Chapter 10 - Brother Against Brother
Richard watched Rebecca’s video five times.
Each time, the last word hurt more.
Elliot.
His brother had surrendered.
He had brought evidence.
He claimed Samuel deceived him.
But Rebecca believed Elliot was involved years earlier.
Richard drove directly to the police station.
Briggs tried to stop him from seeing Elliot.
Nathan convinced her to allow a supervised conversation.
The brothers sat across from each other behind glass.
Richard did not bother with greetings.
“Rebecca named you.”
Elliot’s face changed.
“What?”
“She recorded a message before she died.”
Elliot closed his eyes.
Richard slammed his palm against the counter.
“You knew.”
“I didn’t know they would kill her.”
The room went silent.
Richard stared.
Those words were worse than denial.
“You knew something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Elliot looked suddenly older.
“Samuel told me Rebecca found the transfers.”
“And?”
“He told me to convince her she was mistaken.”
“Did you?”
“I tried.”
Richard’s hands shook.
“You spoke to my wife before she died?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The day before.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her to stay out of the trust.”
Richard stood.
The officer moved closer.
Richard forced himself to sit again.
“Why?”
“Because I thought Samuel was hiding evidence that Dad’s real will had been replaced.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“So you protected a thief because you thought his records would make you richer?”
Elliot looked down.
“Yes.”
“Rebecca died.”
“I know.”
“You said nothing.”
“I was afraid.”
“My wife died.”
“I know!”
Elliot struck the glass with his palm.
“I know!”
Richard stared.
Elliot’s eyes filled.
“You think I don’t hear that crash every night?”
“You weren’t there.”
“No.”
“But I knew she was scared.”
Richard’s breathing changed.
“What?”
“She called me.”
“When?”
“Before Samuel.”
Richard leaned forward.
“What did she say?”
“She told me someone had been following her.”
Richard’s heart stopped.
“And you didn’t tell police?”
“I told Samuel.”
Richard stared in disbelief.
“You told the man she was investigating?”
“I didn’t know!”
“You chose not to know.”
That silenced Elliot.
Richard stood.
“I may forgive what you did to me someday.”
He looked at his brother.
“But Rebecca?”
His voice broke.
“I don’t know if I can.”
He walked out.
That same afternoon, Hale Group’s board called an emergency meeting.
With Charles arrested and Richard distracted, several directors wanted temporary leadership.
Richard joined remotely.
One director said, “The company needs stability.”
Richard replied, “Then provide it.”
“Investors need confidence.”
“Then stop panicking.”
“We need you visible.”
“My daughter was targeted for kidnapping.”
Silence.
Richard continued.
“If anyone here believes a quarterly earnings call is more important than that, resign.”
Nobody spoke.
For years, Richard had protected the company’s image above almost everything.
Now he understood how easily “responsibility” becomes an excuse to neglect what matters.
He appointed interim operational leadership and stepped back temporarily.
The financial press called it weakness.
Richard did not care.
That evening, an unexpected call arrived.
Camille.
Richard stared at the number.
Briggs immediately began tracing.
He answered.
“Where are you?”
Camille was breathing hard.
“Is Sophie safe?”
Richard almost shouted.
“You don’t get to ask that.”
“Richard, listen to me.”
“You hurt her.”
“I know.”
The answer stunned him.
Not denial.
Not excuse.
“I know what I did.”
Richard’s voice became cold.
“Then turn yourself in.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“Samuel will kill me.”
“Samuel’s blood was in your car.”
A pause.
“I stabbed him.”
Briggs looked up sharply.
Richard put the call on speaker.
Camille continued.
“He found out I was leaving.”
“With Sophie?”
Silence.
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“You planned to kidnap my daughter.”
“I planned to disappear.”
“With my child.”
“I thought she was my only protection.”
“She is not protection!”
Richard’s shout filled the room.
“She is three years old!”
Camille started crying.
For the first time, it sounded real.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know when you locked her in a laundry room?”
Silence.
“Did you know when you told her Maria would disappear?”
Silence.
“When you trained her to lie about bruises?”
“I was trying to make the custody case believable.”
Richard closed his eyes.
There it was.
Confession.
Briggs wrote quickly.
“Why?” Richard whispered.
“Because Samuel said if I controlled Sophie, I controlled the voting shares.”
“You were going to steal everything.”
“At first.”
“At first?”
Camille swallowed.
“Then I found out what Samuel did to Rebecca.”
Richard went still.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“And you stayed?”
“I was terrified.”
“You stayed.”
“Yes.”
“You still hurt Sophie.”
“Yes.”
Richard hated how calmly she admitted it.
No excuses could erase it.
“What do you want?”
Camille whispered.
“I have proof.”
“Of Rebecca?”
“Of everything.”
“Where?”
“I’ll give it to you.”
“To police.”
“No.”
“Then no deal.”
“Richard, Samuel knows where Sophie is.”
Briggs stiffened.
Richard’s blood chilled.
“That’s impossible.”
“No location is impossible for him.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“What proof do you have?”
“A recording.”
“Of what?”
“Samuel ordering Rebecca’s death.”
The room froze.
Richard spoke carefully.
“Send it.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s physical.”
“Where?”
“I hid it.”
“Then tell Briggs.”
Camille began breathing faster.
“No.”
Richard heard something in the background.
A door.
Camille whispered, “Oh God.”
“What?”
“He found me.”
The line exploded with noise.
Camille screamed.
Then a man’s voice.
Older.
Cold.
Familiar from the recovered recordings.
Samuel Voss.
May you like
“You never were good at following instructions.”
The call ended.
