Read Online Celia's Puppies by Claudia Hall Christian - Free Book Online

Daddy. I haven’t seen the
other Daddy in forever. He didn’t want to ever BE my Daddy. Why
won’t he leave me alone!?”
    “ I wish I knew, honey,”
Mike said. His face softened. “But I’ll tell you this. No one is
going to keep you away from your Mommy. Your old Daddy doesn’t know
who he’s dealing with.”
    “ Oh,” Katy’s eyes welled
with tears. “I don’t want to live with him, Uncle Mike.”
    Mike pulled Katy on his lap. Rocking her
back and forth while Katy cried, Mike made a plan. No one was going
to steal his Katy and hold her captive.
    No one.
    ~~~~~~~~
    Wednesday morning — 5:11 A.M.
     
    “ What the hell is
that?”
    A tractor trailer blew its horn again.
Jacob, Blane and Aden went to the window of the small office.
Indeed, there was a truck at the Castle gate. They heard someone
run to the door.
    “ I’ll go,” Aden
said.
    “ No,” Blane said. “Stay
with Jake. You’ve got to help Mac at Alameda. I’ll be right
back.”
    Blane went out into the main Castle living
room where a group of people were... giggling?
    “ May I help you with
something?” Blane asked.
    “ Ooooh who are you?” A
slight Hispanic man swished across the living room. “You’re not the
brother and you’re dreamy gorgeous. You’re
definitely...”
    “ Not interested,” Blane
said. “This is a private residence. Should I call the
police?”
    “ No.” He dropped the
flamboyant act and was all business. “I’m Ramon, Valerie’s stylist.
I have a team here to set up for Oprah and get ready for the party.
Can you show me to the Ballroom? I need...”
    “ OOOHHHH!!” Valerie
squealed. She ran across the Castle living room and into Ramon’s
open arms. “I was hoping...”
    “ WAIT!” Blane
commanded.
    Still hugging, Valerie and Ramon’s heads
turned to Blane.
    “ We’re not going to be
able to work here today?” Blane asked.
    “ Not unless you want to
help us set up,” Ramon said.
    “ Valerie, did you tell
Jake?” Blane asked.
    “ I forgot,” Valerie said.
“Sorry.”
    Blane gave Valerie a dark look.
    “ You know how sick he
is.”
    Blane started a rant, but Valerie looked so
upset that he shut his mouth. Valerie would never do anything
intentionally to hurt Jacob. She was one of the few people who knew
that he was still very ill. He gave her dark look, then returned to
the small office.
    “ No work today,” Blane
said. “Back to bed for you, Mr. Marlowe.”
    “ I have to go to the
sites,” Jacob said. “Mac said there’s a rumor that I’m dead. He
said his crews freaked that the sale’s off the table. I have to get
out there.”
    Blane felt his stomach drop.
    “ You and Aden can go into
the office,” Jacob said. “Set up a route for me. I’ll rest for a
while then maybe Dad and I can go around.”
    “ I’ll go with you,” Jill
said. She came in the door in a tank top and sweats. She was
carrying a crying Katy. “I’m sorry. Katy had a nightmare. She’s
very upset. She wanted to see you. You said I should bring her if
she was upset. Do you mind?”
    Blane took Katy from Jill and hugged
her.
    “ What happened, kiddo?”
Blane asked.
    Blane carried her over to Jacob. He set Katy
in Jacob’s lap. Jacob held her tight with his left arm. Katy rested
her head on his shoulder.
    “ I got scared,” Katy said.
“Can I spend the day with you and Mommy?”
    “ I think that settles it,”
Jacob said. “We can take Jill’s Lexus. She can drive. If I need to
sleep I can sleep in the car between sites.”
    “ Jacob.” Sam Lipson came
in the room. “I’m sorry but we have a big problem.”
    “ Everyone thinks I’m
dead?” Jacob asked.
    “ Someone sent the original
sale plans to the press,” Sam said.
    “ Your plan to sell the
company to our competitor?” Jacob asked.
    “ The one the board
approved before you bought majority,” Sam said.
    “ God damn it!” Blane
started.
    “ Child,” Jacob said. He
looked down at Katy to see that she was sound asleep.
    “ Who released