CHAPTER 6 — THE BROTHER WHO DIDN’T EXIST
Malcolm Reed’s brother was named Marcus.
Officially, Marcus Reed had died twenty-three years earlier in a boating accident.
No body had ever been recovered.
Unofficially, he had spent two decades building a network from the remains of Task Force Nightfall.
Malcolm sat inside a federal vehicle with his hands restrained.
Naomi stood outside the open door.
“You worked for him?”
Malcolm lowered his head.
“At first, I thought I was protecting the country.”
“By impersonating a federal prosecutor?”
“By preventing sensitive operations from being exposed.”
“And today?”
He looked toward Richard.
“Today was supposed to end differently.”
Richard shouted from another vehicle.
“Don’t listen to him! Reed planned everything!”
Malcolm’s expression tightened.
“Richard was only supposed to secure Lily’s signature.”
Lily stood beside me, wrapped in a paramedic’s blanket.
“What signature?”
Malcolm hesitated.
Naomi stepped closer.
“Answer her.”
“A transfer of ownership.”
“For what?”
“The Ashford development companies. The shell corporations. The land holdings.”
Lily shook her head.
“I don’t own any of those.”
“Yes, you do.”
Richard went silent.
Malcolm continued.
“Three years ago, Richard moved controlling shares into your name without telling you. If investigators discovered the fraud, you would appear responsible.”
Lily stared at her husband through the vehicle window.
“You made me the fall person.”
Richard looked away.
“But he couldn’t access everything without your signed authorization,” Malcolm said. “That’s why they created the psychiatric case. If you were declared incompetent, Richard could control the assets as your legal guardian.”
Victoria shouted, “Stop talking!”
Malcolm ignored her.
“The violence escalated because Lily refused to sign.”
I looked at Richard.
“So today he was going to force her.”
Malcolm nodded.
“And if she still refused?”
No answer.
He didn’t need to give one.
Naomi prepared two teams for the courthouse raid.
I insisted on going.
She refused.
“Daniel is my responsibility.”
“You’re retired.”
“Marcus built this with my name.”
“And he may be waiting for you.”
“He is waiting for me.”
Lily touched my arm.
“Dad, don’t go.”
I wanted to promise her I would stay.
But Daniel had protected us by warning me, even while tied to a chair.
“I’m going to bring him back.”
Lily looked toward the mansion.
Then toward Richard.
“There’s something I didn’t tell you.”
I waited.
“The recording on my phone didn’t start when Richard hit me.”
“When did it start?”
“This morning.”
She removed the cracked device from an evidence bag.
“I recorded their entire conversation before the party.”
Naomi connected headphones and played the recovered audio.
Richard’s voice came first.
Then Victoria’s.
Then a third voice speaking through a secure call.
Marcus Reed.
He gave precise instructions.
Force Lily to sign.
Destroy the garage.
Deliver Arthur to the courthouse.
But the final words changed everything.
Marcus said:
“Once Bennett enters the lower chamber, initiate the courthouse collapse.”
Naomi stopped the recording.
“It’s a trap.”
“Yes,” I said.
Then the live feed from Daniel’s room returned.
Marcus stepped behind the chair.
He looked directly into the camera.
“Arthur, I know you’re watching.”
May you like
He placed a pistol against Daniel’s head.
“Come alone, or your friend dies before the first federal vehicle reaches the courthouse.”
