Chapter 8: What Happened Before Marcus
Marcus drove home with the photograph open on his phone.
Maya remained silent in the back seat.
Neither of them spoke until the house appeared at the end of the street.
Vanessa's car was already there.
So was another vehicle.
An old black sedan Marcus didn't recognize.
He parked across the street.
Maya looked through the window.
“That's his car.””
Marcus stared at the sedan.
“You're sure?””
She nodded.
“He parked there before.””
“When?””
“The night I heard the crying.””
Marcus turned off the engine.
He called the police.
Then he called the school.
Then he called his attorney.
Only after those calls did he unlock his door.
“Maya stays with me,” he said.
They entered through the front door.
The house was silent.
Too silent.
Marcus called out.
“Vanessa?””
Nothing.
“Maya, stay behind me.””
They moved through the living room.
A glass was broken near the kitchen.
One cabinet hung open.
Marcus heard a floorboard creak upstairs.
He stopped.
Maya grabbed his shirt.
“Dad.””
“I hear it.””
A voice came from above.
“Marcus.””
Vanessa.
Marcus looked up.
She stood halfway down the stairs.
Her hair was disheveled.
Her gold necklace hung crookedly.
She looked exhausted.
“Where is he?”” Marcus asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
“Gone.””
“The man?””
“Yes.””
“Where's Noah?””
Vanessa looked toward the upstairs hallway.
Marcus's stomach dropped.
“Where is my son?””
“He's in his room.””
Marcus moved toward the stairs.
Vanessa blocked him.
“He's sleeping.””
“Move.””
“Marcus, please.””
“Move.””
She stepped aside.
Marcus climbed the stairs.
Maya followed.
The hallway was exactly as he remembered.
Family photos.
A narrow table.
The locked door.
Marcus stopped.
The brass key was still in his pocket.
Vanessa whispered behind him.
“Don't open it.””
Marcus turned.
“Why?””
“Because I can explain.””
“You've had months.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Vanessa looked toward Maya.
“Of losing Noah.””
Marcus stared at her.
“What happened?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“His father disappeared when Noah was two.””
Marcus frowned.
“You told me he abandoned you.””
“He did.””
“Then why is he here?””
“He came back.””
“When?””
“Months ago.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“You knew?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He threatened me.””
“With what?””
“He said he'd take Noah.””
Marcus looked toward the locked door.
“Did you keep him in there?””
Vanessa's eyes closed.
“For a while.””
Maya gasped.
Marcus's voice became dangerously quiet.
“You locked Noah's father in that room?””
“He was trying to take my son.””
“You called the police?””
“I couldn't.””
“Why?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she said,
“Because I was the one who called him.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
“He came because I asked him to.””
“Why?””
Vanessa looked at Maya.
“I needed money.””
Marcus felt his stomach twist.
“You sold access to your own son?””
“No!””
Vanessa began crying.
“He knew things about me.””
“What things?””
“I owed him.””
“For what?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Marcus stepped closer.
“For what?””
She whispered,
“Gambling.””
Marcus froze.
Vanessa had always told him their finances were fine.
Every time he asked about the missing money, she blamed groceries.
School expenses.
Bills.
Unexpected repairs.
Now the pieces began falling together.
Marcus's voice shook.
“You stole money from our account.””
“I borrowed it.””
“How much?””
“I was going to replace it.””
“How much?””
Vanessa looked down.
“Thirty-eight thousand dollars.””
Marcus stared at her.
Maya stood behind him.
“Dad?””
Marcus turned.
“Stay there.””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“The man in the room found out.””
“So he came for Noah?””
“He wanted repayment.””
“And you locked him upstairs?””
“I panicked.””
Marcus looked at the door.
“How long?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
“How long was he in there?””
“Three days.””
Maya covered her mouth.
Marcus's face hardened.
“And you told Maya she imagined hearing someone?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I was terrified.””
“You made her think she was crazy.””
“I didn't know what else to do.””
Marcus reached for the key.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Marcus, please.””
He inserted the brass key.
The lock clicked.
Vanessa grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What is in there now?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You said he was gone.””
“He is.””
“Then what's inside?””
Vanessa started crying.
Marcus opened the door.
The room was dark.
A mattress lay on the floor.
A plastic water bottle.
A small table.
A chair.
And dozens of photographs.
Marcus stepped inside.
Maya whispered behind him,
“That's where I heard him.””
Marcus looked at the photographs.
They weren't of Noah.
They weren't of Vanessa.
They were of *Maya*.
At school.
Walking home.
Sitting in the backyard.
Getting into Marcus's car.
There were photographs from weeks ago.
Some from months ago.
Marcus's blood ran cold.
He picked one up.
On the back was a date.
And beneath it:
*She knows too much.*
Another photograph.
Another note.
*The father still doesn't see it.*
Marcus looked toward Vanessa.
“What is this?””
Vanessa was crying.
“I told you.””
“Told me what?””
“I wasn't the one taking them.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Then who was?””
A voice came from behind him.
“Me.””
Marcus spun around.
The hallway was empty.
Then a figure stepped from the shadow near the staircase.
The man from the photograph.
He raised both hands.
“Don't shoot.””
Marcus didn't have a gun.
But the man's eyes went immediately to Maya.
“She's the reason I'm here.””
Marcus stepped in front of his daughter.
“You stay away from her.””
The man shook his head.
“I've been trying to protect her.””
Marcus stared.
“From what?””
The man looked at Vanessa.
“From her.””
Vanessa screamed.
“Don't listen to him!””
The man reached into his jacket.
Maya screamed.
Marcus lunged forward.
But instead of a weapon, the man pulled out a small flash drive.
He held it toward Marcus.
“Everything is on this.””
Marcus didn't move.
“What's on it?””
“Video.””
“Of what?””
The man looked directly at Maya.
“Everything Vanessa did when you weren't home.””
Vanessa turned and ran downstairs.
Marcus grabbed her wrist.
She fought back.
“Let me go!””
“No.””
“You don't understand!””
“I understand enough.””
Then the man's voice came from behind them.
“There’s one video you need to see first.””
Marcus turned.
“Which one?””
The man looked at Maya.
“The night Noah disappeared.””
Maya's face went white.
“I never saw Noah disappear.””
The man stared at her.
“That’s because Vanessa told you he was sleeping.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
She stopped struggling.
May you like
The man continued.
“But he wasn't sleeping.””
