Deadline

by Judy McDonough

"Mmmmm. . .coffee. May I join you for a cup?" Cade looked up from his newspaper, surprised to see Kristy in the kitchen. Something about her reminded him of Caroline. He noticed a similarity in poise and mannerisms confirming their close relationship. He imagined she was quite a handful, though. Caroline had her pegged when she called her high maintenance.

  "Sure, Miss Kristy," Delia chimed as she walked around the corner with a cheerful smile. "How ya like your coffee?"

  "Black is fine, thank you."

  Cade cocked an eyebrow. "Black? Interesting."

  She confidently glided over to the table and sat across from him. "Interesting? Does that surprise you?"

  "I don't know too many women who drink their coffee black. It's. . .interesting. That's all."

  "I used to wake up early to have coffee with my dad before he left for work in the mornings, so I learned from him." She leaned across the table toward him. "Can I ask you something?"

  "Sure." Cade leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. She amused him with her no-nonsense approach. Not one to reveal his hand this early in the game, he was eager to see what she had on her mind.

  "What's up with you and Caroline?"

  He chuckled. "What do you mean?"

  "Okay, a good sign that there is definitely something going on is when a person answers a question with a question. It's obvious you two have feelings for each other. How'd you meet?"

  She already knew the answer, he'd bet on it. A sly smile stretched across his face. "We, um, just happened to bump into each other one day."

  She studied his circumscription and slowly smiled back at him. "Mmmm-hmmm."

  Cade leaned forward, more serious. Not kidding anymore. "Caroline is like no other woman I have ever met in my entire life. Yes, I have feelings for her. Stronger than I wish they were. How did you two become such close friends?"

  "Best friends," she corrected him as Delia placed her coffee on the table. "Caroline is from Arkansas, and I am from Tennessee, but we have known each other since we were thirteen years old."

  "If you're from different states, how did you become best friends?"

  "Well, we met when we were placed as roommates at a summer church camp. We got along so well, we kept in touch. I'm from Nashville, Tennessee, and Caroline is from Beebe, Arkansas, which is about twenty miles from the camp. About a six-hour drive to get from my house to hers, but we kept in touch through calls and emails, and managed to visit each other every summer."

  "Can I ask you something else?" Cade said.

  His intensity noticeably made Kristy uncomfortable, but she recovered quickly. Gracefully, she smiled and leaned back in her chair, just as he had, and crossed her arms.

  He smiled. "What all can you tell me about Trevor?"

  "Wow, that one came from left field. I expected a question about Caroline, or myself, but not Trevor, of all people. Why in the world do you want to know about him? Sizing up the competition?" She winked.

  "Curiosity." Cade stayed serious and focused so she would know he wasn't joking.

  "Well, Caroline's probably already told you he's an architect for a firm in Chicago. He's a workaholic, but somehow manages to make some free time for Caroline." He comes from a rich family, so needless to say he's spoiled and doesn't like not getting his way." She shrugged uncomfortably, and brought her steaming coffee mug to her lips. "Um, what all do you want to know?"

  "Do you like him?"

  Kristy frowned and he had a feeling it wasn't from the coffee. She had an opinion of Trevor, alright. If she bit her tongue any harder, Cade was sure she'd draw blood.

  "Man this coffee's good. What kind is it?"

  "Do you like him?" Cade refused to allow her to avoid the question which she clearly wanted to do. She carefully leaned back in her chair with her mug and crossed her legs as she let out a sigh.

  "I like him all right, I suppose. Why?"

  He lowered his voice and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Bull." She paused, mug halfway to her mouth, and challenged him with her eyes. He'd get it out of her. "I don't believe you." She looked up to the ceiling and grunted as she took another sip. "Please, Kristy. Be honest with me. I promise Caroline won't know you told me anything. No one will. You have my word."

  Cade didn't waiver as she studied him for several long moments. He wished he could know what was zipping through her sharp mind. She didn't seem the type to miss anything. He observed her glossy manicured fingernails, sleek shiny hair, and flawless complexion. A perfect complement to her designer clothing. Caroline mentioned Kristy was a master seamstress and fashion guru. Attention to detail was this woman's thing. The type to be in the know at all times.

  "Mmm-hmm. Okay, first you have to tell me why you want to know all this stuff. I don't like talking about Caroline behind her back, but I have a few questions of my own. How about we take turns?"

  Cade appreciated her loyalty and nodded. "Okay, that sounds fair. Ladies first."

  Kristy laughed. "You're good." She shook her head, conceding. "Okay, fine. No, I don't particularly like him. He's the kind of guy I would like to buy for what he's worth and sell for what he thinks he's worth, if you know what I mean." She smoothed her hand through her hair. "I don't like the way he talks to Caroline, treats her, pushes her around, belittles her opinion. He's very manipulative and controlling. Sometimes he acts more like her father than her boyfriend. . .well, fiancé, now."

