The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Judith had been out of the game for years, her skills rusty but her foundation solid. She had kept the violence of her past tucked away like old photographs in an attic, but now, as she faced the detectives of the Major Crimes Unit, it seemed fate had a cruel sense of humor.

The detectives, armed but bound by protocol not to shoot without orders, could only attempt to apprehend Judith with their bare hands.

Judith was fluid in her movements, and every strike was deliberate. However, unarmed, her attacks lacked lethal force. She sought only an opportunity to flee, to avoid paying the ultimate price for a life she no longer claimed.

Percival and Vivienne watched with icy detachment as Judith grappled with the officers.

After a moment, Percival’s gaze shifted to Thomas, who understood the silent command. He drew his gun and, with a chilling indifference, fired a single shot that pierced Judith’s temple instantly.

Judith fell, her eyes wide in disbelief as she fixed them on Thomas, her voice whispering of betrayal. “You, you… How could you?”

Thomas holstered his weapon, his voice colder than his expression. “Judith Brooks, a fugitive for twenty years, assaulted officers in her attempt to escape justice. Her threat to public safety has been neutralized.”

The Brooks family gasped in horror at the scene before them. Despite their influence, they had never witnessed such a brazen act of violence, much less against the matriarch of their household.

Kala and others screamed and rushed forward while Timothy and Cheryl stood frozen, unable to process the sight of their mother, once vibrant and alive, now lifeless before them. Their legs shook as they stared at Judith’s cold body on the ground.

“How dare you!” Scott roared. “You dare spill blood in the Brooks household? Who gave you the authority to take my mother’s life? Do you think there’s nothing I can do about this?”

Having just recovered from the shock, laced with outrage, Timothy said, “This is outrageous! Even if she was guilty, we have laws. You’ve denied her life without due process. This is an abuse of power!”

Although he agreed that Judith should be punished for taking ten lives, she was his mother, after all. He could not accept the fact that his mother was shot down like that without even having the chance to negotiate in court.

swift. “Surround the mansion! No one leaves today. We’ll see who gets away with murder on

the detectives who had been standing moments before crumpled to

whom silver needles seemed to have flown with deadly accuracy. And as predicted, doctors and nurses in white coats rushed

words were like a death knell. “Who dared attack

seethed, knowing the implications. An assault on law

the mansion. Like a mouse spotted by a cat, Calista immediately hid

leader commanding, “For assaulting officers and endangering

expression darkened. He had underestimated Percival and Vivienne, and now

fearless, were now shaking

Tell them we’re

began to detain the family, Vivienne’s eyes held

decade in seconds, slumped into a chair,

when he

a much

decided to ponder and

to accomplish, his mother’s death was insignificant.

change of expressions on Scott’s face, Vivienne showed a hint of

Brooks siblings, who were quivering with fear, and frowned. Then,

glanced at the Brooks siblings, returned the nod, and

the leader of the Vanguard Agency and said, “Judith has been apprehended and neutralized on the spot. The rest of the Brooks family did not

say much,

not leave. They were waiting

a cursory inspection, and nonchalantly