Chapter 3: What My Brother Knew
I stared at the screen for one full second.
Then I answered.
"Daniel."
"Where are you right now?" His voice was tight.
Not worried-tight.
Controlled-tight.
The voice he used when something had already gone wrong and he was trying to manage the damage.
"I'm home," I said.
"Why?"
A pause.
"Is Sienna there?"
"Yes."
Another pause.
Longer.
"Get out of the house.
Take Caleb.
Get out right now."
I looked at Sienna.
She was watching my face the way you watch a door you're not sure will hold.
"Daniel.
Tell me what you know."
"I'll tell you everything.
But not there.
Not in front of her."
Mason shifted his weight.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
"I'm not leaving without answers," I said.
"Then I'll give you one," Daniel said.
"The man with the black bag — his name is Royce.
He works for a private medical contractor.
I know that name because someone hired him through a shell account three weeks ago." He stopped.
"The account was opened in your name."
The room didn't change.
The light was the same.
Sienna was standing in the same spot.
Mason hadn't moved.
But something in my chest went completely still.
"Say that again."
"Someone opened a financial account using your identity, your signature, your ID scan.
Then used it to hire Royce.
Whatever Royce was paid to do — it traces back to you.
Not them.
You."
I looked at Sienna.
She looked back at me without blinking.
"How long have you known this?" I asked Daniel.
"Two days.
I was trying to verify before I called.
I didn't want to—"
"Two days," I said.
"I know.
I'm sorry.
I needed to be sure."
Mason cleared his throat.
"Whatever your brother is telling you, it's not what you think."
"Then what is it?" I said.
He didn't answer.
I walked to the kitchen table and set Caleb down in the chair closest to the wall.
He kept both hands on my arm.
I didn't pull away.
I just looked at him and said, "Stay right here.
Don't move."
He nodded.
His eyes were too old for his face in that moment.
I turned back to Mason.
"You said I wasn't supposed to be here tonight.
My son says Sienna told him I wouldn't be coming back.
Someone hired a man using my identity.
And that man came to this house twice." I took one step toward him.
"So I'm going to ask you one more time.
What did you two plan?"
Mason's jaw moved.
Nothing came out.
Sienna spoke instead.
"You're confused," she said.
"You're upset and you're not thinking clearly.
If you just—"
"Sienna." I turned to face her fully.
"I have your phone.
I have three weeks of messages.
I have my brother on the line.
And I have our son sitting at that table." I held up the phone.
"Who is asking if it's done yet?"
Her mouth closed.
"Is it someone in this room?" I said.
"Or is there a third person we haven't talked about yet?"
She looked at Mason.
That look lasted less than a second.
But it was enough.
I raised the phone back to my ear.
"Daniel.
I need you to send me everything you have.
Right now."
"Already sending," he said.
"There's one more thing."
"Tell me."
"The account that hired Royce — it wasn't just used once.
There were two payments.
The first was three weeks ago." He paused.
"The second cleared this morning."
My phone buzzed in my hand as the files arrived.
Sienna took one step toward me.
"Whatever Daniel told you, he doesn't have the full picture—"
"Then give me the full picture," I said.
"Right now.
All of it."
May you like
She stopped walking.
And said nothing.
