Chapter 3
I stared at Marcus until my eyes began burning.
"What does he mean?"
Marcus looked devastated.
"Nia, I swear I didn't know about any of this."
"Then why would your uncle send that?"
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then rubbed his hands over his face.
Danielle remained beside the table.
"Mr. Carter, is there something you haven't told us?"
Marcus shook his head.
"Not about the suitcase."
My stomach tightened.
"That's not what she asked."
He looked at me.
"Nia, please."
"Who is Lily?"
His eyes filled.
For a moment, I thought he might refuse to answer.
Then he whispered, "My cousin's daughter."
The room went completely still.
I stared at him.
"What cousin?"
Marcus swallowed.
"My cousin Rachel."
I felt cold.
"Rachel Whitmore?"
He nodded.
"Her maiden name was Carter."
I leaned back in my chair.
The name from the luggage tag.
The little girl in the photograph.
Marcus's missing cousin.
Suddenly, everything felt connected.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Marcus looked down.
"Because Rachel disappeared from the family years ago."
Danielle pulled up a chair.
"Explain."
Marcus took a shaky breath.
"When I was seventeen, Rachel accused my uncle Raymond of stealing money from her mother."
I frowned.
"Her mother?"
"My Aunt Patricia. Raymond's sister."
Marcus explained that Patricia had inherited several properties after their grandparents died.
Rachel helped manage the family's finances.
When she discovered money missing from one of the accounts, she confronted Raymond.
The argument divided the family.
Raymond insisted Rachel was lying.
Patricia believed him.
And Rachel eventually cut contact.
"She moved away," Marcus continued. "Changed her last name after getting married. We hardly heard from her."
I looked at the photograph.
"And Lily?"
"Rachel had a daughter about seven years ago."
"Did you know?"
He nodded.
"I saw pictures online."
My voice cracked.
"Then why did you act like you didn't recognize her?"
He looked at me helplessly.
"I didn't recognize the picture. I haven't seen Rachel or Lily in years."
I wanted to believe him.
I loved Marcus.
For four years, he'd been patient, affectionate, and honest about almost everything.
But that message from Raymond changed how I heard every word.
Danielle asked Marcus when he'd last spoken to his uncle.
"Three days ago."
"What did you discuss?"
Marcus hesitated.
"Our trip."
I turned toward him.
"What?"
He looked ashamed.
"Raymond asked when we were flying to London."
My pulse quickened.
"Why?"
"He said he might need help getting some documents to a business associate."
I stared.
"What documents?"
"I don't know."
Danielle's expression hardened.
"Did he ask you to transport anything?"
Marcus shook his head.
"Not directly."
"Did he mention luggage?"
"No."
I looked at him.
"Marcus, why didn't you tell me any of this?"
"Because it sounded like ordinary family business."
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe.
The suitcase.
Evelyn.
The stranger near the vending machine.
And Raymond's message.
None of it felt accidental anymore.
Danielle stepped outside to speak with another investigator.
Marcus reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
He looked wounded.
"Nia."
I shook my head.
"I need a minute."
He nodded.
I stood and walked toward the window.
Planes moved slowly across the tarmac.
Passengers hurried through the terminal carrying coffee and backpacks.
For them, the day was ordinary.
For me, everything had changed.
I thought about the little girl in the photograph.
Her yellow dress.
Her bright smile.
The words written on the back.
PLEASE FIND LILY.
Who had written them?
And why had they hidden the photograph beneath a luggage tag?
A few minutes later, Danielle returned.
She looked at Marcus.
"We've confirmed Rachel Whitmore reported her daughter missing four days ago."
My heart clenched.
"Four days?"
Danielle nodded.
"The report was filed in Charlotte, North Carolina."
I stared at Marcus.
"Your cousin lives in Charlotte?"
He nodded slowly.
"Last I heard."
Danielle continued.
"Rachel has been contacted. She's cooperating with investigators."
I swallowed.
"Is she okay?"
"She's safe."
Relief washed through me.
Then I remembered Lily.
