Chapter 51
Dixie
Lovelyn’s pet detective met us at the warehouse, in Divine’s empty bar area where we took over a booth. I eyed the stage. The bright lights where I’d strutted my stuff. I was a showgirl at heart, and even after today, when I was somehow an heiress, I couldn’t see myself leaving here.
Lyle introduced himself and slid an uncomfortable look at a still-scowling Kane. “As you know, my team placed Wallace Marchant under arrest shortly after the vote. We also picked up Presley Marchant-Smythe last night and arrested him on suspicion of murder.”
I hid a recoil of surprise.
He continued. “More will be announced as the day progresses. The information you provided, that which we discovered, and what came from Primrose Marchant—”
Mila leaned forward. “Say what? Our grandmother gave evidence?”
He inclined his head. “I’m not at liberty to share details, but we had a tip-off from an individual which allowed my officers to discover an archive of diaries detailing extensive illegal activity.
Names, dates, and records that when paired with the payments from the private accounts, make a pretty picture. ”
Primrose’s white leather books. She’d kept notes on all the wrongdoing.
My heart thumped out of time.
“Is she under arrest?” I asked.
Lyle’s mouth twitched in displeasure. “At this stage, we’ve been unable to locate Mrs Marchant in person. We’re unsure how she slipped out of the meeting unawares.”
She’d escaped. How, I didn’t know. I had no idea how to feel about it.
The rest of the day fell like dominoes.
The Marchant case was headline news with live updates at each new revelation.
Wallace was the forerunner, with major relief from the public over the Deadwater killer being identified, and shock at Denise following.
Then Presley’s name took over, first with charges for killing Paul Debrock, then for causing the deaths of the women on the Eden.
I considered adding my name to his list, but with the video evidence, I didn’t need to stand witness. He’d go down for life, and facing a court trial didn’t interest me. He would get the book thrown at him. That was enough.
The role of the auctioneers, Jacobs and Salter, came next. Their network had fallen, and from Tyler’s monitoring, no one had dared fill the gap they’d left. The trusted companies were officially named as being investigated, their businesses frozen and allegations flying.
The Marchant-Smythes were a huge reveal, their role answering so many questions.
They were detailed as being linchpins in the family, not only deeply involved in the trafficking with ex-staff coming forward, but also with their investments into the trusted companies, the mystery ‘P Marchant’ now revealed from Austin’s data files.
Along with several others from the extended family who’d worked with them, they’d be punished as deserved.
It didn’t stop there. Two police officers who’d taken bribes were charged, quickly followed by Mark Bigelow, the top brass Lovelyn’s dad had complained about, for suspected corruption.
One story satisfied my heart. Denise was dragged through the mud, her husband shown walking into the police station, appearing a lot healthier than a stay in the skeleton crew’s bunker should’ve allowed.
Allegations on who were the buyers of the trafficked women flew everywhere. Girls in the warehouse swapped stories about clients they’d had who’d been implicated.
From the watch party we’d established in Cassie’s apartment, I slipped away to read a message.
I’d asked the detective for the contact details of Bella, the woman whose cousin died on the Eden. I’d messaged her, and now she’d replied.
I raised my gaze to Tyler. “She agreed to meet. Can you come with me if we go now?”
Together, we took a short drive down the harbour to a quiet bar in a hotel.
Bella stood at our approach. She was in her late twenties and had red eyes, I guessed from the weight of all that had happened today.
She ran her cautious gaze all over me. “Dixie. Thank you for coming.”
“It’s only right.”
“All I wanted was this. Someone to listen. To care.”
I smiled, sat, and asked her about Tia. I heard all about her life, not an altogether happy one, and how she’d ended up being sold. A boyfriend had done it, the bastard. I saw her pictures. How close the two women had been.
Bella came to life when talking about Tia. It was like she was still in the room, with Bella talking to her, not about her.
It made me think about Mila, and how, if we’d known each other then, she would’ve looked for me after I’d been kicked out.
Then she asked for my stories. I got the curiosity. I was the sex worker who’d taken over an industry. I didn’t mind sharing. I’d wanted this, as a minimum to remove the criticism of Mila as the company’s figurehead, but mainly so Bella felt heard. That her loss wasn’t ignored.
When we’d finished, I asked Bella a question.
“My sister and I are going to change Marchant Haulage forever, and scrapping the Eden is our first act, once the police give it back. I’d like to create a memorial to the women who died.
We’ll put it right there on the harbourside.
Would you come back to help us unveil it? ”
Bella sobbed then agreed.
Later in the evening, a new headline came, sourced from an article written by her. WHEN WOMEN LEAD THE WAY.
