Chapter 8 - The Price of a ChildEmergency lights flickered on.
Charles Fenwick stood behind a polished podium while Victor Salazar smiled beside him.
The financial press called the proposal “historic.”
A merger between Mercer Global and Salazar Holdings would create one of the largest logistics technology companies in the world.
Victor spoke smoothly.
“Today is about stability.”
Julian watched from the safe apartment.
Rosa stood beside him.
Victor continued.
“Mercer Global has been damaged by questionable leadership. This partnership protects employees, shareholders and customers.”
Julian laughed once.
“Questionable leadership.”
Rosa glanced at him.
“You’re taking that well.”
“I’m imagining hitting him with the podium.”
“Better.”
Mia sat on the carpet drawing.
Julian crouched beside her.
“What are you making?”
“A picture.”
“Of?”
“You.”
The drawing showed Julian wearing a cape.
Rosa laughed.
“What is that?”
“He fights bad guys.”
Julian smiled.
“I don’t think the Securities and Exchange Commission allows capes.”
Mia frowned.
“They should.”
The adults laughed.
Then Julian’s phone rang.
Elaine.
He answered immediately.
Her voice was low.
“Charles scheduled the merger vote for Monday.”
“That fast?”
“He says emergency conditions justify it.”
“Can he win?”
“If Northstar votes with him, maybe.”
Julian looked at Rosa.
“Then we expose them before Monday.”
Rebecca Han disagreed.
At a secret meeting that evening, she placed several folders on the table.
“We have enough to arrest Fenwick for conspiracy related to corporate espionage.”
“And Salazar?” Julian asked.
“Possibly fraud. Possibly obstruction. Not murder.”
Rosa’s eyes filled with frustration.
“You heard Gabriel.”
“We heard him accuse them.”
“He died the next day.”
“I know.”
“But?”
“A prosecutor needs evidence linking the act to a person.”
Julian leaned back.
“What about Salazar’s former security chief?”
Rebecca’s expression shifted.
“We’ve been trying to locate him.”
“Who?”
“Thomas Rourke.”
Nathan looked up.
“I know that name.”
“Former Marine. Private security.”
Julian said, “Find him.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“He disappeared two years ago.”
“People don’t disappear.”
Rosa gave him a look.
She had disappeared for five.
“Point taken.”
They searched anyway.
Nathan traced old pension records.
Rebecca checked sealed testimony.
Elaine quietly reviewed archived Mercer Global visitor logs.
At 2:00 the next morning, Elaine called.
“I found something.”
Julian sat up.
“Fenwick met Rourke.”
“When?”
“Four times during the month Gabriel died.”
“Where?”
“Mercer Global.”
Julian went cold.
Charles had used Julian’s own building to coordinate with Salazar.
Elaine continued.
“One meeting had another attendee.”
“Who?”
“Your brother.”
Julian stopped breathing.
“Oliver?”
“Yes.”
Rosa watched his face.
“What happened?”
Julian lowered the phone.
“My brother was there.”
He refused to believe Oliver had known.
But when confronted the next morning, Oliver did not deny the meeting.
They met privately in Julian’s old childhood neighborhood, in a nearly empty diner their mother once loved.
Oliver looked exhausted.
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“I met Fenwick because I owed money.”
Julian stared.
“How much?”
“Six million.”
Julian’s expression hardened.
“To whom?”
“Private lenders.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
Oliver laughed bitterly.
“Because I spent my entire life coming to you.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“You paid for college. My apartment. My first business.”
“You were my brother.”
“You were my father, Julian.”
Silence.
Oliver looked away.
“And I hated you for it.”
Julian flinched.
“Fenwick offered help,” Oliver continued. “He said he had investors.”
“Salazar.”
“I didn’t know.”
“When did you know?”
Oliver’s eyes lowered.
“Later.”
“How much later?”
“After Gabriel died.”
Julian stared.
“You knew Fenwick was connected to Salazar?”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
“I was scared.”
“For five years?”
Oliver slammed a hand on the table.
“You think everyone is like you! You walk into a room and people move. You make one call and lawyers appear. I was drowning.”
“And you watched me trust him.”
“I know.”
Julian stood.
Oliver’s voice broke.
“I know.”
Julian wanted to walk away.
Then remembered Mia’s drawing.
Family was complicated.
Love did not erase betrayal.
But betrayal did not always erase love.
He sat again.
“Did Fenwick ever mention Rourke?”
Oliver hesitated.
“Yes.”
Julian leaned forward.
“What did he say?”
“That Rourke handled problems.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
Oliver closed his eyes.
“Fenwick paid for a property in Vermont.”
Nathan tracked it within an hour.
A cabin outside Stowe.
Federal agents arrived that afternoon.
Thomas Rourke was there.
He did not resist.
At first, he refused to speak.
Then Rebecca showed him Gabriel’s video.
Rourke stared at the screen for a long time.
Finally, he whispered, “I didn’t kill him.”
“Who did?” Rebecca asked.
Rourke’s jaw tightened.
“Salazar gave the order.”
Rosa began trembling.
“And Fenwick?”
“He arranged the route.”
“What route?”
“Gabriel was leaving a meeting. Fenwick gave us his location.”
Rosa covered her face.
Rourke continued.
“The order was supposed to scare him.”
Rebecca stared.
“Was it?”
Rourke shook his head.
“The driver forced Gabriel off the bridge.”
“Who drove?”
Rourke looked up.
“Victor’s son.”
Everyone froze.
Victor Salazar Jr.
The heir to Salazar Holdings.
Rosa whispered, “Gabriel was killed by his son?”
Rourke nodded.
“And Victor paid everyone to bury it.”
Rebecca immediately began preparing warrants.
But within two hours, news leaked that Rourke had been found.
Victor reacted.
A private jet registered to Salazar Holdings requested departure clearance for Switzerland.
Victor was running.
Federal agents raced to the airport.
Julian and Rosa waited.
Then Rebecca called.
“He wasn’t on the plane.”
Julian frowned.
“Decoy.”
“Yes.”
“Where’s his son?”
“Also missing.”
Nathan entered.
“Julian.”
Something in his expression made Julian stand.
“What?”
“Mia’s school records were accessed thirty minutes ago.”
Rosa went pale.
“She isn’t at school.”
“I know.”
“Then why—”
Nathan turned his laptop.
Someone had downloaded emergency contact information.
Rosa’s name.
The secure apartment address.
Julian’s stomach dropped.
“Move everyone now.”
Too late.
The lights went out.
Rosa screamed.
A crash sounded in the hallway.
Nathan reached for his weapon.
Julian ran toward the living room.
“Mia!”
Silence.
May you like
Then Rosa’s voice shattered the darkness.
“She’s gone.”
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