Snow Going Back

Chapter 47

FORTY-SEVEN

The town hall slowly began to fill up with people as the clock struck twelve. All of the Coreaux Roots employees had been asked to attend the emergency meeting, along with Aubrey, Evelyn and Edward. As Edward arrived, he spotted Kate and walked over with a small, nasty smile.

‘I’m guessing this is all to rally the troops against me – turn their collective hatred my way in the hope it has enough power. Well, it won’t,’ he told her confidently. ‘You can rile them up all you want, but it won’t make a difference in court.’

Kate looked back at him levelly, choosing not to answer. ‘Please take a seat, if you’re staying. Otherwise, the door is behind you.’

Edward smirked and turned round, taking a seat at the very back.

Feeling nervous as she looked out at the room full of people, she straightened her suit jacket and smoothed her hair.

Jenna came over and gave her an encouraging smile. ‘You’ve got this, OK? Whatever this is ,’ she added with a small laugh.

She hadn’t told anyone what was happening here today, only that they all needed to come. Not one person in this room had a clue what was about to happen. Her eyes flickered back to the door for a minute as Aubrey and Evelyn walked in and took seats not far from Edward.

‘Thanks, Jenna,’ she said with a tight smile. ‘How are we doing? Do you think we’ve got most people here?’ She looked around.

‘I’d say that’s pretty much everyone,’ Jenna confirmed. ‘Go for it.’

Kate nodded and walked up onstage to the microphone. As she reached for it, the crowd fell silent, all eyes on her. She cleared her throat, casting her eyes slowly over the people of this small, incredible town. The town Cora and William had built from nothing with their bare hands. With sheer grit, love and determination. The sea of faces fuelled her fire, and she felt the fierce pull of responsibility she’d come to inherit from Cora. Cora couldn’t protect them anymore. But Kate could. And she sure as hell would , too.

‘As many of you know, I’m Kate Hunter, the lawyer for Coreaux Roots,’ she began. There was a light round of applause, and she smiled. ‘When I first came here to sort out Cora Moreaux’s will, I thought this was going to be a pretty straightforward job. A paperwork exercise. Tick some boxes, draw up a couple of contracts then move right on. But …’ She turned and paced to the side, tilting her head towards the listening crowd with a wry smile. ‘It certainly turned out to be anything but that.’

There was a light laugh from those who knew some of the battles she’d fought. She met Jenna’s eye, and her smile warmed.

‘You see, the Moreauxs added a clause in the contract when they placed that will with my firm that stated I had to stay here for a minimum of six weeks and get to know the place and the people here. Which was unusual and sounded a little over the top, to be honest. But then I started getting to know who Cora and William were and what they’d created in this beautiful town. I discovered the incredible community they’d cultivated and how their goodness lives on in the heart of this community, even now they’re gone. I got to know some of you, the people they cared about most.’ She shook her head. ‘You know, I didn’t realise places like this existed. Places where you could genuinely see the incredible difference someone has made all around. In fact, I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the world quite like it.’

There were some rumbles of agreement and nods from the audience.

‘But the reason I’m up here sharing all of this like some teenage girl verbalising her diary isn’t just to flatter you all. Though do feel free to take that, anyway.’ She smiled as a few more people laughed, then wandered back to the central stand. Turning to face them, her expression grew more serious.

‘You all already know that Coreaux Roots isn’t just a company. You all know it’s so much more than that. It wasn’t built and expanded out of corporate greed. It was developed to sustain and serve this town. To help everyone in it rise and grow. It’s given so much to so many, and it’s a place people are proud to be a part of. It became the glue of a true family. It became a living breathing thing.’ Her gaze moved to meet Jenna’s as she recalled their very first conversation. ‘The business and all of you who run it are the body and soul combined. You’re one whole. And that’s what makes it so special. That’s what Cora and William wanted me to learn when they put that clause in the contract.’ Kate turned and paced to the other side. ‘Once I understood all that, I knew Coreaux Roots had to be protected at all costs. Which meant I had to be sure whoever I signed it over to was going to do just that.’

