Sky of Dreams BN

by Jenna Jacob

  She’d wounded his pride.

  “But…the money… the possessions…they don’t mean anything,” she protested. “Good god, Sky. I have enough money in the bank to build a house in Connor like the one I have in Chicago.”

  “But you won’t and we both know it.”

  No, she wouldn’t. Katie would never flaunt her fortune in her neighbors’ noses—she’d been raised better than that. She felt stupid for not giving a single thought as to how her meaningless wealth might dazzle Nina. Katie would never do anything to diminish Sky being a champion in his daughter’s eyes. He was a good father…a good provider. Her suggestion threatened to take all that away.

  “I’m sorry,” Katie apologized. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  She needed to fix this…to reinstate Sky’s pride. Nuzzling up against his chest, she stroked his abs. “Once you pull that ring out of your pocket and ask me to marry you, all I have will be yours, too.”

  Katie actually heard his heart flutter in her ear as he sucked in a ragged breath. Before he could beat her to the punch, she leaned up and kissed him hard. Excitement bubbled inside her. She was ready to start her new life as a farmer’s wife, the one she’d never wanted until now.

  Suddenly, Tuck cleared his throat and reality came crashing in.

  “First, let me say, congratulations. I’m happy for you both,” he began. “I don’t mean to take the wind out of your sails, but we need to discuss Thomas.”

  Katie tensed. Sky hugged her tightly. “I love you. We’ll get through all this shit…together.”

  “You’re damn right we will,” she exhaled on a confident sigh. “I love you, too.”

  “Is there a plan?” Sky asked, arching his brows at Tuck.

  “Yes. I just got off the phone with Grace.” His lips twitched as if wanting to smile. “We’d like you to meet with Thomas at the diner.”

  “Why there?” Katie asked, suddenly feeling a twinge of fear flutter in her belly.

  “Because it’s a public place, and it will be much easier to contain him there than out in the open…say, at a park or here in the country with all the fields.”

  “Explain to me why you feel Thomas needs to be contained,” Katie demanded. “What makes you think he’s involved in all this?”

  “What do you know about Thomas Knoll?” Tuck asked.

  “Apparently not as much as you do,” she snipped, feeling her anger and fear growing by leaps and bounds. “Initially, Doug hired him to head up his creative teams. But they had a clash of personalities, so he asked if I could find an opening for Thomas. I was short a good creative director, so I grabbed him up. He’s a genius with both innovative ideas and dealing with the clients.”

  “Did you run a background check on him…interview his friends, his family?”

  “No. I assumed Doug had vetted him before he’d hired the man. Why?” Katie’s heart rate began to speed up.

  Tuck studied her for a moment as if pondering. “The Chicago PD has been…very busy working this case. They’re turning up a lot of interesting things.”

  “Like what?” Katie asked impatiently. “Stop being so damn cryptic. Spit it out.”

  “Madeline Christopher is Thomas Knoll’s mother.”

  Katie felt as if the air had been sucked from the room. Her breath stilled in her lungs as Tuck’s words circled her brain in a never-ending loop.

  “Excuse me?” she gasped. “His mother?”

  “Yes. After the unfortunate incident in Doug’s office the other day, Madeline supposedly left town with her lawyer. A man by the name of Victor Spellman.”

  Reed scoffed. “Jesus…he’s a slimy piece of work, that one.”

  “Sources have confirmed that Madeline and Victor have been having an affair for the past thirty years.”

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Katie barked, still trying to wrap her head around Thomas being Madeline’s son. “Why was she screwing Doug then?”

  “We’d like to find out. We also have a couple hundred other questions for her, but we can’t seem to locate either her or Spellman. The Bureau’s trying to track them down as we speak.”

  Her palms turned sweaty and her anger spiked. If one more person withheld information from her, she was going to put some of her karate skills to use. Katie was tired of feeling like a puppet on a string. It was her life, dammit.

  “So just exactly how did Veronica fit into all this? And I still want to read the texts between her and… Oh, my god.” Katie cried, suddenly remembering the files she’d asked her assistant to remove from the office. “Do you know if they found a zip drive in Veronica’s apartment?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll find out. What’s on it?” Tuck asked.

