“Goes without saying.”
He nodded. “We need to come up with a plan to proceed, but I wanted to let you know I’d done some digging on you. I like things out in the open. I didn’t want to keep anything from you. I speak my mind and I appreciate the same from my friends.”
“So, we’re friends now?”
“Clients can be friends, too,” he said softly.
She liked him. She wished she didn’t. It would be easier. But she felt herself wanting to confide in him. She angled her head. “You know plenty about me, but I got virtually nothing on you.”
“You trust me. You already admitted that.” he said. “And while we’re figuring this mess out, you can fill in the blanks about me for yourself.” He tapped her hand until she looked back up at him. “I don’t lie. You’ll always know where you stand with me. That’s important for me in my work and in my personal life.”
She offered her hand. “Okay, friend. I’m in agreement. Let’s work on this mess, as you put it.”
He shook her hand gently. “Friend,” he agreed. The now familiar warmth spread through her. He seemed to feel it too and didn’t let go.
Mesmerized, she let herself lean toward him. He looked like he would kiss her, and she was on board for that kiss. Suddenly he backed up and let go of her hand.
“We should decide how to make the announcement to the world,” he said. “It has to be something you’re comfortable with.”
She tried to clear her swimming head, to tell herself she didn’t want this. But her whole body was telling her otherwise.
“Okay, what are your thoughts?” she asked just as his phone rang.
“Let me get this, and then I’ll lay it out for you.” He swiped his phone on. “Hey, Jules, what’s up?”
The conversation was brief, and she could tell that he wasn’t happy about the topic. He clicked off after a terse good-bye. “That was my assistant. The fire chief called my office.”
“What did he say?”
“The arson investigator finished her preliminary report.”
“And?”
“It wasn’t an accident.”
Chapter Eleven
“It has to be Serena, but I didn’t think even she would stoop this low.”
He scooped fried rice onto a paper plate. They’d spent the last hour discussing who might’ve set the bomb and finally took a break for dinner. Bev needed food in her stomach before she could safely take another pain pill.
After filling their bellies, they circled back to the most unnerving conversation of her life.
“Money does crazy things to people,” she said, immediately thinking of her derelict father.
Finn stabbed at a dumpling. “You’d have to be bat shit in the first place to do something this crazy.”
“That’s true, but I don’t really care about analyzing anyone in the Winslow family right now. I share that DNA.” She reached for the lo mein and ate from the carton with chopsticks. “The convoluted way Reginald set up this inheritance shows he wasn’t working on all cylinders. It isn’t really a stretch to think his daughter could be trying to blow me up.”
“I’m not comfortable playing around with this topic,” he said. “There’s someone I know in the FBI—”
“Of course there is,” she interrupted.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It only means I’m not surprised. You’re a guy with a lot of connections.”
“And you’re a lady who jumps to conclusions.”
She was about to protest, but he stopped her with a hand on hers. “I get it. In your eyes, I’m a big-time attorney who’s pretty sleazy for taking on a client like Reginald Winslow. You probably think I have the mayor of Boston on speed dial.”
“Well—” she began.
He cut her off. “I’d be a terrible lawyer if I didn’t utilize every connection to help a client. And I said I had a friend in the FBI, not a whole herd. I’m going to make a call to see if she can help you, because that’s what I do.”
Bev got hung up on one word. “She?”
“Yeah, they let women in the FBI. It’s bizarre, but there are some people who consider men and women equal.”
“Ha-ha. I didn’t question if your friend was a capable FBI agent. I was caught off guard and made a stupid assumption. That’s all.” She took a sip of water to hide the blush she was sure had begun to creep up her neck. “I’ll take any help you can find.”
“Then the she part was because you assumed I was involved with her?”
Lara, the blond stick figure, popped into her mind. She and Finn looked right for each other. She told herself to stop being stupid. “After the blonde blew into your office without invitation, the thought crossed my mind.”
“I don’t date every woman I meet. It would be exhausting,” he said. “Assumptions are dangerous things, Beverly.”
She hated he was right, but she wasn’t about to admit it. It had made her wonder. Still, she wasn’t about to let him know it. She changed the subject instead. “I don’t think you’re sleazy. Most lawyers would kill for a client like Reginald.”
“I’m not most lawyers. I took on Reginald before I knew any of the real reasons he came looking for me. Other than the scandal of disowning your mother, Reginald’s business dealings are on the up-and-up as far as I can tell. He was a terrible father, but he wasn’t a criminal. I don’t do business with criminals. I was in charge of probate and estate planning, but I did my research on his business. Everything went smoothly until your grandfather got sick. Then something seemed to shift inside him. As a person, your grandfather was enigmatic and brilliant, not unlike you. But when he got sick, he seemed to soften. I thought it was wonderful he was including you in the will. It wasn’t until the night he died I was told the true story.”
“Which is?”
“You know most of it.” He crumbled a napkin and tossed it onto her coffee table. “The only aspect he wouldn’t elaborate on was Serena’s role in the whole debacle. Something tells me she had more to do with Reginald disowning your mother than we know. Your mother was always the favorite; Reginald admitted that. Even on his deathbed, he cared very little for family and more about—”
“Money,” she finished.
