1-Chloe-Kate-Bella Read online

  She started the car and drove to the outer edge of the parking lot where she turned the car off and just sat. Her phone rang. She didn’t need to look at it to know who was calling. Kate put her head back, eyes closed.

  How could she go from self-assured, calm and in control to a blithering idiot?

  The two weeks played back in her mind. She knew he was an engineer. He told her. And he’d told her his name. Why had she never connected the two? She’d spent hours reading and rereading the research on Aero Visions.

  Kate felt her fingers shaking when she lifted the phone, tapping in Chloe’s number. “Chloe…you got a few minutes to talk?”

  “Of course…what’s up?”

  Kate listened to herself explain what had happened and to the quiet on the other end of the phone.

  “Kate, you don’t sound okay…what’s wrong?”

  “I…I don’t know, Chloe. I’m more than pretty sure there isn’t a conflict of interest as far as being your representative and…well, and…”

  “That’s what’s bothering you? Good grief, Kate!” Chloe laughed. “You seriously need a hug, girl. This isn’t a murder trial and he’s a witness for the other side! It’s just a silly will and merger. There’s bound to be lots of stuff that hasn’t come up yet in the whole long two weeks that you’ve known Dylan. Geeze, this is hardly worth indigestion over. Simon liked him…they talked a lot at the fund raiser the other night. And you know what’s more important…he made you laugh. Inside,” Chloe said softly, continuing on more sternly. “It is not a problem. I’ve read the research and investigative stuff on his company. I like what I saw, period. He’s a friend of Baron’s, another plus. Does that help?”

  “Chloe, I feel like such an idiot. I…it was like my brain shut down. And I don’t know why! We’re kind of moving in together and…it’s not like he’s some mob boss…he just owns a company…he’s an engineer…”

  “Kate…time takes care of the details…have you told him about Jimmy?” Chloe heard the sharp intake of air. “I didn’t think so. But I know in time, you will. The name of his company and his position and his income…none of that is important.”

  “You are the very best friend ever,” Kate breathed deeply. “I don’t know what happened to me…”

  “Oh please…I could be thinking logical code and Simon comes into the room and…pffftt…it’s gone from my head. To be replaced by the most positively wicked but oh so fun thoughts….” Her chuckles matched that of her friend.

  “I know…I know…I think I need to go fix things. He probably thinks I’ve lost my mind,” Kate sighed. “I don’t blame him. Here I thought…ten minutes…make the guys day by handing him Wetherly Systems…poof, easy as pie.”

  “You going to Bella’s on Thursday? I’ve got my literary costume all prepared.”

  “Mine is mostly pulled together…the red shoes were a jewel. Wait till you see them…they sparkle and glitter,” Kate chuckled warmly. “Okay…back to the fray. Thanks, Chloe.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” she assured her.

  Kate held her head high, her stride long as she entered the building once more, receiving a jaunty wave from Harry as she breezed past to the block of elevators. Her hands were sweating and the thumping inside her chest was from nerves, she knew that, but it didn’t help.

  Dark eyes met the calm smile at the desk, a flush of pink tinting her cheeks.

  “Is he still…” Kate gestured with her head toward the closed office door.

  “Just as you left him. Want me to announce you?” Lisa asked with a grin.

  “I’m not usually…a nut case,” she decided to call it what she felt like.

  “Happens to the best of us,” Lisa tapped a button on the phone. “Dylan, Miss Fletcher is here to see you. Can I send her in?”

  “Yes.”

  Kate winced at the growl in the single word, exhaled deeply and strode confidently into his office, the door closing behind her. She could just imagine the office stories circulating.

  “Hi…”

  “Hi,” Dylan watched her warily. He’d loosened his tie and had some papers spread across his desk.

  Kate felt for all the world like she was standing in the principles’ office.

  “I need to…no, I want to apologize for that last hour,” she said firmly.

  “What are you apologizing for?”

  “Well, now that part is still a bit iffy…I’m not entirely sure temporary insanity qualifies for an apology, but still feel it’s a necessary thing to do,” Kate stated with all the years of lawyer training behind her. She wasn’t prepared for his burst of laughter, silver eyes crinkled at the corners and his head shaking.

  “You know…when I bumped into you, I just had this feeling that life with you would never be dull,” Dylan collected the papers into the folder and slid it into his desk drawer before rounding the desk.

  “I do have to say, you handled it amazingly well, considering,” Kate complimented, stepping into his arms with a soft sigh.

  “Well, you know us CEO’s…we’re trained for the unexpected.”

  “I’m starving.”

  “I can fix that…how about we adjourn the meeting to the cafeteria? They have some good stuff today,” Dylan kissed her before taking a step back. “Are you okay with this, Kate?”

