GABRIEL
A minute later, an email came to his phone.
“It’s here,” Scott confirmed. “Where shall I send it?”
“Send it to Audrey,” I instructed.
He sighed. “Fine.” He pressed buttons on his phone screen. “Done.”
Audrey picked up her phone and checked her email. “It’s here.”
“Good.” Charles prompted. “How can I make sure you won’t do anything to it?”
“I’m a businessman, Charles. I know what confidential means, but it’ll be used later if necessary. For investigation.”
“Okay, fine!” he snapped. “Now, what are we saying?”
“Very well.” I went to my desk, picked up my iPad, and showed him the tattoo he saw on his uncle’s back. “The Onyx Monkey. It’s the name of your father and Edward Hopkins’s illicit firm. I hired an outsider to join their club, and to get inside, you must have a, yes, a tattoo and a million-dollar entrance fee to become an official member.”
“You really like spending, do you?” his statement sounded like a mock.
“Yes, I do because I can,” I retorted. “Anyway, since I have them under my net, I’m just waiting for the right timing. Dylan already contacted his source at the PPD. Now it’s Audrey’s turn to testify.”
“Why not you? Why Audrey?” he questioned.
“I’m a dead man to them, Charles. I can’t make any mistakes.”
“Why did you suddenly trust me with all of this information? I can also use this against you, you know? I can even tell my uncle about this,” he said.
“It’s already done, Charles,” I smirked. “Now, if you want to join your uncle in jail later, you’re free to tell him.”
“No, you are saying this to me because you need me too,” he pressed.
“That’s not entirely wrong,” I admitted.
“Charles,” Audrey called her friend softly. “If you help me put an end to this, I will be less scared because I am afraid.”
“Audrey, I never knew all of this until today,” he replied calmly. “I have to process all of this.”
“Of course. I understand that. You can think about it,” Audrey said.
“No, of course, you can’t think about it,” I interjected, and Audrey sent me a questioning look. “We’re running out of time, and we’re not asking for your permission. We will do this without you anyway, but I’m not selfish, so I think you deserve to know. This is your family, too.”
He smiled a little at me. “Thanks.”
“And since we’re sitting here, I might as well tell you something about Samuel. Audrey, will you be okay? It’s not going to be easy,” I said.
“I’d been through a lot, Gabe. I can handle this.”
I nodded. “Okay. This came from Dylan just this morning.” I opened a video file that seemed to be CCTV footage.
The scene starts with Samuel sitting in front of a man in an all-white hospital gown. I knew who he was. “That’s my mother’s cardiologist,” I said. “When did this happen?”
“It happened the same day Samuel was murdered.”
In the video, Samuel suddenly attacked the doctor with punches and kicks. The doctor didn’t move but even kneeled in front of him. They had conversed more, but then Samuel rushed out of the office.
“What the hell happened?” Charles asked.
“What was Sam doing with mom’s cardiologist? Is the killer, then? He took revenge because of my brother’s action?” she questioned.
“Dylan went to Phoenix to find the doctor and asked him a few questions, but no, he isn’t the killer,” Gabriel explained. “Samuel’s only there because he found out something.”
“Why? Was he sick?”
“No, that doctor purposely ended your mother’s life. Georgina Rossi didn’t die of heart failure but from a drug overdose.”
“Oh my God, no.” Audrey touched her chest, and her eyes welled with tears.
“I’m sorry, Audrey,” I whispered.
“No!” she cried, and instantly, Charles caught her as she was about to collapse. “Mom, no…”
“Audrey. Shh… it’s alright.” Charles whispered and took her head to his shoulder, and he looked at me. As much as I wanted to rip his hand away from my angel, I knew she needed a friend, and it was not the time to get feelings to turn over.
“Where is the doctor then?” he asked.
“He was arrested. Dylan’s source in the police took care of it,” I answered.
Audrey moved away from his friend and wiped her face. “Why would he kill my mother?”
“Dr. Clark is being interrogated now, but he didn’t want to talk about why he did what he did. Though I’m still waiting for news. Dylan would call me after.”
Audrey sniveled her tears back. It’s like she’s grieving all over again. “And Samuel found out about this.”
“Yes, he did. That’s why he got angry,” I said.
“But he died too!” she exclaimed painfully. “Now, after Mom and Sam, who’s next, Anton? Me? What did we ever do wrong?”
“Audrey, I don’t think the killer could hurt Anton.”
“Why? How can you say that?” I questioned.
“Because Anton is your father’s only son. You and Samuel are not half-siblings, nor are you an orphan. You share the same parents, Audrey. It’s what he found out that day from that doctor, and we think Edward killed Sam.”
“What?” I breathed. “I know he hurts people, but he won’t get his hands dirty. He mourned for Sam too.”
“Audrey, it’s all an act,” I pressed. “He’s using Sam’s death to get sympathy for people, and Sam went home after his encounter with the doctor. He was home that day, Audrey. At least that was what your nanny said.”
“Mila? How did your manager speak to her?”
“Dylan went to your house and disguised himself as Sam’s old friend.”
I nodded. “I actually never asked Mila about it. It was too painful to ask.”
“Yes, so basically, we suspect that the crime happened in the mansion based on the weapons that were used for the murder. A knife and some hard glass—pieces of it were found on his head. But we need more evidence. It’ll come out soon, Audrey. I have the best manhandling this.”
My stomach twitched at Gabriel’s description. I couldn’t imagine Sam like that. “No more, please. I don’t want to hear anymore.”
“I told you, right?” I whispered. “It may be too hard to handle.”
Charles clenched his fist. “I’m in,” he declared. “I will help you. I guess it was Sam who bound all of us together now, and if it weren’t for him, I’m not be the man I am today. He showed me I was not the loser everyone thought I was.”
“Because he always saw the best in people,” I said.
“Yes,” he said, and for the first time, I agreed with him. Samuel didn’t see me as a poor farmer boy, but as someone he could trust. “So I will help you as much as I can.”
“What will you do?” Audrey asked him.
“I’ll bring my uncle down, and when he’s down, your father will fall along with him, Audrey.”
“But how?”
“Where do you think your father is getting the money now? He’s bankrupt. He had to mortgage the house, remember?”
“Your uncle is helping him,” I conclude, understanding what he meant. “With Scott’s company aid, their underground business won’t cease. And the only thing Hopkins could do now sat as a public officer so he could control Phoenix again.”
“Yes, so I’ll fight my uncle. I hold the largest stake in the company. I guess it’s time I take over. This isn’t your fight anymore, but mine, too.”
“Then we have work to do, Scott.” I reach out a hand to him.
“Stark.” He clasped and shook my hand.