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she did not want to talk to. Her eyes squinted
evilly as she bit into her bottom lip. “What can I do for you,
Morena?”
    ***
     
    Officer Hunter and Officer Foster walked and talked
as they headed towards their separate squad cars. Pausing midway
through, they waited until a fellow officer had gone passed before
continuing.
    “What are we going to do?” Hunter quipped in a
hushed tone.
    “About what?” Foster asked innocently.
    Hunter leaned in closer to her and whispered. “You
know… do about Teresa.”
    She pushed him to the side and opened her car door.
“There is nothing to do.”
    “You know she’s coming back to work. What if she
rats us out?”
    “You’re paranoid. She’s not going to say anything
and if she does so what? We’re cops for Christ’s sake. Who are they
going to believe? Some emotional Black chick or three of Danville’s
finest?” She climbed into the car and closed the door.
    Hunter stood staring at her feeling nervous about
the situation. “Maybe you’re right.”
    “Trust me.” She started the car, put it in drive,
and pulled off.
    He wanted to believe her but this was too important
to put in the hands of fate. He had to be sure she wouldn’t talk
and she wouldn’t if he had anything to do with it.
    ***
     
    So here they were; the former fiancé and the new
fiancé face to face. Teresa was not pleased with it, yet here she
was playing hostess and making nice. In her head she couldn’t help
but hear the theme music from the movie the Magnificent Seven
during the scene where they had their infamous showdown. That damn
Black, she thought. Hell, double damn him. He was the reason the
song was in her head. She hated westerns but he loved them. They’d
watched them so much together that she knew the scenes word for
word. He was also the reason this woman felt she needed to confront
her about a man she didn’t even want. The awkwardness was apparent.
Teresa could read in the woman’s eyes that she wasn’t one hundred
percent sure about being there either.
    “What can I do for you, Morena?” she asked
again.
    “First off, I want to say I’m sorry about what
happened to you. I truly am and—.”
    Teresa cut her off midsentence. “Thank you, but it’s
not necessary I’m fine and I’m not discussing this with you.”
    “Fair enough. Are you sleeping with Black?”
    Finally, Teresa thought. The true reason she’s here.
“No, I am not sleeping with Black. That is the last thing you need
to worry about.”
    Morena eyed her skeptically.
    Teresa continued. “Nothing to worry about. That part
of my life is so done.”
    Morena nodded knowingly. “For you perhaps. Black… I
don’t know so much.”
    “Shouldn’t you be talking to Black about this? I
assure you I am not encouraging it. Believe me when I say I do not
want him.”
    “What do you want?”
    “Excuse me?”
    “No offense but it has to be something. I
practically begged him not to pursue this case.”
    “Again, that has something to do with me
because?”
    “He says he has an obligation to you, something that
I would not understand. I’m asking you, woman to woman, can you
help me to understand?”
    Teresa brushed the hair from her face. “He doesn’t
owe me anything. Honestly, he doesn’t.” Teresa sighed. Shoulders
slouched, she continued. “Before we began dating Black and I were
friends. I’d just moved to Chicago from Danville so I was a small
town girl in a big city. No family, no friends. I met Black and he
befriended me. Believe me when I say there was no physical
attraction there on my part. Don’t get me wrong, he’s an attractive
brother, just not my type you know?”
    Morena nodded silently.
    Teresa continued. “That’s just not where my head was
at, at the time. Shit, I don’t know, girl… and I don’t want to talk
about this. It doesn’t feel right, I sympathize with your
situation, but this is a talk you should be having with Black.”
    “No. I’m having it with you and we’re