Chapter 3
I did not go home with Marcus.
I did not go home with Daniel either.
I called my sister, Maya.
She answered after one ring.
“Nia?”
“I need somewhere to stay.”
Her voice changed immediately.
“Come.”
That was all.
No questions until I was inside her apartment with the door locked.
Then she looked at my face.
“Oh my God.”
“Marcus is alive.”
She dropped her coffee mug.
It shattered.
Neither of us moved.
“What?”
“He's alive.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Maya grabbed the counter.
“Are you sure?”
“I saw him.”
She stared.
Then crossed the room and hugged me.
I broke.
Three years.
Grief did not come back in an orderly way.
It hit everything at once.
Relief.
Rage.
Love.
Betrayal.
Marcus alive.
Marcus choosing silence.
Daniel lying.
Daniel helping the people who almost killed him.
And one terrifying question.
Why was I the key?
Maya held me until I could breathe again.
Then she said:
“Start at the beginning.”
I did.
When I finished, she was furious at both men.
Good.
I needed someone uncomplicated.
“So what now?”
“I don't know.”
“Police?”
“Federal agents.”
Her eyes widened.
“This is insane.”
“Yes.”
My phone buzzed.
Marcus.
I stared.
Maya asked:
“You answering?”
“No.”
Another message.
I won't come to Maya's. You're safe there. Agent Holloway will contact you tomorrow.
I stared.
“He knows I'm here.”
Maya frowned.
“Did you tell him?”
“No.”
My fear returned.
Another message.
Before you panic: you used Maya as emergency contact on your insurance. We guessed.
I almost laughed.
Almost.
Then a third.
I'm sorry for everything.
I turned the phone over.
Maya sat beside me.
“You still love him.”
I glared.
“That is not helpful.”
“It wasn't meant to be.”
Yes.
I still loved Marcus.
That was the cruelest part.
My heart had never learned the case was closed.
At nine the next morning, Agent Renee Holloway arrived.
Black woman.
Late forties.
Calm.
No dramatic sunglasses.
No movie-agent attitude.
She showed credentials twice because Maya insisted.
Then she sat at the kitchen table.
“I owe you answers.”
“Yes.”
“Some I can give.”
“That sentence already annoys me.”
She nodded.
“Fair.”
“Did you keep Marcus from me for three years?”
“No.”
“Fourteen months?”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“Why?”
“Immediate threat assessment.”
“Then?”
“Marcus chose continued separation.”
Pain again.
Renee didn't soften it.
Good.
“Was he right?”
“In my professional opinion?”
“Yes.”
“Partly.”
I frowned.
“Partly?”
“Threats remained.”
“Then why isn't he still hidden?”
“Because his identity was compromised.”
My stomach tightened.
“How?”
“We believe someone inside the investigation leaked.”
“Who?”
“Unknown.”
“And Elliot?”
“Missing.”
“Is he dangerous?”
“Yes.”
“What does ‘Nia is the key’ mean?”
Renee looked at me carefully.
“That is why I'm here.”
She opened a folder.
Inside were company records.
Marcus and Daniel’s company.
Or what used to be theirs.
After Marcus disappeared, Daniel eventually sold controlling interest to Sterling Equity.
I knew that.
Daniel told me it was the only way to save jobs.
Renee pointed toward an old corporate filing.
“Do you recognize this?”
“No.”
“Your signature?”
I looked.
My name.
Nia Brooks.
A signature similar to mine.
“What is this?”
“Beneficial ownership declaration.”
“I never signed it.”
“We believe that.”
My skin prickled.
“Why is my name on company paperwork?”
Renee turned another page.
“Marcus transferred fifteen percent of his founder shares to a trust shortly before he disappeared.”
I stared.
“Why?”
Marcus had never told me.
Of course.
“For asset planning.”
“Who beneficiary?”
Renee looked at me.
“You.”
I stopped.
“What?”
“You were engaged.”
I remembered.
Marcus proposed eight months before disappearing.
We planned a small wedding.
Then he vanished.
“You're saying I own part of the company?”
“Possibly.”
“Possibly?”
“Because the trust transfer was never fully disclosed during Daniel’s sale to Sterling.”
My mind raced.
“If I own fifteen percent…”
“You may have legal claims against Sterling’s control.”
There.
Key.
Money.
Power.
Not romance.
I almost laughed from disgust.
“How much is it worth?”
“Depending on valuation, twelve to eighteen million dollars.”
I stared.
Maya whispered:
“Jesus.”
I couldn't process it.
Marcus had transferred wealth to me and never mentioned it.
Renee continued.
“Sterling knew about the trust.”
“How?”
“That is unclear.”
