Chapter 12 - The Brother Removed from the Family
His name was Victor Westbrook.
Arthur had been the disciplined eldest son.
Victor had been brilliant, reckless, and furious at living beneath his brother’s shadow.
When Arthur inherited control of the family company, Victor challenged the will. He accused their father of changing the documents under pressure.
The court rejected Victor’s claim.
Six months later, money disappeared from a company pension account.
Evidence pointed toward Victor.
Before he could be questioned, his car was found at the bottom of a coastal cliff.
No body was recovered.
The family declared him dead.
Karen had believed the matter ended there.
Inside the lake house, Arthur’s recording suggested otherwise.
Margaret searched old company archives while Karen called Elena.
“Julian was charged,” Elena said. “He requested bail.”
“Was it granted?”
“No. The judge considered him a flight risk.”
Karen closed her eyes briefly.
One danger had been contained.
“What did you find?” Elena asked.
Karen told her about Victor.
Elena remained silent.
“Dad never mentioned a brother.”
“He wanted Victor erased from the family history.”
“Do you think he is alive?”
“I think someone wanted us to believe he was involved.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only honest one.”
Margaret found a file.
“Victor owned a company before his disappearance,” she said. “Northstar Maritime.”
Karen stared at the screen.
The organization from Arthur’s ledger was not a protocol.
It was Victor’s company.
“Northstar Maritime dissolved twenty-nine years ago,” Margaret continued. “But the name was registered again six years ago in Nevada.”
“By whom?”
“The registration is sealed through an agent.”
Karen looked at the dates.
Six years ago was when Arthur began writing the ledger.
It was also the year before his death.
Lily sat on the floor assembling pieces of the torn photograph.
“The missing man wore a ring,” she said.
Karen crouched.
Only part of the man’s hand remained in the photograph.
A black ring circled one finger.
Lily opened the gallery on her tablet and found a picture from a family dinner.
Daniel stood beside Julian.
Julian wore the same black ring.
Karen enlarged the image.
The design was not identical.
Julian’s ring contained a silver line through the center.
The ring in Arthur’s photograph contained the compass symbol.
“Julian was connected to Northstar,” Margaret said.
“Perhaps without knowing it.”
Karen called the investigator assigned to the fraud case.
“Search Julian’s personal jewelry,” she said. “Especially a black ring.”
The investigator called back twenty minutes later.
“We found the ring.”
“Was there anything unusual?”
“It contains a storage chip.”
Karen looked at Margaret.
“What is on it?”
“It’s encrypted.”
“Can you break it?”
“Our forensic team is working on it.”
“How long?”
“I can’t estimate.”
Karen ended the call.
Lily looked toward the lake.
A black vehicle had stopped near the private road.
“Are we expecting someone?”
Margaret reached for her phone.
The vehicle moved closer.
Its windows were dark.
Karen guided Lily away from the window.
The car stopped outside.
A man stepped out.
He raised both hands so the security camera could see them.
It was Daniel.
His suit was dirty, and a cut marked one side of his forehead.
He looked toward the camera.
“I need to speak with Karen.”
Margaret moved toward the alarm.
Karen stopped her.
“Wait.”
Daniel reached inside his jacket and removed several torn pages.
They belonged to Arthur’s ledger.
He held them above his head.
“Julian was never the target,” he shouted. “He was the door.”
Karen activated the exterior speaker.
“Who were you working for?”
Daniel looked toward the trees behind him.
“I’ll tell you after you let me inside.”
“You betrayed my family.”
“I was trying to stop someone worse.”
“You emptied the trust.”
“I moved it before Victor could take it.”
Karen’s heart struck hard against her ribs.
“Victor is alive?”
Daniel looked over his shoulder.
The black vehicle’s headlights flashed.
His face changed.
“That isn’t my car.”
A gunshot broke the silence.
The lake house window shattered.
Karen pulled Lily to the floor.
May you like
Margaret triggered the alarm.
Outside, Daniel fell behind the stone wall as the black vehicle accelerated toward the road.
