He took the letter from Josh and stuffed it back into the envelope.
“Do my parents know about this?” said Josh.
“Not in so many words,” said Richard. “I never showed your dad the letters. Maybe I should have, but he never took me seriously when I warned him about the danger, and I didn’t want to prove him wrong. I just wanted him to believe me. Unfortunately, there’s very little chance of that happening now. In his eyes, I’m nothing but a delusional old fool who can’t let go of the past.”
“He wouldn’t feel that way if he knew you were trying to protect him,” said Josh. “Maybe you should talk to him.”
A cynical smile appeared on Richard’s face.
“Perception is everything,” he said. “Nothing else matters. When all is said and done, you’ll be remembered for what you did and how you made other people feel—not for what you meant to do.” He went to the window, pulled back the shade by a mere fraction, and peered out.
“We’re too late,” he said.
Josh looked out. A gleaming black car with tinted windows sat in the driveway. Two men emerged, wearing formal attire. They were engaged in a genial conversation, punctuated by occasional laughter. The taller one was aristocratic, with white hair and a dignified demeanor; the shorter one was ordinary, but he seemed to be in charge. He gestured excitedly at the house. For reasons Josh couldn’t explain, the innocence of their approach made them all the more terrifying.
“Do you think they know we’re here?” he said.
“I certainly hope not, for your sake,” said Richard. “You’re a terrible liability. If they knew you were onto them, they’d cut your throat and throw your body into the river.”
“You’re crazy,” said Josh. “Why would anyone want to kill me?”
“Because you’re the future of this family,” said Richard.
“So what?” said Josh. He couldn’t bring himself to accept Richard’s assertions, even though he had to admit the evidence was beginning to pile up. “We’re not the targets of some diabolical scheme. We’re just ordinary people. No one is plotting against us or trying to hurt us. It’s all in your head.”
“You’re just like your dad,” said Richard. “Stubborn, oblivious, arrogant—but none of that matters. We can’t let them see us. On the other hand, we need to figure out what they’re doing here. We’ll hide in the attic until they leave. We won’t be able to get a good look at them, but we’ll be able to hear them if we’re lucky.”
He grabbed Josh’s arm somewhat more roughly than necessary and dragged him to the end of the hall, a feat he couldn’t have accomplished if Josh hadn’t been badly flustered and naturally cooperative. Josh looked up and saw a trapdoor in the ceiling.
“This is insane,” he said. “I’m not going up there.”
“Josh, stop denying the truth,” said Richard. “I’d rather not have to knock you over the head and drag you into the attic against your will, but I’ll do what’s necessary to keep you safe. I owe it to your father. He would never forgive me if anything happened to you, and I wouldn’t blame him. Don’t underestimate me.”
“Fine,” said Josh. “Which one of them is Peterson?”
“Neither,” said Richard. “The taller one is a local business owner named Uriah. He made a fortune in the hotel industry, and he’s supposedly the wealthiest man in Silvertree. I met him at a social event a long time ago. He’s a politician at heart, but he’s friendly enough on the surface. The shorter one must be Graham. I saw him on the beach yesterday afternoon with his head going around in circles.”
With this bizarre description, he lowered the trapdoor and climbed into the darkness. Josh didn’t want to be left behind, so he followed Richard, feeling rather ridiculous. Richard hauled the trapdoor closed until a narrow outline of light was all that remained. Josh could hear everything going on downstairs. The front door rattled for a few moments, and then there was a loud click, followed by the creaking of hinges and the sound of footsteps.
“Please make yourself comfortable, Uriah,” said a voice. “I apologize for the clutter. Let me shove this junk out of the way.”
Josh heard the sound of ceramic shattering on the floor. He was glad he couldn’t see Richard’s face.
“No worries, Graham,” said Uriah. He spoke with a dignified drawl. “I didn’t expect a fancy reception, but all of this could have been avoided if you hadn’t insisted on bringing me here. I hope you have a good reason for it.”
“Oh, I do,” said Graham. “I realize drug development is a risky business for investors, and I intend to put your mind at ease before I ask you to part with any of your immense wealth. In the interests of transparency, I’ve decided to include you in the recovery of an important piece of intellectual property that was stolen many years ago: a notebook containing explicit details about the drug. My boss thinks it’s somewhere in this house, and I’m determined to find it.”
∞∞∞
It didn’t take Graham long to realize he was out of luck, and his distress was so evident that Josh might have felt sorry for him if he hadn’t suspected him of malice. He heard an exclamation of dismay, followed by the sound of someone rummaging around in a frantic manner, but this eventually faded away, leaving nothing in its wake except the faint gasping of breath.
“This is a disaster,” said Graham. “It’s gone!”
“You haven’t even searched the whole house,” said Uriah. “How can you be so sure?”
“Look, someone ripped out the wall,” said Graham. “It
