Sweet Vengeance: Ladies (Iron Orchids Book 14)

by Danielle Norman

  "There's one by the lounge area," Anna said and then gestured. "Follow me."

  With no other option, Sunday trailed Anna back down the hallway. She glanced at her, trying to get a read on her position in all of this. Perhaps she didn't know anything. Perhaps Kai paid her enough to keep quiet.

  "So, I haven't seen Traci yet," Sunday said, hoping she sounded casual. "How is she doing?"

  "Oh, as good as it ever gets these days," Anna said.

  That could have been very knowing, or it could have been just an unfortunate choice of words.

  "Yes, she seems to be stressed lately," Sunday prodded as she matched Anna's brisk pace. "A lot going on, it seems."

  "That would be an understatement."

  Before Sunday could push further, Anna came to a short stop at a door and twisted the knob, pushing it open.

  "Here's the bathroom," she said. "The lounge area is just right back down the hall." She pointed ahead. "Please return there when you have finished. I will tell Traci that you would like to see her."

  She smiled and started to walk away. Sunday caught sight of a mark on Anna's arm looked suspiciously like someone had grabbed her too hard.

  "Hey," she said before she could formulate a plan.

  Anna turned around. "Yes, ma'am?"

  Sunday hesitated, her gaze never leaving Anna's arm. "Is that from Kai?" Sunday asked.

  Anna sucked in a breath, and her eyes shifted back and forth. Finally, she turned and checked every direction of the hallway before closing the distance to Sunday.

  "I need the money," she said in a low voice. "My son needs medicine. Mr. Camden don't report me to immigration, I have no green card. Mr. Camden pays me enough that I can get the medicine."

  Sunday understood at once: Anna was not defending Kai; she just couldn't risk losing her job.

  "You're close to Traci, aren't you?" Sunday asked, checking to make sure no one had approached.

  Anna shifted back a little, but then she let out a breath. "I have worked in this house for many years. Mrs. Camden is a wonderful woman, and I would do anything for her. Anything I could, anyway."

  Her last line spoke volumes about what was happening in the Camden household.

  Sunday nodded. "Then I think it's safe to say Traci feels the same way about you."

  Anna smiled, and she said, "I would never doubt Traci for a moment."

  "Okay, then I need your help," Sunday said as her plan evolved with this new development. "Do you have a conference room here? Anything you can access that might have a projector or a big screen of some kind?"

  Anna frowned, thinking, and then her face lit up. "Oh! The media room." Her eyebrows came together as she peered up at Sunday. "What is this about?"

  Sunday dug into her clutch and handed Anna the thumb drive full of evidence against Kai. If it had been the only copy, she never would let it out of her sight, but the others had each brought their own copy, as well.

  "Can you set this up in the media room and keep everyone out of there until we're ready?" she asked.

  Anna stared down at the thumb drive in her hands and seemed to be contemplating the past, present, and future all at once. Finally, she nodded as she looked back up at Sunday.

  "Yes, ma'am," she said quietly. "It's at the very end of the hallway I found you in. I'll leave the remote on the table by the door. Press the red button to start playing it."

  Sunday smiled reassuringly. "Thank you, Anna. Traci will appreciate it."

  With that, she turned and stepped into the bathroom. With the door closed, she pressed her back against the wall, closed her eyes, and took several long breaths. When she opened them, she surveyed the room. Everything was done up in stone and oil-rubbed bronze. Real plants draped down from a ledge by the ceiling. It was as if the door had been a portal to old Tuscany.

  She took a few moments to compose herself and then exited the bathroom back into the hallway. Anna was gone, and she was alone again. She contemplated returning to her search but decided to return to the lounge area instead and scope the situation there.

  When she returned, a few more guests had arrived, and all three of her comrades had returned. A moment later, Kai Camden stepped through the doorway, dressed in a black tuxedo with a cranberry-colored tie. Voices lowered, and all eyes turned toward him. He seemed to drink it up as if he got power from their attention.

