Chapter 11 - The Brother

Julian Mercer arrived at eight-fifteen in a navy raincoat, angry that security had searched his car.

"What the hell is going on?"

Dominic waited in the main hall.

"Where were you Tuesday afternoon?"

Julian stopped.

"Good morning to you too."

"Answer me."

"Boston. Meetings."

"With whom?"

"What is this, an interrogation?"

Dominic held up the red ledger.

Julian's anger disappeared.

Not surprise.

Recognition.

Dominic saw it.

"You know this."

Julian exhaled. "I know Voss keeps records."

Natalie stepped out from the drawing room. "Did you help them?"

Julian looked at her and suddenly seemed older.

"Natalie—"

"Did you help them steal Grandma's house?"

"No."

"Then why do you look guilty?"

Julian rubbed both hands over his face.

"Because I gave Brooke access to Dominic's hardware key."

The hall went silent.

Dominic's voice was flat. "Why?"

"She said you needed an emergency transfer while you were in Zurich three months ago. Said your token was locked in the safe and you couldn't reach me directly."

"And you believed her?"

"She's your wife."

"You didn't call me?"

Julian snapped, "You were impossible to reach! You disappear into meetings for twelve hours and expect the world to freeze."

Dominic took one step closer.

"How many times?"

Julian swallowed. "Twice."

"How many?"

"Four."

Emma, standing near the staircase, closed her eyes.

Dominic stared at his brother.

"Eight point six million dollars left a children's foundation."

Julian's face went gray.

"No. She told me it was tax restructuring."

"You handed over my authority without verifying anything."

"I made a mistake."

Natalie cut in. "A mistake is forgetting an appointment. You gave someone the keys to a vault."

Julian turned on her. "Stay out of this."

Dominic's voice dropped. "Do not speak to her that way."

Julian laughed bitterly. "There it is. Saint Dominic protecting everybody after the damage is done."

"What does that mean?"

Julian hesitated.

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Then he said the one thing that changed the room.

"Ask Brooke what she knows about Evan's crash."