1-Chloe-Kate-Bella Read online

  “You have one of the best phones…”

  “I need a full sized keyboard…it’s a phone…not for research…” she was led from the kitchen to a small alcove with a computer and all its bits. And a fantastic view of the Sound. “Is it pass coded?”

  “Would it stop you?”

  Chloe grinned sheepishly. “Not for long.”

  She leaned back in the chair, gazed at the desktop for a long minute before using the mouse and opening a browser. Fingers flew over the keyboard. Business section of the news. Search: Wetherly death. It took a few seconds to load a list of possible news stories, the cursor out and tapping one instantly.

  “He died almost two months ago.”

  “Are we going to disagree on how this should be handled?”

  “There’s not exactly a department in the police for dealing with crazy assed relatives.”

  “No, but there are attorneys for that,” Simon said quietly. “Were you close?”

  She sat staring at the obituary, her head shaking slowly. “No…not really…not with any of them. It’s…they don’t allow it.” Chloe leaned back in the chair, the warm feel of his hands on her neck, gently massaging. She leaned her head back, eyes closed. “The more I think about it…Grandmother is…stuck…on my father. He could do no wrong, regardless. Ever. But grandfather was different. I remember being there…kind of in hiding around the house and listening to some wicked wild arguments between them.”

  Chloe straightened and read the obituary more thoroughly. “But that last time…that last time I was told he wasn’t well. I don’t remember even seeing him. They said…” she frowned a frown that got deeper with each word. “They were vague. Very vague…but I was too confused to notice…”

  “Chloe, you’re not to blame for their actions.”

  “What if…what if they did to him what they tried to do to me, Simon? Who would have been there to step in and stop them?” Chloe read through the obituary once more. “Natural causes. And I know they’ll have tons of physicians to back up the claim. Damn it…he doesn’t want me…he wants some thing grandfather left to me.”

  “Again…they have lawyers for this stuff, Chloe.”

  Chloe pressed a couple buttons on her phone with a sigh. “I know…good morning oh kind and benevolent friend of mine!”

  “Chloe…” The single word was drawn out long and slow. “Are you drunk?”

  “Nope.”

  “Are you in jail being courted by women with tattoos?” Drawled the deep, low voice from the other end.

  “No, Kate…I am at the moment, a free woman.”

  “Is this some catastrophic…something…that cannot wait until tomorrow?”

  “Now that one…I’m just not so sure of,” Chloe said carefully. “I will call your office first thing in the morning.”

  “What is it, Chloe?” Kate Fletcher straightened from her stretch, easing the roller blade to the concrete with a small frown.

  “I need you to investigate a will…my grandfathers,” Chloe summed up thoughtfully. “I’m more than a little sure something was left to me.”

  “Are they bothering you again? Has he found you?”

  “I never really hid, Kate…not really.”

  “To answer your question, yes he has found her and called her, wanting her to come to dinner,” Simon decided to breach the gap.

  “Chloe, you were supposed to call me immediately. I can’t get a restraining order, but we can have strong warnings issued,” Kate held up one finger to the man listening intently to the one sided conversation.

  “I’m okay, Kate…honest. I’ll give you a call in the morning, promise. Enjoy your Sunday.”

  Chloe closed her eyes, leaning into the strength behind her, wondering how much stranger things could get in her life because of family.

  Chapter Ten

  Two hours earlier, there was a promise of sunlight breaking through the fog as Kate Fletcher left her home and sat on the bench at the bottom. Deft, slender fingers tightened and buckled the bright yellow roller blades in place. Ankles and knees protected and helmet in place, she began the long, peaceful glide along the concrete that ran next to Puget Sound and was called Alki Point.

  This is a choice Sunday morning, Dylan Grant announced to the world, his fingers tying the laces of his running shoes. He made certain they were secure before he stepped from his car, chirped the alarm and set off on a very long early morning run. He inhaled the moist salt air, seasoned with kelp and wet sand. He never bothered to analyze why it was a reviving scent, he just savored it and enjoyed it.

  He’d begun to think he was spending too much time analyzing. He let the fog weave around him, patches coming and going as he ran along the concrete walkway. It was a rare September morning and being Sunday, very few people were there to share the pleasures. He knew from years of living in the area that when the sun broke through later, the place would be a hive of human activity for miles around the Point.

  Dylan was ten feet from the shapely stretch leotard of black that had stopped to stare into the foggy waters of the Sound. He’d been deliberately pacing himself behind her, enjoying the flow of the muscles in her thighs and behind. He knew it had been a while since he dated, even longer since he’d had sex, but the semi erection had him mentally slapping himself. What was it about a finely shaped behind that just grabbed your brain and drowned it in images?

