Chapter 6: The Missing Eighty-Five Thousand Dollars
I didn't follow Marcus immediately.
I stood near the entrance, reading the message again.
The sender hadn't identified themselves.
But they knew about the loan.
They knew about the money.
And they knew enough to warn me.
I saved the message and took a screenshot.
Then I called the number.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Voicemail.
I ended the call.
Aunt Denise approached with two glasses of water.
"What's wrong now?""
I showed her the message.
She read it and looked up.
"Eighty-five thousand dollars?""
"That's what it says.""
"Do you know where it went?""
"No.""
Denise glanced toward the hallway.
"Marcus left.""
"I saw.""
She lowered her voice.
"Nia, I think you need to be careful. Your brother has been acting strangely for months.""
I looked at her.
"What do you mean?""
She hesitated.
"Last month, he called me asking whether I could lend him money.""
"How much?""
"Twenty thousand.""
I frowned.
"Did he tell you why?""
"He said he had an urgent business expense.""
"Did you give it to him?""
Denise shook her head.
"No. I told him I couldn't.""
I looked toward the empty chair.
"Did he say anything else?""
Denise nodded slowly.
"He said something about a business partner threatening to take legal action.""
My stomach tightened.
"Did he mention a name?""
"No. But he seemed frightened.""
I took another screenshot of the message.
Then I walked toward the hallway.
My mother was still entertaining guests.
Claire stood beside her, laughing with two women from church.
I approached Claire.
"Where's Marcus?""
She looked annoyed.
"How should I know?""
"He just left.""
"Maybe he needed air.""
"Did he tell you where he was going?""
"No.""
I studied her face.
She was avoiding eye contact.
"Claire, what's going on?""
She rolled her eyes.
"Nothing.""
"Someone just sent me a message about eighty-five thousand dollars missing from Marcus's loan.""
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
"Who sent that?""
"I don't know.""
She looked toward the entrance.
"Maybe you should ask Marcus.""
"I plan to.""
Claire took a step back.
"Don't involve me.""
"Are you involved?""
She shook her head too quickly.
"No.""
Then she turned and walked away.
I watched her disappear into the crowd.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
I returned to the management office and asked Patricia whether Marcus had left the building.
She checked the security monitor.
"He's outside, near the loading area.""
"Did he leave alone?""
Patricia studied the screen.
"Yes. I believe so.""
I thanked her and walked toward the side entrance.
The night air was cool.
Atlanta's streets were busy with traffic, and the glow from the restaurant's windows reflected off the wet pavement.
Marcus was standing beside his SUV.
He was on the phone.
"No, I told you I'd handle it," he said.
He turned when he saw me.
"I'll call you back.""
He ended the call.
"What?""
I stopped several feet away.
"Who has the eighty-five thousand dollars?""
His face went pale.
"What are you talking about?""
I showed him the message.
He read it.
Then he looked at me.
"Where did you get this?""
"Someone sent it.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
He handed my phone back.
"Ignore it.""
"That's not an answer.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Nia, I don't have time for this.""
"You found time to apply for a loan using my identity.""
He looked toward the street.
"Keep your voice down.""
"Where did the money go?""
He exhaled sharply.
"Some of it went toward business expenses.""
"Some?""
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Marcus, did you actually receive the loan?""
He shook his head.
"Not all of it.""
"How much?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Two hundred and eighty thousand.""
I stared at him.
"That's the amount you told me was connected to the property.""
"Yes.""
"And where is it?""
He hesitated.
"Most of it went into the business.""
"What about the eighty-five thousand?""
He looked away.
I waited.
Finally, he said:
"I had to pay someone.""
"Who?""
"An investor.""
"What investor?""
Marcus opened the driver's door.
"Look, this isn't something you need to be involved in.""
I placed my hand against the door.
"Don't walk away.""
He looked at me.
For a moment, I saw the frightened boy he'd been when we were younger.
Then his expression hardened.
"Move your hand.""
"Tell me where the money went.""
He lowered his voice.
"Fine. I paid off a private lender.""
"Why?""
"Because he was threatening to sue me.""
"How much did you owe him?""
"More than eighty-five thousand.""
I stared.
"How much more?""
Marcus looked down.
"One hundred and forty.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Then where did you get the rest?""
He said nothing.
I already knew the answer.
"You were going to use my house.""
He nodded.
"I thought the sale would cover everything.""
"You were planning to sell my home to pay your private debts.""
"Not just mine!""
I stepped back.
"What does that mean?""
He looked toward the restaurant.
Then he whispered:
"Mom had her own arrangement.""
My chest tightened.
"What arrangement?""
Marcus opened his mouth, but before he could answer, his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
His face changed immediately.
He declined the call.
It rang again.
He turned the phone away from me.
"Answer it," I said.
"No.""
"Who is it?""
"Nobody.""
The phone rang a third time.
This time, he answered.
"What?""
A man's voice came through loudly enough for me to hear part of it.
"Where's the money, Marcus?""
My brother closed his eyes.
"I'm handling it.""
"You said tonight.""
"I said I'm working on it.""
"Don't play games with me. You know what happens if you miss the deadline.""
Marcus glanced at me.
