He stared but said nothing.
She continued. “There was a piece of paper in his hand and then it was gone.” She met his stare. “What was it, Mingus? What did it say?”
Mingus took a deep breath. He pulled open the desk drawer, extracting the paper in question, and he passed it to her.
Joanna’s hand shook as she took it, the wide-ruled composition paper stained with dirt and blood. The note had been written in red ink, the block printing almost childlike. The short letter was addressed to her and signed by David. There were only two lines: I am very sorry. I really am.
“He was at my house to apologize?”
Mingus shrugged. “We really don’t know.”
“But the note...”
“The note says he’s sorry and nothing more.”
“So why did you take it? Why didn’t you tell the police about it?”
“Because no one needs to try to guess what the kid’s intent was. What was he apologizing for? Was he sorry he told? Was he sorry he ended your relationship? Or was he sorry he lied? Yesterday, you could have publicly denounced him, and he was there to justify and defend his own actions. Today, because he died on your front doorstep, people are once again looking at you sideways, wondering what you had to do with his death. That letter does nothing but fuel the negative messaging, so no one else needed to see it. I took it to protect you.”
Joanna had no response. She knew Mingus was right. Now she was ready for it all to be over. She folded the note in two and passed it back to him. She watched as he held it over a metal trash can, lighting it with a match. Holding it by the edge, he let it burn until there was almost nothing left, then he dropped the remnants of ash into the trash container.
“Do you want breakfast?” she asked, the conversation done and finished. There was nothing left to discuss, she thought, trusting that Mingus knew best and would do everything in his power to protect her. He loved her and she loved him and that was enough.
He shook his head. “I have someplace I need to be.”
* * *
From the time David Locklear left the district attorney’s office and arrived at Joanna’s front door, he had spoken to three people. Marion Talley had been the first. The surveillance video showed him meeting the teacher in the school parking lot. It also showed she hadn’t been happy. The tongue-lashing she’d blessed him with looked brutal. David had been dismissive, blowing her off as he’d pulled his car from the parking lot back into traffic.
From there he’d returned to his mother’s home. Loud voices had been heard coming from inside the small apartment. The disagreement had spilled out into the front yard of the family’s apartment building. By then the local news station had picked up the story of Joanna’s innocence and his admission that he had lied. His visit with his mother had lasted exactly twenty-three minutes. He’d left the family home with a packed duffel bag and his beloved car.
The last person David Locklear spoke with was Frank Sumpter. It had been another contentious meeting with lots of hand-waving, raised voices and bullish behavior. David had walked away from that meeting with only his duffel bag. He had taken Chicago’s transit authority and had walked two blocks to Joanna’s home to drop off an apology letter.
Two Vice officers stood in the lobby of the Tower Group. Neither blinked when Mingus walked past and headed to the fifth floor of the company’s corporate offices. Armstrong was standing at the door when he arrived. The two slapped palms in greeting.
“How’s your girl holding up?”
Mingus shrugged. “It’s been a rough week.” For a split second he wished he’d taken her up on that offer for breakfast.
“Just keep holding her down. It’ll get better.”
“I’m not used to worrying about someone else 24/7. How do you do it?”
Armstrong grinned. “She would tell you that you don’t need to worry about her all the time, I’m sure. She’s a strong woman, like my Danni. She’s also going to do whatever she wants and all you can do is hold her down and be there when she wants you.”
“I guess...”
“Look, the hard part’s over, bro. She passed the sister test! They like her. Think what it would be like if they didn’t!”
Mingus laughed and then he changed the subject. “When I called you, I wasn’t expecting to find you here. What do you have going on? I thought the IRS audit was the only thing in play around here today.”
“They’re here, too! We’re following up on a tip your stripper friend gave our Vice team. They’ve been hit with a few warrants today. Frank Sumpter has a lot of explaining to do. That is, if we can find him. He didn’t show up this morning.”
“Are you going to be able to make it stick?”
Armstrong grinned. He pointed toward the door and the parade of officers marching out with a boatload of boxes. “The paper trail always helps! We’ve got him for embezzling, a Ponzi scheme, trafficking...the list is long and not at all distinguished. Your intel helped. It was solid information.”
“Glad I could be of service.”
“So, what’s up? Why are you here?”
“I was hoping to find Sumpter here. I need to ask him a few questions.”
“About Joanna?”
“About his relationship to David Locklear.”
“You think he’s connected to the Locklear murder?”
“I know he is,” Mingus said emphatically.
Armstrong nodded. “There’s an active warrant for his arrest. Keep your ear on the scanner. I’ll give you a heads-up if we find him before you do.”
“I’ve got one more place to check. But if things go south, I may need backup.”
“Just call. You know how to find me.”
