I forced calm to the surface. “Today, the company our grandfather built died. I know that’s confusing with what Wallace said. He’s wrong that Marchant Haulage can ever return to what it was. It can’t and shouldn’t.”
Mila leaned in to me. “Lovelyn’s detective said not to say anything that might prejudice a court case.”
Well shit. Bang went half of my speech.
I pushed on with the rest. “I voted to keep it, not because I want anything to do with it, but for what it can change to be. For a girl like me, who many of you guys already know.” I gave them a wink. “Yes, I used to be a sex worker. No, I’m not ashamed of who I am. No girl should be shamed for what she has to do to survive.”
A group of women clapped. I pushed on.
“The people who should be ashamed are those who caused pain. The men who were the recipients of any wrongdoing andthose who ran it.” I eyed Lovelyn. “What happened here will come out. Properly. In court.”
She rolled her eyes. I grinned.
“A debt is owed to a great many women, some of whom we might never know their names. But here’s some we do.” I took up my phone and read out the list of the four who’d died on theEden. “I hold in my heart everyone who suffered and their families too. Women didn’t do this. Rich men did. We should place the blame at the right door. Not my sister, not my grandmother, and you can kiss my ass if you try it with me. Let’s just say that once any court cases are settled and guilty people jailed, I can see a reimagined company. One managed by women and that puts all its profits into supporting women. Every single penny. Doesn’t that sound better to make it pay?”
Questions followed, shouted.
“What?” I cupped my ear. “You want me to name names? Do the work yourselves. Uncover them. Expose the ones you know. Otherwise let the police do their jobs.”
The chorus got louder. My name. Mila’s.
I smiled at her.
We walked away from what it had been, already discussing what it would become.
Chapter 51
Dixie
Lovelyn’s pet detective met us at the warehouse, in Divine’s empty bar area where we took over a booth. I eyed the stage. The bright lights where I’d strutted my stuff. I was a showgirl at heart, and even after today, when I was somehow an heiress, I couldn’t see myself leaving here.
Lyle introduced himself and slid an uncomfortable look at a still-scowling Kane. “As you know, my team placed Wallace Marchant under arrest shortly after the vote. We also picked up Presley Marchant-Smythe last night and arrested him on suspicion of murder.”
I hid a recoil of surprise.
He continued. “More will be announced as the day progresses. The information you provided, that which we discovered, and what came from Primrose Marchant?—”
Mila leaned forward. “Say what? Our grandmother gave evidence?”
He inclined his head. “I’m not at liberty to share details, but we had a tip-off from an individual which allowed my officers to discover an archive of diaries detailing extensive illegal activity. Names, dates, and records that when paired with the payments from the private accounts, make a pretty picture.”
Primrose’s white leather books. She’d kept notes on all the wrongdoing.
My heart thumped out of time.
“Is she under arrest?” I asked.
Lyle’s mouth twitched in displeasure. “At this stage, we’ve been unable to locate Mrs Marchant in person. We’re unsure how she slipped out of the meeting unawares.”
She’d escaped. How, I didn’t know. I had no idea how to feel about it.
The rest of the day fell like dominoes.
The Marchant case was headline news with live updates at each new revelation. Wallace was the forerunner, with major relief from the public over the Deadwater killer being identified, and shock at Denise following. Then Presley’s name took over, first with charges for killing Paul Debrock, then for causing the deaths of the women on theEden.
I considered adding my name to his list, but with the video evidence, I didn’t need to stand witness. He’d go down for life, and facing a court trial didn’t interest me. He would get the book thrown at him. That was enough.
The role of the auctioneers, Jacobs and Salter, came next. Their network had fallen, and from Tyler’s monitoring, no one had dared fill the gap they’d left. The trusted companies were officially named as being investigated, their businesses frozen and allegations flying.
