Page 32 of Degrees of Control
“Baby, we’re not positive, but it does appear that he may be working with Alfreita. Your grandfather left the family business in entirety to Carlos, knowing he would ensure the well-being of the family over the years and there was some family resentment about that decision, Joey taking it the hardest. This will be all-out war if we are correct,” he says.
“Do you think he meant to do us harm or just scare us?” I ask.
“It would appear the helicopters were just attempting to get some aerial shots of the property and trying to find a communication leak, and Jay’s still running intel on the drivers from this afternoon.”
“This is unbelievable.”
“Jay’s still working on pieces, but we’ve got communications locked down where Alfreita is concerned. If he had gone through his normal channels, we would have seen it coming, Katarina. Jay is convinced it was your uncle’s crew, but maybe at the direction of Alfreita. We just don’t know enough, yet,” he says.
“Does my dad know?” I ask.
“I talked to him just a little bit ago. He doesn’t want to believe it’s his brother, but everything is pointing in that direction. He’s a man of few words, but I’m sure it’s hard on him.”
“What are you going to do now? I ask.
“There’s really nothing to do. Jay has close surveillance on your uncle and security on your mom and dad. In the meantime, his teams will continue to feed Alfreita information which should help flush it all out. I’m going to need to spend a little more time with the teams though,” he says.
“I have plenty of work to keep myself occupied,” I say.
“It would appear you do. I saw the emails about the designs. It looks like the expansion of the facilities is progressing nicely,” Chase says.
He looks down at his cell. “Excuse me, Katarina,” he says, answering the call. “Chase, here,” he says, pausing to listen to the person on the other end. “No, that’s okay, Sid. Nice work. Let us know once he’s on board,” he says.
“Alfreita?” I ask.
“Yes, he’s just changed transportation and is south of the center of Yemen. It won’t be long before he’s onboard and will assume the ship’s safe communication lines are just that. Jay’s teams have been able to infiltrate them, though, so communication should be invaluable,” he says, pouring me a glass of wine from the bar in his study.
“I’m surprised you are telling me all of this,” I say, taking a small sip.
“Katarina, you know I would prefer to keep you sheltered from this, but as you so aptly pointed out, it’s your safety and you have a right to know what’s occurring,” he says.
Gaby’s voice interrupts my thoughts from somewhere overhead. “Dinner ready in five,” she says.
I look around not seeing her. “Intercom system,” Chase explains, answering my question before I’ve had a chance to ask it. “Shall we,” he says, opening the door for me. His hand is on my lower back as we walk from his study into the dining room and it is hard to think about anything else.
Gaby has made a rack of lamb with roasted potatoes, and a salad. Chase pulls my chair out for me and sits next to me as we proceed to enjoy the meal she has prepared. The smell of garlic and rosemary waft from the serving platter as Chase serves each of us. The lamb is tender and juicy, seasoned with crushed garlic, rosemary and lemon zest.
“Gaby, this is fabulous,” I say as she walks into the dining room.
“It’s one of Chase’s favorites,” she says and I look up to see the twinkle in her eye.
I roll my eyes at him when she has turned around and am rewarded with an uprising of his eyebrows and the quirk of his jaw.
“Gaby, Katarina and I will be working from home for the next few days,” Chase says.
“Glad to hear it,” she says. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a couple pies to make fortomorrow,” she says, sashaying out of the dining room and into her kitchen.
“Apparently we’ve been warned off the pies tonight,” I whisper.
“It would appear we have. We’ll have to see what we can do about that a little later,” he says, winking at me.
“You’re incorrigible.”
“Probably,” he says, bringing me up to speed on some of the national expansion efforts of the health care facilities. We have barely finished dinner when his cell phone vibrates.
“Chase here,” he says. “No, give me a minute,” he says, standing up.
“I’ll give you some privacy. I have plenty of work to do,” I say, leaving the table before he can excuse himself.
