Chapter 8 - The Other Son)
Dominic Bellafonte's voice filled the workshop.
It was weaker than Conrad remembered.
But unmistakable.
"If you're hearing this, then I ran out of time."
Conrad sat alone at the workbench.
Samuel had taken Elliot and Mrs. Hart into the farmhouse kitchen.
Elias remained near the door.
Dominic continued.
"I have spent sixty years believing control could solve almost anything."
A pause.
"I was wrong."
Conrad stared at the recorder.
"Agatha had a child before I met her. She told me the baby died."
Conrad's mouth went dry.
"That was a lie."
The recording crackled.
"His name is Julian Mercer."
Conrad closed his eyes.
"I discovered this six months ago when Julian approached me privately. He did not ask for recognition. He asked for money."
Dominic coughed.
"I gave it to him."
Elias looked away.
"I thought paying him would protect Conrad from scandal."
Conrad almost laughed at the bitter repetition.
Protect him.
Everyone had protected Conrad so thoroughly that he had seen nothing.
Dominic continued.
"Then I discovered the transfers."
Paper rustled.
"Agatha used corporate accounts to fund Julian for years. I confronted her. She said she owed him the life she denied him."
The recording paused.
"Maybe she did."
Dominic's voice softened.
"But she did not have the right to steal from Conrad's future to pay that debt."
Conrad gripped the workbench.
"There is an amendment in my trust. Samuel Price does not know. Conrad does not know. Celeste knows enough to find it if necessary."
Dominic breathed heavily.
"I appointed her because she is the only person in this family Agatha cannot control."
Conrad shut his eyes.
His father had trusted Celeste.
More than him.
At first, that hurt.
Then he understood.
Dominic had not distrusted Conrad's intelligence.
He had understood Conrad's weakness.
Agatha was his mother.
Conrad would have wanted to believe her.
Celeste would have wanted evidence.
The recording continued.
"If Julian comes into the family openly, Conrad will try to accept him. That is who my son is beneath all the armor."
A long pause.
"But Julian does not want a brother."
Conrad looked up.
"He wants Conrad's place."
The recorder clicked off.
No one spoke.
Conrad stared at it.
Elias said quietly, "There's another file."
Conrad pressed play.
Dominic's voice returned.
"Julian told Agatha that Conrad had everything that should have been his."
Conrad frowned.
"That is nonsense legally. I married Agatha two years after Julian's birth. Julian is not my son and has no inheritance claim through me."
Another breath.
"But resentment doesn't care about law."
Conrad's face hardened.
"He believes Conrad's life was purchased by Julian's abandonment."
The recording ended.
Conrad sat for a long time.
Finally Elias spoke.
"I'm sorry."
Conrad looked at him.
"For what?"
"For leaving."
"You were threatened."
"I still left."
"Why?"
Elias rubbed his hands.
"After Celeste died, Mercer came to my house."
Conrad's eyes narrowed.
"He knew she gave me something. He said my granddaughter's medical records could become public. Said my daughter's job could disappear. Said accidents happen."
Conrad stood.
"He threatened your family."
"Without saying enough to prove it."
"Why didn't you call me?"
Elias smiled sadly.
"Would you have believed the old groundskeeper over your mother?"
Conrad wanted to say yes.
He could not.
Elias saw the answer.
"That's what I thought."
Conrad looked toward the farmhouse.
Elliot was visible through the window.
Mrs. Hart helped him pour milk.
Samuel sat across from them.
The sight stabilized Conrad.
"What evidence do you still have?"
Elias opened another drawer.
"A storage key."
"Where?"
"Albany."
Conrad frowned.
"Why Albany?"
"Celeste chose it."
"What is stored?"
"Original bank records. Dominic's signed amendment. Copies of emails. Photographs. And one notebook."
"Whose notebook?"
"Agatha's."
Conrad stared.
Elias nodded.
"Celeste found it in Dominic's study after he died."
"What is in it?"
"I never read all of it."
"But enough?"
"Enough."
Elias looked toward the recorder.
"Agatha documented payments to Julian for years. Tuition. Apartments. Investments. Debts."
Samuel entered the workshop.
He had heard the last sentence.
"That could establish motive and history."
Conrad looked at him.
"Can we go today?"
Samuel checked the time.
"Storage office will be closed."
"Tomorrow."
"Police need to be involved."
Conrad nodded.
Samuel looked surprised.
Conrad almost smiled.
"I'm learning."
His phone rang.
Detective Santos.
Conrad answered.
"Tell me."
Santos did not waste time.
"We arrested Julian."
"For what?"
"Attempting to access a restricted corporate archive using stolen credentials."
Conrad's expression sharpened.
"Where?"
"Your Manhattan office."
"When?"
"Thirty minutes ago."
"What was he trying to get?"
"We don't know yet."
Conrad looked at Elias.
"Did he say anything?"
Santos paused.
"He asked for one file by name."
"What name?"
"Project Orchard."
Elias dropped the storage key.
Conrad looked at him.
The old man's face had lost all color.
"You know it."
Elias whispered, "That was Celeste's code."
"For what?"
Elias looked at Elliot through the window.
Then at Conrad.
"For everything she found after she realized Agatha wasn't only stealing money."
Conrad tightened his grip on the phone.
"What else was she doing?"
May you like
Elias answered.
"Trying to take your son before he was even born."
