One Baby, Two Secrets

by Barbara Dunlop

  “No kidding.”

  “But the you and me part, we’re just two people sleeping together for a while.”

  He wasn’t ready to accept that. But he wasn’t ready to argue it, either.

  “I wish we could do that tonight,” he said instead.

  “I have a baby to take care of.”

  “You do,” he agreed, knowing they weren’t going to solve this here and now. “And that baby needs blankets.”

  Kate laughed then, and he loved the sound of it.

  His phone rang in his pocket, and he checked the screen.

  “Will,” he told her. “Hey,” he answered.

  “It’s a mess,” said Will.

  “Is that a surprise?”

  “It’s worse than we expected.”

  “In what sense?”

  “They can take care of the steganography. That never made it into the mainstream programming, and we don’t have a national security issue. But the Shetland Tech code is everywhere. They’ve used it in a dozen programs. It’ll take years to pull it all apart.”

  Kate had moved farther down the aisle, and Brody put some additional distance between them.

  “We don’t have years,” he said to Will.

  “I’ve made that abundantly clear.”

  “Good.”

  “But we’re going to have to bring them down, Brody. Beast Blue will cease to exist.”

  “So I kill Annabelle’s company.”

  “To save your family.”

  “That’s a terrible choice,” Brody said.

  “It’s no choice at all.”

  “I suppose not.”

  Brody’s loyalty had to be to his family. And they weren’t the ones who’d committed a crime. It might not be Annabelle’s fault, but it was her father’s doing, and her legacy turned out to be based on theft.

  “What about the mansion? Has there been any talk of Quentin’s personal assets?”

  “He signed personal guarantees. It’ll all get eaten up in the bankruptcy proceedings.”

  “Everything?” Brody hated that this was how it would go.

  “You might be able to make a case for Francie’s personal possessions.”

  “The jewelry?”

  “They weren’t married. They didn’t live together. And she didn’t sign any of the personal guarantees.”

  “Isn’t that ironic.”

  Quentin had tried to protect his assets from Francie, and he ended up protecting Francie’s assets instead.

  “You want me to pick them up from the gatehouse?”

  “Can you legally do that?”

  “With Kate’s permission, I can. But, one more thing.”

  Brody braced himself.

  “Kate’s mother will get half. Francie had some kind of old will that was written before Annabelle was born.”

  Brody almost laughed. “There’s really no justice, is there?”

  “You got justice for Shetland Tech.”

  “I suppose I did. I’ll ask Kate.”

  “Let me know.”

  “Will do.” Brody signed off and caught up to Kate.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “It’s progressing. It’s going to be a long haul.” He saw no reason to give her the bad news before it was concrete. “Will did have one question for you.”

  She gave Brody her attention. “What is it?”

  “It’ll make things easier if Francie’s personal possessions are separated from the mansion’s assets. He can pick up her jewelry if you’d like.”

  “You mean I’m getting the emeralds after all?”

  “You are.”

  “Is it just me, or is that kind of funny?”

  “I almost laughed. One glitch though. Your mother will get half.”

  Kate rolled her eyes. “Oh, good grief. They shouldn’t go to either of us. They should go to Annabelle.”

  “I don’t suppose suggesting that to your mother would help?” Brody was sure he knew the answer. The woman he’d seen in the courtroom wasn’t about to give up a windfall.

  “There’s no point in even asking,” Kate said. “She will be firmly convinced she’s entitled.”

  “Maybe it’ll keep her away.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he rethought them. “I’m sorry. She’s your mother.”

  “I’m not going to pretend to admire her now. Her staying away from Annabelle is the best outcome of this. If it costs us a few emeralds, so be it.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  “Now, help me with this. Elephants or bunnies?”

  “The bunnies are adorable.”

  “I thought so, too.”

  He leaned down to whisper, letting his lips brush the shell of her ear. “And you’re adorable.”

  “No,” she said in a firm voice.

  “No?”

  “I’m not going to your hotel before we relieve Nadia. You can make it through one night on your own.”

  He wasn’t so sure about that.

  Then again, he had a lot to think about and a bunch of phone calls to make. Will was right. Brody had to protect his family’s legacy.

  * * *

  Kate and Brody walked along the path on Sunday morning, pushing Annabelle in her new stroller. Families were picnicking, children were riding bikes, and dads and sons were playing catch. She’d never paid much attention to the activities in the park near her condo, but she realized now it was a hub of activity.

  “I’m having a hard time picturing it,” Kate said as she watched a little girl climb up the slide. “I mean, I can wrap my head around a baby, but I can’t imagine Annabelle as a child. She’ll go to school, maybe take dance lessons, or soccer or fencing. She might like fencing.”

  “Fencing?” Brody asked, pointing to a vacant bench.

  Annabelle had fallen asleep, and now he parked the stroller, and they sat down to take in the sights.

  “You never know what she might like. Whatever it is, I’ll support it. I’m going to be a regular mom. I’m going to bake cookies for the bake sale, register her in swimming lessons, buy her ice cream at the zoo.”

