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“I’m proud of you, Delphi. You’ve earned nation-wide acclaim. You’re on everybody’s radar now.”
“A good thing if it means getting more bad guys off the streets.”
He chuckles. “I like to think of them as cockroaches. You squash a few, a lot more come scurrying in their place. But if there’s anybody who can make a difference, it’s you.”
“I’m not going to stop, so they better get used to it.”
“You have to have that work/life balance, though. You shouldn’t neglect other parts of your life either.”
I busy myself with stirring the straw in my pineapple kale juice, hoping this conversation isn’t going where I think it’s going. Chadwick and I have a professional work relationship I don’t plan on changing anytime soon.
He has other ideas—our moms had once tried to matchmake us with little success. He was interested. I wasn’t single at the time nor would I have changed my mind if I were.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asks. His velvety voice drips with flirtation. “We should do dinner—just me and you, no Brendas.”
“Busy with the Belini investigation.”
“You got a conviction.”
“One small slice of a larger pie. I want the rest of the family to go down too.”
He barely contains his exasperation, twisting his grimace into a smile. “Let me take you out to Grimaldi’s. Every victory deserves a celebration. Even the small ones. Say the word and I’ll make a reservation. Seven o’ clock.”
“What’d I miss?” Brenda interrupts, approaching our table. She slides into her seat and looks between us. I’ve never been more relieved to see her. “Were you guys talking about me?”
* * *
Mom always told me I am my father’s daughter. While she was calm and gentle, Dad is swift and fiery. She was a flowing river bend, where as he is more of an explosive volcanic eruption. My older brother Marcel takes after Mom. I’m Dad.
Delphine Adams, Northam City’s Great Black Hope. Following in her father’s footsteps; Dad was two years older than me when elected Northam’s first Black DA. Now it’s my turn as his daughter to be elected Northam’s first female DA,andshe’s Black. I can see the city officials milkingthoseoptics for all they’re worth.
Several officials congratulate me as Brenda and I return to city hall. They invite me out for drinks, or ask me if I’ll be going on vacation soon. I graciously brush them off and beeline straight for my office.
“Maybe they’re right,” Brenda says, scrolling through her tablet. “We can cancel a few things off your calendar tomorrow.”
I frown, kicking off my heels. I refuse to wear them inside my office. “Why would I do that?”
Brenda blinks. “Because… you won the Belini case. You’re putting Giorgio away.”
“That’s why it’s no time to slow down now. I won’t rest until we get therestof the Belini family off our streets.”
“Very audacious project to take on, DA,” she teases.
“Liang, I’m not DA just yet. The election hasn’t even taken place.”
“After today, it’s in the bag. But either way, it’ll take years to clean up the streets. You’re only human—you need vacays like everybody else!”
“Not with Hector Belini and his underboss Frausto still free.”
“The Belinis aren’t the only crime family in the city. What about the Viscontis?”
“They’ve been losing prominence in recent years since their last boss died and all the in-fighting erupted.”
“And the Mancinos? They’vegainedprominence.”
My stomach flips at the sudden mention of the Mancino crime family. I almost stumble over my own stocking-clad feet. It’s not a name that should be tossed around without warning.
“What… what about them?”