  “My client files. I asked her to copy and take them home with her in case Doug decided to lock me out of the system. I need to find them, fast.”

  Tuck nodded before walking toward the kitchen. “Check with CPD, find out if a zip drive was found in the Menlo apartment.”

  “So what exactly are you hoping to get from Thomas?” Sky asked.

  His body felt like a blanket of reassurance…and the glue holding her together as Katie felt herself begin to unravel.

  “A confession,” Tuck replied, gliding back into the room.

  “Take us step by step,” Sky instructed.

  After Tuck laid out the plan, Katie was more scared than she’d been in her life. But knowing Sky would be with her, thank god, the sliver of courage inside her expanded. Katie glanced at the clock. Barring stops, Thomas would be arriving soon.

  Both Gran and Sky accompanied her to her room, where she donned one of her classic power suits. The corporate clothing felt binding and awkward now. As if she’d outgrown the woman who’d once worn it.

  Back in the kitchen, she was surprised to see Joe holding a grocery bag and some old worn-out boots.

  “What in the world?” Gran asked, taking the words out of Katie’s mouth.

  Joe smiled. “Tuck called, said he needed a few things.”

  “We can’t very well sit at the counter in our suits,” Tuck explained. “If we’re going to pose as farmers, we’re going to have to look the part.”

  “Oh, lord. This ought to be hilarious,” Katie said with a snicker.

  “Watch it. I was raised on a farm,” Tuck countered with a wink.

  While he and Simon left the room to shed their suits and don their farm wear, Katie watched Gran and Joe sneak off into the kitchen. Wrapping her arms around Sky, she leached not only his warmth but his strength, as well.

  “I’m glad you’ve decided to start your new life here.” Reed smiled at her. “Even with all the shit falling down around you, I’ve never seen you more relaxed and happy. Never. This town, this house, your family and friends… You belong here, Kaitl—Katie.”

  She knew that, too, with every fiber in her being. Reed’s confirmation only drove the fact home even more. “Thank you.”

  “Forgive me if I’m stepping out of line, but we’ve been friends a long time,” he continued in a fatherly tone. “The love you two share is powerful…potent. I know you’ve survived a kind of hurt I can’t even fathom, but you hold on to Sky, here. He’ll help you through all the curve balls life throws your way.”

  She looked up at Sky, beaming with pride. “Yes. He will,” she whispered with conviction.

  “A love like you two share doesn’t come along often. Trust me. I know.”

  Katie cocked her head and studied Reed. The fact that he was extending such a personal side of himself made her wonder if Connor was working its small-town magic on him as well.

  “All right. You go deal with Thomas…and be careful,” Reed warned. “I’ll stay here with Gran and find a buyer for all your properties.”

  The sound of heavy footfalls clomping down the stairs drew everyone’s attention to the foyer. Katie covered a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter as Tuck and Simon descended, looking anything but their usual polished FBI agents.

  “O
h, my goodness,” Gran cackled as Joe and Sky shook their heads, grinning.

  “Name’s Clem,” Tuck drawled as he tipped his dirty, beaten-to-shit John Deere hat. “This here’s my neighbor, Ralph.”

  “Ralph? Seriously?” Simon groaned as he rolled his eyes. “Why can’t I be Clem?”

  “Because I’m the boss.” Tuck scowled then smirked. “You could be Cletus.”

  Simon shot him a sideways scowl. “I’ll stick with Ralph.”

  Katie knew the agents were granting everyone a minute of levity before things got too real.

  Gran skimmed a cursory glance over both men before turning to Simon. “Better roll those sleeves down. Your arms are too white to pass as a farmer, son.”

  Joe eased past Gran and pulled at Simon’s shirt. “He’ll see that sidearm you got under here, too, if you’re not careful.”

  “Drawing our weapons is going to be a challenge.” Tuck frowned.

  “Not for me,” Sky chimed in, plucking the pistol from Tuck’s hand and slipping it behind his back.

  “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” Joe replied, wearing a worried frown.

