Chapter 12 - THE SECRET EVELYN TOOK TO HER GRAVE
Daniel almost dropped the phone.
“What did you say?”
“Evelyn discovered the theft years before any of us realized.”
“That doesn’t mean she started it.”
“Not the theft.”
Grant sounded terrified.
“The investigation.”
Daniel glanced at Ruiz.
“Explain.”
“Evelyn went to federal investigators.”
Ruiz immediately began tracing the call.
Grant continued.
“She agreed to collect evidence against Andrew.”
Daniel stared at Evelyn’s frozen image on the computer.
“She was working with the government?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Because you told her Andrew was family and family came first.”
Daniel remembered the fight.
Four years ago.
Evelyn standing in their bedroom.
You trust him more than you trust me.
Daniel had answered:
Andrew has never lied to me.
The memory now felt like poison.
Grant said, “Andrew found out.”
“And killed her.”
“I didn’t see it happen.”
“But you know.”
“I know Pike supplied something. I know Celeste delivered it.”
Daniel gripped the phone tighter.
“So Celeste poisoned her.”
“Yes.”
“Why would Celeste help murder a woman she barely knew?”
Grant went quiet.
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“Grant.”
“Because Celeste was already sleeping with Andrew.”
The room went completely silent.
Daniel didn’t move.
Ruiz looked away.
Hannah stared at the floor.
Noah was too young to understand the full weight of it.
Daniel whispered, “How long?”
“Years.”
Daniel’s mouth went dry.
“Before Evelyn died?”
“Yes.”
“Before I married Celeste?”
“Yes.”
Grant continued quickly.
“Andrew put her near you after Evelyn’s death. You were grieving. She became someone you trusted.”
Daniel sank into a chair.
Every memory rearranged itself.
Celeste bringing food when he wouldn’t eat.
Celeste sitting beside Noah’s hospital bed.
Celeste holding Daniel at the funeral.
Celeste marrying him eighteen months later.
All of it.
A performance.
Grant said, “Daniel, I’m sorry.”
“Where are you?”
“Private terminal.”
“Stay there.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
Grant suddenly whispered, “He’s here.”
“Who?”
A gunshot cracked through the phone.
Daniel stood.
“Grant!”
Heavy breathing.
Then another voice came on the line.
Andrew.
“Little brother.”
Daniel’s entire body went cold.
“Where is Grant?”
“Grant always talked too much.”
“You killed him?”
“You really should stop asking questions you know the answer to.”
Ruiz motioned for Daniel to keep him talking.
Daniel forced himself to breathe.
“You took Noah.”
Andrew laughed softly.
“I protected the family.”
“You buried another child under my son’s name.”
“Details got messy.”
Daniel nearly lost control.
“I’m going to kill you.”
“No, you’re not.”
Andrew’s voice became calm.
“You’ve always been better at building things than destroying them.”
“What do you want?”
“The recorder.”
“No.”
“Then this ends badly.”
“For you.”
“For Hannah.”
Daniel’s eyes moved toward her.
Andrew continued.
“For the detective. For the boy.”
Daniel whispered, “You come near my son—”
“You still don’t understand.”
Andrew laughed.
“I’m already near him.”
Daniel turned.
Noah was gone.
The couch where he had been sitting was empty.
The back office door stood open.
Hannah shouted his name.
Ruiz drew her weapon.
Then Celeste’s voice screamed from somewhere in the mansion:
“DANIEL!”
They ran.
Celeste stood at the end of the hallway.
One arm wrapped around Noah’s chest.
A gun pressed against his head.
“Give me the recorder,” she said.
Daniel stopped.
Noah looked at him.
“Dad.”
Celeste pulled him backward.
“Now.”
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And Daniel realized Andrew had never been calling from the airport.
He had been inside the mansion the entire time.
