Chapter 7: The Brother He Feared
Callum held my father's missing folder against his chest.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Voss lifted his phone.
Callum raised his empty hand.
"Please.""
"Put the folder down," I said.
"Wren, you need to listen first.""
"You broke into my house.""
"The door was open.""
"You took documents from my bedroom.""
"Desmond took them. I took them back from him.""
That stopped me.
"Where is he?""
Callum glanced toward the staircase.
"Gone.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
Voss stepped forward.
"Then start explaining.""
Callum looked exhausted.
Not frightened in the way Desmond had looked at the hotel.
Defeated.
He placed the folder on the hallway table.
I grabbed it.
Inside were copies of my father's estate records, bank statements and several handwritten notes.
"Why does Veyron Holdings list you as the beneficiary?""
Callum closed his eyes.
"Because Desmond used my identity.""
"Convenient.""
"I can prove it.""
"How?""
Callum reached into his jacket slowly and removed a flash drive.
Voss immediately said, "Don't plug that into anything.""
Callum almost smiled.
"Fair.""
I stared at him.
"Start talking.""
He leaned against the wall.
"Fourteen years ago, Desmond was broke.""
That didn't match the story I'd been told.
According to Desmond, he'd grown up comfortably, attended business school and entered corporate consulting.
"How broke?""
"Debt collectors. Gambling losses. Private loans.""
My stomach tightened.
"Desmond told me your parents left you both money.""
"They left us debt.""
Callum looked at the floor.
"Desmond was always good at becoming whoever people needed him to be. Charming son. Brilliant employee. Loyal friend.""
"And you?""
"The useful idiot.""
His mouth twisted.
"He asked me to register Veyron Holdings. Said he couldn't have his name attached because of a conflict with a consulting client.""
"My father.""
Callum nodded.
"I didn't know that then.""
"Six-point-two million dollars went into Veyron.""
"I never saw it.""
"But you were the beneficiary.""
"On paper.""
"Where did the money go?""
Callum looked at me.
"Into Corvina.""
Voss stiffened.
"What?""
"Desmond used part of it to buy an early private stake through nominees.""
I turned toward Voss.
"You said my father financed Corvina.""
"He did.""
"So Desmond stole from my father and invested the stolen money in the same company?""
Callum nodded.
"Not all of it. Some disappeared.""
I felt physically ill.
"Why didn't my father expose him?""
"He tried.""
Callum pointed toward the folder.
"Read the handwritten page.""
I found it.
My father's handwriting filled half a sheet.
Three names were underlined.
DESMOND ASHCOMBE.
VEYRON.
E. VOSS.
I looked at Elias.
His face tightened.
"What does this mean?""
"I don't know.""
"Your name is here.""
"I can see that.""
Callum interrupted.
"Desmond convinced your father that Voss was involved.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"He planted evidence.""
Voss looked stunned.
"That bastard.""
"Your father didn't know who to trust.""
Callum continued.
"He planned to meet Desmond the night he died.""
The air left my lungs.
"How do you know?""
"Because Desmond called me afterward.""
My voice barely worked.
"After my father died?""
Callum nodded.
"He was panicking.""
"What did he say?""
Callum looked directly into my eyes.
"He said, 'The old man collapsed before I could fix it.''"
My knees nearly gave way.
Voss grabbed my elbow.
I pulled free.
"Did Desmond kill my father?""
"I don't know.""
"Don't lie to me!""
"I'm not!""
Callum's voice cracked.
"He said they argued. He said your father grabbed his chest and fell. Desmond swore he called emergency services immediately.""
I remembered the official report.
Cardiac arrest.
No evidence of foul play.
"But he took something," Callum whispered.
"What?""
"Your father's authentication device.""
The stolen prototype token.
Voss cursed.
"Why are you telling me now?""
"Because Desmond called me tonight.""
"When?""
"After he left the hotel.""
"What did he want?""
"The original Veyron records.""
"Why?""
"He thinks I kept them.""
"Did you?""
Callum looked at the flash drive.
"Everything.""
My phone rang.
Naomi.
I answered.
"Wren, where are you?""
"Home.""
"Is Voss with you?""
"Yes.""
"Good. Don't leave.""
"Why?""
"We found Martin Bell.""
My stomach dropped.
"Where?""
"At Logan Airport.""
"Was he leaving?""
"He was trying to.""
"And Desmond?""
"Not with him.""
I looked at Callum.
Naomi continued.
"Martin agreed to speak with counsel.""
"About what?""
There was a pause.
"The $4.8 million transfer.""
I gripped the phone.
"And?""
"He says Desmond ordered it.""
"Where was it going?""
"That's the problem.""
Naomi's voice lowered.
"It wasn't meant to leave Corvina.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"The money was being moved into a special acquisition account.""
"For what acquisition?""
Naomi exhaled.
"Your shares.""
I went still.
"Desmond was preparing to buy Corvina stock?""
"No.""
May you like
Another pause.
"He was preparing to buy your fifty-eight percent after your death.""
