Chapter 9: The Other Son
Daniel Cross stood ten feet away.
He looked nothing like the villain I had imagined.
That was what frightened me most.
He wore a clean white shirt, dark trousers, and a silver watch.
No weapon.
No mask.
No sign of panic.
He looked like a businessman walking into a board meeting.
“Daniel,” I whispered.
He smiled.
“You remember me.””
“I've never met you.””
His smile disappeared.
“Not personally.””
Richard pushed himself upright.
“You shouldn't be here.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Neither should you.””
“You're supposed to be dead.””
“I've heard that before.””
Margaret stepped between us.
“Stay away from Eleanor.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“You're still protecting her.””
“That was your father's wish.””
“No.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“That was your father's mistake.””
I looked at him.
“What do you want?””
“The truth.””
“About what?””
“About why your father died.””
Margaret immediately said, “Eleanor, don't listen to him.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You've been lying to her for years.””
“So have you.””
“Yes.””
He looked at me.
“But my lies were meant to keep me alive.””
I felt my pulse race.
“My father wasn't murdered?””
Daniel shook his head.
“He was.””
“By whom?””
Daniel looked at Richard.
My husband stepped backward.
“No.””
Daniel nodded.
“Exactly.””
I turned toward Richard.
“What is he talking about?””
Richard's lips trembled.
“Daniel is trying to manipulate you.””
Daniel reached into his pocket.
Margaret tensed.
He slowly removed a photograph.
He handed it to me.
I looked down.
It showed my father standing outside a restaurant.
Beside him was Richard.
And behind them was Daniel.
But the photograph had a date.
Three days before my father's death.
I looked at Richard.
“You said you hadn't seen Daniel in years.””
“I hadn't.””
Daniel laughed.
“You've been lying again.””
Richard's face twisted.
“I was trying to protect her.””
“From me?””
“Yes.””
“From yourself.””
Richard lunged.
Daniel stepped aside.
Margaret shouted, “Stop!””
Richard slammed against the tunnel wall.
I raised my branch.
“Richard!””
He froze.
Daniel looked at me.
“You still defend him.””
“I don't defend anyone.””
“Good.””
He reached into his jacket again.
This time he pulled out a small cassette recorder.
Old technology.
My father's generation.
He pressed play.
Static filled the tunnel.
Then my father's voice emerged.
My knees almost gave way.
“Eleanor, if you're hearing this, then something has gone terribly wrong.””
I covered my mouth.
My father's voice continued.
“I don't know whether you'll hear this while I'm alive.””
A pause.
Then:
“But if I'm dead, do not trust Richard.””
Richard closed his eyes.
My father continued.
“Richard believes Daniel is the danger.””
Daniel stared at the floor.
“He isn't.””
I looked at Daniel.
My father's voice continued.
“The danger is the person Richard thinks he is working for.””
The recording crackled.
Then my father said:
“Eleanor, the man you married has never been acting alone.””
The recording stopped.
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Richard.
“Who were you working for?””
He shook his head.
“I can't tell you.””
“You just heard my father.””
“I know.””
“Who?””
Richard looked toward Daniel.
Daniel said nothing.
“Richard!””
My husband finally whispered:
“Your brother.””
I felt the world stop.
“I don't have a brother.””
Richard stared at me.
“You did.””
Margaret's face went pale.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Your father had another child.””
I looked at him.
“Who?””
Daniel swallowed.
Then he answered.
“Me.””
Silence.
My father's secret.
My husband's betrayal.
Julian's plan.
The trust.
The money.
Suddenly none of it made sense.
I looked at Daniel's face again.
There was something familiar in his eyes.
Something I had seen in old family photographs.
I shook my head.
“No.””
Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a faded photograph.
It showed a young woman holding a baby.
My mother.
I recognized her immediately.
Beside her stood my father.
And in his arms was a newborn boy.
On the back, in my father's handwriting, were four words:
*Daniel. My first child.*
I stared at the photograph.
“My mother knew?””
Daniel nodded.
“She knew everything.””
“And my father?””
“He spent forty-six years pretending I didn't exist.””
Richard whispered, “Because he was protecting you.””
I turned toward him.
“From my own brother?””
Daniel's expression changed.
“No, Eleanor.””
He looked directly at me.
“Your father wasn't protecting you from me.””
He stepped closer.
“He was protecting me from them.””
Then the tunnel lights suddenly flickered on.
At the far end, a red emergency light began flashing.
Margaret looked toward the airstrip entrance.
Her face changed.
“What?””
She whispered:
“They found us.””
Daniel looked at me.
“And this time, they're not coming for the company.””
May you like
He paused.
“They're coming for everyone who knows who really killed your father.””
