Chapter 8 - The Brother Who Chose the TruthAndrew returned to New York with a decision that stunned his closest advisers.
He would cooperate with federal investigators.
Not merely against Declan.
Against every illegal operation operating under the Callahan name.
Michael warned him.
"You understand what this means?"
Andrew nodded.
"Everything."
"You could lose the warehouses."
"Then I'll lose them."
"The businesses."
"Whatever was built through crime deserves to be investigated."
Michael stared at him.
"And your position?"
Andrew looked toward the window.
"My father died because he tried to stop a criminal enterprise. I've spent twenty years protecting the very thing that killed him."
Meanwhile, Nuler remained with Margaret at Catherine's house.
The two women spent hours talking.
Margaret told her stories about her childhood.
Nuler showed her photographs of school graduations, birthdays, and the small apartment she shared with Thomas.
Every memory made Margaret cry.
"I missed everything."
Nuler held her hand.
"You're here now."
But their reunion was interrupted by a phone call.
Declan had moved Thomas.
And he was preparing to flee the country.
Andrew learned that Declan intended to transfer millions through offshore accounts before disappearing.
Investigators traced one of his vehicles to an abandoned transportation depot.
The building was surrounded before dawn.
Andrew insisted on accompanying the authorities as a witness, but the operation commander refused to let him enter.
Nuler waited with Catherine at a secure location.
Her phone rang at 5:42 a.m.
It was Andrew.
"We found him."
"Thomas?"
"He's alive."
Nuler began crying.
"Is he hurt?"
"He needs medical attention, but he's conscious."
"And Declan?"
Andrew hesitated.
"He escaped through a service tunnel."
Nuler closed her eyes.
The nightmare was not over.
Thomas was transported to a hospital.
When Nuler arrived, he was lying in bed with a bandage above his eyebrow.
He smiled weakly.
"Hello, sweetheart."
She rushed to him.
"You scared me."
"I know."
She held his hand.
"Mom is alive."
Thomas's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Margaret. We found her."
Tears ran down his cheeks.
"Thank God."
Nuler sat beside him.
"Why didn't you tell me Richard Callahan was my father?"
Thomas looked devastated.
"Because your mother made me promise."
"Did you love her?"
He nodded.
"More than I ever told anyone."
"Did she love you?"
Thomas smiled sadly.
"Not the way I loved her. But she trusted me with the most important thing in her life."
"Me."
He nodded.
Nuler kissed his forehead.
"You're still my dad."
Thomas began crying.
At that moment, Andrew entered the room.
He looked at Thomas.
"For twenty years, you protected my sister."
Thomas stared.
Andrew extended his hand.
"I owe you more than I can repay."
Thomas took it.
"Just keep her safe."
Andrew looked at Nuler.
"That's the plan."
But before anyone could celebrate, Michael called.
Declan had contacted a reporter.
He was threatening to release documents claiming that Andrew Callahan had personally authorized several murders.
The documents were forged.
But if released without context, they could destroy Andrew before the real evidence reached court.
May you like
Declan had one final weapon.
And he intended to use it.
