She stared at him.
“Hard way it is.” Ian stopped, his jaw tightening. “What’s that about?”
Michael followed his boss’s line of sight and watched as a familiar face got off the elevator. Derek Brighton wore a suit and tie, a lanyard with his badge and ID around his neck. Derek was a high-ranking member of Dallas police and a member of Sanctum. He was escorted by two uniformed officers.
Michael moved in front of Vanessa and prayed he hadn’t been wrong about Junior’s timing.
Except George Benedict Jr. was the final person who walked off the elevator. Michael knew the man from the numerous reports he’d read. Junior was in his late fifties, and his vices were starting to show. He wore an expensive suit, but the light color emphasized the ruddiness of his cheeks, and it was slightly too tight, as though the man who wore it refused to accept his middle-aged spread. “That’s her, Captain Brighton. I told you my investigators saw her come this way. She was trying to get to her new boyfriend, who obviously has no idea who she really is. Mr. Malone, I’m so sorry you had to find out this way. I tried to warn your mother. We have to stick together against these…types of women.”
“We are not a we, you and I.” Michael felt the need to make that plain. “And she’s come to the right place because if you think I’m going to let you hurt her, you’ve severely misunderstood what’s going on between Vanessa and me.”
“What’s happening? Why is he here?” Vanessa moved in behind him, and for a moment he could feel her hand brush against his.
He leapt on the chance, threading their fingers together and giving her all of his focus. “Whatever happens, I’m going to deal with it. I will not leave you alone. Do you understand? You don’t say a thing to anyone. I’ll have an attorney for you in thirty minutes, and I’ll show the police everything we’ve discovered about this plot of Junior’s.”
“Ian, I came down myself when I found out who the warrant was for.” Derek looked around the room, assessing the situation. “We originally thought we were going to pick her up at Lodge Corp. I thought someone senior should be dealing with Julian.”
“Whatever that man has told you, he’s lying,” MaeBe said, pointing Junior’s way. “If this is about that stupid blackmail thing he had someone try to plant on her computer, I can prove he manipulated the whole thing.”
“I certainly did not.” Junior waved that off. “I’m the victim here.”
“Blackmail? The stuff Julian was talking about?” Vanessa pulled away. “He said something, but I didn’t ask him to explain. I thought Junior was trying to blackmail me.”
“You know exactly what you’ve done.” Junior’s lips curled in distaste. “I have the proof, and I’ve taken it to the police.”
His timing had been off. Michael had been so sure he had weeks to deal with this, but obviously Junior had other plans.
“I’m sorry. He does have evidence. I have to take her into custody.” Derek nodded and the uniformed officers moved in on her.
Michael moved in their way. He wasn’t about to let them take her. “She didn’t do this. Any evidence he has, I can refute. Derek, we’ve been working on this for days. I know exactly what he’s trying to pass off as evidence.”
“Then we can discuss it down at the station.” Derek’s jaw was a tight line. He’d obviously not enjoyed his work today. “I’ve got a warrant, and you should know there are detectives going to her house with a search warrant. I suggest Ms. Jones gets her attorney out there as soon as possible.”
“I don’t have that kind of attorney.” Vanessa sounded small, like she couldn’t quite believe what was going on. “I only have one who specializes in inheritance. And she’s in Houston.”
“Mitch, I’m giving you an address, and I want you to get out to it and give the police hell.” Big Tag was already talking into his cell phone. “You watch everything they do.”
“Come on, man,” Derek said. “They’re only doing their jobs. I meant she should have representation. You don’t have to send your battering ram.”
He would feel so much better with Mitch there. Mitchell Bradford was the attorney of record for McKay-Taggart. “And get someone down to the station for Vanessa.”
Tag talked into his cell while those officers stepped in, staring him down.
“Derek, let me bring her in.” He couldn’t stand the thought of her being hauled out in handcuffs. “We’ll surrender, but don’t take her in like this. You know he’s probably tipped off reporters. This is exactly what he wants. He wants to put her in the worst light possible. Why is he even here?”
“He’s got some pull with brass,” Derek said. “And I have my orders. I can’t let you bring her in. I’m sorry. I’ll take her myself. I promise I’ll take her out as quietly as possible, but you know I have protocols to follow.”