Snow Going Back

Chapter 8

EIGHT

Kate stared down at herself. They’d taken her headshot from the company website, a very stiff corporate picture that she hated.

‘What is this?’ she asked, scanning the lines of text.

Neither answered, giving her time to find out herself. She sat back and read the article properly. It was front-page news for some small-town paper. An interview of sorts with Cora’s great-niece, Aubrey Rowlings. Kate skimmed over the ramblings about how much Cora and William had done for the town and for Aubrey – and cut to the part that involved her.

‘In death, as in life, my great-aunt Cora made sure that things would be carried out with the best interests of the people who worked for Coreaux Roots in mind,’ Aubrey Rowlings tells us with a look of pride shining through the veil of grief she currently wears. ‘My great-uncle William, God rest his soul, had a contract written up many years ago with the founder of Boston law firm Morris & Schuster. It promised that Morris & Schuster would always have their best and finest lawyer handling their legalities, and that when they died, this lawyer would come here to our town in person, to carry out their wishes to the letter. My great- aunt Cora made sure I had a copy of this contract, so I knew who to call to help me bring us all through this difficult transition.’

Aubrey Rowlings confirmed that the top lawyer who looked after Coreaux Roots and the Moreauxs’ personal legalities is British national Kate Hunter. Kate works across the company’s Boston and London offices and will be here in Pineview Falls, according to this agreement, within a week.

In a final statement, Aubrey Rowlings addresses all the people whose livelihoods rely directly on Coreaux Roots: ‘We are all grieving the loss of my cherished great-aunt Cora, and this change naturally has a lot of people worried about the stability of their future. Well, I can assure you that with the help of the highly esteemed Kate Hunter, I will continue to drive Coreaux Roots forward and make sure our thriving company remains the same pillar of the town it always has been.’

Kate groaned, mentally picturing her next few weeks go up in flames, and Aubrey Rowlings holding the match. She pursed her lips, looking to the picture next to hers. Slightly large, neat white teeth beamed out of the page from the wide-eyed, plump-cheeked smile of a thirtysomething blonde, in smart cream tweed and a matching hairband. Kate threw the paper down on the table and rubbed her forehead.

‘There’s more, Kate,’ Raymond said gently.

She looked up grimly. ‘Go on.’

‘Right now, you’re probably thinking this could be solved by explaining your situation to Aubrey Rowlings and sending someone in your stead,’ he guessed. ‘But this girl isn’t all she seems.’

‘She is , as the article states, Cora’s great-niece,’ Bob confirmed. ‘And she does , as her words make it appear, work within the company. But in a low-level role with nothing that indicates the company or any part was to be left to her. The will that stands, surprisingly, is the original, and the instructions are simple but clear. In the instance that they had no children – which they did not – what is left to whom must be decided by you after assessing all viable options. Reasonable proof also has to be shown that this decision is made in the best interests of all who work there, and, rather frustratingly,’ Bob sighed, ‘it clearly states that if anyone thinks our decision was rushed or is not in the best interest of the workers, they can take us to court.’

Kate pulled back. ‘Why would William put that in the contract if he trusted Jacob so implicitly?’

Bob threw a hand up in the air as if to say, Who knows? ‘Whatever game this Aubrey is playing, it could do us some real damage now that it’s hit the press.’

‘Of a small-town newspaper that no one probably even reads,’ Kate argued. ‘It’s not like it’s The New York Times , Bob. This article will be tomorrow’s chip paper and soon everyone will have forgotten all about it.’

Both men looked confused. ‘ Chip paper?’ Raymond asked.

‘Yes. Chip paper . Oh, never mind,’ Kate said dismissively. ‘It’s a British thing. But look, my point is, no one that knows us is ever likely to see this.’

‘No,’ Bob agreed. ‘But since Cora died, we’ve had three separate family members contact us with lengthy arguments as to why they’re entitled to the company, the house and everything else, and an equally lengthy argument as to why the others shouldn’t get a dime. And when the ball drops into whoever’s hands it eventually does, the others aren’t going to go away quietly. This contract and your position are now public knowledge.’ Bob grimaced apologetically. ‘Which means?—’

‘Which means you can’t risk not following it to the letter, because whatever we do, they’ll denounce us to appeal the decision, and a breach of contract like sending someone in my stead will be their first port of call,’ Kate stated the point he was getting to flatly.

Bob nodded. ‘And then it will hit the bigger papers. We’d lose all credibility. There’s no way around it, Kate. You have to go. I’m sorry. And the reason we asked you to come today is because the seven days are officially up tomorrow. We’ve hired you a car. You’ll need to head out to Pineview Falls first thing in the morning as it’s about a five-hour drive away, up in northern Vermont.’

She closed her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. Six weeks would take her almost to Christmas – and that’s if she was lucky and could tie it all up in that time.

‘Your cases are all being taken care of while you’re out there, so there’s nothing else to worry about,’ Raymond told her. ‘Your assistant will start the handover in the morning.’

‘And you’ll have access to Erica for anything you need,’ Bob added.

Kate raised her eyebrows underneath her hands. Bob never shared his assistant. Not with anyone. That he was doing so now spoke volumes on its own. Her ring stabbed into the side of her finger, and she jerked her head back up at the sudden reminder.

‘Oh! I got engaged yesterday!’ she exclaimed, fresh horror setting in as she realised the new predicament she was now in.

‘Congratulations!’ they both replied in cheerful unison.

‘The wedding is New Year’s Eve,’ she whispered.

‘Oh.’ Raymond’s eyes widened, and Bob blew a long breath out through his cheeks.

As an awkward silence fell across the room, Kate chewed the inside of her cheek. If she was being honest, part of her felt absolutely elated that she had a legitimate reason to run away from all her problems back home. But the bigger part of her knew that it would only delay and add to them in the long run. She’d also have to break it to Lance that she wouldn’t be there to plan the wedding, that she’d have to do what she could from here. That wouldn’t be a fun conversation at all. Nor would the following conversation be, with her mother. She exhaled heavily and dropped her head into her hands. Why did life have to be so complicated?