Chapter 9 - The Brother Who Returned With Blood on His HandsDominic refused to believe Vincent.
Not immediately.
Not after everything.
But the federal investigators had obtained something more convincing than a confession.
A surveillance image.
Taken three weeks earlier at a marina in Connecticut.
The man in the photograph wore a baseball cap and dark jacket.
He had a beard.
He was thinner than Dominic remembered.
But there was no mistaking the face.
Julian Caruso.
Alive.
Dominic stared at the image for a long time.
Hannah stood beside him.
Her hands trembled.
"That's him."
Dominic nodded.
"Yes."
Grace was asleep in the next room.
Hannah pressed one hand against her chest.
"He knew we were alive."
Dominic said nothing.
"He knew about Grace."
"Apparently."
"And he never came home."
Her voice cracked.
Dominic wanted to defend his brother.
He could not.
The investigators explained that Vincent had supplied the photograph and claimed Julian had been operating under another identity.
He also alleged that Julian arranged the mansion attack to retrieve evidence before Dominic could turn it over to authorities.
Dominic listened.
Then asked one question.
"Where's the proof?"
The lead investigator, Special Agent Laura Bennett, placed a second document on the table.
A bank transfer.
Payment to one of the captured attackers.
The sender's name was Julian Caruso.
Dominic studied it.
"That could be forged."
"Yes," Bennett admitted.
"Then don't ask me to believe it."
"We're not asking you to believe anything. We're asking you to help us find him."
Dominic looked toward Hannah.
She was staring at the photograph.
"Will he be arrested?" she asked.
"If he's involved in the attack, yes."
"And if he isn't?"
"Then we need his testimony."
Hannah nodded slowly.
That evening, Dominic received a message on an old phone number only Julian had known.
Three words.
Come alone, Dom.
Beneath them was an address.
A small church near the waterfront in Red Hook.
Dominic stared at the screen.
Marcus insisted on accompanying him.
Dominic refused to go without protection nearby, but he agreed to enter the church alone.
At 11:40 p.m., he walked through the wooden doors.
The sanctuary was dark except for a row of candles near the altar.
A man stood in the last pew.
Dominic stopped.
Julian turned.
For eighteen months, Dominic had imagined this moment.
He had imagined running to his brother.
Hugging him.
Demanding answers.
Instead, he stood frozen.
Julian looked older.
A thin scar crossed his cheek.
His left hand shook slightly.
"Hey, Dom."
Dominic felt his throat close.
He took one step.
Then another.
And struck Julian across the face.
The sound echoed through the church.
Julian did not defend himself.
Dominic grabbed his jacket.
"I buried you!"
"I know."
"I carried your coffin!"
"I know."
"I watched our mother’s grave because I couldn't stand the thought of telling her I'd lost you!"
Julian's eyes filled.
"I'm sorry."
Dominic shoved him away.
"Sorry?"
Julian lowered his head.
"There's no excuse."
"Then explain."
Julian sat in the pew.
Dominic remained standing.
"Vincent found out I had the ledger," Julian began. "He intercepted my meeting with Papa. I escaped the facility, but they caught me near Newark."
"The crash?"
"Staged."
"Whose body was in the car?"
Julian's face tightened.
"A man Vincent's people killed. I don't know his name."
Dominic felt sick.
"Why keep you alive?"
"Because I hid the original ledger."
"Where?"
Julian looked toward the altar.
"Somewhere Vincent couldn't reach."
Dominic stared.
"You let Hannah think you were dead."
Julian closed his eyes.
"Yes."
"You let your daughter grow up without a father."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Julian's voice broke.
"Because Vincent told me he'd kill them if I contacted them."
Dominic stepped closer.
"And you believed him?"
"I watched him murder two people who tried to leave his operation. I believed him."
"Then why come back now?"
"Because he knows where Grace is."
Dominic stared.
"He's in federal custody."
Julian shook his head.
"Vincent isn't the only one."
A silence followed.
Then Julian looked up.
"The attack on your house wasn't mine. Vincent used an account he created in my name. He wanted you to think I was coming for Grace."
Dominic studied his brother.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
Julian reached into his coat.
Dominic stiffened.
But Julian withdrew a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Hannah holding newborn Grace.
Dominic recognized the hospital room.
Hannah had shown him pictures from the delivery.
"Where did you get this?"
Julian's eyes filled.
"I was outside the hospital the night she was born."
Dominic stared.
"You were there?"
"I watched through the nursery window. I wanted to go inside so badly I couldn't stand."
"Why didn't you?"
Julian looked away.
"Because a man followed me there. I knew if I approached them, he'd know exactly who mattered to me."
Dominic sat down.
For the first time, he saw not a traitor but a frightened younger brother who had made terrible choices in the name of protection.
"Come home," Dominic said.
Julian shook his head.
"I can't."
"Your daughter needs you."
"I know."
"Hannah needs answers."
"I know."
"Then stop running."
Julian looked directly at him.
"There's one thing I have to do first."
"What?"
"Find Lily."
Dominic froze.
"Our sister?"
Julian nodded.
"She's alive."
"Where?"
Julian hesitated.
"She's been working for Vincent."
Dominic felt cold.
"Doing what?"
"Moving the money. Hiding the accounts. Cleaning up the evidence."
"Does she know who she is?"
"Yes."
"Does she know about us?"
Julian looked down.
"She knows everything."
Dominic stared.
"Then why hasn't she come forward?"
Julian's voice dropped.
"Because she's the person who made the recording that framed you for my murder."
Before Dominic could respond, a phone vibrated inside Julian's coat.
Julian checked the screen.
His face changed.
"What?" Dominic demanded.
Julian turned the phone toward him.
A live security image showed Hannah's apartment.
The front door was open.
A guard lay unconscious in the hallway.
Hannah stood in the living room, holding Grace.
And beside her was a woman in a black coat.
A woman Dominic recognized.
Mrs. Bellamy.
His longtime house manager.
The woman who had threatened to fire Hannah for bringing personal problems to work.
She held a pistol.
Julian whispered, "Lily."
Dominic stared.
May you like
His missing sister had been living under his roof for years.
And she was holding a gun on his brother's family.
