Chapter 4 - My Brother’s Greatest Lie
Grant surrendered without a fight.
That frightened me more than resistance would have.
He entered Roman's estate at ten that morning with no guards and no weapons.
He looked older.
Not thirty-two.
Fifty.
He hadn't slept.
Roman stood between us.
“You have five minutes.”
Grant looked at me.
“I'm sorry.”
I folded my arms.
“You've said that before.”
“Not like this.”
He pulled a chair out.
“I want you to sit.”
“No.”
He nodded.
“You're still stubborn.”
“I learned from the best.”
His eyes filled with something like regret.
“I never wanted you hurt.”
“But you hurt me.”
“Yes.”
“Again and again.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked at Roman.
“Because Victor threatened her.”
I stared.
“You told me you were protecting me.”
“I thought I was.”
“You signed me away.”
“I thought Roman would kill me if I refused.”
Roman spoke.
“I never threatened your life.”
“I know that now.”
I looked at Grant.
“What happened the night Luca died?”
He closed his eyes.
“I was there.”
The room went silent.
Roman's face hardened.
“You were at the harbor?”
“Yes.”
“With Arthur?”
“Yes.”
“Then why have you spent three years saying you weren't?”
“Because Victor made me swear.”
“Why?”
Grant looked at me.
“Because I saw what my father did.”
I felt cold.
“My father?”
“Arthur didn't order Luca's death.”
Roman went completely still.
“Then who?”
Grant whispered,
“Victor.”
Roman's hand tightened around his chair.
Grant continued.
“Arthur discovered Victor was stealing shipments. He planned to expose him. Victor learned about it and staged the ambush.”
“Why blame my father?”
“Because he had the power to make it believable.”
“And you?”
“I found out too late.”
Grant's voice broke.
“I saw Victor's men preparing to attack. I tried to stop them.”
“You failed.”
“Yes.”
I stared at my brother.
“So why did you protect Victor?”
“Because he had you.”
My anger returned.
“You could have told me.”
“He showed me photographs of you.”
“What kind?”
“Leaving school.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because they had people watching you.”
I shook my head.
“That doesn't excuse what you did.”
“I know.”
He pulled another envelope from his coat.
Inside were photographs.
Me walking home.
Me entering college.
Me at a restaurant.
Someone had followed me for years.
Victor had been watching me.
I felt sick.
Roman took the photographs.
“Who else knew?”
Grant hesitated.
“Your father.”
“What?”
“Dad knew Victor was watching you.”
“Then why didn't he protect me?”
“Because he was trying to find proof.”
I sat down.
Everything had become too large to hold.
My father had hidden the truth.
Grant had hidden the truth.
Roman had hidden the truth.
Everyone had made choices for me.
No one had asked what I wanted.
Roman knelt beside me.
He didn't touch me.
“Evelyn.”
I looked at him.
“You don't have to decide anything today.”
“I want to know about the recording.”
Grant swallowed.
“I don't have it.”
“Who does?”
“Victor.”
“Where?”
“The old customs office beneath Pier 19.”
Roman looked at Marcus.
Marcus immediately began issuing orders.
Grant stood.
“I'm coming.”
Roman shook his head.
“No.”
“Victor will expect me.”
“That is exactly why you're staying here.”
Grant's face fell.
“You need me.”
Roman looked at me.
“I need Evelyn safe.”
Grant looked at his sister.
He nodded.
Then he turned to leave.
I stopped him.
“Grant.”
He looked back.
“Did you ever love me?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“You were the only person in that family I loved without wanting anything from you.”
It was the first honest thing he'd said.
I believed him.
But belief wasn't forgiveness.
Not yet.
Roman took me to Pier 19 that night.
Rain hammered the harbor.
We entered through a side tunnel.
The customs office smelled like rust and seawater.
A single light burned in the center.
A tape recorder sat on a table.
No Victor.
Roman approached cautiously.
The recorder started playing.
My father's voice.
“Arthur Mercer.”
Then another voice.
Victor.
“Give me the ledger.”
Arthur replied,
“No.”
Victor laughed.
“You're going to sacrifice your own daughter over a book?”
My blood froze.
Victor continued.
“Evelyn has already seen too much.”
Arthur said something I couldn't hear.
Then a gunshot.
Another.
Luca's voice.
“Run!”
I grabbed Roman's arm.
The recording ended.
Then a new voice came through the darkness.
“Now you know.”
Victor stepped from behind the wall.
He was holding a gun.
But he wasn't aiming at us.
He was aiming at the tape recorder.
“You should have left the past buried.”
Roman stepped in front of me.
“You're finished.”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“She's the reason you never will be.”
Then he pulled the trigger.
May you like
The tape recorder exploded.
And the darkness filled with gunfire.
