Undercover Fiance. Sheryl Lynn

hired him in November.” Janine smiled. “But he isn’t Pinky.”

      Kara’s laughter echoed the sentiment.

      “Why not?”

      “For one thing, he’s only a kid. For another, he’s a very sweet boy. He works hard and Juan likes him. He says Jason is a mechanical wizard.”

      “We’ll see.” Daniel filled his cup with fresh coffee.

      Janine didn’t like his tone of voice. Her own paranoia about her staff was bad enough—to have two of them peering suspiciously at people who were doing their jobs was too much.

      An unmistakable voice rang in the hall, approaching the dining room. Janine stiffened. Breakfast felt like a brick in her belly. No time to argue with Daniel now. She had other problems. Her father was home.

      Relegated to the background, Daniel observed the Dukes. His first impression was that Colonel Horace Duke didn’t look as if he were seventy-seven years old. His hair was silver, but he had a lot of it. Ruddy-faced, lean and muscular, he stood well over six feet tall and carried himself as if steel instead of bone formed his spine. He had a big, booming voice. His pale blue eyes radiated fearsome light. He appeared as hale and hearty as he did in the numerous photographs covering the dining room wall above the sideboard.

      Elise Duke hugged her daughters and inquired about their health. Sleek and ageless, she didn’t look motherly, but her demeanor certainly was. She used both hands to grasp Daniel’s hand in greeting and he fell headfirst into her aura of charm. A funny pang centered below his breast bone. As a kid, he’d spent many hours fantasizing about having a mother exactly like Elise.

      “Sit down, Colonel,” Janine said. She stood nearly nose to nose with her father, but twisted a hank of hair so hard Daniel was surprised she didn’t have a bald spot. “I can’t think with you trying to bully me into a corner.”

      Elise touched her husband’s arm. “She’s right, dear. We’re all upset about the fire, but it’s time to speak rationally. And peacefully. Do sit down.”

      The colonel blustered, but he sat. Kara filled his coffee cup and served him breakfast while Janine told her tale. Daniel admired her delivery. She spoke calmly and clearly, pausing whenever her father interrupted, but then continued without breaking her line of logic. He figured if they ever got Pinky into a courtroom, his defense lawyers would drive themselves crazy trying to rattle Janine.