Chapter 14 - THE BROTHER WHO CAME BACK
Ryan returned two days later.
He walked into a police station three counties away and surrendered.
No lawyer.
No phone.
No explanation.
Lieutenant Doyle transported him under guard.
Eric refused to see him at first.
Then changed his mind.
Heather sat beside him.
Ryan entered the interview room wearing gray detention clothes.
He looked exhausted.
Eric stared at his brother.
"Where's the ledger?"
Ryan sat.
"Safe."
"That's what everybody says."
Ryan looked at Heather.
"I'm sorry about Olivia."
Heather's expression hardened.
"You let Melissa into our house."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because we were looking for the sewing box."
"You installed cameras."
"No."
"Then who did?"
"I don't know."
Eric laughed.
"Convenient."
Ryan looked at him.
"I worked for CROWN."
Eric's face tightened.
"For how long?"
"Since I was thirteen."
Heather felt sick even though she already suspected it.
Ryan continued.
"At first because they forced me. Later because I thought working for them was the only way to know what they were doing."
"That's Melissa's excuse too."
"It's not an excuse."
Ryan lowered his eyes.
"I did terrible things."
Eric asked, "Did you kill Mom?"
Ryan's head snapped up.
"No."
"Did Melissa?"
"No."
"Who did?"
Ryan's eyes filled.
"I don't know."
Eric slammed his hand against the table.
"Stop lying!"
Guards moved.
Heather touched Eric's arm.
Ryan whispered, "Mom called me the morning she died."
Eric froze.
"What did she say?"
"That she was meeting someone."
"Who?"
"She wouldn't tell me."
"Why?"
"Because she didn't trust me anymore."
Eric looked away.
Ryan continued.
"She knew I was still reporting to CROWN."
"About us?"
"About everyone."
Heather asked, "Why was she meeting Melissa three days earlier?"
"Mom had recruited Melissa years before."
"We know."
Ryan nodded.
"Melissa told her someone had reactivated succession."
Eric frowned.
"Reactivated?"
"Victor died eight years ago. CROWN fragmented afterward."
"But continued."
"Parts did."
"Who brought it back together?"
Ryan looked toward the camera.
"The Architect."
"Name."
"I don't know."
"You expect us to believe that?"
"I've never seen him."
Eric stood.
"Then how did he find you first?"
Ryan closed his eyes.
"The note wasn't about the Architect."
Heather leaned forward.
"Who was it about?"
Ryan looked at his brother.
"You."
Silence.
Eric slowly sat down.
"What?"
Ryan swallowed.
"I found the ledger at the cabin."
"Then?"
"I was supposed to deliver it to federal investigators."
"Did you?"
"No."
"Why?"
Ryan stared at him.
"Because I found your signature inside."
Eric went still.
"You said the account signature wasn't mine."
"This wasn't the account."
"What was it?"
"A succession acceptance."
Heather looked between them.
"When?"
Ryan answered.
"Six years ago."
Eric shook his head.
"No."
"I saw it."
"I never signed anything."
"It had your name."
"My name isn't proof."
Ryan leaned forward.
"There was a recording."
Eric stopped.
"What recording?"
"You speaking to Eleanor Hale."
Heather's stomach dropped.
"What did he say?"
Ryan's voice trembled.
"You said, 'If this protects my family, I'll do what you want.'"
Eric stared at him.
"I never said that."
Ryan's eyes filled.
"I heard your voice."
"Then it was fake."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
Ryan struck the table with both palms.
"I DIDN'T KNOW!"
Everyone outside the room moved.
Ryan lowered his voice again.
"I spent my whole life being told you were the chosen one."
Eric stared at him.
"Chosen?"
"You got everything."
"My life wasn't easy."
"You weren't locked in rooms."
Eric went silent.
Ryan's anger collapsed into grief.
"You weren't made to report on Mom. You weren't made to take pictures of Dad. You weren't thirteen years old wondering if your family still wanted you."
Eric's eyes filled.
Ryan whispered, "I loved you. I hated you. Sometimes I couldn't tell which was stronger."
Heather looked at both brothers.
There was CROWN's real weapon.
Not money.
Not surveillance.
Division.
Ryan continued.
"When I found that recording, I thought Mom had been wrong about you."
"So you took the ledger."
"Yes."
"Where?"
"I gave it to Eleanor."
Eric's face hardened.
Ryan nodded.
"I thought she was trying to destroy CROWN from inside."
Heather closed her eyes.
"When?"
"Eight months ago."
"Before all this started?"
"Yes."
Eric whispered, "Then Eleanor has everything."
Ryan shook his head.
"Not everything."
"What did you keep?"
Ryan looked directly at Heather.
"The page Margaret told me never to surrender."
"What page?"
Ryan's lips parted.
Before he could answer, the lights died.
Darkness filled the interview room.
A gunshot exploded outside.
Heather dropped beneath the table.
Eric pulled her down.
Guards shouted.
Another shot.
Then emergency lights turned red.
The interview room door opened.
A masked man appeared.
Ryan stared at him.
"No."
The gun lifted.
Eric moved in front of Heather.
The masked man fired.
Ryan jerked backward.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Officers tackled the shooter before he could fire again.
Heather crawled toward Ryan.
"Stay with me."
Ryan gasped.
Eric pressed both hands against the wound.
"Where's the page?"
Heather shouted, "Eric!"
Ryan grabbed his brother's sleeve.
His face had gone pale.
"The page..."
May you like
"Where?"
Ryan whispered, "Olivia has it."
