Chương 9
Howard's expression shifted slightly.
Brandon continued.
"If I refused, she'd say I was choosing him."
My father leaned against the table.
The anger in his face did not disappear, but it changed.
"That explains something," he said.
"It does not excuse tonight."
"I know."
Brandon swallowed.
"I know."
This time, the words sounded different.
I looked at him and felt the worst possible thing.
Compassion.
Not forgiveness.
Not love returning.
Just the recognition that people could be wounded and still wound others.
He looked up at me.
"I'm sorry."
I believed that he was.
It changed nothing.
"I know."
His eyes reddened.
"Is there any chance—"
"No."
He nodded before I finished.
That hurt too.
Officer Ramirez reached for the phone.
Brandon slid it toward her.
"There's more."
Howard looked at him.
"How much more?"
Brandon rubbed his palms together.
"My mother was talking to someone about Harrison Technologies."
My father straightened.
"What someone?"
"I don't know the number."
He looked at me.
"But the messages started before Natasha identified you."
Howard's entire posture changed.
"When?"
"About two months ago."
My father held out his hand.
Officer Ramirez kept the phone.
"No."
He looked at her.
"Officer."
"If this may involve evidence, you don't get to browse it first."
For half a second, I thought my father might argue.
Then he sat.
Howard almost smiled.
Officer Ramirez opened the thread Brandon indicated.
She read silently for nearly a minute.
Then she looked up.
"This doesn't appear to be about Emma."
My father said, "What is it about?"
She hesitated.
"Business."
Howard leaned forward.
"What kind of business?"
Ramirez turned the screen slightly, not enough for us to read.
"I'm going to need clarification from Mr. Hayes about how he obtained this."
Brandon stared at the phone.
"I told you."
"You told me where the device was."
Her eyes sharpened.
"You haven't told me why you were looking through your mother's messages before you found the thread about Emma."
Brandon froze.
There it was.
The question underneath everything.
He looked toward the door.
Then at me.
Then at my father.
"I thought she was hiding something from my dad."
"What?"
He pressed his lips together.
"Money."
My father frowned.
Howard said nothing.
Brandon took a breath.
"My parents are broke."
For a few seconds, nobody in the room reacted.
Then Howard said, "Define broke."
Brandon gave him a tired look.
"Not normal-people broke."
"That's what I assumed."
"My father still has assets."
"What kind?"
"Houses, some equity, investment accounts."
"And debt?"
Brandon stared at the table.
"A lot."
Howard's expression sharpened.
"How much is a lot?"
"I don't know exactly."
My father leaned forward.
"Then why say they're broke?"
"Because the numbers don't work anymore."
Brandon rubbed his thumb against the side of his hand.
"I've seen enough."
Officer Ramirez looked at him.
"How?"
"My dad asked me to help with some statements last month."
"Why you?"
"Because he thought I wouldn't tell my mother."
That sentence carried enough history to make the room quiet again.
I sat back down.
My legs were beginning to ache from adrenaline and standing.
Brandon kept going.
"There's a line of credit against the house in Westchester."
Howard frowned.
"Which bank?"
"I don't know."
"You saw the statements."
"I wasn't memorizing them."
"Fair."
Howard's tone softened slightly.
Brandon looked surprised by that.
"My dad said they were reorganizing."
"Meaning?"
"Selling a few things."
"Are they?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because my mother won't let anyone know."
My father gave a short exhale.
"That sounds expensive."
"It is."
Brandon looked at me.
"She thinks appearances are leverage."
I almost laughed.
Of course she did.
The ballroom suddenly made more sense in a way that made it uglier, not better.
The diamonds.
The champagne.
Two hundred guests.
The insistence that everyone know who belonged and who did not.
Clarissa had been guarding a fortress with no money behind the walls.
Howard tapped one finger against the table.
"What does that have to do with Harrison Technologies?"
Brandon glanced toward Officer Ramirez.
She still held his phone.
"I don't know exactly."
"Try."
He looked at my father.
"My mother has been talking to somebody about a company called Merritt Capital."
Howard's face changed.
It was subtle, but I saw it.
So did my father.
"What about Merritt?" my father asked.
Brandon shrugged.
"She wanted them to buy something."
"What?"
"Debt, maybe."
Howard stood.
"William."
My father lifted one hand.
"Not yet."
Officer Ramirez looked between them.
"You two recognize the name."
Howard answered.
"Yes."
"Should I?"
"No."
"Then explain."
Howard glanced at my father.
My father nodded.
"Merritt Capital is a private investment firm."
Ramirez waited.
"That doesn't sound illegal."
"It isn't."
"What are you leaving out?"
My father looked at Brandon.
"They have been trying to increase their position in one of our suppliers."
Howard corrected him.
"Former supplier."
"Right."
Brandon frowned.
"Why would my mother care?"
"That's what I'd like to know."
Officer Ramirez placed the phone on the table but kept one hand beside it.
"Unless this connects directly to tonight's assault, I'm not turning this room into a corporate investigation."
"Agreed," Howard said.
My father looked irritated.
Howard looked at him.
"Agreed."
My father gave him a flat stare.
Then he nodded.
Brandon exhaled.
"There's one more thing."
Nobody seemed pleased by the sentence.
He leaned forward.
"My mother asked Merritt about a bridge loan."
Howard frowned.
"For what entity?"
"I don't know."
"Did the message name one?"
"I think so."
Officer Ramirez unlocked the phone and scrolled.
Brandon leaned slightly toward her.
"There."
She read silently.
Howard waited.
My father stopped pretending patience.
"What does it say?"
Ramirez looked at Brandon.
"Hayes Development Partners."
Brandon closed his eyes.
Howard leaned back.
"That would explain the urgency."
I looked at him.
"Explain it to me."
He folded his hands.
"If their development company is overleveraged and Merritt is considering financing, they need collateral, guarantees, or influence."
May you like
My father looked at me.
"And suddenly Clarissa discovers her son's girlfriend is my daughter."
