Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Driving
"By the time the car hit the barrier, I was—"
The call ended.
I stared at my phone, waiting for Marcus to call back. The screen remained dark.
"Was what?"" I whispered.
My mother stood beside me, clutching the leather ledger against her chest.
"Nia, what did he say?""
"He was about to tell me who was driving when Dad's car crashed.""
She sank onto the edge of the bed.
For eleven years, she'd lived with the belief that her husband had died in a tragic accident. She'd raised me alone, paid off bills, and learned how to smile when people asked whether she was coping.
Now the past had returned with a voice that sounded exactly like the man I'd nearly married.
I called Marcus back.
He rejected the call.
I tried again.
This time, the phone rang until voicemail answered.
A message appeared seconds later.
*Come to the old office building at nine tonight. Bring the ledger. Come alone. I'll tell you everything about your father.*
I showed Mom.
"Absolutely not," she said.
"He might finally tell the truth.""
"Or he might take the ledger and leave us with nothing.""
I looked down at the book.
"He's already trying to take everything.""
Mom reached for my hand.
"Then we make sure he doesn't get the chance.""
I called Daniel Mercer and explained what had happened. He listened carefully, then asked me to send screenshots of Marcus's messages.
"Don't go there alone," he said.
"And don't hand over the ledger.""
"What if he refuses to talk unless I come?""
"Then we arrange a safe meeting. I'll contact the detective I mentioned. If Marcus has information about your father's death, we need to preserve it properly.""
I looked at the clock.
"We have three hours.""
"That's enough time to make a plan. Nia, I need you to understand something. Whatever Marcus says tonight, don't assume his version is the whole truth. He's had eleven years to prepare a story.""
After the call, Mom insisted on making tea.
I found her in the kitchen, staring at the kettle as if she'd forgotten what she'd intended to do.
"Mom?""
She turned.
"I keep thinking about the last morning your father was alive.""
I sat beside her.
"What do you remember?""
"He made breakfast. Burned the toast, as usual. He kissed my forehead before leaving and told me he had a surprise for our anniversary.""
She smiled faintly.
"We were going to celebrate that weekend. He'd booked a little cottage near the lake.""
Her smile faded.
"He never told me what the surprise was.""
I reached across the table.
"I'm sorry.""
She shook her head.
"I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to find out what happened.""
At eight thirty, Daniel arrived with a detective named Laura Hayes. She was in her early fifties, with short silver-streaked hair and the calm, direct manner of someone who had spent years listening to people explain why they hadn't done anything wrong.
She examined the ledger without removing it from its protective sleeve.
"This may be important evidence," she said.
"But we'll need to verify the records and establish how they were obtained.""
I showed her Marcus's messages.
Detective Hayes read them twice.
"Has he threatened you directly?""
"He says my mother could lose the house if I give the documents to Daniel.""
"That's worth documenting. But I don't want you meeting him alone, regardless of what he promises.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"We could arrange a meeting at the old office building with officers nearby.""
Detective Hayes considered it.
"If he agrees to meet in a public area, we can assess the situation. But don't encourage him to make statements under false pretenses. We want a voluntary conversation, not a confrontation.""
I looked at the ledger.
"What if he knows something about the crash that no one else does?""
"Then we listen carefully," she replied.
"And we verify it.""
At eight fifty, I sent Marcus a message.
*I'll meet you at the old office building. I won't give you the ledger until you tell me the truth.*
His reply arrived almost immediately.
*Come alone, Nia. This is between us.*
I didn't answer.
Detective Hayes arranged for officers to remain nearby. Daniel accompanied Mom to a secure location, and I agreed to meet Marcus in the building's public lobby, where the officers could intervene if necessary.
The old office building stood on a quiet street near the river. Its brick exterior was darkened by rain, and several windows had been boarded up since the company moved out years earlier.
I arrived shortly before nine.
Marcus was waiting beside the entrance.
He wore no tuxedo now. Just a dark coat, jeans, and the expression of a man who hadn't slept.
When he saw me, he stepped forward.
"Thank you for coming.""
"Don't thank me. Tell me what happened to my father.""
He looked toward the street.
"Where's the ledger?""
"Where's the truth?""
He rubbed his face.
"I didn't know how to tell you.""
"You had four years.""
"I know.""
"You had four years to tell me you were married. Four years to tell me you'd known my father. Four years to tell me why you wanted that bracelet.""
His eyes filled.
"I did love you.""
I felt nothing.
"That isn't an answer.""
He lowered his head.
"You're right.""
For the first time, Marcus looked less like the man who'd controlled every conversation and more like someone standing in front of a locked door with no key.
"Your father discovered that my father had been stealing money from his company," Marcus began.
