Chapter 10 - Julian Sterling’s Final Warning
Julian called me personally the next afternoon.
I almost ignored the number.
But curiosity won.
"Sarah."
His voice sounded warm and familiar.
The same voice that had wished me happy birthday every year since childhood.
The same voice that had stood beside Dad's casket and described him as a brother.
"What do you want, Julian?"
"To resolve this unfortunate misunderstanding."
"Which misunderstanding? The stolen patents or the missing pension money?"
He sighed.
"You've inherited your father's stubbornness."
"Apparently."
"I'd like to meet."
"Speak to Lawson."
"This is a family matter."
I nearly laughed.
"You aren't my family."
Silence.
Then Julian said something unexpected.
"Your father wasn't entirely innocent."
I gripped the phone.
"What does that mean?"
"Meet me and I'll explain."
Against Lawson's initial preference, I agreed to a meeting in a public hotel restaurant, provided he and Eric could attend.
Julian disliked the condition.
I insisted.
At two o'clock, we entered the restaurant.
Julian sat alone beside a large window.
He looked older than he had at the funeral.
The confidence remained, but there was tension around his mouth.
He didn't stand when we approached.
"Thomas."
"Julian."
His eyes moved toward Eric.
"Still wearing the clown costume?"
Eric was dressed in a dark jacket.
He smiled without humor.
"Saving it for special occasions."
Julian turned toward me.
"I'll be direct. This situation is damaging the company."
"The questionable transactions damaged the company," I replied.
"Alleged transactions."
"Under investigation."
He folded his hands.
"Arthur and I made difficult decisions over the years."
"Did those decisions include transferring employee pension assets?"
Julian ignored the question.
"Your father wanted revenge for something that happened before either of you was old enough to understand business."
"Grandpa's patents?"
"Samuel Bennett was a gifted inventor and a terrible businessman."
"That doesn't explain the ownership transfers."
Julian's smile disappeared.
He removed a document from his briefcase.
It was a copy of a partnership agreement dated 1994.
Arthur's signature appeared at the bottom.
"Your father knew exactly how this company was structured."
Lawson examined it.
"That agreement doesn't establish what you're claiming."
Julian leaned back.
"Then perhaps you'd prefer litigation. Years of it. Expensive litigation."
"We're prepared," Lawson said.
Julian looked at Eric.
"And your little engineering business? Still struggling?"
My brother's jaw tightened.
Then Julian turned toward me.
"Sarah, you have children."
I felt my stomach drop.
"Leave my children out of this."
"I'm simply saying that prolonged disputes create uncertainty."
Lawson closed the folder.
"That will be enough."
Julian leaned forward.
"Arthur spent his final months destroying relationships for a company he couldn't take into the grave. Don't make the same mistake."
I stood.
"My father spent his final months protecting people you were prepared to abandon."
Julian's expression hardened.
"You think you know him?"
"I know enough."
"No," he said quietly. "You don't."
He slid a photograph across the table.
I looked down.
It showed Dad standing outside Warehouse Nine in 1991.
Beside him was a younger Eleanor Price.
Behind them, partially obscured by a loading truck, stood another man.
I didn't recognize him.
Julian tapped the image.
"Ask Lawson who that is."
I looked at our attorney.
He had gone completely still.
"Thomas?"
Julian smiled.
"Interesting, isn't it? The things our fathers never told us."
Lawson collected the photograph.
"Meeting over."
As we walked away, Julian called after us.
"Sarah."
I turned.
"Arthur didn't spend thirty-five years waiting because he lacked evidence."
I stared at him.
"Then why?"
Julian's smile vanished.
"Because there was someone he couldn't afford to lose."
Outside, Eric immediately demanded an explanation.
Lawson studied the photograph.
Finally, he pointed toward the third man.
"His name was Victor Hale."
"Who was he?" I asked.
"Your grandfather's financial controller."
"Where is he now?"
Lawson swallowed.
"He was declared dead in 1992."
I stared at the photograph.
"Declared?"
May you like
The attorney looked away.
"His body was never recovered."
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