Chapter 2
I did not follow Marcus outside immediately.
I wanted to.
Every cell in my body wanted to grab him and demand three years back.
But Daniel was still standing across from me.
And guilt was written all over his face.
“Sit down,” I said.
He stared.
“Nia.”
“Sit.”
Marcus remained beside the table.
Daniel slowly lowered himself into his chair.
I stayed standing.
“You knew he was alive.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“You looked at him like you saw a ghost you expected to stay dead.”
“That doesn't mean—”
“Stop.”
My voice cracked.
“I have been lied to for three years.”
Daniel's face tightened.
“I never lied about him being alive.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Careful wording.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You don't know what I believed.”
“I know what you told police.”
“What did I tell them?”
“That I stole from the company.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“I told them what the records showed.”
“You created the records.”
Silence.
My chest tightened.
I looked at Daniel.
“Did you?”
“No.”
Marcus reached into his blazer.
Daniel flinched.
Marcus removed a flash drive.
Nothing more.
He placed it on the table.
“Original server logs.”
Daniel stared.
Marcus continued.
“Recovered after someone thought the backups were destroyed.”
I looked between them.
“What does that prove?”
“That the transfers made under my credentials were initiated from Daniel’s workstation.”
My body went cold.
Daniel immediately said:
“That is not true.”
Marcus nodded.
“I knew you'd say that.”
He pulled out his phone.
Showed me an image.
A digital forensic report.
I barely understood the technical details.
One thing was clear.
User: MARCUS.REED.
Originating workstation: DANIEL.CARTER-02.
Timestamp.
The night Marcus disappeared.
I looked at Daniel.
His eyes filled.
“Nia, this isn't what it looks like.”
I almost laughed.
“You cannot possibly say that right now.”
Marcus sat.
Not beside me.
Across from Daniel.
“Tell her about Vanguard.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“No.”
I frowned.
“What is Vanguard?”
Marcus looked at me.
“A shell company.”
“For what?”
“Moving stolen money.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“I did not steal that money.”
Marcus stared.
“Then who did?”
Daniel said nothing.
Marcus continued:
“Tell her.”
Daniel whispered:
“You don't understand.”
“Then help us.”
Daniel looked at me.
For the first time, he seemed less guilty than terrified.
“Marcus wasn't the target at first.”
My stomach turned.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel covered his face.
Then lowered his hands.
“The company had investors.”
“I know.”
“Our largest was Sterling Equity.”
Marcus's jaw tightened.
I knew the name too.
Sterling funded half of Marcus and Daniel’s technology startup.
The company created logistics software.
Successful.
Not huge.
But growing fast.
Daniel continued:
“Sterling wanted control.”
Marcus said:
“We refused.”
Daniel nodded.
“They started pressuring us.”
“How?”
“Debt clauses. Board votes. Contract threats.”
I looked at Marcus.
“You never told me.”
“We thought we could handle it.”
Another secret.
Different kind.
Daniel continued:
“Then money started disappearing from company accounts.”
“Two million dollars.”
“Yes.”
“Who took it?”
Daniel looked down.
“I don't know.”
Marcus laughed.
“Still lying.”
“I don't know everything.”
“That isn't the same statement.”
Daniel glared at him.
“You think being alive makes you innocent?”
Marcus became still.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel turned toward me.
“The night Marcus disappeared, he discovered something.”
“What?”
“He found evidence one of Sterling’s executives was using our company to move money.”
Marcus nodded.
“Elliot Crane.”
That name sounded familiar.
Then I remembered.
Elliot had attended the memorial gathering Daniel organized after police stopped actively searching for Marcus.
Tall.
Smooth voice.
He hugged me.
Told me:
“Marcus was brilliant but complicated.”
I felt sick.
“Elliot tried to kill you?”
Marcus's expression changed.
“I don't know if he personally did.”
Daniel said:
“Marcus confronted him.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You told him I knew.”
Daniel's face collapsed.
There.
Truth.
I stared.
“You told Elliot?”
Daniel started crying.
“Nia.”
“Why?”
“I was scared.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
His voice shook.
“Sterling owned our debt. They could destroy us.”
Marcus’s anger sharpened.
“So you handed me to them.”
“No.”
“I told you I found evidence.”
Daniel slammed his palm on the table.
“I didn't know they would hurt you!”
The restaurant went quiet.
Everyone heard that.
Daniel realized what he had said.
So did I.
Marcus leaned back.
“Thank you.”
Daniel stared.
“For what?”
“For finally saying something true.”
I could barely breathe.
“What happened that night?”
Marcus looked at me.
“I left the office.”
“After arguing with Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you go?”
“To meet Elliot.”
My chest tightened.
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought if I confronted him with copies, I could force him to back off.”
