Chapter 14 - The Page Meant to Divide Them

Evelyn read the notebook twice under the kitchen light. The warning appeared beneath pages of account numbers, meeting dates, and lists of apartment applicants: IF DANA BROOKS CONTACTS YOU, ASK WHO PAID FOR HER BROTHER'S LAWYER.

Dana had never mentioned a brother.

Evelyn called her and read the sentence aloud. A long silence followed.

“My brother, Marcus, worked for the construction contractor twelve years ago,” Dana said. “He was accused of fraud. I disclosed that history to my supervisors before joining this case.”

“Did Walter pay his legal bills?”

“An anonymous fund did. I suspected the foundation. I reported that, too.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because you aren't my supervisor and because I didn't want your family putting another person under suspicion without evidence. But you have every right to ask my agency for an independent review.”

That answer didn't settle everything. It made the next step clear. Evelyn requested confirmation from Dana's supervisor and turned the notebook over for proper forensic handling. A different investigator took charge of the portion involving Marcus so Dana couldn't be accused of reviewing her own connection.

By afternoon, the paper, ink, and handwriting had produced an unexpected lead. Hannah had written the account entries, but the warning was in another hand. Someone had added it recently, after retrieving the notebook from storage.

“Walter's people want us to distrust the only investigator who hasn't backed off,” Noah said.

“Maybe,” Evelyn answered. “Or somebody wants us to think that.”

The independent review cleared Dana to continue on matters not involving her brother. Then her supervisor delivered a bombshell: Marcus had entered a witness-protection arrangement years earlier after recording the contractor's executives discussing fake housing contracts.

“Can he testify?” Evelyn asked.

“He's willing. But there's a condition. He wants his sister out of the case for her own safety.”

Dana heard that and laughed without humor. “He hasn't talked to me in eleven years, and now he thinks he can tell me what to do.”

Before anyone could respond, a message arrived on Dana's secure line.

It came from Marcus.

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He had identified the voice on the motel recording.

It belonged to the foundation's newest board chair: Senator Richard Hale.