Safe Room Ch. 03

It was not pretty. Hatch barely passed the Police Academy, graduating lowest in his class. His physical skills were barely adequate for street duty, while Cindy Ross was a double-black-belt and on a mission. Ten seconds after the referee said "Box!", it was over. Two solid crowbar blows to Hatch's midsection then back, and a hard takedown.

Once it was over, Todd said "Uncle Don, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." I said. "Let's go to my office."

In my office, Todd took a hot chair while I sat in my Command Chair. I turned on the anti-bugging device, just in case.

"Uncle Don, Seth Warner came to me." said Todd. "He was pissed that you showed up at that meeting with his grandfather."

"Perhaps he did not realize the danger he and his wife were in, especially from his sister Karen." I said. "When I got there, my Officer had four laser dots from King's guards's guns trained on her."

"I did tell him that you were there for his wife's safety." Todd said. "He said the situation could've been handled better, that Mr. King was not going to have any shooting in his suite."

I just shook my head, not knowing what to say. I was right, and Todd and Seth were wrong... dead wrong. But what could I say at this point?

Todd leaned forward, as if sharing a secret. "Look, Uncle Don," he said, "We brought Seth in when we bought out his father's, well, his step-father's company. I knew of his sister and his mother, and I kept my eyes on him. So far, he's been straight-up. He and Barry Oliver have become good friends. Seth loves his wife more than I can tell you. So while I understand your concern about him meeting with Conrad King, I'll just tell you that I trust him until he gives me reason not to, and for the sake of his wife, your Detective, I think you should, also."

"I hear you." I said. "But there is something else, and the real reason I went out there. I don't think Seth realizes just how bad his sister Karen has become. He still trusts her; he is blind to her Dark Side, for lack of a better term. You also may not realize how bad Karen Warner Harlan is, and Conrad King himself is a snake pretending to be a civilized old man."

Seeing I wasn't getting through, I said "Todd, as you know, Eleanor Burke shot your brother Ned dead right in front of his girlfriend, Goth Girl Kathy. And anyone with brains more than a Betta fish knows who was behind Eleanor's actions. Yet... I would trust Goth Girl Kathy with my life and safety before I would trust Karen Warner Harlan."

"That bad, huh?" Todd said, trying to joke. But maybe he was finally getting it.

"Yes. That bad." I replied, dead serious, my eyes boring into my nephew's. "And you can tell Seth, or choose not to, one other thing: his wife's happiness is his responsibility as her husband. But while she is one of my Detectives, her life is my responsibility, and I will never back down from that, no matter if it irritates him."

Todd nodded.

"Okay," I said, "now, there is something I need your help on..."

To be continued.