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Vicious
This night was a fucking waste of time. I’d spent a good part of my life avoiding people like them and here I was smack dab back in the thick of it. No wonder common folks hated the fucking rich. They were just as they thought. Greedy, stuck-up, pompous assholes who only gave a damn about themselves. Money talked and the more someone had, the more people listened. The thought of hobnobbing with these fucks had me wanting to pack Linsey and the girls up and leave at first light. But I couldn’t do that. Not until I settled everything with Duchene International.
I saw several of the board members here tonight. Every one of them gave me and Linsey a wide berth. I hoped they got the fucking memo. I wasn’t going to stand by and allow their bullshit to continue. I may own fifty-one percent of Duchene International, but the company was Linsey’s. It always was. I was just going to make damn sure whatever she wanted happened and if any of those greedy fucks got in her way, well, that was where I came in.
“Mr. Van Otto?”
Turning, I saw a young man standing before me. Dressed in the typical monkey suit, he looked like every other schmuck in this place.
“Yeah?”
The young man held out his hand. “I’m Miles Hill. I’m on the board at Duchene International. When you have time, I would like to schedule a meeting with you and Ms. Duchene. I have some information I think the two of you need to know.”
“Spill kid. Don’t need to stand on ceremony for me.”
Mr. Hill looked around before stepping closer. Lowering his voice, he said, “Not all of us agree with Margo White and Brian Summit. They’ve been there the longest and hold a lot of power, especially since Margo’s company is the current lapidary. You should also know that Margo and Brian are having an affair.”
“Get to the point, kid.”
“My point is that with Mr. Summit sitting at the head of the board and Margo White in his bed, nothing happens at Duchene International without their approval. I’ve also noticed money missing from several accounts, while their paychecks keep increasing. Someone is stealing from the company.”
“And you are going to tell me who, aren’t you?”
The young man gulped. “I don’t know. All I know is that when I asked for an internal investigation into the matter, someone broke into my house the next day. My wife was home with our infant son. They terrorized her and told her to make sure I fell in line or they would be back.”
Looking at the young man, I knew he was on the level. The fear in his eyes and the way he kept lowering his voice let me know that Mr. Hill wasn’t behind anything nefarious. He took a substantial risk by seeking me out tonight and in a public place. If what he was telling me was the truth, then the shit regarding Linsey was deeper than I thought.
“And the hit on Linsey?”
“What do you mean, hit? Are you telling me that someone hired someone to kill Ms. Duchene?”
Nodding, I looked at Fury, who shrugged. “Alexander Galveston and his sister, Sarah, hired someone to kill Linsey. Only we don’t know who or why?”
“Alex is the company’s chief attorney. He draws up the contracts and knows the Duchene legacy like the back of his hand. He’s also best friends with Brian Summit. It was Alex who called us that night to let us know Davina died.”
“Wait, a damn minute?” Fury interrupted, “The news of Davina’s death didn’t break until the next morning. When did you receive the call that Davina was dead?”
“My son had a doctor’s appointment that day. Maybe around four in the afternoon.”
“Vicious,” Fury rounded on me, “The corner report stated that Davina died shortly after nine pm. Considering the time difference, the board knew about Davina’s death an hour before it happened. Mrs. Blackwell is right. Her son didn’t kill Davina. That would explain why his DNA exonerated him.”
“Fuck. It was Alex. Alex killed Davina, but why?”
“Mr. Galveston was in Denver to have Davina sign a new contract giving White Gems Lapidary exclusivity for the next twenty years. Only she was shopping for a new lapidary. She never liked Mrs. White. With Davina dead, the board could easily force Linsey to sign the contract, but then you showed up owning fifty-one percent of the company. Now the board is scrambling.”
“And they knew with you overseeing the company, you would find the discrepancies. It all leads back to that bitch, Mrs. White,” Fury commented, “But why involve Alex and Sarah?”
“Because they’re related,” Mr. Hill stated.
“What?” Fury and I growled.
“It’s true. Mrs. White’s late husband, was Henry Galveston, the brother to Robert Galveston, who married Alice Duchene, the sister to Vivianne Duchene, Davina and Linsey’s mother.”
“Fuck,” Fury cursed. “It all makes sense now. That bitch wants the contract. Why she wants Linsey out of the way. Why she wants control of the girls? She’s making a play for the company itself. If she can prove Linsey is unfit, that gives her the girls. If she controls the board, that gives her the votes to ensure her company, White Gems stays out of bankruptcy. With control of Duchene International, she can do whatever she wants.”
“Only if Linsey dies,” the young man muttered.
“What did you say?” I asked, my head snapped to Mr. Hill.
