Chapter 4 - The Brother Nobody Buried

Dominic stood in the parking lot.

The black sedan disappeared.

He did not move.

“Who is he?”

Elena answered:

“Your father’s first son.”

“First?”

“Yes.”

“Before you?”

“Yes.”

Dominic looked at Vincent.

“You knew.”

“Yes.”

“Everyone knew.”

“No.”

“Enough people.”

Vincent said nothing.

Dominic turned to Elena.

“Who is his mother?”

She looked down.

“Not me.”

“That was clear.”

James Reed spoke:

“Her name was Sofia Maren.”

Edwin went still.

Dominic noticed.

“You know her.”

Edwin nodded.

“She worked ticketing here.”

Elena continued.

“Your father had a relationship with her before we married.”

Dominic stared.

“And Marcus?”

“Raised away from the family.”

“Why?”

Vincent answered.

“Because your grandfather refused to recognize him.”

Dominic frowned.

“Then how did he become my father’s boss?”

Vincent looked at James.

James nodded.

Then said:

“Because Marcus built the network your father eventually joined.”

Silence.

Dominic laughed.

“My father worked for his own son.”

“Yes.”

“That is insane.”

“No,” Elena said. “It is organized.”

She opened the suitcase.

One ledger.

Marcus Vale.

Payments beginning twenty-two years earlier.

Dominic’s father received money from Marcus.

Then used railway contracts.

Then property companies.

Then security firms.

Dominic looked at Elena.

“You discovered this.”

“Yes.”

“And tried to leave.”

“Yes.”

“Why Canada?”

“Because a federal contact was waiting across the border.”

Edwin whispered:

“He never arrived.”

Elena’s face changed.

Dominic noticed.

“What happened?”

James answered.

“Dead two days earlier.”

Dominic stared.

“Marcus.”

“Yes.”

Vincent looked around.

“We need to move.”

This time Dominic listened.

We went to an old railway office Edwin still owned.

Dust.

Wooden desks.

Manual switches.

Edwin locked the door.

Elena spread the files out.

Cassandra stood apart.

Dominic did not look at her.

Finally:

“What does Marcus want now?”

Elena answered:

“You.”

“Why?”

“Your father left control of Vale Logistics to you.”

“That company is mine already.”

“Legally.”

Dominic frowned.

“And practically?”

Vincent answered:

“Marcus controls the old routes.”

Dominic looked at him.

“Through who?”

Vincent’s face changed.

“My staff.”

Silence.

Dominic stared.

“You have people working for him.”

“Yes.”

“How many?”

“I do not know.”

Dominic almost laughed.

“Excellent.”

James added:

“Marcus also controls people inside railway police.”

Cassandra looked at her father.

“Still?”

“Yes.”

Edwin said:

“And maybe inside federal offices.”

Dominic rubbed his forehead.

Then looked at Elena.

“Why come back today?”

She reached into the suitcase.

A photograph.

Taken that morning.

Marcus entering Dominic’s estate.

Dominic stared.

“What?”

Cassandra went pale.

“I never saw him.”

Elena looked at her.

“He used the service entrance.”

I froze.

Service entrance.

I knew every person who entered through it.

Or thought I did.

Dominic turned to me.

“Anna?”

I thought back.

Deliveries.

Florists.

Caterers.

Musicians.

Then I remembered.

One man.

Gray uniform.

Temporary maintenance badge.

He had asked where the old office safe was.

I had told him it had been removed years ago.

My stomach tightened.

“He was inside.”

Dominic stared.

“When?”

“This afternoon.”

Elena nodded.

“That is why I came.”

Dominic looked at her.

“You saw him?”

“At the station.”

“Before buying the ticket?”

“Yes.”

“He followed you?”

“I think so.”

Cassandra whispered:

“Then he knew you were going to the estate.”

“Yes.”

Dominic looked at Vincent.

“What did he want there?”

Vincent answered:

“The trust documents.”

“What trust?”

Silence.

Dominic’s eyes narrowed.

Vincent sighed.

“Your grandfather left a sealed controlling trust.”

“For Vale Logistics?”

“Yes.”

“Why have I never seen it?”

“Because it activates when you marry.”

Dominic looked at Cassandra.

She went still.

“When I marry.”

“Yes.”

James closed his eyes.

Dominic turned.

“What happens?”

Vincent answered:

“Your voting control doubles.”

“That sounds good.”

“For you.”

Dominic stared.

“And for Marcus?”

“He loses every hidden proxy connected to the family shares.”

Silence.

Cassandra whispered:

“Our wedding would remove him.”

“Yes.”

Dominic looked at her.

“Did you know?”

“No.”

He looked at James.

“Did you?”

James nodded.

Cassandra stared.

“Dad.”

James whispered:

“That is why Marcus came back.”

Dominic’s face changed.

“So the engagement was not a problem.”

Vincent shook his head.

“The marriage is.”

A sound came from outside.

Glass breaking.

Edwin killed the lights.

Someone tried the office door.

Then a voice.

Male.

Calm.

“Dominic.”

Marcus.

Dominic stood.

Elena grabbed his wrist.

“No.”

Marcus continued from outside:

“You have spent one evening learning that everyone you love lied to you.”

Dominic stared at the door.

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Marcus laughed softly.

“Would you like to meet the only person who never pretended otherwise?”