  “I talked to Chloe,” she told him as they walked, aware of people noticing their clasp hands. “Can CEO’s walk the corridors holding hands with a girl?”

  “I’m fairly certain the company can handle the shock,” he assured her with a wink, pressing the second floor button in the elevator. “I even employ people with tattoos,” he whispered with laughter in his voice.

  “I honestly don’t know how to explain what happened,” she said ten minutes later, seated comfortably with a plate of baked salmon and salad before her.

  “Do I need a special request to talk to Counselor Fletcher?” Dylan asked, taking a bite of his hamburger.

  Kate grinned cheekily. “Hold on and I’ll patch you through,” she cleared her throat and applied a suitable professional voice and smile. “Well, hello there, Mr. Grant. I hope your day is going swimmingly. What can I do for you today?”

  “You represent Chloe Wetherly?”

  “Yes. Though her name was changed four years ago to Applegate. The paperwork verifying that is also in the folder. I’m sure it won’t surprise you if Stephen Wetherly goes kicking and screaming all the way, but there really isn’t a thing he can do about it. It’s pretty much a done deal.” Kate took a long swallow of icy water. “I had a great deal of investigative reports to read through before I made my recommendation to Chloe.”

  “You investigated me?”

  “Not me…but yes, the business. Everything is listed in D.C. Grant…and my brain just didn’t make the connection. You’ve done really good things with Aero Visions and have a solid reputation in the business world,” Kate complimented honestly. “That was very tasty. I feel loads better.”

  “So how did Chloe convince you to return?”

  Kate sighed and leaned back. “I honestly do not know what hit me, Dylan. I think…I was concerned with a conflict of interest…ethical stuff…I don’t know, seriously. Then part of me was thinking why didn’t I know this about you? Had you not told me? I realized we just hadn’t talked much about it…I knew your name…and like I said…for some reason, it just did not click. Chloe asked me if I’d told you I’d been married before…” She saw the surprise on his face and smiled weakly. “Not keeping secrets, just things we hadn’t gotten around to talking about.”

  “How long ago?”

 
“Oh, god…I was all of eighteen…and it lasted seven months,” nothing inside Kate could stop the welling in her eyes, fingertips up to cover her lips for a long minute. “Geeze…it was so long ago and it still makes me teary. But Chloe was right…things that just haven’t come up. Like you never asking why I only worked part time and how I could afford the prime property on Alki Point.”

  Dylan shrugged. “Chloe’s right. Just never thought about it. I’m a pretty laid back kinda guy for the most part. What happened to your marriage?”

  “Jimmy was like you…only in computer programs. No matter what came up…he’d just turn the box on its side and find another answer, nothing ever seemed to faze him. He and two of his friends started a game company that took off. Through the roof. This happened after we’d been married a few months…then one night they were working late, leaving their office and some gangs decided to have a shootout in their parking lot. Jimmy and Mark were killed instantly. I was a rich widow,” she said in a voice barely audible.

  “Kate…”

  “God, I was angry. I was so very, very angry…”

  “That’s why you joined the police, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. And I trained and trained and trained. I studied and took more courses and I was still angry,” Kate rubbed her hands on the frosted glass, transferring the cold to her cheeks. “I don’t care if they kill each other…I really don’t. Cold, but true. It’s the innocent people…the lives that they hurt…”

  “C’mon…let’s go for a walk,” Dylan took her hand and pulled her up beside him.

  “I have an appointment with Halpern, Wetherly’s attorney. But you can walk me to the car,” Kate leaned into the arm he surrounded her with. “I still think there are some pieces missing. I get why he was nagging Chloe…but he can’t force her to work for him. You throw money at people to get them, you don’t harass and…and virtually hold them hostage. That is not the way to get their best work out of them. Anyway…I am going to stress that Chloe wants left alone. And hope I can make it understood.” She kissed him and slid into the SUV. “See you later at home.”

  At home, Dylan thought, whistling as he wandered back to his office. Just a feeling, he mused.

  Kate sat with one leg resting on the pavement while she dug in her case for the other folder she had prepared. She carried it and her bag into the high rise business complex, located the floor and stepped into the elevator with several other people.

  She met the polite smile with one of her own. “Kate Fletcher to see Mr. Helpern.”

  “He’s expecting you, Miss Fletcher,” she rose and tapped on the door lightly. “Miss Fletcher is here, sir.”

  “Good, send her in,” the voice was weathered, Kate thought, not surprised when the man she met matched the voice. “Miss Fletcher. I was just on the phone with Stephen Wetherly. He is not a happy man.”

