Chapter 3 - The Brother He Refused to Forgive
Adrian left without saying goodbye.
For twenty-four hours, Lena heard nothing.
That irritated her more than it should have.
She told herself it was because Atlas remained her patient.
It had nothing to do with the way Adrian’s expression had cracked when Daniel’s voice came through the laptop.
Nothing to do with the fact that for one second, the most controlled man she had ever met had looked like a younger brother hearing a ghost.
At 6:10 the following evening, Sophie arrived with Marisol.
No Adrian.
“Where’s your uncle?”
Sophie shrugged.
“Being dramatic.”
Marisol sighed.
“She’s inherited the Vale gift for diplomacy.”
Sophie scratched behind Atlas’s ears.
“He went to yell at people.”
“That sounds unhealthy,” Lena said.
“He likes it.”
Marisol lowered her voice.
“He’s looking into the recording.”
“What voice did he recognize?”
Marisol’s expression closed.
“You should ask him.”
“I did. He disappeared.”
“Also a Vale tradition.”
Lena looked toward Sophie.
The girl was whispering something to Atlas.
“Was Daniel really killed in a car accident?”
Marisol’s silence answered first.
Then she sat beside Lena.
“Daniel was the peacekeeper.”
“Between Adrian and Elliot?”
“Between everyone.”
Marisol explained that the Vale brothers had inherited their father’s casino business fifteen years earlier.
Adrian managed operations.
Daniel handled development.
Elliot worked in technology and security.
Three brothers.
Three different temperaments.
Their father, Vincent Vale, had trained them to compete rather than cooperate.
Daniel spent years keeping the family from tearing itself apart.
Then he died.
“Police said his brakes failed,” Marisol said.
“Did Adrian believe that?”
“At first.”
“What changed?”
“Money disappeared from a holding company three days later.”
“Elliot?”
“His credentials were used.”
“And he ran.”
“Yes.”
“That looks terrible.”
“It does.”
“But you don’t believe he did it.”
Marisol watched Sophie.
“I believe grief makes intelligent people very stupid.”
Lena thought about Adrian.
That tracked.
Atlas was discharged the next morning.
Adrian came personally.
He looked exhausted.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up.
No jacket.
No security inside the clinic.
Lena handed him medication.
“Antibiotics twice daily. Pain medicine with food. No running, jumping, or trying to solve family murders.”
His eyes lifted.
“We don’t know Daniel was murdered.”
“Your dead brother recorded himself saying someone planned to kill him.”
“Daniel was under pressure.”
“That’s your argument?”
“My argument is that evidence matters.”
“Funny. I thought veterinarians were the science people.”
He almost smiled.
Almost.
“What did you find?”
Adrian glanced toward Sophie, who was feeding Atlas tiny pieces of chicken.
“We identified the second voice.”
Lena waited.
He said nothing.
“Are you going to make me guess?”
“It belonged to Marcus Shaw.”
“Who’s that?”
“My father’s former attorney.”
“Former?”
“Current chairman of Vale Holdings.”
Lena stared.
“That sounds significant.”
“It is.”
“Does he know you have the recording?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Adrian looked surprised.
“You approve?”
“I’m not completely reckless.”
“I’ve seen evidence otherwise.”
She handed him the medication bag.
Their fingers touched.
Neither moved immediately.
It was ridiculous.
A half-second of skin contact.
Yet Lena felt it.
So did he.
Adrian pulled his hand back first.
“Dinner.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Have dinner with me.”
“That transition was terrible.”
“I’ve been busy.”
She laughed.
“Is this business?”
“No.”
“That’s worse.”
“Why?”
“Because I might say yes.”
His expression softened.
“Then say yes.”
She did.
Dinner happened in a quiet Italian restaurant fifteen minutes from the Strip.
No private dining room.
No photographers.
Adrian chose a corner table.
Lena noticed he always sat where he could see the entrance.
“You do that everywhere?”
“What?”
“Choose the seat with the best view of the room.”
“Yes.”
“Paranoid?”
“Experienced.”
“That’s a billionaire answer.”
“No. Billionaires hire people to be paranoid for them.”
“What are you, then?”
He looked at her.
“Someone who learned late.”
For a while they avoided Daniel.
They talked about medical school.
Sophie.
Atlas.
Lena told him about growing up in Reno with a mother who worked casino housekeeping and a father who repaired HVAC systems.
“So you hate casinos,” Adrian said.
“I hate casino carpets.”
“Fair.”
“They’re always designed like somebody lost a fight with a kaleidoscope.”
He laughed.
Again, that transformation.
Adrian laughing looked younger.
Human.
Dangerously attractive.
Lena looked down at her plate.
Bad idea.
Very bad idea.
“You’re staring.”
“I’m analyzing.”
“That sounds worse.”
“You have a surprisingly normal laugh.”
“Were you expecting thunder?”
“Maybe evil organ music.”
“Only weekends.”
She smiled.
The ease frightened her more than his intimidation had.
After dinner, Adrian drove her home.
No chauffeur.
He stopped outside her modest townhouse.
“You live alone?”
“Yes.”
