A Brother's Honor (16 page)

“I thought about calling Gloria to see if she’s back from her international flight and, if so, whether she wants to take in a movie.”

“Well, you can always call Charles to see why he didn’t call and then ask him out. But a few weeks ago, you claimed men aren’t a necessity, so do what I do sometimes and go solo.”

“I just might do that,” Shana said, ignoring how her sister was throwing her words back out there at her.

“Be safe if you do go out alone. Now I need to make a few calls and will talk to you later.”

“Wait! When are you coming home?”

“Not sure yet. Probably not for another two weeks. Talk to you later.”

Shana hung up the phone. She should be used to her sister being away a lot, but she wasn’t. Not only was Jules her sister, but Shana considered Jules her very best friend.

She headed for her bedroom and sneezed for the third time that day, noticing that her throat felt a little sore. She hoped that didn’t mean she had a cold coming on. Nothing like stopping it before it got started. She would call her doctor tomorrow for an appointment. Hopefully, he would prescribe some antibiotics or something. The last thing she needed was for anything to keep her from doing her job.

A few moments later, she found out that Gloria’s flight from China had been delayed, so she decided to do her exercise routine, then pull out her latest J. D. Robb novel, and read in bed.

Later that night as she slid between the covers with her book, Shana felt her lips beginning to tingle again, and as much as she wished otherwise, she couldn’t help but think about Jace and her attraction to him. Though her parents had experienced such a beautiful and loving marriage, so far all she and Jules had been involved in were prickly relationships. She had figured Jonathan would be her perfect mate until she discovered he’d only strung her along to find out what he could about one of her clients. From then on, she knew never to let her guard down.

She had dated since then, but the relationships were on her terms, and she didn’t like being rushed into doing anything—like sharing a bed with a man. That had been one of Charles’s faults, which was why she continued to hold out with him. Even with his persistence, he had yet to give her reason to think she would be anything more to him than a conquest. Sometimes she felt she was putting too much thought into it. Why not go ahead and sleep with him since a serious relationship was the last thing she was ready to get involved with anyway? But for her, it was the principle of the thing. She didn’t like being pressured.

Jace wanted her—she was well aware of that, but he was not placing any pressure on her, especially since she had told him there would not be an affair between them. She would admit that, if there was any pressure, she was placing it on herself.

Why was she so attracted to him, and why had his image apparently been scorched into her brain? And why had the taste of him seemingly been embedded in her tongue? And why even now, when she thought about him, could she envision naked bodies entangled in silken sheets?

Sheets that were hers.

Refusing to think about Jace any longer, she cuddled in bed to what had become her reading position and opened her book to where she’d left off. She was determined to get absorbed in somebody else’s love life. Even if the characters were fictional.

PART II

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

—Anonymous

Chapter Sixteen

J
ace swiveled around in his chair and glanced at the wooden door that connected his office to the one Shana was using, wishing he had the ability to stare straight through it. Then he wouldn’t have to wonder what she was doing. He figured she was probably working, which is what he should be doing. But he couldn’t concentrate. His thoughts were filled with her.

It was the last day of another workweek, and he hadn’t seen Shana but three times. She had made herself even scarcer than she had last week, and he couldn’t help wondering if that kiss a week ago had anything to do with it. He picked up a rubber band in what was becoming a habit and began stretching it in all kinds of directions as his mind relived that moment in the elevator for the two-hundredth time. The woman had the sweetest lips, their taste as succulent as any delicious fruit he’d ever eaten. He had thought about her all weekend, even during moments when he had visited with his father. And his dreams of her had become even more turbulent, racy and stunningly raw. How was Shana able to cause so much lust to run rampant inside of him? Lust he hadn’t been able to quench. And, from the looks of things, never would.

Drawing in a deep breath, he tossed the rubber band aside and went back to reading the notes he’d compiled from his conversation with his father this past weekend. It had been an enjoyable visit that had lasted six hours, and the four of them had tried to make every minute count.

Jace had gone over all the reports he’d read on the company and had brought up a couple of issues that had concerned him to get his father’s advice. Granted, Shep Granger had been away from Granger Aeronautics for fifteen years, but his mind was still sharp when it came to business matters.

His father knew Granger Aeronautics inside and out, and even though technology had changed over the years, Sheppard had managed to stay on top of advanced technology through books he’d gotten from the prison library as well as on their computer systems. And he had taken classes whenever they had been offered.

Jace glanced up when he heard the knock on the door. “Come in.”

He felt a knot in his throat when Shana walked in. Today, like always, she was wearing one of those conservative yet sexy business suits. This one was turquoise in color, and she had matching shoes to complement it. And today, like always, it looked good on her. “Hi, Shana.”

“I don’t mean to disturb you, but I have my initial report finalized and wondered if we could meet sometime today to go over it.”

Jace shifted his gaze from her to glance at the calendar on his desk. “I’m free any time after two.”

