“Our next mayor-elect,” Vaughan teased.
“No time soon,” Davis stated emphatically, clearly not agreeing with his siblings on his political endeavors.
“And, these are my brothers Ellington and Parker,” Armstrong said as he pointed out one and then the other, concluding the formal introductions.
Ellington greeted her warmly. “We’re glad you were able to join us, Danielle.”
“Please, call me Danni.” Her eyes danced around the room, excited to take everything in. They were truly a beautiful family, she thought, noting the resemblance between them. They were each tall, his sisters slim and long-legged like their mother. Complexions were warm, in varying shades of light brown, their biracial melding a thing of pure beauty. Their facial features were chiseled—sculpted cheekbones, picture-perfect noses, luscious lips and strong jawlines. Like Armstrong, his brothers had solid builds, broad chests, limbs solid as tree trunks and the same magnificent smiles that were instantly welcoming.
From where he stood on the other side of the room, Parker only nodded, gesturing with a slight salute. Danni smiled in response, suddenly self-conscious about his wariness.
Armstrong seemed to sense the shift in her mood as he moved to stand beside her. “Don’t pay him any attention,” he said as he dropped into the seat beside her. “He’s always been the overly cautious kid in the family.”
“He knows employee fraternization is strictly prohibited by the city,” Simone interjected. “And you, dear brother, are always fraternizing with someone who could get us all sued.”
The color drained from Danni’s face. “It’s not... I... We...” She was suddenly stammering, feeling like she couldn’t form a coherent sentence.
Judith cleared her throat. “That will be enough. Simone, you need to leave your brothers alone, please.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Simone said, a slight pout pulling at her lush lips.
“You never do anything,” Vaughan said, “but you’re always doing way too much!”
Simone snarled, her eyes rolling skyward.
“You all need to stop,” Armstrong said casually. “You’re scaring my partner.”
Parker shook his head. “Forgive us, Danni. And I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”
“I understand,” Danni said. “But really, Armstrong and I are not friends like that. We would never cross the line of our professional relationship.”
“Armstrong will pull his toes right up to that line, though. We do know that,” Vaughan added. “You’ll have to keep your eyes on him.”
“Okay, that’s enough of that,” Jerome snapped. “You all play too much. Armstrong knows what’s at stake. I trust that he will not embarrass my family name. The rest of you should. Now, no more business. We will have one afternoon without discussing the politics of this city. Is that understood?”
There was a collective stare that swept around the room, all of the siblings nodding but not saying anything as they looked from one to the other.
Judith suddenly laughed, her deep chuckle moving Danni to smile. “My family can be too damn serious, Danni! Pay them no never mind. So, how are you liking Chicago?” she asked.
“If it wasn’t so cold I’d probably like it more! I’m from Georgia, and it was eighty-four degrees when I left.”
“I’m moving to Atlanta,” Vaughan said. “I hate the cold, and don’t talk about snow!”
Danni smiled. “I’ve actually never seen snow. Not real snow.”
“Hasn’t it snowed in Atlanta before?” Simone said.
“It has,” Danni answered, “but every time it did I’ve been on vacation or out of town.”
“You’re kidding us, right?” Simone said, shifting forward in her seat.
Danni shook her head. “Never. That would actually be the icing on some very sweet cake if I solved this case and it snowed before I have to head back home.”
* * *
Laughter rang warmly in the room as they all began to pepper Danni with questions, curious to know more about her and her life in Atlanta. Armstrong sat back in his seat and took it all in. He could tell that his sisters liked her, despite their best efforts not to, and his mother found her equally intriguing. When the women discovered she was also a sorority sister, having pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha at Howard University, the unspoken bond was completely solidified. Before he knew it they were exchanging telephone numbers and making plans to go shopping together.
Hours later the family had eaten and eaten well. Judith had laid out a spread of seasoned beef roast and gravy, freshly baked popovers, steamed broccoli, sautéed carrots and pickled mushrooms. For dessert she’d served her famous pineapple upside-down cake. Laughter and conversation had been abundant, and Danni fell into the flow as if she’d been a part of the mesh since forever. After the meal the men had been relegated back to the family room and the big-screen television to watch the Dallas Cowboys play Minnesota. Danni had gone upstairs with his sisters, the women talking about whatever it was women talked about.
Judith pulled her son aside, demanding his presence in the kitchen to help her dry the dishes and prep a pot of hot coffee. Armstrong followed reluctantly, sensing a potential lecture coming that he was not in the mood for.
“Danni is very sweet,” his mother said as she passed him a dry dish towel.
He nodded. “She is.”
“So, what are your intentions with this young lady? Clearly, there is something going on between the two of you.”
“We’re just partners. Everyone is reading more into our relationship than there is. Last night we both just needed a break from the work. There was nothing to it.”
His mother tilted her head slightly. “The fact that you’re being so defensive might be concerning if I didn’t know you as well as I do. You have always denied, denied, denied, until you had no other option but to face the truth.”
Armstrong paused. “I wasn’t being defensive and I wasn’t denying anything.”
