The Billionaire's Will (23 page)

“Now, I am going to take you home.”

*

Cruising at an altitude of 28,000 feet, Michael sat in the copilot’s seat in the Learjet and asked,
“So why was that little girl in the back of the pickup truck so mad?”

Carl
made sure the plane was on autopilot, glanced at his instrument panel and then leaned back to enjoy the flight. “Are you sure we never told you that story?”

“I’m positive.”

From their office in the body of the jet, Jackie stuck her head through the doorway. “I have decided on our next case. It is a little boy, age three, taken from his stroller in a shopping mall.”

“How long ago?”
Michael asked.

“Six years. He is…”

“I thought we were going on vacation?” Carl interrupted.

“We don’t need a vacation. Find
ing Georgia only took two weeks,” Jackie said.

“
And even then, we didn’t find her,” Carl put in.

“
I hope our next case is that easy,” Jackie muttered, as she went back to her seat. She glanced at the photograph on the wall of her own missing baby boy for a moment, and then went to work on their new case.

*

Austin sat beside Georgia in the backseat of the white limo and again kept his distance. He didn’t say anything, and she didn’t ask any questions.

It was such an awkward silence, that she thought of several things to say, but decided against
all of them. She watched out the window as they left the city, passed through a pleasant suburb with nice houses, and soon the houses became estates. Finally, she could bear the silence no more. “Shall I always be riding in a limo?”

“
Nick has several cars and they are yours now.”

“I cannot drive here. Americans drive on the wrong side.”

“Then I guess you’re stuck with a driver.”

“Perhaps I should take driving lessons.”

“If you like.”

She sat up
a little straighter as the limo turned down a private lane between two very high stonewalls, and then paused at a decorative wrought iron gate. The armed security guard at the gate inspected the passengers, waited in the back for the trunk to open, and checked the inside. He closed the trunk and waved to a second armed guard inside the booth who opened the gate.

The limo slowly passed over a camera that allowed the guard in the booth to
examine the undercarriage. Once he gave the signal, the car sped up.

“
What was all that about?” she asked.

“
They check for bombs.”

She raised her voice, “Bombs?”

“Nick installed all sorts of safety measures. You’ll get used to it.”

“I doubt that
. At least in my apartment, I was not always watched.”

He raised his voice. “Your apartment is a dump.”

“I know.” She bit her lower lip and looked away. “It was all I could afford.”

He
closed his eyes and bowed his head. “I should not have said that. Forgive me.”

“Not until you forgive me.”

He looked at her finally. “I am trying.”

“Then so
shall I. You are not the only one who is hurting in all this.”

“I know.”
As the car drove around a pond, he softened his demeanor and pointed to the fountain. “Recognize this?”

Her eyes brightened.
“It is just like the one in the plaza.”

“E
xactly like it, except it shoots water higher in the air. In fact, this one was built first.”

“It is magnificent.”

The mansion was just as impressive as the fountain, with high arches over more windows than she had ever seen in a house. The second and third floor had balconies that faced the fountain. “Do you suppose there is anything in the house to eat? I’m starved.”

“
You have a staff of five, including the driver. They worked for Nick and they stayed here to keep the place running. Now they work for you. I’m sure the kitchen is fully stocked with almost anything your heart desires. If not, just tell them what you want.”

She waited until the driver opened the door for her, climbed out and looked up.
“Good grief, it is bigger than the Queen’s castle.”

“Not quite
,” he said, walking around the car to join her.

“
What will I do with all those rooms?”

“Fill them with children, I suppose.
Nick would have loved that.”

A grinning butler
opened the door and held it for her. “Miss James, welcome home.”

“Thank you
.” She walked into an atrium that was three stories high with a curved staircase on each side and an inside balcony on each level. “Who has to clean all this?”

The butler
chuckled as he took his position at the head of a line of people waiting to greet her. “We have a cleaning service that does all the work.”

“
Georgia, this is Clint, your butler,” said Austin.

“Clint,” she repeated.

Austin moved down the row. “Silvia is the cook and bakes the best cookies in the world.” Silvia’s blush made him smile. “Martin is your gardener.”

“Welcome home, Miss James,” said Martin.

“Thank you.”

“Where’s Kellie?” Austin asked.

“Off chasing Muffin again,” Martin answered. A side door opened and a small dog scurried in.

“Muffin, no!
” a horrified Kellie shouted. The dog ignored her, headed straight for Georgia, tried to stop and skidded across the highly polished floor. “Muffin,” Kellie tried again.

Georgia raised her hand. “Tis
quite alright, I love dogs.” She leaned down and scooped the small, floppy eared dog up in her arms. “Hello, Muffin.” She laid her head against the soft fur on the dog’s head and then giggled when the dog licked her neck.

Martin leaned closer to Silvia. “Mu
ffin likes her.”

“So do I,” Silvia said.

“Where should I put these,” the driver asked as he brought her suitcases inside.

Clint cleared his throat. “We thought to put you in
Nick’s room, Miss James, but…”

“Please call me Georgia.” She smiled when he nodded. “Perhaps I shall look around and then decide.”

She set the dog down and was about to start up the stairs when another side door opened and a man appeared.

