“I don’t understand. If Larousse knows about you two, why hasn’t he told André?”
Bastian rubbed his forehead in frustration. Eloïse stifled a laugh, clearly amused.
“Larousse?” She shook her head. “No, no, dear. I’m talking about my real father. I don’t know if you’ve noticed…”
“Eloïse,” Bastian interjected, his tone firm, “we should go now.”
“But Larousse’s just a go-between,” Eloïse continued, ignoring him. “Believe me, if Timotheo avoids the sentence, it won’t be thanks to Saidi. It’ll be thanks to Laurent Dubois.”
Laurent Dubois. One of the names at the top of the list I had found in my boss’s office. A person with enough money to do as he pleases. A person with enough power to bend the truth in his favour.
The Club Montari turned on its lights, and Gina recoiled, shielding her eyes like a vampire caught in sunlight.
“You,” Eloïse said, her smile tinged as she pointed directly at her, “I’ll call you.”
“I haven’t given you my number!” my friend shouted.
But Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore, heiress of Antonia Hawtrey-Moore and Timotheo Larousse, seemed to be done with us. As the crowd thinned and people began to trickle out of the Sortija, the clock struck 4:00 AM.
Time to leave.
Excerpt from Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore’s testimony
Taken on Thursday, February 14
EHM: I don’t have much to say about my mother. The loss pains me, though I admit we didn’t have a particularly close relationship. Everyone knows Antonia. She made herself. Do you know what it takes to keep an empire standing? I’ll tell you: it takes time. Time you owe to your family, to your health, to your peace. Mom invested all her time in her work. Her health wasn’t the best. That’s why we divided the company. She split the crown in two and handed part of her empire over to me. I’m not sure if it helped lighten the load on her shoulders, or if, in the end, it made things worse.
(The officer in charge hands her a tissue. Miss Hawtrey-Moore dries her tears.)
AM: Was it very hard for you to take on your mother’s role in the company?
EHM: It wasn’t hard. I wouldn’t describe it that way. I lovethe work. I’m just the face of it, everyone knows that. The people on the board handle everything else. I’m grateful my mother taught me how to take control, you know? But it’s her company. It’s always going to be. I want to be like her. Daughters always want to be like their mothers, right? In my case, I’m not talking about running her multinational empire. I’m talking about creating my own. I never wanted to be the heir.
AM: So, will your father take control when that happens?
EHM: Are you referring to Tim or Laurent?
(The officer reviews the papers.)
AM: Mr. Timotheo Larousse. If I’m not mistaken, Laurent Dubois already owns a large part of Antonia’s shares.
EHM: Laurent has enough of his own. Tim… I don’t think he will, no.
AM: Why do you say that?
EHM: Dad doesn’t like hard work. He wouldn’t know what to do with so much responsibility on his shoulders. He’d try to do everything possible to make sure I continue the family legacy, or something like that. I mean, he will. Now that Mom isn’t here.
AM: Miss Hawtrey, do you…?
EHM: Hawtrey-Moore.
AM: Miss Hawtrey-Moore. Do you know anything about your mother’s inheritance? Did she ever mention anythingabout it?
(Silence.)
EHM: We never talked about it. Please don’t ask me any more questions about her. I don’t think I can handle it.
AM: And about your father? What can you tell us about Timotheo Larousse?
