The Object of His Protection by Brenda Jackson Read Free Book Online

about?”
    “No. I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. However, at the time I thought it rather strange for Nate to be arguing with anyone since he has a tendency not to get upset about anything. He’s always said it’s not good to get stressed.”
    “Did he act upset with you today when he discovered you going through Dennis’s chart?”
    Charlene sighed deeply as she remembered her and Nate’s conversation. “Not as much upset as he was nervous, like he hated me finding out the truth. He was trying so hard to convince me that I was wrong. It was rather creepy seeing him that way.”
    Drey didn’t say anything as he studied her. Yes, her disappearing for a while was for the best considering everything she had told him. If someone was out for more blood, he didn’t want it to be Charlene’s. The thought of anything happening to her didn’t sit too well with him and he wasn’t about to take any chances.
    He leaned back in his chair. “How long will it take you to pack?”
    She lifted her head from studying the contents of her coffee cup and met his gaze. “Am I supposed to be going somewhere?”
    “Yes.”
    She arched a brow. “Where?”
    “My place. For your safety, I think it’s best for you to move in with me for a while.”

Chapter 5
    C harlene blinked. “Excuse me?”
    Drey knew she had heard him but figured what he’d said deserved repeating so there wouldn’t be any misunderstandings. “I said I think it would be for the best if you were to move in with me for a while.”
    She frowned, actually glared at him. “Thanks, but no, thanks. I have my own place.”
    He leaned back in his chair and before taking another swig of beer he said, “It’s not safe to disappear there, Charlie.”
    She gave him a disapproving glare. “The name is Charlene and I see no reason I can’t stay put.”
    “I can name several reasons and none of them is pretty. In fact all of them are rather dangerous, to say the least. If Nate has mentioned to anyone that you know anything, they’ll figure it’s best for you to become a casualty.”
    The thought of that happening made her skin crawl. “But why would he do that?”
    “For the same reason he gave you a clear warning, which he really didn’t have to do. Whatever he’s into, he’s in it over his head and trying not to get you involved. Think about it, Charlie. We’re not talking about the cover-up of just anyone’s murder. We’re talking about the cover-up of the murder of a well-known politician, a congressman.” My biological father, he didn’t add as he looked down at his drink.
    His true relationship to Harmon Braddock was still rather new to him and he still had a number of questions he wanted answered. The only person who could do that was his mother. He had tried calling her that morning and hadn’t been able to get a hold of her. He knew she was deliberately avoiding him, trying to evade his questions.
    “Did you know him?”
    Drey glanced back at Charlene when her question invaded his thoughts. “Who?”
    “Congressman Braddock.”
    Drey didn’t say anything at first, tempted to tell her just how well he knew him, but instead said, “Yes, for years he had been my mentor.”
    “Why?”
    He lifted a brow. “Why what?”
    “How did you get a U.S. congressman to be your mentor?”
    Drey sighed. That was a good question, one he hadn’t thought of before. He couldn’t help wondering if anyone else was curious about that same thing. The Braddock siblings perhaps? They had known of his relationship to their father, but none of them had ever asked why and how it had come about.
    A part of him would never forget that day right after his father had died and he’d been walking home from school when suddenly a big black shiny car had pulled up beside him and come to a stop. Suddenly the back passenger door opened and a man stepped out. It was a man whom he had never seen before, but the man knew him because he had called him by name. That