Chapter 8

I was at the office, my office, and I guess the label’s office, since we hadn’t found the right bricks and mortar yet, when I heard an argument coming from down the hall.

The receptionist was trying to keep someone from entering mahogany row and on her phone. I could see the action from outside my door.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I looked over at my secretary then at my office manager. “Push the little red button,” I told them. “Then act accordingly. This is not a drill. Make sure the managers know that. We’ve trained for this kind of thing. Let’s see how well we did that.”

The secretary reached into the back of her middle desk drawer and pulled out a Beretta 92 FS Inox. She laid it on the table, pointing toward the wall next to the door and picked up the phone. She was calling 911.

The office manager did the same, only she was instead on the phone with one of the managers. I went back to my desk and pulled out my own weapon, a 96 FS Inox, just like theirs, only in 40 Caliber Smith & Wesson instead of the more common 9mm Luger used in the 92 models. They were all very similar to the handguns that were used by our military once upon a time.

I walked back out between the two ladies and their desks. I waved to the receptionist, Lisa, and waved her off. I had my firearm at my side, pointed straight down. Both of the ladies behind me were in the ready position.

Lance Malone looked straight into my eyes when he saw me waving, then looked behind him. No more little girl to push around. Lisa had backed up and was replaced by two of the managers from operations, both armed with the same firearm I had and at least twice Lisa’s size physically, both larger than Malone. Just a coincidence, I’m sure.

Lisa’s job now was to be at the front door of the building to let the police in. The little red button also locked all the doors. In and out. No one in. No one out. If they chose to watch the door, they could, but Lisa was going to escort the police to where the trouble was. Now that she had been back to her desk, she was also armed. Her pistol was kept in a holster so that the police wouldn’t mistake her for a bad guy. All part of the plan.

Lance made it to the suite’s doors, being escorted by the two managers. His hands were empty, so he hadn’t been taken down or anything yet. There were now four more floor personnel there to help out if needed. Their weapons were in thigh holsters, the kind that wouldn’t release the weapon unless you knew what you were doing and pushed the right button as you were drawing it out.

“May I help you, Mr. Malone?” I asked.

“Yes. Tell me why you are doing this. My uncle is dead. Why are you continuing to make trouble for us?”

“Lance, the police are on the way. Everything happening right now is being recorded, visual and audio. You understand that, right?” He nodded. “Tell me who ‘us’ is so I can understand the question. I’ll run some things by you, though, and while I do, please keep your hands out where my people and I can see them. I don’t want another dead Malone due to stupidity. First, Alicia is unhappy with being molested. Second, my future mother-in-law killed your uncle just before he killed her. Third, I asked Alicia to marry me because I love her, and she loves me. She says she does anyway. Is there anything I’m missing?”

“Wendy Lightner. We offered her millions to sign with us. You took her.”

“We didn’t know that, Lance. That would be your problem. She wanted a smaller place to call home. I think she may have found it. Did you want to have your way with her, too, like your uncle tried with Alicia? Huh?” He rushed me, but one of the guys used a broom to trip him. What can I say. The plan is a low buck, low tech operation, but it worked.

Once he was down, the wire ties came out. We were now at the five-minute point, and there was no sign of a badge yet. I decided not to taunt Lance any further.

“Lance, when the police escort you out of here, I want you to understand there will be an order of protection against you that will give you instructions to stay at least a thousand feet from this building. Once you break that order and re-enter the facility, you will be trespassing with force and I, or one of my people, will shoot you. Dead. We don’t aim for arms and legs and things like that. Center mass, and the second shot usually goes through the head because of the muzzle rise on these damned Berettas. It’s the weirdest thing, but oh, well. Do you understand that, Lance?” He nodded. As he did, I saw a flash of light out in the hallway. It was Lisa letting the police in. Eight minutes. Interesting. I was expecting at least ten.

While they were searching him and placing him under arrest, which I had to ask them to do, since ‘he may not have actually committed a crime yet’ ... What?? They found a small firearm. A Ruger LCP. Thankfully it was confiscated. He had the money to buy a dozen of them on the way home, but he didn’t need one right now.

“Officer, I’m pressing charges for trespassing and threatening us. He was armed when he did it, so I hope that will be taken into consideration.”

“You can come down and fill out the appropriate paperwork, sir. I can’t tell you what will and will not be taken into consideration by the presiding judge.”

“Oh, great. Thank you, officer.”

I called my company lawyer and explained the situation to him. He told me he knew Willard and would have him in the loop. The company crew really had no need to bother with this since it was more personal and if anyone was tied up in it, it would be Harmony. He also told me to sit tight, and he’d make the trip downtown.

We got the order of protection. If Lance was seen within three hundred feet of the properties, not the buildings, we were to notify authorities. If he entered the buildings, forcefully or not, he would be guilty of felony trespassing, threatening behavior, and attempted assault. That was BEFORE he did anything untoward. I did say properties, not buildings, didn’t I? That included Elaine and Alicia’s ranch, my property, Consuela’s apartment, and Cindy’s house. Since we were Angel Sound officers, and the threat was about Angel Sound business, as well as other things, we were all covered.

Explaining to my new family what had happened was interesting at a minimum. They couldn’t understand why he would go to my place of business to cause issues. I had to explain, “The address of the corporation is public information. Cindy and Antonia released the explanation about the engagement and the new corporation, or label, if you will. Wendy rejected them. He looked us up and came to visit. His main problem was forcing his way past Lisa. As diminutive as she is, she knows how to use a phone and get in someone’s way. Once he did that, however, he was breaking and entering, trespassing, whatever you want to call it, but he forced his way into someone else’s livelihood. That is against the law.”

“Oh.” I heard more than one of those, but then Elaine asked. “What now?”

“I hope he goes away. Personally, I don’t think he will. I think he will get stupid, since it runs in the family, and ... I don’t know. Just have to keep our eyes open.”

“Oh.” That time it was Alicia. “Maybe his mother can talk some sense into him.”

“His mother?” I asked.

“Yeah. Monica Edwards is his mother. He was born before she was married, so he goes by Malone, her maiden name.”