Deborah Fletcher Mello - Tempted By The Badge

“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.”