"I knew about some of the transfers, but I didn't understand how much had been taken. When David confronted us, my father told me to handle it.""
"Handle it how?""
"Convince him to stop investigating. He said the company would collapse if the records became public.""
"So you lied to my father.""
"Yes.""
"And then you lied to me.""
He swallowed.
"Yes.""
I stared at him.
"Tell me about the accident.""
Marcus looked away.
"That night, I met your father at the office. I wanted him to give me the documents. He refused. We argued, and he left carrying a metal case.""
"Did you follow him?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I thought I could still persuade him to change his mind.""
"Where was Richard?""
"My father followed us in his own car.""
Marcus's hands began to tremble.
"We reached the bend near the river. Your father stopped because he thought he saw another car following him. I got out of my car and walked toward his.""
"Then what?""
"He was furious. He told me I was becoming just like my father. He said he'd rather lose the company than let us destroy what he'd built.""
I forced myself to remain still.
"What happened next?""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"We argued beside the car. I reached for the metal case. He pulled away. He was standing near the driver's door, and I grabbed his coat.""
My stomach tightened.
"Did you push him?""
"I didn't mean to.""
The words hung in the cold air.
I took a step back.
"What did you do?""
Marcus looked at me, tears running down his face.
"I pushed him away from me. He stumbled. He fell against the open door, and the car rolled backward because the brake wasn't fully engaged.""
He shook his head violently.
"I tried to stop it. I grabbed the door, but it was too late. The car rolled down the slope and struck the barrier.""
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
"You pushed my father?""
"I was trying to get him to let go of the case.""
"And he died.""
Marcus covered his face.
"I didn't want him to die.""
I stared at him.
"Did you call for help?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
He didn't answer.
"Marcus. When?""
"After my father arrived.""
My heart pounded.
"How long after?""
He looked at the ground.
"Several minutes.""
Several minutes.
My father had been trapped in a wrecked car while the man I'd nearly married stood on the road deciding what to do.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"My father said we'd both go to prison. He said the financial fraud would come out, and that nobody would believe it was an accident.""
"So you left my father there?""
"I panicked.""
"You left him there?""
Marcus began crying harder.
"I went back to the car. I tried to open the door, but it was jammed. My father told me the police were coming, and we had to leave before anyone saw us.""
"And you listened.""
He nodded.
I felt something inside me settle into a cold, terrible clarity.
For years, I'd imagined my father's final moments as a tragedy without a villain. Now I knew the man I'd loved had been standing beside him.
He'd made a choice.
Then he'd made another.
And another.
Every year he'd kept silent was another decision.
"Why did you come into my life?"" I asked.
Marcus wiped his face.
"At first, because my father believed you'd inherited the evidence. I thought if I became close to you, I could find the bracelet and the ledger.""
"And after?""
He looked at me desperately.
"After I fell in love with you, I tried to stop.""
I laughed once, without humor.
"By hiding your marriage?""
"I was going to tell you.""
"When?""
"After the wedding.""
"And the documents I signed?""
He froze.
"What documents?""
"The ones you said were insurance forms.""
His eyes darted toward the entrance.
I understood.
Even now, he was calculating what he could deny.
"What did I sign, Marcus?""
He lowered his voice.
"An authorization allowing me to manage certain financial matters if you became incapacitated.""
I stared at him.
"Why would I need that?""
"It was part of the estate arrangement.""
"I don't have an estate arrangement.""
"You do now.""
The words chilled me.
"What did you do?""
He stepped closer.
"Nia, I was trying to protect you from my father. If you signed those documents, I could prevent him from taking the house.""
"By taking control of my finances yourself?""
"I would never hurt you.""
"You helped destroy my family.""
He reached for my hand.
I stepped away.
"Don't touch me.""
His expression crumpled.
"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. But please, give me the ledger. My father knows where you live. He won't stop until he finds it.""
"Then tell the police everything.""
"I will.""
"When?""
"Tonight.""
"Now.""
He looked at me, terrified.
Then he whispered, "There's something else you need to know.""
I waited.
"Your father wasn't the only person my father wanted to silence that night.""
My pulse quickened.
"Who else?""
Marcus looked toward the river.
"Olivia.""
A sharp voice interrupted him.
"That's enough, Marcus.""
Richard Hale stepped out from the shadows beside the building.
He held a small black pistol in his right hand.
Marcus turned white.
"Dad?""
Richard aimed the weapon at me.
"Give me the ledger, Nia.""
I couldn't move.
Richard's face was expressionless.
"You've made enough trouble for one family.""
May you like
Then he looked at his son.
"And you, Marcus, have always been too weak to finish what you started.""
