THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER

by Ginna Gray

"I want you to keep an eye on Katherine and report back to me everything she does."

  "You want me to spy on your daughter?"

  "Yes. That's exactly what I want. I'm not convinced that putting her in charge is the smart thing to do. I intend to keep close tabs on her."

  "Look, Jacob. I don't know what the problem is between you two, but … hell, man, this is your daughter."

  Jacob clenched his jaw. "Katherine isn't— Never mind. You'll just have to trust me on this, Daniel. It's important. I wouldn't ask it of you if it weren't."

  A feeling of repugnance crawled through Dan. "I don't know, Jacob. I'm not comfortable being a snoop."

  "Dammit, Dan, I can't watch her myself, and you're the only one I can trust. You have to do this for me."

  Dan stared at his boss. He owed Jacob. He owed him a lot. But, dammit, this really stuck in his craw. He turned his head and stared out into the orchard, gritting his teeth.

  Ah, hell. How could he say no? Anyway, what difference did it make? After that creepy episode in the orchard, he'd already decided to keep an eye on her, just to be on the safe side.

  * * *

  Twelve

  « ^ »

  "Here, now, you can't just barge in there unannounced."

  Maggie looked up from the lab report she was reading in time to see Martin storm into her office looking like a thundercloud, with an outraged Anna on his heels.

  "What the hell is this?"

  "I'm sorry, Maggie. I tried to stop him."

  "It's okay, Anna." Leaning back in her chair, she aimed a calm look at her brother-in-law. "Is there something I can do for you, Martin?"

  He waved a sheet of paper at her. "You can start by explaining these deductions from my expense account check."

  Instead of returning to her desk in the outer office, Anna shot Martin a defiant look, stepped around him and busied herself tidying up around the office.

  "I instructed the accounting department to deduct the difference between first-class airfare and business-class. Also the difference in car rental fees for a BMW and an ordinary full-size, and to do the same with any other luxury items you tried to slip in."

  "Those were all legitimate expenses," he blustered. "I have the receipts to prove it."

  "Oh, I don't doubt that you spent the money. The point is, the charges are in violation of company policy, as I'm sure you know. Malone's will pay for you to travel in reasonable comfort, but we won't fund your extravagant life-style."

  "This is an outrage. Your father would never have—"

  "Oh, yes, he would. Don't try to bamboozle me, Martin. I checked your expense account file. Daddy held you to a reasonable standard. These sort of excessive charges only started showing up in the last few months since his illness has kept him out of the office. You've been taking advantage, and it's going to stop."

  "As company rep I have to project a certain image when I'm entertaining customers."

  "Oh? And just who were you impressing the night you dined alone and ordered a one hundred dollar bottle of wine?"

  Martin's face tightened. "If you think I'm going to start penny-pinching just so you can impress 'Daddy,' think again. Martin Howe travels first-class."

  Maggie shrugged. "Fine with me. As long as you pay for any upgrades out of your own pocket."

  His mouth pinched so tight a white ring formed around the edge. He looked angry enough to bite a nail in two. Then again, Maggie hadn't seen him look any other way since her father had put her in charge three weeks ago.

  "You're enjoying this, aren't you. Well, don't get too comfortable in that chair. You're not going to have it long. Bitch," he added under his breath as he stalked out.

  "Insufferable toad," Anna muttered. "You ask me, Rupert Howe has a lot to answer for. He's spoiled that boy so rotten all his life, he thinks he's entitled to whatever takes his fancy. Reminds me of a two-year-old throwing a tantrum. Imagine, storming into the boss's office raging like that."

  Maggie chuckled at Anna's outrage. "Yes, well, I doubt that Martin will ever think of me as the boss. And actually, compared to some of our other run-ins, that one was nothing."

  With Martin every day was a battle. He fought her on every issue, on every procedural change she put in place to help her keep closer tabs on things, questioned every order she gave, ridiculed every question she posed and in general did his best to thwart her at every turn.

  Maggie would like nothing better than to fire him, but she couldn't do so without appearing vengeful in Jacob's eyes and hurting Laurel.

