Chapter 13: My Brother's Final Test

I stared at the medical document in Darius's hand.

Malik Carter.

Three days before his funeral.

The diagnosis was printed in bold letters beneath his name. Advanced heart failure. Multiple complications. A prognosis that left almost no room for hope.

I read it twice.

Then I looked at Darius.

"How long did you know?""

He lowered his eyes.

"Six weeks.""

"Six weeks?""

"Malik found out after collapsing at home. The doctors told him his heart was failing. They said he needed treatment immediately, but the damage was already extensive.""

I shook my head.

"Why didn't he tell me?""

"Because he knew you'd try to take him somewhere. He didn't want to spend his final days in a hospital.""

I gripped the workbench.

"My brother was dying, and you let me believe somebody murdered him?""

Darius's voice cracked.

"He wanted everybody to believe he was dead.""

"Why?""

Darius looked toward the photograph of Malik standing beside Jordan.

"Because he knew Samuel was coming for the trust. He also knew Victor had people inside Black Crown. If everyone believed Malik was gone, the people responsible would stop hiding.""

Judge Elaine Brooks opened the black case.

"Malik wanted to expose everyone involved in his father's murder before he died. He also wanted to identify the person who would protect his children when the truth came out.""

I looked at her.

"His children?""

She nodded.

"Both Trey and Jordan.""

Renee stepped closer.

"Why would Malik need to test Darius?""

Darius looked down.

"Because I was Marcus King's son.""

The room became silent.

He continued.

"My father arranged Raymond's murder. He made sure the evidence disappeared. When Malik discovered the truth, he realized I had known parts of it for years.""

I stepped toward him.

"You knew your father killed mine?""

"I knew my father had been involved in something terrible. I didn't know he had ordered the shooting until Malik showed me the evidence.""

"That's convenient.""

"I spent years trying to find out what happened. When I finally confronted my father, he told me Raymond deserved what happened to him.""

Darius's eyes filled with tears.

"I wanted to kill him.""

I stared at him.

"But you didn't.""

"No. Malik stopped me. He said killing another man wouldn't bring our fathers back.""

Elaine placed several documents on the table.

"Malik arranged for the original evidence to be divided into three separate locations. The storage locker contained the first collection. Your mother's house contained the second. The third was held by me.""

I looked at the documents.

"What did the third collection prove?""

Elaine opened a folder.

"That Marcus King, Samuel Carter, and Raymond Carter had established a criminal financial arrangement years before Black Crown existed. But when Raymond attempted to leave, Marcus and Samuel decided he had become a liability.""

I looked at Darius.

"And your father?""

"Dead," he whispered.

"How?""

Darius swallowed.

"Victor killed him last year.""

I stared at him.

"Why?""

"Marcus wanted to confess. He had kept copies of the original evidence for years. Victor found out and killed him before he could talk.""

Darius pulled a photograph from his jacket.

It showed an older man sitting in a hospital bed.

Marcus King.

On the back was a handwritten message.

*I OWE RAYMOND'S BOYS THE TRUTH.*

Darius continued.

"My father left me a recording. Before he died, he admitted that he arranged the shooting. He also said Samuel was the man who fired the weapon.""

Elaine nodded.

"That recording is admissible evidence when authenticated. We have been working with investigators to establish the full chain of events.""

I looked at the medical document again.

"Why did Malik fake his death?""

Darius answered quietly.

"Because Victor had learned about his diagnosis. He planned to wait until Malik died naturally, then seize control of Black Crown and the trust. Malik decided to use his condition to make everyone reveal their true intentions.""

"How did the funeral happen?""

"Malik arranged for a body to be identified through a false medical record. Victor believed he was dead. Most of Black Crown believed it too.""

I shook my head.

"And Trey?""

"Malik wanted his son away from the organization. He believed the only way to protect him was to make everybody think there was nothing left to inherit.""

Renee wiped her eyes.

"Malik should have trusted me.""

Darius looked at her.

"He wanted to. But he was afraid Samuel would use you to reach Trey.""

Elaine suddenly checked her phone.

Her expression changed.

"What happened?"" I asked.

"Samuel has moved Trey.""

"Where?""

She showed me a message from an investigator.

A photograph of a black SUV had been captured near an abandoned estate outside Atlanta.

The message beneath it read:

*POSSIBLE LOCATION OF HOSTAGE. TWO ARMED MEN INSIDE.*

I grabbed my keys.

Darius stepped in front of me.

"We need to wait for the investigators.""

"That's my nephew.""

"And rushing in will get him killed.""

I wanted to punch him.

Instead, I looked at Elaine.

"Can you get help there?""

"Already requested.""

Renee took Jordan from Denise.

"I'm going too.""

"No," I said.

She stared at me.

"I'm not losing another child.""

I had no answer.

Then the recorder on the workbench suddenly clicked.

A light began blinking.

Elaine looked at it.

"That's Malik's original recording.""

I pressed PLAY.

My brother's voice filled the garage.

"Andre, if you're hearing this, then everything has finally come out.""

I closed my eyes.

"There's something I need you to understand. I didn't fake my death because I wanted to abandon my family. I did it because I needed to know who would protect Trey when I wasn't there.""

A pause.

Then Malik continued.

"Darius has made mistakes. Big ones. But he is not the man who ordered my father's murder.""

Darius began crying.

Malik's voice grew weaker.

"There's one more thing. The person who has been helping Samuel is someone you haven't considered.""

The recording crackled.

Then my brother whispered:

"Don't trust the judge.""

I turned toward Elaine.

Her face had gone completely white.

Before I could move, she reached inside her coat.

She pulled out a small pistol.

"Nobody move.""

Darius stepped in front of me.

Elaine backed toward the garage entrance.

"I'm sorry, Andre.""

I stared at her.

"You?""

She shook her head.

"You don't understand.""

I pointed toward the documents.

"Then explain.""

She raised the weapon.

"Samuel isn't the one who has been running this operation.""

She glanced at the recording.

"He takes orders from me.""

Then she disappeared into the darkness.

My phone rang.

An unknown number.

I answered.

A weak voice whispered:

"Andre, it's Malik.""

I nearly dropped the phone.

"Where are you?""

"Listen carefully. Elaine has Trey. Samuel is only helping her.""

I looked at the empty doorway.

Malik continued.

"Get to the estate. And whatever happens, don't let Elaine reach my son.""

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