Chapter 12 - THE RENUNCIATION
Julian looked remarkably calm for a wanted man.
He wore a dark sweater and clean gray trousers.
A pistol rested against Dr. Shah’s neck.
Behind him, one guard lay unconscious.
The second was bound beside the fireplace.
“Come inside,” Julian said.
Evelyn positioned herself between him and Noah.
“You’re surrounded.”
“No.”
Julian held up a small radio.
“I changed the security frequency.”
Detective Ortiz’s team believed everything was normal.
He had thirty minutes before the next physical check.
Julian placed a folder on the coffee table.
Inside was the trust renunciation.
Noah needed to sign before a notary and medical witness.
Dr. Harlan waited through a video connection.
The corrupt officer Eric Dalton had been commissioned as a notary.
Julian had prepared everything.
“Noah signs,” Julian said.
“Then you all walk away.”
“No one believes you,” Evelyn replied.
“I don’t require belief.”
He pointed the gun toward Dr. Shah’s knee.
“I require a signature.”
Noah rolled into the room.
Evelyn grabbed his chair.
“No.”
“He’ll hurt her.”
“He’ll hurt everyone anyway.”
Noah looked at Julian.
“My father knew you were stealing.”
“Your father was sentimental.”
“He was better than you.”
“He was weak.”
Julian’s face tightened.
Daniel had always been the chosen son.
The natural leader.
The child Charles trusted with the future.
Julian spent his life standing one step behind him.
When Daniel threatened to expose the fraud, Julian saw an opportunity to remove his brother and inherit power.
But Daniel’s trust gave everything to Noah.
Even in death, Daniel placed his son ahead of Julian.
“You were a child,” Julian said.
“You could barely feed yourself.”
“I was six.”
“You became the center of every decision.”
“No.”
Noah stared at him.
“I became the excuse you used for every decision.”
Julian ordered Evelyn to bring the documents.
She placed them on the table.
Noah picked up the pen.
“Release Dr. Shah first.”
“Sign.”
“You need a medical witness who can say I acted voluntarily.”
Julian glanced at Harlan on the screen.
“Harlan is enough.”
“No court will believe a fugitive doctor.”
Noah spoke with surprising confidence.
“The trust requires a physician licensed in Connecticut and physically present.”
Julian looked toward Arthur’s documents.
Noah was right.
Dr. Shah had to participate.
She understood Noah’s strategy.
“I will not certify him while you hold a gun.”
Julian pushed the barrel harder against her.
“You will.”
“No.”
He struck her across the face.
Evelyn moved.
Julian aimed at her.
Noah signed the paper.
Everyone froze.
Julian grabbed it.
The signature appeared clear.
Noah Whitmore.
Then Julian saw what Noah had written beneath it.
Signed under threat by Julian Whitmore.
The document was useless.
Julian raised the gun.
Noah threw the pen.
It struck the video screen.
Dr. Harlan disappeared from view.
Dr. Shah dropped to the floor.
Evelyn shoved the coffee table into Julian’s knees.
The pistol fired.
A bullet struck the ceiling.
The bound guard rolled into Julian’s legs.
Noah drove his wheelchair into the emergency alarm panel.
A hidden signal activated.
Detective Ortiz received the alert.
Julian recovered quickly.
He grabbed Noah from the wheelchair and dragged him toward the rear door.
Evelyn caught his coat.
Julian struck her with the gun.
She fell.
By the time Ortiz’s team entered, Julian’s vehicle was already speeding toward the main road.
He had Noah.
Evelyn tried to stand.
Blood ran from her forehead.
Ortiz helped her.
“We’ll find him.”
Evelyn picked up the pen Noah had thrown.
A tiny plastic piece was missing from the top.
Dr. Shah noticed it first.
“The tracker.”
Noah had hidden a tracking device inside the pen before entering the house.
Evelyn opened the tracking application.
A blue dot moved north.
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Julian believed he had taken a helpless child.
He did not know Noah was leading them directly to his final hiding place.
