Deadly Fortune | 3. Hiding
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What happened three days after Diane's death?
Three days after Diane McIver's death, the digital billboard on Corrie Tower displays the photo of Diane used in her obituary and is seen by the million-plus drivers that pass by every day. Her obituary reads in part... Diane McIver, a brilliant and inspiring force of nature, died on September 26, 2016. She is survived by her beloved husband and life partner, C.L. Tex McIver, with whom she shared 16 happy years in Atlanta, at their Putnam County cattle ranch, and on the golf courses of Reynolds Lake Oconee. When not at work, they were always at each other's side. She epitomized love and loyalty in action and lived a life out loud. One of her many godchildren was 10-year-old Austin Schwall of Atlanta, who called her Mommy Di and whose wish was her command.
With encouragement from her, he has become a straight-A student and an all-star athlete. She regularly demonstrated her role in his life as an ardent fan, tutor, disciplinarian, and pushover. He loved her for it. Instead of an official funeral, she had a celebration of life ceremony held at the Corey Company's headquarters. Hundreds of people attended. I was asked to be the emcee. Among the people in this room, I'm the least qualified person to hold this honor. I'm humbled, but Diane loved me. And I love Diane, but there's so many people here that she's known far longer, had so much life with. Ladies and gentlemen, Billy Corey.
What was Tex McIver's behavior following Diane's death?
If she was putting this on for me, it would be the same group here. Now, I'm putting it on for her. See, anything happens to me in the next couple of years, you've already been to it. You're getting two for one.
Tex, her husband, was there. But something was off. It was thick and palpable. Bill Crane, longtime friend of Tex's, remembers that day.
I would say 10 seconds after I entered the Corey building and walked into that big room, there were beautiful photographs of Diane, blowups on the wall with Austin, with friends in that circle of friends we're talking about. Picture, picture, picture, picture, picture, picture. None of the pictures. I text him. And I suddenly realized, because I'd heard about the conversation with Mr. Corey, but I suddenly realized within that circle of friends where he was.
He was a dead man walking in Billy Corey's eyes. As I acted as the event's MC, I saw an orchestrated dance keeping Tex from jumping onto the podium to speak about Diane. Billy simply did not want him to have the stage. The body language.
I mean, not just Mr. Corey. The whole room. I've never witnessed a leper coming out of a leper colony or a true pariah being shunned by a community and sent out or, you know, a scarlet letter being painted on, but it felt like that.
It wasn't spoken out loud that day, but there was a strong message sent to Tex.
Why did Tex hold an estate sale shortly after Diane's passing?
So he arrived late. He came, I believe, I cannot remember if Austin came with him, but they were visiting. And I walked over to him and I said, before you leave, I need to talk to you. And he said, oh, I need to talk to you too. And I said, well, we don't have to do it here. You've got a lot of people you need to see. No, let's do it now. So we go out of the big room. He sits me down and he says, the law firm is all over me about client's reaction to the Black Lives Matter comment. And he said, essentially, I need you to fall on your sword and to contact these news outlets and to recant what you told them at the time. He never made eye contact with me when he's asking me to do the whole time he's got his head down, you know, that big table in there.
And I was very shocked that he was asking. But I said, Tex, can't do that. I won't do that. But even if I would and could, It's not gonna put the genie back in the bottle. I went back in there and I was just sort of just stunned. I was stunned that this man I've known since childhood is asking me to lie. These people clearly think he's the LG. What have I done?
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What happened three days after Diane's death?
0:30–2:21
2
What was Tex McIver's behavior following Diane's death?
2:21–4:04
3
Why did Tex hold an estate sale shortly after Diane's passing?
4:04–14:01
4
What unusual things did Wendy notice about Diane's cremains?
14:01–20:11
5
How did Wendy feel about the handling of Diane's cremains?
20:11
6
What does the community think about Tex's actions?
7:32–12:19
7
What key questions did Danny Jo have for Tex?
12:19–34:05