Chapter 10: My Brother's Final Betrayal
"You're not going to that estate alone.""
Admiral Reed stood between me and the hospital exit.
I held up my phone.
"Jonathan asked me to come. He says he has evidence.""
"Whitmore just accused him of deliberately trapping you inside a burning compartment.""
"Which is exactly why I need to hear what he has to say.""
Special Agent Mercer closed his laptop.
"Captain, we can arrange a controlled meeting. Your brother may be cooperating, or he may be trying to lure you into a trap.""
I looked at the admiral.
"Five years ago, I trusted people who told me they were protecting me. I'm not making that mistake again.""
Reed nodded reluctantly.
"Then we go together.""
Forty minutes later, three unmarked vehicles approached the Harrington estate outside Virginia Beach.
The property had belonged to my grandparents before my father inherited it. A long gravel driveway led to a two-story colonial house surrounded by enormous oak trees.
I hadn't visited in almost six years.
The last time I had been there, Jonathan had been helping me pack for deployment.
He had hugged me at the front door and told me to come home safely.
Now I was wondering whether he had already known what was waiting for me.
Mercer spoke through his radio.
"Two agents covering the rear. Another team securing the perimeter.""
I stepped out of the vehicle.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, the house smelled of old furniture and cedarwood.
A lamp was burning in my father's study.
"Jonathan?""
No answer.
I entered the room.
My brother stood beside the desk with his back toward me.
He was wearing the same navy-blue suit from the retirement party, but his tie was gone, and his sleeves were rolled up.
He turned when he heard my footsteps.
"Evelyn.""
I stopped several feet away.
"Did you lock the compartment?""
He looked at the floor.
"Yes.""
The answer was so quiet that I almost wished I hadn't heard it.
I took another step.
"Why?""
Jonathan rubbed his face.
"Because Victoria told me the system was going to be tested.""
"Tested?""
"She said the ship would remain in port. She told me the emergency controls needed to be remotely disabled for a few minutes so the engineers could inspect the override mechanism.""
I stared at him.
"How did you have access?""
He opened a desk drawer and removed an old laptop.
"I worked on the company's secure network. Dad had given me administrative access years earlier.""
"You weren't authorized to access Navy systems.""
"I know.""
"Then why did you do it?""
He looked at me.
"Because I thought I was protecting Dad.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You locked eleven sailors inside a burning compartment to protect Dad?""
His eyes filled.
"I didn't know there would be a fire.""
"You knew there was a safety problem.""
He didn't answer.
I looked around the study.
"Where's the evidence?""
Jonathan opened the laptop.
"Everything is here. The original communications, the remote access records, and the payment instructions.""
Mercer stepped forward.
"Mr. Harrington, don't touch anything else. We need to preserve the device.""
Jonathan nodded.
Then he turned toward me.
"But there's something you need to understand. I didn't act alone.""
I folded my arms.
"Who gave you the instructions?""
"Victoria.""
"Did Dad know?""
Jonathan hesitated.
"He knew I was working on something related to the equipment. He didn't know I had access to the ship's control system.""
I shook my head.
"You're protecting him again.""
"No. I'm telling you the truth.""
He opened a folder on the laptop.
A series of messages appeared.
The first was from Victoria Hale.
*Confirm remote access before 0800.*
The second was from William Shaw.
*Ensure the external override remains active until further instructions.*
The third was from an unfamiliar account.
*If Harrington's daughter enters the compartment, make certain the system cannot be reopened from inside.*
My stomach dropped.
I read the message again.
"Why does it say my daughter?""
Jonathan looked away.
"Because they knew you were going to inspect the equipment.""
"Who wrote it?""
"I don't know.""
"Jonathan!""
He flinched.
"I never saw the person's real identity. The messages came through a temporary account.""
Mercer photographed the screen.
"Can you recover the original sender information?""
Jonathan nodded.
"Maybe.""
He entered a password.
The screen changed.
A hidden directory appeared.
Inside were dozens of archived communications.
Jonathan opened the first file.
It contained an audio recording.
A man's voice spoke clearly.
"Richard, the girl is becoming a problem. She has the original inspection report.""
My father.
The voice was unmistakable.
I felt my legs weaken.
Jonathan looked at me.
"Keep listening.""
Another voice answered.
Victoria Hale.
"Then remove her from the investigation.""
My father's voice returned.
"She's my daughter.""
Victoria responded coldly.
"Then you should understand how dangerous she is to your family.""
There was a long silence.
Then my father said:
"Do what you have to do.""
The recording ended.
I couldn't move.
Jonathan whispered, "I found it three months ago.""
I turned toward him.
"Three months?""
"I was trying to figure out what happened.""
"And you didn't tell me?""
"I was afraid.""
I stared at my brother.
"Do you understand what it means to wake up in a hospital and discover that your own family has told everyone you've lost your mind?""
He lowered his head.
"I'm sorry.""
I shook my head.
"No. You don't get to say that and expect me to forgive you.""
Mercer approached the laptop.
"Mr. Harrington, we're going to need the complete archive.""
Jonathan nodded.
Then another file opened automatically.
It contained a photograph.
A photograph of my father meeting someone in a private parking garage.
I recognized the other man immediately.
Admiral Edward Whitmore.
But the date was what made me stop breathing.
The photograph had been taken two days before the fire.
Beneath it was a handwritten caption.
*FINAL APPROVAL — FAMILY WITNESS REMOVAL.*
I looked at Jonathan.
"What does this mean?""
He swallowed.
"There's another recording.""
He clicked play.
My father's voice filled the study.
"Once Evelyn is gone, nobody can connect the defective system to our original inspection.""
Then Whitmore answered.
"Make sure she doesn't come back.""
The recording continued.
But before the next sentence finished, the study lights went out.
A loud crash came from somewhere behind us.
Mercer shouted, "Everyone down!""
May you like
A gunshot shattered the window.
And from the darkness, someone screamed my brother's name.