  “All right, Katie. Let’s get you wired up,” Tuck announced as he nodded toward the kitchen. “Devin Carnes will be posing as our cook. He’ll really be recording everything you and Thomas say. I need to stick this microphone on your chest.”

  “I’ll do that,” Sky offered with a possessive growl. “You all go wait in the family room.”

  “We don’t have time for a quickie, you—”

  “Go,” Sky thundered, cutting off Simon’s taunting comment.

  Laughter died as everyone ambled out of the kitchen. With trembling fingers, Sky began unbuttoning Katie’s blouse.

  “Are you scared for me?” she asked, skimming her fingers over his sculpted cheek.

  “Terrified,” Sky answered. “I can’t lose you, Katie.”

  “You won’t,” she vowed, leaning in to brush her lips over his. “I’m not afraid. Not with you there.”

  Sky closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. “Don’t go anywhere with him. If he wants you to take a drive…a walk…don’t leave the diner with him. Please.”

  “I won’t,” she promised as Sky pressed the strips of white tape to her skin.

  “If you get scared or if you need to get away from him, tell him you need to use the restroom and walk away.”

  Katie nodded as tension ricocheted between them. Knowing how Doug had thoroughly humiliated Madeline shed a whole new light on what Thomas might be capable of. Still, Katie couldn’t figure out why he wanted to see her. Did he perceive her as culpable of the shame his mother had endured?

  Katie fought back tears as she kissed Gran good-bye, knowing she’d never be able to erase the fear reflected in the old woman’s eyes. She was in good hands with Joe and Reed, and for that Katie was thankful. As she watched Tuck pull out of the driveway, she waved before tossing Sky the keys to her Jag. She held his hand tightly as they drove into town.

  As they walked toward the diner, she noticed Nina’s colorful drawings were still displayed on the sidewalk. A lump of emotion rose in Katie’s throat as her mind fluttered back to the day she’d taken the little girl to lunch. Her tinkling laughter still rang in Katie’s ears, and the thought of never having a chance to mother her…watch the little girl grow into a beautiful woman, filled her with fear.

  Devin’s brother, David, stood from his post on the wooden bench by the door. “I’ll turn any customers away until you’re through,” he assured them. “Don’t worry, Devin gave me a picture of the guy I’m supposed to let through.”

  “Thanks, David,” Katie replied, trying to fight the anxiety climbing inside her.

  Once inside, Grace met them with a nervous smile as she hugged Katie tight. The café was deserted. Devin popped out from behind the metal doors that led to the kitchen. As they swung behind him, she took in his greasy apron and the white paper hat perched on his head.

  Tuck directed her to an empty table in the middle of the diner before they began testing the microphone taped to her chest. Sky took his place at a booth to her left, directly behind her, while Simon and Tuck took up their positions at the counter, facing the door.

  Grace had staged plates of food before each of the men to make it appear as if they were eating. She stood in front of Tuck as he murmured instructions for her, nodding with a pensive look on her face as Katie tried to calm the anxiety bubbling within.

  Turning, she glanced over her shoulder to see Sky opening the paper next to his staged plate of food. He flashed her a reassuring smile and a sexy wink, but his eyes betrayed him. He was nervous, too.

  A red Audi pulled to the curb. From the front window, Katie watched as Thomas climbed out.

  “He’s here,” she stated in a quivering tone.

  “Everybody take a deep breath. Let’s see how this plays out,” Tuck announced in a clear and calm voice.

  The bell above the door sounded like a gong. Katie’s body jerked as Grace let out a laugh.

  “You’re a scoundrel, Clem. Don’t you let Martha hear you saying our meatloaf is better than hers, or you’ll be in the doghouse for a month.” Grace turned, flashing Thomas a welcoming smile as he hurried toward Katie’s table.

  “Hello, Thomas,” Katie said, forcing a smile.

  “Miss Grant,” he beamed. “I know it’s rather inappropriate, but can I give you a hug?” Katie blinked and swallowed tightly.

  “Of course,” she answered nervously before she stood.

