Chapter 7: The Driver
The front door opened another inch.
Nia couldn't move.
Arthur stared down the staircase.
Vanessa whispered, “Calvin.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
The door swung wider.
A man stepped inside.
Charcoal coat.
White shirt.
Baseball cap.
Nia recognized him immediately from the photograph.
Calvin.
He closed the door behind him.
“Good,” he said.
“Everyone's here.””
Arthur moved in front of Nia.
“You shouldn't have come back.””
Calvin smiled.
“You said that eighteen years ago.””
Vanessa backed away.
“Calvin, please.””
He looked at her.
“You still beg.””
“Leave.””
“You've been telling them lies for years.””
Arthur's voice hardened.
“Don't come any closer.””
Calvin glanced at the red notebook in Nia's hand.
“Your mother kept that too long.””
Nia held it tighter.
“You were with her that night.””
Calvin's smile disappeared.
“Who told you?””
“My father.””
Calvin looked at Arthur.
“You finally told her?””
“Not enough,” Nia said.
Calvin studied her.
“You look just like her.””
Nia's jaw tightened.
“Who was driving?””
Calvin didn't answer.
Arthur said, “Calvin, leave.””
Calvin laughed.
“You still think you can order me around.””
He reached inside his coat.
Arthur immediately stepped forward.
“Take your hand out.””
Calvin slowly raised both hands.
A set of keys hung from his fingers.
“I came to return something.””
Nia looked at the keys.
One was old brass.
A small silver tag hung from it.
*17B.*
Her mother's handwriting was engraved across the tag.
Nia stared.
“Where did you get that?””
Calvin tossed the keys onto the table.
“Your mother gave them to me.””
Arthur's face tightened.
“She never gave you anything.””
“She did.””
“When?””
“Right before she died.””
Nia stepped forward.
“What does 17B mean?””
Calvin looked at Arthur.
“He never told you?””
Arthur said nothing.
Calvin smiled.
“Of course he didn't.””
Nia turned toward her father.
“Dad.””
Arthur's eyes remained on Calvin.
“The key opens a storage unit.””
“Where?””
“Across town.””
“What’s inside?””
Calvin answered.
“Everything your mother was afraid you'd never know.””
Vanessa suddenly rushed toward the table.
Calvin caught her wrist.
“Don't.””
“Give me the key.””
“You've had enough chances.””
Vanessa struggled.
“Calvin!””
Nia watched them.
“Why are you so afraid of that key?””
Vanessa stopped fighting.
Calvin released her.
“Because your stepmother knows what's inside.””
Nia looked at Vanessa.
“Is that true?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“Yes.””
Arthur stared at her.
“You told me the storage unit was empty.””
“I lied.””
“Why?””
“Because I was trying to keep Calvin from finding it.””
Calvin laughed.
“You were trying to keep everyone from finding it.””
Nia picked up the key.
“What happened to Mom?””
Calvin's expression changed.
For the first time, there was no arrogance in his face.
“She found out I was stealing from her.””
Nia waited.
“She threatened to expose me.””
“Then what?””
“I followed her.””
“To the meeting?””
“Yes.””
“Who was she meeting?””
Calvin looked at Arthur.
“Your father.””
Nia turned.
Arthur nodded.
“I was supposed to convince her to stay quiet.””
Nia's eyes widened.
“About the money?””
“No.””
Arthur's voice was strained.
“About Calvin.””
Calvin shook his head.
“That isn't what she wanted.””
He looked at Nia.
“She wanted a divorce.””
Nia stared at him.
“From Dad?””
Arthur closed his eyes.
“She had discovered I'd been hiding the financial records from her.””
“Why?””
“Because I thought I could fix everything.””
Nia's voice rose.
“You let her believe she was losing everything.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You keep saying that!””
Arthur's shoulders dropped.
Calvin stepped toward the staircase.
“Your mother left that meeting alive.””
Nia whispered, “Then what happened?””
“She got into her car.””
“Alone?””
Calvin didn't answer.
Arthur did.
“No.””
Nia looked at him.
Arthur's face had gone gray.
“Vanessa got into the car.””
Vanessa began shaking.
“I didn't hurt her.””
Nia stared.
“You were in Mom's car?””
“I was trying to talk to her.””
“About what?””
“The transfer.””
Nia's voice cracked.
“You wanted her to sign the house over.””
Vanessa nodded.
“She refused.””
“What happened?””
Vanessa covered her face.
“She drove away.””
Arthur said, “And Calvin followed.””
Calvin looked at him.
“You followed too.””
Arthur nodded.
“Yes.””
Nia looked between them.
“Then who was driving?””
Calvin's eyes moved toward Vanessa.
Vanessa whispered, “I was.””
The room went silent.
Nia stepped backward.
“You?””
“I was driving when the accident happened.””
Arthur's face tightened.
“But I wasn't the one who caused it,” Vanessa said.
Nia's voice was barely audible.
“Then who did?””
Vanessa looked at Calvin.
Calvin looked at Arthur.
May you like
And Arthur whispered—
“Me.””
