CHAPTER 75.
A PUBLIC CONFRONTATION
I adjusted my dress one last time before stepping out of the car. The Grand Meridian Hotel glittered like a jewel box, all glass and gold under the city lights. Every major player in Greensville's business world would be inside tonight, schmoozing over champagne and fake smiles.
Perfect.
William squeezed my hand. "Are you sure about this?"
"Too late to back out now." I tried for a smile but my face felt frozen.
Tina appeared beside us, her heels clicking against the pavement. "Ready to burn some bridges?"
"More like blow them up." My voice came out steadier than I felt.
The ballroom hummed with conversation and clinking glasses. I scanned the crowd until I found him. Uncle Carlos stood near the bar, laughing with a group of investors like he owned the place. Like he hadn't murdered my parents and stolen everything they built.
My hands started shaking. William noticed and covered them with his own.
"Breathe," he murmured.
"I'm breathing."
"No you're not."
He was right. I sucked in air and pushed it out slowly.
Carlos spotted us. His smile widened, all teeth and no warmth. He excused himself from his group and glided over like a shark who'd just smelled blood.
"Katie dear." He kissed my cheek and I wanted to scrub my skin raw. "And William. How nice of you both to attend despite your recent troubles."
"What troubles?" I kept my voice light and curious.
Carlos chuckled. "Oh come now. The gambling debts? The illegal dealings? Surely you've read the papers."
Several heads turned our way. Exactly what he wanted.
"Funny you should mention illegal dealings." I raised my voice just enough to catch more attention. "Since we're all here tonight, maybe we should talk about yours."
His eyes flashed but the smile stayed plastered on. "Darling, grief can make people say foolish things."
"I'm not grieving anymore Uncle Carlos. I'm angry."
The conversations around us died. I felt the weight of dozens of eyes.
"Kate." Carlos's voice dropped to a warning. "You don't want to do this."
"Actually I really do." I pulled out my phone and held it up. "Want to explain to everyone here why you falsified documents to steal my parents' company? Or should I play the recording of you discussing it with Donovan?"
His face went pale then flushed dark red. "You're making a scene."
"Good. I want everyone to see exactly who you are."
Tina moved to stand beside me. "She's not alone in this Carlos. I've seen the evidence too."
"This is ridiculous." Carlos turned to address the crowd now gathering around us. "My niece is clearly unstable. The stress of her pregnancy combined with her husband's criminal activities has obviously affected her judgment."
"My judgment is fine." I hit play on the recording. My father's voice filled the sudden silence, distorted by static but unmistakable.
"Carlos you can't do this. That company is for Kate, for her future..."
Then Carlos responding, cold and final. "Your daughter will have nothing. The Statue Executor has already signed off on the transfer. By this time next week Jones Corp will be mine."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Carlos lunged for my phone but William blocked him, his hand catching Carlos's wrist.
"Don't." William's voice was quiet but it cut like steel.
"You have no idea what you've done." Carlos jerked his arm free. "Both of you will regret this."
"The only one with regrets tonight is you." I looked past him to the crowd. "Carlos Jones orchestrated my parents' plane crash eight years ago. He forged their signatures to transfer ownership of their company. And he's been working with Donovan Grant and a man called the Statue Executor to cover it up ever since."
"She's lying!" Carlos's composure finally cracked. "This is a desperate attempt to deflect from her husband's crimes. William Dray has been gambling with illegal operations, embezzling funds from Kate's own firm to cover his debts. I have proof."
"Fake proof." I pulled out another document. "Created by John, who you thought was William's gambling host but who actually works for us. Everything you think you know about William's addiction is a lie we fed you."
The silence was deafening. Carlos stared at me like he'd never seen me before.
"You played me." His voice came out barely above a whisper.
"I learned from the best."
"You little—" He took a step forward but Tina moved between us.
"Back up Carlos. Unless you want assault added to your list of crimes."
A man in the crowd cleared his throat. I recognized him as Mr. Patterson, one of Carlos's former employees.
"I can verify her claims." Patterson stepped forward, his hands trembling but his voice steady. "I worked for Carlos Jones for twelve years. I have documents, emails, financial records proving he systematically dismantled Jones Corp after the plane crash. He threatened my family to keep me quiet but I'm done being silent."
Carlos whirled on him. "You signed an NDA Patterson. You'll lose everything."
"I already lost everything when I helped you." Patterson looked at me. "I'm sorry Miss Jones. I should have come forward years ago."
My throat tightened. "Thank you."
"This is insane." Carlos laughed but it sounded hysterical. "You're all insane. I'm calling my lawyer."
"Good idea." William pulled out his own phone. "Because Kate's filing a lawsuit tomorrow morning to reclaim her parents' company. Every illegal transfer, every forged signature, every dirty deal is about to become public record."
"You can't do this to me." Carlos's mask finally shattered completely. "I'm your family Kate. Your blood."
"You killed my parents." My voice broke. "You stole my inheritance. You tried to destroy my husband. You're not my family. You're a murderer."
He moved so fast I barely saw it. One second he was standing there, the next his hand was wrapped around my throat.
"You ungrateful little—"
William hit him. Hard. Carlos stumbled back, blood streaming from his nose.
Security rushed in but the damage was done. Every phone in the room had captured it. By morning the whole city would know what Carlos Jones really was.
"Get him out of here." The hotel manager appeared, his face white with shock. "Mr. Dray, Mrs. Dray, I'm so sorry."
I couldn't speak. My hands went to my throat where Carlos's fingers had been seconds before.
Tina wrapped an arm around me. "It's okay. It's over."
But it wasn't over. Not yet.
My phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. I opened it and my blood turned to ice.
"GREENSVILLE GAZETTE BREAKING: Carlos Jones Implicated in Fatal Plane Crash. Anonymous Source Provides Evidence of Murder-for-Hire Plot."
"William." I showed him the screen.
He read it and his jaw clenched. "Someone leaked the story."
"Who?"
"Does it matter?" Tina squeezed my shoulder. "The truth is finally out there."
Another text came through. This time from a number I recognized. Mr. Howard.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner. But I've given the press everything. Your parents deserve justice. Stay safe Kate. They won't go down without a fight."
"They?" I looked up at William. "Who else is involved?"
Before he could answer, the ballroom doors burst open. Police officers flooded in, led by Detective Morrison.
"Carlos Jones, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, and embezzlement." Morrison snapped handcuffs on Carlos's wrists. "You have the right to remain silent."
Carlos didn't stay silent. He screamed obscenities as they dragged him away, his eyes locked on mine with pure hatred.
The crowd erupted into chaos. Questions flew from every direction but I couldn't hear them over the ringing in my ears.
William pulled me close. "Let's get you out of here."
We were almost to the door when my phone rang. Unknown number again.
I answered without thinking. "Hello?"
Heavy breathing on the other end. Then a voice I'd heard on that recording, the one from the Statue Executor's meeting with Mr. Howard.
"You made a very big mistake tonight Kate. Your parents learned that lesson too late. I wonder if you will as well."
The line went dead.
I stood frozen, the phone slipping from my numb fingers. William caught it before it hit the ground.
"Kate? What's wrong? Who was that?"
I couldn't answer. Couldn't breathe. Because I'd finally recognized that voice.
And the person it belonged to was standing across the room, watching us with a smile that promised nothing but pain.