It was a hint at a new beginning. One I could get behind.
Back at the warehouse, with darkness having fallen, Tyler led me into our apartment and locked the door. He paced to the window, checked the street far below, then came back.
“You’re so fucking brave.”
“I don’t think I am. I only did what I had to do.” I watched him. “Something you’re familiar with, no?”
“Sit down, doll.”
I did.
Tyler stopped in front of me. “Shade’s back. He brought Johnston to the boathouse for me.”
I shivered. The crew took prisoners to the bunker when they wanted to keep them and the boathouse when they intended to execute them. Deadwater River carried the body parts out to sea. “Are you going to handle him?”
He nodded, something wild and dangerous in his eyes. That same look he’d worn when we were nothing more than two strangers, passing each other by.
“After he killed them, and the bodies were removed, I was alone. I was sent to a care home, but not for long. I got abducted from outside of it. A van pulled up, driven by a woman, the door slid open, and a man snatched me inside.”
I held very still.
I’d guessed he wanted to talk about Johnston. Not the rest of it.
Tyler took a breath as if to slow down his thoughts. “A couple took me. They sold kids to the worst kind of perverts. Brought them in then loaned them out by the hour in their home. They kept me there. The weeks blurred into months. I stopped counting. I knew no one was looking for me.”
Oh God.
My strong, beautiful boy.
“You were hurt?” The words came out shaky.
“There wasn’t a day that they didn’t come for me. For a while, I lost the will to live. Jonas discovered me and took me out of it, but…”
“That didn’t change what you’d been through. I know I said it already, but I’m sorry for breaking your rule. The consent thing is important.”
“I kidnapped ye. Call it square?”
My smile flickered. Even in the darkest moment, we were so good together.
Tyler linked his gaze to mine. “At age nineteen, I killed them both. Freed the kids under their roof. Burned it to the ground.”
I didn’t look away from him. I never would. “Good. They deserved it.” My voice cracked.
“For a long time, I thought I’d never know family again. Jonas could never fill that hole in my heart. I thought I’d found it in part with my crew, but even then, I stayed at the edges. Part of the leadership team but hellbent on my own mission.”
“Taking down traffickers.” It all made sense now. He’d been fixing the harm caused to him.
Tyler sank to his knees in front of me. “You’re my family. You’re in my heart in a way I thought was impossible, but I’m so fucking happy ye are.”
I reached for him, held him while my heart pounded. Just like me, Tyler had suffered. I didn’t know if he’d ever talk about this again, but the fact he had meant so much. It mattered. His confiding in me was a gift, and it brought us even closer.
“I think I needed that obsession,” I said into his shoulder. “After being rejected so often, it did something to my brain to know that you’d do anything to keep me. That you’d keep coming back. Even if you could never touch me, you were desperate for me.”
“Am desperate. Present tense.”
“That feeling’s the same?”
“No, deeper. I’m just as obsessed, but I don’t feel terrified that you’ll leave me at any given moment.”
Or be taken from him. I understood better than ever his reaction to me being in danger. He’d stalked and hunted me down then took me to his place of safety, where only he knew my location. A guarantee I wouldn’t die as others had.
Emotion rocked me. “You know you’re stuck with me now, right? No refunds.”
“Works for me. I told ye I wouldn’t let ye go.” He kissed my cheek. “Thanks for listening to my story. Wish you’d heard it first from me, but that’s my fault. In connection to that, I’m going out for a couple of hours.”
I didn’t blink. “To kill Johnston.”
Not a question. This was what Tyler did.
“He was the catalyst. The last person standing. He killed my family, and I lost them and their protection. I can’t say if life would’ve been different if he hadn’t come along. Perhaps my father would’ve drawn the fire of someone else. I’m only sure of his role.”
He didn’t need to justify it. I knew what Tyler did. I wasn’t scared of the blood on his hands. I patted the couch. “Come here.”
Tyler did as I asked and drew me onto his lap. For long minutes, we held each other, the city sparkling beyond the window and the safety of the warehouse protecting us. I knew better than to think this fixed anything overnight, but we had each other. That was all that mattered.
“I love you,” I said into the perfect stillness.
“I don’t deserve it.”
I lifted my head. Gazed at him.
Tyler smiled. “I love ye, too. Say the words.”
“Bye, don’t die.”
He kissed me. “I’m going to ink that on my skin.”
I didn’t doubt that he would. Except tonight, he wouldn’t need them. In that emotional reckoning, that final boss battle, I didn’t want him to face his demons alone. “I’m coming with you.”
Tyler stilled. Held me where he could see me. “Then let’s go.”