she urged herself silently. “I’m, uh...actually no longer a high-powered detective.”

The silence that followed was lengthy and meaningful.

“You didn’t quit.” His hushed tone was shrouded in disbelief.

Sophia couldn’t tell whether he sounded more hopeful or stunned. “No. They...they actually offered me the chief of detectives post.”

Laughter sounded without hesitation. “That’s great!”

Sophia thought he actually sounded happy.

“To hell with a coffee break—this deserves a real celebration.”

Sophia pressed the phone into the front of her blouse and moved aside to hold the door for Laureen Bradford, who was returning with folders in the crook of one arm.

“Miss Laur, would you tell Mama I’m on my way?” Sophia asked, smiling when the woman nodded. She put the phone back to her ear.

“I really don’t want to make a big deal of it.”

Santigo snorted out a laugh. “Precisely why you’re not in charge of it. What time are you done at the station?”

“Well, I’m not sure—”

“Call me when you are. Go home, get dressed and I’ll be over to get you maybe around seven?”

“Seven sounds good.”

“Sounds good to me, too.”

The connection was severed before Sophia could speak another word. No matter, she could hear her mother calling out to her.

* * *

“And neither of them had prior offenses?” Sophia inquired as she scanned one of the folders Laureen had brought in from her car. The women sat in Veronica Hail’s sunroom; it had been made golden that day by the lamps required due to the overcast skies.

“No.” Laureen Bradford sniffled against the tissue she’d been using to dab at her nose. “No, no, they’re both good boys.”

“Oswald Stowe.” Sophia read the judge’s signature on one of the papers.

Laureen nodded as she sniffled again. “The public defenders told us he was pretty easygoing and that everything should work out since the boys were first offenders. They said it should never have come to this.”

“Making a statement for his public image maybe....” Sophia guessed. She didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud until she heard Laureen Bradford gasp.

“Oh, Miss Laur, I’m sorry.” Sophia eased an apologetic look toward her mother. Scooting to the edge of the rose-colored armchair she occupied, she reached over to pat the woman’s knee. “I’ll look into it and see what I can do,” she promised.

Laureen blinked, and her teary eyes began to sparkle with hope. “Thank you, baby.”

Sophia nodded again and then left her mother to console her friend.

“Baby girl!”

Sophia heard the familiar call within minutes of leaving the sunroom. Her father was on his way down the corridor toward her.

“How is it in there?” Gerald Hail asked, cocking his head toward the sunroom door.

Sophia cast a forlorn look toward the door, as well. “I don’t know what I can do, but I’m gonna try to help.”

Gerald nodded. “They’ll appreciate it. Your mother’s very worried.”

“I’m sorry I bothered you guys today.”

Squeezing his daughter’s upper arms, Gerald stood back on his long legs and regarded Sophia with a curious stare. “What’s up?” he probed.

“Daddy—”

“What?”

Sophia shifted her weight. “It’s probably not the best time to get into it now.”

“Now you have to tell me.” Gerald folded his arms over his broad chest, causing the jacket of his nylon warm-up suit to rustle. “You know I won’t let up till you tell me.”

Sophia bowed her head, inhaling her breath and courage. “They offered me the job as chief of detectives.”

Gerald let out a “Whoop!” that had his daughter jumping. Moments later, he’d pulled Sophia into a crushing hug and swung her in a semicircle.

“Are you serious?” Sophia couldn’t have hidden her disbelief had she tried.

“Are you?” Gerald countered, pushing back a mahogany curl that clung to Sophia’s cheek. “Do you know how much that job of yours worries us? Now we can rest easier.”

Sophia’s smile was curious. “What are you saying, Dad?”

“Well, hell, as chief you can put your lil’ butt behind a desk instead of out there in the street.”

“Daddy...” Sophia grimaced at her father’s declaration. “I’m still a cop, you know?”

“Sure you are.” Gerald gave Sophia’s chin a playful bump with his fist. “And now you’re a cop who doesn’t have to put her life on the line every day.”

Sophia’s phone picked that moment to vibrate. Gerald squeezed his daughter’s wrist when he saw the mobile’s faceplate glow.

“You get that and we’ll talk later.” Gerald kissed her forehead and then continued his trek down the long hall.