“It’s so boring how it’s dragging on. I wanted to make sure you hadn’t turned flaky and lost interest.”
He’d called her ahead of the solicitor, which meant he’d known the vote was going ahead before she did. I stored that thought away.
Mila ignored his taunt. “I’m not actually sure it can happen. The will reading will fail like the first attempt did as we won’t have all the main recipients present. Austin specified it, and Darcy Marchant is still missing.”
Wallace’s knowing expression slid into a crocodile smile. “That won’t be a problem.”
Ice stole over me. Tyler stood taller.
Mila asked, “Why?”
“She’s being declared dead. The vote will go ahead as planned.”
Shock was a gut punch to my stomach. It recoiled through Tyler, too, in a subtle but real jerk of his frame.
Mila spluttered. “That isn’t possible.”
“It is. The claim has been filed with the high court and will be heard tomorrow.”
“But… Doesn’t she… How can anyone be sure?”
Wallace shrugged. “Her mother gave a witness statement agreeing she hadn’t seen her daughter in seven years and considered her dead. It’s all above board. The solicitors did all the shit necessary to push this bloated corpse of a process on.”
Mum told them I was dead. Dead to her, dead to the world. I folded in on myself and gripped my legs. Why would she do that? The answer came fast. For money. But the solicitors couldn’t have swung for a bribe.
“Ask who paid for it,” I whispered.
Mila repeated the question, her earpiece tiny and hidden.
Wallace sniffed. “My guess is that bitch, Denise Harford. She’s been breathing down our necks.”
As quickly as the hurt had injured me, that name brought me out again.
“What if she isn’t dead?” Mila was saying.
“Who gives a fuck? She’s been gone years.”
“You should. She’s your niece. She lived with your parents.”
Wallace’s eyes narrowed. “You know about that? Who told you?”
“It doesn’t matter. What’s important is she’s family and we won’t give up on her.”
He dusted off his hands. “Knock yourself out. I don’t give a shit. Anyway, it’s too late. At ten tomorrow, she’s gone. Off to meet Austin in the afterlife. Paperwork makes it real.” He tittered at his own joke.
Mila’s breathing had sped up. She took a few seconds over what to say next. On the camera view, Tyler shifted as if impatient.
“What happened to her back then?” Mila finally asked. “Why did she leave?”
“Ran off with a boy, Dad said. He was gutted over that stupid little slut.”
Wallace lumbered to his feet, unknowing how each lie was a bullet to my chest. He leaned in to Mila.
“Don’t waste your energy on her. And definitely don’t waste this chance. Turn up ready to vote. You’re still pro the business going ahead, right? Always Austin’s girl.”
A man blocked Tyler’s view. “S’up. Got a second?”
Tyler pulled back, giving me a view of Lex, my old colleague. “No.”