“If possible, I’d prefer that we meet after the office closes. I want this to be a very private meeting between you, your brothers and me.”

He noted that she hadn’t included anyone from his executive team. “Caden flew out today for New York. He has a couple of concerts that had been scheduled and were too costly to get out of. However, Dalton should be free.”

“Great!”

“When Melissa returns from lunch, I’ll have her check with him to make sure that he—”

“I’d rather you didn’t. In fact, I prefer you not mention this meeting to anyone.”

He lifted a brow. “Okay, let’s say around six? That way we can be sure everyone will have left by then.”

She nodded. “I’ll see you at six. And if you don’t mind, we’ll meet in my office.”

“All right.” She then left.

He wondered just what was in her report.

* * *

Shana sat at her desk and felt her heart beating hard in her chest as both Jace and Dalton read the reports she had presented to them. This was her initial report, and once they discussed everything, she would know how to proceed from here.

She wasn’t surprised that it was Jace who finished reading first. After all, he was an attorney and was used to the legalese when it came to reviewing case studies. He glanced up from the papers and his gaze snagged hers. Immediately, she felt every hormone in her body sizzle from the intensity of his stare.

Forcing her gaze back down to the papers on her desk, she drew in a slow breath while thinking that she didn’t need this. Especially not now. They had a lot of work to do, and going over this report was just the start of it. But Jace’s presence wasn’t making it easy. His presence was taking over everything and dominating the office space, and making her very much aware of him...even with his brother in the room.

“Shit, you mean to tell us that there’s a traitor in the company?”

She lifted her gaze and glanced over at Dalton. From his outburst, one would think he was more upset with what he’d read than Jace was. That could only mean one thing. Jace already had his suspicions.

“Looks that way, doesn’t it?” Jace said easily and calmly, without displaying any strong emotions.

Dalton picked up on it, stared over at his brother and quickly reached the same conclusion that Shana had. “Damn it, Jace, you knew!”

“Not for certain,” Jace said smoothly, switching his gaze from Shana to Dalton. “But I had a hunch.”

“And you didn’t tell us?” Dalton roared, offended.

“Only because, like I said, all I had was a hunch. Besides, I figured if my suspicions were right, it would come out in Shana’s report.”

“When did you pick up on something?” Shana asked.

Jace then shifted his gaze back to her. “My grandfather has a private file stored on his computer. He shared the password with me several years ago...in case I ever needed to get into it. It was a file where he mainly documented his thoughts or ideas. One of his most recent notations, one made a week or so before his death, indicated he suspected someone within the company of divulging trade secrets and felt that was the reason we weren’t topping certain bids.”

He paused a moment and then said, “And then after reading how one of our major competitors always seemed to underbid us, I began to think Granddad’s suspicions had some merit.”

Shana nodded. “I agree. That was the first red flag that made me take notice and start digging more,” Shana said. “I have my team investigating this and we must alert the FBI.”

“The FBI?” Dalton asked, surprised. “Why would you bring them in?”

Shana glanced over at Dalton. “Mainly because the theft or misappropriation of trade secrets is a federal offense. Not to mention the kind of contract this company pulls in, primarily from the government. For a few years, Granger Aeronautics was the number one producer of aircraft parts and motors, and now they’ve lost their edge to a competitor who’s only been around a few years. If the reason they lost that edge is because someone was giving the other company...let’s say bid information, then that’s a problem.”

Dalton leaned forward in his chair. “Do you have any idea who could be behind it?” he asked, and his voice was edged with anger.

“No, and we could be looking at more than one person,” Shana replied.

Dalton didn’t say anything but thought about what she’d said. “We’re going to need proof.”

“And we’ll have it. My team is thorough and won’t stop digging until they have something. Once the FBI is involved, they’ll probably do their own thorough investigation and even a sting operation. I know the guy in charge, Marcel Eaton. He worked with my father in Boston when he and Dad were police officers.”

“Your dad was a cop?” Jace asked, surprised, being reminded of how little he knew of her personal life.

“Yes. He retired from the force after twenty years and moved here a few years ago. Marcel is very thorough, and because of my friendship with him, he will keep me in the loop. I’m glad your grandfather suspected something.”

“I’m glad, too,” Jace said. “Now I understand why he wanted us to take things over. He felt no one would look after Granger Aeronautics like we would.”

“Until Dad comes back,” Dalton added.

Shana lifted a brow. “Your dad?”

“Yes,” Jace said, drawing in a slow, deep breath, knowing his grandfather’s thought processes. “Our grandfather believed that our mother’s killer would eventually be caught and that our father would be set free. He believed it so much that basically nothing in Dad’s office has changed. Granddad made it his business to keep everything intact, just the way Dad left it.”

“For fifteen years?” Shana said, not believing what she was hearing.

Jace nodded again. “I’m sure he didn’t think it would take this long. Granddad hired a private investigator who was supposedly the best in the business at the time.”

