Chapter 11 - Arthur was holding no weapon.That made Dominic more suspicious.
He stepped into the crypt.
“Give me the ledger.”
Dominic closed the box.
“No.”
Arthur looked at Adrian.
“You should have stayed gone.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“You should have stayed behind the mask.”
Arthur's expression tightened.
Dominic watched them.
There was something between the two men he did not understand.
History.
Betrayal.
Perhaps both.
Arthur looked at Ellie.
“She's the key, isn't she?”
Clare immediately pulled her daughter behind her.
Dominic stepped between them.
“You won't touch her.”
Arthur shook his head.
“I don't intend to.”
“Then why is she in the ledger?”
Arthur looked genuinely surprised.
“She isn't.”
Dominic froze.
He opened the ledger again.
Ellie's name was missing.
He checked the page.
It was a separate file.
A coded attachment.
Arthur looked at it.
Then went silent.
Adrian said:
“That's the real trap.”
“What?”
“The ledger is bait.”
Dominic stared at him.
“Explain.”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“Your father was a paranoid man.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“He wasn't paranoid.”
“He was terrified.”
“Of what?”
Arthur looked at Dominic.
“Of the family.”
Dominic waited.
Arthur finally spoke.
“Your father discovered someone inside the organization was creating a second network.”
“A second network?”
“An organization inside the organization.”
“Who led it?”
Arthur said nothing.
Adrian answered.
“Your father's second son.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Not Adrian.”
Dominic's face changed.
“There was no other son.”
Arthur smiled.
“That is what your father wanted everyone to believe.”
He pointed toward the corridor.
“Come.”
Dominic followed him.
Arthur led them into an old study.
There was a portrait of Dominic's father with three children.
Dominic.
Adrian.
And a boy Dominic had never seen.
Dominic stared.
“Who is that?”
Arthur looked at him.
“Your brother.”
Dominic shook his head.
“No.”
“His name is Julian.”
Adrian said nothing.
Dominic turned toward him.
“You knew?”
Adrian's eyes lowered.
“I knew about him.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because our father ordered me never to.”
Arthur spoke.
“Julian disappeared when he was twelve.”
“Disappeared?”
“He wasn't kidnapped.”
He paused.
“He was removed.”
“By whom?”
Arthur looked toward Dominic.
“Your father.”
Dominic felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because Julian had inherited something.”
“What?”
“The ability to access the succession trust.”
Dominic stared.
“That's impossible.”
Arthur smiled.
“No.”
“Then where is he?”
Nobody answered.
The silence was broken by Ellie.
She stepped toward the portrait.
She pointed at Julian.
“That's Uncle Jay.”
Dominic turned.
Clare gasped.
Ellie nodded.
“He came to Daddy's room.”
Arthur's face changed.
“When?”
Ellie looked at him.
“Yesterday.”
Dominic's heart stopped.
“You saw Julian?”
Ellie nodded.
“What did he tell you?”
“He said…”
She paused.
“He said not to trust the man with the cane.”
Everyone looked at Dominic.
Clare pulled Ellie closer.
Dominic stood absolutely still.
Arthur stared at the little girl.
Then whispered:
“Your brother has been closer than any of us realized.”
Vincent's radio crackled.
A guard shouted:
“Sir! Someone has breached the east wing!”
Dominic looked toward Arthur.
“Julian?”
Arthur shook his head.
“No.”
The radio crackled again.
“Mr. Vale…”
A pause.
Then the guard's voice came trembling.
“We have identified the intruder.”
“Who?”
The answer came:
“Daniel Rowan.”
Clare collapsed against the wall.
Dominic grabbed Vincent's radio.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him here.”
The guard hesitated.
“There's a problem.”
“What?”
“He says he's not Daniel.”
Dominic stared.
“What does he say his name is?”
The radio crackled.
May you like
Then:
“Julian Vale.”
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