Chapter 4 - The Green Watch and the Brother's Betrayal
“The transfer was approved from inside your mansion,” Daniel said.
Julian stared at the transaction report.
“From my office?”
“No. From the private records room.”
The room Allison had seen Victoria leaving.
Daniel enlarged the access history on his tablet.
The authorization had been created three days earlier, but someone had held it as a pending transaction and released it during the reception.
The final approval used Julian's saved electronic credentials.
Credentials he had never given Victoria.
“Michael has administrative access,” Daniel explained.
“He also knows where I keep my authentication device.”
Julian closed his eyes for a moment.
He remembered Michael insisting that the old trust paperwork be stored in the private records room.
He remembered allowing his younger brother to manage the routine finances because he trusted him.
For six years, Michael had handled nearly every charitable distribution.
Julian had reviewed summaries.
He hadn't examined individual transfers.
Now eleven million dollars was missing.
From sick children.
And his brother's name appeared on the approvals.
“Bring Michael to my office,” Julian said.
Daniel checked his phone.
“He's there already.”
Michael Ricci stood near the fireplace when Julian entered.
At thirty-nine, he resembled his older brother, though his face was narrower and his manner less controlled.
His navy jacket hung over a chair.
On his wrist was the familiar gold watch with a dark green face.
Julian placed the hospital photograph on the desk.
Michael went still.
“Where did you get that?”
“Dad's coat.”
Michael reached for the photograph.
Julian covered it with his hand.
“Tell me about Clearwater.”
Michael looked at him.
“Victoria told you.”
“She said you sent Elliot away.”
Michael pulled out a chair.
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because his mother begged me to.”
Julian remained standing.
Michael rubbed his forehead.
“Elliot had just come through his second heart operation. He was barely strong enough to walk. His mother, Mara, had found something wrong with the hospital's billing records.”
“What kind of wrong?”
“Money disappearing. Patients listed as receiving treatments they never got. Grants sent to companies that didn't exist.”
“Did Dad know?”
“Not at first.”
Michael picked up the photograph.
“Mara reported it. A week later, somebody followed her home.”
Julian felt his stomach tighten.
“Who?”
“We never found out.”
“So you put them on a bus?”
“Dad wanted to send a private car. Mara refused. She thought anyone connected to the Ricci family could be watched.”
Michael turned the photograph over.
“I bought the tickets under different names. They went to her sister's home in North Carolina.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Michael gave him a bitter smile.
“Because Dad told me not to.”
“And you obeyed him?”
“For once.”
Julian studied his brother.
Michael had been the reckless one growing up.
Julian had been trusted with decisions, businesses, and family responsibilities.
Michael had always been handed money to fix his mistakes.
But sending a frightened woman and a recovering child to safety wasn't the act of a selfish man.
Something didn't fit.
“Where's Mara now?”
“She died four years ago. Cancer.”
Michael's voice softened.
“Elliot stayed in North Carolina. He worked his way through school. He's a good kid.”
“You've been in contact with him?”
“Sometimes.”
“Then why is someone stealing hospital money using his name?”
Michael's expression closed.
“I don't know.”
Julian placed the bank report beside the photograph.
“Look at the signatures.”
Michael glanced down.
His jaw tightened.
“Those aren't his.”
“How can you tell?”
“Elliot signs his surname Hayes on most personal documents. He only uses Ricci on the trust's official paperwork.”
Julian leaned against the desk.
“Funny. You know a great deal about a brother you never mentioned.”
Michael looked exhausted.
“I made a promise.”
“To Dad?”
“To Elliot.”
Julian waited.
Michael finally looked up.
“He didn't want you finding him.”
That struck harder than Julian expected.
“Why not?”
“Because he thought you'd see him as another mistake Dad made.”
Julian turned toward the window.
He hadn't even known the young man existed.
Yet Elliot had spent years wondering whether Julian would hate him.
Daniel entered carrying another folder.
“The bank confirmed the authorization didn't release the entire transfer,” he said. “The midnight signature would have given Harbor Meridian authority to liquidate the remaining trust assets.”
