Chapter 4 - The Brother Who Was Erased
Arthur stared at the photograph for so long that Norah wondered whether he had stopped breathing.
“His name,” Arthur finally said.
Evelyn hesitated.
“Julian.”
Something moved behind Arthur's eyes.
Not recognition.
Almost recognition.
A memory too old to hold.
“Julian Costello?”
“No.”
Evelyn looked at him sadly.
“Julian DeLuca.”
Arthur stood.
“My mother had another son?”
“Your father did.”
The truth came slowly.
Before Arthur was born, Salvatore had loved another woman.
Their son, Julian, had been raised quietly outside the Costello family but brought to the estate occasionally.
When Arthur was young, the boys played together.
Then Arthur's mother discovered the truth.
Julian disappeared from the family photographs.
His name stopped being spoken.
Eventually, Arthur forgot him.
“He was a child,” Arthur said.
“Yes.”
“So why would he betray my father?”
“Because children grow up.”
Evelyn explained that Julian had spent his life watching Arthur receive everything he believed should have been shared.
The name.
The estate.
The empire.
The father's acknowledgment.
Julian eventually returned through the organization without revealing his identity to most of its members.
“He didn't want to work for Salvatore,” Evelyn said. “He wanted to replace him.”
Arthur looked at Norah.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“Who does?”
“Vincent.”
The drive back to the estate was silent.
Norah finally said, “You can't confront Vincent.”
Arthur looked out the window.
“Why?”
“Because if he knows where Julian is, he'll warn him.”
“You've become very comfortable giving me orders.”
“Someone has to.”
Arthur glanced at her.
Norah expected irritation.
Instead, he smiled.
“You're right.”
That night Arthur behaved normally.
He ate dinner with Vincent.
Discussed business.
Drank one glass of wine.
Norah served the table and pretended she knew nothing.
Vincent watched her constantly.
After dinner, he caught her alone.
“You've become important very quickly.”
Norah kept folding napkins.
“I still wash your dishes.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No.”
Vincent moved closer.
“Arthur doesn't attach himself to people.”
“I'm his employee.”
“Are you?”
Norah met his eyes.
“What exactly are you asking?”
“Whether you understand what happens to people Arthur cares about.”
Her hands stopped.
Vincent smiled.
“They become leverage.”
Norah forced herself to continue working.
“You should leave while you can.”
“Arthur says leaving isn't safe.”
“Arthur likes controlling things.”
“And you don't?”
Vincent's smile disappeared.
Norah walked away.
At midnight, Arthur knocked on her door.
This time gently.
She opened it.
“No alcohol?”
“Very funny.”
He entered.
Norah told him about Vincent.
Arthur listened without interruption.
“He's trying to scare you.”
“It worked.”
Arthur's expression hardened.
“I won't let anything happen to you.”
Norah shook her head.
“You cannot promise that.”
“Yes, I can.”
“No. That's the problem with men like you.”
“Men like me?”
“You think power means you can control outcomes.”
Arthur became quiet.
“You can't.”
Norah stepped closer.
“You couldn't control your father. You couldn't control Vincent. You couldn't control what happened to your friend. And you can't control whether somebody decides to hurt me.”
Arthur's jaw tightened.
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Stop pretending you're invincible.”
He looked at her.
Norah softened.
“The man who came to my room that night was more honest than the man standing here now.”
Arthur looked away.
“You hated that man.”
“No.”
She surprised herself.
“I was afraid of him.”
Arthur looked back.
“But I didn't hate him.”
Something changed between them.
Arthur slowly reached for her hand.
He stopped before touching it.
Norah noticed.
He was asking without words.
She closed the distance herself.
Their fingers touched.
Arthur's hand was warm.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Arthur whispered, “That night wasn't the first time I wanted to leave.”
Norah waited.
“I've thought about walking away for years.”
“Why didn't you?”
“Because men like Vincent would inherit everything.”
“So change it.”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“You don't resign from my profession.”
“Then dismantle it.”
He stared at her.
“You make that sound easy.”
“I didn't say easy.”
Norah squeezed his hand.
“I said possible.”
A knock interrupted them.
Arthur released her.
A guard entered.
“Mr. Costello, we found Vincent.”
Arthur frowned.
“Found him?”
“He's gone.”
Vincent's bedroom was empty.
His safe had been cleared.
Three cars were missing.
So were four guards.
But Vincent had left something behind.
A telephone.
It rang while Arthur stood over it.
He answered.
Vincent's voice came through the speaker.
“Arthur.”
“Where are you?”
“You found the box.”
Arthur's expression darkened.
“So you knew.”
“I knew Salvatore left something.”
“Where is Julian?”
Vincent laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“Explain it.”
“Your brother isn't hiding from you.”
A pause.
“He's been watching you.”
Arthur glanced toward Norah.
“Where?”
“Everywhere.”
Vincent continued.
“He knows about the maid.”
Arthur's face changed.
Norah felt cold.
“If anyone touches her—”
“There he is,” Vincent interrupted. “The Arthur Costello everyone recognizes.”
“What do you want?”
“Your resignation.”
Arthur laughed.
“From what?”
“Everything.”
“The ports?”
“The organization. The estate. Every account.”
“You expect me to hand it over?”
“No.”
Vincent's voice softened.
“Julian expects you to.”
The call ended.
Arthur immediately ordered security doubled.
Norah went back to her room.
Something bothered her.
Vincent had escaped too easily.
Someone had helped him.
She checked her belongings.
Nothing appeared disturbed.
Then she noticed her father's photograph had moved.
Norah picked it up.
Behind it was a folded piece of paper.
She opened it.
A bank statement.
Her father's medical debt.
PAID IN FULL.
Norah stared.
Someone had erased every dollar.
At the bottom was a handwritten message.
Arthur didn't pay this.
I did.
Ask him what your father really died from.
Norah's hands began shaking.
She turned the page.
There was a medical report.
Her father's name appeared at the top.
Below it was a phrase Norah had never seen before.
EXPOSURE INCIDENT — COSTELLO SHIPPING FACILITY.
And beneath that:
AUTHORIZED SETTLEMENT: SALVATORE COSTELLO.
Norah stopped breathing.
Her father's illness had not simply happened.
Somehow, years before she ever entered the Costello estate, her father had already been connected to Arthur's family.
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And somebody had gone to enormous trouble to make sure she never knew.
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