“What happened?” Shana asked.

“All I know is that the man died a few years ago in a car accident. I understand he’d been drinking at the time and was on his way home from a party,” Jace supplied. “Granddad thought the man was onto something big—at least that’s what the investigator claimed—but no one was able to find his report.”

Shana didn’t say anything for a minute and then spoke. “I also made several other recommendations in the report that I’m sure you saw but that you’ve yet to comment on,” she said to Jace.

Yes, he’d seen them, and a number of them involved massive department cuts. “People need their jobs now more than ever, Shana.”

“I am aware of that, Jace, but no company can afford to bear the expense of employees not doing what they are paid to do. And, if you notice, there are several departments not meeting monthly quotas. Your grandfather passed a couple of managers over for raises last year.”

Jace had noticed that, as well. “I will meet with them and put down the law. Jace’s Law. They’ll be given six months to turn their departments around or I’ll go in and make personnel changes.”

“Some of them have worked here for years, Jace,” Dalton reminded him. “A few even feel entitled,” he added, thinking of Cal Arrington.

“They can feel entitled all they want, but I’ll be holding them responsible for the success of their departments. But more than anything, I want to know who’s responsible for passing off Granger trade secrets.”

* * *

An hour or so later, Shana leaned back in her chair and gently rubbed the back of her neck, trying to work the stiff kinks out of it. She released a deep breath as she thought about what Jace had said. “Jace’s Law.” She had a feeling he would be fair with his employees, but at the same time, his expectations would be stern. She agreed with that approach.

There were three departments that Jace would need to concentrate on, and all three of them were currently overstaffed. Granger had to redefine itself, and there was no choice in the matter if they wanted to regain their position as a market leader in aerospace. Five years was a long time not to have been awarded a huge contract instead of the crumbs that had been left over.

There was a knock on the door, and she glanced up. “Come in.”

Jace walked in. “You’re still here.”

Shana nodded, trying to ignore the stir in her stomach and the way her heartbeat had begun throbbing in her chest. “I see you haven’t left, either.”

“No,” he said, coming to stand in the middle of the room. “I had planned to join Dalton at McQueen’s. It’s becoming his favorite hangout, but some female called and he dumped me to hook up with her.”

Shana couldn’t help but smile. “I understand he’s moving away from the family estates.”

Jace chuckled. “Yes, but for him it’s a good thing. Sutton Hills was never the same for him once our mother died and my father left. He was close to Mom.”

“Did you continue to live in your parents’ home?”

“No, we moved in with Granddad. My parents’ home, although located on the grounds of Sutton Hills, was on a different part of the estate. On a good, clear day you can see the rooftop of my parents’ home from Granddad’s kitchen table.”

Shana wondered how Dalton felt about his father being convicted of his mother’s murder. “How did things go this weekend when you visited your dad?”

She watched a smile touch Jace’s lips...lips that had shown her what a fantastic and passionate kisser he was. “Dad’s doing okay for a man who’s locked behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit.”

She was tempted to ask how he knew that for certain, when the evidence against his father had been so overwhelming. From what she had read, his father’s fingerprints had been on the murder weapon, a gun that Sheppard owned.

“It must have been hard on you and your brothers while growing up,” she said softly.

“It was, for a number of reasons. The hardest was when the parents of some of our friends—people we’d known for years—felt we were no longer good enough for their offspring to hang around with. That was hard for three teens to digest.”

And then, as if he didn’t want to discuss his father with her any longer, he said, “I want to run something by you that I noticed in your report. It was something you recommended.”

“Okay,” she said, giving him her full attention and in ways she wished she could control better. She was convinced that cleft in his chin was her weakness.

“Revamping of engineering technology.”

She eased back in her chair. “I noticed it’s been years since Granger has built an aircraft.”

“The last time was the year before Dad went to prison. She was a beauty,” he said, sliding into the chair across from her desk. “Last year, Granddad mentioned plans in the works to build another one. This one would have this special supersonic hydraulic pump. He wanted to move forward, but the Defense Department wouldn’t approve the plan. They kept finding things wrong with the design. Norm Ellison is my man in charge of the designing of the aircraft, and I’ve asked for a detailed report. I want to know why this hasn’t gotten off the ground.”

Shana didn’t say anything for a minute as she recalled the bio she’d gotten on Ellison. A graduate of MIT, he’d been top of his class. His name had also been on Kent’s list as someone of interest.

The whole purpose of today’s meeting was to provide Jace and his brothers with a list of what was wrong with Granger. A company that built air performance planes and airplane parts should be doing very well. But Granger wasn’t.

“Here,” she said, handing him another report. “I’m one step ahead of you. What’s in that report should be included in Ellison’s when he gives one to you. I wondered why Granger Aeronautics, which had been at the top of developing innovative ideas a few years ago, hadn’t come up with anything lately.”