Chapter 2 - Sonia Followed Joe Into the Night and Discovered Her Missing Brother Had Left Her a Message Inside Their Father’s CompanyThe wedding ended early.
Guests were escorted from the ballroom.
Security locked the rooftop doors.
Police arrived.
But there was no emergency.
No intruder.
No fire.
No bomb.
Someone had triggered the alarm manually.
Someone wanted the room emptied.
Sonia knew it immediately.
So did Joe.
She found him in the service corridor.
“You knew.”
He turned.
“Knew what?”
“That the alarm would happen.”
“No.”
“You looked toward the door before it went off.”
“I always look toward exits.”
“Why?”
“Habit.”
“Convenient.”
He smiled.
“You're difficult.”
“I have been told.”
She crossed her arms.
“Tell me about my brother.”
“I already did.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You told me what you wanted me to know.”
His expression became serious.
“You're right.”
“Then tell me everything.”
Joe leaned against the wall.
“Five years ago, Daniel discovered your father was involved in a financial arrangement.”
“What arrangement?”
“Real estate.”
“My father's a developer.”
“Not the kind you think.”
Sonia stared.
“Go on.”
“Your father's company was purchasing distressed properties.”
“That's legal.”
“Yes.”
“But?”
“Some of them belonged to people who were being forced out.”
She frowned.
“That's not enough to make someone disappear.”
“No.”
“What is?”
Joe looked at her.
“Daniel found money transfers.”
“Where?”
“Through offshore companies.”
Sonia's heart beat faster.
“My father?”
“Your father was not the final recipient.”
“Who was?”
Joe hesitated.
“That's what Daniel was trying to find.”
“And then he vanished.”
“Yes.”
“Why did everyone say he left voluntarily?”
“Because someone wanted your family to believe that.”
“Someone who?”
Joe looked toward the ballroom.
“Your father.”
Sonia stared.
“No.”
Joe said nothing.
“My father loves Daniel.”
“I know.”
“He would never do that.”
“I believe he loved him.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“No.”
Silence.
Then Sonia asked,
“What happened to Daniel?”
“I saw him the night he disappeared.”
Her breath caught.
“What?”
“We met in a parking garage.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me he was scared.”
“Of what?”
“He said someone inside his family had betrayed him.”
Sonia closed her eyes.
“Who?”
“He never said.”
“What happened after?”
“He gave me your envelope.”
“And then?”
“He got into his car.”
“Did he leave?”
“No.”
Joe's face tightened.
“Another vehicle blocked him.”
“What happened?”
“Two men took him.”
Sonia covered her mouth.
“You watched?”
“I tried to stop them.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was shot.”
She looked at his right shoulder.
The faint scar suddenly made sense.
“I woke up in a hospital.”
She whispered,
“And Daniel?”
“Gone.”
“Why didn't you tell us?”
“Because someone threatened your family.”
“Who?”
“I didn't know.”
“And now?”
“I think I do.”
He handed her another photograph.
A warehouse.
The same warehouse from Daniel's photograph.
Sonia recognized the location.
Her father's old development project.
“That's Whitmore Yard.”
Joe nodded.
“Your father sold it two years after Daniel disappeared.”
“To who?”
“An investment group.”
“Name?”
“Mercer Holdings.”
She froze.
Mercer.
The surname of the man who had visited her father three times that year.
The man her father always told her was “a business associate.”
“What does Mercer want?”
“Control.”
“Of what?”
Joe looked at her.
“Your family trust.”
Sonia frowned.
“My father's will?”
“More complicated.”
“How?”
“Your father created a private trust.”
“For Daniel and me?”
“For you.”
She stared.
“What?”
“You are the controlling beneficiary.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does if you know what your father hid.”
Sonia shook her head.
“My father doesn't hide things from me.”
Joe looked at her sadly.
“Maybe that's exactly what he wanted you to believe.”
They reached the parking garage.
Joe unlocked a black SUV.
Sonia stopped.
“Where are we going?”
“Your father's company.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel left something there.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to get into your car based on a guess?”
“No.”
“What then?”
“A message.”
He handed her a second envelope.
Inside was a piece of paper.
Six words.
Look where he signed his name.
Sonia stared.
“Whose name?”
“Your father's.”
She got into the SUV.
They drove downtown.
Whitmore Development occupied a twenty-floor glass building.
At midnight, it was almost empty.
Joe used a key card.
Sonia followed.
They entered the executive floor.
Her father's office was locked.
Joe looked at her.
“Your turn.”
“What?”
“He designed the system.”
Sonia pressed her thumb to the scanner.
The door opened.
Inside, everything was exactly as she remembered.
Large desk.
Black leather chair.
Photographs.
A silver fountain pen.
Sonia walked toward the desk.
She saw the framed picture.
Daniel at eighteen.
Her father behind him.
She touched it.
“Why would you do this to him?”
Joe didn't answer.
Sonia opened the desk drawers.
Contracts.
Receipts.
Nothing.
Then she saw something strange.
A signature.
On an old property deed.
Robert Lane.
She examined it.
The ink was different.
“Joe.”
He came over.
“This isn't his signature.”
“What?”
“He signs with a loop here.”
She pointed.
“This has a different pressure.”
Joe looked impressed.
“Your brother said you were good at details.”
“You knew he said that?”
“Yes.”
She swallowed.
Then found another document.
And another.
All signed by Robert.
All slightly different.
Someone had been forging his signature.
A hidden drawer opened beneath the desk.
Inside was a flash drive.
And a handwritten note.
Sonia, if you found this, you're finally old enough to know the truth.
She sat down.
Her hands trembled.
The note continued.
Daniel did not betray this family.
Her eyes filled.
I did.
She looked at Joe.
He remained silent.
She read the next line.
I thought I was protecting you both.
The lights suddenly went out.
Joe pulled her away from the desk.
A gunshot shattered the window.
He pushed her to the floor.
“Stay down.”
Another shot.
Then silence.
Sonia's heart hammered.
“Who?”
Joe raised his head slightly.
“Someone who knows we found the drive.”
He reached for it.
It was gone.
Sonia froze.
“Where is it?”
He looked at her.
“Someone took it while we were down.”
She felt a cold certainty settle into her stomach.
May you like
They weren't looking for Daniel anymore.
They were looking for her.
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