Chapter 9: The Last Confession
I didn't sleep that night.
I sat at the kitchen table with the divorce papers in front of me.
My father's signature stared back at me.
A signature I had seen thousands of times.
On birthday cards.
On school forms.
On notes he left before work.
But now it was attached to something I never imagined.
A divorce.
"Marcus.""
My mother stood in the doorway.
I didn't look up.
"How long?""
She knew what I meant.
She sat across from me.
"Three months.""
My chest tightened.
"You knew?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"And you stayed?""
Tears filled her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
She looked down.
"Because we weren't done.""
I looked at the papers.
"Apparently he was.""
"No.""
Her voice was firm.
"No, he wasn't.""
I finally looked at her.
"Then why did he sign it?""
She took a shaky breath.
"Because he thought he had to.""
"That doesn't make sense.""
"Your father wanted to protect me.""
"By leaving me?""
She shook her head.
"By making people believe he had nothing to lose.""
I stared.
"What?""
My mother leaned forward.
"Richard and Daniel were watching him.""
I frowned.
"Watching him?""
"Your father knew they were dangerous.""
"Then why create divorce papers?""
"Because he wanted them to believe he was breaking away from us.""
I looked at the document again.
It wasn't filed.
The papers weren't official.
Just signed.
A plan.
A fake separation.
"You and Dad were still together?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
The relief lasted only a second.
Because another question appeared.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
My mother looked devastated.
"Because after your father died, I found out someone was trying to access the documents.""
"What documents?""
"The evidence he collected.""
My eyes narrowed.
"And you thought hiding everything would keep me safe.""
She nodded.
"I thought if nobody knew you had it, nobody would come after you.""
I looked around the room.
"Someone already came after us.""
She closed her eyes.
"I know.""
Nia walked into the kitchen.
She looked exhausted.
"I found something.""
We both turned.
She held an old notebook.
"Where did you get that?""
"From my father's old storage unit.""
My heart started racing.
"Why were you there?""
"Because after everything happened, I realized I needed answers too.""
She placed the notebook on the table.
"My father kept records.""
I opened it.
Pages of names.
Dates.
Payments.
My father's name appeared repeatedly.
Then Richard's.
Then another name.
I stopped.
"What is this?""
Nia looked nervous.
"That's what I was trying to figure out.""
I pointed.
"Who is this?""
She looked down.
"I don't know.""
The name was:
Evelyn Reed.
My mother.
I looked at her.
"What does this mean?""
She didn't answer.
Not immediately.
And that scared me.
"Mom.""
She whispered:
"Your father put my name there.""
"Why?""
"Because he didn't trust anyone.""
I flipped through the pages.
Near the back was a note.
Written by my father.
If anything happens to me, the truth is not with the person everyone suspects.
It is with the person everyone protects.
I looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Nobody spoke.
Then Nia pointed at the notebook.
"There's another page.""
I turned it.
A handwritten message.
Michael:
If I don't make it home tonight, tell Evelyn she was right.
I stopped.
My mother covered her mouth.
"Right about what?""
I looked at her.
She started crying.
"Your father wanted to believe people could change.""
The answer wasn't enough.
"Mom.""
She looked at me.
"Your father suspected Daniel.""
"Yes.""
"But he also suspected Richard.""
"Yes.""
"Then why does this say you were right?""
She closed her eyes.
"Because I warned him.""
"About what?""
Her voice broke.
"About Daniel.""
The room went quiet.
"What did you warn him about?""
She looked at Nia.
Then at me.
"I found proof that Daniel was planning something.""
My heart raced.
"What proof?""
"A recording.""
"Where is it?""
She looked terrified.
"I gave it to your father.""
"Then where is it now?""
She didn't answer.
Because we all knew.
That recording was the missing piece.
The reason someone broke into her room.
The reason someone had searched for the letter.
The reason everything was happening again after twenty years.
My phone rang.
Robert Hayes.
I answered.
"Hello?""
His voice was urgent.
"Marcus, listen carefully.""
"What happened?""
"I found the original accident report.""
"And?""
A pause.
"The police report was altered.""
I stood.
"Altered by who?""
His voice lowered.
"Someone with access.""
"Who?""
Robert took a breath.
Then said:
"The officer who signed it was your uncle Richard Reed's closest friend.""
I closed my eyes.
The lies went deeper than I thought.
Then Robert added:
"Marcus, there's something else.""
"What?""
"The original report says there were three people in the car.""
I froze.
"Three?""
"Yes.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"Who was the third person?""
Robert was silent.
Then he answered:
"Your mother.""
I slowly lowered the phone.
Everyone was looking at me.
Nia.
My mother.
The two people I loved most.
May you like
And suddenly I didn't know who had been protecting me...
and who had been protecting themselves.
