Page 1 of Alec

Chapter One

“The client is meeting me at the property,” Olivia Gibson said, and glanced at her desk clock to check the time as she put what she needed in her messenger bag. “It’s only a forty-minute drive from here.”

“I don’t want you going there by yourself, Gibs,” Jack Riley said, his usually genial voice stern.

She eyed her employer, who was three times her size and wore a loud burgundy silk shirt and purple chinos. The first time she’d met him when interviewing for her job, he’d joked that he was not a retired professional wrestler but had only played at being one in college, unaware that she’d had no idea what he meant. Still, no one looking at Jack would guess that he was an expert on the restoration and preservation of historically significant structures.

The kindest man Olivia had ever known, Jack had also taught her so much about life as well as business over the last six years that she had grown fiercely devoted to him.

After hurting his leg while jumping out of the way of a speeding car last week, Jack had been using a cane to walk. He hadn’t gotten a license plate or make of the car, so he hadn’t bothered to report the hit-and run to the police. Since then, Olivia had noticed that his limp was only getting worse. It was time for an intervention, as her therapist would have said, so she’d revealed his condition earlier that morning to the one person who could effectively deal with the issue.

Since that would be happening any minute, Olivia only had to stall him a bit longer. “I won’t be alone. Mr. Beaumont will be there, sir.”

“Yeah, I checked him out. Just because he’s a rich investment banker doesn’t mean he’s trustworthy,” Jack said. “Reschedule the meet for Monday so I can go with you.”

“It’s a castle, Boss, not a single-family ranch house.” She eyed his injured foot. “Should I rent a wheelchair for you and push you through it?”

“Don’t be a smartass, kid.” He eased down in the chair by her desk and released a sigh of relief.

The penthouse offices of Riley Corp. overlooked the city center of Salinas, California. Several years of intense urban development had changed the appearance and atmosphere of the old town, about which Olivia had mixed emotions. She loved seeing the new businesses opening, which in turn attracted more visitors. After living in a small town in Utah she still found the bustle of the city enchanting. Yet to make way for the changes, much of the city’s history and old charm was being lost, like the seventy trees that had been cut down during the face-lift construction. Affordable housing also remained a huge issue as well; Salinas had just made the top ten list of the most expensive U.S. cities in which to live. With median home prices creeping up to one million, only couples that both made six figures could really afford to live downtown.

Unlike her coworkers Olivia didn’t mind renting a studio in Boronda and having to commute to Salinas. After ten years the novelty of having her own place still thrilled her.

Olivia was determined to land this restoration job for the firm, which had been the result of a terrible storm that had struck nearby Monterey last month. Roads had been washed out, homes flooded, and businesses ruined. Early estimates on the costs of the damage had already reached hundreds of millions. The town was so historically important that several groups had already set up initiatives to cover the cost of recovery, which meant plenty of work for Riley Corp. in the immediate future.

“Boss, you’re really not in any shape to walk through a medieval castle,” Olivia said as she switched off her computer. “It’s one of the largest in the country, too.”

Jack swatted the air. “I’ll manage with the cane.”

“A broken ankle won’t heal until it’s in a cast,” Olivia corrected as she picked up the file with her notes on the new project, and then regarded him. “Please don’t glare at me like that. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t keep this a secret anymore.”

“Don’t fuss over me. I’m going tomorrow to see my regular guy. He’ll put me in one of those walking–” His head snapped up. “Wait a minute. Don’t tell me you called the harpy from hell and told her about it.”

“The harpy called her, dear.” Rebecca Riley marched into Olivia’s office, bringing with her a light waft of Santal 33, and let the door slam shut behind her. “Did you think you could keep conning me with that nonsense about a strained tendon?”

“Hey, Mrs. Riley.” Olivia smiled uneasily.

“I should have married you, Gibs. You never lie to me.” A tall, slender fashionista who wore a white and navy linen suit she’d designed herself, Rebecca was so different from her oversized husband they might have come from different planets. “Sit your butt down, Jack,” she added as her husband started to rise. “At this point I have no problem breaking your other ankle.”

“Why the hell did I marry you?” He tried to glower at his wife, but his mouth curved too much and spoiled the pretense.

Rebecca folded her arms. “Because I am beautiful, thoughtful and much, much too good for you.”

“Modest, too,” Jack grumbled. “Fine, I’ll let you baby me. Olivia, see if Clay can go with you.”

“Mr. Sanders left on a buying trip yesterday,” she reminded him. “Because of the tight deadline for the general store rebuild, he’ll be in San Carlos for the next week. Phillip and Kate have to stay on site at the Palisades project for the remainder of the month, or the owner will have another meltdown. I’m the only surveyor you have available, Boss.”

Jack met her gaze. “A lady fed just died while investigating that place.”

“That FBI agent had a car accident near the property,” Olivia said, glancing at his wife. “I read about it on Monterey Today’s web site. The police believe she went off the cliff while trying to avoid hitting an animal in the road.” As her boss started blustering again she added, “I will carry my phone with me and call you after I complete the site survey.” When he started to shake his head again she said, “Beaumont is offering us carte blanche to repair and restore the castle, and he has the wealth to back it up.”

That reminder made Jack fall silent. With the economy entering a rocky stage, the firm had been competing with too many others for the most profitable jobs.

“Gibs is always careful, honey.” Rebecca stroked her husband’s sleek lion’s mane of silver hair. “You taught her how to handle any trouble, too.”

Olivia smiled at him and nodded.

“Fine. You’ll call me to check in when you get there, and when you leave,” Jack said. “I want a text as soon as you get home, too.”