Knight's Game (38 page)

‘You’re richer than Gora,’ Max said drolly. ‘Why would they?’

‘That whole scene was surreal. And I don’t scare easily.’

‘You noticed Gora wasn’t invited.’ A lifted brow. ‘His money’s good enough but he isn’t.’

‘The poor schmuck. He’s being played big time and he’s actually looking forward to this child. Tell me not to feel sorry for him.’

Max shot Dominic a narrowed glance. ‘Don’t make that mistake. He’s a brutal killer.’

Dominic nodded, grinned. ‘Never let feelings get in the way. Right?’

‘Always a good idea when Gora’s involved.’

‘Gora’s problems aside,’ Dominic said, ‘we’d better put round-the-clock surveillance on that sex kitten. Bianca’s for sale and I don’t want to be caught up in some duplicitous scheme that family’s concocted. They’re like modern-day Borgias.’

‘We have that covered already. Remember I was the one who did the initial research on the Danellis.’

‘Well, keep them well away from me.’

‘That’s the plan. Will you be in Paris long?’

‘Until this is over.’

It was a short drive to the Florence airport. Dominic’s plane was ready to taxi the moment they boarded and two
hours later, Dominic was in his apartment in Paris. Where he planned to stay, save for two short business trips in the offing. He wanted to be near his French attorney so his divorce papers could be filed as soon as Gora’s son was born. Not that he fully trusted any of the other interested parties to notify him. To assure a speedy report, Dominic had come to an agreement with Bianca’s doctor. The doctor was the new owner of a Sardinian villa and with that bribe Dominic bought himself immediate news of the birth.

Dominic was in Paris for logistical reasons as well. He was far enough away from London so he couldn’t force his way into Katherine’s flat – which was a real possibility after a bottle or so – without having time to reflect on what was obviously a bad decision. Yet Paris was close enough that he could reach Katherine in under two hours should she call. Not that he didn’t wince at the thought of his behaviour. Christ, he was like a young boy waiting for his first girlfriend to call. When he’d never in his life waited for a woman.

So much for unemotional fixes.

He’d tried calling Kate. Usually late at night, usually not fully sober. She never answered.

He’d texted her once and she texted back,

The short message was lower case and ended in a period rather than an exclamation point, but he could feel the ice through the phone. He hadn’t done that again.

All of which made the current state of affairs brutal for him.

In desperation, six weeks later, he travelled to Minnesota to visit Nana. He’d tried to talk himself out of going. But he had an ache that never went away, a gut-wrenching sense of loss, a feeling of aloneness that had never mattered before and now was so deep and wide it was boundless.

It was the beginning of April, when he found himself standing outside Nana’s door, waiting for someone to answer his knock. It was cold in northern Minnesota. He should have considered the weather before he left Morocco; he was dressed in jeans, a short-sleeved T-shirt and sandals. The car he rented at the Duluth airport had been warm so he hadn’t noticed until he was standing in the wind on this porch overlooking a lake that was still covered with ice.

The door suddenly opened.

‘I’m not giving the money back if that’s why you’re here,’ the elderly lady snapped.

Dominic smiled, thought of Kate, knew where she’d learned to be outspoken. ‘Obviously you know who I am.’

‘You hide that private foundation real well. It took me over twenty hours to sift through all the shadow companies before I found your name on a document.’ She smiled. ‘Love the web. Opens up the whole world, even to people who live in the sticks.’ She opened the door wider. ‘Come on in. You must be here for a reason and’ – she glanced at his sandaled feet – ‘you’re not dressed for the weather.’

‘It was warm when I got on the plane.’

‘What are you, a three-year-old kid?’ she said over her shoulder, leading him down a hallway.

‘I had a lot on my mind, Mrs Hart.’

‘Call me Nana. Everyone does. At least you have an excuse. I suppose what you had on your mind was Katie.’

‘Call me Dominic and, yes, she’s been on my mind.’

‘I have a cousin named Dominic. It’s a pretty common name up here. Have a seat.’ She waved him to a chair in a living room that hadn’t changed since the eighties. A hotchpotch of upholstered furniture, nothing matching, framed photos everywhere: mostly Katherine with her trike, bike, motorcycle – his brows went up at that – high school graduation, the prom – he scowled at the good-looking kid standing beside her – two recent ones with her smiling on campus; one or two of Nana, one of a man in uniform he assumed was Roy Hart – Gramps to Katherine – several that might be Katherine’s mother, the resemblance was strong.

