Chapter 4
I read those six words until they blurred.
Mom, if you're reading this, run.
Maya had written them.
My daughter.
The girl who used to leave silly notes in my lunch bag.
The girl who once wrote, You're the best mom ever, even when you're annoying.
Now she was telling me to run.
Detective Price took the envelope into evidence before opening it.
Renee stayed beside the officer at her house while they photographed the seal.
I watched the process over a secure video call.
My whole body trembled.
Inside was a folded letter.
A small flash drive.
And a photograph.
Detective Price read the letter aloud.
"Mom, I don't know how to say this without breaking your heart."
I covered my mouth.
"Marcus is not the man you think he is."
The room became painfully quiet.
"I found records showing that his company has been stealing money through fake hospital equipment purchases. I think someone at the hospital is helping him."
Detective Price paused.
I whispered, "Keep reading."
"Maya wrote that she copied some files but believed Marcus had discovered what she was doing."
My heart pounded.
"She says he threatened her."
The detective continued.
"He told me that if I ruined his life, he would make sure you lost everything."
I felt sick.
Everything.
Our house.
Our savings.
Our future.
Marcus had threatened all of it.
The letter continued.
"Maya wrote that she couldn't explain everything because Marcus knew how to access your phone."
I stared at the floor.
My daughter had known.
She had tried to protect me.
And I had been defending the man frightening her.
The last paragraph was almost unbearable.
"Mom, please don't blame yourself. I know how much you wanted us to be a family again. I wanted that too. But you need to believe me this time. I love you more than anything."
I began crying so hard that Detective Price stopped reading.
I shook my head.
"Please finish."
She swallowed.
"Whatever happens, don't let him take away your voice."
I pressed my hands over my face.
Maya had always been brave.
Even as a little girl.
When another student bullied her best friend, Maya marched straight into the principal's office.
When our landlord tried to charge us for repairs he never made, Maya found the housing regulations online.
She never liked unfairness.
She never learned how to ignore it.
And I had loved that about her.
Until her courage threatened the man I wanted to trust.
Detective Price placed the letter carefully inside an evidence sleeve.
"We'll examine the flash drive."
I grabbed her hand.
"Please tell me it has something useful."
"I hope so."
A specialist began checking the drive that evening.
Meanwhile, the detectives obtained a warrant for our house and Marcus's office.
Marcus had vanished.
His car was missing from the hospital parking lot.
His phone was switched off.
And the business address listed on his website was already dark.
Detective Price advised me not to return home.
Renee brought me clothes and took me to her house.
I walked inside feeling like a stranger.
Her children, Jordan and Lily, were staying with their father for the night.
She had arranged it so I wouldn't have to explain anything.
I sat at her kitchen table.
Maya had sat there only a week earlier.
I imagined her holding that envelope.
Terrified.
Trying to protect me.
Renee placed tea in front of me.
"You need something warm."
I looked at her.
"Why didn't she come to me?"
Renee sat down.
"She did, Nia."
The answer struck harder than an accusation.
Because it was true.
Maya had tried.
I had dismissed her.
I began shaking.
"I chose him."
"No. You trusted somebody who lied to you."
"I told her she was jealous of him."
Renee looked down.
"I know."
"I said she was making our home miserable."
My sister's eyes filled.
"I know."
I stared at the untouched cup.
"Those were the last things I said to her."
Renee moved beside me.
"Not the last thing she knew."
I looked up.
"She knew you loved her."
I wanted to believe that.
Desperately.
But love hadn't answered her message.
Love hadn't protected her that night.
I cried until there were no tears left.
Near midnight, Detective Price called.
The flash drive contained payment records from more than forty transactions.
Several involved companies that appeared to exist only on paper.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Elaine Brooks.
I recognized it.
She was the hospital's chief procurement officer.
Marcus had introduced me to her at a charity gala.
She wore expensive jewelry.
She talked about community service.
And she had hugged Maya that night.
"Is she involved?" I asked.
"We have significant questions for her."
Then Detective Price mentioned something else.
The flash drive contained a short video.
It had been recorded by Maya.
I stopped breathing.
"What kind of video?"
"It appears to show a meeting."
"With Marcus?"
"Yes."
"Can I see it?"
The detective hesitated.
"Nia, I need you to understand that we're still verifying it."
"Please."
A moment later, she showed me a still frame.
Marcus was sitting behind his office desk.
Elaine stood beside him.
There was a stack of documents between them.
Maya had apparently recorded through a partially open door.
Then Detective Price played a few seconds of the audio.
Marcus's voice filled the room.
"Once the records are wiped, nobody can prove anything."
Elaine responded.
"And the girl?"
Marcus leaned forward.
My skin turned cold.
"Leave Maya to me."
The recording ended.
I couldn't move.
Renee reached for my shoulder.
Before either of us spoke, somebody knocked on her front door.
Three slow knocks.
Then a familiar voice called from outside.
"Nia, sweetheart."
May you like
Marcus.
"I know you're in there."
