CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
BELLA
Bella sat patiently in the chamber of The Honorable Judge Jessica Franklin. She was waiting for the judge to finish reading the warrants that she’d prepared. She was going over them with a fine-tooth comb. After all, it wasn’t every day that a warrant request to arrest a senior United States senator as well as warrant requests to search his home and office were placed on her desk. But Bella had crossed all T’s and dotted all I’s. Michael Anderson, Henry Craven’s security chief, had sung like a canary when Bella revealed that it was his DNA on the dead girl. His loyalty to the senator clearly hadn’t overshadowed his basic need for self-preservation.
While she waited, Bella turned to the judge’s television. Victor was giving a news conference.
“May I turn that up a bit, Judge.”
The judged looked up at Bella and then over to the TV.
“Oh, sure. I’ve been waiting for this press conference.”
She grabbed the remote from her desk and turned up the volume. She was about to return her attention to the warrants until Victor made an unflattering comment about the president. He went on to address the protests during the national anthem.
Victor’s eloquent condemnation of those offended by the players’ peaceful protest made Bella proud to know him. It was about time more white people stood up against the injustices inflicted on black people and other people of color. Bella looked over at the judge. And Bella had suspected that as a black woman, she agreed.
“Oooh, thatman,” The judge crooned, closing her eyes. “Mm… mm…mmm.”
Bella laughed at the judge’s lascivious behavior.
Judge Franklin opened her eyes and giggled. “Girl, I wish I could summon that Caucasian to my chambers, so I can have my way with him. That Taylor Montgomery is one lucky sistah.”
Bella didn’t comment, she was too busy staring at a picture of Rosemary Creed shopping on Michigan Avenue.
What the fuck?!
When Judge Franklin reached for the pen on her desk, Bella was elated. But she needed to call Taylor. No one told her that they were gonna reveal the fact that Rosemary was alive. The judge signed the warrants. She stood and handed them to Bella. “Go get that son of a bitch, Detective,” she hissed.