“Yes. You were,” she said matter-of-factly. “You like that young lady. There’s nothing wrong with that. You like her more than you want to admit. And that’s fine, too. But lying to yourself doesn’t mean the rest of us will lie with you.”
Armstrong took a moment to ponder his mother’s comments. Women had never been a problem for him. They fell into his path like leaves from a tree in the fall. A dazzling array of beauty enjoyed for a brief period of time. Most had wanted more from him than he’d been willing to give. A few had understood that he had no expectations that a few nights of pure, unadulterated pleasure could not fulfill. He had not been ready to settle down, dedicated to his career first and nothing else second. He hadn’t met any woman who’d motivated him to live his life differently. Most of the women in his past had understood that from the beginning. Yet, there had been a select few of Chicago’s most eligible bachelorettes, for whom his family had had high hopes. Women who had barely been a blip on his radar. Keeping his feelings to himself had made things easier all around. Now there was Danni and he wasn’t ready or willing to acknowledge what he was feeling.
“We’re just partners,” he repeated, not sure that there was anything else he could say.
Judith laughed. “You keep telling yourself that, son, and let’s revisit this conversation in a few months.”
“She’ll be gone in a few months.”
“Maybe she will. But if I were a gambling woman, I’d put my money on Ms. Winstead spending many, many more family dinners with us.”
Chapter 9
Danni was already at work when Armstrong arrived. She was obviously eager to get started, and her enthusiasm shone all over her face. She was dressed down, jeans and a T-shirt that looked like she’d slept in her clothes, but her hair was pulled into a ponytail and her face had that freshly washed glow.
As he entered the conference room, she sho
t him a quick look as she stood rearranging the images taped to the whiteboard. He watched as she strung a line between the photos, connecting dots he didn’t quite understand.
“Good morning! What’s going on here?” he asked as he moved to her side to stare where she stared.
She gave him a warm smile, the light dancing in her eyes speaking volumes. They hadn’t spoken since leaving his parents’ home the night before, neither acknowledging anything that had been teased or insinuated about the two of them. The ride back to the hotel had been quiet. And comfortable. Each had fallen into their own thoughts. When they’d parted, wishing each other a good night, there had been a look between them that hinted of longing and concern and maybe even a little worry that everything between them had changed.
He had lost hours of sleep, tossing and turning as he thought about her and all that had happened. But mostly he thought about what needed to be accomplished and what would be required from them to make that happen. They now transitioned back to their professional relationship seamlessly.
“I’ve been going over this in my head, and I think I need to approach it differently. Obviously, we know who some of the players are—Pius, Ginger and that crew. Possibly the grandfather. But they haven’t let me in on their business operations to know for sure, and they haven’t exposed their hand. We know Josef Havel and his attorney are connected to Pius, but clearly he doesn’t do business at the coffee shop, so I need to get a foot in the door of where they actually do business.”
“And you have a plan for how to do that?”
She nodded. “A girl’s hard up for money. The backstory is going to be that my cousin has abandoned me and I need cash and somewhere to stay and I need it fast.”
There was a lengthy moment of hesitation as he considered her suggestion. “That means you’re going to have to go deep cover. I don’t know if I can keep you safe if something happens.”
“I can keep myself safe, Detective.”
“I’m sure you think you can, but you might be asked to do some things you aren’t going to be able to avoid.”
“I know how to play this, Armstrong,” she said, the lilt of his name rolling off her tongue. “It’s like I’ve said before, I really just need you to trust me.”
Their gazes locked, deep stares dancing so tightly that it took him by surprise. Armstrong dropped his eyes first, drawing a deep breath to still the quiver of heat that suddenly pulsed through each of his muscles. He drew his index finger around the collar of his shirt, loosening the silk necktie he wore. Despite wanting to rail against her suggestion, he furrowed his brow in resignation. He nodded. “You need to check in with me daily. I want regular updates.”
Danni grinned. “I’ve already been upstairs. Those geek guys cloned my phone. You’ll be able to track my whereabouts and see all the calls and messages I make. And I won’t take off my wire,” she said, gently fingering the jeweled cross that hung around her neck.
Armstrong took a deep breath. “If you don’t make any headway by the end of the week, I’m pulling you out,” he added.
“I may need two weeks,” she countered.
“You’re really pushing it,” he answered. He suddenly reached out his hand and drew his index finger along the line of her profile. “Keep yourself safe, please.”
Danni smiled sweetly, not needing to answer.
* * *
The usual crowd filled the small coffee shop, the list of regulars never seeming to change. Pie and Ginger sat in their regular spot in the far corner, only one bodyguard tagging along this time. Carlo was behind the counter, focused on whittling down the line of lunch customers. When Danni entered, she swept the room with her eyes, then eased herself to a table not far from where the trio sat in the back. She sat with her hands pushed deep into the pockets of her oversize jacket, her shoulders hunched forward. She lacked her usual exuberance, making herself look distraught and out of place. As she fidgeted in her seat, Ginger saw her first, taking notice a split second before Carlo. They both moved to her side at the same time. Ginger dropped into the seat beside her as Carlo stood protectively over them both.
