Chapter 2 - The Secret Michael Died Protecting
Adrian stared at the document for so long that Lena wondered whether he had stopped breathing.
His own name appeared on an account connected to Michael's murder.
The transaction had been made from a private corporate account controlled by one of his holding companies.
He looked at Lena.
“Where did you get this?”
“Marcus.”
“How?”
“He left the file open.”
“Why?”
“He wanted me to sign something.”
“What?”
“A confession.”
Adrian's expression became unreadable.
Lena continued.
“He said if I didn't sign it, he'd make sure everyone believed I stole money from his company.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Not a dollar?”
“No.”
“What about Michael?”
“He knew.”
“How?”
“Because he investigated Marcus.”
Adrian leaned back.
For two years, he had believed Michael's death was an internal betrayal.
He had hunted people.
Destroyed alliances.
Removed executives.
But every trail had ended at a dead contractor or a burned account.
Nothing had ever pointed toward Marcus.
Until now.
“Tell me everything.”
Lena shook her head.
“Not here.”
“Why?”
“Because he can hear us.”
Adrian looked around.
“No one can hear us.”
“You don't know that.”
He smiled without humor.
“I built this room.”
“That doesn't mean nobody can get into it.”
Adrian considered her.
She wasn't paranoid.
She was frightened.
There was a difference.
“Where is the drive?”
She looked at him.
“I told you.”
“No.”
“You asked where it was.”
“You said you hid it.”
“I did.”
“Where?”
Lena hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Inside the restaurant.”
Adrian frowned.
“Where?”
“In the piano.”
He stared.
“You put evidence of your husband's crimes inside my restaurant piano?”
“I needed somewhere he wouldn't search.”
Adrian almost smiled.
“You're either very brave or very desperate.”
“Both.”
He stood.
“Stay here.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get your evidence.”
He exited through the rear door.
Two guards followed.
Three minutes later, the restaurant piano was moved into the private service area.
Adrian opened its lower panel himself.
Inside was a flash drive wrapped in plastic.
He removed it.
Back in the private room, he connected it to a secure laptop.
Folders appeared.
Financial records.
Medical reports.
Photographs.
Audio recordings.
Then one folder.
MICHAEL.
Adrian opened it.
The first file was a photograph of Michael sitting in a hospital room.
He looked bruised.
But alive.
Adrian stared.
“This was taken before he died.”
Lena nodded.
“By Marcus.”
“Why?”
“Because Michael had figured it out.”
“Figured out what?”
“Your mother.”
Adrian froze.
His mother had been dead for ten years.
“What about her?”
“She wasn't the person you thought she was.”
Adrian opened another file.
A recording began.
Michael's voice.
“If you're hearing this, don't trust the people closest to you.”
Adrian's heart tightened.
“I know that's vague.”
Michael laughed weakly.
“But if I tell you the name, you won't believe me.”
A pause.
“So listen to the evidence.”
Adrian looked at Lena.
Michael continued.
“Marcus Carter is not working alone.”
The recording ended.
Adrian stared at the screen.
“Who else?”
Lena shook her head.
“He didn't tell me.”
“Then why did you come to me?”
“Because he said you would understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That family isn't always blood.”
Adrian stared at her.
Then the laptop screen changed.
Another file opened automatically.
A photograph.
Marcus.
Standing beside someone.
Adrian knew the man.
His chief financial officer.
Richard Kane.
Adrian's best friend.
The man who had stood beside him after Michael died.
The man who had helped him rebuild.
The man who had told him not to trust Lena.
Adrian's face went cold.
Lena watched.
“That's him.”
“Richard.”
“Yes.”
“You've seen him?”
“Many times.”
“Why?”
“He came to our house.”
“When?”
“Before Michael died.”
Adrian stood.
“How many times?”
“Three.”
“What did he want?”
“I don't know.”
“Did Marcus meet him?”
“Yes.”
Adrian stared at the photograph.
His entire inner circle had just become suspect.
Then another file opened.
A bank transaction.
Richard Kane.
Marcus Carter.
One million dollars.
The payment description was simple.
PHASE TWO.
Adrian closed the laptop.
“We're leaving.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere secure.”
“Where?”
“My home.”
Lena stared.
“Your home?”
“Yes.”
“Won't Marcus know?”
“He won't know which one.”
Adrian led her through an underground passage beneath the restaurant.
They emerged into a private garage.
A black SUV waited.
During the drive, Lena remained silent.
Adrian glanced at her.
“You're afraid of me.”
“A little.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone else is.”
He looked back at the road.
“That doesn't answer the question.”
She took a breath.
“I've heard what people say.”
“Most of it is exaggerated.”
“That doesn't make it harmless.”
“No.”
She looked out the window.
“You really loved Michael?”
Adrian's hands tightened.
“Yes.”
“He talked about you.”
“What did he say?”
“That you were the only person he trusted.”
Adrian looked at her.
“When did he say that?”
“Three days before he died.”
Adrian felt something twist inside him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your husband found me first.”
They reached the estate.
Adrian's private residence sat on a heavily guarded cliff above the water.
Lena stared through the glass.
“This is a fortress.”
“It needs to be.”
Inside, Adrian led her to a bedroom.
“You can stay here.”
She stopped.
“I don't want to owe you.”
“You don't.”
“I can't repay you.”
“You don't have to.”
“Then why help me?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Because my brother believed you.”
Silence.
Lena nodded.
That was enough.
Later that night, Adrian sat alone in his office.
He opened Michael's final recording.
A second voice appeared.
It was Michael.
And then another voice.
Richard.
“I told you, Michael. Adrian can't know.”
Adrian froze.
The recording continued.
Richard said:
“If he finds out, everything collapses.”
Michael laughed.
“Then maybe it should.”
A gunshot.
The recording ended.
Adrian stared at the screen.
The room spun.
Richard had been there.
His best friend had been killed.
And Richard had known.
A knock sounded.
Lena entered.
“I can't sleep.”
“Neither can I.”
She looked at him.
“What did you find?”
Adrian turned the monitor toward her.
She read the transcript.
“Richard.”
“Yes.”
She looked worried.
“That wasn't all.”
“What?”
She pulled another document from her purse.
“Michael gave me this the week before he died.”
Adrian took it.
A list of names.
At the bottom was one handwritten sentence.
If anything happens to me, protect Lena from the man who calls you brother.
Adrian looked at the name beside it.
Richard Kane.
His best friend.
May you like
The man he had trusted for fifteen years.
And the man standing closest to him.
