Chapter 12 - THE BROTHER I THOUGHT WAS LOYAL
My younger brother Daniel had been running our legitimate construction businesses for twelve years.
He hated the criminal side of my life.
Or claimed to.
He stayed away from meetings.
Raised money for veterans.
Coached his son’s baseball team.
And told me repeatedly that Norah deserved better than my world.
I trusted him more than almost anyone.
Now Elena was telling me he had arranged the sabotage.
“No.”
She opened a folder.
Bank records.
Payments.
Emails.
Maintenance access.
Everything pointed to Daniel.
He had used Arthur as a shield.
Made it appear Arthur controlled the network.
Then arranged Flight 718 because he knew I would eventually follow Elena’s clues toward London.
“Why?” I whispered.
Elena looked at me.
“Because Daniel wanted the ledger.”
“Money?”
“Control.”
She continued.
“The ledger could destroy your organization and several competitors.”
My stomach tightened.
“If he controlled it…”
“He could eliminate everyone above him.”
Including me.
I laughed bitterly.
“Family.”
Elias looked away.
Elena continued.
“Arthur discovered Daniel’s plan months ago.”
“Then why not tell me?”
“Because Daniel had people around Norah.”
My hands curled.
There it was again.
My daughter.
The softest place in my armor.
Arthur had helped Elena survive.
Sent her photographs.
Fed Daniel false information.
And when Flight 718 was compromised, Arthur tried to warn me without exposing himself.
The messages.
The threat.
The demand for the ledger.
All designed to make Daniel think Arthur was following the plan.
I closed my eyes.
“I misjudged him.”
Elena’s expression softened.
“You misjudged a lot of people.”
Fair.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
“Brother.”
His voice sounded warm.
Normal.
“Glad you landed.”
My blood turned cold.
“How did you know?”
A pause.
Then he laughed.
“So you finally know.”
Norah was playing quietly beside Elena.
I moved away.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
“No.”
“Then you know what happens.”
“You’ve already failed.”
Daniel laughed again.
“Did I?”
My stomach tightened.
Then he sent a photograph.
Chicago.
Arthur sitting in a chair.
Blood on his shirt.
Alive.
Barely.
Daniel whispered:
“Bring me the ledger, or Arthur dies.”
I stared.
Then another photograph arrived.
My home.
My mother-in-law.
Norah’s school.
Places Daniel’s people had watched.
My fury became cold.
Elena stepped beside me.
“What happened?”
I showed her.
She closed her eyes.
Then said:
“We can’t give him the ledger.”
I looked at her.
“Arthur will die.”
She nodded.
“And if Daniel gets it, thousands of people stay trapped.”
For once, the choice wasn’t between family and business.
It was between one life and many.
Then Elias entered with new information.
“Warren.”
I turned.
“We found Arthur’s location.”
Hope surged.
“Where?”
Elias gave me the address.
Then added:
“And there’s something else.”
He looked toward Elena.
“Daniel isn’t your biological brother.”
I stared.
“What?”
May you like
Elias whispered:
“He’s Arthur Cole’s son.”
