5
Johnson, who was full of himself just a
minute ago, now looks like a scared rabbit,
his fat body shaking like a leaf.
He manages a weak smile. “Uncle, what are
you doing here?” he stammers.
“I heard you mention the Callahan house
before, and I thought you wanted it. So, I was
trying to get it for you as a gift!”
Hank grabs the contract, tears it in half
く
“If the Callahan house goes up for auction,
it’d fetch over a million bucks. You trying to
buy it for ten grand? People will say Gold
Standard is just pushing people around.”
“Johnson, you’ve been using my name for
years, lining your own pockets. You think I
haven’t noticed?”
“As of today, you’re fired from Gold Standard!
Get out!”
Johnson looks panicked. “Uncle, I…”
Hank cuts him off. “You’re no nephew of mine
anymore!”
Johnson shakes like he can’t take it, takes a
stumble and faints dead away, falling in a
heap on the floor.
Nobody pays him any attention, their eyes all
glued on Hank.
That’s when Mikey speaks, his voice
trembling. “You… you’re that old guy from the
park?”
When Mikey came to find me yesterday, I was
playing chess with Hank.
Yesterday, Hank was wearing an old man’s
tank top and shorts, with a fan in his hand.
He looked completely different from the sharp
dresser standing in front of us now.
So, it’s not surprising that Mikey didn’t
recognize him at first.
Hank smiles at Mikey. “Yesterday you said
you’d beat me up if you ever saw me again.
<
Here I am. Let’s see you try!”
Mikey looks terrified and shuts his mouth.
Chris and Barb act like they just woke up,
rushing forward. “Mr. Henderson, Mikey’s just
a kid. He didn’t mean anything by it. We’ll
punish him later. Please, forgive him.”
“Hank, he’s just a kid, please don’t take it to
heart.”
Hank ignores Chris and Barb, turning to me
with a sly grin.
“What are you grinning at?” I grumble.
This old guy’s getting a kick out of all this. He brought these jokers here just to see me
squirm.
く
I’m gonna hear about this for years.
But Chris and Barb don’t know me and Hank
are tight.
Chris yells at me. “Danny, how dare you talk
to Mr. Henderson like that! Apologize now!”
Barb even raises her hand to slap me, yelling,
“Danny, how dare you disrespect Hank, you’re
looking for a death wish!”
Her hand never reaches my face. Hank grabs
her wrist.
He looks at Chris, his eyes narrowed. “He’s
just joking with his friend, butt out!”
Before Chris can react, Hank looks at Barb,
<
his voice dripping with scorn. “Dumb broad,
you threw away gold and picked up trash.
Blind as a bat!”
Chris and Barb stand there dumbfounded, the
other guests also looking lost.
Hank puts his arm around my shoulders,
smiling for all to see. “Folks, since we’re all
here, let me introduce my good friend!”
“You all know about Vance, the mystery guy
who’s been making waves in finance.”
Everyone nods, agreeing.
“That financial whiz who came out of
nowhere. Everyone in the finance world knows
about him!”
L
“Nobody knows what he looks like. All I heard
is that he’s young and joined Dragon’s Club,
but is all the speculation true?”
“What’s Hank getting at?”
Hank grins, points at me. “This friend of mine
is Vance!”
“Vance, Danny Callahan, same person!”
That’s like a bomb dropping on the crowd.
Everyone gasps, Chris and Barb looking the
most shocked.
Chris stutters. “No way, that finance guy
who’s been on the rise for years can’t be
him?”
Barb looks panicked, unable to find words.
“Are you kidding me, Hank?”
Anyone with half a brain knows Hank is not
joking.
Why would Hank and all these business
leaders come here just to mess with us?
Seeing how comfortable I am around Hank
and the others, the guests start looking at me
differently.
The sneers and disdain are gone, replaced by
respect and fear, and a little bit of bootlicking
thrown in.
Hank looks at Chris, smiling like a cat with a
mouse. “Mr. Callahan, it’s easy to get the
company out of the hole!”
<
“Just ask Danny for help. If he agrees, the
Callahan company will be soaring in no time!”