* * *
After slipping into a simple black dress and gold-toned flats, Joanna looked up the directions to the Locklear family home online. She hadn’t been totally comfortable with the idea of just showing up to pay her respects to the young man’s mother and family. She had talked herself out of it twice, but she refused to allow herself a third time to change her mind. Because she felt earnest about paying her respects, letting David’s mother know how deeply she regretted his passing, how she hoped the family would eventually find peace and understanding.
She took a series of deep breaths to stall the rise of nerves then exited the vehicle. The family lived on the fourth floor of the brick apartments. As she waited for the elevator, she found herself rethinking her decision once again, but she pushed through, knocking on the door just as Mrs. Locklear was pulling it open to head to her second job at the hospital.
“What are you doing here?” Disdain for Joanna painted her expression.
“I wanted to pay my respects. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Tears suddenly misted the woman’s eyes but she refused to cry. “Thank you.”
Joanna pulled a condolence card from her purse. “This is just a little something to help.”
“Why are you being so nice? After what my son did. My son lied about you. He lied to everybody about you and you’re being so nice.”
“David made a mistake. I remember making a few when I was his age, too. I appreciate that he tried to fix it.”
Mrs. Locklear glanced down to her wristwatch. “I need to go. Or I’m going to be late for work.” She closed her apartment door and locked it.
“You’re going to work? Today?”
“My bills still got to be paid. Me sitting around crying isn’t going to help that happen.”
“Can I give you a ride?”
“No. You just need to leave and don’t come back.”
“I really do want to help,” Joanna insisted.
“I don’t need your help,” she said as she turned toward the elevators.
Joanna hurried after the woman. “May I ask you one question, please? And then I promise
to leave you alone. Do you know why David did what he did? Why he told such a horrific lie about me?”
The boy’s mother inhaled swiftly, holding the air deep in her lungs. “You really want to know?” She was leaning on the down button, pressing it as if doing so would bring the elevator faster.
“I do. I really want you to tell me. Please.”
“It wasn’t about you. It was all about the money.”
“So someone paid him?”
“Yeah, they paid him good money to do it, and all he talked about was buying me a house. He really was a good boy!”
“Do you know who paid him?”
She shook her head. “No. He never told me. He just said they felt bad about what you had done to him and wanted to help. To make sure he testified against you, so that you couldn’t hurt any more kids. They gave him that pretty car to drive and put money in his pockets.”
“You do know I never had a sexual relationship with your son, right?”
“I do now. David did tell them the truth. And I’m sorry that he did that to you. That’s not how I raised him.”
The two women rode down in the elevator together. Neither spoke another word. Mrs. Locklear gave Joanna one last look before she exited out the conveyance doors.
Moving back to her car, Joanna couldn’t begin to imagine what David’s mother was feeling. She had seemed so alone and immensely sad.
* * *
After leaving the Tower Group offices, Mingus headed over to the Boys’ Room. He knew that once word of the raid on their offices reached Sumpter, he would need to rally with Rourke and Talley to figure out their next steps. He was also betting that with news of David Locklear’s murder headlining every media outlet, the three would be putting plans into place to flee or fight.
He’d discovered enough about the trio to know that the strip club was where they most often rendezvoused. His instincts told him they would more than likely meet there sooner than later. He’d be waiting when they arrived.
There were only a few girls in the club and none of them were dressed, or undressed, to perform. It was still early and just a few alcoholics enjoying their first sips of the day were inside. Lily slid from her seat and moved to the bar. She returned with two bottles of beer, popping the cap on his and then hers, before sitting back down.
“You really are trying to make trouble for me, aren’t you?” Lily asked, her gaze skating back and forth to see if anyone was watching their exchange too closely.
“Why would you say that?” Mingus questioned.
“Because you came looking for Alicia and then she got busted. Now they say she’s helping the Feds. That pimp of hers has been crazy mad since they picked her up.”
“What makes you think I had anything to do with that?”
“Are you saying you didn’t?”
Mingus responded with a look that ended that discussion.
Lily sighed.
“When are you going to retire from this gig, Miss Lily?” Mingus asked. He took a sip of his beverage.
“They don’t have retirement plans for old strippers. When our tits start to drag around our knees, they just put us out to pasture.”
Mingus laughed. “We need to get you a retirement plan, doll.”
“Hey, don’t knock what I do. I make an honest living.”
His brow lifted as he looked at her.
“It’s honest!”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t!”
“This job paid for my house and put my four kids through college. Now my son is headed to medical school. It has served me well.”
Mingus gave her a smile as she continued.
“Better men than you have tried to put me on the straight and narrow, Mingus Black, and I don’t say that to be insulting. You know my history with your daddy and I haven’t met a man better than him yet! You keep walking in his footsteps, doing what you do, though, and you’ll get there!”
Mingus gave her a nod and took a second sip of his brew.
“I’m glad you got Alicia out. I just hope she can stay out of this business.”
“I didn’t think you liked that girl.”
