Chapter 6 - The Father in the GardenThomas Harper entered my house under armed guard.
Grace punched him.
Hard.
I respected that.
He did not defend himself.
Seven years missing.
Two children growing up without him.
A wife believing he was dead.
There are apologies too small for certain crimes.
Thomas tried anyway.
“I was protecting you.”
Grace laughed through tears.
“You all say that.”
I almost smiled.
She looked at me.
“That includes you.”
The smile died.
Thomas had indeed worked with federal prosecutor Helena Cross.
But not against me.
Against Vincenzo.
Years earlier, Thomas discovered hidden chambers being installed in properties owned by our family.
Rooms used to store evidence.
Sometimes people.
Daniel had recruited him.
When Daniel disappeared, Thomas entered witness protection.
“Why not take Grace?” I asked.
“Vincenzo had eyes inside the federal system.”
Thomas looked at Grace.
“If I brought you in, he would know exactly where to look.”
“You left me with nothing.”
“I sent money.”
Grace’s face changed.
“What money?”
Thomas looked confused.
“Every month.”
She shook her head.
“I never received anything.”
Another theft.
Somebody had intercepted it.
We traced the account.
Mrs. Baines.
The fired house supervisor.
She had been taking the payments for five years.
Roman arrested her before lunch.
Under questioning, she admitted working for Vincenzo.
But again, she said Vincenzo was not the person at the top.
Helena Cross was.
I stared at Thomas.
He went pale.
“That’s impossible.”
Apparently not.
Cross had used the investigation to seize evidence from both sides.
Blackmail.
Control.
Power.
Daniel had discovered she was corrupt.
That was why he disappeared again.
Mia sat outside the room coloring while adults destroyed one another with secrets.
At one point she looked up.
“Why do grown-ups lie so much?”
Nobody answered.
Because none of us had a good defense.
Helena called me that afternoon.
“Adrian.”
“Where is my brother?”
“You finally ask the right question.”
“Where?”
“Alive.”
My jaw tightened.
“For now.”
“What do you want?”
“The hard drive.”
“No.”
“Then perhaps Grace becomes a widow twice.”
Thomas stiffened.
Grace went white.
Helena continued.
“And perhaps little Mia learns that not every wall contains someone waiting to be rescued.”
I stood.
“You threaten children now?”
“You became sentimental.”
“No.”
My voice lowered.
“You made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You thought sentiment makes men weaker.”
I ended the call.
Roman looked at me.
“What’s the plan?”
For years, my answer would have involved guns.
This time, I looked at Thomas.
“You trust the federal system?”
“Parts of it.”
“Find the clean part.”
We contacted Internal Affairs, a federal judge Daniel had named in his files, and an investigative reporter who had spent years criticizing me.
Roman looked offended.
“You hate that woman.”
“Exactly.”
“You trust her?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because she hates me more than Helena.”
The best allies are sometimes people who have no reason to protect you.
We sent copies of the ledger to all three.
Insurance.
Then we arranged the exchange.
Hard drive for Daniel.
Helena chose an abandoned courthouse warehouse near the harbor.
I arrived alone.
At least, I appeared alone.
Helena stood beneath a single light.
Beside her was Daniel.
My brother.
Alive.
Older.
Scarred.
But alive.
For eleven years, I had imagined what I would say if some impossible miracle returned him.
None of those words came.
Daniel smiled.
“Hey, Ade.”
My throat closed.
Helena pressed a gun against his ribs.
“Touching.”
I held up the drive.
“Let him go.”
She smiled.
“You really became your father.”
“No.”
I looked at Daniel.
“I’m trying not to.”
His eyes softened.
Helena reached for the drive.
Then sirens erupted outside.
Her face changed.
I smiled.
“That copy is empty.”
“You—”
“The real ledger went to three people this morning.”
“You idiot.”
“No.”
I looked toward Daniel.
“My family spent too many years hiding truth behind walls.”
Federal agents stormed the warehouse.
Helena fired once.
Daniel shoved her arm.
The bullet struck me.
May you like
Pain exploded through my shoulder.
Then everything disappeared.
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