Chapter 11 - MASON'S BROTHER
Mason hid for thirty-six hours.
During that time, Ryan read Caleb Burke’s records.
Caleb was not simply an innocent investor.
He had worked as a junior analyst at Vale Meridian.
He discovered transfers.
Raised concerns.
Then invested his own savings anyway because Spencer convinced him the fund would recover.
When it failed, Caleb became both whistleblower and participant.
His shame deepened.
Before his death, he sent Mason:
documents,
emails,
wallet addresses.
Mason turned grief into certainty.
Spencer killed my brother.
Not literally.
Maybe morally, in Mason’s mind.
That certainty justified more and more.
Surveillance.
Threats.
Kidnapping.
Then Ryan found one unsent email from Caleb.
To Mason.
I need you to promise me you won’t do anything stupid. Vale is a liar, but I made my own choices too.
Ryan stared.
Mason had never mentioned it.
Perhaps he had never seen it.
Caleb’s draft folder had not synced to the device Mason received.
Ryan obtained it through cloud records.
If Mason saw it, would it change anything?
Not erase Leo.
Not erase crime.
But perhaps end the story he had built around revenge.
Then Mason called Ryan.
“I want a trade.”
“For what?”
“Vale’s wallet.”
“No.”
“You don’t even know what I’m offering.”
Ryan did.
“Mason, I found Caleb’s last draft.”
Silence.
“What draft?”
Ryan read one sentence.
Vale is a liar, but I made my own choices too.
May you like
Mason said nothing for twelve seconds.
Then disconnected.
