Chapter 4 - The Brother Emily Never Knew
Emily read the birth certificate five times.
Nathaniel Cole Harrington.
Born November 14.
Father: Arthur James Harrington.
Mother: Rebecca Cole.
Emily knew the name Rebecca Cole.
At least she thought she did.
“She worked for my father.”
Daniel nodded.
“Before your parents married.”
Emily looked at the date again.
Nathaniel was older than her.
That mattered.
Her father had not betrayed her mother.
But he had hidden a son for more than three decades.
“Did my mother know?”
“Yes.”
That surprised Emily even more.
“She knew?”
“Your father told her before their wedding.”
“Why didn’t they tell me?”
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“Rebecca wanted no connection to the Harrington family.”
“Why?”
“She believed Arthur’s world would destroy her son.”
Emily looked toward the ballroom below.
Maybe Rebecca had been right.
“What happened to her?”
“She died eleven years ago.”
“And Nathaniel?”
“Disappeared from our records afterward.”
Emily looked at Michael.
“How does someone disappear?”
“He changed his surname.”
“We believe he moved overseas.”
“Your father eventually found him.”
“When?”
“Last year.”
Emily felt betrayed all over again.
Her father had known.
He had found her brother.
And still said nothing.
Daniel seemed to read her thoughts.
“Arthur planned to tell you.”
“When?”
“After he spoke to Nathaniel.”
“And did he?”
“Yes.”
Emily waited.
Daniel’s expression told her there was more.
“Nathaniel wanted nothing from him.”
“Not money.”
“Not shares.”
“Not recognition.”
“Then why put him in Meridian?”
“Because Arthur believed he deserved something.”
Emily looked down.
“What does Nathaniel receive?”
“Thirty percent.”
“And me?”
“Seventy.”
Emily nodded slowly.
That did not bother her.
The money suddenly felt meaningless compared with everything else.
“What does Preston have to do with him?”
Michael opened another file.
“Two months ago, someone hired a private investigator to locate Nathaniel.”
“Who?”
“A company called Westbridge Consulting.”
Emily recognized the name.
“Preston uses Westbridge.”
“Yes.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Of course.
“What happened after they found Nathaniel?”
Michael placed several photographs on the desk.
The first showed a man entering a hotel in London.
Tall.
Dark hair.
A face Emily had never seen.
The second showed the same man outside a restaurant.
The third showed Preston.
Emily stared.
“They met?”
“Twice.”
“Why?”
“We don’t know.”
Emily looked toward the library door.
“Preston does.”
Daniel stopped her.
“Do not confront him yet.”
“Why?”
“Because we still don’t know what Nathaniel told him.”
Emily’s phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A message.
YOU SHOULD LEAVE THE HOUSE.
Emily showed Daniel.
Michael immediately took a photograph of the screen.
Another message arrived.
YOUR FATHER WAS RIGHT ABOUT PRESTON.
Emily’s heart raced.
WHO IS THIS?
The reply came instantly.
YOUR BROTHER.
Emily stood completely still.
Daniel whispered,
“Don’t answer.”
Another message appeared.
IF DANIEL MERCER IS WITH YOU, ASK HIM ABOUT THE RED LEDGER.
Emily looked at Daniel.
His expression changed again.
“What red ledger?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Michael stared at him.
“You told me Arthur destroyed it.”
“He told me he did.”
Emily stepped closer.
“What is the red ledger?”
Daniel looked exhausted.
“A handwritten record your father kept.”
“Of what?”
“Everything he discovered.”
“Names.”
“Accounts.”
“Payments.”
“Dates.”
“People Preston was working with.”
“Where is it?”
“We thought Arthur destroyed it before his death.”
Emily looked at the message.
Apparently not.
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Michael shook his head.
Emily answered anyway.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then a man spoke.
“Emily?”
Her throat tightened.
“Yes.”
“My name is Nathaniel.”
She sat slowly.
His voice was calm.
American.
Slightly deeper than her father’s.
Yet something about it felt familiar.
“Are you really my brother?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Emily did not know what to say.
Nathaniel did.
“You need to get out of that house.”
“Why?”
“Because Preston knows Arthur kept the ledger.”
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why is he still here?”
Nathaniel paused.
“Because he thinks you do.”
Emily looked toward the door.
“Why did you meet him?”
“He came to London.”
“He told me Arthur wanted to erase me.”
“That’s not true.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because your father came first.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“You met him?”
“Three times.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He wanted to.”
Nathaniel’s voice softened.
“I asked him not to.”
Emily felt anger rise.
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want your life.”
“I didn’t want Harrington.”
“I didn’t want inheritance fights.”
“I wanted nothing from that family.”
Emily looked at the birth certificate.
“But now?”
“Now your husband may have killed our father.”
The room went silent.
Emily whispered,
“What?”
Nathaniel continued.
“Arthur called me four days before he died.”
“He said someone had been altering his medication.”
“He had proof.”
“He told me if anything happened to him, I should contact Daniel.”
Daniel stared at the phone.
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because the next morning I received a photograph.”
Emily’s heart tightened.
“What photograph?”
“Of my daughter walking to school.”
Emily stopped breathing.
“You have a daughter?”
“Yes.”
“She’s seven.”
The threat became clear immediately.
“They threatened her.”
“Yes.”
Emily looked down at her stomach.
Preston knew about Nathaniel’s child.
Suddenly the inheritance clause felt even darker.
“Who sent the photograph?”
“Anonymous number.”
“But Preston called me six minutes later.”
Michael swore under his breath.
Nathaniel continued.
“He told me families become safer when everyone knows their place.”
Emily closed her eyes.
That sounded exactly like Preston.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Leave.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“This house belongs to you now.”
“That isn’t why.”
Emily looked at Daniel.
“The ledger is here.”
Nathaniel went silent.
“How do you know?”
“My father never trusted banks with personal evidence.”
“He hid things close.”
“Always.”
Emily suddenly remembered something.
A childhood game.
Her father used to hide birthday gifts and give her riddles.
The safest place is where everyone looks but nobody sees.
She stood.
“I know where he might have put it.”
Daniel followed her gaze.
“Where?”
Emily looked toward the portrait above the fireplace.
Her father’s portrait.
Everyone had looked at it for years.
Nobody ever looked behind it.
Michael crossed the room.
Together, he and Daniel lifted the heavy frame.
Behind it was a wall safe.
Emily stared.
She had never known it existed.
Daniel looked at her.
“Do you know the combination?”
Emily thought.
Then smiled faintly.
“My mother’s birthday.”
She entered six digits.
The lock clicked.
Inside was one object.
A red leather ledger.
May you like
Emily reached for it.
Then the lights went out.
