A Woman to Die For

by Erin Wade

  “No,” Katie said . “Should I?”

  “He asked me to bring you to his office the minute you landed.”

  “That can’t be good.” Katie frowned. “Let’s get this over with and then have a nice relaxing dinner. I have so much to tell you.”

  ##

  Bear jumped from the car and took his place at Katie’s side as they entered the attorney’s office. Everyone had left for the weekend except Chandler.

  Chandler rose to greet his client and friend when she entered the office. “Katie, you look wonderful.” He stopped suddenly when he saw Bear.

  “Scary, isn’t he?” Shay giggled as Bear settled his powerful body on the floor beside Katie’s chair.

  “Uh . . . yeah,” Chandler choked out. “Does he bite?”

  “Only if I ask him to,” Katie teased. “Tell me what’s so urgent that I was rushed here straight from the airport.”

  Shay took a seat in a corner chair where she could observe the players in the scene that was about to unfold. She wondered how a woman as petite as Katie could dominate an entire room.

  “David filed a petition for a court hearing to allow him to assume control of Brandt Technologies and Face2Face,” Chandler informed her. “He showed up with Tucker Sandifer and filed statements from every psychiatrist at Glencove, declaring they had treated you for dissociative identity disorder for the past five years.

  “He also contested the divorce, saying you weren’t mentally coherent enough to understand the ramifications of one. He’s filed for an injunction to freeze your checking accounts, both private and professional, citing your recent purchase of a 45-million-dollar jet as frivolous and irresponsible.”

  Katie didn’t bother arguing the inaccuracy of the filings. “What can we do?”

  “I filed for a postponement, and I’m certain the judge will grant the petition. He understands the enormity of freezing your business accounts. I’ll be in court at eight in the morning.”

  “Do I need to make an appearance?” Katie asked.

  “No, I can handle it,” he assured her. “I do need a complete list of all your holdings, right down to your automobile. I need to see what I must do to protect your assets.”

  “I’ll have that for you tomorrow,” Katie replied. “Chandler, I’d like to avoid a mudslinging knock-down-drag-out, if possible. I’m more than willing to split things down the middle with David. I’m not trying to cheat him in any way. I simply do not want to be married to him. I’m afraid of him.

  “I know, Katie.” Chandler patted her hand. “But David seems determined to take everything you own.”

  ##

  “You look troubled,” Katie noted as they walked to the car. “Do you have questions?”

  Shay shrugged. “I’m just wondering how I’ve gotten embroiled in the battle raging between you and David. This is really none of my business, but I seem to find myself caught between you two.”

  “Maybe it’s because you saved my life when my husband tried to kill me,” Katie snarled. “You can get out of my life if this is becoming too difficult for you.”

  “Katie, I didn’t say that. I . . . I just feel uncomfortable. Like a voyeur watching something I shouldn’t be a part of.”

  Shay opened the car door for Bear, and the dog jumped in. “We should find some grass and walk him,” Katie said. “He probably needs that.”

  Shay turned to open the car door for Katie and found herself face-to-face with the gorgeous brunette. She could smell the fragrance of Katie’s hair. She licked her lips, trying to moisten them. Her mouth was suddenly dry.

  “There’s a little park about a mile away,” she mumbled, moving away from Katie. “Let’s walk Bear there before we introduce him to his new home.”

  Chapter 17

  Shay helped Katie carry her luggage inside and was amazed by the way Bear entered the apartment ahead of them and went through every room before letting Katie follow.

  “Impressive,” Shay said when Bear returned to sit beside Katie.

  “He’s wonderful.” Katie praised the dog and scratched between his ears. “Why don’t you get to know him while I freshen my makeup? You can remove his harness if you’d like. Where are you taking me for dinner?”

  Shay made a grand gesture of bowing as if Katie were royalty. “Wherever you desire.”

  Katie laughed and sashayed from the room.

