CH37
It was now one week later:
Lucy had the new program working for Kate now and Kevin was sitting outside of a fast food restaurant that Ripley had parked at and gone inside. She had come back outside with food and a guy.
They both sat and ate while Kevin used his little listen in dish microphone and record everything they had to say.
Seems their new program wasn't working out like they had hoped. The new security firm was better than they thought. Thinking they had found it and gotten rid of it.
They decided on doing a download that would crash their system and fry every record file they had. This would ruin them and they could then hire some of his people and make progress in gaining some of his clients and gaining a bigger percentage of the market.
He figured it would take them 2 or 3 days to create the program. All she had to do was download it. She would get her message in the usual way.
Then he slid an envelope across the table to her and got up and left.
After he was gone she opened it and pulled out a cashier's check. Smiling she folded it and put it in her purse. Then got up and threw everything in the trash.
After she was gone Kevin went dumpster diving. Only this time, unlike Javi's trip into the trash, it was smaller. And with gloves on he pulled out everything she had thrown out. Cup, straw, napkins, wrappers, ketchup bags, and of course the envelope.
He left everything in the safe in Kate's office. Including the recording he had made of the conversation. He placed his book of notes in her desk and went home for the day. His wife wanted a baby and she was busy wearing him out.
Kate was just outside the security checkpoint at the airport saying goodbye to Rick for two whole weeks.
Kate had kept him busy night and day. Rick always thought he was good at making love to women, when he got around to it anyway. However Kate was wearing him out this last week.
In a way he was glad to be leaving. If Kate kept up this pace for much longer she was going to kill him. He'd die with a smile on his face, but dead none the less.
"I've already arranged for Alexis to have a sleep over with her friend Paige the day you get back. I have plans for you. I'm going to do things to you that I've only ever dreamed about doing with a man.
I just hope I'm still sane by that time." Kate whispers into his ear, since she is presently in his arms. "Two whole weeks." Kate was going to go mad, she was sure of it. Just thinking about it made Kate think about dragging him somewhere and having her way with him before he left.
"They say absence makes the heart grow fonder." Rick tells her.
"It's not my heart that I'm worried about. That part of me is already in your hands. It's the rest of me that should be in your hands that worries me. ….. Two weeks." Kate could already feel the first cut of a major artery.
"I need to get going; going thru security is a pain in the ass." Rick tells her.
Kate's response is to kiss him and hold on tight.
Rick extracts himself intending to walk to security; however Kate grabs him again and kisses him hard and quick. "I love you."
"I love you too. And I'll see you, all of you." Rick lifts his eyebrows a couple of times getting Kate to smile. "In two weeks."
Kate watched until she couldn't see him anymore then went to the Jag that Rick had drove them here in and headed for her meeting with her first client, their lawyers and the SEC.
A ton of bricks was about to fall on Ripley and the people she apparently actually worked for.
A few days later she had a presentation to give to a possible new client that Rick had contacts with.
If her fist client was happy with her results so far, and she gained a third client. Kate needed just one more and she could start thinking about that new building she wanted to build for her business. Just the other side of the wall from her home and family.
Kate was still giddy about that word, "Family". She actually had one.
Kate was forced to excuse herself from the meeting. It had lasted well past lunch. She had to pick up Alexis from school. She was going to drop her off with Martha and then be right back.
Alexis came flying out of school and hopped in her dad's Jag that she knew Kate was going to be in. "Hi mom! How did the meeting go?" Kate had told her about most of it the last few days.
"So far so good. I'm going to drop you off with Martha and then get back to it. I'm hoping I can pick you up tonight and bring you home. I'll call if I have to stay." Kate apologized.
"It's ok mom, I know it's important." Alexis tells her.
"Thank you sweetie, it's very important." To her client and to her future company.
"Katherine darling, come on in. And Alexis dear how are you?" Martha greets both of them at the door.
"I'm fine grams." Alexis drops her backpack.
"Are you two staying for dinner?" Martha was actually hopeful.
"I'm sorry Martha, I have to get back to my meeting." Kate would like to stay. Kate was betting she had lots of good stories about Rick that she could embarrass him with, if he was here. Which suddenly got Kate very horny.
"Well you give them everything you have Katherine. There is an old saying, "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile"". Martha tells her.