‘I was wondering if I’d see you,’ Nana said, sitting down opposite Dominic in a matching BarcaLounger. ‘Thanks, by the way, for the money. I’ve already told you I’m not giving it back if that’s why you’re here. With all the cuts in public education, the district needs the money. I didn’t mention it to Katie either. There was no reason to tell her. She’s not here, if that’s why you came, and I’m not telling you where she is.’

He knew where she was. That wasn’t why he was here.
‘I was wondering how she’s doing.’

‘How do you think she’s doing? A young handsome man
like you with bags of money. You’d turn any young girl’s head.’ Edited version or not, Nana knew when her granddaughter was hurting. ‘Leave Katie alone. You’re out of her league.’

‘No, I’m not.’

‘Then you choose to be.’

Silence. Then he said, ‘I’m not so sure about that.’

‘Too long a pause, my boy. My baby girl needs someone who doesn’t have to think about loving her.’

Dominic visibly flinched at the word ‘love’. This wasn’t a subject he spoke of in public, or even considered before Katherine.

‘There, you see. You can’t do it.’

‘I’d like to try. I am trying.’

‘Then tell her.’

‘She won’t talk to me.’

‘Smart girl,’ Nana said, her grey perm stirring with her brisk nod. ‘She was unhappy for quite a while. She’s better now, if you really want to know. If you want to help her, you’ll leave her alone. She’ll get over you. You’re not the only good looking man in the world.’

He was pleased to hear Kate was fine; he was displeased to hear she was fine without him. But just talking about her made him happy, so he smiled and said, ‘She’d been doing well in her new business, I hear.’

Nana scowled. ‘Don’t try and charm me. I’m an old lady. I’ve seen it all.’

‘I’d like to talk about her if you don’t mind.’

Blunt, honest, a quiet humility in his gaze. ‘Would you like a drink? You look a little peaked.’

‘It was a long flight.’

‘Come downstairs, I’ll give you a little pick-me-up. My husband Roy made my still years ago when he came back from Nam. He needed something to take his mind off … well, you know what went on over there. He showed me everything I know about making vodka and mine’s damn good, if I do say so myself.’

‘No problems with law enforcement?’ Dominic followed her down the stairs to the basement. She was thin and spry at seventy-five, taking the stairs with a little spring in her step.

‘I know the sheriff and his father, and grandfather, for that matter, and they know me. I give ’em a few bottles now and then. Everything’s copacetic. Sit over there at that table. I’ll get us a drink. Blueberry okay with you?’

He almost smiled, remembering his mother’s face when he’d brought up Nana’s hobby at lunch that day in Hong Kong. ‘Blueberry would be just fine,’ he politely replied.

Two drinks later, after Dominic had asked Nana about Roy, about Kate as a child, about small-town living that was like an alien universe to him; after he’d heard about the new roof on the gym thanks to his gift and the eight teachers they’d been able to hire back with five-year contracts, Nana set her glass down, speared him with her gaze and said, ‘You must have set Katie up in business.’

‘Not personally. Six times removed. I’ve been able to send
a few clients her way, but her success is her own. I have nothing to do with it.’

‘She liked the flowers you sent when she and Joanna set up in business. Purple iris, I heard. Three or four baskets.’

It took him a fraction of a second to answer, the room in the Garden House suddenly too vivid, rocking his world. ‘I’m glad she liked them.’

‘She’s making lots of money.’

‘That’s the idea.’

‘Why doesn’t she know you’ve done this for her? It’s clear as day.’

‘You raised her not to be cynical. She’s remarkably innocent despite her intellectual accomplishments. It’s one of her great charms.’

‘Hmpf. From an arch cynic.’

‘I didn’t have the advantage of her upbringing. She was fortunate.’

‘So you’re saying money doesn’t buy happiness.’

‘Pretty much.’

‘And you’re wondering if she can fill that void for you.’

‘I don’t know. It’s more than that. But she’s on my mind a lot. I thought I’d come and see how she was doing, that’s all. I should go. I’ve taken up enough of your time.’ He came to his feet.

