Chapter 6 - Adrian’s Father
Adrian read the message twice.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“You told him.”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“I don’t know.”
Ernesto backed toward the kitchen.
The watch suddenly looked dangerous on his wrist.
Adrian untied it.
“Give me this.”
Ernesto hesitated.
Then handed it over.
Adrian turned it in his palm.
The engraved M.
A scratch near the crown.
Marcus’s blood dried beneath the strap.
Daniel said, “Victor only cares if Marcus gave him something.”
“Like what?”
“Evidence.”
Adrian opened the back casing.
Nothing obvious.
Daniel stopped him.
“Not here.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You’re still giving orders.”
“Habit.”
“Break it.”
Daniel nodded.
They moved to a borrowed apartment Daniel kept off company books.
No smart devices.
No Cole network.
Adrian used a jeweler’s tool to open the watch.
Inside the case was a thin memory card.
Ernesto whispered:
“He hid it.”
Adrian inserted it into the clean laptop.
One video.
Marcus in the driver’s seat.
Timestamp twenty minutes before the crash.
“If you’re seeing this, we were made.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“Victor’s people know about the board meeting. Sofia says the old father file matches the new river accounts.”
Marcus looked over his shoulder.
“Daniel disabled tracking. I don’t know if he’s turned or trapped.”
Daniel swallowed.
Marcus continued.
“Adrian, your father’s death wasn’t natural.”
Adrian’s fingers went cold.
“Victor requested the toxicology archive eight years ago and removed one report.”
The video ended.
Adrian shut the laptop.
No speech.
No dramatic disbelief.
He stood.
“Where is Victor?”
Daniel said, “Your penthouse.”
“Good.”
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Adrian looked down.
Daniel released him.
“If he knows you suspect him, Sofia dies.”
Ernesto stepped closer.
“My mom is alive?”
Daniel looked at him.
“I think so.”
“Think?”
“Victor uses people before he kills them.”
Adrian hated the sentence.
They went to the penthouse anyway.
Not to confront.
To test.
Victor Cole stood by the windows when Adrian entered.
Sixty-two.
Silver hair.
Perfect navy suit.
The man who taught Adrian to drive.
The man who sat beside him at his father’s funeral.
Victor crossed the room and hugged him.
“You stubborn bastard.”
Adrian let him.
Victor pulled back.
“You look terrible.”
“River facial.”
Victor almost laughed.
Then his eyes dropped to Adrian’s hand.
The gold watch.
His smile disappeared.
“You found Marcus’s watch.”
Adrian went completely still.
Victor realized it.
Too late.
Adrian had never mentioned the watch.
He had not worn it openly.
It had been inside his fist.
Victor looked up.
Adrian smiled slowly.
May you like
“How did you know it was Marcus’s?”
CUT.
