Chapter 3 - The Brother Nobody Mentioned
His name was Conrad Blackwood.
Unlike Garrison, Conrad had never appeared in newspapers.
No hospitals carried his name.
No buildings celebrated his philanthropy.
He had spent his life behind corporations.
Acquisitions.
Research partnerships.
Private medical investments.
"Conrad always believed medicine was wasted on compassion," Garrison explained. "He believed its real value was control."
Emily sat across from him while dawn slowly brightened the ranch windows.
"Control over what?"
"Birth. Genetics. Inheritance."
Ross turned the laptop toward Garrison.
"You never mentioned your brother."
"I didn't know he was connected."
"That's difficult to believe."
Garrison's gaze hardened.
"Believe whatever helps you investigate."
Ross leaned back.
"Why did you sell him the company?"
"Because my daughter died."
The room quieted.
Garrison continued.
"My wife had already died years earlier. After Rebecca died, I walked away from everything."
"Everything except law enforcement," Emily said.
"I had been a reserve sheriff before I built the company. I went back to investigative work because I needed something real."
Ross gestured toward the drive.
"And eventually began investigating your own former company."
"Yes."
Emily rubbed her temples.
The nausea that had followed her all night suddenly intensified.
Dr. Voss noticed.
"Are you all right?"
"Just tired."
"Any pain?"
"No."
"Your last menstrual cycle?"
Emily frowned.
The question seemed absurd after everything they had discussed.
"I don't know."
"Approximately."
Emily gave a date.
Voss's expression changed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Stop saying nothing."
Voss pulled a small diagnostic kit from her medical bag.
Emily stared.
"No."
"Take the test."
"They told me I can't get pregnant."
"Julian told you."
The distinction silenced her.
Fifteen minutes later, Emily stood in the ranch bathroom staring at two lines.
She checked the instructions.
Then checked them again.
Her knees weakened.
"Emily?"
Voss knocked.
Emily opened the door.
She held out the test.
For the first time since arriving, Dr. Voss smiled.
"Oh my God."
"No."
"Emily."
"No. I can't do this."
Garrison appeared at the end of the hallway but kept his distance.
Emily looked at him.
"They killed three babies."
"We don't know that."
"They marked them for termination."
"We know what the records say."
"I'm pregnant."
Voss placed both hands on Emily's shoulders.
"Then this pregnancy will be different."
Emily began crying.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
She covered her mouth while tears ran down her face.
Garrison turned away to give her privacy.
Emily noticed.
That small gesture mattered.
By afternoon, an ultrasound confirmed the pregnancy.
Six weeks.
And another surprise.
Two sacs.
Twins.
Emily stared at the monitor.
Voss pointed.
"There."
Two tiny flickers.
"Two heartbeats."
Emily whispered, "They're alive."
Garrison stood outside the room.
He refused to enter until Emily invited him.
When she did, he approached the monitor.
For several seconds he said nothing.
Then his eyes filled with tears.
"My daughter was pregnant when she died."
Emily looked at him.
"You never said that."
"She lost the baby first."
Voss lowered the ultrasound wand.
"At Carter Reproductive?"
Garrison nodded.
Emily suddenly understood.
"This isn't just an investigation for you."
"No."
"It's revenge."
He looked at her.
"I wanted revenge for years."
"And now?"
"Now I want proof."
Emily wiped her cheeks.
"Good."
Garrison raised an eyebrow.
"Because I don't want revenge either."
"What do you want?"
Emily looked at the two heartbeats.
"I want Julian to live long enough to watch every lie collapse."
That evening, Ross received a message.
The Carter house had been searched.
The external drive Julian thought was hidden had disappeared.
Julian had reported Emily missing.
And someone had broken into Dr. Reese's office.
Security footage showed Chloe entering shortly before 3 a.m.
When police arrived, the office was burning.
Ross looked toward Emily.
"Your husband knows something is wrong."
Emily rested one hand protectively over her stomach.
"Then let him wonder."
Garrison stood.
"We need to move her."
Ross nodded.
"Federal safe residence."
"No."
"What?"
Garrison looked toward the dark windows.
"If Conrad is involved, he'll find any address entered into a federal system."
"So where?"
May you like
Garrison picked up his keys.
"A place my brother thinks burned down twenty years ago."