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘As you all know, Aubrey Rowlings was hoping to be awarded full ownership.’ There was a low ripple of unease throughout the crowd, and Kate kept her voice carefully neutral. ‘Aubrey feels she is best placed to take on the mantle of leader and that she’s ready to step into Cora’s shoes. She is, I must admit, the only one of the three who put in a claim who’s worked there and has at least a basic understanding of how the company operates.’

The volume of the disgruntled murmur in the room increased, and Kate waited, noting the smug lift of Aubrey’s chin as she watched from the back.

After a few moments, despite looking as worried as the rest, Matthew stood up from his seat in the front row next to Jenna and turned with a stern bellow. ‘Pipe down , everyone. We’re all here to find out what’s happening, so y’all just let Kate say what she has to say.’

The room fell silent, and he turned back to Kate with a sharp nod before sitting back down.

Kate let the tense peace stretch for a few moments before continuing. ‘As the Coreaux Roots lawyer, I’m forced to follow a legally defined path, no matter what my personal views. As a family member and one with a connection to the company, Aubrey has a decent claim should she take it to court, which she now has.’

‘ What ?’ several voices cried out.

‘What does that mean ?’

‘She won’t win, will she?’

Kate held up her hand to call for silence. ‘Aubrey is taking me to court in three days’ time, where she will ask to have the legal responsibility for Coreaux Roots taken from me and awarded to her, under a specific clause in the legal contract between the Moreauxs and my law firm, which allows her to do that if she believes I’m not working in the best interest of the company.’

‘That’s hogwash .’ The angered cry came from Matthew himself this time as he stood up and dashed his hat through the air as though wanting to throw it. ‘Not nobody can say that about you . Judge’ll see that straight away. Right?’ He turned to gather support from the crowd. ‘Won’t they?’ Some joined in his assurances, but most fell silent, looking scared.

Kate shrugged, looking grim. ‘If it comes to that, it could go either way. A judge won’t understand or take into account all the things we know. They have to judge on cold, hard facts. And some of those cold, hard facts will be that I’ve been here for two months with three viable options and haven’t acted on any of them.’

Aubrey’s smile broadly widened, and she stared at Kate, not bothering to hide her smugness as Kate voiced what she knew Aubrey’s lawyer would have already told her.

‘Well, who’re the other two?’ Matthew asked.

Jenna leaned forward in her seat and put her head in her hands. ‘I feel sick.’

Matthew sat back in his seat and patted her gently on the back.

‘We’ll get to that,’ Kate replied, ready to start turning the tables. ‘But first, did I ever tell you about the first time I met Aubrey?’ She lifted her eyebrow in question and scanned the room. ‘She turned up at the house one day and tried to burn me with a hot kettle, threatening to scar me for life unless I drew up paperwork to legally hand her everything.’ There was a wave of shocked gasps, and she paused, enjoying the satisfying look of discomfort on Aubrey’s face. ‘Her grandmother, Evelyn, one of the other two who put in a claim for the Moreaux estate, just stood by and watched her do it. She even backed up Aubrey’s threats at one point.’

Aubrey suddenly stood up as people began to vocalise their shock. ‘This is an absolute lie!’ she cried. ‘This woman is out for her own gain. Don’t listen to her.’

‘Unfortunately, Aubrey, there was a witness there that day, and I took photos of the wounds you left on my arm. I put my statement into the police today, and Jerry here is now going to escort you – and you, Evelyn – to the station to answer a few questions.’

‘ What ?’ Aubrey screeched, turning pale. ‘You can’t do this!’

But Jerry and another officer pulled the two women away, ignoring their complaints. Kate watched them go with a smile and the deepest feeling of satisfaction she’d felt in a long time. The atmosphere in the room lifted, and hope began to shine through people’s expressions again.

‘So what does this mean?’ Jenna asked, hope and fear warring with each other in her eyes as she looked up at Kate. ‘The court case can’t go ahead without her, right?’

