Chapter 5 - WHAT WAS IN HIS BLOODAdrian had not suffered a heart attack.
He had been poisoned.
The doctors found a rare synthetic compound in his original blood samples after Mara demanded another toxicology review.
Someone had put it in his coffee.
Adrian drank that coffee twenty minutes before entering the park.
Julian had attended the same breakfast.
Adrian stared at the security footage.
Mom sat in a wheelchair beside him.
“You still want proof?” she asked.
Adrian did not defend his brother.
That frightened me.
He called Mara.
“Freeze Julian's corporate access.”
Mom said, “He'll know.”
“I want him to.”
“That's dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“You haven't changed.”
Adrian looked at her.
“I have.”
“No. You just have better security.”
For a second, they stared at each other.
Emma whispered to me, “They still like each other.”
“Mom said our dad was Michael.”
“I didn't say Adrian is Dad.”
“You said—”
“I said they like each other.”
“You're weird.”
“You eat cereal dry.”
“That is unrelated.”
Adrian heard us.
Mom did too.
She turned pink.
That afternoon, the mansion alarm sounded.
Security locked every door.
Mara entered carrying a package.
No return address.
Inside was a child's red mitten.
Mine.
I lost it after Mom's accident.
There was also a note.
ONE LEDGER.
TWO GIRLS.
FAIR TRADE.
Mom screamed.
Adrian closed the box.
“Claire.”
“No.”
“Listen—”
“This is because of you!”
Her voice echoed through the room.
“You came into our lives and now they know!”
“They already knew.”
“You don't know that!”
“Your car was forced through a guardrail!”
Mom froze.
Adrian immediately regretted saying it.
Grandma sat down.
Mom whispered, “What?”
Mara explained.
Investigators had examined the car.
Brake lines.
Paint transfer.
Impact marks.
Someone hit Mom's car intentionally.
Mom cried silently.
I went to her.
Emma followed.
Mom held us so tightly it hurt.
We let her.
That night, Adrian slept outside our room.
I found him at two in the morning.
“You have bedrooms,” I said.
He opened one eye.
“So I've been told.”
“Why are you here?”
“Security.”
“We have Mara.”
“Yes.”
“And cameras.”
“Yes.”
“And guards.”
“Yes.”
“So why?”
He looked toward our door.
“Because I made a mistake twelve years ago.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
Adrian sighed.
“You really are Claire's daughter.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“I didn't believe your mother when she needed me.”
“Because your dad was rich?”
“Because he was my father.”
I sat beside him.
“Parents can lie.”
Adrian looked surprised.
“Mom lied about how our dad died.”
“She was protecting you.”
“Still a lie.”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
“Are you going to protect us?”
“Yes.”
“Is that a lie?”
“No.”
I believed him.
Maybe that was dangerous.
The next morning, Julian called.
He didn't call Adrian.
He called me.
The pink phone rang during breakfast.
Everyone stared.
I answered.
“Hello?”
“Lucy.”
I knew his voice.
Adrian grabbed another phone and signaled Mara.
Julian continued.
“You're a very brave girl.”
“Mom says strangers who say that usually want something.”
Julian laughed.
“Your mother is intelligent.”
“She doesn't like you.”
“I know.”
Adrian whispered, “Keep him talking.”
I frowned.
“I can hear you,” Julian said.
Adrian took the phone.
“Where are you?”
“Brother.”
“Where?”
“You always were impatient.”
“You poisoned me.”
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
Julian admitted it like he was discussing weather.
“Why?”
“Because you were about to discover Black Harbor.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“What is it?”
“Our inheritance.”
“Try again.”
Julian sighed.
“Black Harbor isn't stolen money, Adrian. It's control.”
“Of what?”
“Judges. Officials. Executives. Police commanders. People Father purchased for thirty years.”
Mom closed her eyes.
Julian continued.
“The ledger contains every payment.”
“And you want it.”
“I need it.”
“To protect yourself.”
“To protect the Vale name.”
Adrian laughed coldly.
“You tried to kill me.”
“A necessary correction.”
Emma whispered, “He's definitely bad.”
Julian heard her.
“Hello, Emma.”
She immediately stopped smiling.
Julian said, “Tell your sister to check her left shoe.”
My entire body froze.
Everyone looked at me.
Slowly, I looked down.
The memory card was gone.
May you like
And in its place was another note.
I CAN REACH YOU ANYWHERE.
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