best. Of being a designer that people talked about, knew about, aspired to work with. I’d dreamed of runway shows and pulsing stage lights, of recognition and acclaim. I’d dreamed of being the best and I’d always told myself I wouldn’t settle for anything less. I wasn’t sure I could let all of that go.
“I don’t know,” I finally said, meaning every word. “I guess we’ll wait and see.”
Paige pulled her keys out and glanced at her watch. “You ready? We’ve got a lot to accomplish today.”
I nodded but paused before getting in the car when Alex joined us on the street to say goodbye to Chase and Darius. He gave them each a hug, lingering a moment longer with Darius, almost like he was whispering something to him. Darius quickly nodded, confirming my suspicion, then gave him an encouraging pat on the back.
“Ohhh, secret somethings whispered between them,” Chase said to me. “Know what that was about?”
“I don’t have a clue,” I said. “You?”
“No, but Darius will tell me eventually. He always does.” Chase nudged my shoulder with his. “You’re going to be okay, Dani.”
I smiled. “I know. I’ll see you at the wedding?”
“God help us,” Chase said. “I hope you do.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Alex
2:43 a.m. I stared at my phone, bleary-eyed, and tried to figure out why my alarm was going off at such a stupid hour. But then I realized it wasn’t an alarm. My phone was ringing. I propped myself up on my elbow and answered the call.
“Hello?” I was impressed at how not asleep I sounded.
“Alex, it’s Angelica. Did I wake you?”
I hesitated just long enough.
“Oh, I did, didn’t I? Sorry about that. I’m in London. I didn’t think about the time difference until I’d already dialed.”
“It’s no problem,” I said. “I’m glad you called. What’s in London?”
“We brought the kids over to meet their grandparents,” Angelica said. “We’re driving up to Cambridge in the morning.”
I smiled. I hadn’t seen Angelica since grad school. Except for an occasional interaction on social media, we’d lost touch after graduation. Imagining her married, the mother of a toddler and a newborn, was crazy. We weren’t actually old enough for that, were we? Families. Kids. A slight twinge of jealousy welled up, taking me by surprise.
“How’s the new baby?” I asked.
“Exhausting. But adorable as ever. At least she is now that we’re no longer on a transatlantic flight.”
“I bet.”
“So I have news,” Angelica said. “I’ve been through everything you sent over, and I think you’re right. The evidence definitely points to embezzlement. I called in a few favors with a friend of mine—he’s a private investigator—and get this. Solomon Rivers is a real person.”
My heart sank. I had really hoped he was a made-up entity to cover Sasha’s trail.
I swore under my breath.
“No, no, don’t be disappointed,” Angelica said. “This is actually better. He is a real person, but he doesn’t have anything to do with fashion. He lives with his mother in Blue Springs, Alabama.”
“Alabama?” I asked, cautiously.
“Yes. In the same town where the one and only Sasha Wellington grew up.”
I sat all the way up, my heart rate climbing.
“Here’s where it gets good,” Angelica said. “Eleven years ago, Sasha Wellington had her name legally changed. From Sally Mabel Rivers. Solomon Rivers is her younger brother.”
“Wow.”
“So the LLC under Rivers’ name is legit, licensed in the state of Alabama, but the cash is all in a bank in Brazil.”
I swallowed. “How much?” I knew how much I’d tracked through her fake purchases, but I had a hunch she was colluding with someone else—someone in accounting who was willing to turn a blind eye—which meant money could have been siphoned out in multiple ways.
“Just over twelve million dollars,” Angelica said.
The number nearly knocked the wind out of me. “Is there enough evidence to convict?” I asked.
Angelica hesitated. “I think so. There’s a definite paper trail if you know what you’re looking for, but my hunch is that she has someone working with her, covering things up on the accounting side. Otherwise, LeFranc would have caught her by now.”
“Thanks for your help, Angelica. I owe you one.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll give you a call when we’re back in the states. I’ve heard Charleston is lovely. Maybe we’ll come down for a visit.”
We said our goodbyes and then, almost immediately, an email from Angelica popped up in my inbox, a summary of everything we’d talked about on the phone, complete with corroborating evidence. I chuckled when I looked over Sasha’s petition for