  Sunday rolled her eyes but then merged with the crowd. She plucked a filled wine glass off a tray from a passing waitress and downed it. It was going to take all her willpower to wait until the right moment to bring him down. Judging from the looks on her friends' faces, they seemed to feel the same way.

  "Hello, everyone," Kai said, addressing the crowd. "Thank you for joining us." He gave a winning smile, and Sunday wanted to slap it off him. "I've been out of town working so much lately, and I couldn't miss the opportunity to see all of you before I jet off again."

  Traci entered, wearing a dress that matched Kai's shirt and gold accessories. Her hair was pulled back, but it seemed to only highlight her sunken cheekbones and lack of sleep.

  She couldn't keep living in this environment, in this life. She had seemed to age ten years in the last week. And how could it not? She was set to lose everything if she made the mistake of letting Kai know she wasn't going to play ball anymore. So she had to keep kowtowing to him, no matter how clear it became he was not a good person.

  "And here's my beautiful wife," Kai said as he guided Traci over to him. She walked stiffly to his side and stood with her back straight, jaw set, and a forced a smile that held no light. "Unfortunately, I've heard that my son won't be able to make it to dinner tonight. He's caught up in some business. A fine worker, that one."

  He beamed at Traci, and she tried to return the sentiment.

  Sunday resisted the urge to grab another glass of wine. She knew Bo was in the house and was probably just trying to avoid her.

  "Dinner will be served in fifteen minutes," Kai continued. "Please be seated in the dining room." He gestured through the archway to his right.

  Happy murmurs fluttered from the crowd as everyone began to rise to their feet, finish off their wine, and return their used glasses to the passing waitresses.

  Sunday spotted each of her companions before she followed the crowd as it flowed toward the dining area.

  In the center of the room sat a long narrow table, set with white dishes and centerpieces with candles and dried arrangements. The nearest wall boasted raw brick, and several iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling. A fireplace burned in the far corner, adding the scent of firewood to the mingle of lavishly prepared dishes that staff laid out on the tables and pushed around in serving carts.

  In front of each seat was a place card, Sunday held back as everyone took their seats Traci and Kai divided and headed toward opposite ends of what had to be a twenty-six seat table, she stepped around another guest and hurried to catch up with her. She was pleased to see her name to the right of Traci.

  Waitstaff worked around the table, placing appetizers on plates, filling cups, and providing extra silverware as needed.

  As the dinner proceeded, she caught the occasional word from Kai as he talked and laughed with his friends, acting as if he hadn't just spent days in the Caymans with them as they abused and sold girls.

  Traci picked at her food but smiled when anyone spoke to her.

  Everything from the appetizers to the main course to the wine was exquisite, but Sunday couldn't allow herself to enjoy it too much. She kept watch for the moment, but none came. At length, everyone had finished and began to trickle back into the lounge area where coffee was being served.

  As Sunday followed the group, she stuck close to Traci. A man diverted Kai's attention with a question, and Sunday tugged Traci's arm to hold her back. Kai didn't seem to notice as he continued forward, talking loudly.

  "Once everyone leaves we need to get him to the media room," Sunday whispered. "Grab your bag and then meet us in there."

&
nbsp; Traci glanced at Sunday, expression grim, but then she nodded. Sunday released her hold, and Traci drifted back toward her husband's side.

  In the lounge area, Sunday made a discreet circuit around the room, telling each of her friends to head to the media room, giving short directions on how to get there. One by one, Adeline, Olivia, and Melanie disappeared, and Sunday followed them.

  Inside the media room, Sunday paced, back and forth, finally she stopped at the fireplace, and held onto the mantle hoping it would give her some mock composure while she waited.

  When the door opened, Sunday inhaled deeply at the sight of Bo standing there with Traci right behind him.

  An enormous screen took up the wall to the left. To the right stood several rows of plush, stadium-like seating. Two smaller screens were mounted on the walls near the back.

  Distinct footsteps neared the door, and when Kai walked in, Sunday picked up the remote from the table right where Anna said she would leave it, and Adeline closed and locked the door as Olivia clicked a remote that turned on the overhead lights.