Then he walked several steps away.
"I'll call you tomorrow.""
The man laughed.
"Tomorrow isn't good enough.""
The call ended.
Marcus stood motionless.
I watched him.
"Who was that?""
He turned toward me.
"Please, Nia. Just go back inside.""
"Who was it?""
"A lender.""
"What's his name?""
Marcus shook his head.
"Don't get involved.""
I pulled out my phone.
"I'm already involved.""
He looked at the screen.
"What are you doing?""
"Documenting everything.""
His expression changed.
"Nia, don't.""
"Why?""
He stepped closer.
"Because you don't understand who you're dealing with.""
I looked at him.
"Then explain it.""
He stared at me for several seconds.
Finally, he whispered:
"The man is named Raymond Pike.""
I recognized the name.
Not personally.
But I'd heard it before.
Raymond Pike was a private investor who specialized in distressed businesses and short-term financing.
I'd once read an article about him.
He had been investigated for aggressive lending practices, though I'd never followed the details.
"Why would you borrow money from him?""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"Because I was desperate.""
"How much?""
"One hundred and forty thousand.""
"And you paid him eighty-five?""
He nodded.
"That was supposed to buy me another month.""
I looked at him.
"With money from the loan application that used my identity?""
He looked down.
"Yes.""
I stepped away.
"You're unbelievable.""
"Nia, listen.""
"No.""
"I need your help.""
I stared at him.
"You need my help?""
"Just give me a few weeks. I'll repay everything.""
"How?""
"I'll sell the business.""
"You just told me the business is struggling.""
He rubbed his face.
"I have another investor interested.""
"Who?""
He hesitated.
Then he said something that made me feel even colder.
"Mom.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"She's been helping me.""
"How?""
Marcus looked toward the restaurant.
"She borrowed against her own savings. She also sold some of her jewelry.""
I thought about the emerald gown.
The diamond earrings.
The pearl bracelet.
"Mom sold her jewelry?""
"Some of it.""
I shook my head.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"Because she knew you'd judge her.""
I stared at him.
"She could have asked me.""
He laughed without humor.
"You would have said no.""
I didn't answer.
Because he was right.
I would have said no to financing a business built on lies.
And I would have said no to using my house as collateral.
Marcus opened his SUV door again.
"I need to go.""
"Where?""
"Home.""
"You're not going to disappear.""
He looked exhausted.
"Please, Nia. Just let me handle this.""
I stepped aside.
He got into the SUV and started the engine.
Before pulling away, he lowered the window.
"One more thing.""
I looked at him.
"Don't tell Mom about Raymond.""
"Why?""
He hesitated.
"Because she doesn't know the whole amount.""
Then he drove away.
I stood in the parking area, trying to process what he'd said.
My mother had sold jewelry.
My brother had borrowed money from a private lender.
And someone had used my identity to secure a business loan.
But the most troubling part was what Marcus had said last.
She doesn't know the whole amount.
I returned to the restaurant.
The birthday celebration was still going.
My mother was opening presents.
Claire was holding up a designer handbag someone had given her.
The guests applauded.
I approached my mother.
"We need to talk.""
She smiled for the people around her.
"Later, sweetheart.""
"Now.""
She looked irritated.
"Can't you see I'm opening gifts?""
I lowered my voice.
"Marcus told me about Raymond Pike.""
The gift box slipped slightly in her hands.
Her smile disappeared.
"Where did you hear that name?""
I watched her face.
"Why? Does it mean something to you?""
She placed the box on the table.
"Not here.""
"Did you know Marcus borrowed money from him?""
She glanced around nervously.
"Keep your voice down.""
"Did you know?""
She looked at me.
Then she said something I wasn't expecting.
"Marcus wasn't the one who borrowed the money.""
I froze.
"What?""
My mother took a slow breath.
"Raymond Pike lent the money to me.""
The noise in the dining room seemed to disappear.
I stared at her.
"How much?""
She looked toward the guests.
"Not now.""
"Mom. How much?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
Then she whispered:
"Three hundred and sixty thousand dollars.""
I couldn't speak.
She reached for my hand.
"Nia, I need you to listen carefully. I didn't have a choice.""
I pulled away.
"Why would you borrow that much money?""
She looked at me with an expression I had never seen before.
Fear.
Real fear.
"Because someone was threatening to expose something about our family.""
I stared at her.
"What could possibly be worth three hundred and sixty thousand dollars?""
She opened her handbag and pulled out a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside a young man outside a bank.
The date printed on the back was from twenty years earlier.
I looked at the photograph.
Then at my mother.
"Who is he?""
She swallowed.
And the next words she spoke changed everything I thought I knew about my family.
"He's your father, Nia.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible. My father died when I was twelve.""
My mother shook her head.
"No, sweetheart.""
Her voice trembled.
"Your father didn't die.""
She leaned closer.
"He's the man who has been financing Raymond Pike.""
And before I could ask another question, a waiter approached with a message.
"Mrs. Carter, there's a gentleman downstairs asking for you. He says he's your husband.""
My mother dropped the photograph.
May you like
Because my father had been dead for twenty years.
Or at least, that's what she'd told me.