  “All the things your own mother never did,” Brody guessed.

  “She’s going to be happy,” Kate said with conviction.

  “You want some ice cream?” He pointed to a concession stand. “You’ve given me a craving.”

  “Sure.” Kate leaned back and tipped her face up to the sunshine. She couldn’t remember being this happy. “Make mine chocolate.”

  “You got it.” Brody rose from the bench and walked across the path, weaving his way through the picnic tables. She watched him, admiring his great looks, his height and confident stride.

  He placed his order and then turned back to her. He smiled and waved, and her heart took a flip. If family life in suburbia was like this, she was going to love it. Annabelle at three, at six, and nine. Brody—

  Her fantasy screeched to a halt.

  Brody wasn’t going to be there. Brody was only hers for a short while. Soon he’d get on a plane. He’d fly off to Scotland. He’d play polo, attend fancy balls, meet glamorous women and eventually produce the next generation of little earls to live in his big, drafty castle.

  But that was his life, and it made sense for him. She and Annabelle were much better here, she told herself.

  And, who knew, over time maybe Kate would meet a nice man, an accountant or an architect. She could get married and have some brothers and sisters for Annabelle.

  She tried to picture her future husband, but Brody kept getting in the way. That was understandable, she told herself. Because he was walking this way, a smile on his face, two chocolate ice-cream cones in his hands.

 
; It was impossible to plan beyond Brody. And why should she try? There was nothing wrong with enjoying this moment. She was under no illusions. She wouldn’t get hurt when he left. Her heart wouldn’t be broken, because she’d been prepared for the end before it had even happened.

  “Chocolate all around,” he said, handing her one of the cones before sitting back down beside her.

  They both licked the melting edge of their ice cream.

  “This is nice,” Brody said, gazing around at the trees and flowers. “It’s a lot like Scotland—like the cities, anyway. The countryside is wilder, more rugged.”

  “I’ve always lived in cities,” she said.

  “I went to university in Edinburgh, but I mostly grew up in the country.”

  “In a castle. I heard. You don’t have to brag.”

  He chuckled. “Believe me, it’s nothing to brag about.”

  “Sure, it is. What kid doesn’t dream of being a prince or princess, of growing up surrounded by finery in a castle with a beautiful, kindly queen as a mother?”

  “Was that your dream?” he asked.

  “For a while. When I was nine.” She wasn’t going to lie. “I just knew I’d have a beautiful golden dress, and a little gold crown, and jeweled shoes.”

  “Jeweled shoes?”

  “What? You don’t have any jeweled shoes?”

  “Since I’m not an entertainer in Vegas, no.”

  “Well, I would have had jeweled shoes. Like I said. When I was nine.” She licked her ice cream.

  “And afterwards? Or before? You obviously had other dreams.”

  “This,” she said, scanning the scene in front of her. “This was my dream.”

  He smiled at that. “You’re living your dream, Kate.”

  “At least for a little while.”

  He adjusted the hood on the stroller to block the sun from Annabelle. “For a long while, I think.”

  Kate didn’t want to disagree. But her dream had included a husband. And she couldn’t imagine where that might be in her future.

  “What did I say?” he asked.

  “Nothing.” She shook off her mood.

  He slid closer. “Seriously, Kate. What happened just then?”

  She opened her mouth to lie. But then she caught his gaze with her own.

  “I’m going to miss you.” The truth came out before she could stop it.

  His expression softened, his eyes going opaque. He touched his index finger to her chin. “I’m going to miss you, too.”

  Neither of them moved.

  “How did this happen?” she asked.

  “I have no idea,” he said. “There I was, busy minding my own business.”

  “You were undercover investigating a crime.”

  “You were undercover saving a baby.”

  “One minute we were arguing,” she said.

  “And the next we discovered we had something in common.”

  “I don’t want to sleep alone tonight,” she said.

  Brody looked concerned. “What would Nadia think?”

  “It doesn’t matter what Nadia thinks. I know what I think.”

  He gave a wry smile. “She might throw me out of the condo.”

  “Not if we go to your hotel.”

  Annabelle stirred in the stroller.

  Brody’s hand smoothed Kate’s shoulder. “You are welcome in my hotel room anytime you want.”

  Fourteen

  Brody awoke to Annabelle’s coos. She was in a portable crib in the corner of the hotel room playing with her toes in the morning light.

  He looked down at Kate sleeping beside him, and his chest contracted with emotion. She was right where she belonged. And so was he.

  His phone rang, and he quickly scooped it up, hoping it wouldn’t wake her.

  He slipped from the bed and padded into the small living room, keeping his voice down.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s Will.”

  “Morning.” Brody checked out the coffeemaker to see if he could figure out how to make a pot.

  “I’ve been up all night.”

  “Anything wrong?”

  “No. I had an idea. Well, it was Kalvin’s idea, but I agree with him.”

  “Okay.” Brody managed to free the small coffeepot from the holder. He turned to the sink and filled it.

