Chapter 5 - The Company That Did Not Exist
Larkspur Event Strategies occupied a mailbox on the fourth floor of an office building that had been mostly empty for two years.
Ava visited the address the next morning.
The receptionist at the shared workspace checked the company directory twice.
“No employees are registered under that name,” she said. “Mail is collected by courier.”
“Do you know which courier?”
“I would need authorization to provide that.”
Ava left her card and walked across the street to a coffee shop, where Julian waited near the window.
“It is a shell,” she said.
“Most likely.”
“Can you trace it?”
“Not directly. But Elena can request disclosure if the payments relate to company business.”
Ava opened her laptop.
“I searched Grant’s public filings. Larkspur donated to the Mercer Family Arts Fund last year.”
Julian leaned closer.
“How much?”
“Exactly $250,000.”
“That fund is controlled by Grant and Victor.”
Ava displayed a second page.
“There is more. Sloane described the deposits as consulting payments. Larkspur has no website, no employees and no registered clients. Yet it paid her $25,000 two days ago.”
“And Marissa?”
“We do not know.”
“We will.”
That evening, Ava returned to the estate carrying two bottles of wine and the relaxed smile Grant expected from someone who had chosen his side.
Elena was not at dinner.
Grant claimed she had a headache.
Ava did not challenge him.
She poured wine for Sloane and Marissa and let them complain about the anniversary preparations.
“You both deserve more credit,” Ava said. “You have practically managed the entire house.”
Sloane smiled.
“Elena makes everything difficult.”
“And Grant expects you to solve it.”
“Exactly.”
Ava leaned back.
“I hope he compensates you.”
Marissa glanced at Sloane.
“We have our own consulting work.”
“For Larkspur?”
Marissa’s glass stopped halfway to her mouth.
Sloane answered too quickly.
“How do you know that name?”
“I saw the notification on Marissa’s phone. I work in production. We use event consultants all the time.”
Marissa relaxed slightly.
Sloane did not.
“What kind of work do you do for them?” Ava asked.
“Private brand strategy,” Sloane replied.
“For whom?”
“The clients are confidential.”
“Twenty-five thousand dollars must buy a lot of confidentiality.”
Sloane set down her glass.
“You said you came here to help Grant.”
“I did.”
“Then stop investigating things that do not concern you.”
Ava smiled.
“I was making conversation.”
Marissa drank quickly.
Later that night, she found Ava alone in the kitchen.
“Sloane thinks you photographed the notification.”
“Did I?”
“Delete it.”
“Why?”
Marissa looked toward the hallway.
“Because Larkspur is not what Grant told us.”
Ava kept her expression neutral.
“What did he tell you?”
“That Victor created it for family consulting. Sloane and I were supposed to help Grant protect Elena from making decisions while she was unwell.”
“And what did protecting her involve?”
“Keeping her away from board members. Correcting stories when she became confused. Making sure she did not leave during an episode.”
“You mean locking the estate gates.”
Marissa’s face paled.
“That happened once.”
“You took her phone.”
“Sloane did.”
“You told a doctor Elena fell after becoming dizzy.”
“Grant said that was what happened.”
“You were not there.”
Marissa began to cry, but Ava felt no sympathy yet.
“How much have they paid you?”
“I don’t know.”
“You know.”
“Almost four hundred thousand.”
Ava stared at her.
Marissa covered her mouth.
“It was supposed to be an advance. Grant promised us positions after the merger.”
“Board positions?”
“Executive advisory roles. He said Elena would eventually thank us.”
“Who approved the payments?”
“I never met anyone from Larkspur.”
“Then who gave you the instructions?”
“Grant.”
“Every time?”
Marissa hesitated.
“No.”
Ava leaned closer.
“Who else?”
Before Marissa could answer, footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Sloane appeared in the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
Marissa stepped away from Ava.
“Nothing.”
Sloane looked from her sister to Ava.
“You were talking about the payments.”
Ava reached for her phone.
Sloane moved faster and knocked it from her hand. The phone slid beneath the kitchen table.
“Grant was right,” Sloane said. “You never came here to help.”
Ava bent to retrieve the phone.
Sloane blocked her.
Then Elena’s voice came from the dark hallway behind them.
“But she did come to help.”
Elena stepped into the kitchen holding a second phone.
Its recording screen was still running.
Marissa stared at it.
May you like
Ava smiled.
“You should never confess in a house with twins.”