  "Hello, Mr. Camden," Sunday said. "You might want to have a seat."

  He spun around to face her, eyes narrowed in suspicion as he glanced around the room, at each of their faces.

  "Who the hell are you? What are you doing in here?"

  Sunday just smiled. "Have you ever played chess, Mr. Camden?"

  He smiled, the man was calm and cool, he had no clue what was in store for him. "Sure, when I was younger." Kai turned to his wife. "Traci, I'm exhausted. I'm heading to bed. Bo"--he turned to his son--"you and your friends, keep it down. Let's go Traci." He snuck a sneer at his wife and then faced Sunday again.

  "What?" Bo and Traci both exclaimed in unison.

  "Here's the thing," Sunday said, taking a step toward him. "In Chess it takes two people to play."

  "Fine, play with one of them," Kai pointed around the room."

  Sunday shook her head. "You're missing my point, Chess is just an analogy."

  "Great, then I'm the king." Kai was finally starting to lose his cool, it was exactly where Sunday wanted him. Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly, Sunday remembered.

  "Yeah, I know you're the King, unfortunately for you, you're in a room filled with motherfucking queens. As long as I can move then the game isn't over."

  She stabbed the red button on the remote and all three screens lit up with the evidence on the thumb drive, flipping through it, page by page. "My move," Sunday half laughed.

  Kai glowered at her, but said nothing.

  "There was a hefty life insurance policy you took out in your wife’s name and you named your mother the beneficiary. You do realize that just because you don't report it to your wife or to any of her loans, the bureau of vital statistics is still notified. Oh wait, you're her only beneficiary. Twenty-five million would have been a nice boon if everything else fell apart, wouldn't it?" Silence fell over the room.

  And then Kai laughed. "Whatever you think you have on me, you're mistaken."

  "You mean kind of like you and your business associates buying underage girls? Is that where you mean we're wrong?" Sunday flipped the images on the screen.

  Traci let out a whimper. "This makes me so sick. God, you are a sick man."

  "I've never done any such thing." He chuckled.

  "Actually you have. Just because you operate the account under your son's name--" Everyone except Sunday and Kai gasped at that announcement.

  "You what? I'll kill you myself." Bo lunged for him, but Traci grabbed hold of her son.

  "As I was saying, just because you do things under his name doesn't mean you aren't the one who did them. It only adds identity fraud to the list of charges piling up against you. True that is minor in comparison to embezzlement and whatever else the Feds charge you with."

  "It will take Bo years to prove he wasn't involved," Kai sneered.

  Sunday clicked the remote and the images on the screen changed, this time they showed Kai doing different things. Screen one, Kai was sitting at a desk, the photo was zoomed in on the document he held with Bo's forged signature and the paperwork on the desk read Royal Bank, Cayman Islands. Screen two, showed what Sunday assumed was Kai's buyer number,0453-11-0912-00-31001 along with the description of a girl and the final amount.

  "That is all in Bo's name, he will go down for it, not me," Kai's voice quivered just the teeniest bit.

  "Actually it won't. Bo has made several claims over the last few years that he believed his identity was being used. There is even a record with your bank in the Caymans of his inquiry."

  Bo stared at Sunday at this announcement. "I have?"

  Sunday winked. Adeline leaned over and whispered into his ear, "Yep, you have, it's amazing what our girl can do with a computer, isn't it. She post dated all your inquiries and had them filed."

  "Bullshit, they would have told me," Kai announced. "I pay them a lot of money."

  "Thank you for that confirmation, sir. However, you don't pay hackers. Too bad, they are useful."

  "Well done." Melanie patted Sunday on the back.

  The screens continued to revolve the papers showing bank transactions, pictures, and forged contracts. The barely contained rage on Kai's face made Sunday take a step back.

  Adeline cleared her throat. "Here's the deal. Traci had a divorce agreement drawn up by a lawyer. You need to sign that, now, and we will get out of your hair."

