The Object of His Protection - Brenda Jackson [58]
He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s my locker key that—”
“No,” she interrupted him. “It’s not a locker key. It’s a key that’s been in the Braddock family for years and it goes to a safe hidden on the mansion grounds where Harmon kept his important papers. What are you doing with this key?”
Before anyone could blink, in a calculated move, Hanlon reached out and grabbed Charlene and held her in front of him as a shield. “Stay back or I’ll kill her!”
It was then that everyone noticed the small revolver he had pulled from his jacket. He was holding it close to Charlene’s head. “You think you’re so smart,” he said, his angry words directed at Drey. “I knew Harmon would want to protect you at all costs. The last thing he wanted was for you to know that he was your father. It would have been real simple for him to be a part of everything. But no, he wanted to play Mr. Good Guy and threaten to turn me in unless I got out of it. Hell, I didn’t want to get out of it. The money was good. I liked the power. The corruption suited me just fine.”
“Bruce, surely you didn’t—”
“Shut up, Evelyn,” Hanlon said angrily. “Yes, I had him killed. He was going to the Feds with evidence. I tried blackmailing him and it didn’t work. He was going to get to Daiyu before I did. So I had to have him eliminated. Joe Dennis helped. And then he got greedy so I had to eliminate him as well.”
“You killed our father?” Shondra asked, coming out of her shock. “How could you?”
He sneered. “The same way I plan to kill all of you, without batting an eye, starting with this crazy one first,” he said of Charlene. “She messed things up by snooping around. There’s going to be a fire and all of you will perish. The Braddock mansion will burn to the ground and no one will ask any questions because I have several firemen on the take too. Their report will reflect whatever I want it to say.”
“You’re the one crazy if you think we’re going to stand here and let you kill us too,” Malcolm said.
Hanlon smiled. “You won’t have a choice. I’ve already called for backup. A few of Houston’s finest who happen to be on my payroll,” he bragged.
Sirens could be heard in the distance. “I think I hear them coming now,” Hanlon said, grinning from ear to ear.
Knowing the cops that were arriving were the good cops Lavender had dispatched and not the bad ones the judge was referring to, Drey figured that he had to get Charlene out of Hanlon’s clutches. He gave Malcolm a nod and as if his brother understood what he wanted him to do, Malcolm kept the man talking. Confident the ball was in his court, the judge bragged about all his illegal activities and how Harmon wanted to ruin things for him.
Too late, Hanlon noticed how close Drey had gotten him, and when he made a move to aim the gun straight at Drey, Charlene elbowed him in the side. It was just the opportunity Drey needed, and within seconds, with one jab to the judge’s midsection and several quick karate kicks, the man fell flat on his face. The men in the room rushed forward and used a cord from a nearby curtain to quickly tie his hands and feet.
Lavender stormed in with several police officers on his heels, as well as a couple of FBI agents. Drey stood back to let them do their job while he pulled Charlene into his arms, wanting just to hold her and make sure she was all right. He had never felt such fear as he had when Hanlon had placed the gun to her head.
He felt several pats to his back and glanced over his shoulder to see a smiling Malcolm and Tyson. “You’re going to have to teach us some of those quick moves, brother,” Malcolm said, grinning.
Brother. Drey inhaled sharply and then returned their smiles. In their own way they were letting him know he was accepted as one of them. “Yes, I will have to do that.”
Although later than they had planned, the Braddocks finally settled down to dinner. Drey and Charlene had been asked to stay and join them. After the last platter had been placed on the table and before it was time to say grace, Evelyn stood at the head of