“What’s wrong?” Ginger asked, genuine concern ringing in her tone.
“Are you okay, Danni?” Carlo questioned as he pressed a warm hand to her shoulder.
Danni shook her head from side to side, tears falling from her eyes. “My cousin took off with her boyfriend. She hadn’t paid the rent, and they padlocked the door. I don’t have anywhere to stay, and I don’t have any money.”
“Call your parents,” Carlo suggested. “They’ll come get you, I’m sure.”
She shook her head. “My parents are dead. I sort of lied. I don’t have anyone except Juicy, and she got all in her feelings because her boyfriend kept staring at my ass.”
“You do have a nice ass,” Carlo said teasingly, a warped effort to make her smile.
Ginger rolled her eyes. “I hate men,” she said. “All of you are pigs!”
“Some of us more than others,” Carlo quipped. “But I like to think I’m one of the good guys.”
“It’s a good thing you don’t get paid to think,” Ginger muttered under her breath.
“I’m glad you’re feeling very confident this afternoon,” Carlo said, his eyes narrowing as he and Ginger exchanged a look.
The woman turned her attention back to Danni. “It’s all good. You can crash with me over at Pie’s house until you can figure out what you need to do.”
“I need to find a job,” Danni said, still sobbing softly.
“We can make that happen, too,” Ginger responded.
Carlo cleared his throat and squeezed her shoulder gently. “I always have tables that need busing and dishes that have to be washed.”
Danni swiped the moisture from her eyes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a rumpled dollar bill and a handful of change. “It’s all I have,” she said, “but I’ll help wash dishes if I can get a cup of coffee and a sandwich.”
“Put your change away. Your money’s no good here.”
“Thank you,” Danni said, giving him a slight smile. “You’ve been so nice to me. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to pay you back.”
He winked his eye at her. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now let me go get you something to eat.” He suddenly leaned to kiss the top of her head, the gesture surprising her and Ginger, wonder registering across the other woman’s face.
After Carlo had disappeared behind the counter, Ginger leaned in toward her. “Don’t trust him. He’s not your friend,” she whispered softly.
Danni frowned. “I don’t understand. He’s been so nice.”
The young woman shrugged. “Yeah, they’re all nice. But I haven’t met a man yet who hasn’t had his own agenda. Especially him.”
Danni turned to stare, Carlo’s gaze meeting hers as he smiled, the depths of his expression gleaming from his eyes. Ginger’s assessment of all men was one she’d heard many times before. Knowing what she knew, though, she wished she could tell the girl that there were indeed good men in the world and not all of them were as mean-spirited and as abusive as Pie. She suddenly found herself thinking about Armstrong, her eyes misting slightly.
“Just be careful, that’s all I’m saying,” Ginger concluded.
“What does Danni need to be careful about?” Carlo asked as he returned with two cups of coffee and a chicken salad sandwich on freshly baked bread. He rested the tray on the table as he focused a curious stare on Ginger.
“I was just giving her some friendly advice about these streets,” Ginger said, her voice dropping an octave. “I don’t want her hooking up with any creeps.”
“Well, we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said. “She can stay with me.”
Danni shook her head. “I can’t do that. Really. I...” She paused, blowing a gust of air out of
her mouth.
Carlo gestured toward Ginger. “Would you excuse us for a minute, Ginny? I’d like to talk to Danni alone, please.”
Ginger gave her one last look before moving onto her feet and easing back to Pie’s side. Danni watched as the two were suddenly huddled in conversation, Ginger and Pie both shooting quick glances in her direction. Carlo dropped into the seat Ginger had vacated, dropping a large hand against her forearm.
“So, let’s be honest with each other for a moment.”
“Okay.”
“Just how old are you, Danni?”
Danni took a breath, her eyes skating across the man’s face.
He commented again. “Don’t think about it. Just answer. You say you’re eighteen, but we know that’s not true. So how old are you really?”
“I just turned seventeen,” she said.
He nodded. “And your cousin? Was she real? If I were to ask one of my police officer customers to track her down, would they find her?”
Danni nodded, tears again rising in her eyes. “I ran away from my foster home. Juicy is the only family I have left, but she wasn’t happy about my showing up on her doorstep. She let me stay, but then she started complaining that I needed to help with the bills and paying my way. Last month she hooked up with this guy who kept grabbing at me when she wasn’t looking. She would let him stay, and it was bad! It just got worse when I told her.” Danni blew a soft sigh, dropping her eyes to the floor as if she were recalling a bad memory. She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and continued. “I’m sorry I lied before, but I didn’t know if you would call the cops on me or try to send me back to the foster system.”
Carlo nodded. “I need to trust you, Danni, and I get that you didn’t know me before. I also get not wanting to get caught back up into the system. But I hope you know that I’m your friend and I’m going to make sure you’re okay.”
Danni nodded and tried to force a smile onto her face. “I appreciate your offering to give me somewhere to stay, but I don’t think that would be a good idea. Your girlfriend might get the wrong idea about us.”
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