Kate’s gaze flicked up to the back of the room at the cold pair of eyes staring back at her above a cold smile. ‘Actually, it could, if someone else took Aubrey’s place for the same reason.’

Jenna looked back over her shoulder, following Kate’s gaze, and her expression darkened.

‘But while we’re on the subject of criminal activity, there’s one more person here today who was planning on taking the company by any means necessary. Edward Moreaux.’ There was another murmur of general discontent. ‘It sounds like some of you know him already. For those who don’t, Edward is William’s brother. The one who hated him. Edward also plans to fight me in that courtroom. He told Jenna and me that once he gets hold of Coreaux Roots, he plans to strip it down until nothing’s left, and then he’ll sell the land to industrial developers, until the entire local area is destroyed.’

Everyone started talking at once, some cursing, some panicking, some of them asking questions. She raised both hands this time, urging them to let her continue. ‘Now, it’s no crime to threaten something like that. But arson certainly is.’

Edward had been watching the room warily as she’d riled them all up, but now he narrowed his eyes, and his gaze swept back over to meet hers. He lifted his chin, and she could almost see the cogs turning in his head as he assessed her.

‘Once I learned all the ways Edward had tried to sabotage the place over the years, and that William had let him go more than once, despite having the evidence, I figured that evidence had to be somewhere. So I went looking for it. I found an entry in one of Cora’s old diaries that led me straight to the CCTV footage William hid of Edward setting fire to outbuildings and stock.’

Edward let out a low chuckle and gave her a look that said he knew she was bluffing.

Kate smiled and turned her attention back to the rest of the room. ‘But I’ve run off track. I wanted you all to know what I’ve been fighting against because this is what you’re all going to be fighting against soon, too. It’s been my responsibility to protect Coreaux Roots through this transition, but when I’m gone, that responsibility is going to fall to all of you.’ She looked around, feeling her emotions swell up. ‘ Protect it. Fiercely .’ She hit her fist against her chest. ‘With everything you’ve got. Because this is your legacy now.’

Edward let out a derisive snort, then stood up and leaned on his cane. ‘Did you really drag them all here for these useless empty words? To raise their hopes for no reason? This legacy belongs to no one right now,’ he said coldly. ‘But it will, once I’ve dealt with you in court.’

‘No,’ Kate replied, a buzz of excitement zooming around her body as she neared the moment this had all been building towards. ‘I don’t believe in doing anything without a reason. Which is why I have an announcement to make.’ She moved her gaze across the crowd. ‘The will I was working from was a very old one, entrusted to my firm before the Moreauxs knew what their family would look like. But Cora and William made another will, much more recently.’

There were a few gasps of surprise, and people looked around at each other, intrigued and confused. Edward frowned, and his eyes darted around as he processed her words.

‘In this will they were much more specific,’ Kate confirmed with a warm smile. ‘It took a long time to find it.’ She turned to look back into the corner behind where Sam stood silently watching and smiled. ‘But we got there in the end.’

‘You’re lying,’ Edward spat, though she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

‘No,’ she replied, looking over at him with open contempt. ‘It’s real. And very well tied up, too, from a legal standpoint. They took no chances with this one. And you probably have yourself to thank for that. You were probably exactly who they were protecting themselves from when they wrote it.’ She lifted her chin a little higher. ‘So you won’t be getting your hands on this company – or anything of theirs. Not today, not in court. Not ever .’

‘Really?’ Jenna breathed as excitement began to buzz around the room. ‘We’re safe?’

‘I think so,’ Matthew replied.

Edward glared back at her, his cheeks turning red and then a deep shade of purple as his chest heaved up and down with rage. ‘I don’t believe it. It’s a fake. I’ll take it to court. I’ll rip it to shreds. I’ll?—’

‘Be my guest,’ Kate told him, cutting him off. ‘It’s iron clad, so waste all the time and money you want. But that will all have to wait because you have a prior engagement to attend first.’ She raised two fingers to signal the man waiting patiently in the corner nearest the door.

