Chapter 7: The Man at the Door
The three knocks came again.
Slow.
Measured.
Deliberate.
Nobody moved.
Maya stood beside me, gripping the sleeve of her gray hoodie so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
Tasha whispered, “Dad, don't open it.””
Denise was staring at the front door.
I looked at her.
“You know who that is?””
She shook her head.
But she was lying.
I could see it in her face.
I walked toward the entryway.
“Marcus,” Denise said.
I stopped.
“What?””
“Don't.””
“Why?””
She swallowed.
“Because you don't know what you're dealing with.””
I looked through the narrow glass beside the door.
A man stood on the porch.
Late forties.
Dark jacket.
Hands in his pockets.
He wasn't Daniel.
I didn't recognize him.
Then he looked directly at the glass.
As if he knew I was watching.
Maya stepped backward.
“That's him.””
I turned.
“You know him?””
She nodded.
“He came to school.””
My stomach tightened.
I unlocked the door but didn't open it.
“Who are you?””
The man looked at the camera mounted above the garage.
Then back at me.
“Mr. Williams, my name is Eric Cole.””
I didn't recognize the name.
“What do you want?””
“I need to talk to Maya.””
“No.””
His expression didn't change.
“This concerns your daughter.””
“That means it concerns me.””
He glanced toward the street.
“Then you should let me explain before you call the police.””
I opened the door halfway.
“You have thirty seconds.””
Eric looked past me.
His eyes landed on Maya.
“I told you not to keep digging.””
Maya's face went pale.
I stepped forward.
“You threatened my daughter?””
“No.””
“You just said—”
“I warned her.””
“You came to her school.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew someone else was watching her.””
I stared at him.
“Who?””
Eric looked at Denise.
She lowered her eyes.
His jaw tightened.
“You should ask your wife.””
Denise whispered, “Eric, please.””
I turned toward her.
“You know him?””
She nodded.
“How?””
“I met him through Daniel.””
Eric shook his head.
“That's not entirely true.””
I looked at him.
“Then tell me the truth.””
He took a breath.
“Daniel hired me six months ago.””
“For what?””
“To investigate your company.””
My heart stopped.
“Why?””
Eric glanced at Maya.
“Because someone was stealing from it.””
I laughed once.
“So Daniel hired a private investigator to investigate my own company?””
“Yes.””
“Why wouldn't he tell me?””
“Because he was the one being investigated.””
The porch suddenly felt colder.
I opened the door fully.
“Come inside.””
Denise immediately said, “Marcus, no.””
I turned.
“If he wanted us hurt, he wouldn't be standing on our porch asking permission.””
Eric entered.
He placed a thin folder on the table.
“I've been tracking financial transfers connected to your company.””
I opened it.
Bank statements.
Invoices.
Wire transfers.
Names.
Dates.
At the top of one page was a number that made my stomach drop.
$40,000.
The same amount Denise had admitted taking.
I looked at Eric.
“That money wasn't stolen by Denise.””
She looked up.
“What?””
Eric pointed to the transaction.
“Your wife withdrew the money, but someone instructed her to.””
I turned toward Denise.
“Who?””
She looked terrified.
“I don't know.””
Eric reached into the folder.
“She received instructions through an encrypted email account.””
He slid another page toward me.
I read it.
*Transfer completed. Use personal account. Do not tell Marcus.*
My eyes moved to the sender.
The account belonged to Denise.
I looked at her.
“You received this?””
“Yes.””
“You knew?””
“I didn't know who was behind it.””
“Then why did you do it?””
Her voice cracked.
“Because they threatened Andre.””
I stared.
“What about Andre?””
“He owed money.””
“That still doesn't explain it.””
Eric interrupted.
“The debt wasn't the real threat.””
I looked at him.
“What was?””
“They had evidence that Andre had been involved in something illegal.””
Denise closed her eyes.
I felt the room shift.
“What kind of illegal?””
Eric hesitated.
“Fraud.””
I looked at Denise.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“I found out afterward.””
“And instead of coming to me—”
“I was scared.””
“So you stole from me.””
“I thought I could fix it.””
Eric shook his head.
“That was the trap.””
I turned.
“What trap?””
“They wanted Denise to move money so they could create a paper trail.””
I looked at the documents.
“Making it look like she stole from my company.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Eric looked at Maya.
“Because they needed someone to blame.””
My daughter's face went blank.
“The message,” she whispered.
I looked at her.
“What message?””
“The one Daniel sent.””
She pointed to the email.
*If Marcus ever finds out, make sure Maya takes the blame.*
I looked at Eric.
“Why Maya?””
He was silent.
“Tell me.””
“Because she saw something.””
“What?””
“A file.””
“What file?””
Eric looked toward Denise.
She shook her head.
“No.””
I slammed my hand on the table.
“Enough secrets.””
Denise flinched.
“Maya deserves the truth.””
Eric slowly opened another folder.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Maya standing outside our office six months earlier.
Beside her was Daniel.
But Maya wasn't looking at Daniel.
She was looking through the glass doors at another man.
A man sitting behind my desk.
I stared at the photograph.
“That isn't me.””
“No,” Eric said.
“Who is he?””
Eric looked at Maya.
She whispered,
“I know him.””
I turned.
“Who?””
Maya's lips trembled.
“He was at school.””
I waited.
“He came to the counseling office the day Emily disappeared.””
“Who was he?””
Maya stared at the photograph.
“He said he was a school administrator.””
Eric shook his head.
“He isn't.””
“Then who is he?””
Eric closed the folder.
“That's the problem.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because his name doesn't exist.””
Silence.
Eric's phone suddenly rang.
He answered.
“Cole.””
His expression changed.
He listened for several seconds.
Then he looked at me.
“Mr. Williams…”
“What?””
“They found the original school video.””
“Where?””
“On a server connected to your construction company.””
My blood ran cold.
“How is that possible?””
Eric's voice dropped.
“Because someone inside your company uploaded it.””
Maya covered her mouth.
Denise whispered,
“Daniel.””
Eric shook his head.
“No.””
May you like
He looked directly at me.
“Not Daniel.””