He frowned.
“That bothers you?”
“Tonight it does.”
“Why?”
“Because whoever shot Atlas knows you treated him.”
Lena’s smile faded.
“You think I’m in danger?”
“I think I don’t know.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“I can put security here.”
“No.”
“Lena.”
“No guards.”
“One car.”
“No.”
“You’re incredibly stubborn.”
“You met me because I told your security men to get out of my treatment room.”
“Fair.”
She opened the door.
“Goodnight, Adrian.”
“Lock everything.”
“Yes, Dad.”
He stared.
She grinned.
Then something unexpected happened.
Adrian smiled back.
Lena went inside.
She locked the door.
Then checked it twice.
At 2:13 a.m., her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
Silence.
“Hello?”
A man spoke.
“Dr. Mercer?”
She sat up.
“Yes?”
“My name is Elliot Vale.”
Every trace of sleep vanished.
“I think your brother would prefer I hang up.”
“I’m sure he would.”
“Why are you calling?”
“Because Atlas trusted you.”
“That’s an unusual recommendation.”
“Dogs are better judges of character than my family.”
She heard exhaustion in his voice.
Not menace.
“Where are you?”
“Not important.”
“Adrian thinks you had something to do with Daniel’s death.”
“I know.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
Lena pressed the phone tighter to her ear.
“Why did you run?”
“Because I was supposed to die next.”
She went still.
“What?”
“Daniel discovered someone inside Vale Holdings was laundering money through construction projects. Not small amounts. Hundreds of millions.”
“Marcus Shaw?”
Silence.
“You know his name.”
“I heard the recording.”
“Then you know enough to be afraid.”
“Did you put the memory card under Atlas’s collar?”
“Yes.”
Lena’s heart pounded.
“Two years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Daniel gave me the files. We realized somebody was following me. I needed a way to move the evidence that no one would search.”
“So you used the dog.”
“Atlas knew how to find Sophie.”
“But he disappeared.”
“I sent him with someone I trusted.”
“Who?”
Another silence.
“That person betrayed me.”
Lena looked toward the dark window.
“And now?”
“Atlas escaped.”
“From where?”
“Arizona.”
“That’s hundreds of miles.”
“He was transferred recently. I tracked part of the route.”
Lena thought of the dart.
“They shot him.”
“Yes.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn’t you contact Adrian?”
Elliot laughed without humor.
“Because my brother has spent two years believing I killed Daniel.”
“Maybe because you disappeared with stolen money.”
“I didn’t steal it.”
“Your credentials were used.”
“Exactly.”
Lena understood.
“Someone framed you.”
“Yes.”
“And you want me to convince Adrian?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I need you to give him a message.”
She hesitated.
“What message?”
“Tell him Daniel hid a second copy.”
“Where?”
“That’s the problem.”
“What?”
“Atlas knows.”
Lena almost laughed.
“You expect me to believe the dog knows where a memory card is hidden?”
“Not a memory card.”
His voice lowered.
“A place.”
“How?”
“Daniel trained Atlas for search work.”
Lena glanced at the clock.
“This is insane.”
“Yes.”
“At least we agree.”
“Dr. Mercer.”
“What?”
“Don’t tell Adrian I called until you’re somewhere safe.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“Because there’s someone near him I don’t trust.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s helpful.”
“Anyone who knew Atlas came back before I did.”
The line disconnected.
Lena sat motionless.
Then headlights swept across her living-room wall.
A vehicle stopped outside.
She moved quietly toward the window.
Black SUV.
Adrian stepped out.
Relief came first.
Then suspicion.
She opened the door before he knocked.
“What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“That’s creepy.”
“I was checking your house.”
“Also creepy.”
He studied her.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
She almost laughed at the echo.
Then she remembered Elliot’s warning.
Someone near him.
“Adrian.”
“Yes?”
“How many people knew Atlas was at my clinic?”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“How many?”
“My security team. Sophie. Marisol. Marcus. A few executives.”
“Marcus knew immediately?”
“Yes.”
Her pulse accelerated.
“Why?”
“He handles crisis management.”
The black SUV’s passenger door opened.
One of Adrian’s guards stepped out.
Lena recognized him.
Tall.
Quiet.
He had been at the clinic the first night.
The same man who claimed Atlas had been hit by a vehicle.
The same man who had watched Adrian identify the tracker.
“Who is that?” Lena whispered.
“Grant Keller. Head of security.”
“How long has he worked for you?”
“Eleven years.”
Grant approached.
“Mr. Vale, we should move.”
Lena’s phone buzzed.
A message from Elliot.
ONE PHOTO.
She opened it.
Old security footage.
Daniel outside a warehouse.
Beside him stood Marcus Shaw.
And behind Marcus—
Grant Keller.
Lena looked up.
Grant was ten feet away.
His right hand slowly disappeared beneath his jacket.
“Adrian,” Lena whispered.
Grant pulled something out.
Lena didn’t wait to see what.
She grabbed Adrian’s arm and dragged him through the doorway.
The first sound wasn’t a gunshot.
May you like
It was glass exploding behind them.
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