  At first Elaine Udall had been just as big a pain in the posterior. Fortunately, Maggie had no such compunction about firing the woman, and it had done her heart good to tell her so. The warning had ended Miss Udall's outspoken criticism if not her snippity ways and venomous glares.

  Maggie only wished she could handle the other workers and the people around town that easily.

  There were many things about living in a small town that she loved, but there were disadvantages, too. For one, it was almost impossible to keep anything a secret for long. Word had gotten out that Malone Enterprises was in trouble, and there was an undercurrent of panic around town.

  Since Malone's employed a large portion of the town's workforce, almost everyone had a husband or wife or relative of some sort on their payroll. Therefore everyone felt they had a stake in the company, and few had any inhibitions about making their feelings known when something didn't suit them.

  The workers and almost everyone else in Ruby Falls were upset that Maggie had been put in charge. They had no confidence in her ability to pull the company out of its financial slump.

  Maggie couldn't really blame them. The employees were worried about their jobs, and others were concerned because the economy of Ruby Falls depended heavily on the cannery.

  There was a lot of grumbling among the workers and townspeople, and rumors were flying. Wherever she went, whether walking through the cannery or warehouses or shopping at the local grocery, she was treated with suspicion and coolness.

  Maggie knew she was still battling her old reputation as a wild and rebellious teenager and that she had to prove herself to the locals, but still, their snubs were difficult to take.

  "How's it going, ladies?"

  Maggie looked up to see Dan standing in the doorway, and her heart gave a little skip. It was the first time she'd seen him, except at a distance, since she'd returned the day before from the photo shoot in New York. He stood with one shoulder propped against the frame, the opposite hand hooked over his outthrust hip. Dressed in his usual attire of boots, jeans and a chambray work shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he looked so utterly male he took her breath away.

  Why, she wondered, for perhaps the hundredth time, did she feel such a strong attraction to this particular man? It was annoying and exasperating, and just plain foolish, but there was no denying it. Whenever he was around she was so acutely aware of his quiet strength, those "go to hell" good looks and all that raw masculinity that she could barely concentrate.

  It didn't make any sense. She worked with drop-dead-gorgeous male models all the time, and she'd met dozens of other handsome, successful, sophisticated men. Some were celebrities in their own right—actors, athletes, titans of industry—men of wealth and power. Yet not one of them had appealed to her except in the abstract, the way one would admire beauty of any kind.

  So what was it about this man that made her heart jump?

  Dan tipped his head toward the outer door. "I passed Martin in the hall. He's practically foaming at the mouth. Has he been giving you a hard time again?"

  "Always. But it's nothing I can't handle. Did you want to see me about something?" The question came out sharper than she'd intended, but merely being around Dan put her on edge.

  "Yeah. I've got good news and bad news. The good news is, I got the new thermostat installed on cooking vat three and it's back in service."

  "Great. And the bad news?"

  "We've got a conveyor o
ut. It shut down production on five lines. I called the manufacturer and they're expressing us replacement parts, but it'll be tomorrow before they arrive. Which means we fall further behind in production. That's going to play hell with our shipping schedule. With all the problems and delays we've experienced lately we're low on inventory. What we have won't cover our orders. We're going to be late delivering on several large accounts."

  Propping her elbows on the desk, Maggie cupped her forehead in her hands and groaned, "Not another mechanical breakdown. That's four since I officially took over." She raised her head and looked at him. "What caused this one?"

  "A crowbar in the gears. Stripped most of the teeth off a half-dozen of 'em before we could shut it down. It could have been an accident, I suppose, but I don't think so, not the way the thing was jammed in there. It looks like we've got ourselves a saboteur."

  Maggie sighed. "Great. Just great."

  "Don't you think it's time we told Jacob what we suspect?" he asked quietly, watching her.

  "No, not just yet."

  "Maggie, I have to agree with Dan on this one," Anna said. "Your father has a right to know what's going on."

