Family Man

when they want it badly enough.”
    “But it's not right.”
    Fraser laughed sourly. “You always were a little naïve about business ethics. Stop worrying about it. I'll land on my feet. I always do.”
    “This is awful. I feel terrible. This is partly my fault. You were helping me do my job.”
    Fraser's eyes darkened. “Personally, the only reason I feel terrible is that you and I never had an opportunity to get close. But I figure that situation can be changed.”
    He grabbed her arm before Katy realized his intention. She tried to jerk herself free. When that failed she drew herself up and fixed him with a stern calm.
    “Let me go, Fraser.”
    “No. Not yet.” Fraser's fingers bit through the sleeve of her sweatshirt and into her arm. “You're right about one thing, Katy. You owe me.”
    “I told you, I'll talk to Luke.”
    “Talking to Gilchrist is a waste of time.” He gave her a shake. “I invested a lot in this operation. I stand to lose a bundle because you screwed things up for me.”
    “What was I supposed to do? I didn't realize Luke was going to fire you.”
    Fraser loomed over her. “You were supposed to keep me informed of his plans, remember? You never told me about the goddamned investigation he was running.”
    Katy sucked in her breath. “I wasn't free to talk about it.”
    “Yeah? I thought I was your friend. You're not very loyal to your friends, are you? All your loyalty goes to those damned Gilchrists.”
    “What do you want from me, Fraser?” Katy asked quietly.
    “Access to the Gilchrist computers for the next couple of months. You can do it, Katy. You can get me the new entry codes and the information I'll need to get into the computers and manipulate some data.”
    Katy stared at him. “Why?”
    “Because I've set some plans in motion that will work if they're given a chance. I'm too close to the finish, Katy. I can't quit now. Help me and I'll cut you in on the deal.”
    “What deal?” she snapped. “What have you been doing, Fraser?”
    “I had a real sweet arrangement going. All I had to do was make Gilchrist Gourmet look like it couldn't compete. Things were working out just fine, thanks to the fact that I was close to the inner circle.”
    Outrage blossomed in Katy. “You were sabotaging the corporation, weren't you? Luke was right all along. The culprit was an insider.”
    “He can't prove a damn thing, and he knows it. All he has are a lot of suspicions. That's why he fired me yesterday instead of bringing charges. But you're going to help me finish this thing, Katy.”
    “No.”
    “Yes. I'm going to get my own back. Gilchrist can't treat me the way he did and get away with it. I'm going to force him to sell Gilchrist Gourmet.”
    “How?”
    “With your help, of course. And a computer. I can do it.”
    “Don't be an idiot. I would never help you do that.”
    “Sure you will. If you don't, I'm going to make it look like everything that went wrong at Gilchrist Gourmet during the past few months was your fault, not mine. I'll send the proof straight to Justine.”
    Katy was horrified. “What proof? There is no proof. I've never done anything to hurt the company.”
    “There will be plenty of proof when I get finished. I can manufacture the evidence in the computers and provide documentation. And the Gilchrists will believe every bit of it. You know what they're like.”
    “That's a lie. Justine, at least, trusts me. And Luke.”
    “No Gilchrist ever trusts anyone completely. You know that. Especially not Justine. She'll be quick enough to believe the worst. After all, she doesn't need you anymore. She's got her precious grandson back.”
    “Damn you, Fraser, I thought you were my friend.” Katy pushed her wind-whipped hair out of her face. “How could you do such a thing?”
    “It's just business, honey.”
    “You should be ashamed of yourself. This is wrong.”
    “Skip the lecture. I'm not in the mood. You're going to help me, or I'll send Justine an anonymous printout that will make it look like you were the one who tried to undermine Gilchrist Gourmet. That's it, Katy. No alternatives.”
    “Go to hell,” Katy answered. She tried again to jerk her arm free of his grasp.
    Fraser yanked hard in retaliation. Katy stumbled and fell to the beach. Fraser reached for her, his eyes in slits.
    “You little bitch, you're going to do what I say. There's too much money riding on this.”
    Katy screamed as Fraser's hands closed around her