Chapter 5: The Brother Who Came for the Key
Daniel appeared in the study wearing an expensive navy suit and carrying a leather briefcase.
He stopped when he saw me.
"Michael.""
His eyes moved to the documents scattered across the desk.
Then to the photograph.
Finally, they settled on Nia.
His expression hardened.
"What is she doing here?""
I folded my arms.
"That's an interesting question. I was about to ask what you're doing here at three in the morning.""
Daniel gave a nervous laugh.
"Vanessa called me.""
I turned toward my wife.
"Did you?""
She didn't answer.
Daniel placed his briefcase on the desk.
"Look, Michael, whatever you've heard, there's a reasonable explanation.""
"Four hundred thousand dollars?""
His smile vanished.
Vanessa stepped toward him.
"Daniel, please.""
He looked at her.
"What?""
"Tell him.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Not here.""
I almost laughed.
Apparently, every person in my family had developed the habit of saving their explanations for somewhere private.
"No," I said.
"Right here.""
Daniel looked at the documents.
Then he reached for the photograph.
I pulled it away.
"Don't touch that.""
His eyes narrowed.
"You're making a mistake.""
"Which one?""
"Trusting people who don't belong in this family.""
I glanced at Nia.
"She's been protecting my father for three years. What exactly have you done?""
Daniel scoffed.
"I've been trying to protect everyone.""
"By stealing money?""
"It wasn't stealing!""
He slapped his palm against the desk.
"That money was supposed to be moved!""
"To an account under the name of a dead man?""
Daniel went silent.
I watched him carefully.
"You recognize the account?""
He adjusted his jacket.
"Edward Collins was involved in the original trust. There's nothing suspicious about his name.""
"Then why did Robert Hayes tell me the account wasn't what I thought it was?""
Daniel's expression changed.
"What did Robert say?""
"That it belongs to me.""
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
A silent conversation passed between them.
I noticed.
And I knew there was another lie.
"Tell me the truth," I demanded.
Daniel sighed.
"Your father created a trust for Samuel. But the trust had conditions. The money couldn't be released until Samuel reached a certain age or until the trustees approved a special request.""
"What request?""
"Medical expenses. Education. Housing. Things like that.""
"Who were the trustees?""
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
She lowered her eyes.
"Your father, Edward, and Robert," he answered.
"Edward is dead.""
"His position was transferred.""
"To whom?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said, "Your father.""
I stared at him.
"Then why did you need my signature?""
"Because your father was no longer mentally capable of managing the trust.""
"That doesn't give you permission to take the money.""
Daniel rubbed his face.
"Michael, listen. I made an investment. I was going to replace everything.""
"With whose money?""
"Mine!""
I looked at him.
"You haven't had four hundred thousand dollars in your life.""
His face reddened.
"That's not the point.""
"Where did the money go?""
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then Nia spoke.
"Some of it went to a company registered under your name.""
Daniel turned toward her.
"You need to stop talking.""
Nia stepped behind me.
I looked at her.
"How do you know?""
"Your father showed me the company registration papers. He said the company was created using Mr. Michael's identity.""
I turned toward Daniel.
"Did you register a company under my name?""
He shook his head.
"That's ridiculous.""
I opened the folder and pulled out a document.
The company was called Collins Legacy Management.
Its registered address was a small office building downtown.
Its director was listed as Michael Anderson.
My name.
My signature.
My date of birth.
I looked at Daniel.
"What is this?""
He stared at the page.
Then he laughed.
"Someone must have made a mistake.""
"Your signature is here too.""
His smile disappeared.
I pointed to the second signature.
Daniel Collins.
He said nothing.
Vanessa began crying again.
"Daniel, I told you not to do this.""
I turned toward her.
"You knew?""
She nodded.
"Only recently.""
"How recently?""
"Three months.""
I stepped away from the desk.
Three months.
For three months, my wife had known that her brother was using my identity to operate a company connected to my father's trust.
And she had said nothing.
"Why?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Because Daniel said if I told you, you'd destroy him.""
I stared at her.
"Maybe he should have thought about that before using my name.""
Daniel suddenly grabbed his briefcase.
"I'm leaving.""
I moved toward the door.
"You're not going anywhere.""
He stopped.
"Get out of my way.""
"No.""
He pushed past me.
I caught his shoulder.
He turned and shoved me hard enough to knock a stack of books off the side table.
Nia screamed.
Vanessa grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Stop it!""
Daniel shook her off.
Then something fell from his briefcase.
A small black notebook slid across the carpet.
Daniel froze.
I picked it up.
It was filled with handwritten names, dates, and account numbers.
Some pages contained photographs.
I flipped through them.
There was a picture of my father entering the nursing facility.
Another showed Nia leaving our house.
Then I found a photograph of a young man standing outside a grocery store.
He was perhaps twenty-four.
Dark hair.
A gray jacket.
A familiar expression.
Underneath the photograph was a name.
*Samuel Collins.*
I stared at the picture.
"Who took this?""
Daniel snatched the notebook from my hand.
"Give it back!""
I grabbed his wrist.
"Why were you following Samuel?""
Daniel struggled.
"Because someone had to!""
"Following him for what?""
He looked at Vanessa.
Then he looked at me.
And finally, he said something I hadn't expected.
"Because your father wanted to bring him into the family, and I knew you would lose everything if he did.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel pulled his wrist free.
"Your father promised Samuel the controlling interest in the company.""
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
"That's impossible.""
"Ask Robert.""
"Why would Dad give his business to someone he had never raised?""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Because he spent eleven years feeling guilty.""
I looked down at the photograph again.
The young man had my father's eyes.
And suddenly, I wondered whether he had known about us all along.
"Where is Samuel now?"" I asked.
Daniel didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Where is he?""
He finally spoke.
"He's in danger.""
"From whom?""
Daniel's eyes shifted toward the hallway.
Then he whispered, "From the people who think your father left him everything.""
I looked toward Vanessa.
She was staring at the floor.
"Did you know about this?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you know Daniel was following him?""
Another nod.
I felt something break inside me.
"How could you?""
Vanessa reached for my hand.
"Michael, I was trying to protect our future.""
I pulled away.
"By destroying his?""
She started sobbing.
Daniel suddenly moved toward the desk.
He reached for the silver key Nia had placed beside the documents.
I caught him before he could take it.
"That's enough.""
He struggled against me.
"Give me the key!""
"Why do you need it?""
"Because the cabinet contains the original agreement!""
I held his gaze.
"And what happens if I open it?""
Daniel stopped struggling.
His face became pale.
Then he whispered:
"You'll find out that your father wasn't the only person who signed the trust.""
Before I could question him, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
There was a photograph of Samuel standing outside a building.
Beneath it were nine words.
*Your brother is alive. But your wife knows where he is.*
I read it again.
Your brother.
Not your half-brother.
Your brother.
I looked up at Vanessa.
May you like
She was already staring at my phone.
And she was crying harder than before.
