Chapter 10 - JOSH’S OFFERThe footsteps moved away.
Josh didn't force the door.
That scared me more.
“He doesn't need to break in,” Elena whispered.
“Why?”
“Because he thinks you'll come out.”
She was right.
Josh knew exactly how to manipulate me.
Family.
Guilt.
Fear.
Responsibility.
He had been doing it for years.
Then he called my phone.
I answered.
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere private.”
“You found the storage unit.”
I said nothing.
“You found Dad's recordings.”
“Did you know about them?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Dad was afraid of you.”
I laughed.
“Me?”
“He believed you'd destroy the family.”
“Funny.”
“What?”
“You destroyed it first.”
Silence.
Then Josh said:
“I can explain everything.”
“Start with David.”
Another silence.
“You know his name.”
“I know he's your biological father.”
Josh went quiet.
“I know about the trust.”
Nothing.
“I know about Northstar.”
His breathing changed.
“And I know the cruise was a setup.”
Finally, he answered.
“You shouldn't have found all this.”
“You shouldn't have forged my signature.”
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
He didn't answer.
“Mom?”
Silence.
“Ashley?”
Still silence.
“Josh.”
He whispered:
“It doesn't matter.”
“It matters to me.”
Then he said something I didn't expect.
“I'm not the villain.”
I nearly laughed.
“Really?”
“No.”
He sounded exhausted.
“You think I wanted this?”
“You tried to take my house.”
“I was trying to protect myself.”
“You tried to take forty-one million dollars.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
Josh hesitated.
“Mom.”
I froze.
“What?”
“You think she wants your money.”
“She does.”
“No.”
His voice dropped.
“She wants you dead.”
The corridor seemed to go silent.
“What did you say?”
“Mom knows the truth about David.”
“So?”
“She wasn't just there when he died.”
I closed my eyes.
“What happened?”
Josh said:
“She pushed him.”
Bella covered her mouth.
Elena went completely still.
“She pushed David during an argument.”
I felt sick.
“And you knew?”
“I found out two years ago.”
“Why didn't you go to the police?”
“Because she threatened me.”
“With what?”
“Your father left evidence implicating me.”
“Why?”
“Because I helped move the body.”
Elena stared at him.
“You did what?”
Josh's voice broke.
“I was twenty-two.”
“You helped hide a murder?”
“I didn't know he was dead!”
He started shouting.
“She called me. She said there had been an accident. When I got there, David was already gone.”
“Then why move him?”
“Because Mom told me Dad would destroy me.”
I stood in the darkness.
Everything felt unreal.
Then Josh said:
“I need you to listen.”
I waited.
“The cruise was supposed to end differently.”
“How?”
“You were supposed to sign the power of attorney.”
“And then?”
“Mom would transfer control of Northstar.”
“To who?”
“Not Ashley.”
“Then who?”
He didn't answer immediately.
Finally:
“An offshore company.”
My stomach tightened.
“Whose?”
Josh whispered:
“David's old partner.”
“Who?”
“You've already met him.”
I thought of Martin.
No.
Not Martin.
The unknown man.
The caller.
The SUV.
“Who?”
Josh answered:
“Charles Vane.”
I froze.
The name meant nothing.
Then Elena grabbed my arm.
Her face had gone white.
“You know him?”
She nodded.
“He was David's attorney.”
Josh continued:
“He's been waiting thirty years.”
“For what?”
“For the company.”
A pause.
Then:
“And Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“You're not the only person who inherited something from Dad.”
“What do you mean?”
Josh's voice was barely audible.
“There's a second trust.”
My blood ran cold.
May you like
“Whose?”
“Mine.”
