THIRTEEN

The family’s great,” Justin said. “Mandy’s at her book club. The baby’s in bed—not that Adam will be the baby long with Mandy due in three months. I’m having a drink and watching Manchester United get creamed.”

“How old is Adam?”

It took a fraction of a second for Justin to answer. The Nick he knew wasn’t interested in children. “Adam’s nineteen months—this coming Thursday as a matter of fact.”

“Is he blond like Mandy or dark like you?”

Justin wanted to say, What’re you smokin’? “He has my coloring. Needless to say, my parents were pleased.”

“I imagine. Is it going to be a girl or boy this time?”

Seriously, Nick must be high. “A girl.”

“And Mandy’s out buying frilly pink things, I suppose.”

“Yeah, for months. I hope we’re not under surveillance,” Justin said drolly. “Frilly pink things? Not in your usual vocabulary.”

“My sister has six kids. I’ve seen it all.”

And never mentioned it before. “So you’re an uncle.”

“Yeah. They’re great kids. In fact, we’re on our way to San Francisco now for my sister’s birthday.”

“We?”

“Max said you called him,” Dominic said. “So I’m guessing you know who ‘we’ is.”

“Just checking. Actually, that’s why I called you. Bill McCormick raved about Miss Hart’s white hat hacker skills. He has another job for her but I thought I’d better check with you first. I figured you’d want to know.”

“What’s the assignment?”

“Something in London. Your lady’s a real hotshot and apparently in great demand. Strictly in a business sense, okay? Cool down. I can smell the smoke coming out of your ears from here.”

Dominic frowned at the accuracy of Justin’s gibe, then asked in a deliberately neutral tone, “Do you have details?”

Justin explained what he knew of the project as described to him by Bill McCormick. Someone was doing proprietary trading on their own; not much yet, but CX Capital was concerned after the big whale at J.P. Morgan London had cost the bank six billion. “Or at least that’s the amount J.P. Morgan acknowledged,” Justin added drily.

“Or detected,” Dominic drawled.

“Which is why CX Capital is anxious to have your clever Miss Hart on board. Although a word of warning, they’d like her for a six-month consult.”

“Tell McCormick it’s probably a go. I can’t speak for Katherine. She has a mind of her own. But either way, he has to wait a week. We’re on vacation.”

“You’re kidding! You’re on vacation?”

“I am,” Dominic said coolly. “Any more questions?”

“Nope.” Not with that don’t-get-too-personal tone. “I’ll tell Bill to contact Miss Hart in a week.”

“Have him text her a proposal now. That way I can get back to you once I know Katherine’s feelings on the subject. I’m guessing she’ll want the assignment. If that’s the case, I’d appreciate your help in buying a flat for her. Something near my house in Eaton Place. You can explain to her, should she accept, that you have a sublet available. Put the lease in the name of one of my fringe companies so it’s not recognizable. Talk to Roscoe. He’ll help you out. Clear?”

“Any special price range?”

“I don’t care. Something nice.”

“Everything’s nice in that area.”

“Why don’t you look for a two-bedroom? Anything bigger, Katherine might get suspicious. Ask Mandy for her opinion. She has a good eye. And if she doesn’t mind or even has the inclination, I’d like her to furnish the place. I understand it’s asking a lot considering the limited time and her condition, so I expect her to invoice me accordingly for her assistance. Tell Mandy to hire a decorator either to help or do most or all the work; I’ll set up an account in her name at your bank. I’ll see that Katherine understands there’s a possibility that the flat is for sale at a fire sale price. Some lowball number that might entice her. She’s making good money now.”

“Not enough for a flat in Belgravia.”

“That’s where I come in,” Dominic said with exquisite understatement.

“To explain that a five-million-dollar flat actually costs—”

“Five hundred thousand, because someone died in it and wasn’t discovered for two weeks. Also, I’m willing to be her banker. So don’t worry about the explanation. I’ll handle it.”

“Don’t bite my head off now, but I gotta say, she must be something special. You’re the guy who sends his driver to pick up his dinner date. And nine times out of ten, gets to the restaurant an hour late, if at all. What am I missing?”

“You’ll see if Katherine comes to London. She doesn’t fit into any of the normal boxes. She talks back to me all the fucking time, a precedent-setting event for which I have no reasonable explanation. So don’t ask.”

“Now you’ve really intrigued the hell out of me.”

“Keep your distance. She intrigued the hell out of me first.”

“You don’t have to warn me off, Nick. I don’t even look at other women anymore. No joke. Who woulda thought?”

“Certainly not me. But congratulations. Happiness is a rare thing.”