  "I know, but until we know for sure that someone is deliberately vandalizing Malone's, I don't want to upset him, not as ill as he is."

  "Well, if you ask me, he'll be more upset to learn that you've been keeping something like this from him."

  "Anna's right. I think you should tell him now."

  "Maybe," Maggie agreed, torn between protecting Jacob and exposing herself to his wrath. "I'll think about it."

  Dan looked at her for a long time, then shrugged. "You're the boss."

  "You have a visitor, Mr. Malone," Ida Lou announced from the doorway of the family room.

  Annoyance rippled through Jacob. Lily and Nan were upstairs looking at dress patterns, or some such thing, and Jo Beth was still at school. He had been enjoying a few moments of solitude, lying back in his recliner and gazing out at the orchard. He wasn't anxious for company, especially not when he saw who his visitor was.

  "Jacob, how good to see you looking so fit," Rupert Howe exclaimed, brushing past Ida Lou without waiting for an invitation and striding into the room. "How're you feeling, my friend?"

  "I'm hanging in there." Rupert stock out his hand, and Jacob had no choice but to shake it. He wanted to tell the smarmy bastard that they had never been friends. As far back as when they attended grade school together, Rupert had rubbed him the wrong way. However, as always, for Laurel's sake, he held his tongue.

  "Good, good. I'm happy to hear that. I hope you'll forgive me for not coming to see you more often, but I've been swamped down at the bank. You understand how it is, being a businessman."

  Jacob nodded.

  "Of course, that boy of mine keeps me informed of your condition, but today I happened to be in the neighborhood and I thought, 'By George, I'm going to drop by and see for myself how my old friend is doing.'"

  Ida Lou came in carrying a coffee tray, relieving Jacob of any need to comment. When she'd poured their coffee and left, Rupert sipped his quietly for a moment, then placed the cup and saucer on the end table and leaned forward, his expression turning from fake friendly to earnest.

  "You know, Jacob, there is a small matter we need to discuss."

  Instantly on alert, Jacob narrowed his eyes infinitesimally. He couldn't imagine what they had to talk about. Over the years he'd made sure he never did business with Rupert's bank, and as far as Jacob knew, everything was fine with Laurel and Martin.

  He took a sip of coffee, even though he didn't want it, and eyed his guest. "Oh? And what would that be?"

  "This business of putting Maggie in charge. Now, I know you made that decision in the heat of the moment, and perhaps my son did overstep his authority a bit, but Jacob, really … Maggie? Running Malone Enterprises? Why, that's absurd."

  Muscle by muscle, Jacob stiffened. "Oh? And just how do you figure that?" he questioned, carefully keeping his voice neutral.

  "Well, for one thing, she's a woman."

  "What does that have to do with anything? You forget, this company was started by a woman."

  "Well, yes, but your poor grandmother had no choice. I'm sure if your grandfather had survived World War I he would never have allowed her to soil her hands in business.

  "Besides, you must admit, there is a great deal of difference between the original Katherine Margaret and your Maggie. Pardon me for saying so, Jacob, but the people of this town have long memories, and your daughter's reputation is not the best. She's wild and irresponsible and, well to be frank, some say immoral. I'm telling you, Jacob, your workers won't tolerate having her for a boss."

  "Is that so?"

  Either Rupert failed to notice or refused to heed the dangerous note in Jacob's voice and plowed on. "Look, I realize that you just put the girl in charge to punish my boy, and I understand that. But, Jacob, this has gone on long enough. It's time to put an end to this farce. By rights, my son should be the one to take over as president of Malone Enterprises. After seven years with the company, he's entitled. Everyone knows that."

  "First of all, Rupert, the workers have no say in the running of this company. Neither do you or your son. Malone Enterprises is a family-owned business. Malones run it—always have, always will. Period.

  "I have made Maggie acting president, and whether or not you and the rest of the people in this town like it, that's how it's going to be. I will not tolerate interference of any kind." He smacked the arm of his leather recliner for emphasis. "By heaven, I'll shut the damn doors before I'll let outsiders dictate how the company is run."

