innocence didn’t even come close.
Caitlyn laughed as they rounded the corner. “When did the party for Ryker come up?”
“Today. Mom called and told me about it. That and something about purple and pink elephants.”
“What?” Caitlyn’s head whipped in her direction.
Bekki waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t know. I think my mom is inching toward dementia.”
“Your mom is wicked sharp. You probably weren’t listening to her again.” They both stopped talking as they jogged up the three flights of stairs that would take them to the upper level of the park.
“She’s inviting Ryker’s brothers,” Bekki spoke as soon as she got her wind back.
“Bekki…” Caitlyn growled at her.
“What?”
“You know what. You’ve been pulling information about that story for weeks. Have you sorted through anything that makes you believe Killian Ganas is involved?”
“No. Which is why I’m going to ask him to help me.”
Caitlyn stopped running and shoved her hands onto her hips. “What angle are you working?”
“Come on, I ate two donuts today, don’t stop.” Bekki jogged in place until Caitlyn started moving again. “No angle. I just want one of the big companies to take me through the process from inception to the build. It will help me determine where I need to look.” She was pretty proud of her response. She’d come to the conclusion after she talked to Walter. People were usually guilty until proven innocent in her world, but she’d take the other tactic this once. If it screwed her over, she’d never use it again.
Caitlyn didn’t say anything for about a half-mile. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Bekki laughed, “Hey, seriously, I’m going to ask him to help me. I’ve turned a new leaf!”
“Right and we didn’t grow up together.” Caitlyn’s response dripped with sarcasm.
“Well, just you wait and see.”
“Oh, I’ll wait. You want to go another three?”
No, she didn’t want to run another three miles, but… “Hell yeah, didn’t you hear me say two donuts?”
Chapter 2
Killian Ganas stood on a small knoll overlooking his company’s new business site. He’d managed to outmaneuver his largest competitor, and to say that Paul Wilson over at Tri-County Construction was envious was an understatement. With his backing, the development of new luxury condominiums, businesses, restaurants, and shops planned for this tract of land would make him millions. He wasn’t a greedy son of a bitch—he would level up his reputation and move on to more work based on the professional quality of this build. Others padded their profit margins and subcontracted to people who padded their margins. He broke that mold, but still, this development was a coup, one that could solidify his company and pay off the last of his start-up business loans. His father had provided the co-sign he needed for the startup and getting the old man out of his business had been a driving force in his success. That goal was within his reach now.
“Hey, boss, the fencing is here, the utilities are marked, and the heavy equipment to level the lot is on the way,” Garret Foster, his project manager, called across the vacant parking lot.
“Get it checked in and start getting her buttoned up. We need the leveling and surveying done by Wednesday of next week. Put Chuck on it, no excuses.” They’d already surveyed and posted the borders of the land, but they needed the company to come back out before they started the foundations of the structures in Phase One of the development.
“Already called Chuck. He’s getting in touch with Bernice at the survey company to put them on standby.” Garret whistled at the truck drivers and directed them over to the new supply receiving point, one of the many innovations Killian had established to account for every item he purchased.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. Really? Again? He shoved the phone back into his pocket. Avoiding her probably wasn’t the best course of action, but the woman didn’t understand no, and he was tired, really tired, of saying it politely.
He turned a full three hundred sixty degrees and marveled at the opportunity to build. That was his passion. Bringing an architect’s vision to life with wood, iron, copper, stone, cement, and glass. All the nights working the architect’s plans, the business meetings, review boards, planning, and zoning approvals… all of it had been worth it. He could picture the way the new buildings would blend with the landscape and become a damn nice place to live and relax.
He was