Chapter 14 - THE BROTHER AT THE GRAVE
Her name was Denise Keller.
She was a former Harbor employee who still did private transport work.
She claimed she had been told Noah needed to be brought to a family member.
Then investigators showed her the hospital footage.
The false explanation.
The abandoned scrubs.
The waiting van.
Her story changed.
Victor had promised her ten thousand dollars.
Five paid in advance.
Five when the boy was delivered.
Ruiz gave Daniel only what she could.
“It’s enough for an arrest warrant on the attempted abduction. Financial charges will take longer.”
“And the crash?”
“We’re still working on it.”
Daniel nodded.
After eleven years, he had learned the difference between an answer and a wish.
Victor wasn’t at his office.
He wasn’t at home.
His attorney said he had no idea where he was.
At four that afternoon, Daniel received a message.
Come alone. Where you buried them.
He called Ruiz.
Then Rachel.
He did not go alone.
From the road, the cemetery looked almost peaceful.
Orange leaves moved across the grass.
Victor stood beside two pale stones beneath a maple tree.
Caroline’s name on one.
Noah’s on the other.
Daniel stopped several feet away.
Police waited out of sight near the entrance.
Victor looked at the smaller stone.
“You picked a good place.”
Daniel felt the words in his stomach.
“What do you want?”
“To talk before everyone decides who I am.”
“Who are you?”
Victor looked tired now.
Older.
“You were always allowed to fall apart. Dad died, and I handled it. The company nearly collapsed, and I handled it. You got married and suddenly every decision was about her.”
“So you stole from children?”
“I moved money.”
“You paid people to keep my wife locked up.”
“She was going to destroy everything.”
Daniel stared at him.
“She was going to tell the truth.”
Victor rubbed a hand over his face.
“The crash wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Daniel went still.
“What does that mean?”
Victor looked toward the road.
“Nothing.”
“What did you do to the car?”
“I said nothing.”
Ruiz stepped out from behind the line of trees.
“Victor Mercer.”
He turned.
For one second, Daniel thought his brother might run.
Instead, Victor looked at him with naked hatred.
“You brought them.”
Daniel glanced at the graves.
“You brought me here.”
As Ruiz secured Victor’s hands, his phone fell onto the grass.
The screen lit up with an incoming call.
DR. REESE.
Ruiz picked it up.
Daniel watched the name flash.
May you like
One arrest had opened the door.
There were still people on the other side.
