The black SUV rolled out of the estate gates, its headlights cutting through the gray wash of late afternoon. Rain clouds hung low over the city, casting a dark shadow over the city. Inside, the air was thick with a silence neither brother seemed willing to break.

Aaron kept his eyes on the road, one hand gripping the steering wheel, the other resting on the gearshift. His jaw was set hard, the faint muscle twitch at the corner giving away the strain beneath his calm facade. Lucas sat angled toward the window, watching the blur of passing buildings, his reflection pale against the glass.

For nearly ten minutes, the only...