Chapter 52
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
When Courtney told Ian to sit down, Dana sat back in amazement. She’d never seen this side of her friend. Finally, Courtney had gotten fired up about something. It was about time.
“Well, what is it then?” Ian asked, folding his arms across his chest. “I’d like this evening to be over.” Even though he grumbled, he still sat down.
“I’m sure you would like this to be over,” Courtney said, leaning over to face him. “But what I have to say specifically concerns you and Kristy.” She stood up and glanced over to the other end of the sofa. “And Martha and Ronald as well.”
Dana had a pretty good idea of where this was going. In fact, she’d planned to call this group together for a discussion, but she hadn’t intended it to go this way. In her mind, she’d be the one who would be standing there confronting the group, not Courtney. Courtney was the notetaker, the one who advised her behind the scenes. Seeing her take charge was a welcome change. And touching too. When she’d seen how happy Courtney was upon her return, it confirmed what she already knew.
Courtney was the one person she could count on. Her own personal ace in the hole. Her emergency contact in all areas of life. Everybody needed someone, and Courtney was her someone.
Martha and Ronald exchanged worried looks. “I can’t even imagine what this is about, Miss Courtney,” Martha said. “Mr. Ian has always been happy with our work.”
“I’m sure he has.” Courtney spoke dryly. “But you’re talking about the wrong Broderick. You need to remember your loyalty should be to Dana. She’s your employer.”
One of the twins stood up. “This sounds like family talk. Can we go?”
Courtney looked to Dana, who nodded an okay. “Yes, you may go. You too, Nolan. And Olive, is it? All of you may leave. Thank you for”—her brow furrowed—“whatever it is you did to help Ms. Broderick return home.”
Charlie and Brayden walked back into the room at that moment. “Perfect timing,” Dana said. “Can you show our guests out the back door and guide them to their cars in the service drive?”
“Sure thing, Aunt Dana.”
After the group left the room, Courtney cleared her throat. “Dana said that no crime was committed and she sent the police on their way. I would not have been as generous. Crimes have been committed.” She reached into her crossbody bag and pulled out a sheaf of papers. “You, Ian, have been embezzling funds from Dana Broderick LLC, transferring the money to your private accounts, and also buying real estate with it.” She held up the pages. “You’ve also been giving large unauthorized sums of money to Ronald Canfield. Obviously, you two had some kind of fraudulent arrangement.”
“Now wait a minute.” Ian’s face turned red. “You had no right to be poking around in my private business. Not to mention, you’ve completely misinterpreted these transactions.” He stood up and strode over to Courtney, who held her ground. He turned to Dana. “I demand you fire this interloper.” He spat out a few profanities, calling Courtney some foul names. Dana wasn’t shocked, but by the looks of it, Martha was.
Kristy joined her husband. “I would agree with firing her. She has no place interfering in family business. She’s trying to drive a wedge in our relationship.”
“I don’t appreciate being accused in this way,” Ronald said. “Martha and I have been completely devoted to the family for years. To hear this kind of accusation is insulting. If anything, Courtney has always seemed like an outsider.”
All five of them spoke at once, Courtney pointing out the evidence in the paperwork and the other four indignantly expressing their innocence and insisting that Courtney be expelled from the household. As their voices got louder, the cacophony echoed off the high ceiling.
Ian grabbed the papers out of Courtney’s hands and ripped them to shreds, tossing the remnants on the floor.
Dana watched in amusement. Apparently, they thought this was a democracy in which they had a vote. Little did they know, there would be no room for arguments or explanations. She’d already made the final arrangements. Dana stood up and made a time-out gesture. “Enough!”
As if she’d planned it—and actually, she had—the front doorbell rang. The sound of the ringing silenced the group.
“What now?” Ian said, agitated.
Dana spoke sweetly. “Courtney, would you mind getting that? We’ll continue the discussion when you return.”