Chapter 7
Before Conrad acted, he gave Julian one final opportunity.
Not for mercy.
For truth.
They met without Agatha.
Lawyers stayed.
“Why was there a memorandum about my arrest four days before the party?”
Julian looked genuinely frightened.
His attorney immediately told him not to answer.
Conrad waited.
Julian finally said, “Corporate planning.”
“For an arrest that hadn’t happened.”
“You’ve had confrontations before.”
“Not criminal ones.”
“You’ve hit people.”
“So have you.”
“That isn’t the point.”
Julian looked toward the door.
Conrad leaned forward.
“Did you know Elliot would be chained?”
Silence.
“Did you know his water would be taken?”
Julian’s face changed.
“Agatha said she was going to discipline him.”
“Did you know about the monitor?”
Another silence.
Conrad felt something inside him turn cold.
“You knew.”
Julian stared at the table.
“I didn’t think she’d push it that far.”
Conrad stood.
Julian looked up.
“You still stepped between me and the key.”
“I was trying to control the situation.”
“You reached for me.”
“You were going to hurt her.”
“My son was locked to a column.”
Julian’s voice rose.
“And you did exactly what everyone knew you would do!”
The room went silent.
Even Julian seemed shocked by his own sentence.
Conrad slowly sat back down.
“What did everyone know I would do?”
Julian’s attorney put a hand on his arm.
“Do not answer.”
Julian said nothing more.
He did not need to.
Conrad walked out with Rachel.
In the elevator, neither spoke until the doors closed.
Rachel finally said, “Now we have something.”
“Not enough.”
“No.”
“But enough for the next decision.”
Conrad nodded.
At the estate, Agatha had sent a message requesting another private family meeting.
May you like
Conrad deleted it.
He was finished allowing the people who created the problem to define the room where it would be discussed.
