Chapter 9 - THE BROTHER WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD
Adrian Moretti was alive.
Dominic learned it from a man who had spent eleven years pretending to be dead.
The message arrived at his office at dawn.
A single photograph.
Adrian stood beside a window overlooking a mountain lake.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakably alive.
Below the photograph was a phone number.
Dominic called.
The man answered on the first ring.
“Hello, little brother.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Adrian.”
Silence.
Then Adrian said, “I wondered how long it would take you.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere Salvatore couldn't reach.”
“Dad's dead.”
“I know.”
“Then why stay hidden?”
Adrian sighed.
“Because Voss inherited more than his law practice.”
Dominic gripped the phone.
“What does that mean?”
“Father left him the accounts, the medical network, and the people who kept it running.”
“Where is my daughter?”
Adrian fell silent.
Dominic's voice hardened.
“Adrian.”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I know where she was placed. I don't know where she is now.”
Dominic struggled to breathe.
“Then tell me.”
“Not over the phone.”
“Where do we meet?”
Adrian gave him an address in northern Wisconsin.
A lakeside cabin.
Then he added, “Come alone.”
Dominic looked toward the office door.
Hannah was standing there.
She had heard enough.
He ended the call.
“You're not going alone,” she said.
“He asked me to.”
“Your brother has been hiding for eleven years. That doesn't automatically make him trustworthy.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“You sound like Walter.”
“Walter has good instincts.”
He studied her.
“Why are you still helping me?”
Hannah looked surprised.
“Because there's a little girl somewhere who deserves the truth.”
“And after we find her?”
She hesitated.
“Then I finish what I came here to do.”
“Clear your mother's name.”
“Yes.”
Dominic nodded.
“And afterward?”
Hannah looked away.
“I haven't thought that far.”
He wanted to ask her to stay.
Instead, he said, “Let's find my brother.”
They drove north with Detective Ruiz following at a distance.
Adrian opened the cabin door before they knocked.
He looked like an older version of Dominic.
The same dark eyes.
The same strong jaw.
But there was something haunted about him.
“Dominic.”
For a moment, neither brother moved.
Then Dominic stepped forward and embraced him.
Adrian held him tightly.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
Dominic pulled away.
“For what?”
Adrian looked toward Hannah.
“For everything.”
Inside, Adrian explained the truth.
Eleven years earlier, he had discovered that Salvatore's shipping company was moving restricted pharmaceuticals through private clinics.
Some shipments were legitimate.
Others were diverted into illegal distribution networks.
Charles Voss managed the paperwork.
Adrian threatened to expose the operation.
Salvatore arranged a fake boating accident and forced him into hiding.
Rebecca Whitmore had helped Adrian gather evidence.
When she became pregnant, Voss realized she could become a witness.
“She was assaulted,” Adrian said quietly. “Then admitted to St. Catherine's.”
Dominic stared.
“And the medication order?”
“Voss wanted her silenced.”
“But it was entered into my chart.”
Adrian nodded.
“Margaret caught the discrepancy. The records were altered to hide the original target.”
Hannah covered her mouth.
Adrian continued.
“Margaret saved Rebecca. Then she saved you when your condition deteriorated after the explosion.”
Dominic looked down.
“And Rebecca donated blood.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
Adrian's eyes filled.
“I don't know.”
Dominic stared.
“You loved her.”
Adrian nodded.
“I still do.”
“Then why haven't you found her?”
“Because every time I got close, someone disappeared.”
Hannah leaned forward.
“What about Margaret?”
Adrian's expression darkened.
“She had evidence that could destroy Voss.”
“Did he kill her?” Dominic asked.
Adrian looked away.
“I believe he ordered it. But I can't prove it.”
Dominic stood.
“Then we'll prove it.”
Adrian reached into a drawer.
He removed a flash drive.
“This contains the financial records. Original transfers, shell companies, hospital payments.”
Claire could use it to help build a case.
But Adrian wasn't finished.
“There's something else.”
He opened a laptop.
A photograph appeared.
A young girl standing outside a school.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A bright yellow backpack.
Dominic felt his heart stop.
“Lily.”
Adrian nodded.
“This was taken six months ago.”
Dominic reached toward the screen.
“Where?”
“A school outside Madison.”
“Is she safe?”
“As far as I know.”
Dominic turned toward Hannah.
His eyes filled.
“She looks like Julia.”
Hannah nodded.
“She does.”
For the first time, Dominic allowed himself to smile.
Then Adrian spoke.
“Dominic, there's something you need to understand.”
Dominic looked back.
“Lily doesn't know she's adopted.”
The smile vanished.
Adrian continued.
“She believes her adoptive parents are her biological parents.”
Dominic sat down slowly.
“Then we tell her carefully.”
Adrian nodded.
“But there's another problem.”
“What?”
“Voss knows where she lives.”
At that moment, Detective Ruiz called.
Dominic answered.
“Detective?”
Her voice was urgent.
“Mr. Moretti, we have a warrant for Charles Voss.”
“Good.”
“But he's gone.”
Dominic stood.
“What do you mean?”
“His office is empty. His residence has been cleared.”
“Find him.”
“We're trying.”
Ruiz hesitated.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“We recovered a message from his office computer.”
Dominic felt his stomach tighten.
“Read it.”
Ruiz took a breath.
“It's addressed to you.”
“What does it say?”
“Your daughter is about to learn what your father did.”
Dominic looked at Adrian.
Then Hannah.
Ruiz continued.
“And there's an attachment.”
“What attachment?”
“A live camera feed.”
Dominic's blood ran cold.
“Of what?”
May you like
Ruiz's voice broke.
“A school bus.”
