Chapter 16 - BROOKE'S VERSION OF THE TRUTH
Brooke asked to speak with Dominic.
Investigators initially refused.
Dominic did not object.
He had no desire to hear excuses.
Then Brooke offered information about her father.
The meeting was allowed with attorneys and investigators present.
Brooke looked different.
No designer coat.
No perfect hair.
No practiced smile.
She looked exhausted.
Dominic sat across from her.
“You wanted to talk.”
Brooke nodded.
“My father ordered Michael’s car sabotaged.”
Natalie, watching through the adjoining room, closed her eyes.
Dominic stared at Brooke.
“Did you know before it happened?”
Brooke swallowed.
“I knew he wanted Michael frightened.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“No.”
Dominic waited.
Brooke’s eyes filled.
“I knew Elliot was going to do something.”
“What?”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to know.”
Dominic leaned back.
“That is not innocence.”
“I know.”
“Did you send ‘Is it done?’”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my father told me Elliot was handling Michael that night.”
Dominic’s voice went colder.
“And when Michael died?”
“I panicked.”
“So you paid Elliot.”
“He demanded money.”
“You paid him fifty thousand.”
“Yes.”
“Then continued paying him.”
“My father did.”
“Using money stolen from Noah.”
Brooke looked down.
Dominic almost could not believe the scale of it.
“You financed Michael’s killer with my nephew’s trust.”
Brooke’s face crumpled.
“I didn’t think of it that way.”
Natalie entered the room.
Nobody stopped her.
Brooke looked up.
Natalie stood across the table.
“My husband called me from his car twenty minutes before he died.”
Brooke said nothing.
“He asked whether Noah was asleep.”
“He told me he loved me.”
“He said he would be home by midnight.”
Natalie’s voice shook.
“You knew someone was going after him.”
Brooke looked down.
Natalie stepped closer.
“And you said nothing.”
“I was afraid of my father.”
“You were afraid of losing money.”
Brooke flinched.
Natalie continued.
“You were afraid Dominic would leave you.”
Brooke whispered.
“Yes.”
Natalie stared at her.
“So you let Michael die.”
Brooke began crying.
“I didn’t know he was going to die.”
“But afterward?”
Brooke had no answer.
Natalie nodded slowly.
“That’s what I thought.”
She walked out.
Dominic remained.
Brooke looked at him.
“I did love you.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You loved what my name could protect.”
“No.”
“You stole from my mother.”
“My sister.”
“My nephew.”
“You covered up the death of Natalie’s husband.”
“And now you want me to remember that you loved me.”
Brooke whispered.
“I’m sorry.”
Dominic stood.
“No.”
“You’re sorry I came home early.”
He walked toward the door.
Brooke called after him.
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
“My father has another account.”
Dominic turned.
Brooke’s face had changed.
“There’s more money.”
“Where?”
“Offshore.”
“How much?”
She swallowed.
“Almost twelve million dollars.”
Dominic stared at her.
“Whose money?”
Brooke whispered.
May you like
“Your mother’s.”
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