Chapter 5: The Brother Who Never Came Home
Arthur ordered the driver to remain inside the SUV and keep the doors locked.
Danielle refused to let Eli enter the vehicle until Victoria moved away from the door and promised she wouldn't separate him from his mother.
Only then did Danielle allow the boy to climb into the back seat with her.
Arthur remained outside.
Rain streamed down his face, but he barely noticed.
He was reading the hospital statement again.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Dr. Harold Bennett, a physician Arthur had known personally. Bennett had treated members of the Grant family for years before retiring.
If the document was genuine, the man who had signed Marcus's death report had known the identification was uncertain.
Arthur opened his contacts and called Bennett.
The call went straight to voicemail.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Victoria stepped out of the SUV, closing the door behind her.
"Arthur, the police need to see that threatening message.""
"I'll have security trace the number.""
"That's not what I said.""
He looked at her.
Victoria's face was tight with anger.
"You spent years telling me Marcus's death was settled. You told me the hospital confirmed everything. You told me the family needed to move forward.""
"I believed it.""
"Then explain why you're treating this like another business problem. A little boy just discovered that everything he knows about his father might be a lie.""
Arthur looked through the window.
Eli sat pressed against Danielle's side, his hands wrapped around the old silver watch. His eyes followed every movement outside.
"I know," Arthur said.
"No, you don't."" Victoria's voice cracked.
"You don't know what that child needs. He needs someone to tell him he isn't responsible for the secrets adults kept.""
Arthur looked away.
Victoria lowered her voice.
"And he needs us to stop frightening him.""
For once, Arthur didn't argue.
He returned to the SUV and opened the rear door slowly.
Danielle stiffened.
"What do you want?""
"To apologize.""
She stared at him as if she hadn't heard correctly.
Arthur looked at Eli.
"I'm sorry I shouted at you. I'm sorry I threw your backpack onto the car. And I'm sorry I made you feel like you had done something wrong.""
Eli studied him.
"Are you going to take my watch?""
"No.""
"Are you going to make my mom leave?""
"No.""
"Then why do you keep asking about my dad?""
Arthur crouched beside the open door.
"Because I think I failed him.""
Eli looked down at the watch.
"Did you fight with him?""
Arthur swallowed.
"Yes.""
"Before he died?""
"Yes.""
"Was that why he left?""
Arthur closed his eyes for a moment.
"That's what I believed.""
Eli looked up.
"But now you don't?""
Arthur couldn't give him a simple answer.
"No," he admitted.
"Now I'm not sure what happened.""
The boy turned toward his mother.
"Can we go home?""
Danielle stroked his wet hair.
"Yes, baby.""
Arthur stepped back, allowing her to close the door.
But before the driver could start the engine, Arthur's phone rang.
This time, the screen displayed a name he hadn't seen in years.
*SAMUEL PRICE.*
Arthur answered immediately.
"Samuel?""
An elderly man's voice emerged, thin and breathless.
"Mr. Grant, I saw the photograph online.""
Arthur frowned.
"What photograph?""
"The one of Marcus. Someone posted it on a private page, and now people are asking questions.""
"Who posted it?""
"I don't know. But I know what happened that night.""
Arthur gripped the phone.
"Then tell me.""
There was a long pause.
"Not over the phone.""
"Samuel, someone has threatened my family.""
"I know.""
Arthur went still.
"How?""
"Because the same thing happened to me yesterday.""
A cold sensation crept across Arthur's shoulders.
"What happened?""
"Someone broke into my house. They didn't steal anything. They left one thing on my kitchen table.""
"What?""
"A photograph of my granddaughter walking home from school.""
Arthur looked toward the SUV.
Eli's face was visible through the rain-speckled window.
"Where are you?""
"At the old St. Vincent's chapel. The side entrance. Come alone.""
"I'm bringing security.""
"No!"" Samuel's voice rose with sudden panic.
"If you bring anyone, I won't tell you anything.""
Arthur hesitated.
"Why should I trust you?""
"Because I was there when Marcus was brought in. And I was there when a man wearing your family ring ordered us to change the records.""
Arthur stopped breathing.
"What man?""
Samuel whispered a name.
"Your father.""
The call ended.
Arthur stood motionless beneath the streetlight.
His father, Robert Grant, had been dead for fourteen years.
He had never been alive to see Marcus's supposed death.
Yet Samuel Price claimed someone wearing Robert's ring had ordered the hospital records changed.
Arthur climbed into the front passenger seat.
Victoria immediately turned toward him.
"What happened?""
"We're going to St. Vincent's.""
Danielle's expression sharpened.
"No.""
Arthur looked back at her.
"Samuel Price called. He says he knows what happened to Marcus.""
"And you expect me to let you drive away with Eli after someone threatened him?""
"Eli is staying with you.""
Arthur glanced toward Victoria.
"Victoria, stay with them. Take the security team and go to the hotel. Don't let anyone approach the boy.""
Victoria shook her head.
"I'm not letting you investigate this alone.""
"Someone threatened our family.""
"Exactly. Our family.""
Danielle watched the exchange.
Then she spoke.
"Samuel told me to meet him at St. Vincent's six months ago.""
Arthur turned sharply.
"You've met him?""
"Yes.""
"What did he tell you?""
"That Marcus was alive when he left the hospital.""
Arthur's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"And you didn't tell me?""
"I didn't know whether you were involved.""
The words landed between them.
Arthur stared at her.
Danielle held his gaze.
"Marcus told me something before he disappeared," she continued.
"He said if anything happened to him, I shouldn't trust anyone who had access to the Grant family accounts.""
Arthur's expression changed.
"What accounts?""
"I don't know. He never explained.""
"Why not?""
"Because the night he disappeared, he called me and said he had found proof that someone in your family had been paying a hospital employee to falsify records.""
Arthur's mind raced.
"Who was receiving the payments?""
Danielle shook her head.
"Marcus never got the chance to tell me.""
Outside, the rain intensified.
Arthur started the engine.
Before pulling away, he looked through the rearview mirror at Eli.
The boy was watching him.
Arthur lowered the window slightly.
"Eli, I'm going to try to find out what happened to your father.""
Eli hugged the watch.
"Will you come back?""
Arthur paused.
Then he answered with a promise he intended to keep.
"Yes.""
The SUV pulled away from the curb.
As they approached the intersection, Arthur's phone buzzed again.
A new message appeared.
This one contained a photograph.
It showed Samuel Price standing outside the old St. Vincent's chapel.
The image had been taken only minutes earlier.
Beneath it were six words.
*YOU'RE ALREADY TOO LATE, ARTHUR GRANT.*
Arthur pressed his foot harder against the accelerator.
At the end of the street, the chapel's side entrance stood open.
A single light flickered inside.
And on the wet steps lay an object Arthur recognized immediately.
May you like
His father's gold signet ring.
The ring that had supposedly been buried with Robert Grant fourteen years ago.