  Cade noticed her jaw clenching. "I pretend to like him because Caroline's crazy about him, though I can't understand why. He's hot, but, frankly, he's a prick. I love her and want her to be happy, but sometimes I just want to throttle her for not seeing him the way I do. If he'd ever tried to talk to me, I would've told him to take a hike. There, now it's your turn to answer one."

  Cade raised his eyebrows and thoughtfully puckered his lips. Pretty much how he'd sized Trevor up. That deserved a return answer, he supposed.

  "What was Caroline talking about when she thanked you for saving her life?"

  Cade smiled. "Which time?"

  Kristy's jaw dropped. "You mean there was more than once?"

  He nodded. "Yeah, it definitely wasn't her lucky day, or weekend for that matter. We had. . .well, we didn't really talk or interact for about three or four weeks because of circumstances being what they are. She had apparently had enough of our time apart and came to my cabin to talk."

  Kristy listened intently to his heroics, hanging on every part of the story. After hearing about the rattlesnake and Henry, her eyes glimmered with a dreamy haze. Cade had seen this hero worshipping look before and prepared himself for some follow-up questions.

  "Wow," she said. "I probably would have tackled you right on the front porch and showed you my undying appreciation."

  Taken aback, Cade raised his brow at her bold statement. Not what he was expecting.

  "Ah. Yes, you will see there aren't too many of us out there who are quite as innocent as sweet Caroline. She's definitely one of a kind. I apologize for my bluntness. I'm really not a slut, just a little more experienced than my BFF. Please, go on."

  Cade smiled, tucking away that tidbit of information for later, and told her about his fight with Trevor. "It felt really good to mark up his arrogant, pretty-boy face." He mumbled under his breath. "Though I would have liked to do more."

  "That bastard." Kristy lacked any surprise which worried Cade. "It is typical of controlling guys to get physical. But Caroline has always insisted Trevor was different. Why did he even come down here?"

  "I'm not sure how, but I think he got the idea that Caroline and I had slept together. I didn't get to talk to her much while he was here, so I don't know everything that happened."

  Kristy studied his expression, probably searching for any indication he and Caroline had indeed been intimate. But Cade had a great poker face. She took a sip of her coffee and, without removing her eyes from his, finally just asked him. "So. . .have you? Been intimate? With Caroline?"

  Cade stare
d back and smiled. "She's your best friend. I figure you already know the answer to that question."

  "I can respect that. She'll tell me if she wants me to know. It's no biggie. If I know Caroline, you two have probably had some incredibly intense kisses, but that's it." Cade was impressed. She knew her best friend well, but he didn't need to let her know anything just yet, so he kept his face expressionless. She chuckled. "You're pretty good at keeping secrets, aren't you?"

  "It's what I do."

  "Hmmm. Interesting. Okay, carry on."

  He could tell he stirred her curiosity, but he'd give her no more. Cade described the accident that hospitalized her best friend.

  "If you hadn't been there, Caroline would most likely have died," Kristy said.

  He refused to let his mind wander there and cracked his neck. Strangely uncomfortable with her praises. Normally it wouldn't bother him, but with Caroline it was different. Everything was different with her.

  "You are quite the proverbial knight in shining armor," she added.

  "It's my turn to ask now." Cade smirked, pondering what to ask next. "Has Caroline ever mentioned anything about Trevor's dad or his business?"

  "Hmmm. I don't think so. She only met his dad a time or two. I'm not sure they have ever spoken anything more than cordial hellos. But I had heard of his family before she and Trevor ever began dating. My dad works up in Illinois sometimes, and the Callahan family is frequently in the news." Kristy drummed her fingernails on the table.

  "I know he's a quiet man and had been partners with some other company in New York before they did him wrong. The story I heard is that his three other partners formed a sort of mutiny against him and bought out his shares without him knowing anything about it. Supposedly he was left with nothing."

  Kristy took another sip of coffee while he let that soak in. Mutiny. Callahan was broke. Very interesting.

  "I think all this happened when Trevor was very young," she said. "Anyway, Kenneth Callahan hit rock bottom. They moved to Chicago, and, out of nowhere, he started his own real estate development firm and built it from the ground up. He's quite successful now. Everyone always wondered where he got all the money to start his own company. They used to say he stalked the obituaries and preyed on innocent widows and widowers," she shrugged. "I think his firm is called KC Real Estate Investors, or something like that."

  A shot of adrenaline surged through Cade's veins. He jumped up from his chair and bolted around the table nearly causing Kristy to spill her coffee. He smiled triumphantly as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you so much, cher. You just confirmed what I was suspecting. I have to go make a phone call. We can continue our questions later." He kissed her cheek again and dashed out the door. Suspicions confirmed, Cade had more digging to do.

  Thirty