Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [176]
"No."
"Please, sit down."
"Fine." He took a seat at the other end of the couch, trying to ignore Jessie's steady gaze. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed his office. His secretary picked up, sounding as efficient as always.
"Hey, Theresa, it's me. Any messages?"
"Of course. You're a popular guy these days. Did you see the spread in Entrepreneur Magazine? They picked us as one of the top five companies to watch."
"I saw it," he replied, still feeling a surge of pleasure that his efforts were finally being rewarded. "What else is up?"
"The ad guys want to know if you've signed Elijah James yet."
"No," he said with annoyance. He'd been chasing the young basketball star for three months with absolutely no luck. "I have a meeting with him tomorrow at the Coliseum. I'm determined to bring him into the Top Flight family."
"Well, you usually get your man -- or woman as the case may be. There are a few other messages, but they can wait until Monday. Oh, one last thing. Amy said to tell you she just signed that young tennis star from Argentina, Rita Seranno."
"Way to go, Amy."
"And she wanted to know if you mind her taking a few days off in Rio as a bonus."
"What did you tell her?"
"To get her ass back here."
Alex laughed. "You're good, Theresa, very, very good."
"I'll remind you of that come bonus time. Oh, and call home if you're not there already. Your housekeeper left me a hysterical message about your grandfather. I didn't even know you had a grandfather."
"Unfortunately, I do. I'll see you Monday."
He hung up and dialed his home number.
"Hello? Hello? Senor Carrigan's residence."
He smiled at the sound of his housekeeper's heavily accented response. Gloria Delgado had arrived from Nicaragua six years earlier, but still didn't feel comfortable with the language. She also tended to get upset easily.
"It's Alex, Gloria."
"Oh, Senor Alex, I am so sorry."
His muscles once again tensed. "What are you sorry about?" He hoped she'd simply broken something or missed a dirty spot on the floor.
"I have lost your grandfather," she said dramatically.
It wasn't the response he was hoping for. "What do you mean, you lost him?"
"You asked me to watch him, but he doesn't like my coffee, so he go."
He winced as a torrent of Spanish followed. When Gloria finally paused for air, he said, "It's okay. I'll find him. He can't have gone far. Did he say anything before he left?"
"The wind. He say the wind is bad. There are evil spirits dancing. Me, I think I don't understand so good."
"Oh, you probably understood just fine."
"He also say he want cake. Yesterday he want cake. Today he want cake. Every day he want cake."
"Right. I think I have an idea where he may have gone."
"I can't wait, Senor Alex. My niece is sick, and my friend has no car, and -- "
"That's okay. I'll be home shortly. Thanks, Gloria."
The door to one of the offices opened, and Alex slipped his cell phone back in his pocket. An older man stepped through the doorway. His hair was pepper gray, the expression on his long, narrow face as somber as his navy blue pin-striped suit.
"Mr. Carrigan?" He extended his hand. "I'm Harrison Monroe, Melanie Kane's attorney."
Alex stood up and shook the man's hand, feeling tense.
"Please come in," Harrison said.
He walked into the inner office, not realizing until he was inside that Jessie had followed him. "This is a private meeting," he told her.
"Actually, Jessica is involved." Mr. Monroe gave his tie a nervous tug. "Won't you both sit down?" He waved his hand toward the leather armchairs in front of his desk.
Jessica didn't move. Alex didn't either. The ground beneath his feet suddenly felt like quicksand. "What do you mean Jessica is involved?"
"It's complicated."
"No it's not," Jessie interrupted, putting her hands on her hips. She looked Alex straight in the eye. "Don't you get it yet? I'm your inheritance."
"That's impossible." He looked to Mr. Monroe for reassurance, but he found none. "I'm not her father."
"Your name