Family Man

his arms around her. “You haven't messed up at all. Stop fretting, Katy. Guardian angels sometimes have to stand back and let their charges practice flying on their own. Matt took a short trial flight last night, and things got a little bumpy. But there was no harm done.”
    “Thanks again for going down to the station to pick him up.” Katy lifted her head. “I did what you said. I didn't fuss. I just let him go straight off to bed. He said the two of you had already talked.”
    “Right. We talked.”
    “How did you know what to say?” Katy asked. “You don't have kids.”
    “I just said to Matt the things my dad said to me once when I got into a similar jam.” Luke kept his arm around her shoulders as he turned and started walking along the beach. “Now about our unfinished business.”
    Katy slanted him a wary glance. “You weren't the only one who had something to say last night, you know. I wanted to talk to you about a certain matter that came up yesterday.”
    “All right,” Luke said. “You go first.”
    “Promise you won't lose your temper?”
    “What makes you think there's a risk I might lose it?” he countered.
    “Well, it concerns the financial problems we've been having at two of the restaurants.”
    “Hell.” Luke had an ominous feeling he knew what was coming. “That just happens to be the topic of conversation I wanted to cover.”
    Katy looked up at him with an even more anxious expression. “I know who's doing the skimming.”
    “So do I. My dear cousin Eden.”
    Katy's eyes widened. “You know about poor Eden?”
    “Poor Eden is not so poor these days. She's managed to embezzle a hefty amount from the family coffers. I knew it was someone in the family. It felt like an insider. I was sure of it.”
    “You were right,” Katy said. “But there were extenuating circumstances, and once you hear them I know you'll understand. She's going to need a little help, Luke.”
    “Help?” The ominous sensation was a lot stronger. Luke narrowed his eyes as he looked down at Katy's earnest face. He read his future there as clearly as if she were a book. “Oh, no, you don't, angel.”
    “Now Luke, I just want you to listen to the whole story.”
    “No. Absolutely not. I am not listening to a damn thing. You're not going to sucker me this time. That thieving little which is guilty of stealing a large chunk of change, and I am not interested in hearing about mitigating circumstances.”
    “This is a very serious situation.”
    “Damn right it is. And I'm going to treat it that way. You brought me here to clean up the financial mess at Gilchrist, Inc. I told you I would do it, and I will. My way.”
    “But Luke, this is a family matter,” Katy said.
    “The hell it is. This is a matter of embezzlement.”
    “Not exactly. You see—”
    “Katy, I don't want to listen to this.”
    “Luke, she's being blackmailed.”
    “Shit.” Luke closed his eyes briefly in frustration. He knew he was going to lose this one. He could feel it coming.
    Katy came to a halt again. Her expression was serious as she gazed up at him from beneath the brim of her white hat. Red hair curled softly against her cheek. “It's a long story, Luke. I heard it all yesterday.”
    “That's where you were all day? Listening to Eden's sob story?”
    “Don't sound so skeptical. You haven't even heard it yet.”
    “I don't have to hear it to know that she's deliberately dragged you into this mess.” Luke shoved his hands into the pockets of his windbreaker and scowled. “Okay. Give it to me in short, easy sentences.”
    “Her ex-husband is blackmailing her with information he has about Maureen.”
    Luke's stomach clenched. “Atwood's involved in this?”
    Katy nodded quickly. “He's found some old newspaper clippings that apparently state Maureen was convicted of selling forged art years ago in New York. He's threatened to turn them over to Justine if Eden doesn't continue to pay him off.”
    “Jesus.”
    “He thinks he got a bad deal at the time of the divorce. But I don't think he's just after the money. I think it's revenge he wants.”
    Luke studied her in silence for a minute while he absorbed that. “Eden told you this?”
    “Yes.”
    “She probably knows I'm closing in on her,” Luke said thoughtfully. “She's come up with this story to get you on her side before the mountain comes crashing down on top of her.”
    “It's true, Luke. All of it.”
    Luke's mouth twisted. “Yeah? How do you