  For an instant, Rupert looked ready to rage at Jacob, but he wisely reined in his anger.

  "I'm sorry to hear that, Jacob. I truly am. With you incapacitated the way you are, I would have thought you'd welcome help. Talk around town is, Malone's is in trouble. Seems to me this isn't the time to let family tradition overrule good business sense."

  "I don't happen to think the two are mutually exclusive. This family is perfectly capable of tending to its business. I suggest that you and others do the same."

  Rupert gave him a long, frustrated look, then sighed. "Very well, if that's the way you want it. I was just trying to help. As your daughter's father-in-law, I felt it my duty. If you should change your mind—"

  "I won't. Now, if there's nothing else you'll have to excuse me. It's time for my medication."

  Rupert's face turned a mottled red. As the local banker, he fancied himself an important man in these parts, and clearly, he was not accustomed to being dismissed. Rising with stiff dignity, he gave Jacob a curt nod.

  "Certainly. I'll just see myself out."

  "Oh, Rupert."

  At the door, the other man paused and looked back. "Yes?"

  "One thing I want to clear up before you go. Katherine may have a mischievous nature and I will admit that from time to time she has behaved recklessly, but neither you nor anyone else can honestly say that she has ever done anything immoral. I will not tolerate anyone spreading that sort of talk about her. Do I make myself clear?"

  Rupert looked taken aback. "But I thought … that is, everyone knows…"

  "Knows what?"

  "That you and Maggie don't get along. I mean, be honest, Jacob, that girl has always been a thorn in your side. It's common knowledge around town."

  "You and the rest of the people in this town know nothing about my relationship with Katherine," he ground out. "Absolutely nothing. You got that?"

  "Of course. Whatever you say."

  When Rupert had left, Jacob realized he was so angry he was shaking. Grinding his teeth, he stared out the window. The raw fury that had shot through him when Rupert maligned Katherine had caught him by surprise.

  But dammit, it was one thing for him to criticize her, and quite another for someone else to do so, particularly an outsider.

  Even more troublesome than his instinctive defense of her was Rupert's shock th
at he'd done so. All these years, he had assumed that no one else—at least, no one outside of Lily and Nan—had been aware of his ambivalent feelings toward Katherine. He should have known better. This was Ruby Falls, after all.

  Damn. How could he have been so blind, not to have known that sort of tittle-tattle was going around? Hell, it probably had been circulating all of her life. Which meant that Katherine had known. She was too sharp and intuitive not to have.

  Dear God, what must it have been like for her as a child growing up, knowing that everyone believed her father didn't love her?

  Hell, maybe Nan was right. Maybe all that teenage rebellion and impudence was just her way of getting his attention.

  Jacob's fist hit the arm of the recliner again with a solid thud. Dammit! Whatever his feelings for Katherine, he'd never meant for her to be hurt by malicious gossip.

  "So, are you going to tell me about her or not?"

  Dan fought back a grin. Taking his time, he signaled the waitress to refill his iced tea glass and cut another bite of chicken-fried steak. "Tell you about who?"

  "You know perfectly well who," Lucy Garrett snapped, shooting her oldest son a pithy look. "Maggie Malone, that's who."

  "What do you want to know?"

  "For starters, is she as beautiful as her pictures?"

  "Yes."

  "What's she like?"

  Dan chewed thoughtfully and swallowed the bite. "Let's see. I guess smart and sassy about covers it."

  "Really?" Lucy grinned, delighted by the description. "Good. I'm glad to hear success hasn't changed her."

  "That's right, you were working in the high school cafeteria when she was a student there."

  "Yes, but I can't really say I knew her." Lucy scooped up a forkful of salad, but hesitated with the bite halfway to her mouth. "Couldn't help but notice her, though. Back then she was a skinny beanpole. When you looked at her all you saw was a full mouth that was way too big for the rest of her face and a mop of red hair. I guess the rest of her face caught up with that mouth." She chuckled. "Life's funny. Just the other day I read in a woman's magazine that in a recent poll men voted her lips the most luscious in the world."