“Actually, no. It’s weird, but Reginald cared more about building something strong and lasting. The money was a side benefit to him. From my research on you, I think that’s another trait you two shared.”.
“Christ. This is frustrating. I’ve been under surveillance for how long?”
“I can’t answer truthfully. I did my research when I took on Reginald as a client. There’s no telling how long Reginald was monitoring you before that. But he was. He believed you could handle the empire.”
“I was trying to build something of my own. Now my little corner of the world is ash, and I owe my thanks to the Winslows.” She wouldn’t allow herself to think about Atlantic Charters because if she did, she’d break down and cry in front of him. She hated to start all over with the business.
At least the boats were okay, and she had insurance. Keep positive, she told herself. She’d done it before, she could do it again. She’d work from her cottage until the offices were up and running again.
He interrupted her thoughts. “Reginald recognized your abilities. That’s why he chose you. He spoke to Serena the day he died but never told her his plans.” He leaned back against the couch. “He was a cold man.”
“I’m not cold,” she said. But was she? She had always approached her life methodically and with logic. With little time for nonsense. Was she more like Reginald than she first thought?
“No one said you were cold. In business, you might be a clone of Reginald, but in the important stuff like family and friends, his neglect seemed to serve you well. Your mother must be some woman.”
Bev, not about to explain her strange childhood or the tenuous grip her mother had on her emotional health, cleared her throat. “My mother is amazing. Thank you.”
She rose and cleared the plates and containers.
“I’ll do that.” He stood before taking the plates from her. “You sit down. You’re supposed to rest.”
“I’ll rest when you tell me your ideas to deal with Serena. We keep circling the same buoy here. Clearly, she is an issue. What are we going to do about it?”
“First, I’m going to clean up the meal. Then I’m going to call my FBI-agent friend, Tracy, who is my friend and only ever has been my friend,” he added unnecessarily, but she relaxed with the knowledge. “I’ll ask her for suggestions, and then you and I will come up with something that will knock Serena right out of her Prada pumps.”
“Gotta appreciate a man who knows fashion.”
“I have a sister. It’s required knowledge for birthday and Christmas presents.” He turned on the faucet in her kitchen sink. “Speaking of which, as much as I love your flannel and jeans, do you need something to wear tomorrow for a meeting in Boston?”
She groaned. Her wardrobe was abysmal. She’d wear the same suit. Again. “No. Why?”
“You need to dress the part.” He rinsed silverware. “Also, I think there’s one surefire way to solve the Serena issue.”
“Oh yeah. How’s that?”
“Left to her own devices, she could be a problem. You might consider keeping her on to run the foundation. Or ask for her help with a project.”
“I don’t think I can wrap my mind around that idea. I’d be required to interact with her, and she could be trying to kill me.”
“But you’d be able to keep a closer eye on her. If it were me, I’d want to know where Serena is every minute of the day.”
“As much as I hate the idea, it’s a decent point. But I’ll think about it. Spending time with my aunt every day could be more terrifying than anything else I could possibly imagine.”
He dried his hands. “You might be right. For now, let’s see what the FBI thinks.”
****
Finn spent a sexually frustrating night in his client’s guest room—a mere wall separating him from the woman he couldn’t get out of his head. The cold shower did nothing. He readied himself for the day.
Jules had couriered over everything he needed, including a favorite navy suit. There was no way he was letting his client out of his sight until they got to the bottom of her office explosion. He hoped his plan would keep her safe. After conferring with his friend Tracy, he explained as much as he could to Beverly on their way into the city.
He had difficulty concentrating as he took in the smooth lines of her red suit. She looked cool and capable. It was sexy as hell. His mouth went dry when she looked up at him with her witch-green eyes. Beverly Winslow was stunning. He cleared his head and tried to answer her questions.
“Isn’t taking a helicopter overkill?” she asked.
“I called the press. I want Serena to see you arrive in style. I imagine she heard about the emergency meeting of the board of directors I requested. Speculation will hit the stock price a bit, but you can weather it. I don’t want you to reveal anything until the paperwork has been signed.” He checked his watch. “I’ve given you an hour before the board meeting starts once we arrive to your building.”
“Stop calling it that.” She stared at the city below her. “It sounds weird.”
“It’s accurate,” he said. “It’s also something you should get used to—and fast. You are about to be declared president and CEO of Winslow Holdings. With a majority stake in every company and subsidiary the parent company owns.”
She took gulping breaths, so he gentled his tone. “You told me you only dwell on things you can control. What we are about to do is take control of the situation. Granted, you didn’t create the situation, but how you handle it is up to you. You graduated with an MBA from one of the most prestigious business schools in the country, for Christ’s sake. You built your business from the ground up. And you’re Reginald’s granddaughter. You’re more equipped than almost anyone else for this position.” He clenched a fist. “Plus there’s the bonus of heading off Serena, which will hopefully end the danger for you.”
