Chapter 10 - The Brother Roman Never Knew
Roman laughed once in disbelief.
“No.”
Helena pushed an old letter across the table.
Elias had written it to Daniel years earlier.
I have tried to compensate for cowardice with money. It was not enough.
Nora whispered, “Daniel is your brother.”
“Half brother,” Helena said. “His mother worked for Calder Shipping. Elias paid for Daniel’s education and gave him a place at the company, but never his name.”
Roman thought of the silver watch.
FOR KEEPING THE FAMILY SAFE.
“Daniel wrote the trust?”
“He helped,” Helena said. “Then Elias caught Daniel and Marco moving money. Your father changed the inheritance plan. Everything went to you and your future children.”
Roman’s jaw tightened. “And he died that night.”
Helena began to shake.
“I saw Daniel put something into Elias’s drink.”
Nora stared. “You saw that and said nothing?”
“Marco threatened you.”
“You use me as an excuse for everything.”
Helena lowered her head. “Yes.”
Brooks entered with an urgent look.
“Daniel’s car was found near Union Station. A ticket was purchased under another name.”
“Where to?” Roman asked.
“Milwaukee.”
Roman knew immediately.
The Calder company had an old records depot there, scheduled for demolition. Original trust files had been stored in its archive decades earlier.
“He’s going for the trust,” Roman said.
Brooks stood. “We’re leaving now.”
Roman moved with her.
Nora caught his arm. “No.”
“He killed my father.”
“And Sophie almost lost you again today. Stay.”
Roman hated that she was right.
Then his phone rang.
Daniel.
Roman answered.
A child was crying in the background.
Not Sophie.
May you like
A boy.
Daniel said, “Your father had one more grandchild.”