"And her daughter?"
Danielle's expression grew serious.
"We're still searching."
Marcus covered his face.
"Oh God."
The officer explained that the suitcase contained personal items connected to Lily, along with documents that investigators were examining.
Some appeared to relate to a family business dispute.
Others were still being verified.
The bag itself had reportedly been taken from a storage locker associated with Rachel.
But nobody yet knew why Evelyn had it.
I looked toward the door.
"Where is Evelyn?"
"She's being interviewed."
"Did she say who gave her the suitcase?"
Danielle hesitated.
"She's provided information we're checking."
I nodded.
Then she turned toward Marcus.
"Your uncle's name has come up in that interview."
Marcus stared at her.
"Is he under arrest?"
"Not at this moment."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Then where is he?"
"We're trying to locate him."
Danielle looked at me.
"Ms. Bennett, would you be willing to provide a full recorded witness statement?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"We'll also need to preserve any messages or photographs you received."
I agreed.
Marcus handed over the message from Raymond.
As investigators documented the information, my phone buzzed.
A number I didn't recognize.
I almost ignored it.
Then I saw the message.
You should have let him take the bag.
My blood ran cold.
I showed Danielle immediately.
She read it.
Then asked me not to respond.
Another message arrived.
You don't know what you're interfering with.
I stared at the screen.
Marcus looked over my shoulder.
His face changed.
"Nia, that's not Raymond's number."
I looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"Because I have his current phone saved."
Danielle took note of the second number.
Then she asked whether I had any other connection to the Carter family besides Marcus.
I shook my head.
"No."
"Any recent arguments?"
"No."
"Any reason someone might specifically target you?"
I opened my mouth.
Then stopped.
Something came back to me.
Three weeks earlier, Marcus and I had attended his grandmother's birthday dinner.
Raymond had been there.
He asked strange questions about my job.
I worked as a financial compliance analyst for a regional bank.
He wanted to know whether I handled international transfers.
Whether I reviewed suspicious transactions.
Whether I could recognize altered financial records.
At the time, I'd assumed he was making conversation.
Now I wasn't so sure.
I told Danielle.
She wrote everything down.
Then asked one final question.
"Did Raymond ever ask you to access information for him?"
"No."
I hesitated.
"But he asked whether I'd be willing to help him review some business paperwork."
"When?"
"At the birthday dinner."
"What did you say?"
"I told him I couldn't review private financial records outside my job without proper authorization."
Danielle nodded.
"Thank you."
Marcus looked devastated.
"I had no idea he was doing any of this."
I believed he was frightened.
I just didn't know whether I believed everything else.
Then an officer hurried into the room.
He leaned toward Danielle and whispered something.
Her expression changed immediately.
"What time?"
The officer answered quietly.
Danielle turned toward us.
"We've located footage showing Raymond leaving the terminal."
My heart lifted.
"Can they stop him?"
"They're working on it."
Then she added something that made Marcus grip the edge of the table.
"He wasn't alone."
Marcus looked up.
"Who was with him?"
Danielle's voice remained calm.
"A young girl."
I felt my breath catch.
"Was it Lily?"
"We're verifying that."
I stared at the photograph.
The little girl in yellow.
The missing daughter.
The frightened grandmother with the suitcase.
And the man who'd been watching all of us.
Marcus suddenly stood.
"Where did they go?"
Danielle looked directly at him.
"Mr. Carter, sit down."
He obeyed.
Then he whispered, "Please tell me she's alive."
The officer's expression softened.
"We have reason to believe she is."
I covered my mouth.
Hope and terror collided inside me.
Then Danielle's radio crackled.
She listened.
Her eyes widened slightly.
She looked at the officer beside her.
"Get the child protection team ready."
My heart pounded.
"What happened?"
Danielle turned toward us.
"Officers have located a vehicle connected to Raymond."
I stood.
"Did they find Lily?"
She hesitated.
"The vehicle is parked outside a nearby hotel."
I waited.
May you like
Then she said the words I would never forget.
"And someone inside has just called for help."