  “I’m just so glad that you’re not hurt.” He wrapped her in a bear hug, and Katie almost laughed when she heard the newspaper rustling loudly behind her. She didn’t dare peek over her shoulder for fear she’d be hit by a fireball she knew was blazing in Sky’s eyes. With a gentle pat on Thomas’s back, Katie pulled away and quickly sat back down.

  “What are we going to do?” he asked, settling into the seat in front of her.

  “About what?”

  “The company. The clients. You’ve got to come back with me or the business will be in ruin. I can help you save Grant-McCarthy. We can work as a team…side by side, and make it the biggest and best agency in the world.”

  “Oh.” Katie blinked. “Well, I—I haven’t quite yet decided what I’m going to do. I’ve more than the company on my mind at the moment, Thomas. I would hope that my staff would continue on in my absence without falling apart.” Her tone was cold and haughty as it had been for far too long. “I have to arrange for Doug’s body to be flown back to Chicago, and funeral details to design.”

  “I see,” Thomas replied in a sour tone.

  Grace set two glasses of ice water in front of Katie and Thomas before whipping out her order pad with a carefree smile. “What can I get you all today? We have homemade chocolate, rhubarb, cherry, and banana cream pie. Or were you wanting something off the menu?”

  “Just water for me,” Thomas replied with an annoyed wave of his hand.

  “I’m good with water, too, Grace. Thank you,” Katie replied primly.

  “Whew, thanks. I’m going to head back to the kitchen and take a break. The lunch crowd was brutal today. If you all need anything, just—”

  “Fine. Do whatever it is you need to do,” Thomas barked impatiently.

  Katie’s heart hammered in her chest. Thomas was not his usual suave and sophisticated self. He seemed angry and high-strung. With a harrumph, Grace scurried away. When Katie heard the sound of the metal doors swinging, she exhaled inwardly. Grace was safely tucked in the kitchen now and out of harm’s way.

  “Look, I know you’ve got a lot on your mind, but you’re a smart woman, Miss Grant,” Thomas began, leaning over the table. “You’ve got a billion-dollar empire with no one at the helm. You can’t simply ignore it and expect it to run itself while you’re putting that sad sack of shit in the ground. We both know Doug was a prick.”

  “What exactly are you suggesting, Thomas?” Katie asked with a clipped tone. />
  “This.” He reached into his pocket. His eyes sparkled, and an evil smile curled his lips as he pulled out a thumb drive and set it on the table.

  Katie’s heart nearly exploded from her chest. She threaded her fingers together and clasped her hands to keep them from shaking. “What is that?”

  “It’s the company files. I know I’ve breached my agreement, but desperate times call for desperate measures.”

  “Where did you get this?” she asked pointedly.

  “Ironically, from Veronica,” Thomas preened. “You know Doug and she were…”

  “Yes, of course I knew,” Katie answered with an arrogant jerk of her chin. She had to stay calm or the conversation would spiral out of control. “What I want to know is what you’re doing with it?”

  He shrugged. “She asked me to keep it safe. It doesn’t matter how I got it, that’s… irrelevant now,” Thomas hinted with a dangerous smirk. “If you’re not ready to go back to Chicago yet, I’ll stay here with you. We can work together. Maintaining the traffic flow and meeting our clients’ needs takes precedence over everything. Don’t you see?”

  “I see plenty, Thomas,” Katie scolded. Verbally poking him, she hoped she could trip him up. “You and I both know Veronica did not give you those files. Now how did this”—she picked up the drive and wrapped it in her palm—“come to be in your possession?”

  He leveled her with a chilling glare. “Does it really matter? She was fucking your partner…along with…” He shook his head as a flicker of rage dashed over his eyes. “I would have thought you’d be thrilled to have them…out of the way. You’re missing the big picture here, Kaitlin.” Thomas’s tone had taken on a brittle edge.

  “Actually, it does matter. It matters to me.”

  “Why?” he barked. “I did you a favor…you should be thanking me,” he bellowed as he slammed his hand down on the table.

  “Settle down there, son,” Tuck called out from behind her.

  “Mind your own business, jackass,” Thomas spat. “This conversation doesn’t concern you. Go out and plow a field or something.”