Hez swept his arm around the graveyard. “This cemeteryis full of people Michael hurt. He broke your mom’s heart and drove her deeper into booze and pills. He fed Jess’s hunger for vengeance until it led her into a very dangerous plot that wound up killing her. And now we know that Michael’s scheming caused Ella’s death too. He hurts everyone he touches, even the ones he claims to love.”
Savannah pointed down the hill to the weedier Willard plot with its smaller monuments. “There are fresh graves down there too. How many deaths has Michael caused in his own family?” She bit her lip. “I wonder what Deke would have been like if he’d grown up without Michael’s influence.”
Resolve hardened in Hez’s heart. “I won’t let him destroy Simon too. I’m going to protect our boy like I should have protected Ella. And I’m going to get justice for our little girl, no matter what it takes.”
Savannah tore her gaze away from the picture on her office desk at TGU. Ella’s dimpled smile was imprinted on her mind forever. If she let herself dwell on what she’d learned from Deke, she’d be paralyzed today, and she needed to work. There was solace in doing what she loved so much, and she found it a place to forget her pain for a little while before it came swooping back. The grumble of the mower outside her window made for a soothing backdrop to the day, and the scent of grass wafted through her open window.
She moved her mouse and pulled up the progress reports on Legare Hall. Construction on the exterior and grand hall was on schedule for completion in three weeks, though theremainder of the building would be unfinished. HVAC, electrical, and plumbing would be completed next week, and construction on the other areas would start next month. She couldn’t wait to walk across the mahogany floors and gaze into the dome overhead. It had been an eyesore for so many years, and the completion of the building would show the world the university wasn’t only surviving—TGU was thriving.
Ella’s picture caught her eye again, and she allowed herself to smile back into her daughter’s blue eyes before reaching for her great-grandfather’s drawings. She intended to fulfill his vision for details and decor in the hall. She studied the classical moldings in the main hall and snapped a picture of them for the carpenter she’d hired. When she set aside her phone, scrawled words in her great-grandfather’s ornate script drew her attention. She’d never noticed his note tucked in the bottom right corner, and she situated the paper in the light to see it better.
Willard Hall, in honor of Joseph Willard and the longtime dean of students, Ezra Willard.
Her great-grandfather had never intended to name it Legare Hall. Her father had corrupted one more way to honor the Willards. Did the man have no shame whatsoever?
She picked up the framed picture of her baby girl, and rage gathered in her chest. “I have to stop him,” she whispered. Pierre’s ruthless drive to elevate his own position in life had left as much carnage in his wake as Michael’s.
Her father’s voice boomed through the screen window behind her, and she turned to see him berating the gardener for leaving clippings on the sidewalk. The poor man didn’t speak English well and kept trying to explain he hadn’t gotten out the blower for cleanup yet, but her father brushed off anyexplanation. His imperious voice and reddened face transported her to the cowering little girl she’d been. Her lip curled. The only emotion she had left for him was contempt.
Pierre left off haranguing the gardener and walked toward the entrance to the building. She set the picture back in its place, then rose and waited for him to appear with another demand for her to fund his trust. The blood roared in her ears, and she clenched her jaw so tightly a jab of pain shot through her head.
The door opened and her father, dressed in golfing clothes, stepped into her office. He’d always been bigger than life, forcing his way through every circumstance with his entitlement, and his presence soaked up the air in the room. His arrogant stare her direction raised her ire to the boiling point.
She lifted her chin and came around the side of her desk. “You are despicable. The price for your arrogance and greed was Ella’s life! My baby girl was murdered because of you. It was no accident.” What she’d learned from Deke flowed off her tongue like lava.
Her father’s face went white as she laid out the plot. “W-what? How can you blame me for the Willards’ treachery? They’re a tribe of psychopaths.”
She advanced toward him. “If you knew how dangerous they were, why did you cheat them out of millions of dollars? Don’t bother trying to tell me you didn’t do anything—I’ve seen the proof. You stole the money for the neonatal unit. Time after time you defrauded them. How did you think they’d react?”
“They never understood how university funding works, and clearly you don’t either. Funds dry up and plans change. It happens everywhere.”
“The money ended up in yourtrust fund! You planned to seize it all along.”
“And you still haven’t fixed my trust fund.”
She’d had all she could take of his whining, self-serving behavior. “Thanks to your behavior, my nephew is in Michael’s clutches too. You might not care about that, but I love him and he’s likely to be the next casualty. You’ve milked this university for the last time. Now get out of my office, or I’ll have security remove you. I’m ashamed to be your daughter.”
His eyes narrowed, but as she came toward him, he backed quickly toward the door and opened it. “You’ll be sorry you crossed me, Savannah. Very sorry.”
“I’m only sorry it took me this long!” She slammed the door behind him and stalked back to her desk. If only she’d stood up to him years ago.
Chapter 26
Hez picked up his notes from the classroom lectern and went straight for the door. Most evenings he hung around for a few minutes in case any students had questions—but not today. He had two hours before his next class, and he intended to make every minute count.
The smell of fresh paint greeted him as he walked down the hall, and the sound of power tools floated through an open window. Savannah’s increases to the maintenance budget were paying off. Hopefully she’d find some money for new computers for the law school too, but Hez wasn’t holding his breath.
“Professor Webster!”
Hez turned to see Ed Hernandez hurrying after him. “Hi, Ed. What’s up?”
Ed caught up to him. “Thanks for putting in a good word with Jimmy Little. He offered me a summer associateship with his firm.”
“That’s great news!” Hez stuck out his hand, which Ed shook vigorously. “Jimmy was impressed with your work at the Justice Chamber.”
“Do we have any new cases coming in? Now that swimmingseason is over, I have more time. I’d love to get as much experience as possible before starting my summer job.”
Hez paused. Ed and the rest of the Justice Chamber crew would be a big help in the fight to bring Michael to justice, but this wasn’t a pro bono case. The Justice Chamber was supposed to promote the public interest—it wasn’t Hez’s personal law firm. Besides, Ella’s death was a personal matter in more ways than one. “Nope, nothing new for the Justice Chamber. I’ll let you know if that changes.”