  “He has a chance at two options, Mr. Helpern. Sell out to Aero Visions and profit. Or keep his shares and profit with dividends and growth and the knowledge that his employees are in the hands of a man who will take care of them, and the contracts withstanding.”

  “The man is watching his company taken over by this young…marauder!”

  Kate held the folder out to him. “Here are copies of all the proxies. Mr. Grant is with his attorney at the moment, preparing for the upcoming board meeting. I have it on his word that the employees will be retained, if at all possible, and all contracts honored. Existing shares of Wetherly Systems will be transferred into equal value shares of Aero Visions as soon as the legal paperwork is complete. Inside the folder is a letter signed by Chloe Applegate and sent to all board members, backing all these changes and urging the board members to support the new administration.”

  “My client assures me that Chloe Wetherly is not in her right mind.”

  Kate felt the professional in her draw colder. “I am willing to bet on the stability and integrity of my client, Halpern. Are you? Urge your client to think before he acts. Is his behavior for his ego or what’s best for the company? Good day,” she turned and walked out of the office, leaving the man glaring at her back.

  Chapter Twenty

  There was a promise of a little afternoon sun. The high pressure was leaving just as October made its way into the area. Kate glanced at the mirrors as she drove, casting a raised eye brow at Chloe.

  “He doesn’t know about the black vehicle, does he?” Kate asked casually. She’d taken the day off, loaded her costume into the car and picked up Chloe at the shop for their long weekend at the lodge.

  “Simon? No…he’d only worry,” she said simply.

  “Any ideas?”

  “Not a one. I’ve got it narrowed down to someone from Simon’s past, but still digging…it’s annoying, at best,” Chloe sighed.

  “Not an off chance it’s someone Simon hired to watch over you?”

  “Slim to none…I’m more inclined to think the motorcycle guy was hired by Simon for that job,” Chloe responded, tapping her fingers on the window glass at her side.

  “Hard for them to hide in plain sight when we enter the lodge grounds.”

  “Figure it’ll get interesting. That’s why I brought my training gear….”

  Kate chuckled. “You and those sticks.”

  “You should talk…I bet you’re packing?”

  “Yea? What of it?” Kate replied, reassured at the fitted holster beneath her jacket. “I’m just glad Dylan didn’t decide to feel me up before I left the house,” she mumbled and laughed with her friend. “Should we give Bella a heads up?”

  “I did this morning by text while Simon was in the shower. What is so wrong with just wanting a quiet, boring life…with great sex?”

  “That’s why you want to hit things,” Kate laughed and pulled the SUV into a spot close to the main entrance.

  “Damn straight,” Chloe carried the small bag from the back, two long hardwood poles crossing in specially made loops to hold them in place.

  “Well…either we’re not as stealthy as we think we are…hideous thought…or your bodyguard shot a call to Simon…oh, and gee wiz….Dylan is with him. This day just keeps getting better and better,” Kate stepped from the car and applied a smile.

  “You can’t be serious,” Chloe whispered hoarsely. “I’m gonna flatten his tires for this.”

  “Simon’s?”

  “The motorcycle,” she growled but stood in place, back to the arriving vehicle. She waved to Bella and took a few steps toward her.

  “I’d be willing to bet that little sports car broke some speeding limits,” Kate mused, ignoring them and walking with Bella and Chloe to the lodge entrance.

  “Not what you had in mind?” Bella asked softly.

  “I want to know who is behind following me constantly. And I can’t very well work that out if they maintain a distance,” Chloe replied, pausing at the waist high rock wall and leaning to watch Simon and Dylan approach. She could see the motorcyclist out of the corner of her eye, hooking the shielded black helmet on the seat and striding in from another angle.

  “How’s the video coverage?” Kate asked before they got closer.

  “Wired,” Bella said simply, smiling at the new arrivals. “Dylan, nice to see you again.”

  “The other one is Simon, Bella,” Chloe mumbled, jumping to sit on the wall, feet swinging and mind racing.

  ”And the one in dark jeans and a leather jacket?”

  “Just a guy looking for work. I heard you were hiring temp help,” came the smooth answer.

  “Wrong place at the wrong time?” Kate threw out amiably to Bella and Chloe.

  “Bloody unlikely
,” Chloe muttered and shrugged. “What the hell, put him to work. He looks sturdy enough.”

  A pair of genuinely confused blue eyes scanned the group, his palm up and raking over the short clipped blond hair. “Seriously. A friend knew I was in the area looking for some work for a few weeks. That’s all.”

  “A friend who knows the lodge?” Kate asked casually.

  “Baron Lathrom?” The man said easily, aware of the interest from the males nearby. He held out his palm to Simon. “Sam Franklin. I’m guessing you know Baron?”