The Brother Who Counted Everything
Chapter 11 - The Brother Who Counted Everything
Lucas Cross surrendered three days later.
He arrived at Rivera’s office carrying one laptop and an immunity request.
Adrian had drained their shared accounts and blamed Lucas for the Cross Meridian transfers. Family loyalty ended where prison began.
Lucas explained the plan.
Adrian intended to marry Claire, complete the adoption, and declare her temporarily incompetent using psychiatric reports arranged through Dr. Latham. As co-trustee and guardian, he could approve the hospital-land sale.
Noah would be sent to Redmont.
Claire would remain publicly visible but legally powerless.
“The altar incident was supposed to look smaller,” Lucas said. “Adrian planned to provoke the boy into hitting him. The drugged juice would make Noah confused. Simone put the pin in his pocket.”
“Why did he throw him?” Rivera asked.
“Because Noah said he had Michael’s letter.”
Adrian panicked.
He wanted the page before Noah could reach Claire.
Lucas also admitted stealing the blue file from the treehouse after the wedding. He delivered it to Margaret, who hid it with the red ledger.
“Where is the original trust?” June asked.
Lucas looked at Claire.
“Adrian has it.”
The original contained a clause not included in the summaries.
If any future spouse attempted to manipulate Noah’s custody for financial benefit, all control transferred permanently to an independent public board.
Michael had anticipated the scheme.
Adrian needed to destroy that clause before criminal investigators found it.
Lucas believed the document was hidden at Saint Anne’s Children’s Hospital, inside an unused records wing scheduled for renovation.
The renovation company belonged to Cross Meridian.
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Police obtained a search warrant.
When they reached the hospital, the records wing was already burning.