I almost shouted.
“That was insane.”
“Yes.”
He didn't defend it.
“What happened?”
“He never showed.”
Marcus looked toward Daniel.
“Instead, another car followed me.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Marcus continued.
“I drove toward the river because I thought I could lose them.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
His voice became quieter.
“They hit my car.”
I felt sick.
“Hit?”
“Pushed me off the road.”
My hand covered my mouth.
“The car didn't go into the river.”
“No.”
“It hit the embankment.”
“What happened to you?”
Marcus looked down.
“I got out.”
Blood.
Dizzy.
Terrified.
His words became short.
“I ran.”
“Where?”
“Toward the old rail yard.”
“Who followed?”
“Two men.”
My heart hammered.
“They caught you?”
“One did.”
He touched the scar near his temple.
“He hit me.”
I couldn't breathe.
Marcus continued:
“I fought back.”
His voice cracked.
“Then somebody else came.”
“Who?”
“A woman.”
I frowned.
“She drove me away.”
“Who was she?”
“Federal investigator.”
Daniel's head snapped up.
Marcus noticed.
“You didn't know that part.”
Daniel stared.
Marcus continued:
“She had been watching Sterling for months.”
My mind raced.
“You've been with federal investigators for three years?”
“No.”
“Then where have you been?”
Marcus looked at me.
“Protection first.”
“Witness protection?”
“Not exactly.”
He explained.
The investigator, Agent Renee Holloway, believed Sterling executives were tied to a larger financial crime network.
Marcus had evidence.
His life was in danger.
She moved him into emergency protective custody.
“Why couldn't you call me?”
“I wanted to.”
My anger rose.
“Three years, Marcus.”
“I know.”
“Three years.”
“Nia—”
“I buried you without a body.”
His face crumpled.
“I know.”
“I hated you because everyone said you ran.”
“I know.”
“You let me.”
“I had no choice at first.”
“At first?”
Silence.
There.
Another crack.
I stepped back.
“At first.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“How long were you legally prevented from contacting me?”
Daniel looked between us.
Marcus answered:
“Fourteen months.”
I felt the room tilt.
“Fourteen.”
“Yes.”
“And after?”
“I stayed hidden.”
My heart broke differently.
“You chose not to contact me for almost two more years.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked at Daniel.
“Because the operation wasn't over.”
“That is not enough.”
“I thought they were still watching you.”
“Were they?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you here now?”
Marcus looked toward the window.
“Because something changed.”
“What?”
He pulled out another photograph.
Me.
Leaving work.
Taken from across the street.
Another.
My apartment.
Another.
Tonight’s restaurant.
My blood went cold.
“These were found two days ago.”
“Where?”
“In Elliot Crane’s safe.”
Daniel went pale again.
Marcus watched him.
“You know why.”
Daniel whispered:
“No.”
Marcus leaned toward him.
“Then tell Nia why Elliot has been paying you.”
Everything stopped.
I turned.
Daniel looked at me.
His face collapsed.
Not denial.
Defeat.
“How much?” I whispered.
Daniel looked down.
Marcus answered.
“Two hundred fifty thousand dollars.”
I almost slapped him.
Almost.
“Why?”
Daniel started crying.
“Because I made one mistake.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“One?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Sterling threatened the company.”
“So you took money?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I agreed to help them pressure Marcus into selling.”
My stomach turned.
“What kind of help?”
“Information.”
Marcus answered:
“Schedules.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Not that night.”
“Then when?”
“Before.”
His voice broke.
“They wanted leverage.”
“So you gave them Marcus's movements.”
“I thought it was business pressure.”
Marcus stared at him.
“And when I disappeared?”
Daniel covered his face.
“I knew.”
I stopped breathing.
“You knew they did something.”
“I suspected.”
“And you told me he ran.”
“I was scared they'd come after you.”
I laughed.
The sound felt almost hysterical.
“You've both been protecting me by destroying me.”
Neither man answered.
Daniel cried.
Marcus looked devastated.
I grabbed my handbag.
“Nia,” Marcus said.
I stepped away.
“No.”
He stood.
“Please.”
“I need air.”
Daniel tried:
“Nia.”
I turned on him.
“You do not say my name.”
He stopped.
I walked outside.
Cold night air hit me.
I barely made it past the entrance before I started shaking.
Marcus followed.
Not too close.
“I'm sorry.”
I turned.
“You don't get to use that yet.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
“Why tonight?”
He hesitated.
Then said:
“Because Elliot disappeared yesterday.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“He missed a federal interview.”
“Where is he?”
“We don't know.”
“And you came here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked directly into my eyes.
“Because the last message he sent before disappearing had one sentence.”
“What?”
May you like
Marcus’s face hardened.
“Nia is the key.”