  Pieces fit together and not in a pleasant way when he heard a woman’s voice behind him. She was evidently struggling with a dog that was very anxious to break free and run.

  Something the animal did seconds later. Animals aren’t all that cautious. And large dogs could easily wreak havoc without intending to, he noted and increased his speed in time to see the stunned expression of surprise. The dog went close enough to the skater to bump hard against her calves. A long, dark ponytail whipping around and hands going forward as the inevitable registered in her mind seconds before he wrapped one arm securely around her waist.

  With a strong pull, Dylan planted his running shoes firmly and braced for the impact, his other arm out to hold her securely in place. Her startled yelp echoed in the fog. She was curved in all the right girl places, his body decided. And sturdy, he noted, her body sent against his with an impact that had her head bouncing against his shoulder. It would have been his forehead if he hadn’t thought fast and moved his head to the side. She was tall in the blades, eye to eye at least, he guessed.

  “Holy crap,” Kate mumbled, hands that had been prepared to meet with the very cold waters of Puget Sound, now settled on a pair of coarsely covered arms. Muscled arms, she noted vaguely, exhaling slowly.

  “Thank you…I think you can let go now,” she suggested quietly, very aware that it was definitely a male that held her from the fall. The wiggle was unconscious as she stepped gingerly to the side, away from the edge on a light glide.

  The groan deep in his chest was swallowed as she pushed away from him and performed a very skilled glide to face him. They did meet eye to eye and while she was sturdy, she was slender, with long limbs, wide brown eyes and a stubborn tilt to her head.

  “You’re welcome,” he began, neither really noticing the dog or the woman that came up on their side.

  “I am so sorry about that,” the woman said honestly, the leash now wrapped tightly around her wrist and hand. “She’s just so excited to be outside again after the rain.”

  “No harm done,” Kate replied with a grin, dark eyes taking in the man who had come to her aid. Simple running pants and a tee shirt. No logos. That said something in itself, she noted. Squared jaw and high cheek bones. Very nice full lips. She shook herself
mentally. “And thank you again,” she held out her palm. “Kate.”

  “Dylan and you’re most welcome.”

  “I love the Sound but a swim today just wasn’t in my plans,” she confided with a soft chuckle. “Do you run out here a lot?”

  “When I fit it into the day. I usually use a track at the gym near where my office is downtown,” he answered, easily matching her pace as she turned and oriented herself. “Do you run?”

  “Only when chased. I like the blades…I’ve played on them since I was a little kid,” she offered, not sure where the need came from to confide that bit of data. “How far do you run?” His voice was deep and there was a heavy trace of laughter in both his eyes and voice.

  “Usually to the end and back to my car…you?” He had to admit he enjoyed watching her glide backwards and forwards, she was quite good.

  “Same…so I’m sure we’ll run into each other again,” she told him with a swing of the ponytail and a bright smile. He had nice hair, she decided, turning away from the glistening fog that had settled onto the longish cut amber color.

  “Oh, something tells me we will definitely run into each other again,” Dylan set his pace with a broad grin that seemed to lighten the fog considerably.

  Kate cruised along the waterway, breathing deeply and listening to the strictly girl bit of her brain talk about the runner. You’re established, her career side pointed out. It had been a long time excuse when asked out. There just wasn’t time in her life while trying to get a career up and running. And he did have nice hands, she mused as she reached the end of the walk, gliding to a stop and leaning back against the railing with a long, deep breath. And it was more than obvious he favored girls, she thought, considering the partial erection she’d bounced against twice.

  Dylan didn’t stop the broad, boyish grin from filling his face as he rounded the final curve to the end of the path. Leaning back and soaking up the early morning sun, one skated foot was hooked on the lower rail. Her elbows were on the higher rail, back arched and head bent, long ponytail barely moving in the soft winds off the Sound.

  Kate heard the telltale fall of his steps and raised her head to watch him approach. Nice broad shoulders and long legs. He had to be several inches over six foot, she mused, tipping her head and offering a smile, unaware of the feline grace in her movements or the effect it was having on the male.

  “You made it,” she commented quietly.

  “You had doubts?” Dylan slowed his pace, shaking out his hands and moving to sit on the railing next to her.

  “Ever try blading?”

  “I’ll stick to feet, thanks. On you, it seems to fit.” Dylan let his glance wander to her hands, a long wave of relief that there were no rings in the way. Not that it meant she was available. “Do you drink coffee?”

  Kate met the quizzical gaze with a half-smile. “Not really…”

  “Usually it’s yes or no,” he countered.