“Daniel?”
“Possibly.”
My chest tightened.
“Elliot?”
“Definitely.”
“And if I assert ownership?”
“It could unravel parts of the acquisition.”
“So Elliot needs me.”
“Yes.”
“To sign something?”
“Likely.”
“Or disappear.”
Renee didn't answer quickly enough.
Maya stood.
“She’s staying here?”
“No.”
Renee looked at me.
“We recommend temporary relocation.”
I laughed.
“Everyone seems to love deciding where I live.”
Renee nodded.
“Then decide.”
That stopped me.
She placed two options in front of me.
Secure apartment.
Or protected hotel suite.
“You choose.”
Small thing.
Huge difference.
I chose the apartment.
Not Marcus's.
Not government-controlled beyond security.
My decision.
Before leaving Maya’s, I packed.
Then another call.
Daniel.
I almost ignored it.
Renee said:
“Answer on speaker.”
I did.
“Nia.”
His voice sounded terrible.
“What?”
“I need to see you.”
“No.”
“I found something.”
“Tell me.”
“Not over the phone.”
Renee wrote a note:
Ask location.
“Where are you?”
“My office.”
Renee shook her head.
I said:
“No.”
“Nia, please.”
“What did you find?”
Daniel hesitated.
“A video.”
Marcus’s name sat unspoken between us.
“What video?”
“From the night he disappeared.”
My chest tightened.
“Send it.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“It's on an old encrypted drive.”
“Then send the drive.”
“No.”
His breathing changed.
“I need you to hear me first.”
I became angry.
“You had three years to make me hear you.”
“I know.”
“What do you want?”
“To explain why I lied.”
“I know why.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“You know the part Marcus knows.”
Renee looked at me.
I asked:
“What part doesn't he know?”
Silence.
Then Daniel said:
“I saw who followed him that night.”
My blood ran cold.
“Who?”
“I thought it was Sterling security.”
“You thought?”
“Until this morning.”
Renee mouthed:
Keep him talking.
I asked:
“What changed?”
“I watched the video.”
“What did you see?”
“A license plate.”
Renee started writing.
Daniel continued:
“I ran it through an old contact.”
“Who owned the car?”
His breathing became shaky.
“Nia…”
“Tell me.”
“It was registered to your father.”
Everything stopped.
My father.
Leon Brooks.
Dead for two years.
Marcus had loved him.
My father had loved Marcus.
At least I thought he had.
“That’s impossible.”
“I know.”
“My father was home that night.”
“Were you with him?”
“No.”
“He wouldn't hurt Marcus.”
“I didn't say he did.”
“Then why was his car there?”
“I don't know.”
Renee leaned closer.
I whispered:
“Send us the video.”
Daniel started to answer.
Then I heard a sound.
A door opening.
His breathing stopped.
“Daniel?”
No answer.
Then:
“Oh God.”
A crash.
I stood.
“Daniel!”
The line remained open.
Footsteps.
Then another voice.
Male.
Calm.
“Where is the drive?”
Daniel said:
“You.”
A blow.
I heard him fall.
Renee was already calling agents.
I shouted:
“Daniel!”
The unknown man picked up the phone.
I heard breathing.
Then:
“Nia.”
Every hair on my body rose.
“Who is this?”
A soft laugh.
“You really should stop trusting men who say they're protecting you.”
Then the call ended.
Renee grabbed her bag.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“Daniel may be in immediate danger.”
“And you're leaving me with what?”
“Agents outside.”
I grabbed her arm.
“My father’s car.”
“We'll investigate.”
“You know something.”
“No.”
“You reacted.”
She stopped.
Maya stared too.
Renee's expression changed.
“I know Leon Brooks had financial connections to Sterling.”
My chest tightened.
“What connections?”
“He served on an advisory board twelve years ago.”
I never knew.
“Did Marcus know?”
“I don't think so.”
“Did Daniel?”
“Possibly.”
I felt sick.
Another man.
Another hidden life.
Renee walked toward the door.
Then turned.
“Do not contact your father’s former business associates.”
“He's dead.”
“That doesn't mean his associates are.”
The door closed.
I stared at my phone.
Then at Marcus's unread messages.
I finally opened one more.
Please let me explain what happened after fourteen months.
My fingers hovered.
Then I typed:
Did you know my father worked with Sterling?
The typing dots appeared immediately.
Stopped.
Appeared again.
Then Marcus replied:
Yes.
My heart dropped.
A second message.
But I didn't know until after I disappeared.
Then:
Nia, there’s something else about Leon you need to know.
I typed:
What?
May you like
His answer came seconds later.
Your father is the reason I'm alive.