“It’
s about time you got here,” he said.

“Jim?” Georgia flew into the arms of her old friend.

He cleared his throat and stood her back. “I’m married, don’t forget.”

She giggled and hugged him again anyway.
“I cannot help myself. I am so happy to see you.”

“
Do you know you actually have a theater in this joint? I’m bringing the wife and kids, and about thirty movies.”

“Good, then
I’ll bring the popcorn. Wait, aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“I am at work. I work for you now?”

“You do? That’s excellent.” She abruptly wrinkled her brow. “Doing what?”

Jim looked to
Austin.

“I
have to get back to the office,” said Austin. “You explain it to her and I’ll be back to pick her up at two this afternoon.”

“Pick me up for what?”

“We have a meeting at three. Jim will explain it.” He nodded, walked out the door and got back in the limo.

She watched him through the window, turned back to Jim and puffed her cheeks. “He is not too happy with me right now. I’ll tell you about it later.”
She turned back to the butler. “Clint, is it?”

“Yes,
Miss Georgia.”

“Show me which room was my grandfather’s.”

“Certainly.” With Georgia and Jim following, he led the way up to the second floor, turned down a hallway, and then opened the first door he came to. “We put all his personal things in storage…clothes, and such.”

She hesitated at the door and looked around. It held a large bed at one end, and an entire living room set at the other. At length, she timidly walked in. “It is bigger than most houses.”

“It is,” Clint admitted. “He built this house while your grandmother was still alive, and this was her favorite room.”

“Then I shall love it too…but just not now. It is far
too big for me to feel safe just yet. Have you a smaller room?” She followed him to a guest bedroom next door that was decorated in warm colors. Georgia walked across the room to the balcony door, opened it and went outside. “This is perfect.”

“I shall bring your luggage up
then, Miss.” Clint slightly bowed and left the room.

“Can you believe this place?” Jim asked. “
I’ve scoped it all out and a guy could get lost in here.”

She giggled and grabbed his arm.
“I best put a note on the door so I can find this room again. Oh, Jim, I am so confused.”

“About your grandfather?”

“About everything. Austin hates me and I truly thought I was falling in love with him. I have handled it all so badly.”

“Maggie…I mean, Georgia, you don’t have time to worry about all that right now. We have work to do.”

“What sort of work?”

“
The best kind of work in the world.”

“Okay, but first, let’s go get something to eat. I was so nervous this morning, I skipped breakfast.”

*

If the help
had been concerned about what kind of employer Georgia would be, she dispelled all their fears when she found the kitchen, went to Silvia and put her hands together as if to beg, “My kingdom for a bite of lunch.”

Silvia giggled. “Chicken salad?”

“Yum, my favorite.”

Jim winked
at Silvia, and then joined Georgia at the small kitchen table. “Good luck keeping her filled up. She likes everything.”

Georgia playfully wrinkled her brow.
“So precisely what are you and Austin up to?”

“How
would you like to fire Nicole?”

Georgia’s mouth dropped.
“Are you serious?”

“Austin bought the company from the old man yesterday.”

“I own GSTS? Truly?”

“Every inch of
it, and I can’t wait to watch you fire Nicole. I had to take one of the techs into my confidence, and when I told him Nicole would be gone, he gladly changed all the accounting passwords. Even I couldn’t get in, Gallaher won’t answer her calls or his door at home, and Nicole is about to lose her mind.”

Maggie grinned
. “I’d like to send her back to Germany.”

“Can we fire Roxie the Robot too?” Jim asked.

Georgia touched her forehead with her first finger and thought about that. “I don’t know, that would mean two empty boxes and I didn’t bring any with me.”

Jim grinned. “I know
right where Nicole keeps them.”

She
thanked her profusely when Silvia set a sandwich, chips, and a soft drink in front of her. “We have just become best friends.” She hungrily took a bite, but when Jim started to say something, she shushed him. At length, she said, “Do you know which numbers they use for the porn business?”

“I could find out.”

“Let’s shut those down.”

“Done,” said Jim. “What else?”

“You know more about the business than anyone. I want you to run it for me. Are you willing?”

“
Really? You want me to run it? Can I have the big desk upstairs and everything?”

Georgia
rolled her eyes. “According to Austin, you can even have a new desk. The thing is, we’ll have to refund all those fees and…”

*

Nicole was still on a major rampage by the time Jim walked back to his desk a few minutes before three in the afternoon.

“
Where have you been?” she demanded.

“Out.”

“I know that, but you didn’t ask permission.”

“I am not six years old, Nicole
. I don’t need your permission.”

“You’re fired.”

“Good luck with that.” Jim picked up the telephone and pressed the intercom button. “Attention everyone! There will be a meeting in the conference room in ten minutes. If you value your job, you’ll be there. This includes the night shift.”

“Give me that,” Nicole said, grabbing the phone out of his hand and hanging it up. “I call the meetings, not you.”

“I just did. Who you going to complain to? Gallagher? Where is he by the way?”

“I don’t know.”

“There is a lot you don’t know, Nicole.”

In a huff, she turned around and marched back to her desk. “We
’ll see about that.”