Adrian called Matthew once.

No answer.

He called again.

Voicemail.

Detective Ramirez told him not to send any messages.

“Let him believe we don’t know.”

Adrian hated every second of it.

Matthew was thirty-four.

Six years younger than Adrian.

Their relationship had never been simple.

Adrian had inherited controlling interest in Mercer Development after their father died.

Matthew inherited money.

A lot of money.

But not control.

Their father had trusted Adrian’s judgment.

Matthew had never forgiven either of them.

Still, family dinners continued.

Birthdays continued.

Christmas continued.

And when Matthew lost nearly two million dollars on a failed restaurant chain, Adrian quietly covered part of the debt.

Olivia stood near the window.

“Uncle Matt introduced you to Vanessa.”

Adrian looked at her.

“Yes.”

The memory returned immediately.

A charity auction in Manhattan.

Matthew had walked Vanessa across the room.

“Adrian, meet Vanessa Cole.”

“She works with the foundation.”

Vanessa had smiled.

Not too warmly.

Not too eagerly.

Perfectly.

Within three months, she and Adrian were dating.

Within eight, she practically lived in his house.

Adrian suddenly felt sick.

“Dad?”

He picked up his keys.

“Stay here with Emma.”

“Where are you going?”

“To my office.”

“Why?”

“Because Matthew has access.”

“To what?”

“Company records.”

Olivia’s face changed.

Adrian called his chief financial officer.

“Daniel, lock Matthew’s access immediately.”

There was a pause.

“Adrian?”

“Every account.”

“Every server.”

“Every building.”

“Do it now.”

Daniel did not argue.

Adrian arrived at Mercer Development forty minutes later.

His security director, Thomas Reed, met him in the underground garage.

Thomas had worked for Adrian’s father before working for Adrian.

Gray-haired.

Broad-shouldered.

Quiet.

Dependable.

“What happened?”

Adrian explained only the basics.

Thomas listened without interrupting.

When Adrian finished, Thomas looked toward the elevator.

“Matthew used his access card here at 1:17 this morning.”

Adrian stopped walking.

“What?”

“Security flagged it because he entered after hours.”

“Why wasn’t I called?”

“He still has executive clearance.”

“Where did he go?”

Thomas checked his tablet.

“Twenty-fourth floor.”

Adrian’s private executive level.

“My office?”

Thomas nodded.

The elevator doors opened.

Adrian stepped inside.

His pulse began to climb.

His office looked normal.

Desk.

Windows.

Conference table.

Bookshelves.

But Thomas checked the security logs.

Matthew had entered Adrian’s office at 1:24 a.m.

He left at 1:39.

Fifteen minutes.

Adrian walked to his desk.

Nothing appeared disturbed.

Then he noticed the framed photograph.

Emma and Olivia.

It faced slightly left.

Adrian always kept it straight.

He opened the top drawer.

Contracts.

Pens.

Business cards.

Second drawer.

Legal files.

Third drawer.

Empty.

Adrian stared.

It was not supposed to be empty.

He kept a black leather folder there.

Inside were updated copies of his estate documents.

Including guardianship instructions for both daughters.

“Thomas.”

“Yes?”

“My estate file is gone.”

Thomas immediately called building security.

Adrian stood motionless.

The implications came together too quickly.

Vanessa wanted access to Emma.

Someone was interested in guardianship.

Matthew had entered Adrian’s office after police arrived at the house.

And now Adrian’s estate documents were missing.

Thomas lowered the phone.

“We have garage footage.”

“Show me.”

Five minutes later, they watched Matthew leave the building.

He carried nothing in his hands.

Adrian almost felt relieved.

Then Thomas zoomed in.

Matthew was wearing an oversized winter coat despite the warm September night.

Something rectangular pressed against the inside.

Adrian’s phone rang.

Detective Ramirez.

“We accessed more messages from Vanessa’s prepaid phone.”

Adrian put the call on speaker.

“What did you find?”

Ramirez paused.

“Your brother wasn’t just helping her.”

“What was he doing?”

“He was paying her.”

Adrian stared at Thomas.

“How much?”

“More than four hundred thousand dollars over the last year.”

Adrian gripped the edge of his desk.

Ramirez continued.

“And there’s a message Vanessa sent him six days ago.”

“What does it say?”

Ramirez read it.

“Once Clara is gone, the girls are next.”

Adrian stopped breathing.