Evan's jaw tightened.
They entered the elevator.
The doors closed.
Halfway down, the elevator stopped.
The lights flickered.
Daniel immediately moved toward the control panel.
"Someone has overridden it."
Naomi felt a chill.
Then a voice came from the speaker.
"Mr. Carrington."
Evan looked up.
Sarah.
"I'm sorry."
Evan stared at the speaker.
"Sarah, what are you doing?"
"You need to understand."
"Open the doors."
"I can't."
"Sarah."
Her voice trembled.
"Martin has my brother."
The elevator became silent.
Naomi stepped forward.
"What?"
Sarah continued.
"If I don't give him the evidence, my brother dies."
Evan closed his eyes.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"Sarah."
"I swear."
Naomi looked at Daniel.
"She's telling the truth."
"How do you know?"
"Because she's crying."
The elevator suddenly began moving again.
The doors opened in the lobby.
Nobody was there.
Except Martin.
He stood beside the entrance.
And beside him was Sarah.
Her hands were shaking.
Martin held a phone.
He smiled.
"Give me the evidence."
Naomi stepped forward.
"No."
Martin's smile disappeared.
"You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly."
She held the pendant.
"This isn't about the money anymore."
Martin stared at it.
"Then what is it about?"
"The truth."
Martin laughed.
"Truth?"
He looked around the lobby.
"Do you know how many people built their lives on lies?"
He pointed toward Evan.
"Your family."
Then toward Daniel.
"His family."
Then Richard.
"Even his."
Finally, he looked at Naomi.
"Your grandmother knew the truth would destroy all of you."
Naomi answered calmly.
"Then maybe you should have let it."
Martin raised his hand.
Two men stepped forward.
Evan moved in front of Naomi.
But Sarah suddenly grabbed Martin's arm.
"Stop."
Martin looked at her.
"Let go."
"No."
She pulled out her phone.
"I sent the files."
Martin's face changed.
"To whom?"
Sarah smiled through her tears.
"The police."
For the first time, Martin looked afraid.
Then the lobby doors burst open.
Several officers entered.
Martin turned.
Chaos erupted.
One of his men ran.
Daniel tackled him.
Evan grabbed Sarah and pulled her away.
Naomi stood frozen.
Then Martin looked directly at her.
"You think you've won."
Naomi shook her head.
"No."
She held up the pendant.
"We haven't even started."
Martin was arrested.
But before officers took him away, he shouted one final sentence.
"Ask Richard what happened to Eleanor's son!"
Naomi froze.
"Eleanor's son?"
She turned toward Richard.
The old attorney had gone completely pale.
And for the first time, Richard looked genuinely terrified.
Chapter 12
The police took Martin away.
Sarah was placed in a separate room to give her statement.
The lobby slowly returned to silence.
But nobody moved.
Naomi stood in front of Richard.
"Eleanor had a son?"
Richard looked at the floor.
Evan stared at him.
"Answer her."
Richard swallowed.
"Yes."
Naomi's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Who?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"His name was Michael."
Naomi's heart raced.
"Michael Brooks?"
Richard nodded.
"Your grandmother's first child."
"Why have I never heard of him?"
"Because he disappeared."
"When?"
"Twenty-nine years ago."
Naomi stepped backward.
"Before I was born."
"Yes."
"Where did he go?"
Richard hesitated.
"We don't know."
Naomi looked at Evan.
"Did your family know?"
Richard answered.
"Jonathan knew."
Naomi's anger returned.
"Why?"
Richard shook his head.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You've lied to everyone tonight."
Richard looked at her.
"I have spent twenty-seven years carrying secrets that were never mine to carry."
"Then stop."
Richard finally sat down.
"Michael was brilliant."
Naomi listened.
"He was twenty-two when he began working with Eleanor. He helped develop the original software that became the foundation of Brooks Systems."
Evan looked surprised.
"So he was involved in the patents."
"Yes."
Richard continued.
"When Jonathan took control of the company, Michael tried to fight him."
"What happened?"
"Michael discovered the secret accounts."
Naomi felt a chill.
"The same accounts Martin used?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't he expose them?"
"Because he disappeared first."
Daniel spoke quietly.
"Someone killed him?"
Richard shook his head.
"No body was ever found."
Naomi looked at him.
"So you don't know if he's dead."
"No."
Silence filled the room.
Naomi remembered her grandmother's letter.
Someone I loved.
Someone who knew everything.
Could she have been referring to Michael?
No.
The dates didn't fit.
She thought again.
Then she remembered the sentence from the farmhouse.
The person who betrayed me is the one you trust most.
Maybe it wasn't a person.
Maybe it was an identity.
"Richard."
He looked at her.
"Did Eleanor ever tell you that Michael was alive?"
Richard hesitated.
Naomi knew the answer before he spoke.
"Yes."
Evan looked shocked.
"When?"
"Five years before she died."
"Where was he?"
Richard looked toward the windows.
"Europe."
Naomi's breath caught.
"Europe?"
"She received a letter."
"From Michael?"
"Yes."
"Do you have it?"
Richard nodded.
He reached into his coat.
But before he could remove it, Victoria entered the lobby.
She looked at Naomi.
"Richard isn't the only person who knows."
Naomi turned.
"What do you know?"
Victoria walked toward her.
"I know where Michael went."
Everyone became silent.
"Where?"
Victoria looked at Evan.
"Your grandfather helped him disappear."
Naomi's eyes widened.
"Why?"
"Because Michael knew too much."
"Was he threatened?"
"Yes."
"Did Jonathan hurt him?"
Victoria shook her head.
"No."
She lowered her voice.
"Jonathan made him an offer."