  Shay sat down on the sofa and patted the cushion beside her. “Come,” she instructed Bear.

  The dog obeyed and lay down next to her. Shay unbuckled his harness and slid it off. “You are just one big muscle,” she murmured, admiring the animal as she stroked his broad back. Bear rolled over, offering Shay his stomach.

  “Oh, you’re one of those,” Shay said, laughing as she gave the dog what he wanted. “You are a big fellow, aren’t you?”

  When Bear finally had enough, he rolled over and stood on the sofa, eye-level with Shay. She caught the dog’s massive head between her hands and looked into his eyes. “You’re one lucky dog,” she whispered. “You get to live with her.”

  Bear jumped from the sofa and stood at attention in front of his owner, who had silently entered the room. A twisted smile played on Katie’s lips as their gazes met, and Shay knew the brunette had overheard her comment to Bear.

  Shay stood, Bear’s harness in her hand. “Come here, big fellow. You can’t go out without this.”

  “He can stay here,” Katie said. She pulled a pan from the cabinet and filled it with water, placing it on the floor for Bear. “I’ll need to stop by PetSmart after dinner, if you don’t mind. I need to pick up his dog food.”

  “It doesn’t look like he’s missed any meals,” Shay said. “What does he weigh?”

  “Sixty pounds,” Katie answered, stooping down to pet Bear. “Mommy will be right back. You hold down the fort.”

  Bear returned to his spot on the sofa as the women closed the apartment door.

  “Take me somewhere comfortable and quiet with great food,” Katie instructed as they fastened their seatbelts. “Where we can hide in a shadowy corner and discuss government secrets.”

  Shay laughed. “I know just the place. I’m dying to hear all about your trip. When did you get Bear, and why didn’t you mention him to me?”

  “I picked him up on my second day in Washington. He’s two years old and impeccably trained. I didn’t mention him because I wasn’t certain how he and I would work together. I trained with him for two hours every day, and his trainer declared us the perfect team. I fell in love with him the minute I saw him. He has a beautiful soul.”

  To go with your beautiful mind, Shay thought.

  ##

  Shay parked her car in front of an Italian restaurant that reminded Katie of a quaint little place on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. “This is lovely,” she murmured as they entered the bistro. “If it tastes as good as it smells, Dr. Shay, you’ve knocked it out of the ballpark.”

  The hostess led them to a table in the darkest corner of the restaurant. An Italian aria played softly in the background.

  “I hope you like it,” Shay said. “Their Chicken Parmigiana is the best I’ve ever eaten.”

  They ordered a bottle of wine and made small talk as the waiter opened the Chianti Classico, filled their glasses, and placed the bottle on the table.

  They sipped their wine and gazed at each other across the table. The candlelight danced in Katie’s eyes, illuminating her perfect face. “You are truly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met,” Shay said softly.

  Katie smiled at her. “Hmm. I was thinking the same about you.”

  The waiter returned and took their order.

  Shay cleared her throat. “Tell me about your trip. There was a report on the financial news today saying you would be able to do what the military needs.”

  “Yes, I can deliver what they need,” Katie verified. “It won’t happen overnight, but I see no problem with building a jeep that will meet their requirements.”

 
“A jeep?” Shay giggled. “They want you to build a jeep? I thought they wanted a supercomputer or something like that.”

  Katie leaned across the table. “It is a supercomputer,” she whispered. “It will be driven remotely and have the ability to detect land mines and disarm them. It will be virtually indestructible. It will be to ground warfare what the drones are to air warfare. It’s very intricate, but that’s a simple explanation of it.”

  “Do you feel confident you’ll get the contract?” Shay asked.

  “I already have,” Katie replied. “I’m supposed to sign it next month and begin construction on a plant to build the jeeps.

  “A tremendous amount of time and work will go into construction and hiring employees before we can even begin producing the jeeps.

  “One of the top priorities will be security. The software and hardware information must never fall into the hands of our enemies.

