Julian had told Harper that he was attending an investment conference in Zurich.
My pulse quickened.
« Why is my brother-in-law involved in this case? »
« We were hoping you would tell us. »
» I can’t. «
« Has Julian ever mentioned foreign clients? »
« Constantly. Private equity. Infrastructure. Currency arbitrage. I stopped listening years ago. »
« Has he ever asked you about your work? »
I’ve thought about it.
Christmas Eve dinners.
Birthdays.
Barbecues.
Julian joking about civil servants’ salaries.
Then occasional, innocuous questions.
Where are you parked right now?
Does David still travel in Europe?
Do military intelligence services actually use these underground bunkers?
Questions that were easy to answer casually, because Julian always made people laugh.
I felt unwell.
« He asked questions about David’s schedule. »
Harris nodded slowly.
» When ? «
« Several times. »
Someone knocked.
The captain entered.
« General, we have a problem. »
Harris stood up.
» What ? «
« Mr. Cole tried to leave. »
Julian.
My brother-in-law’s name.
Harris looked at me.
« Did he succeed? »
« No, sir. »
We went back into the kitchen.
Julian stood near the garage door, two soldiers blocking his way.
Harper was shouting.
« You can’t lock up my husband! »
« Nobody is holding him back, » the captain said.
« Then let’s go! »
« Only after the security procedures have been finalized. »
Julian looked at me.
For the first time, his arrogance had disappeared.
« What did they tell you? »
The question was asked too quickly.
Too direct.
I watched it.
« What do you think they told me? »
His gaze shifted towards Harris.
Just a second.
But I saw her.
And Harris too.
Julian quickly regained his composure.
« I don’t know. This whole situation is madness. »
Harper grabbed my arm.
« Evelyn, tell them to stop. »
I freed myself.
« You wanted to see my room ten minutes ago. »
Her face has changed.
« It’s not the same thing. »
» No. «
I looked at Julian.
« It’s not the same thing. »
My father intervened.
« Enough. No matter what happens with these military stories, we are a family. »
I almost smiled.
« Interesting moment. »
Her face turned crimson.
« I will not allow anyone to speak to me like that in this house. »
I turned around slowly.
« This house? »
He stopped.
I took the key ring out of my pocket and placed it on the counter.
« David bought this house after his second mission. »
My mother whispered, « We know. »
« No. You know the version I told you. »
I looked at them one by one.
« The assets were transferred to a military-protected family trust four years ago. »
Julian suddenly turned his head towards me.
This reaction mattered.
And Harris noticed her.
My father frowned.
« What does that mean? »
« This means that none of you have any tenant rights without my permission. »
Harper was staring at me.
« Would you kick your pregnant sister out? »
I looked at my stomach.
The irony of the situation was almost unbearable.
« You told your pregnant sister to go into a freezing garage. »
His mouth closed.
My mother started to cry.
Not good.
Gently.
Carefully.
The same kind of tears she shed when a confrontation no longer went in her favor.
» I didn’t understand. «
« You understood the temperature. »
« Evelyn… »
« You understand that my husband was buried yesterday. »
She lowered her eyes.
« You understand that I’m pregnant. »
My father slammed his hand down on the table.
« That’s enough! »
All the soldiers in the room moved.
Not dramatically.
Barely perceptible.
But my father saw it.
He lowered his hand.
I stood facing him.
« You said my tears ruined Thanksgiving. »
He clenched his jaw.
« I was trying to keep this family together. »
» No. «
I shook my head.
« You were trying to make everyone feel comfortable. »
No one responded.
Then Julian laughed.
A strange, nervous sound.
« It’s pathetic. »
Harper looked at him.
« Julian? »
He took out his phone.
« No service. »
The captain said, « Communications are temporarily limited. »
Julian was staring at him.
« Did you jam my phone? »
« I didn’t say that. »
Julian looked towards the windows.
His breathing changed.
Small details.
Too fast.
Too superficial.
David had taught me something years ago, during an audition course.
The innocent fear accusations.
The perpetrators fear that the exits will be closed.
Julian was monitoring the exits.
I approached.
« When did you go to Geneva? »
Harper blinked.
» What ? «
Julian froze.
I repeated the question.
« When did you go to Geneva? »
His face no longer betrayed anything.
« I travel all the time. »
« With David? »
Harper was staring at him.
« David? »
Julian looked at me.
« I met him once. »
» Or ? «
« In a hotel lobby. »
« Which hotel? »
He hesitated.
A little too long.
« I don’t remember. »
Harris spoke for the first time.
« The Greater Montreux. »
Julian’s face turned pale.
Harper turned towards him.
« How does he know that? »
No one answered him.
Then something I wasn’t expecting happened.
My father moved.
Not towards me.
Towards Julian.
« What have you done? »
Julian shook his head.
» Nothing. «
My father grabbed him by the shirt.
The soldiers advanced, but Harris raised a hand.
My father’s voice broke.
« Were you having a relationship with David? »
Julian pushed him away.
« I said I didn’t do anything! »
Harper shouted.
« Stop! »
The house exploded.
My mother was crying.
Harper was clinging to Julian’s arm.
My father was screaming.
The soldiers closed the corridor.
And during all that time, I remained completely still.
Because Julian had made a mistake.
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