Chapter 8: The Truth Tasha Hid
Malcolm slammed both hands against the door.
“Open it!””
No answer.
Lena grabbed his arm.
“Stop.””
“Why?””
“He wants you angry.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
Nia stepped closer.
“There has to be another exit.””
Lena nodded.
“There is.””
Tasha looked up sharply.
“Lena, no.””
Lena turned toward her.
“You knew?””
Tasha swallowed.
“I knew there was an emergency passage.””
“And you never told him?””
“I was trying to protect him.””
Lena laughed bitterly.
“You always say that.””
Malcolm turned toward Tasha.
“What exactly have you been protecting me from?””
Tasha's face tightened.
“The truth.””
“Then give it to me.””
The emergency lights suddenly came back on.
A red glow filled the room.
Lena looked at Malcolm.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
“Then ask Tasha where she got the photograph.””
Malcolm looked at Tasha.
She stared at the floor.
“You said Lena gave it to you.””
“I did.””
“That's not the truth.””
Tasha's shoulders dropped.
“No.””
Malcolm's voice hardened.
“Where did you get it?””
Tasha closed her eyes.
“I took it.””
“From where?””
“Your mother's house.””
Lena shook her head.
“You stole it.””
“I was scared.””
“You stole evidence.””
“I was nineteen!””
“And I was missing!””
Tasha broke down.
“I didn't know what else to do!””
Malcolm stepped between them.
“Enough.””
Both women went silent.
He looked at Tasha.
“Start from the beginning.””
Tasha wiped her face.
“The night Lena disappeared, I followed your mother.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew something was wrong.””
Lena whispered, “You weren't supposed to follow us.””
“I know.””
Tasha looked at Malcolm.
“I saw your mother drive Lena to an old house outside town.””
“Whose house?””
“I never found out.””
“What happened there?””
“Your mother went inside with Lena.””
“And then?””
“I heard shouting.””
Tasha's voice trembled.
“Then I saw another car arrive.””
Malcolm's eyes narrowed.
“What car?””
“A black sedan.””
Lena went still.
“The same one.””
Tasha nodded.
“Yes.””
“Who was driving?””
“I couldn't see.””
“What happened?””
“I saw your mother run outside.””
“Alone?””
Tasha nodded.
“She was screaming for Lena.””
Malcolm's face tightened.
“And then?””
“The man from the sedan grabbed your mother.””
Lena stepped forward.
“What?””
Tasha looked at her.
“I thought he killed her.””
“But she lived.””
“Yes.””
“Then where was I?””
Tasha shook her head.
“I didn't see you leave.””
Lena whispered, “Because I was already gone.””
Malcolm looked at her.
“How?””
Lena's eyes filled with tears.
“Your mother had a second car.””
Tasha frowned.
“What?””
“She sent me away before the man arrived.””
Malcolm stared at his sister.
“Mom saved you.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she tell everyone you were dead?””
Lena looked down.
“Because she thought the man would stop searching.””
Tasha shook her head.
“He never stopped.””
Malcolm looked at the photograph of his mother.
“Who was he?””
Lena's voice dropped.
“Someone Dad knew.””
Malcolm froze.
“Our father?””
Lena nodded.
“Dad wasn't the man we thought he was.””
Silence.
Malcolm felt the room close around him.
“He was involved?””
“Yes.””
Tasha whispered, “Lena…”
Lena turned on her.
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“You knew enough to be afraid.””
Tasha looked at Malcolm.
“Your father was laundering money through businesses in his name.””
Malcolm stared.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“And Lena found out?””
“She found records.””
Lena nodded.
“I was going to take them to the police.””
“But you didn't.””
“No.””
“Why?””
Lena's eyes moved to Tasha.
“Because someone warned me that if I spoke, Mom would die.””
Malcolm's voice cracked.
“Who?””
Lena shook her head.
“I never saw his face.””
A loud metallic bang came from above them.
Everyone looked up.
Another bang.
Then footsteps.
Someone was walking down the stairs.
Slowly.
One step at a time.
Malcolm moved in front of Lena.
Nia stepped beside him.
Tasha backed toward the wall.
The footsteps stopped.
A shadow appeared beneath the door.
Then a man's voice came through.
“You've spent twelve years blaming the wrong person.””
Malcolm shouted, “Who are you?””
The man laughed.
“Ask your bride.””
Malcolm turned.
Tasha's eyes widened.
“No.””
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
A man stood in the doorway.
Black suit.
Black gloves.
Face hidden by the darkness.
He held a phone in one hand.
On the screen was a live video.
Malcolm's mother was still tied to the chair.
The man looked directly at Malcolm.
“Your mother has five minutes.””
Malcolm stepped forward.
“Where is she?””
The man smiled.
“Ask Tasha.””
Then he raised the phone.
A second video appeared.
It showed a younger Tasha standing outside the old house twelve years earlier.
Beside her stood Malcolm's father.
Malcolm stared at the screen.
His voice disappeared.
Tasha whispered,
“I can explain.””
Malcolm turned slowly toward her.
“You knew my father was there.””
Tasha began shaking her head.
“No.””
The man in the doorway smiled.
“She didn't just know.””
He pressed a button.
The video changed.
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Tasha was handing the silver necklace to someone.
And the person receiving it was Malcolm's father.