  “There will be a kill switch on every unit that will allow us to destroy it if it falls into the wrong hands.”

  “Wow!” Shay gasped. “You’re impressive and a little scary.”

  “Scary?”

  “In a hot, sexy kind of way,” Shay said with a grin.

  “Shay, I—”

  “Two salads with Italian dressing,” the waiter said, interrupting their moment as he placed the food in front of them.

  “Chandler will arrange a meeting with David’s attorneys to settle the divorce as quickly as possible,” Katie said, changing the subject when the waiter walked away. “I must admit I’m furious with David for freezing my accounts. Chandler will stop that, but it’s a nuisance.

  “He’s put restraining orders on everything I own, so I can’t move things around or sell anything. He claims everything is community property.”

  “Isn’t it?” Shay asked.

  “Not really. He’s just throwing everything against the wall to see what will stick. It will be a long, drawn-out court battle that will be a thorn in my side for the next five to ten years.”

  “Why don’t you turn the tables on him? Shay asked.

  “I thought you were in love with him.”

  Shay shrugged. “I’m not certain I even know him. After all, he kept your existence a secret. He committed you to that godforsaken hellhole of a psychiatric hospital. Who does that to someone they’re supposed to love and protect?”

  “He was trying to gain control of all of our holdings,” Katie explained. “If I’d ended up in another emergency room instead of yours, he would have succeeded.

  “You filing charges against him on my behalf created a permanent record of the abuse I’ve suffered over the past five years. If you hadn’t pulled me out of Glencove, I’d just be a memory right now . . . or dead.”

  “Instead of being Silicon Valley’s greatest genius.” Shay held up her wine glass for a toast.

  “Something like that,” Katie murmured, tapping her glass against Shay’s.

  “Where are you going to build your production plant?” Shay asked, hoping it wouldn’t be in California.

  “Here, in Texas,” Katie said. “God knows I don’t want to spend half my time flying across the country. I want this to be the hub of my operations.”

  Shay noticed the darkness in Katie’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m thinking about what you said,” she replied. “That I should turn the tables on him. How would I do that?”

  “File for possession of everything the two of you own. You’ve already said you were willing to give him the house. It must be worth six or seven million. I’ve never seen anything like it. Make him realize he could lose it all if he doesn’t negotiate and agree on a settlement.”

  “That might work. I’ll suggest to Chandler that we take that approach. He hasn’t laid out a strategy yet. It’ll be interesting to see what he proposes.

  “Shay, I loved my husband. I never cheated on him or neglected him in any way. I’ve forgiven him and want to move on, but for some reason his actions seem vindictive, as if I’m the one who had affairs.”

  They dined and drank a second bottle of wine. Shay wondered why David had cheated on his wife. Katie was the real deal: charming, witty, sweet, and brilliant.

  “We’ll be closing in twenty minutes,” the waiter said, placing the check on their table.

  Katie picked up the folder and slid her credit card inside. “My treat,” she insisted. “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you to discuss things with.”

  Shay downed her glass of water. “I may have overindulged.” She laughed. “I don’t usually consume an entire bottle of wine.”

  “I’ll make coffee,” Katie volunteered. “We need to make certain you can make it back home by yourself.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m just not a drinker.”

  “Neither am I,” Katie said.

  Shay grinned. “Then it’s iced tea for us from now on.”

  “Don’t forget we need to pick up Bear’s food on the way home,” Katie reminded her as they left the restaurant.

  ##

  “I’ll walk you to your apartment,” Shay said. “I want to say good night to Bear. I could walk him while you get ready for bed.”

  Katie smiled. “I’m glad you like him. He makes me feel safe. Like you do. Thank you for offering to walk him.”

  Bear and Shay made the circle of the apartment complex’s dog park, giving Katie thirty minutes to get ready for bed. They found the brunette in the extra bedroom when they returned.

