ELEVEN
MONDAY CAME AND went. Tuesday was good.
On Wednesday, in the systems room, she was busy updating their pricing when Nessa came rushing in.
“Oh my God, you have to get out here.”
In the Breckenridge department store, anything could happen. They’d had shoplifters, marriage proposals, even streakers, yes, more than one. And that was in spite of their floor being members only.
Following Nessa out, she caught the door and let it drift from her hand when—she stopped.
Alice Breckenridge stood on the other side of the counter between Celeste and Maureen. Why was Luxe Leathers Maureen on their patch?
“Thank you, ladies,” Alice said, leaving them to track her at the counter. “Savanna… is there somewhere we can talk?”
“My lunch is in an hour.” Alice didn’t move or react, her expectation remained the same. Right, duh. “We can talk in the break room.”
This woman and her husband owned the building. They owned the main store, every sub store. Stores across the globe. With money like theirs, even what they didn’t own, they could buy.
Maybe that was why opening the counter for Alice and leading her to the employee only door was just pathetic. They went down a short corridor, bland, beige, not at all glamorous. The break room consisted of an old couch, a dinner table with a few chairs around it, a fridge, and a blessed coffee machine.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, thank you.”
She gestured at a chair and Alice was gracious enough to sit. What was she doing? The woman could take all the damn furniture and kick her out. It wasn’t her place to give Alice Breckenridge permission to do anything.
The coffee machine brought her up short. Shit. Coffee? From that crappy machine? She tipped out what was in there and washed the pot. Feeble. What could she do but change the filter and try her best?
Deep breath; she turned. “I don’t know what Darroch told you—”
“Darroch?” This wasn’t about her son? “He’s a good boy for the most part. His mouth runs away with him at times. He’s headstrong, all of them are. I can only apologize if he has upset you.”
“If this isn’t about Darroch… What’s it about?”
For the first time, Alice exuded pain. “I didn’t know it was you. I’m so sorry, Savanna.”
“Know what was me?” The minute the words left her lips, clarity struck. “Oh, that.”
“I can’t express the depth of our sympathy. I’m so sorry.”
“How did you find out?”
“Someone mentioned it to Benedict when talking about the contest. He was appalled, we all were.”
All? Did that mean the Breckenridge boys knew? That Darroch knew?
“I didn’t want it to be a big deal. I have no intention of suing.”
Alice got up to come over. “That is not why I am here.” She took her hand. “I came to offer our sincerest apologies. And to provide any help and support I can. You were offered counselling, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Did you embrace it?”
Her insides squirmed. How far should she let this go for courtesy’s sake? Honesty was usually the best policy.
“I appreciate you reaching out,” she said, “but talking about it makes me uncomfortable.”
“Of course, I understand, I’m sorry.”
“The only one to blame is the perpetrator.”
“It’s unacceptable that this man is still out there, a risk to others.”
“I agree with you, but I’m not surprised. The world isn’t a just place.”
“Just because it has been, doesn’t mean it always will be,” Alice said. “We have to believe we’ll make a difference. Why do you spend so much time participating in charity events if you don’t believe that?”
“I believe we should do what we can to give back.” The depth of her truth remained hidden. “If I didn’t believe one person could make a difference, I wouldn’t do what I do. That doesn’t lead to me believing wholly in justice. What would happen to him? What should happen? It doesn’t matter. The deck is stacked against women like me.”
“Like you?”
“Women from a lower financial tier, without a relentless support network, survivors of sexual violence. If justice always prevailed, we wouldn’t have inequality and horror in the world.”
Suddenly, the woman lit, like the sun illuminated clarity. “You’re it.”
And now she was self-conscious; she didn’t want to be it… What did “it” mean exactly?
“It?” she asked.
“I should’ve seen it sooner.”
“Seen what?”
“I’d like you to join me in an endeavor, a pet project. A collaboration I’m excited to be involved with.”
“What pet project? I signed up to attend the walkathon already.”
“This is something more involved and more discreet. Still in its infancy.”
“What is it?”
“A friend of mine is building a foundation. She’s tenacious, vivacious, I’m looking forward to working with her. We’re building something that will work hand in hand with Lighting Darkness. Are you aware of Lighting Darkness?”
“Yes, it’s a Breckenridge-led charity that’s grown exponentially over the last fifteen years.”
“Yes, it has, much to our delight. My boys handle most of the management. While we want to keep listening, we also want to give people a voice, victims a voice, survivors a voice.”
“Oh, you don’t want me for that. You know nothing about me.”
“You have no criminal record and no negative notations in your Breckenridge file.” That Alice even knew that was leery enough. “You have heart, I see it. That’s what we have to nurture.”
Like maybe she was the side project. “I don’t need to be saved, I can look after myself.”
“I apologize for implying otherwise. Perhaps I can appeal to your sense of duty. I will invest my time and expertise, as will my closest friend, but this venture is a young woman’s game. Those at the head of this project have tenacity and ambition, it will benefit Lighting Darkness to have someone able to keep up.”
“Mrs. Breckenridge—”
“Call me Alice.”
“Okay.” Though it didn’t feel right. “I appreciate your sympathy and the offer, I don’t have experience running anything. It wouldn’t be right to—”
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes, I’ll have a car sent to your apartment. We’ll eat, talk, and get to know each other. No pressure. You’ll see this is a genuine request. Your input will be invaluable.”
No one says no to Alice Breckenridge.
Guess that made the decision for her.