“My home.” They both looked at her then, and Evie could see that she had their full attention. Up until that second, she’d forgotten about the fact that she owned the home they lived in. “This is my home. You only live here because I allow it. And as for poor Joel, would it bother you to know that he was ready to harm me when he fell to his own death?”
“No doubt you did something to provoke him. You and that child are just alike. As for this being your house, I’ve no worries on that. You’ll leave it to us soon enough, I should imagine.” Evie stood then and looked at the two people that she would have done anything for should they had treated her or Addie with any act of kindness. “What are you here for, anyway? Just to tell us you’re selling the house? Good riddance, I say. We never cared for it anyway, and when you die, it will be one less thing we have to worry over.”
Dalton had been right when he said that he’d have one less thing to worry about. And she’d taken care of that as soon as she got back to her home after the visit. They would be notified of the sale of their house too. And if Addie wanted the house, then it would revert to her to do with as she pleased. But they would not be living in it. She was making sure of a lot of things that she’d just let slide. But no more. All her money, property, as well as anything else that Evie had would all go to Addie. Her daughter and her bastard of a husband would have nothing. Less than nothing, because the business that he owned was going to go to be hers, and she’d see it fail before they got another dime from it. Her lawyer was buying up as much of the stock as he could find. She’d have that in a few days as well.
Evie was loading her cases in the car when someone pulled up in the drive. Smiling, she walked over to Benson Harrison, her lawyer and son to her previous attorney. He kissed her cheek and then hugged her to him. He even shook Bentley’s hand when offered.
“I’ve got controlling interest in West Iron Works for you. It was easier than I thought it would be. Seems the board is not very happy with his lack of interest in what is going on with the market.” She’d heard that as well, some time back. “You now have seventy-five percent, and at your suggestion, I have twenty-four. Dalton has the last one percent. He should be notified next week when the board meets and he is no longer at the head of the table.”
“Good. And you’re putting in motion the rest of what I want done?” He nodded and grinned at her. “You’re enjoying this as much as your father would have. He’d be so proud of you.”
“I know he would be. And working with you is like having him here with me all the time. But yes, all the things you wanted to happen at the Delaney house are working through the system. There are nine employees there now, and they’ve cleaned out most of the stuff in the house. All his possessions are now on the auction block to be sold off, and the charity that is to receive the money is very happy with the arrangements.” She asked him if there was anything in the mess he wanted. “I’ve taken a couple of things. Oh, and thank you very much for the new car. How did you get the bank to agree to this?”
“I have friends in high places.” When he laughed, she did as well. “I found out that Joel was losing his shirt on several deals that had been…let us just say that his lawyer is not as good as you are. But everything was going to go into bankruptcy anyway, and I saved the bank from the embarrassing task of calling in someone to clean up after him. It really is too bad that he didn’t live long enough to know that his firm and all his cash had been lost in a venture that his lawyer put him in.”
After she told him where she was headed, he told her that there were a number of people interested in her home. Mostly big conglomerates that wanted to use the house as a retreat, but she didn’t care so long as it was gone. There were a lot of good memories in the house, but they were covered up by the bad ones. She asked him about the house her daughter lived in.
“They will be notified soon after you’re gone. I’m waiting, I hope you don’t mind. When this house is sold and the business is taken care of the way you want, you know that I’m going to have to talk to Addie, your granddaughter. She’ll have a lot of things to sign when this is done. You will tell her what she’s going to be worth, won’t you?” Nodding, she started for the car, trying not to think how upset Addie was going to be with her. “Evie, do you have any idea how much you’re going to be giving your granddaughter when you pass? I mean, including the sale of the house and everything else.”
“Yes I do, Benson. Right to the penny. Four hundred twenty-three billion, seven hundred fifty-three million, nine hundred thousand, sixty-seven dollars and five cents. As of nine this morning, anyway.” He nodded and they both looked at Bentley when he swore. “Bentley, are you all right?”