Chapter 3 - The Son at the Gate
“Where is Daniel?”
Nobody answered.
Vincent turned toward Patrick.
“Find him.”
Patrick immediately spoke into his radio.
“Locate Daniel Callahan.”
Static.
Then:
“Sir, his vehicle is approaching the east gate.”
Vincent looked at the clock.
10:18 p.m.
Adrien smiled.
“Perfect timing.”
Vincent’s eyes moved toward him.
“You knew he was coming.”
“I know everything happening in your house.”
“Not everything.”
Vincent glanced at Molly.
Adrien’s smile vanished.
Two minutes later, Daniel Callahan entered the marble hall.
Thirty-two, dark-haired, composed, wearing a charcoal coat over an open-collar white shirt.
He stopped when he saw the locked doors.
Then Adrien.
Then Molly.
Then the recorder.
“What happened?”
Vincent watched his son carefully.
“Where were you?”
“Cambridge.”
“Doing what?”
“Meeting Collins.”
“About?”
“The waterfront acquisition.”
Vincent lifted the photograph from the envelope.
“Recognize this?”
Daniel took it.
His expression changed.
The photograph showed Daniel entering a warehouse with a man tied to a rival organization.
Daniel looked up.
“Where did you get this?”
“The envelope.”
Daniel turned toward Adrien.
“You.”
Adrien smiled.
Daniel stepped forward.
Patrick blocked him.
“Easy.”
Daniel pointed at Adrien.
“He told me the meeting was authorized.”
Vincent’s eyes narrowed.
“What meeting?”
“Three weeks ago. Adrien said you wanted a back channel opened.”
“I never authorized it.”
Daniel stared at his father.
Adrien shrugged.
“Miscommunication.”
Daniel’s voice rose.
“You sent me there.”
“And you went.”
“You said my father ordered it.”
Vincent held up the second photograph.
It showed Daniel exchanging a folder with the same man.
“What was in the folder?”
“Property documents.”
Adrien laughed.
Daniel turned.
“What?”
“Tell him what you thought they were.”
“They were deeds.”
“No,” Adrien said. “They were route maps.”
Daniel froze.
Vincent stared at his son.
“You handed them over?”
“I didn’t know.”
Adrien’s smile widened.
“And now we arrive at the difficult question.”
He nodded toward Molly.
“If her recorder captured someone saying, ‘My father will never see me coming,’ perhaps Daniel wasn’t as innocent as he claims.”
Daniel looked at Molly.
“You heard me?”
Molly studied him.
Then shook her head.
“No.”
Adrien blinked.
“What?”
“That wasn’t him.”
Vincent looked at her.
“You’re certain?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Daniel talks fast.”
Daniel almost laughed from sheer disbelief.
Molly pointed toward Adrien.
“The other man talked slow. Like him.”
Adrien’s eyes hardened.
Vincent stepped closer to Molly.
“Can you find the recording?”
“There’s more.”
“Play it.”
Patrick advanced the audio.
Static.
Footsteps.
A door.
Then another male voice.
“My father will never see me coming.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Marcus.”
Vincent’s head snapped toward him.
“Your brother?”
Daniel nodded.
Adrien said nothing.
Vincent stared toward the staircase.
Marcus Callahan was Vincent’s older son.
Forty.
Patient.
Polished.
The son who had spent twenty years telling everyone he wanted nothing to do with his father’s darker business.
“Where is Marcus?” Vincent asked.
Patrick checked his radio.
“Not on the property.”
Daniel pulled out his phone.
No signal.
Vincent had ordered communications cut.
“Turn the network back on for one phone.”
Patrick handed Daniel a secure device.
Daniel called.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
Hannah suddenly spoke.
“Mr. Callahan.”
Vincent turned.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“The west office wasn’t the only room open today.”
Adrien looked at her.
Hannah continued.
“The old study was unlocked this morning.”
Vincent frowned.
“Nobody uses it.”
“I know.”
“What did you see?”
“I didn’t go inside. Mr. Vale told me not to.”
Vincent looked at Adrien.
“Of course he did.”
Hannah’s confidence grew.
“But I saw Marcus leaving.”
Silence.
“When?”
“Six-fifteen.”
“Was he alone?”
“No.”
“With whom?”
Hannah hesitated.
Adrien suddenly moved.
Not toward Vincent.
Toward the table.
Patrick intercepted him immediately, forcing him back without striking him.
“What were you reaching for?” Patrick demanded.
“Nothing.”
Daniel looked at the papers.
Then understood.
“The envelope.”
Vincent opened it completely.
There was something beneath the photographs.
A small brass key.
Hannah whispered, “That’s from the old study.”
Vincent picked it up.
“Patrick.”
They moved upstairs.
Molly followed Hannah.
Vincent turned.
“The girl stays here.”
Molly shook her head.
“No.”
Vincent stared at her.
“I’ve heard enough tonight.”
“But I know where they hid it.”
Vincent stopped.
“Hid what?”
Molly looked toward the upper landing.
“The red book.”
Adrien went pale.
Vincent noticed.
“What red book?”
Molly pointed upstairs.
May you like
“The one Mr. Vale told Marcus would make you disappear without anybody touching you.”
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