  “Hear me out?”

  “Sure.”

  “It’s going to sound crazy.”

  “I’m half asleep, trying to work a hotel coffeemaker. Talk slow and use small words, and you’ll probably be fine.”

  “Why don’t you call room service?”

  “Because I’m talking to you.” Brody located a packet of Colombian coffee and tore it open.

  “Okay, I’m going to plunge right in,” Will said.

  “You’re not plunging very fast.”

  “Shetland Tech buys Beast Blue.”

  “What?” Brody spilled the coffee grounds. He cursed.

  “You said you’d hear me out.”

  “I’m listening.” There was another package in the service basket and he took it.

  “You could get it for pennies on the dollar. It’s all but worthless as it stands. If Shetland buys it, then it doesn’t matter who stole what. We get our game ‘Mercury Mayhem’ to market first as planned. But then we follow it up with some of Beast Blue’s games, then more of ours, and we own the space.”

  “We compete with ourselves.”

  “Yes.”

  Brody immediately thought of one complication. “Beast Blue employees are going to be hostile. And some of them had to know about the theft. I don’t want a bunch of dishonest people working for me.”

  He pressed the switch on the coffeemaker and stood back.

  “That would have to be part of the process, yes,” Will said. “We’d identify those who were involved and fire them.”

  “Before they could do any damage?”

  “Oh, yeah. There are ways to keep people contained in a technical environment. We lock it down, and keep people out until we’ve vetted them.”

  “These are very talented programmers. You don’t think they might break in and cause trouble?”

  “Are you questioning my technological savvy?”

  “No. I’m just a cautious man.”

  “Who stands in front of bad guys pointing guns,” Will said.

  “We’re going to stop talking about that now.”

  “Okay, boss. But what do you think of my idea?”

  The aroma of coffee filled the air. Brody inhaled and turned over a cup.

  “Is it even possible to do right now?” he asked. “They’re not going to let Kate make such a far-reaching decision while she’s only Annabelle’s temporary guardian.”

  “She’d have to do it in conjunction with the executor and the advocate appointed by the court.”

  “The court-appointed advocate has that kind of power?”

  “They have a vote. Kalvin says they can do this kind of thing in cases involving minors and money.”

  Brody took a mental step back. “So Annabelle would get something out of this. She might do okay?”

  “That all depends on you. But for her any kind of a sale is better than bankruptcy.”

  Brody began to get excited. He poured himself a cup of coffee, taking a first sip as he walked away from the mess. He wanted his brain to be fully functional. If this worked, it could be a win-win.

  “I’ll talk to Kate and call you back,” he said to Will.

  “If she has any questions, loop me in.”

  “Thanks.” Brody ended the call.

  He could hear Kate moving in the bedroom, her soft voice as she
talked to Annabelle. Taking another sip of coffee, he moved to the doorway. He leaned his shoulder on the doorjamb, watching her.

  In a fluffy hotel robe, hair mussed, feet bare, she leaned into the crib and lifted Annabelle.

  “Did you have a good sleep, darling?” she asked, rubbing her nose to Annabelle’s.

  “Bah,” Annabelle said. “Bah, bah.”

  “You always make your point so eloquently. Are you hungry, or would you like a change first.”

  “Bah, bah.” Annabelle batted at her cheek.

  “Change it is. Between you and me, I think that’s a good decision.”

  Kate caught sight of Brody, and she smiled. “Morning.”

  “Good morning to you, pretty ladies.” He moved into the room and gave Kate a kiss. Then he rubbed Annabelle’s hair and stroked his thumb across her soft cheek.

  He felt like a very lucky man. He wished he could stop time and stay in this moment forever.

  But he knew he couldn’t. Since he couldn’t keep them, the best he could do was protect them. And he would. He wouldn’t let his own family down, but he wouldn’t throw Kate and Annabelle to the wolves, either.

  “I have an idea,” he said to Kate.

  “For breakfast?” she asked.

  “For life.”

  She looked startled.

  “It wasn’t exactly my idea. It was Will’s. Well, really it was Kalvin’s.”

  “You’ve been talking to my lawyer?” There was something odd in her voice when she asked the question.

  “I’ve been talking to Will, why?”

  She shrugged and her expression smoothed out. “No reason. What did Will say?”

  “He said...” Brody hesitated. He didn’t know why he was hesitating. This was good news.

  Kate bent to the diaper bag and retrieved a diaper, the change pad and some wet wipes.

  “He suggested Shetland Tech should buy Beast Blue Designs.”

  She looked puzzled. “You should buy it? Why would you want to buy it?”

  “Two reasons, really.”

  Instead of looking at him, she spread the change pad out on the bed and laid Annabelle on top.

  “First is, well I didn’t say anything to you before now,” Brody continued speaking. “Because I didn’t want you to worry. But Beast Blue is in serious trouble. To stop using the Shetland code, they’re going to have to dismantle most of their new games. They’re going to have to pay hefty fines. And it’s going to cost the company a fortune.”