Chapter 8 - The Brother in the Station)
Grant called Daniel repeatedly.
No answer.
Police traced the number.
Disconnected.
For six hours, Grant moved between anger and disbelief.
Then surveillance footage from the station provided context.
Vanessa entered at 6:12 a.m.
Daniel appeared seventeen minutes later.
They did not embrace.
They argued.
At 6:32, Vanessa handed him something.
At 6:34, two men entered from the east corridor.
Daniel saw them.
He grabbed Vanessa's arm.
Both ran.
The camera lost them outside.
Detective Ortiz replayed the sequence.
"They may not be working together."
Grant crossed his arms.
"Or it was staged."
"Possible."
"Find my brother."
"We're trying."
At noon, Grant received a text.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
I NEED 5 MINUTES. COME ALONE.
A location followed.
Grant immediately showed Ortiz.
The detective shook his head.
"Absolutely not."
"It could be Daniel."
"It could be Vanessa."
"Then we find out."
"You are not walking into an uncontrolled location alone."
Grant understood.
He also knew Daniel would spot police.
They compromised.
Grant drove to an old church parking lot while officers remained several blocks away.
He stepped from the car.
Daniel emerged from behind the church.
Grant had not seen him clearly in eleven years.
His brother looked thinner.
Gray threaded his dark hair.
A scar crossed one side of his jaw.
Grant wanted to hit him.
Then hug him.
He did neither.
"You have five minutes."
Daniel nodded.
"Vanessa contacted me."
"Why?"
"She wants the drive."
"Everyone wants the drive."
"She says Northstar knows you have it."
"They've already threatened my children."
Daniel looked genuinely shaken.
"I heard."
"You were at the station with her."
"She chose the station because she thought it was public enough to keep herself alive."
"Alive from whom?"
"Adrian Vale."
Grant remembered the name.
"Who is he?"
Daniel looked around.
"The person Mason should have warned you about."
"Is he Northstar?"
"He runs operations in the United States."
"Vanessa works for him."
"Worked."
Grant studied his brother.
"Why would she betray him?"
Daniel's expression became grim.
"Because Amelia saved her life."
Grant stared.
"What?"
"Seven years ago Evelyn Cross was working for Vale. Something went wrong during an operation. Vale decided she was compromised."
"That's when Evelyn Cross died."
"Officially."
"How does Amelia fit in?"
"Amelia discovered her by accident while working with an international relief organization. Evelyn was injured and using another name."
Grant tried to process it.
"Amelia helped her?"
"Yes."
"Then Vanessa repaid her by threatening her?"
"It's complicated."
Grant stepped forward.
"I'm tired of that word."
Daniel nodded.
"Vanessa owed Amelia. For years she quietly kept Northstar away from your family."
Grant laughed bitterly.
"She locked my children in a shed."
"I didn't say she was good."
"Then what are you saying?"
"She came into your life because Vale ordered her to."
Grant's face hardened.
"To do what?"
"Watch you."
"And the children?"
"Watch them too."
Grant felt sick.
"Why?"
"Because nobody knew where Amelia's evidence went."
"So Vanessa spent three years searching my house."
"Yes."
Grant thought of every intimate moment.
Every family dinner.
Every time Vanessa comforted Sophie after nightmares.
Every time she slept beside him.
"Was any of it real?"
Daniel did not answer.
Grant looked away.
Then asked the question that mattered.
"What happened to Amelia?"
Daniel's eyes shifted.
Grant saw it.
"You know something."
"I know the crash doesn't make sense."
"Why?"
"Amelia called me eleven minutes before police say the SUV went over the ridge."
"You told me that."
"She called again."
Grant stopped.
"When?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Twenty-three minutes after the crash."
Grant stared at him.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
"What did she say?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"The line connected. I heard breathing."
Grant's skin prickled.
"Did you speak?"
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"Someone whispered my name."
"Amelia?"
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I don't know."
Grant stepped backward.
The official report stated Amelia died instantly.
Her body had been badly burned after the vehicle caught fire.
Identification came through dental records.
Grant had never seen her body.
He suddenly felt dizzy.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Because the next day I received a photograph of Ben leaving kindergarten."
Grant closed his eyes.
Daniel continued.
"With a message."
"What message?"
"If you want him to grow up, forget the call.
Grant stared at his brother.
"You let me bury her."
"I thought she was dead."
"But you weren't sure."
"No."
Grant stepped forward.
"You should have told me."
"I know."
Grant grabbed Daniel's jacket.
"You should have told me."
Daniel did not resist.
"I know."
Grant released him.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Daniel reached into his coat.
Grant tensed.
Daniel produced a small black phone.
"Vanessa gave me this."
"What is it?"
"She said Amelia left one final message that never reached the shed."
Grant stared.
"Where?"
"On this."
"Have you listened?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it's locked with a voiceprint."
"Whose?"
May you like
Daniel looked directly at him.
"Yours."