  They all jumped at the sound of a door slamming shut. Sunday turned to see that the only one missing was Bo. Something about this whole thing was very symbolic. Closing a door on what could have been. Here she had been busting her ass trying to protect him because she believed in his innocence, and he, once again, left her alone.

  She shook her head and tried to steel her heart. "I would think very carefully about your next move. Traci wants to protect the innocent clients at Camden Financial, you are welcome to all the ones that are equally fucked up as you are. In other words, you can keep all of your shady dealings. Well, that is until the Feds close in."

  Kai gripped the edge of his desk his knuckles were white, he didn't move as he listened.

  Adeline was ready to launch at him. "Whatever you have running through your head, I would advise against it. You may just make our case that much easier."

  Kai ground his teeth as he looked between them and his wife, anger contorting his face.

  Finally, he said, "Where is it?"

  With a shaking hand, Traci pulled an envelope from her bag and glanced at Sunday, who nodded reassuringly. Swallowing hard, Traci handed it to her soon-to-be, ex-husband.

  He snatched it away and yanked out the papers. As he flipped through them, his expression morphed into dark amusement.

  "Oh, so stupid," he said in a patronizing tone, "this isn't any good without being notarized."

  Melanie stepped forward, reaching into her bag. "Well, look at that. I am a notary."

  Kai glared at each of them in turn and then fixed his gaze on Traci. She wilted a little, and then, with a glance at Sunday, she stood straighter, taller.

  At length, Kai looked away and turned to Melanie. "Let's get this over with."

  Melanie pulled out her stamp, book, and pen and sat on the couch as Traci and Kai signed the divorce papers. When they finished, she notarized it and handed the papers back to Traci.

  It was over. Traci was free.

  "Let's get what you need and get you out of here," Sunday said, going to Traci's side.

  Together, the Iron Ladies escorted Traci as she packed for her new life.

  Bo

  When Bo ran into Sunday during the start of his parents' dinner party, he had been stunned. In hindsight, it didn't seem all that odd that Sunday had shown up to help his mother, since that was her job, but he had not been expecting to see her. He had no response formulated, no idea of where to begin to explain himself.

  His doorbell rang. He wasn't expecting company, and he scowled as he crossed the room to the fr
ont door and peered out.

  His mother was standing there, surrounded by luggage.

  "Mom! What's going on?"

  "I left your father."

  After a moment, he parted from her and, taking her by her shoulders, looked down into her face. "Are you okay?"

  She nodded. "Yes. I'm free. Now, we just need to start our own business."

  "We?" Bo asked.

  "Yes, we. I need to know that I'm leaving you something. You have always been my number one concern."

  "Come in." Bo stepped around her to grab her luggage.

  She took a few bags and strolled inside, letting out a relieved sigh. "I can't believe we did it. We're all going to be fine now. Your dad signed Camden Financial over to me, he signed the divorce papers. It's over." She paused. "Bo, what happened?" A serious look crossed her face. "Between you and Sunday, I want the truth."

  "I'm not okay with someone doing things behind my back. I've lived my life with dad doing them. I mean, she said that we would work together and that same day she is breaking her word and then doing things behind my back. Hell, she forged things about me. I mean this is what dad did." Bo let out a long pent-up breath. He was debating how he could exit the room--and the conversation--without upsetting his mother more. "I'm sorry. You have enough on your plate. You don't have time for my shit."

  "Yeah, I doubt that. I always have time for you. Doesn't matter how old you are, you're always my kid."

  Bo couldn't remember one time in his life where he had come to his mother for advice, and they both knew why. Kai Camden. Bo had adopted more of his father's independent ways and his mother's opinion on that wasn't favorable. Ever since he was a teen he had preferred to do things his way without much outside advice, so it took a lot for him to open up to anyone.

  Traci's calm blue eyes met his, and she shook her head, "You're having one of those arguments in your head. Which side is winning?"

  Bo laughed softly.

  Whenever Kai had a problem, he'd sit in his home office with a glass of brandy in his hand and with a stoic expression on his face and freeze them out. It was something Bo was thankful hadn't been passed down to him.