‘What are you talking about?’ Edward shot back crossly.

‘I was serious about that CCTV footage. And after all you’ve done and all you planned to do to the people he loved, I figured William wouldn’t be averse to me using it. This is Mike.’ She nodded to the officer just as he reached Edward’s side and slapped a cuff over one of his wrists.

‘Get your hands off me,’ Edward shouted angrily.

‘Mike will be escorting you to the station to discuss that video further,’ Kate continued.

‘I will not be manhandled. I said get off me!’ Edward tried to struggle, but he was no match against Mike, who twisted him around and started frogmarching him out of the building.

‘Alright, buddy. Let’s go.’

His complaints continued in a stream until the door finally closed behind them.

Kate glanced back at Sam. This was it now, the final surprise. The last piece of the puzzle about to be slotted into place before she signed and sealed it all off for good. And that knowledge both thrilled and crushed her, all at the same time. She took a deep breath and then, looking out at the crowd, she stepped back.

‘My job here is almost done,’ she said, forcing a smile. ‘But I’m going to hand you over to Sam to tell you this last part.’

There was a round of applause as she moved aside and Sam took the floor. He looked around at everyone, taking his time to find the right words.

‘My aunt and uncle cared about the people of this town more than anything else. All they ever wanted was for the company to be carried on by people who cared as much as they did. Who knew, as Kate said earlier, exactly what it means.’ He looked down with a small smile. ‘They actually left the company to me.’ He held his hand up to still the cheers that began to erupt, shaking his head. ‘No, no, let me finish. They left it to me but with their blessing, if I don’t want it, to decide who it should go to and to award it accordingly. And this , with Kate’s legal help, is exactly what I now plan to do here today. I never shared in their dream. At least, not in this way. But I care about their dream deeply. And I see their dream in so many of you every day. I see their leadership qualities, their heart, their sense of family. So to make sure that lives on for many, many more years, I will be handing equal percentage of the company over to the following people.’ There was a short pause and a collective holding of breath as everyone waited to hear what Sam was going to say. ‘Matthew Springer, Andy James, Joe Barnes and Jenna Napoli.’

Kate watched as Jenna’s jaw dropped and her face paled in shock. Matthew shook his head and then looked down as his bottom lip wobbled slightly. Then all of a sudden, a loud, heartfelt, resounding cheer filled the room and grew into a huge crescendo. Jenna’s shock turned to joy and Matthew’s wobble turned into a watery smile as everyone around them began to celebrate.

Sam jumped down, and Jenna turned to him, her face alight with emotion.

‘You have no idea what this means to me,’ she said, her tear-filled words barely audible over the excited hubbub throughout the room.

‘Oh, I do,’ he shouted back. ‘You four will lead Coreaux Roots forward into the future. Honestly, there is no one who could do it better, Jenna. You deserve this. You all do. It’s what Aunt Cora would have wanted.’

Jenna’s lip wobbled, and he pulled her into a one-armed hug before turning to let the celebrating crowd offer up their elated best wishes.

Kate watched from the stage and wiped away a happy tear of her own. She’d done it . It hadn’t been easy, and her life had been turned upside down along the way, but she’d carried out Cora’s last wishes in a way she knew the woman would rest easy looking down on. She’d left this town safe and protected. This small corner of the planet where good things happened and good people lived. Where two people who’d dared to dream and take a leap of faith, so many years before, had created something magical. A place that changed everyone within it for the better. A place where hope could be found. A place truly worth fighting for.

Amy sidled up from where she’d been quietly sitting to one side and squeezed her in a quick sideways hug. ‘You are amazing, do you know that? Honestly, Judge Judy eat your heart out. That was riveting!’

Kate laughed, and Amy followed her gaze towards Sam. ‘Have you told him yet?’

‘Not yet,’ Kate replied. ‘But I will.’

She watched Sam and felt the familiar pull in her chest, and as he looked up at her, she smiled back with every open inch of her soul.