Page 21 of Carnival Queen

“Actually, yes. Twice before. He wanted me to take on a chain of strip clubs in Lafayette. It’s not that I have anything against strip clubs. I’ve helped some of the clubs that are owned by Miss Ruby’s family.”

“Then why say no to those?” asked Erin.

“Because I knew for a fact they’d been raided several times for using underage girls. Some of them were as young as fifteen and weren’t even from this country. I wanted nothing to do with them. I do my own research before taking on clients, and I don’t think he believed that I would doubt him. The strange thing for me was that they had to pay a fine but were still in business. How were they not shut down?”

“I don’t know. Did Bill know about this?” asked Grace.

“Yes, ma’am,” she nodded. “He definitely knew. He said it wasn’t our place to be the ethics committee for a business. It was our job to ensure that they paid the least amount necessary to the IRS.”

“Deanna, forgive me, honey, but none of that sounds like a place you should have been working. I mean, I know how ethically strong you and your father were. Why stay there?” asked Marie.

“It’s a good question,” she said shyly. “When Mom and Dad were killed, I was kind of a mess. I cancelled all of our business appointments and asked them to find someone else as their firm. Mr. Barnham called and said he’d had six of our businesses come to him, and he wanted me to join their firm so there was consistency for the clients. I thought that was the least I could do. I wouldn’t have the pressures of actually running the firm, but I could still work with our old clients and help them.”

“That makes sense,” said Faith.

“It does. I just didn’t know him well enough then. The truth is, well, the truth is, as I’ve got to know him, I don’t like him much, and I don’t like the clients he represents. The only other place that offered me a job was Penn Carver’s firm, and I just never liked him much. All of this came at the right time for me. As strange as it all is, karma, coincidence, or lucky pennies, I needed to make a change.”

“Well, we’re thrilled to have you here,” said Marie. “Your cottage is okay? Is there anything you need from us, anything we can do to make it more comfortable?”

“Okay?” she laughed. “Miss Marie, my ‘cottage’ is a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath, twenty-three-hundred-square-foot house. It’s more space than I’ve ever had in my life. I loved my father, but he was probably the most frugal man alive.” Deanna winced at her own statement. He wasn’t the most frugal man alive. He was a frugal man who was gone now.

“Yes, we noticed that you’re driving a seventeen-year-old vehicle,” smirked Erin.

“Dad said it was running fine, no need to buy a new one,” she smirked. “I probably need to let your team look at it. I’ve been stranded more than once on the side of the road.”

“Absolutely not. You are no longer driving that car,” said Claudette. “Jake! Jake, honey, can you come here?” Jake smiled at his wife, bending down to kiss her.

“You call, and I will always come,” he smiled. “Hello, beautiful little Deanna. How are you, honey?

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” said Deanna. “I’m fine, Mr. Jake.”

“Jake, Deanna’s car is a mess and has left her stranded several times. Can you please take it up to the shop and give it a good look?”

“Oh, oh, no,” said Deanna. “Mr. Jake, you don’t have to do that. I’ll take it to someone in the city.”

“No, you won’t,” he said, shaking his head. He held out his hand for the keys. “I’ve worked on engines my whole life, and those boys in the shop know even more than me. You’re not leaving in that car.”

“Alright,” she laughed, shaking her head. She handed him the keys, then started to cry. First, it was just a few tears. Then, it was an absolute meltdown.

“Oh, honey, what’s wrong?” asked Faith, hugging the young woman. She shook her head, trying to catch her breath.

“It’s just, it’s just all so much,” she sniffed. “I’ve tried to be patient about the investigation into Mom and Dad. I’ve tried to be strong. I’ve tried to remember, I swear I’ve tried to remember. I’ve tried, and I’m tired of trying!”

“Oh, sweetie,” said Erin, rubbing her arms. “You don’t have to be strong by yourself. That’s why we’re here. We’ll be strong for you. You go ahead and cry and have a meltdown. You deserve one.”

“You know what,” said Grace. “I think we all deserve a little pampering. I’m going to call Winter and Keegan and see if they can do a girls’ party for manicures, pedicures, facials, the whole thing! Ramey gives the best massages on the planet. How does that sound?”

“W-wonderful,” she hiccupped. The women chuckled, wiping her tears and pushing back the thick strands of long hair. Out of the corner of her eye, Claudette noticed something she hadn’t seen before.

Someone was watching Deanna like a hawk.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

When Trak and Zeke walked into the warehouse, they heard the laughter of a dozen teenagers. Music was playing, and they were belting out the song, whatever it was, dancing around the floats. Even Lottie and Louisa were hand-in-hand like old friends. The two men smirked at one another.

“Trak! Zeke!” smiled Sophia. Rose and Morgan saw them and walked toward them as well.

“Evening,” grinned Zeke. “Nice moves, ladies.”

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