Kate had never heard that one before but she liked it. A little ruthless perhaps but considering what they were trying to do to her company and her client, ….
It was late by the time Kate made it back to Martha to pick up Alexis.
A very sleepy and alien looking Martha answered the door. Martha's face was mostly green, and Kate thought she was the alien of this family.
Kate scooped up a sleepy Alexis and guided her to the car. "Thanks for watching her Martha." Kate was sorrier about the time.
"Nonsense dear, it's not easy juggling career, child and things in your own life. Trust me, I know." Martha had raised Rick all alone. Kate had a new respect for Martha.
Kate guided Alexis into her bed then went to her bedroom where she took a shower to wash the day off of her.
Kate was tired and wanted to get some sleep. There was going to be still another meeting tomorrow and probably one after that. Then she had that presentation to give for a possible new client.
But she couldn't get to sleep, and this time it wasn't her mind that was keeping her up.
Finally Kate couldn't take it any longer, she got up and went into the closet and yanked Rick's t-shirt she had him wear for days on end off its hanger and went back to bed. Kate curled it up and stuffed it under her head to use as a pillow and breathed him in.
It was only day one and she was already using her emergency plan for dealing with Rick's absence.
Two days later Kate was giving her presentation for her possible new client. "I see you are presently involved with an investigation headed by the SEC." Kate was asked. Not surprising, it was all over the local news.
"Yes sir, my company is helping the SEC investigate something that involves one of my clients." Kate couldn't talk about it much since it was an ongoing investigation.
Kate was asked to wait outside. As usual Kate left Lucy and her laptop behind.
"None of this leaves this room. … little birdies, Looney tunes type, told me that she is brilliant and way ahead of the game when it comes to company security. She caught a mole and damaging software in their server from a competitor. If it all plays out as anticipated that company is going to gain dominance in their market." Company president comments.
"If she can catch them it stands to reason she can prevent it also." One of them comments.
"She is asking for a great deal of money. Easily more than her competitors of her size." One comments not liking the cost.
"Our research tends to suggest that she has a small client list at the present time, however she also only just started her company. And she has dedicated people to each of her clients. Not part time on again off again, maybe I'm available and maybe I'm not." Another comments.
"She is only here because of Castle. Granted I like the man and what he writes, still pissed at him for killing off Storm, but is he enough to listen to her?"
"We're not hiring her for what Castle can do, we're looking at her for what she can do. If she's right she could take on every guard we have in the building, plus any virus in our system. And her resume shows she has taken and passed the top executive driving class." One of them points out.
"If my birdies are correct, the SEC is going to lower the boom on them. Their stock will hit rock bottom and become a penny stock before they close their doors. All because she was good enough in a short time to catch them at it."
"Not someone I want to be on the receiving end of."
"Jim, you've been silent." Company president notes.
"We gave her a test using a temporary pass code that was a fake. She took it, modified it and broke into our system anyway. If she can keep someone like her out as easily as she got in, …." Jim trails off.
"Have you seen anything like what she can do?"
"No sir, she is NSA or better type. She's a bargain at this level. If she was in California there would be major defense contractors banging on her doors to keep the Chinese out."
"We have that major acquisition deal in Mexico in three months. Get her a car and let her drive and be your protection sir." Someone adds the future into the talk.
"That deal will expand us globally and piss off a few people. Transport has always been the weak spot of any security. Why do you think the President has the Secret Service?"
"Any objections?"
"Have Ms. Beckett come back in." The Company President tells the guy standing at the door.
Kate left with her third client and a nice big fat check, that went right into the bank. Followed by a phone call to Steve, Rick's and now Kate's financial planner. One step closer to her new building.
Now she needed another two employees.
Pamela Landy
She is a very serious, intelligent and spirited woman, whose only purpose is to uncover the truth.
One of several CIA's Deputy Directors, Landy gets really angry because of Vosen's willingness to indiscriminately kill CIA personnel and has a prickly argument with him, finally leaving the room from which the operation is being run and tenders her resignation.
The CIA had become an assassination squad and killing was not what she signed up for.
Leanne Macintyre
After divorcing her husband she moved back to Atlanta to be closer to family and help her father with his legal practice.
She stayed with her father for three years before leaving for her own practice. The recent depression however swallowed up most of her clients and she decided to move to New York to start again.
