Chapter 16 - The Other Reed
The man outside Margaret’s guesthouse called himself Samuel Reed.
Michael’s identical twin.
Daniel stared at the security image.
Same gray eyes.
Same height.
Same posture.
The difference was the smile.
Michael rarely smiled.
Samuel seemed unable to stop.
“Why has no one mentioned him?”
Daniel asked.
Michael looked ashamed.
“Because the family paid him to leave.”
“For what?”
“He forged Caroline’s signature on land transfers.”
Margaret stared.
“So Judith’s husband was not acting alone.”
“No.”
“Samuel helped him.”
“Yes.”
Daniel’s frustration boiled.
“How many criminals were invited to family holidays?”
Michael almost smiled.
“More than you’d enjoy knowing.”
Daniel did not.
Samuel waited peacefully at the gate.
He carried a small wooden box.
Sophie remained inside with Rosa.
Daniel spoke through the intercom.
“What do you want?”
Samuel smiled at the camera.
“To give Sophie something her mother left.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Leave it at the gate.”
“I’d rather explain.”
“No.”
Samuel shrugged.
“Then you’ll miss the final chapter.”
Daniel hated the phrase.
“What chapter?”
“The part where Emily discovered Michael was not the only Reed brother using the family accounts.”
Michael stepped toward the intercom.
“Samuel.”
Samuel’s smile vanished.
“Hello, brother.”
“You should have stayed away.”
“I did.”
“Not far enough.”
Daniel interrupted.
“Box.”
Samuel looked at the camera.
“It contains Caroline’s original accounting ledger.”
Michael froze.
Daniel noticed.
“You told me you had the complete record.”
Michael stared at Samuel.
“I thought I did.”
Samuel laughed.
“You always thought you were the smart one.”
Daniel sent security to retrieve the box.
Samuel did not resist.
Inside was an old handwritten ledger.
Caroline’s handwriting.
Margaret verified it against the letters.
Entries documented diverted funds.
Samuel Reed.
Judith Vale.
Richard Vale, Judith’s husband.
Michael’s name appeared too.
But beside it Caroline had written:
M.R. attempted to stop transfers.
Daniel looked at Michael.
For once, someone’s secret made him look better.
Samuel’s name appeared repeatedly.
Then came the final entry.
S.R. has begun contacting Emily.
Daniel looked up.
“What did you want from my wife?”
Samuel’s smile faded.
“Help.”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“You wanted money.”
“Both can be true.”
Daniel continued reading.
Emily had met Samuel twice.
She refused him.
Then she discovered he knew about the separate trusts for Sophie and Vanessa.
Samuel had threatened to reveal every old forgery unless Emily paid him.
Michael stepped toward the gate.
“You blackmailed her.”
Samuel shrugged.
“I negotiated.”
Daniel’s voice turned cold.
“She was pregnant.”
“She was wealthy.”
Daniel nearly opened the gate himself.
Security stopped him.
Samuel continued.
“She made a different offer.”
Daniel paused.
“What offer?”
“She said she would collect evidence against Judith if I disappeared.”
Michael frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
Samuel smiled.
“It does if Emily knew Judith was stealing from Vanessa.”
Daniel stared.
“So Emily used you.”
“For a while.”
“What ended it?”
“Eric.”
Eric stepped forward.
“Me?”
Samuel looked through the gate.
“You found one of my accounts.”
Eric’s face tightened.
“I reported it to my father.”
Michael nodded slowly.
“That was the account that started my investigation.”
Samuel clapped softly.
“Family reunion complete.”
Daniel wanted him gone.
But one question remained.
“Why now?”
Samuel’s smile disappeared.
“Because Judith is about to make a deal.”
Margaret frowned.
“With prosecutors?”
“Yes.”
Vanessa whispered.
“She’ll blame me.”
Samuel looked at her.
“Of course she will.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Samuel continued.
“She’ll say you manipulated everything.”
Daniel looked at Margaret.
“Can she?”
“Evidence matters more than accusation.”
Samuel nodded.
“And evidence can disappear.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
Samuel looked almost serious.
“It’s a warning.”
Michael approached the gate.
“What do you want in return?”
Samuel smiled again.
“There’s my brother.”
Daniel interrupted.
“You get nothing.”
Samuel turned toward him.
“Then Judith’s people get the backup files.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“What backup files?”
“Security footage from your mansion.”
Daniel thought of the disabled cameras.
Samuel continued.
“Vanessa thought she shut them off.”
Vanessa stared.
“I did.”
“No.”
Samuel smiled.
“You redirected them.”
Daniel’s pulse accelerated.
“Where?”
“To an off-site server Judith controlled.”
Samuel lifted his phone.
“I copied it first.”
Daniel looked at Sophie’s window.
If that footage showed what happened, it could prove Vanessa’s treatment of Sophie.
It could prove who entered the house.
It could prove Eric’s visits.
Daniel hated needing Samuel.
“What do you want?”
“One dollar.”
Everyone stared.
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“One dollar.”
Samuel smiled.
“And a signed statement that I voluntarily returned Caroline’s ledger.”
Margaret whispered.
“He wants cooperation credit.”
Samuel shrugged.
“I’m old, not stupid.”
Daniel looked at Michael.
Then Vanessa.
Then Eric.
A family of people saving themselves at the last possible moment.
He turned back to Samuel.
“You’ll give us the footage first.”
Samuel’s smile widened.
“Emily chose well.”
Daniel’s expression did not change.
May you like
“Don’t talk about my wife.”
For the first time, Samuel obeyed.
