Page 36 of Degrees of Control
“Yes, unfortunately, Sid’s team confirmed what we initially thought. I still need to let your father know. He was hoping that it wasn’t his brother, but at least none of your other family members appear to be involved.”
“So, why are we going to Aruba and what are you doing with Sid?”
“We’re going to Aruba because it’s a central location to where everything will happen and I travel there often. It will not appear suspicious to anyone watching. I’ll be meeting with Sid and Jay, along with your father and his teams, to discuss logistics as we learn more about Alfreita’s travel and you are going because I don’t want you out of my sight,” he says.
“You have an uncanny way of explaining things in a way that doesn’t tell me much,” I say, ignoring the rise of his eyebrows as I move off of his lap and onto the couch beside him.
“Why do you say that, Katarina?” he asks.
“I think you purposely avoid the details. I’m pretty sure we’re not traveling all the way to Aruba so that you can talk with men who are a phone call away,” I say.
“And these details are important to you?” he asks.
“I don’t even know how to respond to that right now, Chase,” I say quietly. The sinking feeling in my stomach lets me know that we are once again balancing on the slippery edges of trust.
“I see,” he says, shifting his gaze from mine before answering the call on his cell phone while I take the opportunity to head upstairs with my thoughts and pack for the trip.
The quiet is unsettling as the limousine driver navigates his way from the house in the country to the O’Hare airport, clears security and pulls onto the tarmac. The driver navigates as close as he can to the Gulfstream jet awaiting our arrival.
The plane is much larger than the others we’ve taken and proudly bears the black and gold Prestian Corp logo. Jay, Matt, Sheldon and the other security guards board the aircraft with us, talking to the flight team a few moments, before situating themselves into the cabin behind the pilots. Chase guides me past them into a large living space. The privacy door between the security cabin and ours is closed and we buckle into the soft cream colored leather recliner-styled seats situated around a small table by the windows. There is a matching crème sofa in the middle of the room facing a natural stone fireplace that extends all the way to the top of the plane’s ceiling. It is gently glowing and radiating warmth throughout the entire room.
“This is absolutely amazing, Chase,” I say, looking around.
“You like it?” he asks.
“It’s beautiful,” I say, watching out the window as we taxi down the runway and lift off.
“It’s one of our newer planes. The other teams have our smaller units this week,” he says, as he pulls his Mac out of his travel bag.
His reference to the other teams brings my thoughts back to the reality of why we are going to Aruba. He has already started working on his Mac and appears oblivious to the tension and uncertainty between us.
I inwardly sigh. We are no further along than when we arrived back in Chicago earlier in the week. We have the entire living space of the plane to ourselves, so after we take off I unbuckle, take a blanket from the overhead, and curl up on the couch in front of the fireplace to read a book.
The five-hour flight from O’Hare to Orangestad airport is relatively uneventful, but the security team dutifully surrounds us as we make our way down the plane’s ramp and into the awaiting car. The man in the driver’s seat gets out and Matt takes the wheel while Jay slides in beside him. Sheldon gets into the back seat of the custom extended silver Lincoln facing Chase and myself. The commute between the airport and resort is only twenty minutes and traffic is minimal, but we have a car full of guards in front of us and another in the rear. When I look to the right and recognize the face of another security guard in the vehicle beside us, I realize just how much protection we have in place.
“Chase, we have security guards around the entire perimeter of the car,” I whisper.
“There’s no reason to be alarmed. They are doing their job, taking precautions and keeping us safe,” he says, as we pull up to the prestigious Ridalgo Resort. Jay and Sheldon open the doors for us and escort Chase and me through the opulent front entrance to the elevators that will take us to our penthouse suite in the Mayan Towers section of the resort.
“My dad sent me a text. They arrived a few minutes ago and are just heading up to their suite,” I say to Chase as the bellboys place the suitcases in our room.
“Good. I have some things that I need to go over with him. Alfreita is on the move and not that far away,” he says, giving the young men a tip before he closes the door behind him.
The tension between us has been uncomfortable the entire trip and I finally decide to ask what’s been on my mind since earlier in the day. “When you find Alfreita what’s going to happen, Chase?” I ask.
The deep green eyes turn murky and his jaw is tense. “You really want to know?” he asks.
“I don’t know, time and time again you’ve told me that we need to be open and honest and I finally got the courage to ask,” I say.
“I think story time has ended, Katarina. I presume you have already determined what possible endings may exist,” Chase says, walking toward the door and closing it behind him as he leaves to find my father.
I don’t know what I expected, for him to suddenly turn forthcoming about his activities? He will continue to keep me in the dark, but at the same time hold the trust issue over my head.
I try to focus on unpacking my belongings before jumping into the shower. The soft warm spray of the water rinsing over my tired body is relaxing, and after a few moments begins to wash some of the day’s anxiety away. I get out of the shower and apply a liberal amount of the islands aloe butter onto my skin, relishing in the silky way it leaves me feeling. I select a melon color sundress that ties around the neck, slip on a pair of white panties and a pair of white thong sandals. I leave a note for Chase to let him know that I have gone to spend time with my mother and will be back before dinner.
Matt is outside the room. “Where are you headed, Kate? Chase thought you would be unpacking, at least for a little while?” he says.
“Did he now?” I say.
