Chapter 5: The Plumber Was Never There to Fix Anything
The emergency lights flickered on.
Ethan stood near the kitchen entrance, holding a small flashlight.
His work shirt was gone.
Instead, he wore a black jacket and dark jeans.
Danielle stared at him.
“You?””
Ethan looked at the silver key in her hand.
“Give it to me, Danielle.””
Marcus stepped between them.
“Who the hell are you?””
Ethan ignored him.
“I'm not here to hurt anyone.””
Daniel laughed.
“That's a lie.””
Ethan finally turned toward him.
“Shut up, Daniel.””
Danielle's heart raced.
“You told me you were a plumber.””
“I am a plumber.””
“Then why are you here?””
Ethan lowered his flashlight.
“Because someone paid me to install a camera inside that exhaust hood.””
Marcus's expression darkened.
“What?””
Ethan nodded.
“Three weeks ago, Daniel hired me to hide a recording device in the kitchen.””
Danielle felt sick.
“So you were watching us?””
“Not exactly. I was supposed to collect footage whenever Daniel needed it.””
Marcus took one step forward.
“Who paid you?””
Ethan looked at Daniel.
“He did.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Don't listen to him.””
Ethan pulled a folded receipt from his pocket.
“Two payments. Five thousand dollars each. The second one came with instructions to retrieve the memory card if the installation was discovered.””
Marcus took the receipt.
The name printed on it was Daniel Brooks.
Danielle looked at her brother-in-law.
“You were recording me?””
Daniel shrugged.
“You weren't exactly being careful.””
She slapped him.
The sound echoed through the dark kitchen.
“You used me!””
Daniel touched his cheek.
“You were willing to cheat on my brother. Don't pretend you're innocent.””
Danielle stepped forward, but Marcus held her back.
Ethan moved toward the table.
“Can we finish this? I need that key.””
Victoria immediately stepped in front of him.
“No.””
Ethan looked at her.
“You don't understand. That storage unit contains evidence that could put all of us in prison.””
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
“That's exactly why I want it opened.””
Marcus turned toward Ethan.
“What evidence?””
Ethan hesitated.
Then he reached into his jacket and removed a second envelope.
“This.””
He handed it to Marcus.
Inside was a printed photograph of a storage facility, along with a handwritten access code.
Marcus read the address.
His expression changed.
“That's not Victoria's storage unit.””
Victoria frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Marcus showed her the paper.
“This is the storage facility where my father kept his business records.””
Daniel suddenly looked frightened.
Marcus noticed.
“Interesting.””
Danielle looked between them.
“Why would my father-in-law's records be there?””
Victoria answered quietly.
“Because your father-in-law knew about Lily.””
Marcus stared at her.
“What?””
Victoria nodded.
“Your father told me that he would help me contact you. He said he would make sure Daniel couldn't interfere.””
Marcus looked stunned.
“My father died six years ago.””
“I know.””
Victoria took a breath.
“He gave me a key to that storage unit before he died. He said there was something inside that would explain everything.””
Danielle glanced at the silver key.
“Then why did Daniel hide it in our exhaust hood?””
Victoria looked at Daniel.
“Because he wanted to destroy whatever was inside.””
Daniel stepped backward.
“That's ridiculous.””
Marcus opened his phone.
“I'm calling the police.””
Daniel suddenly rushed toward the front door.
Marcus grabbed his jacket, but Daniel twisted free and knocked over a chair.
Ethan moved to block the hallway.
Daniel shoved him hard.
Ethan stumbled into the wall.
“Get out of my way!””
He reached the entrance.
But the door opened before he could touch the handle.
Two uniformed police officers stood outside.
“Daniel Brooks?””
Daniel froze.
One officer stepped forward.
“We need you to come with us.””
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“You called them?””
Marcus nodded.
“About ten minutes ago.””
The officer held up a document.
“Mr. Brooks, you're being questioned regarding suspected financial fraud, identity theft, and evidence tampering.””
Daniel laughed nervously.
“You have nothing.””
Marcus raised his phone.
“Actually, I have everything.””
The officer approached Daniel.
“Please turn around.””
Daniel looked at Danielle.
“You're making a terrible mistake.””
She stared back.
“No. I made that mistake months ago.””
The officer escorted him outside.
Ethan remained by the kitchen wall.
A second officer entered and began asking questions.
Marcus explained the hidden camera and the attempted retrieval of the memory card.
Ethan cooperated, handing over the recording device and the receipts.
But before the officers left, Ethan approached Danielle.
“I owe you an apology.””
She crossed her arms.
“For what?””
“For lying about why I was here.””
“Did you know about the affair?””
Ethan looked uncomfortable.
“I knew Daniel wanted footage of you and him together. I didn't know about the money or the child.””
Danielle shook her head.
“You knew enough.””
Ethan nodded.
“Fair.””
He walked out with the officers.
For the first time that day, the house became quiet.
Marcus sat on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees.
Victoria stood near the window, staring at the photograph of Lily.
Danielle remained in the kitchen.
She looked at the open exhaust hood.
The place where everything had started.
“Marcus,” she whispered.
He looked up.
“Yeah?””
“Did you really know about Daniel and me?””
Marcus nodded.
“How long?””
“Six weeks.””
Danielle covered her face.
“Why didn't you confront me?””
“Because I wanted to know whether you were involved in the money.””
She looked at him.
“You thought I stole from you?””
“I didn't know what to think.””
He stood.
“I loved you, Danielle. But every time I asked where the money was going, you gave me another excuse.””
Danielle began crying.
“I was stupid.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You were dishonest. There's a difference.””
She looked down.
“Are you going to divorce me?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Instead, he turned toward Victoria.
“We need to get to the storage unit.””
Victoria nodded.
“I'll show you where it is.””
Danielle wiped her eyes.
“I'm coming.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because whatever is inside that unit concerns me, too.””
Victoria hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“She's right.””
Marcus picked up his keys.
Within twenty minutes, they were driving across town.
The storage facility sat behind an old warehouse near the interstate.
Rows of metal doors stretched beneath harsh fluorescent lights.
Victoria led them to Unit 317.
Her hands trembled as she inserted the silver key.
The lock turned.
The metal door rolled upward with a grinding sound.
Inside were cardboard boxes, old furniture, several filing cabinets, and a dusty leather suitcase.
Victoria walked straight toward the suitcase.
“This is it.””
Marcus knelt beside her.
He opened the clasps.
Inside lay a stack of letters, a small video camera, and a thick folder marked with his father's handwriting.
Danielle picked up the folder.
The first page was a business contract.
The second was a bank transfer.
The third contained a name.
Daniel Brooks.
But the fourth page made Marcus stop breathing.
It was a birth certificate.
And beneath the child's name was a handwritten note:
*Lily is not the only child Daniel has hidden from this family.*
Victoria stepped backward.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus turned the page.
A second birth certificate was attached.
This one belonged to a boy.
His date of birth was six years earlier.
Danielle looked at Marcus.
“Who is he?””
Marcus stared at the photograph clipped to the document.
The boy had dark hair, a familiar smile, and the same distinctive birthmark Marcus had on his neck.
Then Victoria whispered:
“That's impossible.””
Marcus slowly lifted his eyes.
“Why?””
Victoria pointed to the mother's name.
“Because that woman is…”
She couldn't finish.
Danielle read the name herself.
May you like
It was Marcus's wife.
Danielle Brooks.