‘I won’t ask you to promise me you won’t pester her because I can see that you will. But she’s like her grandpa. You mess with her, she fights back.’

He smiled faintly. ‘I’m aware of that.’

‘You mess with her and
I’ll
make trouble for you. Roy came back from Nam a little bit crazy and some of it rubbed off. Just so you know.’

‘I have no intention of hurting her.’

Nana softly exhaled. ‘I don’t envy you. You don’t know exactly what you want.’

His smile was sweetly boyish. ‘I’m trying to figure it out. Or maybe just how to accomplish it.’ He pointed at the bottle on the table. ‘If you ever want to go into business, let me know. Your vodka is first class. I’m always looking for new investments.’

She smiled. ‘You trying to buy your way to my granddaughter?’

He laughed. ‘I’m not so foolish. Katherine didn’t care about money. I’m assuming she learned that from you.’

Nana met his gaze. ‘Life’s about almost everything
but
money. I’m not saying you don’t need enough to keep a roof over your head, but after that’ – she shrugged – ‘it’s about the people you love. That’s what makes life worth living. Sorry about the lecture. I’m an old school teacher. It’s in the blood.’

‘I don’t mind. And let me know what more you need for the school. I mean it. My educational foundation is one of my pet projects. Let me give you my cell phone number.’

‘I already have it.’

Dominic’s brows shot up.

‘Where do you think my baby girl learned to love computers? There’s no privacy left in the world. I don’t have to tell you that.’

Dominic laughed. ‘In that case, give me a call if you need something.’

‘Or if I hear something from Katie?’

Kate would have recognized that small startle reflex. ‘I’d like that,’ Dominic said a moment later. ‘I like to know how she’s doing. Thanks for the drink and conversation.’

Nana stood on the porch and watched the wealthy young man walk through the snow in his sandals, get into his rental car and drive away.

She’d never met anyone so alone,
she thought.

Their separation wasn’t any easier for Kate. Dominic had married another woman. And there was no question in her mind, no matter how she dissected and reviewed their last conversation, that he’d been lying through his teeth.
I have to marry her.
Bullshit. A man like Dominic, who controlled everything as far as the eye could see and beyond? As if he could be coerced into marriage. He didn’t want her; he just wanted someone else.

So get over it.

But she must have been reading the wrong
Cosmo
articles. Because getting over someone wasn’t supposed to black out the sun, shut out the music from the world, bring down the curtain on one’s life or, as Gramps would have said,
Make you fire off that last round
.

Kate smiled then because Gramps had always said it like it was a good thing. Like it was time to move on. So she tried.

She dealt with her misery by burying herself in work: she put in long hours, audited source codes and cleaned them
up, wrote programming script to stave off cyber attacks, developed new code to keep the site from collapsing under an overload, dealt with one vulnerability after another on the bank’s website. And after Dominic left, she started helping a fellow contractor on weekends in a small office on Bond Street. Together, she and Joanna pounded keyboards and crunched numbers and codes and when Kate was finally ready to collapse, she’d go home and try to sleep. But she wasn’t sleeping well, she wasn’t eating well. She was driving herself hard to distract herself from her cloud of despair that wouldn’t lift.

Dominic was in the habit of checking on Katherine’s location a dozen times a day, the GPS on her cell phone his personal surveillance, his lifeline to hope, to better times and rosier prospects. When the three months were over, when his divorce was rubber stamped, he was going to do whatever he had to do to win her back.

There was no question in his mind.

And if she’d ever talked to him, he would have told her that.

He’d also had Max set up security teams to watch Katherine in the event Gora went off the deep end. Each evening, Max reported to Dominic, but his account never varied. ‘All she does is work. We’re running eight-hour surveillance shifts but she is working practically non-stop. She barely sleeps. CX Capital is getting their money’s worth. Her new partner apparently doesn’t eat or sleep either.’

And so affairs continued through March and April.

Until a day in early May.

*

While Kate had become accustomed to not eating or sleeping, her nausea couldn’t be so easily ignored. Particularly when she finally paid attention enough to recognize she was only sick in the mornings. By eleven she always felt perfectly fine. After a few moments of panic, she turned to a search on the web, needing reassurance.