Page 9 of Stalwart Ridge Security: Murray
Ballard leans back in his chair.“Why would you say that?I’ve been in and out of the office and would have picked up on something if he was in on shit.”
I turn my attention to Ballard.“When I swung by the station for an update, Royce was there.Apparently, he asked Orson to call him if there were any developments involving Burk.”
“So?”Ballard grits.“Doesn’t mean Royce is in on shit.He’s just thinking about the company.With one owner gone there’s more job pressure.”
I glare at him.“You really think so?And what if I told you he had a Last Will and Testament from Burk?Which happened to have been drawn up and signed the day before I reported Burk missing.”
“No.Fucking.Way,” Ballard grits.
While Elodie whispers, “You reported Burk missing?”
I ignore Elodie to tell Ballard what he already knows, “Yes.Fucking.Way.Drawn up and signed while the fucker was already dead.”
CHAPTER FIVE
–ELODIE –
After I asked Murray if he reported Burk missing, I’ve kept my mouth shut.Ballard and Murray are firing words back and forth, completely ignoring me.By doing this I’ve learned more details in the past few minutes than I have in weeks.
Ballard is shaking his head as he processes everything Murray just mentioned.These two have known Royce for years while I’ve never met the man.
It’s why I state, “He must have been the driving force behind everything.”
Both heads whip my way.
I shrug.“Think about it.If the three founders were friends for decades, he knew exactly who to push, how to get the ball rolling, and where to strike.Each action causing a butterfly effect he could contain if he was the one doing it.He would have been the one experiencing the tension between Dax and Burk firsthand.Maybe he thought it was the end of the company...needing to do something to save it.I mean, come on, the things you found out?Burk having a son who fucks up on the job multiple times while Burk kept him on the payroll?Dax having a one-night stand with Burk’s wife who just left him because some woman showed up on their doorstep with a kid?Dax managing to knock her up in one go?Dax finding proof that there was a hit on his life?Dax could have shared that information with Royce.It would have made him freak out, knowing it would be the end for the company.Yeah, the fucker has blood on his hands if Royce indeed had a will drawn up and signed when I already had killed Burk.”
“We have to warn Seamus and Jaxie,” Murray says.
Ballard pulls his phone from his pocket.“I’ll shoot him a message to come here and bring his laptop.”
Turning to Murray, I ask, “Do you know what was mentioned in the will?”
“Royce is the executor.It’s why he brought it with him.He told Orson Burk wanted to be cremated as soon as possible.No funeral.”Murray looks at Ballard when he adds, “When Orson glanced through the document, Royce mentioned to me that Burk left his share of the company to him.Burk’s cabin, and the rest of his belongings will go to Joline Hagan, Burk’s daughter.I have no clue about the finer details, but the headlines say it all in my opinion.”
“This is so fucked up,” I murmur and curl my fingers into fists, pressing my nails into my palms.
