Chapter 10: The Night They Never Told Me
Marcus didn't answer.
Neither did Julian.
Caleb stared at the floor as if it might open beneath him.
I looked from one brother to the next.
“What happened?””
Marcus finally spoke.
“Claire, we were told not to tell you.””
“By who?””
“Dad.””
My heart sank.
“Why?””
Julian pulled out a chair.
“Because he thought you were being watched.””
I sat down slowly.
Marcus remained standing.
“The night Dad died, he called us.””
“All three of you?””
“Yes.””
“What did he say?””
Julian rubbed his palms together.
“He said Adrian had discovered the investigation.””
I stared at him.
“Adrian knew?””
“Dad thought he did.””
Caleb finally looked at me.
“He told us to stay away from you.””
“Again?””
“No.””
His voice broke.
“He told us to stay alive.””
Silence filled the room.
I whispered, “What happened after that?””
Marcus looked toward Daniel.
Daniel nodded.
Marcus continued.
“Dad said he was going to meet someone.””
“Who?””
“Richard Cole.””
Adrian's father.
My stomach twisted.
“Why?””
“They owned Northbridge Holdings together.””
Julian leaned forward.
“Dad had discovered money moving through the company.””
“How much?””
“Millions.””
I stared at him.
“And Adrian?””
“He was involved.””
I shook my head.
“No. Adrian was just an employee.””
“He was more than that,” Caleb said.
“He was the person moving the money.””
I closed my eyes.
Suddenly, years of memories rearranged themselves.
Adrian's late nights.
The secret calls.
The unexplained trips.
The way he became furious whenever I asked about his business.
“How did Dad die?””
Marcus looked at me.
“We got there twenty minutes after the crash.””
My breath caught.
“You were there?””
“Yes.””
“You saw him?””
Marcus nodded.
“He was conscious.””
My hand flew to my mouth.
“What did he say?””
Marcus's eyes filled.
“He asked about you.””
I began crying.
“What did he say?””
“He asked whether we'd found you.””
I couldn't speak.
Marcus continued.
“We told him you were safe.””
“Were you?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because Adrian had already taken you somewhere.””
I froze.
“What?””
Julian said quietly, “You weren't answering your phone that night.””
“I was with Adrian.””
“We know.””
“He took you to a hotel outside the city.””
I remembered.
Adrian had told me my father had died.
He had held me while I cried.
He told me my brothers were blaming me.
He told me they hadn't even come to the hospital.
But they had.
They had been there.
Marcus continued.
“Dad died before the ambulance could get him to surgery.””
I whispered, “And the police?””
“Called it an accident.””
“Why?””
“Because the brakes had been tampered with.””
I stared at him.
“Then why wasn't it investigated?””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Because the mechanic who inspected the car disappeared two days later.””
A cold sensation crawled up my arms.
“Disappeared?””
“Yes.””
I looked toward Daniel.
“Why are you only telling me now?””
He answered gently.
“Because your father left instructions.””
“What instructions?””
“To wait until you were safe.””
I laughed through my tears.
“I'm thirty-three.””
“And tonight,” Daniel said, “you finally became safe enough to hear it.””
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Detective Bennett immediately reached for her weapon.
Everyone went silent.
The footsteps stopped outside the office.
Then the door opened.
A uniformed officer stood there.
“Detective?””
Bennett stepped into the hallway.
The officer whispered something.
Her expression changed.
She returned to us.
“Claire, we found Vanessa.””
I stood.
“Is she alive?””
“Yes.””
Relief hit me so hard my knees weakened.
“But she was injured.””
“What happened?””
Bennett hesitated.
“She says someone broke into her apartment.””
“Who?””
“She didn't see his face.””
Then Bennett looked at Marcus.
“She did hear him say one thing.””
“What?””
Bennett's voice dropped.
“He told her, ‘Your brothers should have stayed out of this.’”
Marcus went completely still.
May you like
Because whoever had attacked Vanessa wasn't just after me anymore.
They were coming for my family.
