Chapter 5 - The Brother Who Came Smiling
Ryan walked into St. Catherine carrying flowers.
He arrived at 3:17 in the afternoon.
Detective Brooks had expected him.
So had Daniel.
The bouquet was white lilies.
The same flowers that had surrounded Daniel’s coffin.
Claire wanted to throw them at him.
Instead she stood beside her husband’s bed while Ryan entered under police observation.
He looked devastated.
His tie was crooked.
His eyes were red.
“Danny.”
Daniel stared at him.
Ryan stopped three feet from the bed.
Then he cried.
“I thought I buried you.”
Daniel’s voice was weak.
“You almost did.”
Ryan looked at Claire.
“What does that mean?”
Nobody answered.
Ryan placed the flowers on a table.
“I don’t understand any of this.”
Daniel watched him carefully.
“Sam Vale is dead.”
Ryan blinked.
“Who?”
That answer came too quickly.
Daniel said, “Doctor at County General.”
Ryan’s eyes shifted.
“Oh.”
“You golfed with him.”
“Lots of people golf at the club.”
“You paid him.”
Ryan’s face changed.
Not much.
But enough.
Claire saw it.
Daniel continued.
“You used him to declare me dead.”
Ryan looked toward the door.
Detective Brooks stood outside.
Then he laughed softly.
“You’re medicated.”
“I remember you in the ER.”
Ryan’s smile disappeared.
Daniel whispered, “I heard you.”
For the first time Ryan looked afraid.
Then the fear transformed into anger.
Only for a second.
Then it was gone.
“Danny.”
“You were unconscious.”
“I heard you say, ‘Make sure he doesn’t wake up this time.’”
Ryan shook his head.
“No.”
“I heard you.”
“You suffered catastrophic trauma.”
“You don’t know what you heard.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You always did that.”
“What?”
“Made people question what they knew.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
Daniel continued.
“When we were kids, you broke Dad’s watch.”
“You put it in my room.”
“We were nine.”
“You told Dad you saw me take it.”
“Are we really doing childhood stories?”
“You learned early.”
Ryan stepped closer.
“You nearly died.”
“You wake up confused.”
“And suddenly I’m responsible?”
Daniel glanced at the lilies.
“You shouldn’t have asked Claire about Madison’s music box.”
Ryan stopped.
A long silence followed.
Then Ryan smiled.
Very slowly.
“There it is.”
Claire felt goose bumps rise on her arms.
“The paranoia.”
Ryan looked at her.
“He’s sick.”
“You broke into our house.”
“No.”
“Madison saw your car.”
“A seven-year-old saw a black SUV.”
“She saw your broken taillight.”
Ryan’s face hardened.
“You’re using a grieving child as a witness?”
Daniel tried to sit up.
“Don’t talk about her.”
His monitor began climbing.
Claire touched his shoulder.
“Daniel.”
Ryan took another step.
“Look at you.”
“You can barely breathe.”
“You think you can fight me?”
There it was.
The sentence arrived before Ryan could stop it.
Everyone heard.
Detective Brooks entered immediately.
“Mr. Mercer.”
Ryan turned.
Brooks said, “I think this visit is over.”
Ryan looked back at Daniel.
His mask returned.
“I love you, brother.”
Daniel replied quietly.
“No, you don’t.”
Ryan left.
Twenty minutes later Brooks entered with news.
“We have enough to obtain broader warrants.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Good.”
“But not enough to arrest Ryan for attempted murder.”
Claire stared.
“What more do you need?”
“The warehouse is owned through a shell company.”
“The drugs were purchased using Vale’s credentials.”
“The documents implicate Ryan indirectly.”
“He will claim Vale acted alone.”
Daniel laughed without humor.
“He already prepared the story.”
“Yes.”
Brooks sat down.
“And Ryan has lawyers.”
“So we build this correctly.”
Madison sat beside her father drawing.
Daniel looked at her page.
“What’s that?”
“Our house.”
There were three people under a yellow sun.
Daniel.
Claire.
Madison.
Beside the house she had drawn something black.
“What’s that?”
“A door.”
“There isn’t a door there.”
“In my picture there is.”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“Where does it go?”
Madison shrugged.
“Somewhere Uncle Ryan can’t find us.”
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
That evening, Brooks arranged a secure location for Claire and Madison.
Daniel would remain hospitalized under guard.
Claire hated leaving him.
Daniel insisted.
“He came into the hospital once.”
“That man wasn’t Ryan.”
“Ryan sent him.”
“We don’t know that.”
“I do.”
Claire sat beside him.
“You almost died.”
“I know.”
“I watched our daughter climb into your coffin.”
Daniel looked away.
“I know.”
“I can’t lose you again.”
“You won’t.”
“You cannot promise that.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
She began crying.
“But I can promise I’m not going to keep secrets anymore.”
Claire held his hand.
“That would be a nice change.”
He deserved that.
During the months before the crash Daniel had become distant.
Late nights.
Locked phone.
Sudden trips.
He thought secrecy protected his family.
Instead it had left Claire completely unprepared.
“I’m sorry.”
She pressed his fingers against her cheek.
“Come home.”
“I will.”
That night Claire and Madison were moved to a small FBI-owned safe apartment outside Annapolis.
Brooks did not tell them the address until they arrived.
Madison hated the room.
The sheets smelled unfamiliar.
There were no stuffed animals.
No night-light.
Claire lay beside her.
Madison whispered, “Is Daddy going to die?”
“No.”
“You don’t know.”
Claire stared into the darkness.
Her daughter was right.
“I don’t.”
Madison rolled toward her.
“Then don’t say it.”
Claire felt tears fill her eyes.
“Okay.”
“Tell me something true.”
Claire thought.
Then she said, “Your father is alive tonight.”
Madison nodded.
“That’s true.”
“He loves you.”
“That’s true too.”
“And I’m right here.”
Madison closed her eyes.
“That’s enough.”
At 2:08 a.m., Claire’s phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
She almost ignored it.
Then a photograph appeared.
Daniel asleep in his hospital bed.
Taken from inside his room.
Under the photograph was a message.
May you like
YOU SHOULD HAVE LET HIM STAY DEAD.
Claire screamed.
