Chapter 6: Six Months Earlier
I stared at the photograph until the words blurred.
My business partner, Daniel Reed, was sitting across from Denise.
His hand rested on the table.
Denise's hand was beside a glass of wine.
They weren't touching.
They didn't have to.
The photograph was enough to make my stomach turn.
I looked at my wife.
“Why were you meeting Daniel six months ago?””
Denise's lips parted.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
“It wasn't what you think.””
I laughed bitterly.
“That's the oldest sentence in the world.””
Tasha stepped between us.
“Dad, don't jump to conclusions.””
I looked at her.
“Then help me understand.””
She glanced at Denise.
“She told me it was about the company.””
I frowned.
“What about the company?””
Denise answered quickly.
“Daniel was helping me with something.””
“What?””
“Financial paperwork.””
“What financial paperwork?””
She didn't answer.
I felt the room closing in around me.
“Denise.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it's true.””
“Then tell me what you were protecting me from.””
She looked at Maya.
Maya was staring at the photograph.
“I think I know,” she whispered.
Everyone turned toward her.
Denise's face went white.
“What do you know?””
Maya stood.
“You were moving money.””
Denise's voice cracked.
“Where did you hear that?””
“From Daniel.””
I stared at my daughter.
“You spoke to Daniel?””
“Once.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
“Why?””
“He came to school.””
I looked at Denise.
“He came to your school?””
Maya nodded.
“He asked me where you were.””
My pulse quickened.
“What did you tell him?””
“That you were at a construction site.””
“Why would he ask you?””
“I don't know.””
“What happened after that?””
“He told me to stop asking questions.””
Denise whispered, “Maya…”
Maya looked directly at her.
“Then you came to my room that night.””
I remembered.
Six months earlier.
Maya had been unusually quiet.
I had knocked on her bedroom door.
She told me everything was fine.
I believed her.
God, how easily I had believed her.
“What did Denise say?”” I asked.
Maya swallowed.
“She told me Daniel was a friend.””
“He isn't.””
“I know.””
I looked at Denise.
“You knew Daniel had spoken to Maya?””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
“I thought it would pass.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel said he was trying to help.””
“Help with what?””
She finally sat down.
“I had access to some of your business accounts.””
I stared at her.
“How?””
“You gave me access for household expenses.””
“Not company accounts.””
She looked away.
“Daniel gave me access.””
The room went silent.
“You're saying my business partner gave my wife access to company money?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She wiped her eyes.
“Because I asked him.””
My voice dropped.
“Why?””
She hesitated.
“I needed money.””
“How much?””
She didn't answer.
“How much, Denise?””
“Forty thousand.””
Tasha gasped.
Maya stared at the floor.
I felt strangely calm.
“Why?””
Denise's eyes filled.
“My brother.””
“Andre?””
“He had debts.””
“So you took forty thousand dollars from my company?””
“I borrowed it.””
“Did you tell me?””
“No.””
“Did you tell the accountant?””
“No.””
“Did you pay it back?””
Silence.
I nodded slowly.
“How much?””
“Twenty thousand.””
“Where's the other twenty?””
“I was going to pay it.””
“When?””
“After the vacation.””
I almost laughed.
“You were going to take my daughter off a family vacation while using my company's money to pay for everyone else to go to Hawaii?””
“That's not fair.””
“No?””
“I made mistakes.””
“You made decisions.””
“I was scared.””
“So was Maya.””
Denise looked at her.
“What does that have to do with this?””
“Everything.””
I pointed toward the photograph.
“Who took this?””
“I don't know.””
“Who sent it?””
“I don't know.””
“Why would someone send it to me?””
Denise didn't answer.
Maya did.
“Because they want Dad to know.””
I turned.
“Know what?””
“That Mom wasn't working alone.””
Denise's face changed.
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
Maya walked toward the laptop.
She opened another file.
“I found these on my computer.””
She clicked through several screenshots.
Bank transfers.
Emails.
Company invoices.
My name appeared repeatedly.
But the transactions didn't match anything I recognized.
I leaned closer.
“These aren't mine.””
Maya nodded.
“I know.””
“How did you find them?””
“I was looking for the messages.””
“Why?””
“Because someone sent me a file.””
“When?””
“Four months ago.””
I stared at her.
“You've had this for four months?””
“I didn't know what it meant.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
She looked at me.
“Because Mom told me you'd think I was trying to destroy your marriage.””
I closed my eyes.
Another promise broken.
Another moment I had missed.
Then I opened my eyes.
“Maya, listen to me.””
She waited.
“From now on, if someone tells you to keep something from me because it will hurt me, you tell me anyway.””
She nodded.
“I will.””
I turned toward Denise.
“Who else knew about the forty thousand?””
“Daniel.””
“Anyone else?””
“Just me and Daniel.””
Tasha spoke.
“That's not true.””
Denise looked at her.
Tasha's voice shook.
“You told me.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
“I never told you the amount.””
“You told me Mom was worried about money.””
Denise stared at her.
Tasha continued.
“You said Daniel was helping you.””
I looked at Tasha.
“Did you know he gave her access to my company?””
“No.””
“Did you know about the money?””
“I knew she borrowed something.””
“How much?””
“I didn't know.””
Denise stood.
“Can we stop?””
“No.””
“Marcus, please.””
“No.””
She wiped her face.
“I was going to fix it.””
“By leaving Maya behind?””
“No.””
“Then why?””
She stared at the floor.
“Because someone told me if Maya kept investigating, they'd expose everything.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who?””
Denise didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Who threatened you?””
She looked at me.
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
“I swear.””
“Then why were you so desperate to keep Maya away?””
She broke down.
“I was told she'd get hurt!””
Maya went completely still.
“Who told you?””
Denise covered her face.
“I don't know.””
“You know,” I said.
She lowered her hands.
Her eyes were red.
“It came from Daniel.””
I stared.
“What did he say?””
“He said Maya had gotten too close.””
“Too close to what?””
Denise shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You met him six months ago.””
“Yes.””
“He gave you access to my accounts.””
“Yes.””
“You took forty thousand dollars.””
“Yes.””
“And now my daughter is being threatened because she found evidence.””
Denise whispered,
“Yes.””
I walked to the window.
Outside, the sky was darkening.
The Hawaii trip was supposed to begin tomorrow morning.
Instead, my family was standing in the wreckage of a secret that had been growing for six months.
Then Maya spoke.
“Dad?””
I turned.
She was holding another piece of paper.
Her face was terrified.
“What is it?””
She handed it to me.
It was a printed email.
The sender was Daniel.
The timestamp was six months earlier.
The message contained only one sentence:
*If Marcus ever finds out, make sure Maya takes the blame.*
I looked at Denise.
She started crying.
Then Maya whispered,
“Dad… there's one thing I never told you.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
She looked toward the front door.
“Daniel wasn't the one who came to my school.””
A knock sounded from downstairs.
Three slow knocks.
May you like
Maya's face went white.
“He's here.””
