Chapter 6: Kayla's Secret
I looked through Raymond's front window.
A dark sedan was parked across the street.
The headlights were off.
I couldn't see who was inside.
Raymond moved toward the door.
"Stay here," I told him.
"Marcus, she's outside my house.""
"And I'm not letting this turn into another confrontation.""
I called the police non-emergency number and explained that my wife was sending threatening messages after I had taken my son somewhere safe. I also told them about the school counselor's concerns and the allegations involving Malik.
The dispatcher advised me to preserve the messages and avoid approaching the vehicle.
By the time an officer arrived, the sedan was gone.
But the photograph remained.
And so did the message.
*Send Malik home, or I'll tell everyone everything.*
I saved a copy.
That evening, I contacted the school counselor again and asked whether Kayla could speak privately with a qualified professional without Denise present.
Mrs. Collins said she would discuss the appropriate safeguarding steps with the principal.
I also spoke with my attorney about the financial documents and the attempted withdrawal from Malik's education account.
There was no quick solution.
But there was something I could finally do.
I could stop treating Denise's explanations as facts.
The following morning, I received a call from an unfamiliar number.
"Mr. Reed?""
"Yes.""
"This is Patricia, Kayla's aunt. Denise's sister.""
I sat upright.
"Is everything okay?""
"Not really. I need to talk to you about the children.""
My stomach tightened.
"Where are you?""
"I'm at a coffee shop near the school. Can you meet me?""
I hesitated.
"Why?""
Patricia lowered her voice.
"Because Kayla told me something last night, and I don't think Denise knows she told me.""
I looked toward Malik.
He was eating cereal at Raymond's kitchen table.
"I'll be there in twenty minutes.""
Patricia was waiting when I arrived.
She was a petite woman in her early forties with tired eyes and a wedding ring she kept turning around her finger.
She stood when she saw me.
"Thank you for coming.""
I sat opposite her.
"What's happened?""
Patricia looked toward the window.
"Denise called me yesterday. She said you had taken Malik away because he had been hurting Kayla.""
I didn't respond.
"She wanted me to tell you that Kayla was terrified of him.""
"And do you believe her?""
Patricia shook her head.
"No.""
I leaned forward.
"Why?""
"Because I've heard this story before.""
My stomach tightened.
"What story?""
Patricia wrapped both hands around her coffee cup.
"Three years ago, when Denise was still living in her old apartment, she accused her former boyfriend of mistreating Kayla.""
I frowned.
"What happened?""
"She told everyone he was dangerous. She said Kayla was afraid to be alone with him. He moved out, and Denise eventually got a protective order.""
"Was he hurting Kayla?""
Patricia looked down.
"I don't know. I wasn't there. But I do know that Denise changed her story several times.""
I sat back.
"Why are you telling me this?""
"Because I found something in Kayla's backpack.""
She opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
Inside was a memory card.
I stared at it.
"What's this?""
"Kayla gave it to me. She said it contains something Denise doesn't want anyone to see.""
I felt my pulse quicken.
"Have you watched it?""
Patricia nodded.
"Part of it.""
"What does it show?""
She looked directly at me.
"Denise threatening Malik.""
My hands went cold.
"Why would she record that?""
"She didn't. Kayla did.""
Patricia explained that Kayla had started using an old phone to record arguments after Denise repeatedly told her to deny things she had witnessed.
"She said her mother made her practice what to say," Patricia continued.
"She would stand in front of the bathroom mirror and repeat the same story until she got it right.""
I stared at her.
"Why didn't Kayla tell me?""
"Because she's eleven, Marcus. She's terrified of her mother.""
I looked down at the memory card.
"What exactly is on it?""
Patricia took a breath.
"The video I saw shows Denise telling Malik that if he ever mentioned the necklace again, she'd make sure everyone believed he was dangerous.""
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
A direct connection between the accusations and the missing necklace.
"Can I see it?""
Patricia shook her head.
"I don't want to handle this incorrectly. Kayla is a child, and I don't want her to get hurt because we rushed into something. I've spoken with someone who understands how these situations should be handled.""
I nodded.
"That's fair.""
She put the envelope back into her handbag.
Then she looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite understand.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
"Kayla says the necklace wasn't the real reason Denise was angry with Malik.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Then what was?""
Patricia hesitated.
"Angela.""
I stared at her.
"What about my wife?""
"Denise told Kayla that Angela had promised her something before she died.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible. Angela barely knew Denise.""
"That's what I thought.""
Patricia pulled out her phone and showed me a photograph.
It was a screenshot of a message conversation between Denise and someone whose number wasn't saved.
The message from Denise read:
I don't care what Angela promised. That money should have been mine. Marcus has no idea what she did.
The reply was short.
Then you shouldn't have married him.
I read the exchange twice.
"Who sent this?""
"Kayla found it on Denise's tablet.""
"Do you know the person?""
Patricia shook her head.
"No. But I recognize the number.""
She turned her phone toward me.
"It's your brother's old number.""
My mouth went dry.
"Raymond?""
"I thought it was strange, too.""
I immediately called my brother.
He answered on the second ring.
"Hey, Marcus.""
"Did you ever text Denise about Angela's money?""
There was a long silence.
Then Raymond said, "Where did you hear that?""
"Patricia showed me a message.""
He exhaled.
"Marcus, I need you to listen carefully.""
I gripped the phone.
"Start talking.""
"That message wasn't from me.""
"Then why is your number there?""
"Because I changed my number two years ago. Denise must have saved the old one.""
I frowned.
"That doesn't explain the message.""
"No. But it explains why someone could make it look like I sent it.""
I heard movement on his end.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Marcus, there's something I didn't tell you about the night Angela died.""
My heart began pounding.
"What now?""
"Angela didn't just ask me to protect Malik's money. She asked me to find out who had been contacting her before she went into the hospital.""
I felt the room go silent around me.
"Who was contacting her?""
"I never found out. But I found a number on her old phone. The same number appeared in the messages Denise sent me.""
I stared at Patricia's screenshot.
The final digits matched.
I could barely breathe.
"Raymond, do you still have that phone?""
"No. But I saved the contact information.""
"Who was it?""
He hesitated.
Then he said a name.
"Marcus, it was Denise.""
I closed my eyes.
For three years, I had believed Denise entered our lives by chance.
That she met me when I was grieving.
That she fell in love with my son and me.
That she wanted to build a family.
But if Raymond was telling the truth, Denise had been contacting Angela before she died.
And she had known about Malik's inheritance before she ever became my wife.
I ended the call and looked at Patricia.
She was watching me carefully.
"What is it?"" she asked.
I swallowed.
"Denise knew Angela.""
Patricia's face lost its color.
Then she whispered, "There's one more thing Kayla told me.""
I leaned forward.
"What?""
"She said her mother didn't marry you because she loved you, Marcus.""
My hands tightened around the edge of the table.
"Then why did she?""
Patricia looked toward the door.
"Because Denise believes Angela took something from her before she died.""
I stared at her.
"What could Angela possibly have taken?""
Patricia opened her handbag again and removed a second photograph.
It showed Denise standing beside Angela in what appeared to be a hospital corridor.
They were both smiling.
But the date printed at the bottom made my blood run cold.
It was taken six weeks before Angela died.
May you like
And on the back, in Angela's handwriting, were seven words:
*If anything happens to me, protect Malik from her.*
