Name: Katherine Anastasia Downey, “Kiki”

Age: 21

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York.

Current Residence: Chicago, Illinois.

Status: Fashion blogger for The Chicago Sun-Times, major shareholder in Downey Industries, controlling shareholder of the Giovanni Anastasio and Franco Bonanno trust funds.

Aspirations: High Fashion Event Planner, being taken seriously by anyone.

Hobbies: Museums, reading, “fiscal redistribution”, meddling, and driving James Hoffman crazy.

Parents: Michael “Mickey” Downey and Theresa Anastasio

Grandparents: Giovanni “Big Joe” Anastasio and Katarina Bonanno; Maeve O’Malley and Paul “Pauli” Downey

Siblings: Thomas “Tommy” Gates, Giovanni “Joe” Downey

Significant Other: DEA Agent James Hoffman

~~~

[James] looked flatfooted and uncertain, the TV casting shadows across his confused face.

Good, [Kiki] thought, serves him right.

She was so utterly sick of people thinking they knew her, knew what kind of person she was because she was always in the spotlight. Because of who her father was, who her mother was, who her grandfather was, who everybody was, but never really seeing her.

—First, I Love You (Downey #1)

Once in the limo, she sat the little figurine on top of the banker’s folder and got out her phone to call James. Then quickly changed her mind and decided she would just text James and tell him she had something to tell him when she got home. Which was adding an extra unnecessary step of mystery, but James was probably used to that by now. Her phone was blinking a message from Tommy:

Kicks, the silent treatment is getting old. How am I supposed to know what I’m kicking James’ ass for if you won’t tell me? Sending you a care package, she bakes great brownies. I love you, Tommy…

…Forgetting all about telling James – she would have Mary to talk about it with soon – Kiki decided to throw her brother a bone:

How’s Ginny? Tell her I have some shoes for her since I won’t be able to wear them in a few months. –K

Ha, Kiki thought, let him stew on that. Served him right for thinking a text message could substitute for calling her back like he had promised.

—Second of All (Downey #2)

Kiki jumped and turned. She placed a hand to her racing heart and caught her breath at the huge grin on her fiancé’s face. She met it with one of her own.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this, Agent Hoffman.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s my line,” he answered with a chuckle.

He slid the panel shut behind him except for a finger-width crack that let in just enough light for him to find her at the bottom of the four steps. She figured he might want to steal a kiss or several but his face became serious.

“What’s really going on here, Katherine?” James asked softly. …

“James, I don’t know what’s going on between Tommy and Daddy or you or Ginny. Grandmother and I are just working on a way to get Daddy and Mary together for good. I swear that’s it.”

James closed his eyes and groaned.

“Seriously, what is the longest stretch of time you’ve gone without a ‘plan’, woman?”

“Mmn, I think the length of time between birth and the ability to crawl,” Kiki replied cheekily.

—Third Time’s The Charm (Downey #3)