Chapter 6
I drove home that evening without turning on the radio.
My daughter had hugged me before I left.
She had even smiled.
But the image of her sitting at that little kitchen table, wondering whether I believed her, kept returning.
I had spent years believing a peaceful marriage required patience.
Now I understood that silence could look peaceful while someone else suffered.
When I entered the house, Nia was sitting on the sofa.
Derrick stood near the windows.
I stopped in the doorway.
"What is he doing here?"
Nia jumped to her feet.
"Marcus, we need to talk."
Derrick turned toward me.
He wore an expensive watch and a confident expression that immediately made me angry.
"Brother, I'm glad you're home."
"I'm not your brother."
His smile faded.
"Come on, man."
I put my keys on the entry table.
"Nia, I asked you a question."
She glanced at Derrick.
"He came to explain everything."
"Then he can explain it to the authorities."
Derrick raised both hands.
"Nobody needs to get dramatic."
I walked toward the living room.
"Did you open accounts using my daughter's identity?"
His face changed.
"What?"
"You heard me."
He laughed.
"Jasmine? Why would I do that?"
"Her identifying information was used. Your business address appears in the credit records. And your sister says she gave you documents containing Jasmine's information."
Derrick looked at Nia.
She stared at the floor.
I watched him process what I had said.
Then he shrugged.
"Look, maybe somebody made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"Paperwork gets mixed up."
"Not like this."
He stepped toward me.
"Marcus, you know I've been trying to build something."
"That has nothing to do with Jasmine."
"I never wanted to hurt anybody."
I felt anger rise into my throat.
"Then tell me who submitted those applications."
He said nothing.
Nia stepped between us.
"Marcus, please. Derrick was under pressure."
I stared at her.
"You're still defending him?"
She began crying.
"He owes dangerous people money."
Derrick snapped his head toward her.
"Nia!"
I looked from one to the other.
"What dangerous people?"
Derrick clenched his jaw.
"Don't listen to her."
Nia wiped her cheeks.
"Some investors are demanding repayment."
I turned back to Derrick.
"Was the seventy-five thousand dollars supposed to cover those debts?"
He looked away.
"Part of it."
"And the credit accounts in Jasmine's name?"
He didn't answer.
I felt sick.
"You used my daughter to get money."
Derrick's face hardened.
"You think I wanted to?"
I stared at him.
The arrogance of that question was almost unbelievable.
"You could have gotten a job."
His expression twisted.
"I had employees depending on me!"
"Then you should have protected them without committing fraud."
He stepped closer.
"You're acting like you never needed help."
"I've needed help plenty of times. I never used someone else's identity to get it."
Nia grabbed Derrick's arm.
"Stop."
He jerked away.
"You said Marcus would understand!"
I looked at my wife.
She seemed to shrink.
"Nia?"
She shook her head.
"That's not what I meant."
Derrick laughed bitterly.
"You told me he'd never let anything happen to the family."
I felt something break inside me.
The family.
That word had been used to justify so much.
Protect Derrick.
Forgive Derrick.
Support Derrick.
But when Jasmine needed protection, she was told to grow up.
I pulled out my phone.
"I'm calling Robert."
Derrick moved toward me.
"Put the phone away."
I stepped back.
"Don't come any closer."
His jaw tightened.
"I'm not going to jail over a misunderstanding."
"Then you should cooperate with the investigation."
I dialed Robert.
While the call connected, Derrick cursed and walked toward the door.
Nia followed him.
"Derrick, wait!"
He turned.
"You dragged me here, and now you're just going to stand there?"
"I told you we needed to tell the truth."
"You told me you could control him!"
The words hung in the room.
Nia froze.
I stared at her.
Derrick realized what he had said.
Then he left.
The front door slammed behind him.
Robert answered.
"Marcus?"
"I need to report suspected fraud involving Jasmine's accounts and the house."
"Okay. Tell me what happened."
I explained that Derrick had just been there.
Robert advised us to preserve what we had and avoid further confrontation.
I asked how quickly we could address the property filing.
He said he was preparing the appropriate notices and seeking records from the lender.
When I ended the call, Nia was crying quietly.
"Marcus, I never wanted it to become this."
I turned toward her.
"Become what?"
She shook her head.
"I thought I could get Derrick out of trouble."
"By putting Jasmine in trouble instead?"
"No."
"By risking the house?"
She covered her face.
"I didn't think we'd lose it."
I stared at my wife.
"Did you know he was using Jasmine's identity?"
She hesitated.
That hesitation answered more than words could.
"Nia."
"I found out after the first account."
My chest tightened.
"After?"
She nodded.
"He told me he'd close it before anyone noticed."
"And you believed him?"
"I wanted to."
"What about the second account?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I knew."
I stepped backward.
For the first time, she had admitted it.
She hadn't just handed over information carelessly.
She had learned what Derrick was doing.
And she had chosen not to stop him.
"Did you tell him to close the accounts?"
"Yes."
"Did you tell Jasmine?"
"No."
"Did you tell me?"
"No."
"Instead, you threatened her."
Nia looked at me.
"She was getting suspicious."
My mouth went dry.
"So you tried to frighten her into silence."
She began sobbing.
"I panicked."
I shook my head.
"Nia, that isn't panic. That's a decision."
She reached for my hand.
I stepped away.
"Please don't leave me."
I looked toward the stairs.
This was the house where I had imagined growing old with her.
Where we had celebrated anniversaries.
Where we had hosted Thanksgiving dinners.
Where I believed we were building a future.
And now I could hardly recognize the woman standing before me.
"I'm going to stay somewhere else tonight," I said.
She cried harder.
"Marcus, don't."
"I need distance. And Jasmine needs to know this house is no longer a place where her name can be used against her."
Nia reached toward me again.
"Can we fix our marriage?"
I looked at her.
"I don't know."
For once, I refused to offer comfort I couldn't honestly give.
I packed a small bag.
Before leaving, I paused at the front door.
"Nia, I need you to preserve every document and message involving Derrick and the loans."
She nodded.
"And don't contact Jasmine."
Her expression tightened.
"Marcus—"
"Not to explain. Not to apologize. Not to ask her to change her story."
She lowered her head.
I stepped outside.
The night air felt cold against my face.
I had just started my car when my phone rang.
It was Jasmine.
"Dad?"
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"
Her voice trembled.
"Someone was knocking on my apartment door."
I sat upright.
"Who?"
"I don't know. He said he needed to discuss my debt."
My heart began pounding.
"Are you inside?"
"Yes. The door is locked."
"Good. Don't open it."
Then I heard something through the phone.
Three loud knocks.
A man's voice.
"Jasmine Carter, we know you're home."
May you like
And my daughter whispered the words that sent fear through my entire body.
"Dad, he said Uncle Derrick sent him."