  “I’m not a coffee person, per se,” she stated with a little wince. “But I have an incredible weakness for flavored Frappuccino’s with excessive amounts of whipped crème,” she sighed heavily. “There. The secret is out.”

  “I promise to keep it safe,” he offered with a wink. “How about sharing a coffee back in the village? And no, I am not up to racing.”

  “Ohhh…a mind reader,” she teased, pushing away from the rail. “I guess it’s the competitive part of me…I’d like that coffee, Dylan. I’ll wait at the end for you,” she assured him, taking off in long, easy glides over the concrete.

  What was it that sent such nice tingles through you when you flirted with the right guy, she asked, throwing herself into her workout. Slender body bent low and adding speed to each move. It had been a very long time since she’d felt that little tingle of excitement just from chatting with a guy. Busy turning over the confusing girl thoughts, Kate saw the end approaching as well as the influx of tourists for the day. She slowed and came to a quiet stop, unclipping the cap and attaching it to her belt.

  Kate was leaned against the rail once more, eyes closed and soaking up the soft heat breaking through the losing fog. The sounds around her were pleasant. The giggling laughter of children wandering the sands as the tide found its way out, parents warning caution and dogs just glad to be free. Dylan came to a quiet stop, leaning on his knees and working to lower his breathing.

  He kept remembering when he was seventeen as his gaze went to the tipped skate and bent knee as she leaned against the railing. The leotard stopped at mid-thigh, but the erotic line of her body was betrayed to anyone wanting to risk staring. Like he was, a flush of heat struck his cheeks when she slowly straightened her neck and met his gaze.

  “You’re staring.”

  “If I had a good lie right now, trust me, I’d use it,” Dylan stood up and held out a palm. “Coffee?”

  She glided along beside him, their fingers twined like a couple of kids. She paused at the entrance. “Dylan, I didn’t bring money with me. All I have on me is my phone…and don’t look at me like that. I’d bet a pro-bono that somewhere on you, there is a cell.”

  “Not to worry, little girl,” Dylan laid his arm along her shoulders and guided her inside to the counter, the young girl watching them politely. “So what’s your decadent choice today?”

  “Don’t mind him…too much oxygen on his run,” Kate confided with a wink at the girl chuckling.

  “Oh, I don’t know…he sounds really happy.”

  “An amazing assessment, young lady.” Dylan nodded with a broad grin. “And I am not about to apologize for a sensation I wish on the whole world at the moment.”

  “Well…I’ll have a chocolate and caramel Frappuccino with whipped crème, vente, please,” Kate said with a chuckle of her own.

  “Regular or decaf?”

  “Oh, she wants the strong stuff today,” Dylan piped up.

  “Regular, please,” Kate shook her head and met teasing silver eyes, crinkles at the corners that only made him look more and more boyish. “I’ll snag us a table outside.”

  “And I will have…” Dylan stared at the menu, his hands on the counter and gaze going to the young woman waiting patiently. “Just a coffee…large…and plain.”

  “House blend or something new?”

  “Aw, hell, I’ll go for the new stuff,” Dylan dug the wallet from a buttoned pocket on his running pants. Inhaling the strong fragrance when it was set on the counter for him seconds later. He carried both drinks to the table where Kate waited, patiently gazing out at the collection of people arriving.

  “Don’t spend a lot of time in coffee shops, do you?” Kate accepted the drink, gripping the straw and taking a long, slow swallow. “Delicious,” she whispered reverently.

  “I have a coffee machine at home and there’s a couple at work. As long as I get my fix, I’m good,” Dylan leaned back in the chair, finding simple pleasure in watching her.

  “Want a taste?”

  “You’re mainlining sugar,” he teased.

  “Yea…and your point? A girl’s gotta have a couple vices. And as vices go, this is a fairly mild one,” she removed the plastic dome and scooped a big dollop of whipped crème from the top with a satisfied, “Yummm…”

  “You said you live around here?” Dylan removed the lid, allowing the fragrance to surround him and the coffee to cool faster, telling his mind and other portions of him that her actions with the straw and whipped crème were not to be taken erotically.

  “Not this high out. I live back at the beginning of the walk. You might have seen the divers setting up? I live almost across the street from them. You live closer to town?”


  “A new complex at the southern end of Lake Washington.”

  “What do you do? Work, I mean?” Kate sipped slowly, making many guesses in her mind.

  “I’m an engineer, aerospace.”

  “With Boeing?”

  “Private.”

  “Planes and stuff?”

  “Anything that flies, even the space shuttle and some of the components floating above our heads in the satellites,” he said simply.