Chapter 3
I had known Daniel for thirty-nine years.
He taught me how to ride a bike.
He broke a kid's nose when I got bullied in middle school.
He stood beside me at my wedding.
When Noah was born, Daniel cried harder than I did.
That was the man on the other side of my front door.
At least that was the man I thought was there.
I opened it only three inches.
Daniel smiled.
"Finally."
"What do you want?"
His smile faded slightly.
"That's how you greet your brother now?"
I stayed in the doorway.
"You didn't call."
"I was nearby."
"You live twenty minutes away."
He shrugged.
Then his eyes moved toward the yellow taxi.
"Everything okay?"
"Fine."
"Nia going somewhere?"
"Why?"
"Suitcase. Taxi."
He smiled again.
"Pretty obvious."
I said nothing.
His gaze sharpened.
"Can I come in?"
"No."
That surprised him.
Daniel and I had never needed invitations at each other's houses.
He studied my face.
"What's going on?"
"Nia and I are handling something."
"What?"
"Marriage stuff."
A little relief crossed his face.
Too much relief.
He nodded.
"Yeah."
Then he leaned closer.
"I told you she was trouble."
My hands curled into fists.
For months, Daniel had fed my suspicion.
Nia's always disappearing.
Why does she lock her phone?
You sure she's happy?
Maybe you should protect yourself before she files for custody.
I had thought he was looking out for me.
Now every sentence sounded different.
"What are you doing here, Daniel?"
He stared at me.
"Checking on you."
"Why today?"
His jaw tightened.
"I just said."
"No. Why today?"
Silence.
Then he laughed.
"What's with the interrogation?"
I noticed a black SUV parked halfway down the street.
I had never seen it before.
Its windows were dark.
"That yours?"
Daniel looked over his shoulder.
"The SUV?"
"Yeah."
"No."
He answered quickly.
Too quickly.
My pulse increased.
"Go home."
His expression changed.
"Marcus."
"Not today."
He lowered his voice.
"Where's Noah?"
I almost moved before I caught myself.
"Why?"
"I'm his uncle."
"So?"
"So I asked where my nephew is."
"He's fine."
Daniel looked beyond me into the hallway.
I moved closer, blocking the view completely.
Something dark crossed his face.
Then vanished.
"You know what?"
He raised both hands.
"Fine."
He stepped backward.
"Call me when you stop acting crazy."
He turned.
Then stopped.
Without looking at me, he said, "And tell Nia if she has something that belongs to me, I want it back."
Every muscle in my body tightened.
Daniel glanced over his shoulder.
Our eyes met.
"What are you talking about?"
He smiled.
"If she doesn't know, then never mind."
He walked away.
I wanted to chase him.
Every instinct told me to drag him back and demand the truth.
But Nia had been right.
That was exactly what Daniel expected from me.
I closed the door.
Locked it.
Then waited.
The black SUV pulled away less than a minute after Daniel did.
That wasn't a coincidence.
Nia came downstairs holding Noah.
"He's gone?"
"Yeah."
She saw my face.
"What did he say?"
"He knows you took something."
Her eyes closed.
"I knew it."
"What did you take?"
"Pictures."
"That's not what he said."
She looked at me.
I repeated his words.
"If she has something that belongs to me, I want it back."
Nia stared at the floor.
"Nia."
She slowly reached inside her jacket.
Then she pulled out a small silver flash drive.
My anger exploded.
"You had that this whole time?"
"Keep your voice down."
"What is on it?"
"I don't know."
"You stole a drive from his house without knowing what was on it?"
"It was inside the folder with your name."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid you would do exactly what you're doing now."
I stepped closer.
"And what is that?"
"React before thinking."
That hurt because it was true.
Noah watched us.
I forced myself to lower my voice.
"Give it to me."
She hesitated.
Then placed it in my palm.
It was no bigger than my thumb.
And suddenly it felt heavier than a brick.
"We need to see what's on it."
"Not on our computer."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"If Daniel has access to anything here, he could know."
"That's paranoid."
"Yesterday you would have called everything I said paranoid."
She had me there.
I slipped the drive into my pocket.
"What do we do?"
"Go somewhere public."
"No."
"Marcus—"
"I'm not dragging Noah around while we investigate my brother."
"Then who stays with him?"
That stopped me.
Normally, I would have called my mother.
But Daniel visited her constantly.
I didn't know who I could trust.
Noah tugged my sleeve.
"Can I go to Grandma's?"
Nia and I exchanged a look.
"No, buddy."
His face fell.
"We're all staying together today."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
He lowered his head.
I immediately regretted my tone.
I crouched.
"I'm sorry."
He looked up.
"Daddy's worried."
"About Uncle Danny?"
I froze.
"Why would you ask that?"
Noah's fingers tightened around the teddy bear.
He looked toward Nia.
Then at me.
"Because he told Mommy not to tell you."
The room went silent.
I felt the blood leave my face.
"When?"
Noah hugged the bear.
"Yesterday."
"Where?"
"In the kitchen."
Nia shook her head.
"Noah, Uncle Daniel didn't talk to me in the kitchen."
Noah's brow furrowed.
"Not you."
My stomach dropped.
He pointed at himself.
"He told me."
I stopped breathing.
I sat beside him.
"What did Uncle Daniel tell you?"
Noah looked nervous.
"It's okay."
I took his hand.
"You aren't in trouble."
He whispered, "He said if Mommy told you about the papers, you would get mad and go away."
Nia covered her mouth.
I felt sick.
"What else?"
"He said Mommy wanted to take me away because she doesn't want me with you."
Nia started crying.
"Noah, no."
I held up a hand.
"Let him finish."
Noah's eyes filled again.
"He said if I was a good boy, I should go with Mommy and not tell you anything."
I could barely hear my own voice.
"Did he say where she was taking you?"
Noah nodded.
"To a house."
"What house?"
"I don't know."
"Did he show you?"
Another nod.
"On his phone."
Nia sat down hard.
I leaned closer.
"What did it look like?"
Noah thought for a moment.
"Red door."
"Anything else?"
"Big fence."
He squeezed the bear.
"And there was a man outside."
"What man?"
"I don't know."
"Did Uncle Daniel say who he was?"
Noah's lip trembled.
"He said..."
I waited.
May you like
Noah looked at me.
"He said that man was going to be my new dad."
