Chapter 8: The $100,000 Secret
Marcus read the sentence twice.
Then he looked at Evelyn.
She was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Her face was drained of color.
Aaliyah slowly descended behind him.
“Mom?””
Evelyn didn't respond.
Marcus held up the paper.
“Did you receive one hundred thousand dollars?””
Evelyn's lips trembled.
“Yes.””
Aaliyah gasped.
“You told me there was no money.””
“I didn't want you to know.””
Marcus walked toward her.
“Who paid you?””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Your father.””
Marcus stopped.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You don't know?””
“He came to me that night.””
“What did he say?””
“He said I had to take the money and disappear.””
“Disappear from where?””
“From you.””
Marcus stared at her.
“What?””
Evelyn began crying.
“He told me someone was watching your family.””
Darius came down the stairs.
“Marcus, we need to leave.””
“No.””
He didn't take his eyes off Evelyn.
“I'm done running.””
Darius lowered his voice.
“This isn't safe.””
“Neither was my entire life.””
Marcus turned back to Evelyn.
“Why would my father pay you to stay away from me?””
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
“Because he believed I knew something.””
“What?””
She looked at Aaliyah.
“The truth about your mother.””
Marcus froze.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
“My mother died when I was twelve.””
Evelyn nodded.
“She didn't die the way you were told.””
Aaliyah whispered, “Mom, stop.””
Marcus turned sharply.
“What do you mean?””
Evelyn's hands shook.
“Your mother left.””
“No.””
“She left the night before your father announced she had died.””
Marcus stared at her.
“That isn't possible.””
“I saw her.””
“When?””
“The night she disappeared.””
Darius looked stunned.
“You never told me that.””
“I was afraid.””
Marcus's voice cracked.
“Where did she go?””
“I don't know.””
“Then why did Dad say she was dead?””
“Because he needed everyone to believe it.””
Marcus backed away.
His entire childhood suddenly felt like a story someone else had written.
“My father lied to me.””
“Yes.””
“My mother was alive.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew.””
Evelyn began sobbing.
“I knew she was alive then. I don't know where she is now.””
Marcus looked at Aaliyah.
“You knew too?””
“No.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I swear.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Then explain the money.””
Aaliyah shook her head.
“I didn't know about the hundred thousand.””
“Then why were you using my money?””
She looked at the floor.
“Because I needed to find your mother.””
Silence.
Marcus's anger faltered.
“What?””
Aaliyah reached into her purse again.
This time she pulled out several photographs.
She spread them across the table.
A woman with dark hair.
Older.
Standing outside a grocery store.
Another photograph showed the same woman entering a train station.
Marcus stared.
His fingers began to tremble.
The woman had his mother's eyes.
“Where did you get these?””
“A private investigator.””
“You hired one?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
Marcus looked at her.
“That was before you asked me to marry you.””
Aaliyah nodded.
“I knew you would never approve.””
“Why were you looking for her?””
“Because she contacted me.””
Marcus's heart stopped.
“When?””
“Seven months ago.””
“What did she say?””
Aaliyah pulled out her phone.
“She sent me one message.””
Marcus stared at the screen.
*Tell Marcus not to marry you.*
He looked up.
“Why?””
“She said the wedding would activate something.””
“What?””
“I don't know.””
Darius suddenly spoke.
“I do.””
Everyone turned.
Darius looked toward the windows.
“Your father created a trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“What does that have to do with the wedding?””
“The trust has a condition.””
“What condition?””
Darius swallowed.
“If you marry Aaliyah, the trust transfers ownership of Willow Creek.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“To Aaliyah?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
Darius looked at Evelyn.
“To whoever controls the Brooks family estate.””
Marcus slowly understood.
“Evelyn.””
She began crying.
“No.””
“You would get the house.””
“I never wanted it.””
“Then why did you take the money?””
“Because your father forced me!””
“How?””
“He said if I didn't cooperate, they would kill Aaliyah.””
Aaliyah stared at her mother.
“Who?””
Evelyn couldn't answer.
Then the front door creaked.
Everyone turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
Richard Vale.
His shirt was torn.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
He raised both hands.
“Don't shoot.””
Darius moved toward him.
“You were behind the attack.””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who was?””
Richard looked at Marcus.
“The people who have been waiting for your wedding.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Where is my father?””
Richard's eyes filled with something Marcus couldn't identify.
Regret.
Fear.
Or guilt.
“He's alive.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
Richard reached into his coat.
He pulled out an old photograph.
“This was taken three days ago.””
Marcus grabbed it.
His father's face stared back at him.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakable.
On the back was a handwritten message.
*Marcus, if you see this, they already know you're investigating.*
Marcus looked up.
May you like
“Where is he?””
Richard whispered, “He's being held at the place where your wedding is supposed to happen.””