  “You’ve turned this into your office,” Shay commented, looking around at the printer and fax machine. Two computers hooked up to one keyboard and three huge monitors covered the top of a desk. “Very impressive.”

  “I have my best epiphanies around two in the morning.” Katie laughed. “I have always done my finest work out of my home office.”

  Shay removed Bear’s harness and rubbed him vigorously. “I’ll let you two get some rest. I’m sure you’re tired.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay to drive home alone?” Katie asked. “You did drink a bottle of wine.”

  “I’m very clearheaded,” Shay assured her. “The walk with Bear was invigorating. I’m completely sober.”

  “Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “Breakfast in the morning?” Shay suggested.

  “Sounds wonderful. I’ll call you when I wake up.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Shay replied. “And Katie, I’m so happy you’re home.”

  Chapter 18

  Shay’s cell phone announced an incoming call from Katie.

  “Good morning, lovely lady,” Shay hummed into the phone. “How soon may I pick you up?”

  “Thirty minutes, okay?” Katie asked. “I just walked Bear and need to fix my hair. I’ll be ready when you get here.”

  Shay was delighted to find that Bear was accompanying them to breakfast. “I don’t feel like I need him when I’m with you,” Katie said, “but pit bulls need a lot of time with their humans, so I’m going to take him whenever possible and always when I’m alone.”

  “That sounds good to me.” Shay rubbed Bear’s ears. “I like having him around.”

  During breakfast they discussed everything from video games to actual warfare. Shay was impressed to find that Katie had developed many of her favorite cell phone games. She was having a difficult time reconciling David’s version of his wife with the talented woman sitting with her.

  Bear was the perfect service dog. He lay under the table at Katie’s feet and was almost invisible. Shay felt better knowing Katie had the athletic animal guarding her.

  “I must put together a list for Chandler today,” Katie informed her. “But I’m free this evening. I could cook dinner, and we could stream a movie.”

  Shay ducked her head. “I promised David I’d have dinner with him,” she muttered.

  “Oh,” Katie said, a look of confusion on her face. “I didn’t realize you were still dating him. Do you date him every time I go away on business?r />
  “Not really,” Shay answered. “I’ve always made an excuse or been busy when he asked me out. I only accepted this date because he called me after he left the courthouse, and I wanted to find out what he’s up to.”

  “He’s trying to prove I’m mentally incompetent and strip me of everything I own,” Katie hissed. “Please take me home. I need to get to work.”

  Shay paid the check and walked with Katie to the car. Bear stayed between the two of them, obviously aware that his human was upset.

  The ride back to Katie’s apartment was a silent one. Shay parked the car and turned to Katie. “You’re upset with me.”

  “Yes,” Katie snapped. “I thought you were my friend.” She opened her door and Shay grabbed her arm. A menacing growl from the broad head that had suddenly appeared between the front seats made Shay release Katie’s arm quickly.

  “Don’t worry, buddy,” Shay said softly to the dog. “I would never hurt her. I just want her to talk to me.”

  Katie opened the rear passenger door, and Bear jumped out, taking his stance beside her.

  “Goodbye, Shay,” Katie choked out as she slammed the car door. “I don’t want to see you again.” She ran into the apartment before Shay could get out of the car.

  David had warned Shay that Katie was prone to melodramatic outbursts. I’ll give her time to calm down before I call her, Shay thought.

  Chapter 19

  David showed up right on time for their dinner date. Shay was still searching her mind for a resolution to her conflict with Katie.

  “You look happy,” Shay said as they walked to David’s car.

  “I am,” he said, beaming at her. “Everything is finally going right in my world.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I’m going out to dinner with the most beautiful woman in the world,” David said. “What more could a man ask for?”

  They made small talk on the way to the restaurant, and David discussed some new equipment that would arrive soon for the cardiac care unit. “We’ll have the best-equipped cardiac unit in the States,” he boasted.