“I don’t. She’s young and pretty and cuts into my money!”
Mingus chuckled.
“Seriously, though, she can do better than this dump. And that pathetic piece of trash she calls her boyfriend isn’t interested in her doing better. Now, if you just put him in jail so he can’t get his claws back into her, life would really be good for an old woman like me!”
Mingus wrapped an arm around the woman’s shoulders and hugged her to him. At the top of each hour he slid her a hundred-dollar bill for her time. With each payment, Lily would go to the bar and bring back two beers. For four hours, the two sat and talked. They reminisced about old times, debated the political climate and Lily gave him relationship advice, excited to hear there was someone special in his life.
During their time together Lily took two bathroom breaks. This time when she left the table, disappearing into the back room, he texted Joanna, needing to check that she was doing okay. He hated that he’d left her alone, but appreciated that she understood, allowing him to do what he needed to do.
When Lily returned, her expression had changed. Her comfort was gone, her nerves suddenly on edge. She sat and gestured with her head toward the door. Kyle Rourke was coming through the entrance. Frank Sumpter was close on his heels. Neither man looked happy, both clearly frustrated. Rourke was cussing, profanity peppering their conversation. Neither was going out of his way to keep their conversation quiet, their voices raised for most to hear.
“So what the hell are we going to do now?” Rourke snapped.
“This is all your fault!” Sumpter railed. “We told you not to trust that girl.” He dropped down into a chair.
“This isn’t about that bitch!”
“No, it isn’t. It’s about your ass getting greedy, that’s what it’s about. Everything was perfect and you just had to have more!”
Rourke slammed his fist against the table. “Did you call him?”
“He said he was on his way.”
“I can’t believe he would be so stupid!”
“You’re the one who told him to clean up the loose ends.” Sumpter shook his head.
Rourke dragged his hands across his face. “I told him to make sure we didn’t have any loose ends. I didn’t tell him to shoot anyone! He did that shit all on his own.”
“That witch he’s married to probably put him up to it. She’s been pulling his strings for months now.”
“I definitely don’t trust her!” Rourke added.
Both men suddenly shot a look around the room, eyeing the other patrons to see who was eavesdropping. Mingus was leaning into Lily’s side, the two looking as if they were very comfortable and totally focused on one another. Lily giggled as she rubbed her cheek against his face, pretending to be focused on soliciting a client.
“What are you looking at?” Rourke yelled, screaming at an old man sitting at the bar.
Mingus turned to see where the man’s anger was directed, visibly bristling. The old guy waved a dismissive hand and turned his attention back to his drink.
Mingus and Lily exchanged a look.
Mingus whispered. “Miss Lily, I need you to do me a big favor.”
“Whatever you need.”
“You know that number I gave you? I need you to call it. Tell the man who answers that I have a 9-1-1 situation and give him the address. Then I need you to come back and take Pops over there into the back room and give him one of your infamous lap dances,” Mingus commanded. “Can you do that for me?”
“Boy, how many times have I told you how good I am?”
Just as Lily stood, John Talley came rushing through the door toward the table where the other two men sat.
Mingus
watched as Lily disappeared behind the curtained wall. Just minutes later, she moved back into the room, directly to the bar and the old guy’s side. She was giggly and flirtatious and had him laughing with her in no time. When she grabbed his wrinkled hand and pulled him from his seat, Mingus stood. By the time the two had disappeared, Mingus was standing by the table looking down at the trio. He grabbed the back of an empty chair, spun it around then lifted his leg over the seat and sat, resting his forearms against the chair’s back.
“Gentlemen...” he said as he settled a look on each man.
“Who the—?” Rourke started.
“Who invited—I know you!” Sumpter barked. “You’re the bastard who’s been tailing me!”
John Talley looked like he was about to vomit. The color had drained from his face and he was shaking.
Mingus pulled his Glock and rested it against the table. He shook his head. “Don’t think about it. Don’t even flinch. We can do this the easy way. Or we can do it the hard way. Your choice.”
“You’re not a cop,” Talley managed to mutter. “What do you want from us?”
“Smart man. I have questions and all I want is answers.”
“I’m not telling you a damn thing,” Rourke said through clenched teeth. “Who is this clown?” he asked, directing his question toward the other two.
“The teacher’s boyfriend,” Talley said.
“Do you want money?” Sumpter questioned. “We can give you money.”
“You don’t have any money,” Mingus said matter-of-factly. “In fact, the Feds have taken most of your funds.”
“I got accounts...”
Mingus laughed. He shook his head. “No, I took all the money in those accounts. You were hacked!”
The three men sat straighter in their seats.
Sumpter began to tap frantically at his cell phone.
Mingus watched as the man checked one account and then another and another. The color suddenly drained from his face, making him look like a ghost, then he became angry. Ire flushed his face a deep shade of hostile red.
“See, all gone!” Mingus said casually.
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