Kate's excitement allowed her to manage the next couple of days without resorting to plan B. Then Rick called to talk to her and see how she was doing.
Rick was jumping from city to city faster than he could keep track of. Two to three book signings each day. Today was his one and only day where he only had one signing so he had time to talk to Kate and Alexis.
Kate was keeping track. One week and one day and roughly 8 hours till Rick was back home.
"I got my third client the other day." Kate was happy.
"That's great! I'm proud of you. Though I knew you could do it. How goes the Ripley?" Rick knew of it just not everything.
"Three straight days of meetings with the SEC. Not something I want to repeat again anytime soon." Kate hadn't liked it but knew it was necessary.
"How's Alexis?" Rick wanted to know about his little girl.
"She's doing great. Better than I am." Kate had to confide.
"It's about half over, I'll be there in no time." Rick tried to make her feel better.
"Rick, …. We're engaged but when are we going to be actually married?" Kate wanted him to be hers, really hers.
"Anytime you want. We can get married in one day if we fly to Las Vegas. Otherwise it can take days to go through the process. Do you want to do it in during winter or when the weather is better?" Rick asks her.
Kate hadn't thought about that part. If it was inside who cared what time of year it was. "How much space do we need?"
"Well let's see, there are a number of people I know that you haven't met yet. Minimum number, I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Rick wondered just who needed to be there besides Kate.
"I just want you babe. I don't care who else has to be there. I'm not marrying them, just you." Kate tells him.
"Then tell me where. New York, Las Vegas, Bahamas, Caribbean, Rome. Look them up and decide where and then we can decide when." Rick tells her.
Kate didn't really know those places. Did she have time to leave her business to go somewhere to get married?
"I'll think about it." Kate decides and tells him.
"They're calling my flight honey I've gotta go." Rick tells her. Next city is calling.
"I love you babe, stay safe." Kate tells him.
"I love you too, I'll be home soon." Rick tells her.
Kate picked up Alexis at school. Except this time she was dragging out to the car instead of her usual running.
"Are you alright sweetie?" Kate was a little worried.
"I'll be fine mom, I'm just tired." Alexis tells her.
Kate got home and put Alexis to bed after giving her some pills and taking her temperature. "100.7, you've got a temperature pumpkin. If it doesn't go down we're both staying home tomorrow." Kate tells her. "Go to sleep sweetie, I'll wake you for some soup later."
"Hhmmm, tanks mom." Alexis rolls over and grabs her pillow to cuddle with it.
Kate made a few calls and informed everyone she would be home with a sick child tomorrow. She could help them provided she could do it from home.
Kate sat down with Lucy and looked up these places Rick had mentioned. Las Vegas was quick and easy but not very pretty. She lived in New York and she wanted to see someplace else. Bahamas looked nice but not really what she wanted.
Then Kate saw Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay, Jamica. It was lovely! Lots of beach, interesting looking trees (palm trees Lucy tells her), beautiful water. All she really needed was Rick, Alexis and Martha. Kate just wanted her family. Not a lot of people she didn't know and likely never see again.
Personal pre-travel wedding planner
Personal resort wedding planner and dedicated resort wedding team
Picturesque Wedding Location
Preparation of marriage documents
Chiavari Chairs
Musical Accompaniment (pre-recorded)
Witnesses upon request
30 minute Sparkling Wine & Cold Hors d'oeuvres Delightful Reception for Bride, Groom and up to 6 guests
Wedding gift from Sandals Resorts
Free Wedding Website and Gift Registry
Decorated Honeymoon Room for Bride & Groom
Mimosa Breakfast-in-Bed for Bride & Groom any Morning of Choice
Honeymoon dinner for bride and groom at a resort specialty restaurant with white-glove service and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine
Complimentary 5"x7" Honeymoon Photo for Bride & Groom
Kate had the where and with whom, now she just needed the when.
Kate took a bowl of soup to Alexis and had to wake her to get her to eat some of it, and then let her sleep.
Kate went to bed thinking of marrying Rick, which made her happy, but it also made her miss him.
Kate wasted no time in yanking his t-shirt off its hanger in the closet. This time though it wasn't enough, she wanted Rick. Kate knew she was addicted to him. She wanted to feel him not smell him.
One more week. Kate was going to be a mess by then she just knew it.