She smoothed a wrinkle on her pants. “Okay, I got this. Thanks for the pep talk. I’m trying to get used to a new normal I guess.”
“I hate to break it to you, but nothing about your life now is normal, starting with the fact that until we meet your security team, I’m not leaving your side.”
“Do you always make decisions without consulting your clients first?”
“I make small decisions to make my clients’ lives easier so they are free to make more important decisions.”
“Disrupting your entire work week to wait for a security team I probably won’t need after this? Had you mentioned it, I would have advised against it. It’s a poor use of your time.”
He shrugged. “I handle things for people. It’s what I do. However, in this case, I’ve a personal interest in making sure you don’t get blown up. Like you said, that would suck. Call it one of my quirks.” He patted her hand. “Learn to deal with it.”
“I’m not sure I can. For now, tell me what your friend from the FBI said.”
“She’s looking into it quietly, since the FBI isn’t officially on the case. Tracy also agreed the longer you wait to take over, the longer you’ll be in danger. Whoever blew up your office was trying to either scare you, distract you, or kill you. None of those options sit well for me.” His voice hardened as she clasped her hands together, her knuckles turning white. He hated worrying her more than she already was, but she needed to be on her guard. “By taking over, you run a risk of enraging whoever did it. But according to Tracy, the benefits outweigh the risk because we’ll find out who the culprit is sooner. She’s recommending discreet, private security for you. The press will find out about the explosion anyway, so some security is expected. Whoever did this will try again, but we’ll catch him.”
“Is this really all we can do?”
“It’s the best option right now.” She still looked afraid, and he wanted to take her in his arms, offer comfort. Steadying the impulse to hold her, he reached for her hand instead, squeezed. “I don’t like the idea of you being in danger. You need to be smart about this.”
“Don’t worry. Something tells me there’s no time to go off on my own from now on.”
“That’s true. Winslow Holdings will take up the majority of your time. You are CEO for a year. That’s one of the terms of the will.”
“And I made a commitment, but I am getting back to my life, Finn. Reginald may be calling the shots for three hundred and sixty-five days, but I’m not letting a dead man dictate the rest of my life. I have a business to build back up, and I finish what I start.” She took a deep breath. “This is a temporary situation.”
He said nothing. It wasn’t that simple. He knew enough about her now. The minute she took on the inheritance, she’d become invested. Now he was invested in what happened to her. He was having a hard time deciding if it was because she was his client or if it was something more. Either way, Finn cared.
Way more than he should.
Chapter Twelve
It was a typical wet April day in Boston, but nasty weather failed to keep the press from showing up. Finn got out of the car and brought an umbrella around for Beverly. She tried for graceful debutante when she rose from the limo and offered the press a regal smile. As Finn had coached, she stopped halfway to the huge glass doorway of Winslow Holdings.
She ignored the constant shouts and huge zoom lens cameras shoved at her as she wasn’t used to attention of this type. She didn’t need to let them know that fact.
Suddenly an idea came to her. Back when she was in captains’ school and the other candidates had tried to get in her head, she’d played a game. She’d pretended she already was a captain and lives depended on her. This was no different. Lives did depend on this. She channeled her inner captain and faced the press.
“I understand you are here because it was leaked there would be an annou
ncement regarding the Winslow inheritance. I can confirm that to be true at this time. Unfortunately, I can’t say anything more until all parties arrive.” She smiled and walked away, ignoring the shouts demanding her attention.
Finn leaned down and whispered, “Nicely done. They think you’re the family spokesperson, not the heir to the throne.”
“I am the family spokesperson from now on. It isn’t good business to let others speak for you.” She shrugged. “Besides, my experience with the press is nil, but seems to me I’ll need them on my side if Serena makes this public.”
He held the door for her and shook the umbrella closed. “Very smart and way savvier than you led me to believe. You were terrified in the helicopter on the way here.”
“I am still terrified,” she said. “Doesn’t mean everyone needs to know it.”
She focused on her breathing in order to still the frogs jumping in her stomach. If he could tell she was terrified, would the board notice? She needed this to go off without issue. People could lose their jobs if the stock prices bottomed out, and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if that happened. Maintaining the status quo was important to these people. After reading over the paperwork last night, she knew there were more than a thousand people counting on whoever took over Winslow Holdings. She wouldn’t let them down.
As she entered the huge atrium of the building she was about to own, she tried not to gape. A stunning green, glass, tiled waterfall towered in the center. The color reminded her of the ocean water on a cloudy day. Security scanners and uniformed guards helmed the desk nearby. They might be less imposing if they wore suits instead of uniforms. She put the thought aside. Changes like that were a long way off.
As they reached the reception desk, her palms were drenched. “Beverly Winslow,” she forced the smile. “I have a ten fifteen in the main conference room.”
The lovely receptionist with black hair and deep brown eyes gulped and stammered, “Y-Yes, Ms. Winslow. I’ll call up now.” Her name tag read Melanie and she gave Bev furtive glances as she picked up the phone.
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