Chapter 9 - The Name That Should Not Be There)
Grant read the list again.
Tessa Monroe.
Impossible.
Tessa had not entered his life until months after Evelyn died.
Or so he believed.
Daniel stood beside him in the vault room.
Grant did not show him the list immediately.
That itself frightened him.
Daniel had been named too.
Everyone was now suspect.
Grant folded the paper.
Daniel noticed.
"What does it say?"
Grant met his eyes.
"Evelyn listed six people who were present when Noah was born."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"I was there."
"Yes."
"Who else?"
Grant handed him the paper.
Daniel read.
His face changed at Tessa's name.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
"Maybe another Tessa Monroe."
"Maybe."
Daniel looked at Grant's name.
"And yours."
Grant gave a bitter laugh.
"Evelyn was apparently suspicious of everyone."
"Or this isn't what it seems."
Daniel examined the paper.
"Could this be forged?"
Grant looked at Evelyn's handwriting.
"I'd recognize her writing."
"Handwriting can be replicated."
Grant thought of the forged trust.
Nothing could be assumed.
The remaining photographs showed Richard meeting unknown people outside restaurants, airports and office buildings.
One image showed Dr. Harlan leaving a laboratory owned by the Ralston family.
Another showed Daniel in conversation with Julian.
Grant's eyes lifted.
"When was this?"
Daniel stared at the photograph.
"I don't know."
"You're standing beside my missing brother."
"I can see that."
"When?"
Daniel flipped it over.
A date was written.
Six years earlier.
Daniel's face tightened.
Grant said nothing.
Finally Daniel sat down.
"I can explain."
Grant laughed once.
"Everyone can explain."
"Grant."
"Six years."
"I was trying to find him."
"For me?"
"No."
Grant stared.
Daniel looked down.
"For Evelyn."
The room went silent.
"She asked you?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"A year after your wedding."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because she made me promise."
Grant walked away from him.
Again.
Another person protecting him with lies.
Daniel continued.
"Evelyn believed Julian was alive. She received postcards."
"What postcards?"
"Blank ones. Different cities. Each had one letter written in the corner."
Grant turned.
"Julian used to do that when we were kids."
"I know. Evelyn figured it out."
"Why her?"
Daniel hesitated.
Grant already knew.
"Because he still loved her."
Daniel nodded.
Grant felt the old wound open.
Julian had accused Grant of taking everything.
Their father's approval.
The company.
Evelyn.
Grant had spent years believing jealousy drove Julian's disappearance.
Perhaps that belief had been carefully planted.
Grant pointed at the photograph.
"Did you find him?"
"Once."
"And?"
"He told me to stop looking."
"Why?"
"He said if he came back, people around you would die."
Grant stared.
"Who?"
"He wouldn't say."
"Did you tell Evelyn?"
"Yes."
"And she kept looking."
"Yes."
Of course she did.
That was Evelyn.
Fear only made her more determined.
Grant's phone rang.
Tessa.
He almost didn't answer.
Then he remembered Noah.
He picked up.
"Is he okay?"
"He's fine."
Grant exhaled.
Tessa continued.
"But something happened."
His pulse accelerated again.
"What?"
"Dr. Harlan came to the safe house."
Grant looked at Daniel.
"Why?"
"He said you asked him to check Noah."
"I didn't."
Tessa's breathing was controlled but tight.
"I didn't let him in."
"Where is he now?"
"Security stopped him outside."
Grant looked down at Evelyn's list.
Dr. Marcus Harlan.
"Keep the door locked."
"Grant."
"Yes?"
"There was someone with him."
"Who?"
"A woman."
Grant waited.
"I recognize her from an old photograph in Noah's nursery."
His stomach dropped.
"Who?"
Tessa lowered her voice.
"Evelyn's sister."
Caroline.
Another name on the list.
Grant had not seen Caroline Shaw in eleven months.
After Evelyn's funeral, Caroline blamed Grant for allowing Evelyn to travel alone during a storm.
Their relationship never recovered.
Grant asked, "What did she want?"
"She said Noah belongs with family."
Grant's hand tightened around the phone.
"What exactly did she say?"
Tessa repeated it.
"Tell Grant the Mercer family has already taken enough from us. Noah belongs with his mother's family now."
The call ended moments later.
Grant looked at Daniel.
"We're going back."
On the drive, Grant called Caroline repeatedly.
No answer.
Then Richard Vale sent a message.
YOU ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
Grant replied.
FOR WHAT.
Richard's answer came thirty seconds later.
THEY FOUND JULIAN.
Grant called him.
Richard answered immediately.
"Where?"
"You need to listen to me."
"Where is my brother?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know?"
"Because the people I work for are terrified."
Grant felt the first genuine opening.
"Who do you work for?"
Richard laughed bitterly.
"That's the wrong question."
"What is the right one?"
"Ask who your father worked for."
Grant went silent.
Richard continued.
"Your father didn't build Mercer Capital alone."
"My father founded it."
"On paper."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying the money Julian discovered wasn't being stolen from Mercer."
Richard's voice dropped.
"It was being returned to the people who built Mercer in the first place."
Grant stared through the windshield.
"Who?"
Richard whispered a name.
"The Halcyon Circle."
Grant had never heard it.
Richard continued.
"They owned pieces of banks, laboratories, private hospitals, investment houses. Your father handled money for them. Julian found the network. Evelyn found Julian."
"And you?"
"I kept the accounts balanced."
Grant's disgust turned his stomach.
"You helped them."
"I survived them."
"You drugged me."
Silence.
"Richard."
"I authorized the medical team."
Grant closed his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because they told me if I didn't, they would take Noah without bothering with paperwork."
Grant nearly crushed the phone.
"Who is they?"
Richard's voice shook.
"Caroline Shaw."
Grant stopped breathing.
Evelyn's sister.
Richard continued.
"Caroline isn't trying to steal Noah for money."
"Then why?"
"Because she believes Noah belongs to her."
Grant felt the world tilt.
"What does that mean?"
Before Richard could answer, the line disconnected.
Grant called again.
No response.
Thirty seconds later Daniel received an alert.
Richard Vale's vehicle had crashed through the barrier of Mercer Capital's underground garage.
It had fallen three levels.
By the time emergency crews reached him, Richard was gone.
May you like
And the security footage showed something impossible.
Richard had not been driving.
