“When I came here all I wanted to do was make this man’s life miserable. After what I discovered, I may yet succeed at my initial goal. Your life might just be getting a lot more complex, Sheriff Stillwater.” She looked through her presentation and decided to mix things up a bit. She planned to build up her case, instead she said, “The city controller, with the cooperation, or direction, of your good mayor Anderson Archer, have been complicit in the town’s destabilization. It may or may not be the reason Bailey Joe Williams is dead. But that’s for the sheriff’s department and courts to decide.”
The room erupted in anger and confusion. Some directed at her; some directed at the mayor.
The council president called for order.
“I apologize for being so direct,” Lauren told the council members. “But outrage is absolutely justified.” She nodded at Saige and Draya, and they stood and began handing her prepared pages to the audience. “There’re not enough for everyone,” she said as she walked to the stage and handed a more complete packet to the council members. “Those who are more familiar with accounting and business management, please share what you read with your neighbors.”
“You have no standing to—” the mayor tried to interrupt again.
Again, she spoke over him. “We’ll start with the revitalization program, as it feels like the basis for the misappropriation of funds. The council’s intentions in building this program were to bring new business into the community. The goal was commendable. It is absolutely what Shrouded Lake needs. The mistake the council made was entrusting the mayor, the city controller, and I quote,‘the number one real estate and property management company on the mountain.’” she said, impersonating and mocking Dave Flemming. “Who is, by the way, a disbarred real estate lawyer if you didn’t know. Who better to write the revitalization contracts that left the bulk of refurbishing the old buildings to the business owner under the guise that they would actually own the buildings they revitalized. These overseers of the contract ensured building outreach measures to pull business into the town. And each month as part of their contract and duty to the business owners, they documented and presented the funds they committed to the agencies, organizations, advertisers, and promotional materials used to bringing more business into Shrouded Lake.”
She lowered her reading glasses and turned to the audience.
“But they didn’t. What the new business owners got was embezzlement and a system that ensured their businesses would eventually fail.”
The uproar was immediate.
People in the crowd got to their feet and began shouting and pointing fingers. The anger and outrage was fierce and visceral. These were people’s lives and livelihoods. People who didn’t have a lot, who thought they were teaming up to make life better for themselves and their community only to get fleeced by the very people they’d trusted, believing they were working toward the same goal. Only to find the people they’d partnered with were blatantly stealing from them.
Lauren saw Santi speak into his radio and move closer to the podium. She didn’t want to cause him more stress; he had enough of that. She wanted to make his life easier, wanted to hear his deep laughter, wanted him to experience more pleasure, wanted the glasses off and his soul at peace, but she knew with her in his life, her boldness, her energy, he would never have it.
“I want her arrested for slander and defamation!” the mayor shouted at Santiago, swinging his arm in her direction. “She’s been a vicious, lying bitch since she descended on our town, a plague of death and chaos have followed her. She is worse than locusts, and I want her gone!”
“Let her speak asshole,” someone said from the audience as the council president called for order.
“I told my Minna for too long that something was ass to head wrong with this revitalization scheme. And look at this.” He jammed a finger at the packet she’d assembled.
“We couldn’t figure out how her boutique was always losing money when the business was growing.”
A number of other recipients of the program voiced similar experiences.
Lauren took the mic again, and Saige and Draya stood beside her.
“You’ve all worked in good faith, and the mayor and his coconspirators preyed upon your desire to build your life and your community. By the same token, many of you need to have better business practices and better plans and contingencies. That’s what our women’s business group has focused on.”
Saige, Draya, and Lina spoke about the increase in revenue and their experiences working with Lauren.
“What the city controller documented, and what he was probably killed for, was his beleaguered conscious. I eventually found two separate contracts. The second one mailed by him to Mrs. Willoby’s home. The mail hadn’t been checked since Imoved there. The second contract laid out to you and the ones presented at the time of signing were different. The changes were small, so closely related to the original that it would’ve been hard to see the differences. But that difference ensured that, unless you read the contract you signed as vigilantly as you read the one originally presented, your business would revert to themwithall the improvements you oh so painstakingly implemented and footed the bill for. This would eventually make the private equity firm they were working with less on the hook financially for the improvements you made. See pages twenty-three through twenty-five,” she directed. “The increase in sales and foot traffic brought up earlier, at face value, was an accurate observation, however, if you refer to page forty-seven, you will see that the mayor contracted with the Newton Equity Firm to send traffic your way. But what was purchased by these people were small things that would not positively impact your bottom line. I believe the controller was killed because he was no longer willing to play along after the death of my home’s previous owner, Mrs. Willoby. Hers would’ve been the first home they acquired. Oh, and did y’all know Mrs. Willoby and the city controller were...intimate?”
“Well, I’ll be.” Someone’s shocked response was followed by indistinct murmurs.
Lauren wasn’t surprised. Bailey Joe was an older Black man, and Mrs. Willoby was an older White widow.
“I don’t believe the person who killed them knew about their secret. And that ignorance will cost them. But that is also a matter for law enforcement and the courts. I only discovered that missing piece today because the controller hid the most incriminating evidence in Ms. Willoby’s home. In a place baby girl protected, but she knew I was putting together the pieces and steered me to what was hidden in the attic. Between what he left in his records and what he left at Ms. Willoby’s, thecorruption related to the revitalization plan is irrefutable, but that report will only be going to law enforcement. The general knowledge related to the revitalization plan participants and community, that goes to you. So, whether those involved are arrested or not, at least you have the information needed to keep these men out of office in this town forever. And if you’re willing, I’m more than happy to work with the town and business owners to shift the tide of Shrouded Lake’s potential. To build on the merits and promise of the original agreement.”
Lauren returned to her seat and her mother patted her on the leg, a look of pride on her face.
“I don’t care what anybody, and even you say, I raised you to be one of the baddest bitches I know.”
“Ma!”
“Tell me I’m lying.”
“I wish I could but thenIwould be lying.”
Santiago directed Sonny to take the mayor and council president into custody.
Walking up to Lauren, Santiago took off his glasses, staring down at her. She stood and stared back at him because he wasn’t about to try and intimidate her. He continued to look down at her silently.