“How much?”
“Just over one hundred million dollars.”
Michael's face drained.
Julian noticed.
“You knew?”
“I knew Victoria wanted the review delayed.”
“That's not what I asked.”
Michael stood.
“Julian, there are things you don't understand.”
“Then explain them.”
Michael looked at Daniel.
“Can we talk privately?”
“No,” Julian said. “Daniel stays.”
His brother stared at him.
Then Michael pulled the green-faced watch from his wrist and placed it on the desk.
“Dad gave me this the night Mara left Tampa.”
Julian remembered the watch.
Antonio had been particular about his possessions. He rarely gave gifts without attaching expectations.
Michael turned it over.
A small inscription was engraved beneath the case.
Protect what matters.
“Dad said a man's word wasn't worth anything unless he was willing to lose something keeping it.”
Julian folded his arms.
“What did you lose?”
Michael didn't answer.
Julian placed the bank report in front of him.
“Did you authorize these transfers?”
Michael's silence was answer enough.
“How much did you take?”
“I didn't take it for myself.”
“Where did it go?”
Michael sat down heavily.
“Victoria's family company was collapsing. Her father left enormous debts. She needed money to keep her mother's assisted-living expenses paid and avoid bankruptcy.”
Julian stared at him.
“You stole hospital funds to help Victoria?”
“At first, it was a loan.”
“Eleven million dollars?”
“It didn't start at eleven million.”
Michael covered his face.
“The first transfer was supposed to be repaid within ninety days. Then Harbor Meridian couldn't meet its obligations. Interest accumulated. Victoria kept promising a refinancing deal.”
“And you kept sending money.”
Michael nodded.
Julian looked at his brother as if seeing a stranger.
“You could have come to me.”
“You would've gone straight to the authorities.”
“Yes.”
“That's why I didn't.”
The answer was so simple that Julian almost laughed.
Instead, he looked at his father's photograph.
A frightened child had once trusted Michael to get him safely out of town.
Now that same man had stolen money intended to protect children like him.
“Did you poison Allison?”
Michael's head snapped up.
“No.”
“Did you know Victoria touched those glasses?”
Michael looked away.
“I saw her with a little bottle.”
“What was in it?”
“She told me it was something that would make Nora too sick to cause trouble.”
Julian's fists tightened.
“And you didn't stop her?”
“I tried to move the glass.”
“You should've called for help.”
“I know.”
“Allison nearly died.”
Michael's eyes reddened.
“I know.”
For the first time, Julian heard genuine shame in his brother's voice.
But shame wouldn't undo what happened.
Julian picked up his phone.
“Daniel, ask the investigators to come here. Michael can explain everything to them.”
Michael stood suddenly.
“Wait.”
Julian turned.
Michael reached into his jacket and removed a folded piece of paper.
“I was going to give this to you before the reception.”
“What is it?”
“A copy of an instruction Victoria gave Harold Kent.”
Julian unfolded it.
At the top was a list of staff assignments.
Nora Perez's name had been circled.
Beside it were the words:
REMOVE FROM SERVICE BEFORE DOCUMENT REVIEW.
Below that was Rosa Delgado's name.
Beside hers:
ARCHIVE ACCESS — PERMANENTLY REVOKED.
Julian looked up.
“Why didn't you show me?”
“Because Victoria said she'd expose what I'd done.”
Julian stared at the page.
“You let two women nearly die to protect yourself.”
Michael's face crumpled.
“I was trying to fix it.”
“By doing what?”
Michael swallowed.
“By getting the one person who knows where the stolen money went.”
“Who?”
Michael glanced toward the office door.
Then he lowered his voice.
“Harold wasn't just deleting camera footage, Julian.”
He pointed to the final line of the instruction sheet.
A third name appeared beneath Rosa's.
LUCY REED.
Julian's blood ran cold.
“What does an eight-year-old girl have to do with this?”
May you like
Michael looked terrified.
“That's what I've been trying to find out.”
