Chapter 4 - The Man Outside the Gates
Julian did not sleep.
By midnight the Ashworth estate had changed from a peaceful country home into something closer to a locked fortress.
But Julian refused to frighten Elsie.
That mattered more than anything.
Camille stayed with her daughter in a guest suite near Julian's rooms rather than the isolated staff wing. Rex slept outside their door.
Thomas sat in Julian's study.
Not restrained.
Not forgiven either.
Julian stood by the window.
"You knew Victor would come for her."
"I suspected."
"You should have told me."
"I should have told you many things."
"That's becoming a theme."
Thomas looked exhausted.
"For eight years I thought I could keep paying Victor until he disappeared."
"Men like Victor don't disappear when you feed them."
"I know that now."
Julian turned.
"Tell me everything."
Thomas did.
Victor Ashworth had spent a decade building legitimate businesses outside Tennessee while quietly maintaining leverage over the family.
But his finances had recently collapsed.
He needed money.
More importantly, he needed legitimacy.
Mateo's daughter gave him something he valued even more than cash: an heir he could shape.
"She's a child," Julian said.
"Victor doesn't see people that way."
Thomas looked toward the hallway.
"He sees lineage."
At seven the next morning, a black sedan stopped outside the estate gates.
One man stepped out.
Victor Ashworth.
Julian watched from the security monitor.
Victor was sixty-three, silver-haired, elegant, almost scholarly.
He carried no visible threat.
He didn't need one.
Julian walked outside with Rex.
Thomas followed.
Victor smiled when he saw his nephew.
"You look like Henry."
Julian stopped ten feet away.
"You don't."
Victor laughed.
Then Rex growled.
Victor glanced at the dog.
"Ah. Henry's final insurance policy."
Julian's eyes narrowed.
"You knew."
"Your father always loved clever tricks."
"Why are you here?"
"To meet my granddaughter."
"She's Mateo's daughter."
"And Mateo was my son."
"You didn't care about him while he was alive."
Victor's expression changed.
"That's where you're wrong."
Julian studied him.
Victor claimed Mateo had approached him voluntarily after learning the truth about his parentage.
Mateo wanted Victor to stop extorting Henry.
When Victor refused, Mateo threatened to expose everything.
Then Mateo died.
"Did you kill him?" Julian asked.
Victor's face hardened.
"No."
"Thomas says his death wasn't an accident."
"Thomas knows more than he's telling you."
Julian looked back.
Thomas's jaw tightened.
Victor smiled.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The doubt."
Victor stepped closer to the gate.
"Thomas has lied to you for eight years. Yet somehow I'm the only villain in the story."
"You extorted my father."
"True."
"Threatened my family."
"Also true."
"Then we're making progress."
Victor laughed.
"But I didn't kill Mateo."
Camille appeared on the front steps.
Victor saw her.
His face changed.
Then Elsie stepped beside her.
Victor stopped breathing for a moment.
The little girl held Camille's hand.
Rex immediately positioned himself between them and Victor.
Victor stared.
"She has Mateo's eyes."
Camille's voice shook.
"You stay away from my daughter."
Victor looked genuinely hurt.
"Camille—"
"You don't know me."
"I knew Mateo."
"No. You used him."
Victor's expression hardened.
Then Elsie pointed.
"That's him."
Everyone looked at her.
Camille crouched.
"Who, sweetheart?"
Elsie pointed toward Victor.
"The man from Daddy's picture."
Victor smiled faintly.
But Elsie shook her head.
"No."
She pointed toward Thomas.
"That man was there when Daddy crashed."
Silence.
Thomas went pale.
Julian slowly turned.
"What?"
Elsie touched her temple as if trying to remember.
"Mommy was sleeping. Daddy took me in the car."
Camille stared at her.
"You were with him?"
Elsie nodded.
Camille looked horrified.
Police had told her Mateo had been alone.
Elsie continued.
"Daddy gave me to Mr. Thomas."
Julian stared at Thomas.
Thomas sat down heavily on the stone bench.
"Tell them," Victor said.
Thomas closed his eyes.
Then finally confessed.
Mateo had called him the night he died.
He wanted to meet.
He had Elsie with him because Camille was working an overnight shift.
Mateo believed someone was following him.
Thomas met him at a roadside gas station.
Mateo handed Elsie to Thomas and drove away alone to draw the pursuing vehicle away from his daughter.
Twenty minutes later, Mateo's car left the highway.
Thomas brought Elsie home before Camille returned and never told her what happened.
Camille slapped him.
Thomas accepted it.
"You let me believe he died alone."
"I was trying to protect you."
"By lying?"
"Victor's people were watching."
Victor shook his head.
"They weren't mine."
Thomas looked at him.
Victor's expression was suddenly serious.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you."
Julian felt the pieces rearranging.
"If Victor wasn't following Mateo..."
Thomas whispered, "Then someone else was."
Victor reached into his coat slowly and produced an envelope.
Rex growled but remained still.
Victor pushed the envelope through the gate.
Julian opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Mateo at the gas station.
Thomas holding Elsie.
Mateo driving away.
And another vehicle following him.
Julian recognized it.
A black Ashworth security SUV.
Daniel's division.
Julian looked toward the house.
Daniel stood in the doorway.
Victor spoke quietly.
"Your traitor isn't outside those gates, Julian."
Daniel slowly reached into his pocket.
Julian's blood went cold.
May you like
Victor finished:
"He's been guarding your house."
